Of the 201 readers who participated in our recent poll, 70% (140 voters) believed the California Association of Realtors (CAR) does not provide valuable services for their annual dues.
There were passionate arguments from either side. The prevailing voters cited CAR’s monopoly on real estate forms and unfair collection amounts to line the pockets of those on top.
Those who disagreed with the majority referenced such services as free (read: included in annual dues) seminars, lobbying efforts, access to group insurance and access to CAR forms.
Many real estate agents erroneously believe paying CAR membership dues is the only way to join a multiple listing service (MLS). Dispelling myths such as these is one of first tuesday’s missions in educating California real estate agents.
To cast your vote and read the facts on joining an MLS, see the April 2012 first tuesday article, Real(i)ty check: MLS access for non-CAR members
So how many of those who voted on the question of whether CAR was worth the membership dues are actually CAR members? If the voting pool is already pre-disposed in its opinions against CAR (as is painfully evident by most of First Tuesday’s comments) then it’s not surprising that 70% of respondents said CAR wasn’t worth it. Personally I value CAR and am happy to support its efforts through my dues. Fortunately I’m in one of those rare areas where our MLS is independent, so sharing listing information and Association membership are two separate things. And that’s how I think it should be…MLS’s should be independent of any group’s exclusive control. As with most organizations, it takes a grass root effort from within to make change…so if CAR needs to grow up then it needs people with new ideas and energy to help make those changes.
You First Tuesday folk’s are the greatest. I look forward to your emails and usually learn something each time. I use C.A.R. legal services about 3 times and year and appreciate getting answers from a real person with, most of the time, just one call. I really wonder if the lobbying efforts they and N.A.R. do are good for us brokers in general? Your input on C.A.R. and N.A.R. lobbying efforts would be interesting. Are the leaders of these two organizations really lining their pockets? What do they get paid anyway? Questions, questions, questions… one thing I never run out of and not always have the time to answer. That’s what’s so good about First Tuesday. I’ll most likely drop out of N.A.R. Will other follow? Will their leaders have to take a pay cut?