As a founding partner of Wolff and Simon Real Estate in Park Rapids, T.J. Simon knows that building a successful brokerage is a 24-7 job. Apart from the occasional retreat to a deer stand, duck blind, or fishing trip on the lake, T.J. is always on call and ready to talk real estate.
For Simon, his chosen profession is about a lot more than racking up transactions. It’s about building strong communities where people want to live, and helping local economies thrive.
In his new role as president of Minnesota Realtors®, he is committed to bringing members together to forge strong partnerships for resolving issues facing the industry and homeowners.
Q: What are the biggest issues you expect to address during your tenure?
Well, obviously, the COVID pandemic is not going away. Although vaccines are on the way, we’ll have to deal with it well into the next selling season. The good news is that we’ve managed to still get business done safely. With technology—virtual meetings and showings and closings—we’ve become more fluid and able to adapt.
Achieving unity as an association is a central challenge before us. We have to set the tone by respecting each other and bringing our communities together. We’re going to work hard to make sure everyone has a voice at the table. We might not always agree with each other, but sometimes disagreement gets people involved and engaged. When all the options are on the table, you can have a really great conversation and then move forward together as a team.
Another important priority is telling the Realtor® story to our communities. We need to show the value we bring. What we do is so much bigger than selling houses. We provide community—a place for people to live and enjoy. We bring business to Main Street, because when people move into a new home, they need things: furniture, dishes, lawnmowers. They need services, too. And because as Realtors® we’re so connected to the community; we link them to all of that. Real estate is an essential service for a reason: it’s an engine for the economy. That’s the story we need to tell.
Q: Despite the pandemic, the real estate market was very heated from mid-summer to year’s end. Will the boom continue in 2021?
Interest rates are low, so the demand will still be there. Lack of inventory will be the only thing slowing it down, from the Cities to the rural markets. In Greater Minnesota, we expect more of the increased activity we’ve been seeing. The work-from-home trend will outlive the pandemic. For a lot of people, that means choosing to live where they’ve only vacationed in the past. That kind of movement is already having an impact in communities that have traditionally had tourist economies and will probably continue as more people arrive.
Q: What steps can the association take to help relieve the perennial shortage of affordable housing?
One of the things we can do is look at improving the first-time home buyer savings account. As originally drafted, the intent was to let home buyers deduct the entire investment into the home savings account. If this passes the Legislature, it could get a lot of buyers over the hump and into their first home. The Government Affairs team is also looking at ways to incentivize affordable new construction by adjusting rules and regulations around development. There’s no single answer. It’s been a long-term problem and solutions won’t happen overnight, but we’re working together to make progress.
Q: What should Realtors® be thinking about as they prepare this year’s business plans?
Despite all the changes brought by the pandemic and new technologies, it still really comes down to getting back to the basics. You answer all the phone calls and do the work it takes to generate leads. The listings never fall into your lap. You have to be visible and available wherever you go. There’s no being a “secret agent” in this business. We never take our Realtor® hats off. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. People will always see you as “the Realtor®.” That’s how those casual conversations in church or at the kids’ soccer game turn into leads. The business never stops. Wherever you go, you’re not just out there for yourself: you’re representing your brokerage and our entire industry. Your service to your clients doesn’t end after closing. You are part of the fabric of their community and help make it a great place to live. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s also an opportunity to make a positive difference in a lot of people’s lives.