RISMEDIA, June 10, 2009-The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is doing everything we can to help our members save time and money and find success in the current marketplace.
Each year, among our many efforts, NAR creates and distributes a Membership Kit to all REALTORS®, providing valuable information to help you make the most of your NAR membership. Members will soon receive a completely revised and customized Kit, which includes the 2009 edition of the NAR Member Reference Guide, as well as a personalized Membership Card. The card serves as proof to clients and prospects that you are a Realtor, and provides easy access to your NRDS number. If you are primarily involved in commercial real estate, your Kit will also include a Commercial Supplement.
This year’s Guide has been reformatted to illustrate exactly what benefits NAR offers to help members every day in their businesses, and highlights thousands of free programs and services to help their business now.
When members open the Guide, they’ll see the “Top 10 Benefits of Membership.” These include: how to maximize the power of the Realtor brand; how to gain specialized expertise and expand a client base; steps members can take to implement NAR’s many technology resources to work more efficiently and sell more homes; and hundreds of products and special offers from REALTOR Benefits® Program Partners.
Another great example of the many benefits you’ll read about are our efforts in Washington, D.C., where each day we work to represent the interests of Realtors nationwide. A snapshot of current issues and important victories-like the new $8,000 tax credit to help first-time home buyers purchase a home, and the signing of the bill permanently banning large national banking conglomerates from entering the real estate business-can be found within the Guide.
Also included are details about NAR’s ongoing, successful Public Awareness Campaign, which works to strengthen the relationship between consumers and Realtors. And members will find information about our new radio show, “Real Estate Today,” which covers the benefits and challenges of homeownership (listen online at www.retradio.com).
To provide a complete look at the benefits of membership at all levels of the Realtor family, Guides include custom-printed messages from over 600 participating State and Local Associations.
New Initiatives
NAR is always working to create new solutions for issues that are important to its members. This year’s Guide highlights four new initiatives for 2009:
“Right Tools, Right Now”
To ensure that its members are getting the tools, tips and strategies they need today, NAR launched the “Right Tools, Right Now” initiative in March. It’s designed to provide access to more than 300 NAR products, publications and resources for free, at-cost or at significantly reduced pricing. Look for the “Right Tools, Right Now” icon throughout the Guide to learn what offerings are included in the initiative.
REALTORS® Federal Credit Union
The Credit Union is dedicated to serving the financial needs of Realtors. Find out how the Credit Union combines a unique understanding of Realtors and common goals to develop innovative solutions, and where to sign up.
Realtors Core Health Insurance
Get the details on the new Realtors Core Health Insurance program, offering affordable and guaranteed-acceptance, and limited medical plans.
www.RealtorsCoreHealthInsurance.com
NAR’s Green Designation
Discover how earning NAR’s Green Designation can prepare agents for this major market shift and help open up new green-related business leads.
Membership Kit Arriving Soon
NAR’s annual Membership Kit outlines the abundant benefits and the great value that members receive as part of the NAR family. Renewing members and January-through-April new members will receive their Kit in June. After that, new Membership Kits are mailed on a monthly basis.
www.REALTOR.org/MembershipGuide
Bob Goldberg is the senior vice president, Marketing & Business Development, & Commercial Services for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.