Join Us
Why Join?
Founded in 1921 as the Jackson Real Estate Association, Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® has been serving our members for over 100 years. With a focus on four core areas, the association has served its members then as it does now providing the tools, the training, information and the technology needed to be a successful real estate professional. With over 620 members, firms and affiliates, the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® is the second largest association in West Tennessee.
The term REALTOR® is a registered service mark distinguishing the real estate professional. REALTOR® is a term trademarked by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and therefore may only be used by its members. The use of the REALTOR® term or logo by non-members is strictly prohibited. Improper usage may result in trademark infringement penalties.
Relationships with local, state and national political and governmental sources help keep the interests of association members and property owners supported and protected. Our members have been asked to serve in various capacities at every governmental level, as well as participate in both the state and national REALTOR® Day on the Hill. Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® also participates in the national REALTORS® PAC (political action committee). The Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® members invest heavily in their industry to protect the property rights of all home owners and investors.
Acknowledged throughout the state and our region as a continued leader in real estate education, the association offers a wide variety of courses to best equip you and your business. We offer courses leading to REALTOR® designations including CRS, GRI and other NAR designated classes. There are also a wide variety of classes to help you expand the skills you need to list and sell more while earning your education credits. These include technology, sales motivation, disclosure, negotiating and more. We bring in instructors from all across the state each year to provide our members and non-members with a wide variety of instructor knowledge.
The REALTOR® organization prides itself on the ability to uphold professional standards of the highest integrity. REALTORS® separate themselves by abiding by a Code of Ethics that was first adopted in 1913. CWTAR now partners with over 20+ other associations across the state to form the TN REALTORS State Grievance and Professional Standards Committee. The Grievance and Professional Standards Committees review and address any complaints filed by members regarding violations of the Code of Ethics. Members also have access to arbitration services. By utilizing the arbitration services of the Association, members can quickly resolve transaction disputes with members in a fair and inexpensive manner.
New Member Orientation – Every other month, Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® hosts new member orientation classes These eight hour classes hosted and taught by the CEO, are the most valuable eight hours a new agent will get while learning to become a member of CWTAR. We cover the rules for both CWTAR and our MLS as well as regulations and our bylaws. We also give you tips and tricks for navigating the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) site and the TN REALTORS® (TNR) site. We also cover safety tips for showing property, hosting an open house and how to be generally on top of your game.
General Membership Meetings – Our Annual General Membership meeting is open to all of our CWTAR members, now hosted virtually for our growing REALTOR® community. During these meetings our executive staff and our committee leadership bring the members up to speed on the hot topics of the year and what the committee’s have been working on. Any changes to the corporate bylaws will have their own separate meeting and voted on accordingly. The Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® is a member run organization where brokers and affiliate brokers can participate in the board of directors (qualifications needed) and vote each year on the new nominees hoping to become a CWTAR Director.
Annual Christmas Gala and Installation – Each year the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® hosts a formal event for all REALTOR® members. Our events are over the top with dinner, live music, guest speakers and of course, the installation of new officers and board of directors. Each year our Gala continues to grow with more of member wanting to attend. We cover the costs of this event with ticket sales and corporate sponsors from our affiliate members. At the end of the night we give away cash prizes to three lucky winners. It’s a night you’ll never forget.
Affiliate Luncheons – Each year, the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® has their annual Affiliate Luncheon and Trade Show. We have moved this event from our training room as it no longer could hold the record number of members and affiliates who loved attending this event. Our new Luncheon and Trade Show will be a half day event at an offsite location with breakfast and lunch provided for those wishing to attend and join in on the fun.
The association uses a variety of means to communicate with our members.
Email is our number one means of communication to members and affiliates. The average age of a REALTOR® in our Association is 53 so we have to use the most natural communication as our primary means of communication to reach the largest number of members at one time.
The Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® also manages a private Facebook page that only CWTAR REALTOR® members can belong to. All upcoming classes, events and fundraisers are posted here first before they are emailed to the membership.
In 2017 we added texting as another source of quick communication for committees and or the entire REALTOR® membership. These texts are very short, usually no more than one sentence and are sent as quick reminders about meetings, classes or events.
Due to the large number of square miles that the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® covers, we utilize Zoom Video Conferencing for committee meetings and one on one communication with members. This has been one of the single most important changes we’ve made here at CWTAR which allows committee members that live outside the Jackson area to attend meeting without having to travel for hours to reach the Association office.
Our WestTNHomeSearch.com website is a premiere website that agents can login to access all of the systems they need to conduct their real estate business.
The Association is more than just real estate, and members participate in giving back to their communities independently, as well as a part of the whole. Some of the local charities that encompass the Association’s footprint that are supported through fundraising efforts include The Exchange Club and RIFA. Both are local charities that help children within our communities.
Regional Inter Faith Association (RIFA) –RIFA is a local, faith-based organization that leads and engages the community in the fight against hunger and has been in operation since 1976. Each year we have several fundraisers to help fund RIFA’s backpack program which provides snacks for children in several of the counties within the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® jurisdiction.
Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse – The mission of the Center is to provide support to families in preventing and dealing with child abuse in West Tennessee and to help both parents and children meet the practical needs of preserving and improving the quality of family life. Both local charities that help children within our communities.
American Heart Association – Beginning in 2018, the Association began partnering with the American Heart Association through the CEO’s involvement in the Go Red for Women campaign. Brent Ward is serving on the 2019 Executive Leadership team. Brent, along with volunteers, will reach out to organizations to help out in the fight against heart disease while also making a contribution to the cause.
College Scholarship Golf Tournament – In 2018, the Association began a new fundraising campaign to raise funds for college scholarships through their golf tournament. CWTAR and their volunteers raised over $3000 to be awarded to local high school students within their jurisdiction in 2019.
NAR Placemaking Grant – Starting in 2018, the Central West Tennessee Association of REALTORS® began asking the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to give money to a local Jackson project where CWTAR will furnish the labor through volunteers and NAR the funds to buy the necessary items needed to complete the project. This could be turning a vacant lot into a park, or adding exterior lights to a walking area. These projects are simple and usually can be completed over a weekend.