This month’s National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Power Broker Roundtable discusses how Chris Kelly tackles top-of-mind topics in 2022.
Moderator: Cindy Ariosa, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager, Long & Foster Real Estate, Chantilly, Virginia; 2021 Liaison for Large Firms and Industry Relations, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR)
Panelist: Chris Kelly, President/CEO, Ebby Halliday, REALTORS®, Dallas, Texas; 2022 Broker Relations Liaison (NAR)
Cindy Ariosa: Welcome aboard, Chris! In some ways, I’m sad to be leaving this moderator’s seat. It’s a great venue for getting savvy minds together and sharing solutions to some of the thorniest issues in our industry.
Chris Kelly: I get that—and while you are a hard act to follow, Cindy, it’s one of the primary reasons I agreed to take the gavel. One thing I’ve learned in my years as a company leader is the value of collaboration—and this column continues to foster that.
CA: Collaboration is key, and the best part—although we plan our agenda—is that because we meet monthly, we can pivot on a dime to talk about urgent issues. I think of all the challenges brought on by COVID. In a good way, it’s forced us to develop new strategies and practices that have made us more effective and more efficient, and I have so enjoyed hearing the insights of so many of our guest panelists.
CK: When the very first transaction occurred through the MLS here in Texas, our founder Ebby Halliday famously said, “We are not competitors, we are cooperators.” I think that sentiment is alive and well today throughout our industry. We truly have to work together every day in order to achieve the goals of our clients, and forums like this provide such a great avenue to continue that spirit of cooperation where we can all grow and learn from one another.
CA: So, what are the topics dear to your heart right now? What are you planning for the months ahead?
CK: Well, this past year, as you know, has kind of been real estate on steroids. The COVID months have left us with skewed numbers, changing metrics and dramatically different budgets. So, we’ll start in January with broker outcomes—how to make sense of the last year or two and make it work for us in the year ahead.
CA: I love that.
CK: And I think in February, we’ll talk about mergers and acquisitions, a really timely topic these days. Moving forward, I want to talk about tech stacks and choosing from the myriad options in ways that really connect with our agents.
CA: Will you get into the iBuyer issue?
CK: For sure. It’s on a lot of minds these days, as are government bills and the potential impact of pending legislation on our business.
CA: Perfect.
CK: It’s a promise I made to Leslie Rouda Smith as she begins her term as NAR president—and a promise I’m happy to keep, to tackle the topics that are top of mind for brokers today.
CA: Well, I know you well enough, Chris, to know that you’re open-minded and thoughtful—your topics every month will be relevant, and your guest panelists interesting and diverse.
CK: You’ve set a good example, Cindy, as have so many of the moderators before you. The way to get a good agenda is to be mindful and approachable, and the key to coming away with real-time solutions is to hear from a wide array of panelists—big company brokers, small independents, people from all over the country.
CA: So that’s your plan…
CK: Check and double check! And I’m open to suggestions. I’m reachable at chriskelly@ebby.com, and I’d love to hear from brokers who’d like to sit in as panelists or have ideas about the topics they’d like us to tackle.
CA: None of us can look into the future, Chris, or be certain about what’s coming down the pike. But if there’s been a silver lining to the COVID months, it’s that it’s made us all more alert and flexible. I hope some of the brokers who haven’t spoken with us before will take you up on your offer.
CK: I do, too. And on behalf of all of us, Cindy, big thanks for the job you’ve done this year.
CA: It’s been my honor and my pleasure, Chris. I look forward to your January column!
For more information, please visit www.nar.realtor.
