I had really hoped I would be accepted in the NRBA by the time the next boot camp was held, and I cross all my fingers and toes I still make it.

I really haven't heard anything negative from a NRBA member - only some that haven't made it yet, and from their poor attitudes I doubt they ever will.

So how many here are NRBA members, raise those proud hands high, and are you going to the Boot Camp? Just kidding - I understand that would be like throwing fresh meat into an alligator pit here, but if you have the nerve let us know.

If there is any substitute - I haven't found it - so wish me luck.

How many others are trying to get in? Do you agree it is well worth the effort? I'm even exercising my handshakes so I can learn the NRBA Secret Handshake quickly.

Application Status - Pending - with about 8,000 others the way I do the math

lol....love it...@ NRBA Secret Handshake. Rumor has it that you might have to know a tap dance too.. Shuffle ball change...heal toe...heal toe..lol

I was tired and it was the best I could come up with - now the dance part - I have no chance at.

Wish me luck anyway

Wow it sounds like your really trying to get in. They must be really a really good organization. How long ago did you submit the application?

Which 1

DO a search here and on google to start with - if you are into REO like we are - you see the opportunities they offer - just to be around these people. It is NOT a substitute for hard work or a guarantee of any sort - they just offer you the opportunity if you wish to go and get it.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Wish me Luck

Pine- you asked three times for luck, but nobody responded. GOOD LUCK!! and I hope you have a great time shopping today!

Good Luck Pine!

Now...wish it back to me....my app just went in!

Thanks - I would ask for ya'll to pray for me instead of wishing me luck or both - it would be better for sure - but then people get squeamish when they read that - too bad.

So thanks for the good wishes - and anything else you can do for me - it will be returned right back at yah! GURANTEED

Oh Yeah - Merry Christmas and Thank You.

It is amazing what the NRBA has to offer - I have been a member for a little over a year. I really recommend joining. It is restrictive on areas though. My suggestion is apply and be patient as they are overwhelmed with applications.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I've applied but since one of the directors is in my area, I don't know if I will get in.

Will pray for you Pine if you pray for me!

It doesn't matter if directors are in your area or not. The number of available members is based upon the surrounding population. I'm not sure what the metrics are (JackREO would know) to determine how many members will be accepted in a particular area. Right now there are many applications that the NRBA office has just not made it to yet.

Joining the NRBA, though, was the best career move I could have ever made. If you want to be a career REO broker, I definitely recommend it.

I want to be a career REO broker, I love it. Thanx northTX

I was recently accepted to NRBA. My application was pending for over 1 year.

See what I mean ~ nothing expect praise and gratitude for NRBA.

NAR doesn't even come close - as a matter of fact I can't even think of another organization where the members speak this highly of it.

btw ~ if anyone needs a prayer to get in NRBA or anything else - you got it.

The other Arcane Societies are kept even more secret; and as soon as you speak of them publicly, you have to be ex-communicated . . . . or worse !

Sorry, that's all I can say at this time.

I was asked to join DeMolay in my youth - I too won't go any further - but I am still practicing handshakes nonetheless.

Need I say it?

Concepts 05.
I saw your application and recommended acceptance, but the final decision is made elsewhere. Also they seem to be running 6 months to a year behind due to the number of applicants.

MetroVAbroker;
Phil's a straight shooter, give him a call.

NorthTXbroker;
1 member per 100,000 of population based on the physical location of the applicants office (county) and US cencus data for that same county. That's in addition to experience, references etc.

JackREO - Don't the rules allow more then 1 person per 100,000 to prevent an area from being an exclusive area? I thought I also remembered the website saying something like you wouldn't want it to be an exclusive area anyway.

The area is the county. 500,000 population in a county would equate to 5 agents before it's considered adequately represented. However, a 100K county would no be considered adequately covered unless there were at least 2.

Hey Jack, thanks for the recommendation. Hope it doesn't take that long but my own fault for procrastinating.

