I was recently interviewed for an article entitled, “Real Estate Industry Myths Debunked” and while the gist of my comments made it into print (somewhat) I feel it necessary to elaborate — to convey my point in a more detailed and succinct way.

At the risk of sounding rant-like, this post is meant to tell you something you should know about REALTORS® but likely don’t:

REALTORS® do a lot for the communities in which they live, work, and play… and more often than not they do it ‘below the radar’ without asking for or wanting any fanfare or public recognition.

In fact most of the professionals I know in my industry are tireless supporters of various charities and groups; donating hundreds of hours per year serving on volunteer boards, working casinos, coaching kids’ sports teams… the list is long. Add to that the thousands of dollars donated at various gala and fund-raising events REALTORS® get invited to attend on a regular basis and I would argue REALTORS® give back a helluva a lot more than they use or take.

One of the most effective ways Edmonton REALTORS® give back to their communities is through the work of the REALTORS® Community Foundation. The Foundation is a non profit organization that exists to serve the citizens of Edmonton and surrounding areas by providing much needed funding to smaller grass roots charities involved in shelter, homelessness, and crime prevention as well as so-called ‘special projects’.

The Foundation’s funding comes entirely from REALTORS® pockets and all of the great work the Foundation does is accomplished through hundreds of volunteer hours by REALTORS®. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the REALTORS® Community Foundation and in that time, REALTORS® have returned in excess of $3,000,000 to over 100 local charities.

Assuming you’re reading this post in real time the day of publishing, while you’re at work, generating ‘revenue’ for you and your family via a salary, know that I and a handful of other volunteer Board members are attending the annual cheque presentation event of the REALTORS® Community Foundation where we will be donating more time and returning more of our income to local charities. This year 44 local Edmonton and area charities have been awarded in excess of $300,000.

While I know at times the behaviour of certain industry members makes REALTORS® easy targets for ridicule, the same can be said of less-than-professional teachers, doctors, lawyers, and dentists. Before you paint my colleagues and my profession with the same dirty brush because of a less-than-satisfactory experience you had or because you believe the perception of earning outrageous sums of money and driving around the City in a different colour BMW for each day of the week, I ask you to take inventory of you and your colleagues and make an honest assessment of how much time, energy, emotion, and money you’ve collectively returned to the community in the interests of social good.

///…CP