The Uniqueness of the Society of Exchange Counselors
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As I assume the presidency of the Society of Exchange Counselors I am taken by the uniqueness of our organization. Typically the new President of a group is asked immediately something like “What are you going to do to improve our “member benefits”?” The members of the Society, however, already understand their most important “member benefit” which is the opportunity to attend and do business at our Society marketing sessions. The member has learned how to take advantage of the Society sessions to put successful transactions together. All other benefits are just a bonus.
The unique environment of a Society marketing session is not one of competition but of “what can we do to help?” I have attended many nationally prominent professional groups and nowhere have I found this feeling. It is exciting, thought provoking, and fun. But most of all it leads to success for our clients and ourselves in their real estate investments.
The unique atmosphere is punctuated by the concentration on the “people” part of any transaction. Many times our industry gets so enthralled with the numbers and projections we forget the basic goals, wants, motivations, and needs of our clients. The Society of Exchange Counselors emphasizes the counseling aspect of our work and the marketing sessions assist us in finding the solutions to our client’s situations. I am aware of no other forum that does this as successfully.
The unique national focus of our sessions gives members a perspective on the real estate industry across the U.S. and Canada. We learn to spot new ideas, trends, problems, and potential solutions that we can take back to our home markets and put to use. We learn that a successful real estate investment may not be in one’s back yard. However, excellent real estate can be found for the large or smaller investor in many communities and regions. We learn to see opportunities to partner with other members to make these projects profitable and safe.
The unique attribute that elevates the Society to another level is the brainpower of the membership. The Society has experts in all phases of the industry from office to industrial, condos to apartments, land development to recreational or agricultural land to transitional tracts. This isn’t unique in itself, but the willingness of members to assist other members with a problem without a prior promise of reward or compensation is unique. One sees this synergistic atmosphere of service at every meeting.
I consider it a privilege and an honor to have been selected to lead the Society in 2006.
