Real estate agents are distinguished from other sales professionals in taking an active interest in the well-being of their communities. It only makes sense: Their business, and their livelihood, flourishes and stagnates along with the health of their communities.
Increasingly, this interest goes beyond the issues of land use, development and physical appearance that can affect property values for good or ill. Real estate agents are pitching in to improve the health and personal well-being of their neighbors - both near and far.
Doing so builds goodwill in two ways: It shows neighbors and prospective clients that an agent is an active part of the community and cares for its welfare, and it gives the real estate agent a good measure of personal satisfaction.
The activities can range from raising money to fund vital services to actually pitching in to deliver those services. In some cases, such as that of suburban Minneapolis Realtor Dave Philp, their good works also improve the economic health of the community: Philp's fundraising on behalf of a local community hospital has helped it grow into a major regional medical center.
And they can extend from one's own community to the community of mankind: a mother-daughter pair of Nashville agents have traveled to Zimbabwe regularly since 1999 to care for orphaned children and even founded an orphanage there in 2005.
Besides concern for their neighbors (near and far), these three share one other thing in common: they are among the winners of the National Association of Realtors' Good Neighbor Awards for 2010. The awards program, launched by the industry trade group in 2000, recognizes NAR members who go the extra mile in serving all the needs of their communities.
Agents with an interest in sinking even deeper roots in their communities could do far worse than to follow their examples.
To plant your roots in the real estate field, check out RealEstateJobSite.com.
By: Sandy Smith
Sandy Smith is an award-winning writer and editor who has spent most of his career in public relations and corporate communications. His work has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia CityPaper, PGN, and a number of Web sites. Philly-area residents may also recognize him as "MarketStEl" of discussion-board fame. He has been a part of the great reserve army of freelance writers since January 2009 and is actively seeking opportunities wherever they may lie.
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