a book just such as this one.

Why Don’t We Know More REALTOR® History?
As I flipped through the book casually, browsed the photos, and even read some of the passages that caught my attention, it occurred to me– why didn’t I already know some of this stuff?

This is my 5th year as a REALTOR®, and up until the point that I picked up the book and started reading, I had no knowledge of just about anything that was in it. NONE. NADA. ZIP.

In my mind, that is a travesty. Part of it is my fault, admittedly, since I never really took the time to search this type of historical information out. There is also another issue at play here, though. One that I have become particularly aware of in recent weeks– there is no discernible culture of REALTORS®. By “culture” I mean that there seems to be very little that we share that binds us together. No sort of shared knowledge of the past that ties in with the present. Other professions have this. A few examples:

First– Name me the first President of the National Association of REALTORS® way back in 1908. Or how about the year that the word REALTOR® first became a registered mark.

Can’t do it? Why not?

When I was studying to go to law school, just about any law student could give you the names of DOZENS of historically prominent attorneys. The same goes for doctors, scientists, writers, you name it. Heck, up until I picked up that book, I could name more prominent auto manufacturers than I could historically significant REALTORS®. That’s not good.

What I Plan to DO About This Problem
So here’s what happened. I picked up the book (pretty much by accident), and quickly realized that it is filled with a lot of great information. I also quickly realized that if I didn’t know about the book’s existence, it would stand to reason that there are a whole bunch of other REALTORS® who are similarly unaware. Like I said, I like books, so I bought my very own copy of this one.

Maybe you like books, maybe you don’t. Maybe you will by this one, maybe you won’t. Point is, you should still learn some of the lessons contained inside. That is exactly what I aim to do here.

Every week, as I make my way through the book, I will highlight the stories or issues that I find most interesting, and most critical. I won’t just re-print them straight from the book (that would be a copyright violation, and even worse, potentially boring). What I will do is share some of those stories in my own voice and with my own insights and editorializing, good or bad. Of course, I will reference them in the book. That way you can find the source, if you want.

My hope is that, first and foremost, you will learn something about the history of our organization and our profession. I also hope that you will come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for those who have come before us and the issues that have shaped the organization into what it is today.

And, hey, who says we can’t have a little fun along the way. . .