WORDS FROM OUR MEMBERS─2016 ANN BROCKHOUSE FUTURE LEADER SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

By Thang M.C. Holt

It was an honor to be awarded the Ann Brockhouse Leader Scholarship out of a pool of inspiring professionals who work diligently to raise the real estate industry standard. MAAR provides three scholarship recipients the opportunity to attend the National Association of REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo where members take an active role to advance the industry, public policy and the association.

 While in Washington DC, I heard from several national leaders about market trends and forecasts. I met with Minnesota legislators and senators to discuss issues related to personal property rights and advocate for legislation that will protect and support the future of homeownership in the Twin Cities. My personal takeaways from this experience boiled down to two words: Get Involved.

Young Professionals Network
During a meeting with young REALTORS®, day to day business topics were discussed, i.e., student loan debt affecting the buyers’ ability to get pre-qualified, existing trends of Millennials and our motivation for homeownership, and technology to aid in the real estate transaction. It is apparent that we need more dedicated members to carry on the work and progress that our existing leaders have made over the years. Some members describe young REALTORS® as “new blood” and think of us as a replacement of older generations. Rather, the shift in the age of membership is more of an opportunity for young REALTORS® to step into the association arena, engage in advocacy, and dedicate their practice to leadership within their communities.

Emerging Markets
My parents escaped from Vietnam when I was three-years old with hopes to raise their children in the land of opportunity. I have watched them overcome an incredible set of barriers to find success in the United States. Part of their dream was to purchase a home and provide a safe place to raise their children. Their story isn’t too far off from many others. Across the US, we have a number of underrepresented communities who need our help to achieve  their own “American Dream”.

While listening to the NAR Diversity Committee discuss issues of discrimination occurring all over the country, it dawned on me the responsibility we have as REALTORS® to be a stronger voice and advocate for emerging communities. So I encourage my colleagues to volunteer, listen to the many stories of emerging communities, and serve as leaders in your community.

Local Government
Elected officials dedicate their time to represent you. In order for them to be effective, they need your support to help them solve real problems that affect your business. Even if you don’t agree with their politics, it’s important for you to get involved and become part of the solution.

After four days, fifteen plus sessions/meetings and over 75,000 steps in Washington DC, I can’t tell you how rewarding, eye-opening and inspiring it has been for the opportunity to represent our amazing real estate community. It goes without saying, but at the risk of sounding cheesy, my passion for and love of what I do each day continues to grow. I can assure you that this will not be my last legislative conference. I embrace the opportunity to advocate for our industry. I will continue to dedicate my career to raising our industry to a higher standard.
My sincere hope is that you will join me in this journey. #GetInvolved