Staying Strong: A Word from 2024 President Stacy Gee
We are sharing the following message from President Stacy Gee, and prefacing it with a note of thanks to her and to our entire volunteer leadership team for the positive difference they make for our EMTAR members. We know how busy REALTORS® are, so we are especially grateful for those of you who give so generously of your time and energy to make our Association—and our community—better and stronger. Thank you! (Visit this page to learn more about our volunteer leaders.)
Dear Fellow EMTAR Members,
A while back I entered my name in an online activity called “All Girl Names Tell a Story.” The results revealed that those of us named “Stacy” tend to love our family (so true!), are not fans of self-centered people (also true), and that if you bump into a Stacy, you can be sure “she’ll give you all she’s got” (very true—if I sign up, I’m not only in, I’m all in!). But the result that stood out to me most was this: “Stacy means: She survives every storm.”
I love that, because it reminds me that I’ve got what it takes not only to survive during the hard times we all face, but to thrive and come out even stronger on the other side.
And that leads right into the message I want to share with you today: As you know, we are facing some “storms” these days, things like economic uncertainty, political divisiveness, war and unrest, inflation, a tight housing market as demand continues to outpace supply, and significant shifts in the real estate industry that will impact how we as REALTORS® do business.
One of those changes that we are talking about right now is a decision by Realtracs to update the requirements for access to its MLS starting in 2025. (You can read more about that important development here.)
Another is the broader impact of the recent NAR lawsuits settlement, which will have far-reaching implications that we are just now beginning to learn about and think through. (The EMTAR blog here has more details about the settlement.)
Not only that, but beyond our professional lives, many of us are facing personal storms as well—sickness or another physical challenge, family struggles, the loss of a loved one, and more.
And then there are just those days when you wonder why you even got out of bed—you know the ones I’m talking about: The coffee burns your lip, an angry driver cuts you off in traffic, a showing gets canceled, an offer on a property comes back far from what you were hoping it would be, and then, just when you think the worst is over, it starts pouring down rain right after you walk out of your hair appointment.
Now, if you know me at all, you know I’m always positive, even when the clouds roll in and the thunder starts rumbling. I look for the bright side in just about every situation. But sometimes that’s really hard to do, right? (I see y’all raising those hands.)
After one especially tough day not long ago, when everything seemed to go wrong and I was worn out, a friend shared a Facebook post reminding us to “hang in there, tomorrow is a new day.” That might sound simple, but it hit me at just the right moment. It made my night, and it shifted my perspective as I started looking forward to the promise of the next day, with its fresh opportunities and blessings.
In light of all of this, I want to remind you that you have more than enough of the “stuff” you need to survive every storm, to weather every difficult day, to overcome every obstacle, and to meet every challenge head-on. Especially during those times when it feels like nothing is working the way you need it to, keep in mind that tomorrow will be a new day.
I think it’s also good to remember that we’re all in this together, and we can (and should) lean on and support each other every chance we get. That might mean mentoring a newer agent to share your hard-won insights and expertise, or it could mean reaching out for help from someone you know is down the road from where you are in your career.
It also might mean staying engaged in the community and in the industry—looking for ways to give back, to volunteer, to brighten someone’s day, to make things better, to serve others in big and small ways. When we do that, it almost always puts our problems into perspective and lifts our spirits to face them with renewed vigor.
In closing, let me emphasize that it is my great honor and privilege to serve alongside you as your 2024 president and as part of an amazing board of directors. As a leadership team, we are all about exploring ways to be “your partner in success” as a REALTOR® and to stand strong on behalf of property owners, buyers, and sellers, as well as our communities and neighborhoods.
We have so much going for us, and we want to keep it going. Thank you for the opportunity to serve and to share this message with you!
Appreciatively,
Stacy Gee
2024 EMTAR President
Benchmark Realty LLC
About EMTAR: Chartered in 1969, our Association’s 1,300+ REALTORS® are a proud part of the 36,000+ members of Tennessee REALTORS® and of the 1.5 million+ members of NAR, all working to serve the public and protect the rights of America’s property owners. EMTAR members are known not only for their unmatched real estate excellence and high ethical standards, but also for being generous, hospitable, others-focused, loyal, hardworking, and eager to help wherever and whenever help is needed.