PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Simple Ideas,
Big Results
I’d like to start off with a heartfelt thankyou
for the warm welcome and support
that I’ve received as your 2019 president.
It’s truly humbling to be entrusted with
service to this association and the membership
it represents.
My desire to serve this body is fueled
by my obligation to the industry that has
provided for me and my family for the past
17 years. Practiced well, our profession
can change lives and communities for the
better. Our industry can create a pathway
for upward mobility and wealth building
for our customers, and it can provide incredible
income possibilities for real estate
practitioners who are willing to make the
sacrifices and dare to become outrageously
outstanding.
These sentiments lead to the three main
areas that I plan to focus on in 2019: member
professionalism, member engagement,
and affordable housing.
PROFESSIONALISM
Our industry is a stage, and we must
keep our act clean and professional at all
times. I implore each and every one of you
to follow the Code of Ethics, Standards
of Practice, and common courtesy and
business etiquette. If you need a refresher,
look no further than ORRA’s own Excellence
in Professionalism - Gold Key Certification
program.
I’m proud to announce that brokers can
now look forward to their own professionalism
program. ORRA’s Excellence in
Professionalism – Platinum Key Certification
course is on track to launch this spring.
(Please turn to page 7 to learn more). And,
brokers, I am asking you to expect and
facilitate the best behavior from all of your
associates without regard to their volume
or unit count. Poor behavior and unprofessional
behavior — regardless of year-end
sales performance — is damaging to our
industry at large and to consumers!
MEMBER ENGAGEMENT
ORRA offers a huge number of opportunities
for member participation – in events,
committee work, awards and recognition
programs, elections, and more. I want to
see more of you engaged in more activities!
I’ll be working closely with our CEO Cliff
Long and with committee leadership this
year to refine our processes and modify
our communication channels to encourage
maximum member engagement in both
ORRA and Florida Realtors®.
A few of my specific goals are to triple
the number of ORRA members who vote in
our annual leadership election this coming
September, and to double the number of
committee assignment requests for 2020
service.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
To be blunt, we are in a crisis here in
our city and in much of our state. For too
many years, legislators in Tallahassee have
stripped money ($3 billion since 1992!) out
of the state’s Sadowski Affordable Housing
Trust Fund and used it to support other
projects or to even balance the budget.
The creation of this trust fund through doc
stamp fees was supported in good faith
by REALTORS® and by citizens because the
money is to go toward affordable housing
programs for the less fortunate!
I have challenged our governmental affairs
staff to work with me and with Florida
Realtors® lobbyists to insist on full funding
of Sadowski. I am fully prepared to begin
the process of creating a REALTOR®-led
Constitutional amendment to prevent
future sweeps of the fund by the Florida
Legislature. It’s time to honor the wishes of
the people and to use Sadowski funds as
they are intended.
Some say that our industry looks scary
right now thanks to elements such as rising
interest rates, rapid changes in real estate
related technology, and even a political
environment that frightens potential
homebuyers. But through it all some things
remain constant. We live in a country that
was founded on the principals of liberty
and freedom with the ability of individuals
to own the land under their feet. Our job
as REALTORS® is to make homeownership
possible for as many people as possible,
with a level of personal and professional
service that sets us apart.
My priorities for the Orlando Regional
REALTOR® Association are germinated from
simple ideas and structured to achieve big
results. Now let’s have an absolutely awesome
2019 and go out and make dreams
come true for our homebuyers and sellers
and for ourselves.
Jeffrey M. Fagan
4 Orlando REALTOR® Winter 2019