The impact of climate change is becoming increasingly evident through natural disasters worldwide. In my market alone, 2,700 homes were lost to wildfires, including three duplexes that I owned. Recent events like the devastating fire in Maui have left hundreds homeless.

How does this relate to real estate? Well, it's directly tied. Amid this destruction, we, as REALTORS, have an opportunity to step in and provide assistance. While it won't be an immediate transaction, it can help us build lasting relationships founded on genuine value.

So what's my suggestion?

Reach out promptly to your entire sphere of influence. Capitalize on the awareness generated by these incidents. Say, "Given the current wave of natural disasters, many clients have requested a quick update on their home value to ensure their insurance coverage is adequate. I've already prepared this report for you, and it took just a few minutes. If you're...

As many of you are aware my wife and I live in Southern Oregon, over the past several weeks the entire West Coast has been ravaged by Wildfires. In our area two fires touched our lives. The first was the Alameda fire which burned through the towns of Phoenix and Talent Oregon and touched areas of Medford, Oregon. The second was the Obenchain Fire which caused a level 2 evacuation of where our personal home was located.

The outcome of these fires is that 2300 homes have been lost with hundreds of families displaced. While our personal home was safe, we did end up losing three duplexes to the Alameda Fire. These properties were in the center of a densely populated area where you would never think a wildfire would touch the structures. The good news is that our tenants all made it out safe (with literally minutes to spare) and we are insured for the losses.

10 Things We Have Learned Living Through a Natural Disaster:

• Have a Go Bag Ready – It’s been in the back of my mind...