New SILVAR president sees 2021 an opportunity to turn the page, start anew
Nothing can deter Joanne Fraser, 2021 president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, from accomplishing her goals. COVID-19 may have modified them, but Fraser has not let the pandemic bring her down. A nurse for 14 years, a Realtor for 43 years, and a world traveler with a wealth of experiences, she remains undaunted and believes even amid the pandemic there are opportunities to be had.
Fraser grew up in Maryland, where after high school she embarked on a nursing career. While vacationing in San Francisco she fell in love with California, so in 1970 she moved to Mountain View where she worked as an RN in the emergency room, critical care, medical and surgical at Stanford and El Camino hospitals.
Fraser decided to change careers after she and her former husband bought a home in Los Altos and another in Tahoe and experienced transaction issues she felt could have been prevented. She took real estate courses at night and received her license in 1977.
Fraser first started with Rancho Realty in Los Altos. Now on her 44th year in real estate, she is a Realtor with Compass Los Altos. She not only excelled in the business, but has been active in organized real estate, as well. Fraser is a Certified Residential Specialist, the highest designation achieved by less than 3 percent of licensed agents. An active member of the Residential Real Estate Council (formerly CRS), Fraser was 2007 president of the CRS Norcal chapter, regional vice president, served on the national RRC board of directors and various committees. She was the 2006 and 2016 CRS of the Year, and received the 2012 CRS Medallion Award for her years of volunteer service.
Fraser has achieved National Association of Realtors Emeritus status. She has served on NAR’S Global Business & Alliances Committee and Certified International Property Specialist Advisory Board. At SILVAR, Fraser has served as president of the Silicon Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation, chair of the Global Busines Council, and on the board of directors and many committees.
Nursing and real estate are a perfect blend, says Fraser. “In both jobs you work with people, you’re always under stress whether it’s regarding the health of your patients or the financial future of your clients. You are constantly forced to prioritize and make life changing decisions. There are legal implications in what you do, so you need to document everything.
You must be decisive and self-assured.”
Like nursing, real estate is about taking care of people and building relationships based on trust. “Technology does not sell houses; it’s relationships that do,” says Fraser. She has kept 40-plus years of relationships with past clients intact through phone calls, sending handwritten notes and cards.
While the world is not rid of the pandemic, Fraser is hopeful. Saddened by thousands of deaths and families financially hurting, she hopes the federal government will come through for those in need so the economy can rebound.
As for real estate, technology has enabled Realtors to pivot to online meetings with clients and virtual showings. The national, state, and local Realtor associations, like SILVAR, now offer programs connecting members virtually
with other agents around the country and the world, and provide real estate courses online for free or at huge discounts.
“While at home, it’s time to be a sponge and learn all you can. You are in control of your destiny and it’s what you make it,” is her message to new, as well as seasoned agents.
Fraser adds,”there are opportunities for everyone to make a change and to turn the page on your own history. Change is scary, but if we are open, we can rewrite everything for the better.”