High Desert Association of REALTORS®
2021-2023 Strategic Plan

In one of the most highly unusual of years – 2020 – The High Desert Association of REALTORS® Leadership worked collaboratively to identify, discuss, and prioritize HDAR’s goals. With a focus on meeting the future’s challenges for the REALTOR® members of the association, the following plan identifies how HDAR will succeed.

This report overcame many obstacles to craft, draft, and revise the association’s goals to meet the following key organizational objectives:

• Engage Member Segments
• Advance Member Technologies
• Promote Member Education and Services
• Advocate and Promote REALTOR® and Fair Housing Issues

Building upon the success of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan for HDAR, the association plans to focus on continuing to deliver the previously identified core goals, while expanding into the above efforts. The 2017-2020 Strategic Plan focused on:

• Improve Member Services
• Improve Communications
• Demonstrate Community Outreach Efforts
• Engage in Advocacy Efforts
• Address Membership and Facilities

Encouraged by the success of the association in implementing the goals of the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan – while also limited by the impacts of COVID-19 – the association leadership dutifully contributed to the shaping of this report through:

1. Interfacing with peers on core issues
2. Individual interviews and discussions on key topics
3. Completing comprehensive feedback surveys on association needs
4. Group discussions of applying feedback to association objectives
5. Leadership review of key topics for inclusion in the strategic plan

Those efforts led to a careful consideration of the needs of the membership, the capacities and appropriate roles of the association, and the state of the industry. This guide is designed to be fluid and malleable as conditions impact the organization. As learned in 2020 – there is no way to predict what may occur.

The association can use this guide for organization, staff, budget, and direction to staff and committees to complete these goals collectively.
 
OBJECTIVE 1 – ENGAGE MEMBER SEGMENTS
To improve outreach and connection between the association and the membership

Goal 1 – Provide Membership Engagement Opportunities

• Use locations, leaders, and technology to expand opportunities for members to engage with one another
• Advance efforts to establish opportunities for the membership to get involved
• Create forums for engagement within specific interest groups of the association
• Develop MLS opportunities
• Co-opt association events as a way to build community

Goal 2 – Connect Association Leadership to Brokers

• Create contacts and outreaches to brokerages by leadership
• Communicate the value the association brings to the brokerages
• Encourage Leadership among brokers, managers, and industry leaders
• Develop broker oriented information about the association

Goal 3 – Establish Association Opportunities for the Agents

• Inform agents about the opportunities their membership provides
• Create leadership training for members interested in advancement
• Promote to agents the value of involvement in the association structure

Goal 4 – Develop New Options for Member Education

• Identify opportunities to expand traditional education into new offerings
• Enlist broader platforms and offerings available to members to share education
• Encourage committee development of learning opportunities

OBJECTIVE 2 – ADVANCE MEMBER TECHNOLOGY
Ensure Member Technology provides the most available information

Goal 1 – Expand Data Opportunities

• Investigate the best opportunities to expand data exchanges
• Identify the most important data sources to best empower members
• Utilize technology that allows for the best user interface
• Ensure consistency of member expectations while also advancing access
• Incorporate connectivity to a broad list of member used business software

Goal 2 – Pursue Tech Agreements that Benefit Members

• Identify key technology offerings that are needed by members most
• Connect with providers and partners to expand membership capabilities to service their clients
• Execute agreements with appropriate partners
• Identify educational, exchange, networking, and property data opportunities

Goal 3 – Build MLS Opportunity

• Identify opportunities to expand MLS information available to members
• Pursue agreements with potential industry partners
• Consider cross-platform capabilities to minimize member impact

Goal 4 – Create Member Focused Information on Technology Opportunities

• Develop marketing materials for each offering
• Build comprehensive education on tech integration
• Create forums for member sharing on application of technology

OBJECTIVE 3 – PROMOTE MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION AND SERVICES
Reinforce membership value through advancing association offerings

Goal 1 – Increase Membership Awareness of the Association
– Promote opportunities for members in new and different ways

Goal 2 – Enable New Learning Opportunities

• Identify existing education of the association, and explore needs
• Employ technology to expand availability and convenience of offerings
• Connect emerging trends within the industry
• Seek partnerships with new education providers

Goal 3 – Empower Member Led Learning Opportunities

• Establish framework for appropriate educational offering from members
• Create opportunities to test and refine educational offering
• Vet material for appropriateness
• Enable offering options where appropriate

Goal 4 – Connect Offerings to Education, Committees, Products and Events

• Establish a compendium of available opportunities
• Develop connectivity and cross promotion across the association
• Encourage synergistic cooperation among association segments
• Encourage brokerage and member adoption of association offerings

  
OBJECTIVE 4 – ADVOCATE AND PROMOTE REALTOR AND FAIR HOUSING ISSUES
Promote the REALTOR® Commitment to Fair Housing and Housing Opportunity

Goal 1 – Incorporate Fair Housing Opportunity in the Association Advocacy

• Incorporate Fair Housing resources into advocacy efforts
• Promote use of Fair Housing resources (ie. NAR Fairhaven Course)
• Encourage discussion of Fair Housing, and where improvement is needed
• Expand awareness and understanding of the PAC with members
• Build roles for liaisons between LGR & other committees and organizations

Goal 2 – Encourage Participation in Association Advocacy

• Enlist member input on issues pertinent to the members business models
• Secure support from brokerage on association advocacy efforts
• Work with committees and association structures to raise PAC involvement
• Promote member engagement in C2EX Course

Goal 3 – Build Upon Established Community Relationships

• Support and advance relationships with local government leaders
• Build upon existing relationships with chambers and business groups
• Expand relationships with affiliated industries and aligned organizations
• Explore new organizations with similar advocacy interests as HDAR

Goal 4 – Promote Fair Housing Accomplishments

• Compile information on successful efforts of the association – and parent associations – to improve Fair Housing in the community
• Report success of member participation in Fairhaven Course
• Report success of member participation in C2EX Course
• Report success of member ethics course engagement
• Report success of member efforts in association Fair Housing events

NAR’s Diversity and Inclusion Commitment Statement
The National Association of REALTORS® represents more than 1.5 million REALTORS® in diverse communities across the country. NAR staff fosters a culture where diversity and inclusion are integrated into each of our five core values. Through inclusive collaboration and mutual respect for our colleagues, we focus on the principles that matter to the organization and drive how we engage each other to reach our common goals. We fully embrace perspectives from all walks of life—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, national origin, socioeconomic status, political affiliation or any other qualities by which we may define ourselves. We commit to bringing out the best in ourselves, uncovering our hidden talents, and celebrating differences in our day-to-day interactions. These beliefs are essential as we serve our members who help fulfill the dream of home and property ownership in America. https://www.nar.realtor/diversity#statement