By Thomas C. Schultheis
2019 President
Santa Barbara Association of REALTORS®
The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors traveling team spent this past week at the California Association of Realtors fall business meetings in Los Angeles. At these meetings policy is debated and set in regard to how C.A.R. conducts itself, advocates for its members, and protects the interests of homeowners statewide.
More than just a top down dissemination of real estate related information, the conference is intended to allow Realtors from around the state an organized opportunity to learn from one another about how to improve the industry, be more effective representatives, increase our service to the community, and our level of professionalism.
Some of the hot topics this past week included the potential impacts of proposed legislation and how it will impact homebuyers and sellers, and exploring ways we can protect or improve property rights and our communities. Another topic was the challenge of attaining homeowners’ insurance in the wake of the state’s recent fires. Also discussed were the ever-evolving influence of technology in the industry, how potential climate change could interact with property ownership, to taxation and land use.
SBAOR sends seven members who are state-level directors with the C.A.R. These directors have the privilege to participate in and vote during board meetings throughout the year. These directors, as well as other Realtor members on the traveling team, serve on various other committees at the state level.
While all state directors have a duty to look out for the best interests of the C.A.R., we also have the opportunity to share what we experience locally and help educate our fellow directors.
The end goal is to create a place where we can all come together to learn and make informed decisions that benefit those that we represent.
SBAOR’s traveling team included: Alec Bruice, David Kim, Doug Van Pelt, Reyne Stapleman, Staci Caplan, Brian Johnson, Janet Caminite, Diana Bull, and yours truly Thomas Schultheis.
Being a Realtor means much more than negotiating contracts. Realtors are out on the front lines fighting for homeownership. We are here to protect you on the micro and macro level. We are here to serve you. That’s who we R!
The Santa Barbara Association of Realtors encourages you to call your Realtor anytime you have real estate related questions or needs.
Thomas C. Schultheis is a Santa Barbara native and a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. In addition to his work on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors, Thomas holds a Broker’s license and additional designations. Thomas lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and their two-year old son. He can be reached at 729-2802 or SBRealtorTom@gmail.com.