REALTORS® demonstrated several different ways they can positively impact their communities during three different events Wednesday.

Charitable giving

The Heartland REALTOR® Organization donated $14,000 to the McHenry County Habitat for Humanity as part of a year-long partnership project. While Heartland raised funds in December 2019 at the association’s Holiday Charity Gala, members also volunteered earlier in the year by working on a Habitat construction project in Wonder Lake and rehab projects in Woodstock and Crystal Lake.

Protecting private property rights

Illinois REALTORS® Local Government Affairs Director Tom Joseph and Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® Immediate Past President Michael Gobber led a REALTOR® Forum about the impact of home rule Wednesday at the Century 21 Affiliated office in Westchester.

Joseph and Gobber discussed their experiences with communities that pursued home rule status, reviewed the pros and cons of home rule and answered questions from other REALTORS®. Also, they explained the importance of REALTORS® speaking up to protect private property rights and the real estate industry, whether it’s on the local, state or federal level.

Education and idea sharing

Several members of the North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS® helped conduct portions of the Fourth  Annual PowerHouse SMART® Luxury Conference in Chicago Wednesday.

REALTOR® Wendy Cohen, CEO of PowerHouse Recruiting, organized the event.

REALTOR® Ali Lerner of @properties Bannockburn and Highland Park, was a featured speaker at one of the lunch sessions. Conference attendees shared ideas and learned the best ways to serve the real estate needs of affluent consumers.

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The Heartland REALTOR® Organization donated $14K to help the McHenry County Habitat for Humanity on Wednesday. REALTORS® in the back row include (l to r): Arturo Flores, T.J. Madigan, Beth Kautz, Rick O’Connor, Laurie Knowles-Pitner, Tim Sebastian and Heartland CEO Jim Haisler. In the front row (l to r) are: Neeley Erickson (GAD), Kelly Simpson, Jerry Monica (McHenry County Habitat President and CEO), Sara Davis (McHenry County Community Outreach Coordinator), Becky Kirchner and Erin Dierks.
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Ali Lerner presented at the Luxury PowerHouse SMART Conference.
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NSBAR Member Wendy Cohen (left) put together the 4th Annual PowerHouse SMART Luxury Conference at Merchandise Mart.
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Young Brockhouse, VP of Professional Development for Illinois REALTORS® (left), attended the Luxury Conference keynote speech with NSBAR Immediate Past President Joel Raynes.
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Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® Immediate Past President Michael Gobber (standing on right) helped conduct a forum on home rule Wednesday at his office in Westchester.
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REALTORS® learned about the pros and cons of home rule from Mainstreet Immediate Past President Michael Gobber (standing, right) and Illinois REALTORS® Local Governmental Affairs Director Tom Joseph (not pictured).