Get to Know Your 2023 CAR President Natalie Davis

How long have you been in real estate, and why did you decide to make this your career?

This year is my 13th year in the business. Initially, I decided to begin a career in real estate to have the benefit and advantage of being a real estate professional to help in my own personal real estate transactions. After getting licensed and having the opportunity to help buyers purchase their ideal home, I fell in love with the opportunity to help people in one of the biggest decisions of their lifetime.

How did you get involved in your local and state associations and how do you think this helped your career?

Right after getting licensed, I chose to hang it with an office that was a REALTOR® office. Because I was a new agent and new to the market, I found every opportunity to get plugged in with the association to take advantage of education offerings. After a few months of getting involved with the association, I was asked to serve as a cochair for the education and events committee. I progressed from serving on committees and chairing committees to running for the Board of Directors and ultimately serving as my local association President.

Serving as a volunteer for the REALTOR® associations has been tremendous in terms of value for my business. Having the opportunity to volunteer alongside my REALTOR® family across the country has given me insight about key focus areas and priorities when it comes to protecting private property rights for the consumer and advocating for the REALTOR® profession and its progression through time. In many instances, I've been able to council and advise my clients with information that was directly gathered from my volunteer REALTOR® experience.

What do you think is the most important trait as a leader?

I think the most important trait has a leader would be authenticity. If you're able to show up as your authentic self as a leader, you have the opportunity to make decisions and lead in a way that will align with you and the organization that you're serving. If you cannot stand firm and what you believe, and in your core values, the decisions that you may make will always waver. So, if I had to choose one, I'd have to say it's authenticity.

What was your why moment in why you decided to take the leap and run for CAR President?

I don't think I had a WHY moment... I think it was more of me seeing an opportunity to volunteer my experience, expertise, and skillset to the organization in the capacity of CAR President. I come into this role with more than two decades of volunteer leadership experience and felt that the timing aligned well for me to share my skills and passion for the association with all of our members across the state.

What are your top goals this year as CAR President?

The biggest goal that I have for 2023 is to share the REALTOR® value proposition with as many individuals as possible. This list includes REALTORS®, association staff, members of Congress, our elected officials, and the members of the communities that we serve. As REALTORS®, we give back to our communities more than any other profession. For most of us, this career is more than buying and selling real estate. It's about leaving an impression on the lives of the individuals that we have the opportunity to serve, and creating a significant positive impact on the communities in which we live, work, and play.

What do you think your top challenges will be this year?

The top challenges for our industry this year, first and foremost, are the pending legal cases against our association. With so much focus and emphasis on how we operate as REALTORS®, how we run our small businesses, and how are compensated has drawn the attention of many. One thing that remains true is that we have a system in this country that works. It's imperative that we continue to place emphasis on the value that every REALTOR® brings to the transaction, to their clients, and communities they serve on a continuous basis.

Now that you’ve been sitting in the President’s seat for several months, what has been your biggest takeaway, so far, about leading this organization?

The biggest takeaway that I've had so far in serving as President for the association is the tremendous amount of value and appreciation that the members have to engage in open transparent communication with their leadership team. The leadership team has placed a great deal of intention around having open dialogue with all of our members across the state to ensure that we have a clear understanding of their needs for support from the association. These conversations have provided the association with such valuable information that we are now able to shape the services and benefits that are offered to fit the needs of our membership.

Balancing volunteer leadership at the local, state, and national levels while also running a business can get tricky. What tips, tricks, or tools do you use to stay organized? How do you stay motivated?

This is a great question. The first thing that you want to do is give yourself permission to step away from your business. In order to give yourself this permission, it's great to have people around you to help support you and your business when you are volunteering for the local, state, or national associations. Early in my career, I felt that my clients didn't need to know that I was away from my book of business, and I tried to balance attending conferences and training without informing them that I was away from my business for a few days. I quickly learned that being transparent with your clients and filling them in on the work that you're doing for the industry and for their private property rights creates an environment for even greater success.

What tips would you give someone starting out new in the business?

I think the best thing a person new to the business can do is plug in and get as much education as possible. Learn about all of the nuances of the industry. Even though you may not have the business that's relatable to the topic, in time, you will. The greater knowledge base that you build, the greater value you bring to your clientele, ultimately creating a better client experience for years and years to come.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working –for fun?

Travel. I absolutely love exploring new parts of the world, or simply just escaping to a beautiful beach to recharge and relax. If I have a ton of spare time, I also enjoy gardening, cooking, and photography.

What are some of your biggest personal goals?

One of my biggest personal goals is to visit all of the continents and find an opportunity in my life to travel around the world.

Final thought - If you could relay one thing to all 29,000 members of the Colorado Association of REALTORS® that would resonate with them, what would that be?

The one thing that I would relate to all of the REALTORS® in the state of Colorado is to remind them that we are all part of the REALTOR® family. Every REALTOR® member matters. Every REALTOR’s® voice is needed in order to continue to push through as the largest trade association, and the only trade association that is advocating on behalf of the consumer to protect private property rights. As a family, it's our responsibility to ensure that we are taking care of one another and taking care of those communities that we serve.