‘Step up or Leave’: An Interview with Ann Defries, President, Women’s Council of Realtors

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By Marylyn B. Schwartz

RISMEDIA, Jan. 22, 2008- Speaking with Ann Defries is like holding onto a speeding train. She is a woman of principle and dedicated to raising the standards and image of an industry that has had to tolerate a few “black eyes” over the past couple of years. An agent for change, this dedicated, successful real estate manager/coach/sales professional is also the 2008 President of the Women’s Council of Realtors®.

MBS: It surprises many real estate sales professionals to learn that the Women’s Council of Realtors® (WCR) is dedicated to both men and women of the real estate industry. There are male members of WCR who hold leadership positions throughout the country. WCR works tirelessly on behalf of the whole industry despite the “W” in the name.

Defries: Yes, that is very true. Men and women have equally struggled with the challenges of the past couple of years. When the members of WCR work in unison to effect legislation and initiatives that better industry standards and practices, we support everyone’s success equally. 59% of all Realtors® are women and 22% in WCR are owners or have an ownership position in his/her company. The 9% of men who joined did so primarily because of the wonderful education that has always been an earmark of the organization.

MBS: What are the challenges do you see that are causing struggles?

Defries: Many folks jumped into real estate when the going was good. A strong market and lots of transactions proved to be very enticing to people who would otherwise never have considered a commission sales position as a career choice. Unfortunately, those same people lacked the skills and knowledge necessary to sustain themselves in various market conditions. When the market began to show signs of trouble, those same agents expected a “magic cure” to get productivity back on track. That didn’t happen. Then, when they needed to get back to the basics, they had no basics to get back to, creating a formula for failure and lowering standards throughout the industry.

Right now, we have to step up to the plate and ensure that people understand how to justify their commission, accurately educate the consumer, and embrace/ adhere to the Code of Ethics.

MBS: What needs to be done about the educational failures that have added to the rise in ethics complaints throughout the states?

Defries: Agents have two choices. They need to either step up and attain the skills and training needed to conduct business professionally and successfully, or they need to leave. Many have chosen the latter, and that is just fine. There is nothing easy about this business when you take it seriously as a profession. There is no need for agents to “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to educating themselves. WCR has always been at the forefront of educational initiatives and creative programming designed to ensure that agents are running their businesses like pros. I remember when computers were first being introduced in the industry and most agents were in denial that computers would play a big part in our profession. I went out and got one very quickly. While I was an oddity for sure, it is always better to be ahead of the curve instead of always playing catch up.

MBS: WCR members have always supported RPAC (Realtors® Political Action Committees) initiatives. Tell us why the ongoing work of RPAC is crucial to the industry.

Defries: Currently the state of Florida is embroiled in ongoing battles over property tax and insurance issues. There are hundreds of state issues being debated that affect the real estate professional and consumer. RPAC is the best vehicle to ensure that none of us are blindsided by the passing of legislation that we would deem to be deleterious to our industry. Agents must get involved in issues and initiatives that directly affect their income. All real estate is local. Know what is going on in your community and make your professional position known, or don’t complain when things don’t go your way.

MBS: If I were to poll the WCR members, what do you think they would identify as the best or one of the best returns for their membership fee?

Defries: Earlier I said that agents did not need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to getting educated on what does and does not work relative to building a successful business. WCR members are generous and giving of their time and expertise. They feel a strong commitment to contributing to the public’s favorable image of the industry. I would venture to say that if a member were to send out an e-mail asking for help or advice, within hours they would get five back from members offering any assistance they could render. WCR is an organization where management and agents pool their skills and knowledge to assist new managers and agents to create a business the right way the first time. Let’s stop the treadmill of doing the same things day in and day out and expecting different outcomes.

Defries: With all that you have shared about WCR and what we see in the industry, share with our readers why joining WCR now is the best thing a person could do to effectively navigate the market.

Defries: People are searching for something to believe in and for a reason to be optimistic about the real estate profession. When people come together for common purposes and share uncompromising principles and integrity, the power generated is just what the doctor ordered for us all. WCR members pride themselves on always being solution focused and welcome like-minded people into our folds with open arms!

MBS: On behalf of all Realtors® around the country, I thank you for being on our team!

Marylyn B. Schwartz, CSP, is an expert in real estate and corporate sales training/management and team development. She is president of Teamweavers and a trainer for Leader’s Choice.

For more information, visit www.marylynbschwartz.com, or e-mail teamweaver@aol.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

For more of this week’s hot topics, see:

• What’s Your Image? Four Steps to ‘Employment Branding’  
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