You tend to learn more at any conference in the hallways than you do in the meeting rooms. The VAR Convention is like that as well. Most of the hallway talk is about a great speaker or event – this year there is a lot of talk about blogs. There are a few big topics being discussed in the hallway that are more than rumors, but I’ll try to keep it to the facts.
Your Virginia – this is a new program that was recently approved by VAR to spend $750,000 (over 2 years) to create a public outreach program that hopes to influence the public to support private property and other real estate issues. At least one local association has formally requested VAR revisit this decision. NAR is also creating a similar program and spending up to $8 million. That is a lot of money and WILL require REALTOR dues to go up.
Also being questioned is the continuation of the “Code is Good Business” campaign. VAR has approved $45,000 to create some more education material to distribute to brokers. Recently, VAR sent out plastic eggs filled with green slime to all local associations to be handed out to new members at orientation. The slime is a promotional gimmick for the program which features a slimey guy named Ted Truitt. This slime delivery appears to have agitated some of the local leaders and caused a great deal of hallway chatter.
The final topic abuzz in the hallway is the upcoming elections to the Policy Board of VAR. 12 candidates for 9 positions and a few rumors about deals being made between some of the larger associations. These rumors appear at every meeting and generally turns out to be unfounded. I’ll keep you posted.
October 1, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Dave –
I think that the actual number for the “Your Virginia” campaign is $750k.
I have requested the results of the market research and will write about it as soon as I can.
–Jim
October 1, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Two points of clarification: 1) VAR dues will not be going up to fund Your Virginia. It is being completely funded out of VAR’s strategic reserve fund. 2) The policy board approved Your Virginia as a $750,000 expenditure that covers the first two years of the program. The policy board grappled long and hard with both expenditures, which they acknowledge are significant. The policy board weighed the expense against the benefit, and voted in favor of both programs at its August meeting, unanimously for the continued Code is Good Business campaign. Your Virginia is more than a public awareness campaign. It’s a venue for REALTORS to shape consumer perceptions about the profession by engaging and involving them in commonly-held issues. VAR will be providing lots of details to members about the objectives and results of both programs during the convention and in the months to come. I think you’ll agree the research and results support the expenditures.
October 1, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I have changed the orginal post to reflect the $750,000 amount over two years.
October 1, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Actually, we were both wrong on the amounts, Dave. The first year is $750K. I meant to make that edit before posting the comment.