SPOTLIGHT

GARY NELSON

Arizona Association of REALTORS®

Just to start, tell us a bit about yourself. What drew you to a career in real estate?

I’m a lifelong resident of Flagstaff and in 1994, my wife Tammy and I were deciding whether we were going to stay in the Flagstaff area and start a family or relocate. After touring a large part of the western U.S., we decided to stay in Flagstaff. That meant I needed to look for a career change that would allow me to be rewarded for my own work ethic and also give me a schedule so that I could continue to enjoy what northern Arizona has to offer. That is when I became a Realtor.

What does your upcoming role as president of Arizona Association of REALTORS® encompass?

The Arizona REALTORS® focuses on four main subjects for its 54,000 members: professional development, ethics and arbitration, legislative concerns and business services. The Arizona Realtors are very proactive on improving new and existing programs and technologies for our members that ultimately benefit the consumer. Currently, we are trying to work with our state legislature to try to balance laws effecting both landlords and tenants related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also are very involved with fair housing, private property rights and housing opportunity on behalf of our clients and customers. I have been deeply involved with each of those aspects as a volunteer for the Association for many years. My role as president will be to continue to serve our members by chairing meetings, working with our phenomenal staff on a daily basis, speaking on behalf of the Association and trying to improve communication to the membership.

How have you seen the housing market shift throughout your time as a Realtor?

Since I started in 1994, I have seen huge shifts in the real estate markets here in northern Arizona, statewide and nationally. When I started, Buyers Representation was just really taking off in Arizona. Prior to that, Realtors strictly represented the Seller, so Buyers representation was a game changer in the industry. It is common today of course, but at the time I was one of very few agents in the market actively representing Buyers in a transaction. In addition, there were rapid changes in technology at that time as well. In the mid-2000’s the real estate market was crazy with speculation, sub-prime loans and people overextending themselves. That led to the market crash from 2007 to 2010. Since 2011, we have seen tremendous growth in homeownership opportunities, low interest rates and much stricter lending policies. Currently, we are addressing the challenges of keeping Realtors and their clients safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. And of course there is huge Buyer demand as mortgage interest rates are the lowest we have seen since 1971. The current market is about as hot as I have ever seen. What advice do you have for first-time homebuyers?

Start early with a local mortgage lender (not a bank) to get pre-qualified and repair any credit problems you may have. Then find an experienced local Realtor who is tech-savvy, knows the market and is great at communicating with you. Know your budget guidelines and share that with your Realtor so they can prepare and present available properties that fall within your budget. Work with a trusted, local and experienced Realtor.

As a personal touch, you’ve donated a portion of every home sale to a local charity in your clients’ names. How did this practice come about?

I started volunteering for local charities early on in my real estate career and saw how they struggle for donations, resources and volunteers. Giving back to the community you grew up in is a very easy thing to do, especially when you know the kind of impact that will have. Currently, Realty Executives of Flagstaff is very connected with Habitat for Humanity and in school and youth groups. A portion of our commissions from each sale goes toward those endeavors. I also am very involved with Flagstaff Toys for Tots and the Route 66 Chili Festival which benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters. A portion of my commission includes my company’s commitments but I also support The Arizona Trail, Flagstaff Family Food Center, Friends of Camp Colton and various other community and school groups.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

Currently, a big part of my time is dedicated to the groups that I mention above. However, when time permits, I love to play hooky on a winter morning and ski up at the Arizona Snowbowl. My wife, Tammy, is a principal at one of our local middle schools, so during warmer months and when her time permits, our favorite thing is spending time with our young-adult kids, camping with our dogs and also hiking the Arizona Trail. We are currently section-hiking the Arizona Trail and are 365 miles in on an 810mile goal!