A Leader Cultivating Excellence in Employees & Companies Alike

sense of calm during challenging times, has cultivated an organization capable of pivoting and achieving great things, even during times of crisis such as the pandemic.

MetroTex is the 6th largest local REALTOR® association in the nation, with its highest membership record of over 22,000 members, and remains strong in its mission of providing the best tools and resources to its members and their clients.  MetroTex advocates and supports property rights, fair housing, and a strong quality of life in North Texas communities.  “MetroTex joins in the fight against racism and actively promotes fair housing practices.  As stewards of the right to own, use, and transfer private property, REALTORS® uphold fair housing guidelines to foster a free, open market that embraces equal opportunity.”

With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, “shelter in place” orders became the norm, and MetroTex didn’t skip a beat when it came to providing professional development, advocacy, and market research.   MetroTex pivoted from offering all in-person education courses, toa top-notch online education

platform, including new member orientations for those just joining the association. “And members responded! Class sizes increased and by the second month of the pandemic, MetroTex saw more class attendees than in the 3 months prior to the stay at home orders,” says Janet. “Communication and marketing became key to ensuring our members knew we were ‘still there for them!’”  MetroTex gathers real estate market statistics from numerous resources and compiles that information to assist their members in better understanding the market trends and keeping them as an essential resource when it comes to real estate.

With the creation of an online store and curbside service during the pandemic,  MetroTex members were still able to shop for products essential to their business.  “They just got a listing and need a sold sign, and we were there!  MetroTex also just adopted more advanced keycard and lockbox technology, which is a must for our members’ business and it is now virtually programmable,” adds Janet. This new technology allows the company’s staff to walk their members through the program process remotely, allowing members to use their own phone to access a lockbox.

“The pandemic, which has touched every individual in one way or another, deeply touched the real estate industry and our association,” says Janet. “When the question of ‘essential workers’ came up in the Governor’s office in Texas, the state association advocated for REALTORS®, as did MetroTex in working with the Dallas Judge and City Commissioners. “We were at the table, we had a voice, and our members and the public benefited by REALTORS® being deemed essential.  Homes were successfully listed, shown, and sold.”

Keeping 22,000 member engaged while transitioning 52 staff members to a remote work environment, Janet proudly says, “We never closed!”  Every staff function was able to be handled, and even improved, despite the pandemic and change to a remote work environment.  MetroTex staff worked as a true team to keep it all moving forward.  That is what “excellence” looks like.

The future for Janet and MetroTex is bright with the big initiative of embarking on building a new Headquarter office! The new location will be more centrally located to members; will feature larger classrooms; better technology; and amenities such as a large member lounge; areas to “plug in,” and areas to network both indoors and outdoors. “The new site is located on a lush 10-acre parcel full of trees and streams, so it will be a wonderful location for our members to enjoy,” adds Janet, “our vision is that it’s a place you’ll want to come back to!”