BY LAURIE CADIGAN

The association works on behalf of every member, but we certainly
recognize that the business leaders among us, the brokers and owners
across the state, provide a great service to the industry and the
association as conduits to their agents, sharing informational resources with them to help them nurture their business and gain insight into the industry.

The most vital mission of the association is our lobbying and legislative efforts to protect and promote private property rights. The association works to support REALTOR® brokers and owners in efforts to help spread the word on legislative issues affecting the real estate industry.

One of the most important displays of our efforts is our visits on both Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill. Hopefully I’ll see many of you in Washington at NAR’s Midyear Meetings and Hill Visits May 9–14 and on June 8 at REALTOR® Day on Beacon Hill where you can learn more about the issues affecting our industry and speak on its behalf to your Congressmen and Representatives.

Another important opportunity for brokers to engage members in lobbying efforts is through the Broker Involvement Program for Calls for Action. Brokers give permission for the Calls for Action to come from them to their agents, who can then forward the message to their local constituents. Calls for Action response rates are significantly higher when agents receive a message from their broker asking them to participate.

We also provide specialized education and informational tools that brokers can share with their agents to improve business, reduce risk, and organize office processes. Specifically, informational webinars are available for busy brokers to learn more about risk management, legal issues, and more, right from their offices. The new Broker Webinar Series launched in February and hosts webinars bi-monthly. See page 6 for a listing of upcoming topics.

A new video library titled, “‘Real Talk’ with Industry Experts,” is also now available for brokers to share with their agents at sales meetings and training sessions. These short, web-based videos are on topics that are of interest to all REALTORS®. Visit the Education section of marealtor.com to access the videos.