Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #96 with Gavin Blair

The nation needs YOU to get involved! Gavin Blair, AE/CEO of the State Realtor Association of Iowa, discusses the passing of first-time homebuyer legislation, the challenges of association life, and the dire need for top producers and working realtors to have a voice and make an impact. Tune in to learn how Iowa is leading the nation and making home buying a reality for first-time buyers, and get inspired to be a voice in your own community. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:40 – Gavin is a AE/CEO of a State Realtor Association in Iowa; goal is to deal with legislature in Iowa, deal with back-office needs, protect rights, and defend its 7,200 members 01:40 – State forms, education for members across the state: founded on code of ethics and constantly focused on that 02:02 – What it means to run the association 02:10 – Advocacy: his background is in politics; he was a lobbyist for the Columbus Board of Realtors 02:52 – Goal is to make sure consumer gets best deal in home ownership 03:20 – Spearheaded something for homebuyers statewide 03:43 – "Brain drain issue:" 70% of students leave after they graduate 03:58 – 5 years they started working on first-time homebuyer legislation and it passed last year 04:05 – Individuals can set aside an account where people can donate and write off donation up to $30,000 for first-time home buying fees 04:45 – Iowa was one of the first states to come up with and implement the idea and he hopes it'll be nationwide to break the barrier to home ownership 05:23 – Realtors in the organization are aware of this movement, but most realtors aren't involved or aware of the smaller day-to-day legislations 06:35 – Have provided a way for families to help each other and incentivize saving, despite a decrease in revenue to the state 07:00 – Factoring the home purchase process's impact to the economy, it provides an influx of cash greater to what the state is losing and is a win-win 07:58 – So many people get paid in the process of a home sale 08:20 – For every house bought in Iowa, about $55,000 is dumped back into the economy (contractors, stores, people, etc.) 08:50 – Homeowners are invested in their community long-term; they give back 09:24 – We get lost in money turnaround over the long-term benefit of home ownership 09:44 – As small businesses grow and they buy buildings, business owners care more about their properties as well vs. large corporations 10:20 – Mega farms buy up small family farms and water contamination has become an issue because they don't care as much about the community 11:42 – Realtors apart of family farms and rural sales are involved in community upkeep and protection 12:07 – Realtors are both rural and urban – must bridge the gap 12:52 – IAR looks out for both types of communities; 2,500 are urban, the other 5,000 are rural 13:30 – What do you wish you could un-see? 13:42 – Some people are involved in association but aren't in the everyday business; the best members are in the field everyday 14:03 – The "trade association junkies" aren't tied so closely to the business so sometimes don't watch out for the day-to-day agent or consumer 14:11 – Can be time consuming for leadership 14:30 – How do you get top producers to get involved and show up? 14:32 – It comes down to, "How do you help me?" and "What's in it for me?" 14:45 – Its good for your pocketbook, your referral network, your business, and it's a way to give back 15:15 – Legislature affects you every day; get involved at the local level 15:36 – Hard part is keeping members involved once they are there at state and local level 15:54 – Members that don't do a lot of business can dominate a meeting and scare away top-producers and everyday business-doers 16:13 – Top producers are needed in association life because you are touching the most consumers and can be heard 16:33 – You can't complain if you aren't engaged 16:50 – We are only as good as the members involved at the association level 17:08 – It is a member driven and focused organization; they care but need your involvement 18:19 – If you are participating in conversations regarding legislature, get into an association to make an impact 18:29 – Reach Gavin through social media: Twitter, (search Gavin Blair), or email: [email protected] 3 Key Points Advocacy is intended to make sure the consumer gets the best deal. Get involved – top producers who touch the most consumers need to be heard. Joining an association directly benefits you, your pocketbook, and your network. Credits Audio Production by Chris Mottram Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder