Member Benefits
Prestige & Professionalism
Founded in 1923 as the Lakeland Board of REALTORS®, Lakeland REALTORS® has been serving our members for close to 100 years! Lakeland REALTORS® strives to provide its members with up to date information on important real estate issues, community involvement, legislative affairs and professional development. In addition to tools that will help grow your business, Lakeland REALTORS® also hosts a wide range of events including fundraisers and events, charitable “hands on” opportunities as well as various networking and social functions.
Members of Lakeland REALTORS® also belong to FloridaREALTORS®, as well as the National Association of REALTORS® and receive the added benefits of these organizations. Click the logo's below to learn more about the benefits you receive at a local, state and national level in addition to local offers.
Advocacy
Relationships with local, state and national political and governmental sources help keep the interests of members and property owners supported and protected. Lakeland REALTORS® has its own local PAC (Political Action Committee), which invests in local pro-industry candidates and issues.
Professional Development
We offer courses leading to REALTOR® designations including ABR, CRS and GRI. There are also a variety of classes to help you expand the skills you need to list and sell more while earning your education credits. These include technology, contracts & negotiating, tax strategies, forms and more.
Dispute Resolution
Lakeland REALTORS® organization prides itself on its ability to uphold professional standards of the highest integrity. REALTORS® separate themselves by abiding by a Code of Ethics that was first adopted in 1913. The Grievance and Professional Standards Committees review and address any complaints filed by members regarding violations of the Code of Ethics. Members also have access to arbitration and ombudsman services. By utilizing the arbitration services we provide, members can quickly resolve transaction dispute with members in a fair and inexpensive manner.
Networking
A variety of meetings and events throughout the year provide you with numerous opportunities to connect with others in the profession and those who can assist you in your business. Some of those events include: Membership Meetings, REALTOR® After Hours, Charity Functions and our Annual Installation & Awards Luncheon to name a few.
Community Involvement
Lakeland REALTORS® has a long-standing record of community involvement with multiple agencies and areas. Members are highly encouraged to become involved and share their talents to help promote the REALTOR® brand, by volunteering to serve on a committee or event task force.
*Annual Room Makeover Project - Lakeland REALTORS® is PROUD to have helped so many families in our area, with children in need of a room makeover. Our Members fund the project, and our Community Service committee completely transforms the bedrooms of four children each year from drab to fab! This is such a powerful and moving event, and it all takes place over one weekend in the summer. Lakeland REALTORS® is in it's 8th year!
*Annual Charity Golf Tournament- The Lakeland Association of REALTORS® Foundation, Inc. hosts this annual event, and the tournament is coordinated to raise money for our local Law Enforcement, Fire Department or First Responders each year. Over the years, we have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to these worthy recipients and have even purchased two police K9 officers. LARS I (Polk County Sheriffs Dept) and in 2018, we purchased LARS II (Lakeland Police Dept) an adorable belgian malinois who is currently a sworn protector of our freedom. For REALTORS®, it's a fun day of golf and networking as they visit with fellow members and vendors.
Communication
Lakeland REALTORS® uses a variety of resources to communicate with our members. Members receive a weekly Broadcast that includes upcoming events, important information, safety alerts and a schedule of Brokers Opens. An Education Corner email is distributed to members weekly, which includes educational opportunities available at our office and information on online classes and discounts that are available. In addition to the weekly emails, periodically we send out News Alerts and Public Policy reminders. Our websites: www.LakelandRealtors.org, www.SeeWhoWeR.com, www.LakelandRealtorsFoundation.org, FACEBOOK PAGE, MEMBERS ONLY FACEBOOK GROUP PAGE and TWITTER FEED also keep members up to date on events and industry news. In addition to email, Lakeland REALTORS® also participates in a text messaging platform and video outlets. Members also receive official publications from FloridaREALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® such as the REALTOR® Magazine. Lastly, Lakeland REALTORS® reminds the public of the value of using a real estate professional. This is done through news releases, articles in local print media, broadcast media and advertising.
International MLS
Members listings are available on the International MLS. IMLS is a real estate global portal and products platform. The IMLS Global portal has listings in 100+ countries in 100+ languages allowing agents and brokers to get maximum exposure for their property listings. The Agent Directory gives members the ability to be found anywhere in the word by consumes as well as to network with other agents globally.
Click the logos below to learn more about available benefits:
