Updates

In an era when women faced inequity on every front, Deanna Wiener blazed a career in real estate, politics, and environmental activism. And she’s still going strong.   When Deanna Wiener was growing up in St. Paul in the 1950s and 60s, there were three primary career options for women: ...

How MNR First Vice President Patti Jo Fitzpatrick and her daughter, Kari, mix family and business “Does anybody want to take over my business?” Patti Jo Fitzpatrick had built a profitable real estate business, was preparing to manage a large brokerage, and was on track to become an association ...

Buyers take advantage of increased negotiating power MINNEAPOLIS (March 10, 2023) — With closed sales down more than 22% compared to February 2022 , higher interest rates continued making homebuyers wary. Following an encouraging descent to just over 6% in January, ...

P urchasing a home is the best way to build lasting wealth in America , regardless of the temperature of the housing market . This is no secret to Realtors ®, nor to the homeowners who’ve experienced the financial and personal benefits. Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees, ...

Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate famous women and their struggles for hard-won rights , and their contributions to society. But every day, millions of lesser-known women advance the cause in their own way, through building businesses, careers, and buying homes of their own.  ...

Q&A with Immediate Past President Jason Miller What do you want to accomplish in your role as Past President? During this year of changes at MNR, I hope to support our leadership team, as well as our staff and our new CEO . What do you see as the single biggest ...

Realtors® , industry leaders, and state legislators gathered at the Inter Continental Hotel in St. Paul on Monday, February 13 th for a morning that brought homeownership and housing into the spotlight. The event brought Realtors and associations together with state lawmakers ...

In a world dominated by technology, building personal relationships with clients is more important than ever. As the real estate market shifts gears and slows, many Realtors® are rethinking strategies and tactics for building new business. Whether they’re pounding the pavement and knocking on doors, ...

Program provides professional development for people from diverse backgrounds seeking a career in real estate On December 2, 2022, Minnesota Realtors® (MNR) announced the names of 12 Realtors® selected to participate in the 2023 Pathway to Achievement (PTA) program. Launched in 2021, PTA is designed ...

Q&A with 2023–2024 MNR Treasurer Pat Paulson What do you want to accomplish in your role as treasurer? The primary mission is safeguarding the association’s  assets. W e need to maintain excellence in providing our core basic services. Additionally, we have a new strategic ...

Mortgages look more attractive, but buyers remain wary MINNEAPOLIS ( February 10 , 202 3 ) — The housing market continued to normalize as closed sales for January declined 33% compared to the cooling, though still robust market of a year ago. New listings were ...

Realtor® Richelle Taylor observes Black History Month with her eyes on the way forward During Black History Month, America looks back on the story of a people who first arrived on these shores chained in the holds of slave galleys more than 400 years ago. A pantheon of familiar figures is celebrated, ...

Q&A with 2023 MNR First Vice President Patti Jo Fitzpatrick What do you want to accomplish in your role as first vice president?   Because this is a new role, I can help to develop what it is and define how it moves forward. I'm in a good position to do that because I understand it’s not all about ...

Chris Galler, Minnesota Realtors CEO for the past 15 years, is retiring. “I’ve had one goal from day one: to leave the organization in better condition than I found it,” Galler says.      During his tenure, Galler led many initiatives including:  Creating a Risk Management department ...

Q&A with 2023 MNR President-Elect Geri Theis What do you want to accomplish in your role as president-elect?   This year with the help of our leadership team, CEO, staff, and volunteers, I hope to unite all members of Minnesota Realtors ® . 2023 will be a year of transition. As we welcome our ...

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 31, 2023) — Minnesota Realtors® announces that Josh McFall, CAE, RCE will take over as CEO on March 1, as longtime leader Chris Galler retires.  McFall comes from Huntsville, AL, where he served as CEO of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors and ValleyMLS.com since 2015. ...

Josh McFall has been named the new chief executive officer of Minnesota Realtors ® (MNR). He comes to the state association by way of Alabama, where he served as CEO of the Huntsville Area Association of REALTORS ® (HAAR) and ValleyMLS.com.  McFall holds the National Association of REALTORS ...

Q&A with 2023 MNR President Emily Green What do you want to accomplish in your role as president? I hope to continue the work of uniting our members and promoting awareness of the many resources the state association has to offer. The knowledge and effectiveness of our organization is strengthened ...

When it comes to assessing real estate trends, two things are key: locality and longevity. In other words, when measuring the market to drive decisions, it’s best to focus on a specific locale and look at data spanning back more than just a year or two. This is especially crucial now, given the extraordinary ...

When I started my working life in the early 1980s, I had a job as a merchandise manager at JC Penney’s. Apart from learning about retail trends and the importance of dressing for success, I walked away with two big lessons: Staff can make or break an organization. Putting the right people in the right ...