[ ASSOCIATION Q&A ]
TONY HARRINGTON — President, Cape Fear Realtors —
How did 2020 compare to 2019?
For all, we found 2020 to quickly be one for the record books. As COVID-19 became known, we had to pivot in our efforts to be made as an essential service and continue real estate transactions. Accomplishing this through advocacy, we educated our members on the process and protocol for being in the public and maintaining the safety of our Realtors and the public we serve. We have seen tremendous growth in both pending and closed sales this year. Each month has shown a significant increase year over year since the pandemic. As of November, the year-to-date growth for pending sales was 22.1%, and closed sales increased 16.8%. Overall, a benefit to the year is that it forced our association both at the local, state and national level to do more programming and communication in a virtual way. Significant numbers report that the engagement of our members has increased exponentially. What do you see for 2021?
There is no sign of housing activity slowing in our area. With mortgage rates and inventory remaining low, along with businesses moving to remote working, we’ll continue to see strong buyer demand. We will continue to be mindful of safety and protocol in the ongoing pandemic and will enhance messaging and virtual opportunities to those we serve. How many members are part of your organization? Has your organization seen growth this past year?
CFR is an organization of 3,100 members and growing. We have seen a significant growth in our membership, having started with fewer than 2,500 members and ending the year above 3,100. Our members are an integral part of this community, and they are getting involved in government on the local and state levels. We’ve had a number of Realtors appointed to city and county counsel committees and elected as local and state government officials. What are the benefits of being a part of your organization?
We recently released our Value Proposition. Today’s consumers look for a professional who is ready, informed and confident throughout the transaction. Cape Fear Realtors helps prepare our members with practical and proactive training and education from start to success; timely and accessible transaction and legal tools; and unmatched
perspective and representation to protect our industry. Through membership in our state and national associations, messaging, advocacy and educational tools make our Realtors vital to any real estate transaction. How has COVID affected business this year?
When you look at the housing reports from this year, you would only see a slight slowdown in April due to the pandemic. Realtors have transitioned to doing more business virtually with online meetings, virtual showings and electronic documents to keep clients safe and business moving. LIFEINBRUNSWICKCOUNTY.COM
[39]