GLVAR leaders join experts from around U.S. at NAR Conference

Members of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors joined more than 20,000 real estate professionals and fellow industry leaders from around the country at the 2017 Realtors Conference & Expo held in Chicago last month.

This year’s conference theme, “The Sky’s the Limit,” encouraged members of the National Association of Realtors to take advantage of new technology and innovations shaping the industry, educate themselves on the latest market trends and real estate issues and make new contacts with fellow real estate professionals from around the world. GLVAR members also had the opportunity to attend hundreds of information and education sessions, featuring more than 300 nationally recognized speakers and industry experts who spoke on a wide range of real estate topics, including affordability from inventory constraints, brokerage management and tax reform’s potential impact on homeowners.

Among the panelists and speakers were Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, who shared the latest outlook for residential and commercial real estate markets; William Doerner, Federal Housing Finance Agency senior economist; Steve Schmidt, MSNBC political analyst; Robert Dietz, National Association of Home Builders chief economist; Luke Glass, realtor.com executive vice president of Industry Platforms, and 23-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.

“As a trusted source for real estate information, Realtors need to constantly work to educate ourselves about the latest trends and developments affecting our industry,” said GLVAR President David J. Tina, a longtime Las Vegas Realtor. “This conference was an incredible opportunity for me and the dozens of other Nevada Realtor who attended. We were able to reflect on this year’s successes, identify solutions to problems facing the housing market locally and nationally and to discuss ways to keep homeownership and real estate issues near the top of the national agenda.”

For example, Tina said he learned that Southern Nevada isn’t the only housing market where there aren’t enough homes available for sale.

“From what I heard in Chicago, most of the major cities in the country are facing an inventory shortage,” he added.

From Nov. 3 to 6, Realtor attended 100-plus conference forums, workshops and educational sessions on a broad range of real estate issues to help enhance their skills and prepare their businesses for 2018. Attending this conference is one of the countless ways NAR members gain specialized knowledge; hone their expertise to better serve America’s home buyers, sellers and investors; and improve their professionalism.

During the conference, Elizabeth Mendenhall, a sixth-generation Realtor from Columbia, Missouri, was installed as 2018 NAR president.

“In 2018, Realtor will continue to tackle issues like flood insurance and affordability, but we will also focus on how Realtor can help shape and move the industry forward,” she said. “The business of real estate is always changing, and our industry continues to evolve at breakneck speed. As industry leaders, it is our job to be at the forefront of that innovation.”

Tina said Realtor also had the opportunity to try and learn about the latest products and services for real estate professionals. More than 400 exhibitors showcased their offerings during the trade expo, the largest in the real estate industry, exposing them to fresh ideas and ways to better serve clients.