Pinehurst REO Guy and all the rest of you trying to get into NRBA, best of luck, I sincerely hope you make it. I have had 4-5 brokers tell me it is worth every cent.

I personally made a huge mistake, as there were only 3 REO Kings / Queens in my area listed on NRBA just 3 years ago. At the time there were virtually no REO's and I had to be voted in. I figured, who in their right mind would vote me in to be their competitor. I was an appraiser making very good money and didn't see the writing on the wall as well as I should have or as well as any "so called expert" on radio and TV. I checked them out week after week but never pulled the trigger. Now there are more than 80 brokers with NRBA in my local area so I have decided not to try. Even if I were to get in now, more than 80 names show up in my own zip code.

Gman - you seem to have a good grip on things - however I would think you might want to look at it as 81 for you would be better the 80 if you are that last 1.

If 80 can justify the expense and effort, I have faith that you are better then at least some of them and it will help you. Even the NRBA tells you if it turns out not to be your thing - then you can leave with no hard feelings.

Think it over.

OK, ya'll are kidding, right?

My state has thousands of brokers/agents and there are only 18 signed up with this outfit state-wide. The majority from one high population county and a couple from another. Naturally, there are no members from my 2-county area or from surrounding counties. That seems kind of strange to me if NRBA is such a hot ticket.

It depends on your particular area. If it is not REO driven or if there are typically not any REO in a balanced market, brokers in your area may not feel the need. It's a lot of hoops to jump through. We have no NRBA members in my area but we have REO king and queens. The 2 who would benefit the most are my broker and a broker who just retired, they do REO day in/day out, good market, bad market or balanced.

Another way to look at this membership is to liken it to getting the GRI designation. We have lots of Realtors(r) with the GRI designation. It doesn't seemed to have worked out for them. The purpose behind any of these memberships or designations is to stand out from the crowd. There simply may be no need in your immediate market to do so or to do so would be overkill.

No - not kidding Due. There are no guarantees, magic, or winnings involved with NRBA - just opportunities you have to make the most of.

If you're into REO and would like to get better with them - then take a look - I would suggest to you, or anyone, to investigate anything before becoming involved with it. Just ask yourself if there is enough good will towards them by members and prospective members to warrant a look.

From my perspective - Looks like you might have a good opportunity with NRBA.

Just like any other, you get out of it what you put in to it. So if one is "lazy" and just wait around for the "phone to ring" - it won't. You only get out of it what you put into it. I now have two other licensed Brokers with me along with 2 unlicensed assistants - The work is there and I would not be where I am without the NRBA - bottom line. **I need a vacation** and can't wait for the NRBA Convention!

Ok guys - I'm SOLD. My app went in tonight. Wish me luck. Those of you who put in your app - I wish you luck too. :-) Happy New Year all!

-Will

I sent my app in too...I thought I was on a 'waiting list' to recieve an email when they were going to let more apps in...guess not.

I have been approved and I just sent in my signed agreement. Hopefully this money pays off more than some of the other things I have spent money on trying to get REOs.

It's a great organization & as Donna said, you get out of it what you put into it! Just being a member will not get you listings. Utilizing all of the NRBA resources and implementing what you learn in trainings/boot camps is what generates the business. Asset managers hold NRBA members in very high regards due to the high level of training and experience.

I'm one of the instructors for the Boot Camps and we cover many topics that will help you elevate your business to a whole new level. You'll get a chance to network and meet influential people in the business. Once you leave the Boot Camp, you'll be loaded with valuable information and what to do with it!

It's a wonderful organization! We will be having the next REO Boot Camp in September 09.

For those who have turned in applications, be patient! It can take a long time to review your application & double check your references. Another one of the reasons it takes a long time is due to the immense number of applications received every month. Experience and professionalism amongst your peers are the keys!

