Why AREAA Is The Most Powerful AAPI Real Estate Organization In North America

When I was invited by RE/MAX to join the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) three years ago, I had no idea how much the experience would change my life.

My AREAA journey began in 2016, when I volunteered to serve as Treasurer during the launch of the Greater Denver Chapter. Being part of forming a new local chapter was challenging, but it also solidified my passion for the organization and the people involved with it. I went all-in. I was chapter Vice President last year and currently serve as the 2020 President.

Locally, we host events that teach agents more about how to work with foreign investors, feng shui and other aspects not usually covered in conventional real estate classes.

AREAA, with 42 chapters and more than 17,500 members worldwide, also fights for sustainable home ownership within the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. This resonates with me personally, being deeply rooted in the Asian community my entire life.

Last year I had the honor of lobbying for three initiatives with AREAA in Washington, D.C. We sat down in a private meeting in the White House to talk about language access, alternative credit, and diversity and inclusion in our lending practices. These are big issues with major impacts – especially because, as AREAA notes in its annual State of Asia Report sponsored by RE/MAX, the Asian community is the fastest growing demographic in the United States. There is tremendous buying power and potential within it.

My AREAA involvement also goes far beyond our borders. On an AREAA Global China Up Close trip in 2019, we had the unbelievable opportunity to sit down with officials from the Chinese government and the Chinese Real Estate Association. We visited developments, learned about the culture, and had meals with local high-profile business people at surreal dinners I would never have had the chance to experience. Another great part of the trip was that the group of AREAA individuals who traveled to China were very diverse and from all kinds of backgrounds in real estate from all over the United States.

It’s important for real estate professionals to know that you don’t need to be Asian to join AREAA! It’s the most welcoming organization I’ve ever been a part of. There are 51 ethnicities represented, 26 languages spoken, two national conferences per year and a national policy gathering each May in Washington, D.C.

AREAA has influenced my own business as well. I’d always dreamed about putting together a diverse team, and thanks to AREAA and RE/MAX, I was able to start the International Group at RE/MAX Professionals in Lakewood, Colorado. We have agents who speak Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. Because of the unique skill sets on our team, we are able to service residential, commercial, land and development projects.

This mix makes our team incredibly dynamic. Because of our diversity, we are able to help more people achieve their dreams. None of this would have been possible without the connections I’ve made through my AREAA family. And I’m not the only one who believes in the mission. Across the country, AREAA members continue to make changes that affect our local communities in very positive ways. This work crosses generations, and it is shaping the world our children will live in for years to come.

For me, it’s an honor to be part of RE/MAX, knowing that my brand sponsors AREAA on a national level each year. With the demographics in the United States about to change greatly over the next decade, it makes me feel warm inside to know that the company who holds my utmost loyalty also values diversity and inclusion as much as I do. 

For more information about joining AREAA in your state, please visit areaa.org.