January 13^th kicked off the Virginia REALTORS^® 2021 January Jumpstart, a two-week virtual event filled with meetings and trainings, culminating with our annual (virtual!) RPAC Awards ceremony on January 28^th at 7:00 p.m. You can view the full January Jumpstart schedule here.

On the 13^th, more than 400 people attended our virtual Leadership Training. Did you miss out on the event? Take a look at a few key highlights below, and be sure to check out the full replay!

“The State of the Association,” 2021 President Beth Dalton

Virginia REALTORS^® 2021 President Beth Dalton offered an in-depth look at several key initiatives for the association for 2021, along with her Presidential Challenge for the year: “A Little Bit More.” This concept comes from Sam Parker’s book 212—The Extra Degree in which he points out, “At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam, and with steam, you can power a train. That one extra degree makes the difference.”

Whether you contribute a little more to RPAC, increase your industry know-how by attending one of Virginia REALTORS^® many virtual education programs, or apply for a grant to give back to your own community, President Dalton challenges each member of Virginia REALTORS^® to find meaningful ways to do “a little bit more” in 2021.

“The Leadership Puzzle,” Bruce Aydt

Among the many useful ideas Aydt supplied, he suggested all attendees take the time to complete NAR’s innovative new fair housing tool, Fairhaven. This interactive tool is free of charge and puts REALTORS^® through various scenarios in which they must seek out solutions to ensure the client is served and protected. Fairhaven also includes real-life testimonials from people who have experienced housing discrimination.

Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion: How to Become Better Real Estate Professionals, Leaders, and Human Beings,” SVP for Community and Industry Relations, Leslie Frazier

During Frazier’s informative presentation, she discussed VAR’s new Diversity and Inclusion Presidential Advisory Group and offered insight on defining the two terms. Using a quote from Verna Myers, she explained, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”

Frazier also recommended REALTORS^® read Richard Rothstein’s book The Color of Law for an eye-opening look at historical accounts of racist government policies and actions.

“Economic & Housing Market Update,” Chief Economist Lisa Sturtevant, PhD

Dr. Sturtevant provided details on current home sales numbers and offered insights on how certain impacts of COVID-19 may continue impacting the market into the future, even after the vaccines are widely distributed. One of these impacts will likely include the option of working remotely, which has become commonplace during the pandemic. Many people have grown accustomed to teleworking, and many will likely continue working from home in the future, at least for a couple of days per week. For some, this will open up the option to move a bit further out from large urban areas now that they’re no longer making a daily commute. Dr. Sturtevant provides more market insights on her new Research & Statistics page.

“Authentic Messaging for Maximum Impact, Virtually,” NAR Past President Ron Phipps

During his energy-packed presentation, Phipps gave innovative techniques for making virtual communications more “human” and engaging. From tips for maintaining your energy to techniques for ensuring you speak “with” not “at” your audience, Phipps’ presentation will leave arm you with a plethora of wisdom and tips that are easy to apply.

Looking for beautiful, high-quality pictures to use in your presentations that also happen to be free of charge? Phipps recommended the website Unsplash as a useful resource.

Check out the replay of Virginia REALTORS^® 2021 Leadership Training for more valuable information.