Since some of you may not know me, I want you to know that first and foremost I am a REALTOR. That’s who I am.

I am honored to have been selected recently by the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors Board of Directors as the Interim CEO for HGAR as the Board undertakes a national search for a replacement for Richard Haggerty, who has taken on the role of CEO of OneKey MLS after serving the association’s membership for nearly four decades.

The entire HGAR team looks forward to supporting our members through this transition period.

Since some of you may not know me, I want you to know that first and foremost I am a Realtor. That’s who I am.

I sold my first house when I was 19 years old. Fast forward through college, grad school and my first career in Human Resources in the banking industry, I came back into real estate as a manager for our family-owned Coldwell Banker firm in the early 90s and have never looked back. I have maintained a real estate license for the past 30 years.

My wish for you as you begin 2023 is to adopt the mood of cautious optimism. I’ve walked in your shoes as an agent, sales manager, relocation director and a senior leader of a large real estate brokerage in the Hudson Valley. I have lived through buyer’s markets, seller’s markets, and balanced markets. I’ve experienced the joy of working with first-time home buyers as they take possession of their very first home, the devastation of losing a client after a deal goes south, watching an agent walk out the door to a competitor and many highs and lows in between.

There is no other industry like ours. For those of you who have been in the business a long time and experienced the peaks and valleys of the market, I applaud you, and know that for all the tough times there were more awesome ones that make you love what you do.

For those of you just starting out, don’t be persuaded by negative media posts, give this business a chance. For all of you in between, remember why you entered this business in the first place.

As we navigate the next few months, where all predictors indicate a slowing market, my best advice is to look at the opportunities afforded by this time. One of the traits most successful Realtors share is that they are constantly active. Take the time to maximize your association membership and focus on something that will enhance your ability as a Realtor and as a real estate professional. This might include attending an event or volunteering for a committee to assist you in building professional relationships, enhancing your skills to gain a competitive advantage by working on a new certification and taking courses offered through the Hudson Gateway School of Real Estate, NYSAR and NAR. Perhaps, focus on improving your image through your personal marketing activities, look for ways to engage with your local communities, especially as it relates to legislative activity to protect Realtor and consumer interests, and gain market insights in order to be the resource for your clients and prospects by providing them with timely and useful information and data.

Now is the time to take advantage of your association membership. Your resources for all of this and more can be found at HGAR.com, OneKeyMLSNY.com, NYSAR.com and NAR.realtor.