Dear Editor,
During the campaign process for the primary election for the 9th District, many things were said about me as a Realtor®, about Realtors® in general, and about the National Association of Realtors®, of which I have been a member for 19 years in good standing.
I’d like to address those assertions.
It was stated that the Realtors® are a ‘liberal DC PAC.’ This is categorically untrue. Realtors® are located everywhere—every town, every county, every zip code. We are small business at its purest level. Realtors® are independent contractors who take a leap of faith into a commission-based profession and attempt to create something impactful. While there are offices for the Association in both Chicago and Washington, DC—those are staff members who serve the 1.3 million Realtor® members in this country. There are over 17,000 real estate licensees in the 9th District alone—working here, living here, a vibrant part of this economy. Every day that I have the opportunity to list and sell property in this district is an honor and a delight.
The Realtors® PAC is made up of individual Realtors® who are committed to housing issues, property rights, and entrepreneurial issues. As to the ‘liberal’ label—you should know that the Realtors® are proud to be a bi-partisan PAC, focused on the property rights of all. Protecting and preserving property ownership is what we do within advocacy. Look at OpenSecrets.org if you want to know how the Realtors® support officials. In 2018, Realtors® supported candidates in a ratio of 50.4% Republican and 49.6% Democrat. The focus is on supporting incumbents and leadership who protect property rights. As political commentator Frank Luntz has said, this is the only PAC that effectively knows how to put aside differences and work for larger goals. I personally think that is something of which to be proud.
The public at large may not know what Realtors® do. I’d love to elaborate. Realtors® are your neighbors. We sit beside you at PTA meetings. We volunteer with you at church. We give hours to coaching sports teams, Habitat for Humanity, Lions’ Club, Rotary Club, Meals on Wheels, the Battered Women’s Shelter, the Salvation Army, Boys’ and Girls’ Club…well, I can go on for days. Realtors® show up at planning and zoning meetings to make sure that elected officials make better decisions. Realtors® know how school assignments and road changes impact property values. We sit across the table from you when the bank has relocated you and you’re up against a time crunch. We hold your hand when you have to sell your mama’s house. We help you navigate a divorce that forces a sale. We have been there when you lost your job and were left with a short sale as the only solution. We celebrated with you when you were able to buy the first home or buy the next home or downsize into the forever home. We do all of this, not because we get paid for it, but because it’s who we are.
Realtors® aren’t just another job in this community. We ARE this community.
~ Leigh Thomas Brown
#Realtors #powerofR #thatswhoweR #voteactinvest #nc09
This post first appeared on the LeighBrown.com blog: https://www.leighbrown.com/post/realtors-are-this-community
_________________
REALTOR®. Author. Coach. Keynote speaker. Leigh Brown is laser-focused on inspiring people to be better, strive for more, and to take the reins and lead!
Learn more about me at www.leighbrown.com
??????? ???? ??
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/leighbrownspeaker
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/leighthomasbrown
TWITTER: twitter.com/leighbrown
YOUTUBE: youtube.com/c/leighbrown