Many real estate agents wait to be asked to be involved in their local CRS chapter. But not Jeff Dowler, CRS, with Solutions Real Estate in Carlsbad, California, who quickly volunteered with the Southern California CRS chapter shortly after moving to the West Coast in 2005.
Get up, get into it & get involved
Successful CRS leaders say getting involved with the Council can open doors to personal growth and professional opportunities.
By Regina Ludes
Many real estate agents wait to be asked to be involved in their local CRS chapter. But not Jeff Dowler, CRS, with Solutions Real Estate in Carlsbad, California, who quickly volunteered with the Southern California CRS chapter shortly after moving to the West Coast in 2005.
I had just moved to California, had limited business opportunities and knew few people, so volunteering helped me to start building my network, he recalls. At the first meeting he attended, Dowler asked the chapter president how he could get more involved. She made me the area vice president for San Diego in 2006.
I got to know agents in the area and learned how they were running their business, says Dowler, who later served as the president of the Southern California CRS chapter in 2011 and is currently a regional vice president.
But Dowler had another reason for getting involved with CRS: to grow the real estate profession. There are a lot of issues with our business and REALTORS® dont have the best reputation, but the CRS Designation can collectively help us improve the way our profession is viewed by consumers, Dowler says.
Successful CRS leaders cite different reasons for getting involved with CRS. Some want to give back to the industry that has served them well, while others seek to expand their referral network. Still others get involved to become better leaders or improve their people skills. Regardless of their reason for volunteering, those who make a committed and consistent effort to contribute to the organization can develop more meaningful relationships and position themselves for future success.
Building a Referral Network
The main reason most agents join a chapter is to find referral opportunities, says Christel Silver, CRS, with Silver International Realty in Delray Beach, Florida, who is a member of several CRS chapters, including the Maryland/D.C., Virginia and Central Virginia CRS chapters. I often work with clients who move from Maryland and Virginia to Florida, so it makes sense for me to be on the local chapter roster, and as a regional vice president, I can keep abreast of what is happening at those chapters, Silver says.
However, the key to success is getting involved. Nothing will happen in terms of referrals unless you get personally involved in the chapter, Silver says.
Gregg Fujita, CRS, with Harbor Bay Realty in Alameda, California, estimates that he has completed nearly $70 million in sales volume that resulted from CRS agent referrals over his career. These include second-generation referrals when the original referral also refers someone, as well as third-generation referrals when the second-generation referral also makes a referral all as a result of the initial referral. He attributes this success to his involvement in the Northern California CRS chapter. When you appear as a qualified leader in your chapter, you have more credibility because people have already seen you in action and know what you are capable of doing, Fujita says.
Dowler believes that CRS agents who are more active in their chapter tend to receive more and better quality referrals than agents who are not involved with CRS. CRS agents know that the other agent has received quality education [through CRS] so they know how they are likely to work, Dowler says.
Learning to Lead
If REALTORS® aspire to move up the volunteer ranks, the chapter is the first place to start, says Silver. You have to be active in the local chapter before you grasp the strategy of the Council at the national level, Silver says. She advises agents to start small, either by serving on a committee or helping out at an event. Silver also suggests attending the national meetings and events such as Sell-a-bration® to understand how the Council operates.
CRS leaders say their activities with the Council have led the way to other leadership opportunities. Silver has chaired several committees for the Florida CRS chapter, was chapter president in 2010 and is currently a regional vice president. She serves as co-chair of the Global Committee for the Florida Association of REALTORS® and as NARs liaison to Germany. I dont think I would have gotten either of these positions if it had not been for my involvement with CRS, Silver says.
Like Silver, Yolanda Lowes CRS involvement has led to other leadership opportunities within the industry, including the board of directors for her local REALTOR® board and the Connecticut Association of REALTORS®. These organizations see that I bring fresh ideas, which CRS exposed me to through their education courses and events, such as the chapter leadership training program, says Lowe, who is with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, New England Properties in Essex, Connecticut.
A relative newcomer to the CRS volunteer family, Lowe joined the Connecticut CRS chapter and headed up the chapters education committee in 2010 while still taking classes to complete her CRS designation. Since then, she served as chapter president in 2012 and is currently a regional vice president.
Improving People Skills
By leading committee and chapter meetings, Lowe says her interpersonal skills have improved, which has helped her client relationships. Im learning to listen more when I am in a committee meeting. And with clients, I allow them to talk so they come up with their own solutions rather than me giving them the answer, Lowe says.
Dowler says his time management and planning skills are more effective because he is more thoughtful about how he uses his time and resources. That experience has helped him work more effectively with clients using checklists and other planning tools.
Fujita recalls his first volunteer opportunity as a speaker on a panel discussion. It was the first time he spoke in front of a large audience, and that experience helped him become a better communicator. I experienced strong growth in an area in which I was weak public speaking. And I honed my networking and people skills. As a chapter leader, you have to be able to work with people who have different opinions and passions, and be a consensus builder, Fujita says.
Learning from Other CRSs
REALTORS® have many options for volunteering with other professional organizations and in their community, but Fujita says he focused on CRS because he liked the idea of influencing another agents career development. When discussing the benefits of CRS membership with new agents, Fujita tells them chapter involvement is important, not just for agent referrals, but also for continuing their education. Fujita says, You learn from other people located in similar markets, you learn from national speakers and you learn specific skills that can help your personal and professional life, such as negotiation and team-building.
And he shares his own story how he was mentored by Lois Cox, CRS, with Prudential California Realty in Pleasanton, California, who encouraged him to get into real estate and get involved with real estate organizations such as CRS. You will be the national leader someday, she once told me. I did not believe her. She recognized something in me that I did not see in myself, Fujita says. Her words came true as Fujita earned his CRS Designation in 1994, became a CRS leader in 1997 and became Council president in 2010.
Lowe cites several individuals who have guided her during her rise within the CRS family: Christel Silver, CRS, and Laura Shifrin, CRS, who both provided informal mentoring and support, and Rachel Tristano, the Councils former director of chapter relations, who encouraged Lowe to get involved at the management level.
Now Lowe is sharing her knowledge about CRS with new agents. Since bringing several agents from her office to a CRS class recently, her agents have joined the Council and are pursuing the designation. CRS is one big family. There is a lot of experience with CRS that is shared with everyone else, Lowe says.
Whether you want to hone your leadership and interpersonal skills or expand your professional network, CRS agents who contribute to the CRS organization can experience personal growth and attract lucrative business opportunities down the road.
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