As predicted by founder Jack Peckham, the Real Estate Cyberspace Society's third annual convention drew record crowds the week of April 18th-24th. Attendance in Washington D.C. for the NAR mid-year is also setting a record, says Steve Cook, spokesperson for the NAR.

While there are many factors at work, including a burgeoning economy and exploding Realtor population to over one million members, these online and in-person attendance records suggest that the convention slump may be over.

But the real test is the NAR convention in Orlando this November, where the NAR will be repeating a venue. As convention towns like Dallas and Anaheim have proven less popular with Realtors, NAR is revolving its planned-years-in-advance conventions around four main cities - Orlando, Chicago, San Francisco and New Orleans.

The Third Annual National Real Estate On-line Convention and Exposition held from April 18-24th reported a 127-percent increase over last year's record-breaking attendance, with 41,286 real estate professionals from 34 countries checking in during the seven-day event in April. The online-only event is produced annually by the Real Estate Cyberspace Society, with support by a number of sponsors including Realty Times.

According to John M. Peckham III, the Society’s Executive Director, attendees participated in 33 educational sessions including 3 Keynote talks. They made 154,482 visits to the 321 booths at the Convention Expo and while at the booths made 47,720 requests for additional information.

Education may be a key component of the resurgence of interest in conventions. The NAR, according to senior vice president Frank Sibley, had such success with its educational classes and "Innovation Showcase" at the convention in New Orleans last year, that the trade organization plans to step up educational opportunities at the Realtors Convention and Expo, November 5-8, 2004, in Orlando.

The NAR has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on technology innovations, including Technology Learning Centers, rooms full of computers and wireless devices, so that Realtor convention attendees can have free classes to learn how to use real estate applicable hardware and software.

The desire to master technology is a big draw. Many of the classes will cover how to use technology that is becoming increasingly common, such as how to use a Blackberry or Palm, how to use Top Producer business management software, how to publish stationery with Microsoft Publisher, or how to use a digital camera. Taught by a wide range of technology professionals, the classes are designed to draw more agents and brokers to the conventions, especially younger and new agents that make up that 250,000 growth in the Realtor population over the last five years.

The classes work hand in hand with the Innovation Showcase, a section of the trade show run by RealComm, which features the newest and most innovative hardware with applications for the real estate industry. There, Realtors who are interested in learning how to operate a new digital camera, for example, or a new tablet PC, can see which brands and models are most suited for their purposes.

Explains Sibley, "The RealComm staff attend about 20 top technology shows annually. They pick out the applications and products that have the most applications for real estate industry, and that's what they display at the Showcase, that is truly new and innovative."

The idea, says Sibley, is to provide the seam between new products and learning how to use them.

"We want to be known as where to go for technology training," says Sibley. "We are like the good housekeeping seal," replies Sibley. "We set standards and review products and services before they are pushed out to members and give the suppliers suggestions. I see us through the Center of Real Estate Technology as a repository of what is new and valuable as it applies to our industry."

The NAR hopes for record attendance in Orlando this year.

Published: May 11, 2004

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