Surviving the Real Estate Storm
Tuesday morning north Dallas realtors gathered early for a weekly MLS meeting, and left having learned a lesson or two about disaster relief. The speaker was Arthur Sterbcow – a New Orleans native and the current President of Latter & Blum Inc. Realtors. The topic – surviving storms.
As the leader of a residential and commercial firm that consists of nearly 1,000 agents, Arthur knows real estate. (In fact, he’s the only Realtor® in the Gulf South who has achieved the CCIM, CRB, CRS, GRI, ABRM, and ABR designations.) And as a Katrina survivor, he also knows resourcefulness and recovery. Needless to say, when it comes to overcoming tough times in real estate, he has insight.
Arthur brought along a visual prop: a gym bag. When Katrina hit, Latter & Blum’s 28 offices were suddenly reduced to four – a mayhem that motivated the firm to become almost entirely paperless. Seeing the importance of preparation, Latter & Blum leaders consolidated the company (records, passwords, etc.) to fit into a gym bag, which all affiliates now keep in their car trunks.
After sharing bits of his inspiring Katrina story, Arthur likened that disaster to the storm the U.S. now faces. The current economic downturn isn’t what disturbs him most, however. The hurricane he fears happens to be the federal government’s recovery plan.
Mentioning the mountain of paper that the government has published to “clarify” its housing support programs, Arthur assured his audience of agents that Internet search engines and property databases cannot possibly replace their role. Expert Realtors® are now especially valuable, helping clients to navigate the ins and outs of the government’s options. Arthur highlighted the need for “good, caring, and informed” professionals.
A solutions-minded man who seems to embrace adversity, Arthur wrapped up his talk on a positive note. “Whatever cards they deal us, we’re going to find a way to play the game successfully.” Whether it takes the form of a natural disaster, tough economic times, or a government bailout, a storm…is a storm…is a storm.
Tags: Arthur Sterbcow, Dallas, Housing market, MLS
