This month’s National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Power Broker Roundtable introduces Christina Pappas, district sales manager for The Keyes Company and incoming moderator of the Roundtable for 2018.
Moderator: Robert Bailey, Broker/Owner, Bailey Properties Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.; 2017 Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations, NAR
Panelist: Christina Pappas, District Sales Manager, Keyes Company, Miami, Fla.; 2018 Liaison for Large Residential Firms Relations, NAR
Robert Bailey: Welcome, Christina! It seems impossible that a year has passed since I stepped into this liaison post, but it has, and it’s been a busy year at that. It’s been challenging but productive, and I have to say, I’ve enjoyed every discussion we’ve had, so it’s a real pleasure to put the reins in your very capable hands.
Christina Pappas: Thanks, Robert. I’ve been following your monthly discussions with interest, and I appreciate the fact that there’s always something of value for brokers and agents to take away. I look forward to scheduling timely topics to explore and adding new and diverse perspectives.
RB: For readers who may not know you, Christina, I should point out that you literally grew up in the real estate world, the daughter of Mike Pappas, whose Keyes Company has been a force in Florida real estate for—believe it or not—more than 90 years!
CP: Yes, well, that’s true, and in fact, we’ve been a family business for most of that time. My grandfather bought the company from the original owner more than 50 years ago, so my dad literally grew up in it, as well. You might say we are poster kids for the family-owned real estate business.
RB: All of which means you are well aware of the issues brokers are facing. In the last year alone, for example, we’ve come through a national election, a changing of the guard at NAR, and a series of natural disasters that has touched many thousands of lives and is impacting our industry in many ways.
CP: Those natural disasters have been top-of-mind for me and, in fact, will be the topic for my first Power Broker Roundtable discussion next month. I think it’s crucial for brokers everywhere to be prepared for the worst, and we need to share precautionary practices that work when you need them—especially from those who have experienced firsthand the havoc that Mother Nature can wreak.
RB: As brokers and as an industry, we have plans and goals for next year. But we need the flexibility to adapt, if we need to, to unknown or unforeseen issues—and I know you’ll do a fine job of making these exchanges relevant. I will look forward to it, and I know you’ll do a fine job of rounding up a dynamite panel. What else are you thinking of in terms of topics?
CP: Well, we’ve all talked about millennials from the standpoint of buyers, but as I can attest from my own experience, millennial agents are the up-and-coming generation. I’d like to talk about how they are redefining our industry, and what we can take from that now.
RB: Interesting—and timely. Clearly, you’ve done some thinking.
CP: I have. I also think there’s great value in revisiting wire fraud, which is becoming more of an issue as we speak, and the best ways to guard against it, and succession planning, which is a hot topic as a generation of boomers, including my own father, begin to look ahead toward retirement.
RB: And I assume you’ll want to tackle how tax reform, in whatever final form it takes, will impact the state of the market.
CP: Absolutely, and any other issues that new legislation may toss into the arena. The point of this Power Broker Roundtable, I believe, is to be open, ready, and flexible—to recognize what’s on the minds of our broker colleagues and share our best strategies for dealing with them…which brings up another point.
RB: What’s that?
CP: As I take over this chair, I want to emphasize exactly what my new NAR role means. I will be acting, as you have for the past year, as a liaison between brokers and NAR. I hope to bring to the forefront some noteworthy NAR news and messages, but I also want to hear from brokers out there about topics they’d like our panels to explore—and, for that matter, from brokers who may never have served on one of these Roundtable panels, but would like to participate now. I’m reachable any time, CPappas@keyes.com, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
RB: Well said, Christina. You’ll be a credit to the post, and I anticipate some noteworthy columns.
CP: That’s my goal—to keep them on-point and relevant—and thanks to you, Robert, for all you’ve done to keep our broker community current over the past year.
RB: My pleasure. Best going forward, Christina. I look forward to next month’s discussion!
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