Stacey Moncrieff, Editor-in-Chief

How refreshing! A good news story about the housing industry . . .

These days, frankly, it can be hard to put yourself in a happy place. But a colleague forwarded me a recent Lew Sichelman column on ways Realtors® and other housing industry professionals are giving back to their communities—despite the hard times.

His syndicated column appeared in the Chicago Tribune Sept. 14 under the headline “When Realtors® Become Agents of Social Change”.

Naturally, I was glad to see him recognizing the 10 amazing finalists for REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards. But he also talked with a practitioner who is giving up commission income to help military families afford a home. And the full version of his story (not posted at the Tribune site) cited housing industry professionals who are donating their services for Habitat for Humanity builds.

Of course, this kind of good work goes on all the time under the media radar, but it’s great to see someone of Lew Sichelman’s stature giving it some play. Thanks, Lew, for putting me in a happy place today!