Blogging is Not a Traditional Appalachian Folk Dance and other forum topics

This just in: We have new session information to share!

In the official program, you may have noticied there are some forums without descriptions being offered throughout the Convention & Expo. That’s intentional. By determining the content of a few forums late in the planning process, we can offer information that we might not have been able to foresee nearly a year ago as the Convention was being staged. What are the front-of-mind issues in real estate today?

MLS is hot (exhibit A; exhibit B). And so is the media furor around the subprime mortgage mess (exhibit A; exhibit B). Blogging and the Social Web are getting a lot of attention, too.

VAR is on the forefront of these issues, bringing you just-in-time sessions at our Convention & Expo to help you keep up with the profound and accelerating change in the real estate business. We have some heavy-hitters coming in for these forums, including NAR’s Chief Economist and the chairman of NAR’s MLS of the Future. And while I don’t consider myself a heavy-hitter, I do think you’ll find my session’s title is the funniest of the three. Fortunately, all of these forums are held at different times, so you can attend them all. And I hope you will!

So, without further ado, here are forum descriptions for those who are interested in local REALTOR® association issues, MLS issues and the potpourri category, emerging issues:

Emerging Issues Forum
Blogging is Not a Traditional Appalachian Folk Dance
Monday, October 1, 1 – 2 p.m.
It’s likely you’ve heard of “blogs.” Maybe you’ve even read one. Did you know you can subscribe to blogs? And comment on them? A blog is one member of a broad new category of Internet-based collaborative communication tools called Social Media. Sometimes referred to as Web 2.0 or the Read/Write Web, tools like blogs, podcasts, wikis and social networking sites are transforming the way that people communicate and fill their address books. During this entertaining and eye-opening session, you’ll hear from actual REALTORS® who are using blogs and other social media tools to prospect, maintain client relationships and communicate with homeowners in a way that is becoming increasingly mainstream. Get to know VAR’s new Director of Communications & New Media, Ben Martin, CAE, as he facilitates this session.

MLS Forum
Tuesday, Oct. 2, 1 – 3 p.m.
Especially for MLS executives and officers, this session features speaker Gary Thomas, chairman of the NAR MLS of the Future working group, who will talk about the new MLS gateway concept under consideration. Plus, count on time for idea exchange about what is arguably the biggest challenge facing the real estate profession today.

Local Association Issues Forum
MARKETS AND MEDIA: What’s a Local Leader to do?
Wednesday Oct. 3, 8 – 9:30 a.m.
NAR’s Senior Economist Lawrence Yun and Senior Public Affairs Associate Walter Molony team up to tackle the forces defining Virginia’s home sales markets. Look forward to a lively discussion that blends the latest intelligence on national trends and local markets with strategies to conquer media questions, specifically about the home sales market. Expect to learn effective ways to employ ready NAR and VAR research to maximize the REALTORS®’ messages in the media. Lisa Fowler of George Mason University will make the connection between available research on Virginia housing and economic development issues.