Investment in profession tied to Realtor® success

Realtors® who invest in their profession are more likely to remain in the industry, according to a recent survey conducted by Keystone Analytics, a PA Association of Realtors® (PAR) subsidiary.

Members who earn designations and invest in the Realtors® Political Action Committee (RPAC) are more likely to continue in real estate.

The research includes a web survey of more than 2,600 current members and telephone interviews with 300 former members.

The survey showed that the first two years in the real estate industry are critical to success. More than 40 percent of members who did not renew their membership had been with PAR for less than two years.

Thirty percent of members who left PAR since 2009 cited financial reasons/the economy as their reason for leaving the association. Twenty-four percent of those who left changed their career, while 17 percent retired.

PAR has seen a net loss of approximately 2,700 members since 2009, with membership numbers currently at 28,000. The association’s leadership team initiated the survey to determine who is leaving the association and why in the last two years.

“The survey confirmed what we suspected,” said PAR President Guy A. Matteo, GRI, SRES. “The challenging market conditions were a contributing factor to why members left the industry in the last two years. We also gained some valuable insight into who is leaving the association.”

“The survey will help compare and contrast the needs of our current members with those who have left the association and help us set goals in the future,” Matteo added.