I truly hope you and your family are safe and adapting to this environment.

Some of you have reached out to me and I want you all to know, if you want to talk – don’t hesitate to call or text me. My cell number is 403-461-2987. I know you’re afraid and I am too, but the solidarity of the real estate community has never been more critical. We need to keep supporting each other.

In case you missed it in the wave of information on any given day, welcome to the world of being an essential service. Even though it may not feel like our skills are essential to getting us through this crisis, you all play a key role in the Alberta economy, which is part of the reason why our provincial government has included ‘real estate agent services’ in the list of essential services.

On top of being the critical link between buyers and sellers, the real estate community plays another essential role. Perhaps most importantly, you are community leaders who the government knows they can count on to continue to raise the quality of life for Albertans.

This is what makes real estate truly essential, and why REALTORS^® will also be deeply entrenched in the recovery phase, which we need to start thinking about and planning for now.

The challenge is we have never dealt with a crisis of this magnitude. We are facing a once in a lifetime event that is shaking every corner of society. It’s traumatic for everyone and yet I’m so incredibly proud of how our collective industry is reacting.

Like most organizations, nobody has seen something like this before – not our staff, not our board, not our roster of volunteers. At CREB^®, we do have disaster plan processes and a strong, reliable governance model that should give members confidence in this time of uncertainty. These are core strengths.

Every single member of our staff team is also dialed in to keep providing the best member service possible. In fact, when the urgency around social distancing increased a few weeks ago, our team was able facilitate a remote deployment in just three days.

We also equipped staff, so they can continue to contribute to your success. Each one of us on CREB^® staff is doing everything we can to adapt to serve you and support the principles of property rights and the smooth transaction of real estate.

Where we can, we are advocating for REALTOR^® needs with all levels of government. This is a highly fluid time, where governments are making announcements and bureaucrats are scrambling to create the programs. Our pledge is to make a difference and jump on every opportunity or challenge in order to protect and enhance your business.

We are also finding ways to update our business rules and processes to help you adapt to a low-touch work environment. Your safety and that of the public comes first, but that doesn’t mean forgetting about the realities of your business being challenged. We will keep working tirelessly to arm you with the case for the status quo or educate you on how to adjust to relaxed rules.

We have our ear to the ground, but surely haven’t covered every need or member concern, so please keep reaching out to share. Call or email directly with your thoughts or suggestions.

Communication is critical in this rapidly changing environment, so we implore you to help us keep the conversation going. One of our guiding principles in this era of ‘business as unusual’ continues to be that real estate can be transacted safely within government health restrictions. It’s a philosophy that will guide us forward as we innovate and keep working to enhance the value of a REALTOR^®.

As we march along, please do take some time to review CREB^®’s COVID-19 information hub on CREB^®Link. We update this page regularly, so keep checking back for the latest news and member updates.

We have also been working with AREA to create a dynamic resource page about government support for REALTORS^®. Please also keep this page on your radar and let us know if you have any questions. At the very least, we will do our best to redirect you to the right place for more information.

We are truly in this together, and so I urge each of you to do a random act of kindness.

Drop a positive note for a neighbour. Jump on social media and be the loudest cheerleader for our healthcare workers and first responders. Text a fellow REALTOR^® some gentle words of encouragement.

And, most importantly, take care of you and yours, especially your physical and mental well being.

Let’s be kind and unwind!