Dear Berkshire REALTOR,

First published in 2014, we love to take an opportunity to every February share a Valentine’s Day Letter with our dear members, because we want you to know how much we love Berkshire REALTORS and why!

Berkshire REALTORS are entrepreneurs! The world is NOT full of people who say, “I’d like to work at a job where I don’t get paid one red cent until I am 100% successful!” Yet every day we see REALTORS spending their own savings for association dues, advertising, signs, cards, online search engine placement, websites, business forms, legal work, equipment, overhead and software.  And spending their TIME, TIME, TIME.  And they do this all in the hope that their efforts, over the course of a few months and in some cases a few years, will pay off and a home buyer will buy their dream home or a seller will sell at the right price. They only get paid after the transaction is finalized.  And they cooperate with their competitors to make it happen.  Wow. We love that.

Berkshire REALTORS are lifelong learners. They study, they plan, they market, and they negotiate.  They learn the forms, the laws, the environmental impacts.  They study town-by-town codes, and pending legislation.  They master the MLS system, the internet, the iphone and facebook.  They know the Code of Ethics and license law and insurance and mortgage processes.  And then, it all changes, and they learn it again. And again. And again.

Berkshire REALTORS are givers.  Look at any community and you’ll see REALTOR volunteers in every aspect.  With their “flexible schedule” they serve on non-profit boards, town boards, coach kid teams, serve at soup kitchens, and handle the bake sale/raffle/carwash for the PTA.  Every day they are out there making the community a better place because they know, first hand, the gift we have to live in such a wonderful place.  They give their time and talents to our association and without their dedication, our industry and our communities would suffer.  (And we try to remember every time we hear of a REALTOR golfing midday in the summer sunshine, most people don’t answer their business phone 24/7 or run out to meet with clients day and night as most of Berkshire REALTORS do.)

Berkshire REALTORS are fascinating.  Oh, the stories they have!  Funny, touching, shocking, witty, scary… Berkshire Realtors have the most interesting tales from the field.  Want an example?  Ask any REALTOR, “What’s the craziest thing that has happened to you?” or “What client do you think you helped the most?” and sit back and enjoy. They make us laugh, they make us cry and the entertainment value alone is priceless.  We love to hear what they have to say because we know that they are front-lines during one of the most important times in a person’s life and have the tales to prove it.

Berkshire REALTORS have huge hearts.  The Board Office staff has had the pleasure of knowing hundreds of REALTORS throughout the years.  It’s called the REALTOR family for a reason.  There is not a better group of people to know and rely upon.  They are generous, caring and thoughtful.  When we’ve had cause to celebrate, Berkshire REALTORS were the first to offer heartfelt congratulations and a glass of bubbly.  When we’ve had strife, they were the first to offer a shoulder, a kind word, a meal.  Not every industry is like this, not every group so embracing.  Good people.  That’s why others trust them with their big moments and big dreams.  We feel so fortunate to call so many a ‘friend’ in addition to colleague.

Thank you, Berkshire REALTORS, for being so cool.  We love helping you succeed any way we can.   Happy Valentine’s Day!

XOXO

Your Board Office Staff