Always Be Learning
By Marilyn Urso
I have always loved school and learning new things. Yes, I was the kid that always wanted to get the 100% on that math test or be the first to raise my hand and have the right answer when the teacher asked a question in the class to see who was paying attention. I was very fortunate when I became an adult and started my real estate career to be invited to join the Women’s Council of REALTORS®. The wonderful leaders and members I have met over the years have continued to teach me and show me the tools and ways to be successful in this industry. They have also helped me grow as a leader in my local board as well as on the state and national level.
I am at the point in my life and my career where I am ready to pass the baton to the upcoming leadership and members who I know will excel in the task. But I will always remain a member of the Council and a resource for all.
My favorite motto in recent years has been “Always be learning.” Too often we reach a point in our lives and our careers where we think we know all we need to continue and stay successful. The truth is, we don’t! The COVID pandemic has certainly made us aware of how much we don’t know. The recent technology and internet currently in use in our industry have changed the simple things we did like showing properties and working with buyers in many ways. Let me share with you some of the resources I have used recently to keep my real estate business on track.
The National Association of REALTORS,® Women's Council, and your state and local boards have all made adjustments to their education programs. There are so many FREE webinars and meetings that provide great information to help you do your business – from explaining to your sellers how to evaluate multiple offers to coaching buyers on the new requirements and protocols for viewing properties and making offers. The new Conference Year-Round website from NAR is a great place to watch some of these programs – and it came out of the great attendance from this year’s national meetings. We have realized that we can reach more of our members if we offer hybrid meetings with both Virtual and Live sessions and it’s not limited to one or two weeks a year!
Another lesson this past year taught me was to create a schedule for work. Something I always tried to do, but “never had the time.” Well in the first few months of lockdown there was plenty of time. In the beginning, it was nice to ‘just relax’… but that got boring pretty quickly. So I did it. I created a plan for work and for personal time. I made sure to include family time, exercise, and just relaxing, but I also focused on how could I continue to grow my business and stay in touch with those who would bring me future business. And it worked. Do you have a plan? A weekly schedule for business and personal tasks? It’s never too late to set it up and it will reduce the stress levels and keep your business on track. The best part is that I used a lot of the information I already had from past Council leaders like Joeann Fossland – one of my first Women's Council mentors, and actually the person who got me started with writing for Connections Magazine. I still haven’t created a “Perfect Week” that she described, but I am getting close!
So what are you learning today? Something fun I hope … just remember: Always Be Learning!
About the Contributor
Marilyn Urso has been in the real estate business for over 27 years. She was a Broker /Owner of her own real estate office for over 22 years and is currently an active Associate Broker working for Homes by Mara Realty in Syosset.
Marilyn has been an instructor at the Long Island Board of REALTORS® since 2007. She has written and instructed various continuing education modules for LIBOR. She has also been an instructor for the NYS Association of REALTORS® as well as the National Association of REALTORS®. For her 27+ years as a REALTOR®, she has truly 'Always Been Learning'.
