There’s no denying the last few years have been challenging. All of Austin, including REALTORS®, have been living and working from a “do whatever it takes” mindset for many months now. When you are so focused on meeting your clients’ needs and navigating competing offers and complex deals, one after the other, it’s easy to forget the toll that such a constant grind can take on your health and well-being.
Now it’s time to turn the page. As your 2022 ABoR and ACTRIS President, I want 2022 to be our Year of Thriving – for our careers, our clients, our families, and our communities. I hope we can reconnect with the purpose and joy that brought all of us to real estate to begin with – helping others find a place to call home. Here’s what you can expect for our Year of Thriving in 2022:
Digging Deep into the Communities We Serve
As REALTORS®, we are uniquely positioned to care for, and be ambassadors for, our communities. No other profession has such a front-row seat to the needs of Central Texas families and opportunities to serve our neighbors. This year, it is my goal to ensure we are lifting our community up in every way possible.
As part of that commitment, ABoR will be holding community-wide REALTOR® Service Days next year where real estate professionals from across Central Texas can join together to make a massive impact in our own backyards. There will be opportunities for anyone and everyone to get involved. Be on the lookout for more information about these initiatives from the ABoR Foundation this spring!
Digging deep into the communities we serve also looks like maximizing our $1 million, 10-year commitment to Community First! Village, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion through our Diversity Committee, to tackling important local issues and creating real results for housing accessibility through ABoR Advocacy.
Most of all, ABoR will be focused on getting out into the community and reminding Central Texans that we’re here, we care, and we matter. Homebuyers, sellers, and renters need REALTORS® to help them navigate a tough and complex market, and REALTORS® care deeply about building community.
Building Relationships to Make a Difference
We’re stronger when we work together. This year, ABoR will be extending a hand (and maybe a friendly challenge or two!) to our surrounding real estate associations, MLSs, and Strategic Partners to collaborate on these community-wide efforts.
Benefits & Resources for Your Well-Being
From ABoR and ACTRIS, you can expect new resources and tools that strengthen the wellbeing of your business, your career, your health, and your clients. As always, we’ve kicked off the year with a bang – just look below at some of the new benefits and programs that are going on this month. I don’t know anywhere else that offers opportunities to get state-of-the-art tech, awards, scholarships, and unlimited, 24/7 doctor’s visits – just sayin’! That’s in addition to the numerous classes and events we offer every month – many of them free for members – at ABoR.com/Calendar.
Finally, my last priority for 2022 is to stay out of the way of the amazing team our CEO, Emily Chenevert, has built. Thanks to their hard work and day in, day out dedication, our Association and MLS are experiencing unprecedented levels of membership growth and member engagement. We have the right team in place and I feel the best thing we can do is stay out of their way and let them do what they best know how to do!
I am excited to round out my seven years on the ABoR and ACTRIS MLS Boards of Directors as your 2022 President. It’s an honor to represent our membership and our real estate community and I am grateful for your trust in me to lead this organization. I hope you will join me this year in lifting up our communities and getting engaged in your Association. I’m always available for a call or a text and happy to respond to all your emails. Let’s have coffee and talk about what we can do to get you involved at ABoR. Come join the fun!
We're Declaring 2022 A Year of Thriving
There’s no better way to kick off our Year of Thriving than with a BIG tech prizes that enhances your personal and professional well-being at the same time! Now through February 11, boost your well-being through any of the activities below. The ABoR member with the most entries will win a Closer's Kit with over $1,500 of tech goodies, including:
- iPhone 13
- AirPods Pro
- Series 7 Apple Watch
- Supra Lockbox
Each action you complete is its own separate entry, which means you can double, triple, and even quadruple your entries. Say goodbye to the strife, and hello to the thrive!
Visit ABoR.com/Thrive for full details.
- Business Well-Being: Nominate a colleague or apply for our 2021 ABoR Industry Awards at ABoR.com/Awards – One nomination/application = one entry to win!
- Career Well-Being – Expand your skillset by registering for a 2022 ABoR On-Air class at
- ABoR.com/Take-A-Class – One registration = one entry to win! SAE and GRI registrations earn 2x entries!
- Client Well-Being – Keep your clients informed on breaking real estate developments by claiming your $50 Austin Business Journal subscription (60% off!) at ABoR.com/ABJ.
- Personal Well-Being – Get unlimited, 24/7 doctor’s visits for your family through our discounted telehealth subscription with Austin Regional Clinic at ABoR.com/ARC ($90/year for individuals and $180/year for families – no insurance required!)
New Member Benefit: Unlimited, 24/7 Doctor’s Visits with Austin Regional Clinic
ABoR has partnered with Austin Regional Clinic to bring you an exclusive discount for unlimited, 24/7/365 telehealth visits through NormanMD. At just $90/year for individuals and $180/year for families, this annual subscription is often equal to what you would pay at one in-office doctor’s visit – and no insurance is required! Claim your account at ABoR.com/ARC.
Industry Awards Applications Open Through February 11
It’s time to celebrate our successes and honor those who have gone above and beyond serving their clients, their industry, and their communities over the last year. If you had a banner year in 2021, or you know someone who has, I encourage you to nominate a colleague or apply for our 2021 ABoR Industry Awards at ABoR.com/Awards. Save the date, too, for our in-person Industry Awards Celebration on Friday, March 25 at Hotel Van Zandt!
ABoR Foundation Scholarship Applications Open Through February 25
The ABoR Foundation Scholarship Program is one of the longest-running REALTOR® service initiatives in Central Texas. In 2022, the ABoR Foundation has committed to giving away $70,000 in scholarships to deserving local high school seniors. There are two ways you can get involved and give back to this fantastic program:
- Spread the Word! Know a graduating high school senior in our 18-county MLS area who plans to attend a Texas trade school, college, or university this fall? Encourage them to apply for a $2,500 ABoR Foundation scholarship at ABoR.com/Scholarships.
- Give the Gift of Education: The ABoR Foundation will match any $1,250 donation to create a $2,500 named scholarship in the name of your choosing! Email foundation@abor.com for more information on becoming a scholarship donor.
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This article previously ran in RealtyLine Austin's January edition.