By Marvin Jolly November 01, 2021

Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards.Soren Kierkegaard

They say that the windshield is larger than the rearview mirror for a reason. Looking forward is much more beneficial than looking backward. Yet, occasionally, some healthy retrospection is warranted. The journey as your chairman in 2021 has been one that I will never forget.

2021 was a year in which Texas REALTORS® largely functioned virtually as an organization. We had no idea that our 101st year of work for REALTORS® and property owners would be the start of not only a new century of the association but in many ways the start of a new era, operating as we had never done before.

And with great challenge also came great success. The following are some highlights of 2021 at Texas REALTORS®:

• HOA reform
• Option fee delivery to title companies
• Removal of discriminatory covenants
• Property tax reform and relief
• Virtual Winter Meeting
• Virtual REALTOR® Day at the Texas Capitol
• Virtual Shaping Texas Conference
• Virtual trade missions with our counterparts in Mexico and in Brazil
• Leslie Rouda Smith stepped into the role as president-elect at NAR
• Home sale prices and units sold increased almost 20% from 2020
• 53,000 members participated in virtual education
• Enhanced technology and communications efforts
• Record-breaking $5.8 million raised for TREPAC at participation of 44%.

As the year comes to a close and we reflect on the challenges and the successes of the year, it is clear that the work of Texas REALTORS® requires input from a broad-based, widespread, and diverse team of members, leaders, and staff who labor tirelessly on behalf of REALTORS® and property owners across Texas.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your chairman. I am thankful for the accomplishments of 2021 and am excited about the work that we will all do together in 2022!

To the future!

Marvin Jolly is 2021 chairman of Texas REALTORS®.