2021 Year End Message From SCCAOR President Doug Goss

It is impossible to look back on the past year without mentioning the impact COVID has made on our lives. I am proud of the progress we have made together, despite the many challenges.  When I was installed as your 2021 SCCAOR President in January of this year, we lived in a very different world than we did when I began as President-Elect in January of 2020.

The landscape for the Real Estate Industry continues to change at an unprecedented rate, but we continue to evolve and pivot to navigate unchartered territory.  Collectively, we persevered through countless challenges, and I am extremely proud of our accomplishments.

Through the course of the year, we launched hybrid classes and meetings including the Board of Directors and Committee Meetings, and returned to in-person events.  We successfully hosted the Annual Golf Tournament, the Member Appreciation BBQ, fundraisers in support of the Down Payment Assistance Fund, a live Pumpkin Auction to benefit Katherine R. Smith Elementary School, and our Member Appreciation Holiday Mixer.

To strengthen and expand the relationships between SCCAOR and the Broker Community, we moderated three Broker Forums this year, which were held via Zoom. Although we were limited to a virtual setting, we laid a strong foundation for future forums.

In 2021, we also brought back the SCCAOR Education Committee and, with the hard work of staff and the committee, have expanded class offerings for our members.  Another highlight this year is the establishment of a new SCCAOR Committee, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. This new committee will bring more diversity into the leadership of SCCAOR.

Our Leadership Team also completed a thorough review of all SCCAOR’s policies, updating them so they are just as relevant today as when they were initially established. We also purged several policies that were no longer relevant.

After completing the policy review, we took on the long-overdue project of identifying our Core Values. Through an intensive process, we settled in on the following Core Values: Welcoming, Dedicated, and Dynamic. These three values are very representative of SCCAOR’s culture and will help keep future leadership and staff focused.

Our Santa Clara County REALTOR® Foundation is setting up a First-Time Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program.  After receiving a $50,000 grant from C.A.R.’s Housing Affordability Fund, we matched the grant with funds from our Foundation to launch a $100,000 DPA Fund that will assist first-time homebuyers to start to build wealth through homeownership.

As I bid you farewell as SCCAOR President, I join a prestigious list of Past Presidents. I will continue my service on the Board of Directors and will support 2022 President Lisa Faria through the next chapter in SCCAOR’s history.

It is certain that we do not know what the future holds. However, I am confident that through the leadership of the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs, along with the support of a dedicated SCCAOR staff, we can remain optimistic that we will continue to accomplish great things together.

To the 6,500+ REALTOR® and Affiliate Members of SCCAOR, I thank you for the trust you placed in me to lead and guide our Association over this past year.

Sincerely,

Doug Goss
2021 SCCAOR President