Huh... My county (Maricopa County) has a population of 3.9 million so that would mean 39 approved members, right? There is currently 18 approved members in Maricopa County according to the NRBA Website...

I submitted my application 5 minutes ago (fingers crossed)

how long did it take?

With a population under 100,000 in this county I have an uphill battle. Only 1 in the area and I go out of my way to cooperate with her - but no news yet for me - which my mom use to tell me was good news.

Sometimes I think I promote NRBA more then their members

Quick question. I have no REO experience but I do do BPOs and I saw on the app. that you need two REO refrences. Obviously I don't, so do I wait till I get some listings? Or do I use my BPO contacts for refernces. Any ideas?

You need actual REO experience. REO references are checked and confirmed.

Keep working on those BPOs and hopefully, you'll get several REO assets assigned to you from different companies. This will give you the experience necessary.

Best of luck to you!

My county has a population of 1,000,510 with no members however there are 5 members from smaller counties that are within a 40 mile radius that service this area and I was notified that I would be placed on the waiting list. I really do not understand why.

I am not sure when I applied, but my insurance on my profile page had expired 1/1/2008. So it was sometime in 2007 that I applied.

I am excited, there are only 34 other members in Colorado and I am the only one in my county.

Keep us posted - we're excited for you as well - congrats.

I got accepted to join them in 3/09, but I never realized of the acceptance until last week. Now am officially a member of the Elite Group for NRBA. Sweet!

I've been a member for a few months. I haven't seen any increase in business. The top REO agents in my area aren't NRBA members.

Well rub it in - naw - congratulations to both of you.

The membership fees are expensive. I'm giving it six months to see if it pays off. Note: This still is the most informative board out there and it is completely free!!!!

Thanks PineHurst and I agree with Seasaw...lets see if we get the volume soon! lol Like the old saying "There is no place like AO"

Didn't they email you? .....they didn't even ask for their membership fee but kept it open for 4 months?

oh....and congrats Recovering!

Yes, they kept it open for 4 months until I called to find out and they told me we are waiting on your payment. Thanks Concept!

I am considering the long wait and high fees but would like to hear from others out there if you feel you have gotten any additional work (or customers) because of it. And, if not, what do you feel is the advantage of becoming a member.
Thanks in advance

A clarification. I am willing to do what work is needed to take advantage of opportunities. Just wondering if those of you who are members can quantify what it has done to increase your business after the work is well underway. (I won't say "work is done" as I do not feel it ever is done.)

I cancelled my NRBA membership after about six months. I didn't pickup any new clients or learn anything from their message board. I'm not a networker and the real value seems to be in attending their annual conference.

NRBA just had a 2 day mini conference in MA. About 100 people, 4 AMs. I picked up 3 new accounts (I already had the 4th. NRBA may not be for everyone, but it's sure worked for me.

I was a member for several years but dropped the membership last year. I was able to establish relationships with a couple clients initially, however, the benefits of membership didn't seem to offset the cost. It was $165.00 per month. I believe they have about 1000 members so the fee amounts to an annual gross revenue of close to $2,000,000 a year for the NRBA. The board will not divulge where the money goes so I assume that it is pocketed by the board. I know that the cost of the annual conference is supported by those who attend as the cost for attending is quite high so it doesn't come out of the membership dues. The membership certainly doesn't get two million dollars of value.

The BOD is not paid

Than where does the $2 million go?

