It’s a Wonderful Life

Civic engagement brings personal and financial rewards

By Myrna Traylor

In the classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life,” the main character’s generosity ties him to everyone in the community of Bedford Falls, and in the end, everyone benefits. Many REALTORS® have followed in George Bailey’s footsteps by doing good works in their communities, and in return, they deepen their connections to people who might someday become clients.

Diane Honeycutt, CRS, agent with Allen Tate Realtors in Concord, North Carolina, is a team leader who is enthusiastic about volunteering, as is her team. “We are known as being a ‘community connection’ for our clients as well as the nonprofits in the area,” she says.

She and her team members volunteer as a group and individually throughout the year. The team provides nonprofits with financial and organizational help, as well as tackling hands-on projects. The members of her team have made donations to the United Way, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Cabarrus County Arts Council, and they have personally delivered 3,500 Halloween treat bags to county law enforcement and safety officials.

“We are not only ‘full-service REALTORS®,’” Honeycutt says, “but ‘full-service community advocates.’” The local Chamber of Commerce has recognized Team Honeycutt’s efforts with a nomination for their newest award, Volunteer Business of the Year Award.

Of course, this level of involvement brings Honeycutt and her team new clients.

Honeycutt relates how a woman with whom she had served on the Red Cross board contacted her years later to list a house, which turned into a sale. Another of her team members struck up a conversation with an older gentleman at a charity event and a month later he sent the agent one listing referral and a second one shortly thereafter.

Impacting the community

“One of our core values is impact,” says Betsy Pepine, CRS, broker-owner of Pepine Realty in Gainesville, Florida. For Betsy and her team, the whole point of doing service is to make an impact in their community.

“We organize monthly volunteer events and involve our service providers, agents and staff,” Pepine says. “We recently put flags at veterans’ tombstones, led a Girls on the Run team at a local school, stuffed backpacks for Catholic Charities and much more.” In addition to the time spent on these activities, the team donates money to charities—and Pepine matches other agents’ donations up to $1,000/year/agent. For 2019, Pepine plans to donate $150 per closing for the entire year to the American Heart Association.

“While we don’t do community service activities to attract clients, we have derived business from doing it,” Pepine says. “Just by ‘being there,’ you expose yourself to people who you may not otherwise know. For example, we volunteer regularly at homeless shelters, and invariably a guest will come up to us asking for help in finding a rental.”

In addition to these in-person contacts, thoughtful promotion of community service activities can boost the individual or company brand. Pepine’s marketing department posts videos of their community service activities.

“Sellers who value giving back to the community see this and often call us to list their homes,” Pepine says. “Whenever you align with someone’s core values, they are more likely to be attracted to you and want to use you.”

When John Mitchell, CRS, volunteers, he takes to the skies as a member of the Civil Air Patrol, which serves as a nonprofit auxiliary to the U.S. Air Force, assisting with such emergency services as search and rescue operations and disaster relief. And more closely related to his role as an agent at Mitchell Realty Services in Aurora, Colorado, Mitchell is also active with the RRC.

“In every case, my involvement is a direct reflection of how I conduct myself as a REALTOR®,” Mitchell says. “The desire to serve others is foundational to my business model. In each ‘outside of real estate’ activity, I am constantly learning and observing. And when life’s lessons make themselves apparent, I try to see how that lesson might apply to real estate.”

Community engagement

Mitchell clearly sees how his volunteer activities at nonprofits, business councils or other services impact his real estate business.

“I do not think I would be able to have a real estate career if I chose not to become engaged with others. Networking, fellowship and giving back shows people that I care,” he says. “So when I get a call to help, it’s a genuine call for assistance and I am grateful they reached out to me.”

“I am fortunate to be able to share my time and resources with several nonprofits, including one which I have founded,” says Chris Clark, CRS, an agent with Pikes Peak Home and Land, Ltd., based in Woodland Park, Colorado. Clark helps at the Salvation Army, helping prep toys for Christmas delivery, working the distribution center after tornadoes and as a regular on the serving line for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

But he has a special fondness for nature and wildlife. He serves as a special projects volunteer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, organizing and leading 12 hikes a year in Mueller State Park. “I often say that my best friends are all four-legged,” Clark says, and he backed up his concern for wildlife by starting the Clark Colorado Wildlife Fund. This nonprofit supports wildlife rehabbers who care for orphaned, sick or injured wildlife.

Some participants in Clark’s hikes have become clients. “We are in a relationship business,” Clark says. “Meeting people in a volunteer setting establishes a level of trust that carries over into a future business transaction. This cannot be duplicated in an advertising program.”

A full commitment

If you are looking to start or expand your involvement with civic organizations (see sidebar), the service you select isn’t as important as why you’re doing it. As Diane Honeycutt says, “Our passion comes through in all our volunteer efforts, and friends in the community see our giving spirit. I think one positive for our business is that people in the community see that we give 110 percent to our volunteer efforts. I have been told by some that if we work that hard on volunteer efforts, we must be fantastic and committed when we are getting paid to work, so people are confident in trusting us with their real estate needs.”

“I always tell my team members if they aren’t fully committed to the effort, don’t volunteer,” Honeycutt says. “It is easy for community members to see when people are doing it when they believe it is the right thing as opposed to trying to get their name out there and build their business.”

Myrna Traylor is a freelance writer based in the Chicago area.

To recognize the commitment REALTORS® have made across the country, NAR is currently accepting applications for the Good Neighbor Awards from NAR members who have made an extraordinary impact through volunteer service. For more details, judging criteria and a nomination form, please call 800-874-6500 or visit nar.realtor/gna.