Special Sections

WHO'S WHO IN REAL ESTATE AND EVERYTHING FOR THE HOME | MARCH 26, 2021 6 W hy choose to work with a REALTOR ® ? In an in- creasingly virtual world, with i-buyer apps and options like Zillow and Redfin and companies like Amazon considering entering the real estate arena, what is it that separates REALTORS ® from every other real estate sales option avail- able? In reflecting on this ques- tion, I went back and reviewed the previous three articles for this spe- cial SC Sentinel Who's Who in real estate publication written by our three most recent SCCAR Presi- dents and identified some consis- tent and recurring themes. In 2018 President Renee Mello addressed the issue of rent control in Santa Cruz County and Santa Cruz City. The theme that stood out to me was how local REAL- TORS ® keep our communities in- formed and up to date on relevant real estate trends. They offer a bal- anced perspective on current per- tinent issues affecting the housing market for both property owners and renters. In 2019 President Seb Frey fo- cused on the value REALTORS ® bring to the home buying and selling process and how we as RE- ALTORS ® benefit from the tools and resources available to us as members of our local, state and national REALTOR ® Associations. Seb highlighted the strict Code of Ethics we as REALTORS ® adhere to and pointed out our commitment as a profession to education and advocacy for affordable housing and private property rights. What can we say about 2020? When our immediate Past Presi- dent Morgan Lukina took the reins in January of last year, she present- ed a clear vision of her path forward as our Association President. The economy was booming, the real estate market was strong. Mor- gan shared her perspective on the complexities of a typical real estate transaction and why having a REAL- TOR ® in your corner as your trusted advisor benefits you as a consumer. Within 3 short months of taking office as leader for our Associa- tion, the Covid pandemic became very real, very quickly. We as an in- dustry were tasked with adapting to a rapidly changing economic landscape and the realization that we would never be going back to business as usual. I am proud to have served with Morgan as her President-Elect as we reinvented ourselves and our profession. Our local, state and national Associa- tions of REALTORS ® worked tire- lessly to craft new forms, ensure that we were deemed an essential business and get back to the busi- ness of serving our clients. For 2021, I have chosen three themes to focus on that I believe are relevant and important - lead- ership, contribution and diversity. I believe we are all leaders. We lead in our families, in our businesses, in our schools and communities and ultimately, we are called to lead ourselves. Our clients look to us for leadership in our capacity as their REALTOR ® to help lead them through the complex and often uncertain terrain that is the home selling and buying experience. A good friend of mine who is a RE - ALTOR ® in another state likens us to Sherpas, guiding our clients on their real estate journeys. Contribution shows up in so many ways in our personal and professional lives as REALTORS ® . Everyone who serves our local, state and national Associations of REALTORS ® contributes their time, talents and resources to their communities in a myriad of ways. REALTORS® show up by being in- volved in their schools, neighbor- hoods and communities. We, as an organization and as individuals, are committed to giving back and making a positive impact in the lives of our neighbors and those we serve. Finally, I will touch on a subject that is near and dear to my heart, diversity. I would like to share a line form my inaugural address to our Santa Cruz County Association of REALTORS ® which I delivered recently. THE REALTOR ® ADVANTAGE By Pete Cullen, President of SCCAR cont on pg 7

• Cover