REALTORS® Empowering All Communities with Honor
2026 Silver Recognition
CVAR’s R.E.A.C.H. Multilingual Global Committee earned Silver recognition in the National Association of REALTORS® Global Achievement Program.
The program recognizes association global councils for their work in business planning, marketing and communication, events and education, outreach, and benchmarking.
For our committee, the purpose remains personal: help members communicate clearly, understand individual client needs, and build meaningful connections across cultures.
About NAR’s Global Achievement Program (opens in a new tab)Education That Reached a Client
After our Serving the Deaf Community in Real Estate session, a member used what she learned to serve a buyer whose family member was Deaf. That is the purpose of R.E.A.C.H.: turning education into more thoughtful, informed client service.
Highlights from our kickoff through the September closing session.
February
We kicked off on February 4 at CVAR with Xai Yang, who shared insights about the Hmong community to help members better understand and serve its members. Angela Burgess of NC REALTORS® attended in person.
The committee was also featured in the NC REALTORS® Global newsletter spotlight.
March
Led by Abigail Cleary, this session brought attention to communication and service when working with the Deaf community.
Within weeks, a member applied what she learned while serving a buyer whose family member was Deaf.
April
On April 8, we participated in the Affiliate Expo at Hickory Metro Convention Center with the CVAR Fair Housing Committee.
We prepared a new member overview and recruiting handout.
May
Our May 6 program brought together REALTORS® from six Spanish speaking countries and a bilingual lender, exploring the different perspectives within a shared language.
A committee update was submitted for the May 12 NC REALTORS® Global newsletter.
September 3
Claudia Soto of Soto Law led our closing session, bringing legal and multicultural perspectives to the conversation.
Lunch was sponsored by Lara Holbrook, D.R. Horton at The Hamptons.
2026 Recognition
CVAR’s R.E.A.C.H. Multilingual Global Committee earned 2026 Silver recognition.
This achievement belongs to the members, association staff, speakers, sponsors, and community partners who helped move the work forward.
R.E.A.C.H. works to advance cultural awareness, multilingual outreach, and community engagement within the real estate profession. The committee provides REALTORS® with the tools, resources, and partnerships needed to serve diverse populations with equal care, loyalty, and honor. By promoting cultural intelligence and meaningful connections, R.E.A.C.H. helps ensure every community feels welcomed, represented, and empowered in the homeownership journey. You do not need to speak another language to join. You just need a commitment to serving every client with the same level of professionalism, care, and competence they deserve.
To empower and support multilingual REALTORS® through education, connection, and cultural collaboration. We promote representation, unity, and excellence across all language communities.
To be North Carolina's leading example of diversity and inclusion in real estate. Language is a bridge. Every REALTOR® and family feels valued, and strong relationships shape a more connected industry.
Loyalty: As NC brokers, we act in the best interest of our client above all else.
Reasonable Care: Our clients’ interests come first. Serving them competently requires meaningful communication and an understanding of their individual needs. When language barriers prevent that, we must address them through qualified language assistance, collaboration with a competent broker, or referral. If we cannot establish effective communication and provide competent service, we should not proceed as though we can.
REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Every client deserves the same standard of care. No exceptions.
Article 11 addresses competence in the services we provide, including obtaining competent assistance or fully disclosing relevant limitations. Qualified assistance must actually address the communication barrier. Understanding culture also means asking each client about their individual needs and preferences rather than making assumptions based on language or background.
North Carolina brokers must provide and review the Working With Real Estate Agents Disclosure with prospective buyers and sellers at first substantial contact. Our commitment to meaningful communication begins here. If we cannot meaningfully explain agency relationships at first substantial contact, how will we explain the agreements, decisions, and obligations that follow?
Western NC has growing multilingual communities including Spanish, Hmong, Russian, Romanian, Taiwanese, Mandarin, Karen, and Montagnard speakers
Families are buying homes, selling properties, and building generational wealth through real estate
Many REALTORS® need cultural training, multilingual resources, and community partnerships to serve these families with excellence
This work is our professional and ethical responsibility. It is not optional. It is essential to serving all communities.
Guest speakers from diverse cultural communities share insights and build understanding. Stay tuned for our updated 2027 meeting schedule.
Professional development for members to serve diverse clients with confidence
Marketing materials and tools to reach every community effectively. Contact the committee for available resources.
Connections with community organizations, lenders, and attorneys who communicate in different languages. Contact the committee to request a professional connection. Request a connection
Search CVAR’s member directory by language to find a broker who can help. Contact the committee for help accessing the directory.
Quarterly "Ask the Attorney" sessions and specialized training events
When you build relationships across cultures, you build a pipeline. REALTORS® who show up consistently in diverse communities become the trusted name those communities call. Whether you speak the language or not, showing up builds credibility. And credibility builds business.
Every meeting connects you with agents serving communities you may not yet reach. Those relationships become referrals. Those referrals become closings.
Western NC is growing. The agents positioned inside diverse communities today are the ones buyers and sellers will call tomorrow. R.E.A.C.H. puts you in the room.
The agents in this committee are your partners across Western NC. Show up. Build trust. Grow your network. The name says it all.
This committee is for every REALTOR® willing to make the industry better. You do not need to speak another language to join. You just need a commitment to serving every client with the same level of professionalism, care, and competence they deserve.
Share your language skills and cultural insights with the committee
Already working with diverse communities? Help us learn and grow
Anyone committed to serving all of Western North Carolina with honor
Stay tuned for our updated 2027 meeting schedule. Contact the committee to request meeting details.
2026 NAR Global Achievement Program · Silver Recognition
Recognizing CVAR’s work in global education, outreach, and member connections.
CVAR R.E.A.C.H. Multilingual Global Committee
A committee of the Catawba Valley Association of REALTORS®
361 2nd St NW | Hickory, NC 28601
© 2026 Catawba Valley Association of REALTORS®. All rights reserved.
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