If you’re wondering why exactly you should you join the California Desert Association of REALTORS® or just an association in general, you are not alone. Every single real estate agent and professional has wondered this, whether it’s aloud, in their head, or perhaps writing a note positing the question, placing it in a bottle and setting it adrift in the ocean (hey, you might get an answer, you never know).
Well, we’re here to answer the age-old real estate agent question: why join CDAR?
If meeting people was easy, we’d all be like our social media profiles: maxed out at 5,000 friends with a whole lot of likes of our pictures of cat memes. But building relationships and networking in the real estate field can be tough if you have no outlet for such a thing. That’s where we come in – we have monthly membership meetings, weekly marketing meetings, regular education offerings, various mixers, charity events like our annual Golf Tournament, affiliate events such as the annual Expo, and so much more so you can meet the people that can assist you in your business dealings.
By meeting your fellow agents, affiliates that specialize in title, escrow, NHD, and pest control, and community, state and national leaders who speak at our events, you build long-lasting relationships that have similar business goals and ideals that will help not just yourself, but themselves, build their business and their brand, all within their community.
It’s not just about meeting these industry leaders – it’s about having access to the listings, and that’s where the MLS ties into your connections. Building relationships is great, but building those relationships AND having access to the same data for listings is that much better. Having access to accurate listing data in your own backyard is one of the most – if not the most – valuable tool in a REALTOR’s® arsenal. But that’s not all…
CDAR doesn’t just give you FLEX MLS, one of the more intuitive and easy-to-use systems on the market. We have more member benefits than you can shake a stick at (but don’t shake sticks inside – that’s just dangerous). We offer important benefits for our members, including…
• Membership with C.A.R. and NAR. Your CDAR REALTOR® membership dues include membership with the California Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®, which comes with its own perks (which we’ll discuss a little later).
• Member Perks at our Store. Want to buy a sign at our store? A sign holder? A REALTOR® t-shirt or license plate holder? Being a member means member pricing, so you get everything you need at a price that saves you money.
• Member Benefits & Tools. Being a member isn’t just about saving some cash at the store. It’s about having access to Glide, which makes the disclosure process that much easier. It’s about using Cloud CMA to run robust comparative market analysis reports, utilizing Trendgraphix to run detailed statistical graphs of the area for clients, and RPR to create reports that tell clients everything they could possibly imagine about the neighborhoods they’re interested in.
• Free Meetings. Yes, you get to attend all of our membership meetings and marketing meetings for free, with a full breakfast or lunch, listing pitches, informative guests, and did we mention breakfast and lunch? It’s also your way to network and meet new people, which can never be a bad thing. (Note: due to COVID-19, we are currently holding all meetings virtually via Zoom. However, you’re still welcome to join us with your own breakfast.)
• Education Offerings. We have plenty of chances for you to further your education and expand your horizons. Want to learn about how to use FLEX MLS to its fullest? Need to know about the Residential Purchase Agreement? Just want to renew your real estate license? CDAR’s education offerings are deep, regular, and priced just right, especially for members! (Note: due to COVID-19, we are currently holding all meetings virtually via Zoom, including education.)
• Rewarding Committee Work. Being a part of an association also affords you the opportunity to give back to your community by volunteering for our many committees. Being on our Golf Task Force will allow you to help plan and shape our charity golf tournament and raise funds for our scholarship fund. The Scholarship Committee finds exceptional students to enrich their lives through our scholarship fund. Community Service Committee continually does outreach in the community, giving back to where you work and live.
All are free to join as a member (some committees do have restrictions, see the full committee list for information on each committee).
• One-on-One Training. Yes, CDAR has an on-staff trainer, ready to set up dedicated time to show you how to use FLEX, Trendgraphix, and more. Click here to find out more about the sessions.
• The Desert Housing Report. Get a monthly report that gives you a ton of valuable market analysis of the Coachella Valley, including three and twelve month averages of sales, median prices summaries, and more information than your clients will know what to do with.
• Dedicated Staff Support. Our staff is here to assist with all your membership needs. Be it Supra, the MLS, and any other questions, we are here to help and can get you where you need to go.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for being a CDAR REALTOR® member. And speaking of REALTOR®…
Being a real estate agent doesn’t automatically make you a REALTOR®. To be a REALTOR®, to use the name, to use the logo and the signage, you need to be a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (remember, we mentioned that above). Well, by joining as a CDAR REALTOR® member, that includes the membership with NAR, which allows you to call yourself a REALTOR®, market yourself as a REALTOR®, brand yourself as a REALTOR®…all in all, it lets you BE a REALTOR®.
As a REALTOR®, you also get to use the REALTOR® membership mark to help identify yourself as a member of the National Association of REALTORS®. Through your membership with NAR, you also get access to a number of benefits and perks, including the REALTOR® benefits program, which includes perks and discounts with national brands and companies, including insurance, car rentals, electronics and technology, office supplies, and so much more!
Being a part of CDAR also means membership with the California Association of REALTORS®. Including perks like what NAR offers, you also get access to zipForm, a comprehensive forms database that is your one-stop go-to for any real estate form you could possibly need. A program like that might go for hundreds of dollars – with your CDAR membership including membership to C.A.R., your access is built into your membership dues. You can also use DocuSign, a digital signature software program, included for free as well!
Being a part of a REALTOR® association isn’t exactly what you think it is – it’s about being part of a community of real estate professionals. It’s about giving back to your community through charity drives, fundraisers, and other engaging events. It’s about networking with your fellow professionals and building long-lasting relationships, both on the business end and personally. It’s about being a part of a family. The California Desert Association of REALTORS® prides itself on being the trusted source for real estate in the Coachella Valley. We hope you will become a part of our association, our community, and our family.
