I serve on the NAR Meetings and Conference Committee and I can tell you we had some exciting events planned for this year’s Relators® Conference and Expo that sampled all that New Orleans has to offer from jazz and historic sites, to pralines and beignets. It was going to be an experience to remember. However, this year’s conference did what everything did in 2020 – it went virtual. Did it work? Umm…Yes!
The governance meetings were held in early November and ended with the board of director’s meeting on the 13th. The board welcomed the incoming association leaders including NAR President Charlie Oppler, President-Elect Leslie Rouda Smith, and our very own Len Sarvela as Region Eight vice president. The board also updated our Code of Ethics to include a new standard of practice that holds Realtors® to a higher standard in both work-related and personal communications.
The conference and expo portion kicked off on Monday, November 16th with Brian Buffini, acclaimed real estate coach and author. A crowd favorite, he always has great insight and tips, but added something extra for Realtors® this year. NAR is partnering with Buffini & Company by providing a discount on the 100 Days to Greatness program. This is just one of the benefits that NAR has offered this year, including the Right Tools Right Now that gives huge discounts and/or free access to webinars, educational sessions, reports and more. I just downloaded the NAR 2020 Profile of Home buyers and Sellers for free. I usually purchase this valuable report, so my member benefits are certainly getting a workout this year!
I attended many classes, more than I would have in person because there was no running down hallways, catching shuttles, or stressing over which session I would go to when there were two (or more) listed at the same time. My favorite feature of the virtual format was that I didn’t have to choose. The Sessions Library holds recordings for all the classes and sessions. If you attended the conference you have free access to the videos for 30 days. Even though the conference is officially over, I have a list of classes that I will watch during the next few weeks. In true New Orleans style, the party continues!
My absolute favorite part of all NAR conferences is the presentation by Lawrence Yun, our chief economist. Dr. Yun always shares invaluable insights on where we are and where we are headed. His presentation was packed with great data and lots of good news for our market and our clients. My main takeaways are that he forecasts interest rates remaining very low for the near future, working from home is here to stay, and sales will be even stronger next year. If you attended the conference you can still catch his presentation in the Sessions Library under Residential Economic Research and Trends.
Although I didn’t get to taste a treat from Café Du Monde or participate in a second line parade, NAR gave us some opportunities to enjoy local fun, art, and music including a sand artist, a DJ battle, and of course a five-piece brass band. As challenging as this year has been and as much as I missed being with everyone from our state and around the country, the conference was a huge success. Next year’s conference is in San Diego. Whether it’s in person or virtual, I hope to see you all there!