Nobu Hata, NAR's Director of Digital Engagement

In case you missed the announcement a couple of weeks ago, the National Association of REALTORS® added two new social media positions to their amazing staff, naming Nobu Hata, chair of the NAR Young Professionals Network, as Director of Digital Engagement. Yes, he is going from the REALTOR® sales end of things, to our employee!

It is a good feeling to know we have another YPNer in our corner at NAR and I am excited to welcome Nobu to Chicago, Illinois! Here is a quick Q&A I had with Nobu after hearing the news:

Q. What is your new role with NAR all about?

A. It’s going to be a monitoring, outreach and industry relations role, encompassing you guys (the members), associations and brokerages out on the street through the digital domain, then in real-life. I’ve spent half my life in organized real estate, from the sales to the volunteer leader segments, watching it evolve into what is now. That experience puts me in a pretty advantageous position to give insight into what you guys do daily up the chain, and shed light on what the higher-ups and NAR does for you guys down the line.

Q. What are your fav real estate apps, tools and toys?

A. Personally, as a sales-dude, the one thing I could not live without was my personal wifi hotspot. From live skype previews for my clients, to allowing my clients to use their toys on my internet connection to make the buy/sell experience their own, I could not live without the always-on internet that anyone can plug in to. GoogleAlerts will you save your life. Dropbox, Evernote (for live journal client tours), Tourwrist are fav apps. Regardless, I made it a habit to put mobile and social Q&A into my buyer/seller orientation, and you should too. Asking your clients what phone, apps and social media outposts they use frequently will make your job easier in the end. It sure as heck did for me, and I learned a lot, to boot!

Q. What will you miss most about selling real estate?

A. Honestly, the sheer joy of seeing my clients light up when they find “the one,” or getting that hug at closing after a tough sale, is what I’ll miss the most. This is the only business where genuinely helping others, will get you MORE business. Also, watching YPN from afar now will be tough. My years with you guys have been (seriously) one of the things that kept me going in real estate, and some of my most rewarding. Thanks for that!

Q. What excites you about moving to Chicago?

A. Moving. In general. My wife and I want to settle down and have a kid (or at least another dog). I want to go to brunch, go to a Cubs game, and have an actual vacation where I don’t have to keep an eye on my phone/e-mail. I was a nomad at heart, but the timing of this position was—I think—kismet. Settling down while being able to stay in real estate? Awesome! Doing it in Chicago is icing on the cake.

Q. What tips and advice do you have for young pros entering real estate?

A. Regardless of age: Keep an open mind, be the driving force behind change, collaborate and find a mentor, get your butt out from behind your computer into the real world, strive for better with everything you do, and keep your clients’ priorities your priorities.