One item that’s overlooked is that there’s a wait list of 5,000. That’s 10 million left on the table. Not to mention that 98% of the applicants are turned down. I wouldn’t even venture a guess at that figure. You don’t buy your way into this organization. Where does the 2 million go? I’m really not sure where to 2 million goes, nor is it any of my business. When one joins a health club, country club or any other for profit organization is that a question that’s asked? No, the question I ask is; will joining this be to my benefit? In my case the answer is yes. NRBA and the members have the respect of the clients. The spinoff is I and all members benefit from that respect. NRBA does promote and support it’s membership. What other organization has been invited to client’s offices for Q&A sessions for their staff? Or assisted in training clients staff? Or formulating training manuals? That demonstrates that the client’s value NRBA member’s talent. I’ll be the first to say it’s not for everyone, nor was it ever intended to be. Some heavy hitters do quite well without joining. Now on to the $165 a month. That requires an additional 3 BPOs a month which is miniscule. If you can't leverage the membership into 3 BPOs it's definitely not for you. It may take a little networking. I’m not referring to those conferences where the agents pursue the AMs like a cheetah chasing a gazelle, and then water board them until they give up a listing. Nor am I referring to networking as becoming hopelessly drunk. I’m referring to the NRBA conferences, business development seminars, mini-conferences, boot camps and informal get togethers where there’s relaxed one on one time with the AMs and other members. NRBA has been good for me which is why I speak favorably about it. But it’s also why I work hard with other members. Hardly a day goes by without a call from a member looking for input about a situation. That includes members within 5 miles of my office. And they’re just as quick to answer questions as they are to ask. That’s networking for the benefit of all. But again, it’s not for everyone. If anyone believes they can join, put their feet up on the desk and get rich, it’s not for you. If someone is looking for high visibility, higher credibility, access to answers, processes, and support, we’ll that’s what NRBA has, but you have to use the tools. We have the hammer, we know where the nail is, but YOU have to swing the hammer. I’ve had a number of members spend a day at my office to see the work flow. I’ve also had a few of my staff visit other offices for the same reason. During the MA conference 3 of my staff hooked up with an Arizona member and made arrangements to visit his office and polish their short sale skills. Call that networking, call it swinging the hammer, or call it typical NRBA. One last and most important item; One of our members recently passed away. Many other members volunteered to rotate leadership duty at his office, train his staff and keep it running while his wife and staff got up to speed. Driving to his office; 140 miles round trip, membership fees; 165 a month, this kind of support; priceless. Ask his wife and children about the benefit of NRBA!!!

I never said that there aren't a lot of very good people in the NRBA which there are. My point is that the NRBA by its name is an Association and positions itself as a trade organizatons for REO brokers. This is not like joining a health club as you put it. Trade Associations are put together for the benefit of everyone in their group and they are not set up to generate profits for any one individual. That is my point. Someone is getting very wealty from the membership dues.

From the profile page:

The National REO Brokers Association (NRBA) is a "for-profit" organization.

The National REO Brokers Association (NRBA) is incorporated and licensed under the laws of Clark County in the State of Nevada.

I've been an NRBA member for 8 or 9 years and while I don't agree with everything that the organization does, I KNOW that my step from doing some REO into a REO/BPO only business would not have occured with my membership. I was one of the brave individuals that attended the first ever conference when none of us knew what was going to happen. The contacts I made at that conference propelled my business to the point that within 3 months I was adding an assistant to help with the workload.

Whether or not it's a "for profit" never really mattered to me. Look at NAR. It's an association. Do you really think they operate at a loss?

JackREO, you left off the important part: "We believe in profits for everyone involved-especially our members". The implication being that the Association is organized for the profit of its members. It doesn't say it is there for some individual to gorge themselves on the membership's high monthly fees. Secondly, all corporations are licensed under the laws of some state whether it be for profit or not. What's your point?

And Roadkill, the NAR, to my knowledge, doesn't sidetrack money from dues for the enrichment of any individual.

A better example of a trade group is REOMAC. All the dues from the membership are plowed back into the organization for the benefit and education of all its members. There are no behind the scenes payments of dues receipts to anyone.

Now, I have never said that the NRBA has not been beneficial. It has opened many doors for many agents. I just find the structure and representations of the Association a bit smarmy. Why don't you guys come out in the open and tell it like it is? Members should be informed where their dues are going and if members want to enrich some individual by continuing to pay high monthly dues, than go ahead. It's a free world. Why be so secretive unless you have something to hide?

