Illinois REALTORS® Fall Business Meetings continued in Naperville today, with members attending committee meetings and open forums.

A Business Issues Forum addressed the issue of discriminatory appraisals in the housing market. A panel including Business Issues Forum Chair Sarah Ware, Vice Chair Brian Kwilosz, Discriminatory Appraisals Task Force Chair Lutalo McGee, appraiser and task force member Paul Brown, researcher Dr. Marshall Jean and Better.com Chief Valuation Officer Jillian White shared what their respective experiences, research and data reveal about race and appraisal outcomes.

Watch for additional coverage of the conversation and new research on the topic of discriminatory appraisals in next Tuesday’s Illinois REALTOR® Weekly email.

Also happening on Wednesday: closed business meetings included the Local Board Leadership Forum, Association Executives Committee, REEF Board of Directors and Real Property Alliance meetings.

Open forum sessions began with the Legal Update, where Illinois REALTORS®’ Legal Hotline Attorney Anneliese Fierstos shared frequent questions received on the hotline and answered members’ questions.  General Counsel and Vice President of Legal Services Betsy Urbance, Ericka Johnson, Deputy Director of the Division of Real Estate for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), and Gaby Nicolau, Deputy General Counsel, Division of Real Estate, were on hand to provide input.

In the Public Policy Forum, Elmwood Park Village President Angelo “Skip” Saviano and Village Trustee Jonathan Zivojnovic discussed the effectiveness of Illinois REALTORS® advocacy with Public Policy Forum Chair Jeff Kolbus and Vice Chair John LeTourneau.

Members attending the Global Forum heard from Global Forum Chair Moses Hall, Vice Chair Andris Velkme, World Citizen Consulting Principal Bill Endsley, Canadian Real Estate Association Manager of Global Strategy and Relations Sharon von Schoenberg, and NAR Engagement Manager of Global Programs and Outreach Lisa Calarco. The panel updated members on global investment trends and introduced tools and techniques to help members engage with global clients.

In the YPN Forum, a panel of young professionals including YPN Chair Megan Beechen, Vice Chair Connie Vavra, National Association of REALTORS® Advisory Board member Heather Haase, Past WCR West Suburban President Sheena Baker, 2022 REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley President Miguel Ángel Fernández and Broker Outreach Manager for MRED Margaret Hicks shared the non-traditional methods they have implemented over the last year to continue networking during the pandemic and their favorite tips and best practices to help members freshen up their skills as they begin meeting in person again.

The Illinois REALTORS® Ombudsmen meeting was open to all members to learn more about the dispute resolution process.

Tomorrow, The Board of Directors will meet, closing out the 2021 Fall Business Meetings.