Chicago REALTORS® sold $45,266,942,349 in total volume and facilitated 106,785 transaction sides in 2021. Congratulations! I love being part of such an amazing industry. Your hustle and drive this past year deserve recognition and celebration.
How wonderful does it feel to be able to gather together in person once again? It’s hard to believe we haven’t been together for our Sales Awards in three years! I hope you take time to appreciate this and all of the ways we can inspire one another.
“In countries descending into authoritarianism, one of the first things to go is the right to assemble. Why? Because of what can happen when people come together, exchange information, inspire one another, test out new ways of being together.” -The Art of Gathering
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker, one of my favorite reads this year, really helped me understand the importance of gathering, whether it be at a meeting, an event or even a dinner with family and friends; it also got me thinking about all of the ways we can improve as we come together.
As an association, we are proud to offer many ways for you to gather, including committee meetings, dinners, events (like this one!) and volunteer opportunities throughout the year. I encourage you to make the most of these avenues through which we can continue to inspire one another and exchange information. Take the risk to meet someone new, ask questions and build relationships. Real estate is a cooperative business, so knowing the person on the other side of the deal can only help make the process smoother.
For those of you making room on your shelves for your future CARly, we compiled advice from top producers here. Get inspired by these actionable, motivational tips to take your business to the next level. We’ve also included some Top Producer book recommendations. I’ve shared my favorite books from last year, too. We’re always looking for new reads – reach out to us with other recommendations.
And, don’t miss actionable tips you can take to set your clients up for success. Author Donna J. Rogers shares six implementable ways we can empower our clients to invest in real estate to build generational wealth. Her action plan is admirable. Plus, I love that she offered to write this piece, taking time to share and inspire all of us. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
As always, I’d love to hear from you!
JESSICA KERN
Vice President, Communications