Recently I was the keynote speaker for the Middle Tennessee Realtors convention hosted by the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR.) Not only was I impressed by the people I met, but never before had I seen an association go to so much trouble to generate publicity for their event and for me.

The association CEO Don Klein saw to it that all the local media knew I was there and that I was an expert on housing and was willing to comment on Nashville's housing trends. It didn't hurt that my book "Bubbles, Booms, and Busts" made me an attractive pundit to discuss rising and falling markets.

That day, I was squired to interviews with the local television station, newspaper and business journal, as well as CNN. Terrific publicity was generated for the conference and for Realtors in general, as well as for Realty Times and me.

It was the industry's opportunity to provide some positive news about the housing market.

Like a lot of beautiful and under-valued inland cities, Nashville is a gem that offers the best of both worlds -- rural beauty and city excitement.

I told the press I saw nothing but upside growth for the area. Not only is the city the home of country music, giving tourists plenty of reason to come, it's also growing as an important business center. Thanks to a shot in the arm from Nissan which chose the area to build a major plant, housing is booming. Homebuyers have lots of choices, from revitalized downtown lofts to sprawling farms just outside city limits.

Nashville has had a quick growth spurt, and some housing inventory is languishing as buyers weigh the national news and its impact on their area. That has some worried, but a little patience is all that's needed. It's pretty hard to make available the exact number of housing units needed at a given time and place. And buyers are fickle. One neighborhood can be hot one minute and cold the next, as they flock where they believe the grass is greener.

I was impressed that the GNAR accomplished something very smart by publicizing their event and drawing attention to their keynote speaker -- they reminded the media of who the real estate experts really are.

No one can tell the story of real estate better than the local agents. They know the answers to questions like, "What's happening? How are people being affected? What are the latest ideas and solutions to problems consumers may be having?"

Edward Segal CEO of the Marin Association of Realtors and author of Profit by Publicity, Universe Press says, "News organizations are storytellers. You must be your own storyteller."

More importantly, "If you don't tell your story, someone else will," says Bob Hale, CEO of the Houston Association of Realtors.

There are many reasons why the Nashville media may have responded to Klein. Maybe they respect what he and the members have to say about real estate. Or, it could have been a slow news day. But whatever the reason, for that day, Realtors got to tell their story.

Published: September 7, 2007

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Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.