Just as an FYI the members made the decision to raise the dues from 1000 to 2000 per year about 4-5 years ago after the long term goals were outlined.
My point in posting the corporate info was when you mentioned that this was an association as though somehow you were not aware it was a for profit corporation.
regarding the comment of sidetracking money. Very few parties running any corporation perform that duty for free.
Regarding the members generating profits; Most if not all the members see an increase in profits by there affiliation. Many in the multimillion category.
As I said earlier, it's not for everyone, 165 per month is a lot of money for some. In my case I bought the hammer, looked at the nail but I have never stopped swinging that hammer. You made your decision to drop out, others have hung in there for years. I can thing of well over a million reasons I hung in there last year alone. I've never seen the books and don't much care who, if anyone, is making a profit. My concern is does my affiliation help me make a profit. Being a privately held corporation isn't being secretive, it's just being a privately held corporation. Any member that has spent any time with a director will agree that this organization works well for the membership.
However, I also realize that I'll never change your opinion, and as such I'll just agree to disagree and I'll leave it at that.

There are 18 NRBA members in my area Thats about 10 more than it was 18 months ago, including the handful that have been doing REO's for 30 yrs and have a hugh business anyway. There are several that have way less listings than I have recieved just from doing BPO's. And not quality listings on most. One NRBA member has 8 active listings that don't equal in value to 1 of my 2 listings. That would be painful to do so many that are under $50k and as you might assume, dangerous too for the areas they are located in.
I think I wasted enough money on organizations that promote themselves as being noticed by the banks, which is unlikely.
Why is the number of agents being increased so much at NRBA? Fees? I don't know but will stay stubborn for now

I find it kind of ironic that an unhappy former NRBA member continues to ask "where does the money go questions" and seems to be accusing a few people of profiting from the organization.

My first point is that the people that incorporated NRBA way back when certainly don't need income from NRBA, if there is any, to survive. All of the officers and directors have thriving REO businesses that generate a lot more in revenue than the NRBA generates.

My second point is that NRBA is not something that runs from a computer is someone's basement. NRBA has operating expenses just like any other business; rent, technology, employees, utilities to name a few

My third point is that NRBA promotes the membership through sponsorships at a large number of trade events, like REOMAC, Five Star, etc. These are promoted to the trade not the agent attendees.

My fourth point is that many of the directors have taken their own time and money to make client calls to promote the membership to the trade. I remember a few years ago when JackREO actually helped a company set up their BPO business. Any member that applied to that company benefited from the additional revenue.

As I stated earlier, I don't always agree with everything promulgated by NRBA, but the pluses far outweigh the few negatives. And there are plenty of REO kings and queens that would never join NRBA. That's a choice they make.

You made the decision to leave the group. That's a choice you made. But using statements like "gorge themselves on the membership's high monthly fees" and "I just find the structures and representations of the association a bit smarmy" make you appear to be very closeminded.

Pinhurst, you made the assumption that I am an unhappy former member which I am not. To use JackREO’s metaphor, I simply choose to swing my hammer differently and build my business in other ways. Also, I never said that there were no benefits to be derived from belonging to the NRBA. If you bother to read my post rather than “read into it”, you would see that I have stated that there are many excellent and helpful members in the NRBA.

The reason I dropped my membership is that the NRBA refuses to disclose how they spend the dues that they collect. I agree that they have some operating expenses but expenses are very small since there are only a couple employees of the Association. They do have some computer expenses, utilities, spend a few bucks on an ad here and there, etc., but these expenses do not add up to the huge revenue generated from the membership. The reality is that the NRBA hides how it spends dues collected from the membership. If there is nothing to be embarrassed about, why not disclose? It is my belief that a lot more benefit could be generated for the membership with the dues that are collected than what is currently on the table.

The one thing that I am close minded about in this business is full disclosure. I believe in it and that will never change.