National Association of Realtors Conference & Trade Show

Usually a gathering of 18,000 to 22,000 for 3 days of innovation & strength development. This year, 30,000 plus Realtors gathered for the annual event, which yes was bigger - but maybe not better.

There were more learning sessions than any previous conference. Same topics – not quite same-old, same-old but neither were they new or revolutionary.

The trade show was giant. BUT it was missing pizzazz. And no wonder, absent were many of the Mortgage Lenders and US Banks that traditionally set the upside elegance for size and quality of displays. Its not that they don’t like the show or Realtors – many were just out’a money, or out’a business given the recent sub-prime bust. For the past 20 years the best and biggest booths, the best carry bags and the best chachkas were at the bank & mortgage booths. Over fini c’est tout.

Different yes. The take away – a giant myriad of small booths selling all manner of goods and services to sales people, brokers and their assistants. Still lots of vendors wanting to sell magic potions for “da best” web site in the world. Lots of printers supplying business cards, pads and magnetic calendars. A PEEVE of mine – agents send a calendar once each year and call it ‘personal branding’ ahh.... but back to the show.

And the Speakers – yes the motivators and trainers – some have updated their entire line, gone are the cassette tapes now its all on DVDs. Lots of motivation and training available – oh yes. The Motivators are great - it's the floow-through by the attendees of their session that keeps the motivators in business...'yes i'm suggesting a lack of follow-through leads to repeat visits of "...but I need motivation".

Best Educational Session or best New Product of the show – I don’t know. In a year where there’s been such wrenching change – so many firm competitive challenges to ‘access to information’ for both seller and buyer, there was darn little excitement about either change or new opportunity at this year’s conference.

Interesting – there was Trulia, again – friend to the Realtor – selling business exposure opportunities on the web. Trulia - the web, remind you of a story about the spider?

AND ever-present in a small out’a the way booth was Google. In a plain & polite way showing some 'stuff' that helps homebuyers find property better – and how Realtors could ‘maybe’ benefit. Yes – quiet non-descript Google – showing some ideas of how to get you to an address better, faster, more efficiently – remind you about the start of something big?