S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

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Many of us have recently returned from another successful meeting in Tampa, Florida. David Cook and Noah Ruggieri did a great job as our meeting managers, drawing out a lot of product while integrating some great discussions and presentations into the agenda. It was also another very well-attended meeting, with over 110 in attendance for the second straight meeting!

In reflecting on the events of this meeting, one session in particular stood out to me. I found it really interesting because I believe that the primary reasons for our continued success as an organization were showcased in this session. It was led by David Cook and called “How, When, and Why I Became an S.E.C.”

In this session, David interviewed 7 or 8 members with several questions about their SEC experience: How did they hear about the S.E.C.? When was their first meeting? What were their initial thoughts or misconceptions about the S.E.C.? David went on to ask, “How many individuals have you partnered with?” and “How many properties have you owned?”

As you can imagine, it was interesting to hear the backstory and responses from each of the members on these questions. It was readily apparent that every one of these members was very active in dealmaking within the Society, and clearly enjoyed working on deals with other members. In several cases, these members have partnered with more than 20 members each! In addition, at least two of the interviewed members had closed over 100 deals within the group! If that’s not a shining example of the power of the room and the group of individuals therein, I don’t know what is!

However, I found the most interesting part of the conversation to be in response to the following question that David posed: “What has been the greatest benefit you have received from being an S.E.C. member?” It was as if these 7 or 8 members had gathered beforehand and rehearsed their answers, as they were nearly identical across the board.

While they all were appreciative of the success they’ve enjoyed and other benefits derived from the group, all touted their relationships with others within the group as the greatest benefit they received from being a member. What an incredible testament to the value of this group!

I think most of our members understand this and would agree with this sentiment whole-heartedly. But I hope our guests reached this same conclusion from this session. This is one of the things that truly sets this organization apart from any other group that most of us have been involved with. Not only are we incredible exchangors, deal-makers, and creative problem solvers, but we get to do business time and time again with people that we know, enjoy and trust—people we are proud to call our friends.

To me, this session was just another reminder of the many benefits of the Society, and this one in particular that might initially be overlooked by someone not already familiar with our group. Although this session was most likely geared to our guests, I trust that it also served to remind our members in attendance how grateful these individuals are for the Society, and for the unique bond and many friendships that we share within this group. Have a safe and merry Christmas and holiday season. We hope to see you in Plano for another great meeting in January.