2021 Year in Review: Walter Hall, Owner/Founder, The Hall Institute of Real Estate

What was the biggest lesson you learned while working during the pandemic? Be flexible! Understand that the traditional ways that we conduct business (brick and mortar) may not fly during COVID restrictions. But with some flexibility you can still achieve your objectives.

How has your working environment changed over the last year? I have spent the last year bringing my national program to the point where it was launched in September, aiming to interest a few of the large brands in the real estate industry to partner with us on a campaign to educate the consumer. Dealing with the implications of COVID has resulted in more of my work with my national partner/advisors being remote rather than in-person.

What are your predictions for your industry in 2022? The market will continue to strengthen. It continues to be a seller’s market. And this is perhaps more of a hope than a prediction, but I am looking to see the industry adopt standards that will lead to better outcomes for consumers when it comes to buying, selling and renting properties.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2021? I launched a national program, “The Power of Partnering,” that had been in development for several years. It involves three comprehensive Consumer Guides which we have developed. They clearly outline the essential steps in buying, selling, and renting property. We have long known that the real estate industry is in need of standards and consistent processes. Too often there is disappointment on the part of customers because a transaction does not go as anticipated. Our guides de-mystify the processes and provide best-of-class industry standards. We partner with and train real estate agents who provide these guides to their customers.