Why I Keep Stepping Into Leadership: What I Told the New River Valley REALTORS®

Curt Reichstetter, 2026 President of Virginia REALTORS® and co-founder of Two Dog Realty in Richmond, Virginia

Last week I had the honor of speaking to the board of directors, chairs, and vice chairs of the New River Valley Association of REALTORS®. The setting was hard to beat: a room overlooking the New River at the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech. They asked me to talk about leadership and how I got to where I am today. Here is the story, and the lesson I hope they took home.

How does someone end up in association leadership?

Usually by accident, and usually long before they think of themselves as a leader. For me it started in high school, when I was elected vice president of the student government. I never liked being out front. I liked getting a job done. The SGA needed money, so I dragged a big stainless flattop out to the blacktop on Thursdays and cooked hamburgers at lunch. I never called it leadership. I just wanted to raise some money.

How did a bad home-buying experience lead to a real estate career?

I was a young buyer in downtown Richmond, and agents would not give me the time of day. Maybe it was my age. Maybe it was the mullet. I ended up buying directly through the listing agent, and he did such a poor job that I enrolled at the community college in the City of Richmond and got my own real estate license.

I did not take the gold-jacket job. Instead, I went to work for a small Richmond developer who needed someone to staff open houses. That was the start of my career in new construction, where I learned to sell a floor plan on a piece of paper while standing on a vacant lot.

What does local association work actually look like?

It is not glamorous. It is meetings, agendas, budgets, policies, education programs, and member questions. I got my first taste of it by joining the membership committee and then moving into education at my local REALTOR® association, after teaching new-home sales through the Home Builders Association.

I liked seeing how decisions got made. I liked working with people who cared about more than their own next transaction. And I liked that if you paid attention and did the work, you could actually make things better.

What happens when life gets hard and leadership is the last thing on your mind?

Sometimes that is exactly when the invitation comes. Life took some turns, and the 2008 to 2010 real estate downturn was brutal. During a legislative committee meeting, John Finn, one of the big names in Richmond real estate at the time, told me I ought to put in an application for the board. I was ready to pour my energy into something new. I applied, I got elected to the Richmond board, and I took to it with a vengeance.

That path eventually led to serving as President of the Richmond Association of REALTORS®, leadership roles at CVR MLS, and now the 2026 presidency of Virginia REALTORS®.

Do you have to be good at everything before you lead?

No. You have to be willing to work on what you are not good at. The first time I was asked to speak to my peers as part of the Richmond leadership team, I had maybe two lines of opening remarks for a Professional Standards training day. I flubbed them. When I finished, John Finn looked at me and said, "Dude, what happened?"

I had spoken to large groups of investors while selling high-rise condos in downtown Richmond, so I decided I could wing it. I fell right on my face. Just because you think you can do something does not mean you can. So I joined Toastmasters and went to work. You do not have to walk into leadership with every skill you will need. You figure out what you are not very good at, and then you go to work on it.

Why does leadership matter so much for REALTORS® right now?

Because our members are working through a lot of change: new ways of doing business, rising costs, affordability concerns, higher consumer expectations, and a market that is hard to explain even to veterans. The work of a REALTOR® has always been more than opening doors and writing contracts. We help people make decisions that can change the direction of their lives, whether that is a first-time buyer, a family needing more space, someone downsizing, a seller dealing with an estate, or a military family relocating.

They need judgment. They need someone who listens and tells them the truth, even when it is not what they hoped to hear. Protecting that value does not mean protecting every old way of doing things. It means being honest about where the world is changing and staying grounded in ethics and consumer choice.

Why do local associations matter so much?

Local associations are where the culture of our profession is built. Virginia REALTORS® and NAR can provide advocacy, education, legal resources, and a statewide and national voice. But local associations are where new agents first see what professionalism looks like, where relationships form, and where people can bring a real concern and find others who understand their market.

That is especially true in the New River Valley. Your market is not Richmond. Your communities have their own employers, development patterns, housing needs, and local character, and the people who know those things best need to be in the conversations that affect them.

Why do I keep doing it?

Because somebody has to. If the people who care about our profession, our clients, property rights, housing opportunity, and strong communities decide they are too busy to engage, the decisions will still get made. They just may get made without the benefit of our experience.

Leadership has given me far more than I have put into it. It has given me relationships across Virginia and the country, made me a better listener, and taught me that you can disagree without being disagreeable and still make progress.

Practical Lesson: Do not wait until you feel completely ready. Start where you are. Join a committee, help with an education program, get involved in government relations, support a community effort, ask questions, be dependable, and raise your hand when there is work to do. If you see someone else with that spark, encourage them.

You do not have to be the loudest person in the room. You do not need a perfect résumé. You do not have to love standing at a microphone. You just have to care enough to help get the job done.

My own journey started with a student-government election, a bad first home-buying experience, a mullet, a community-college real estate class, and an open-house job with a small developer. It led me places I never expected to go, and it convinced me this profession is worth showing up for.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started in REALTOR® association leadership?

Start with a committee at your local association, such as membership, education, or government relations. You do not need a title or a perfect résumé. Show up, be dependable, and raise your hand when there is work to do.

Do I need public speaking skills to be an association leader?

No, but you can build them. Curt Reichstetter flubbed his first opening remarks as part of the Richmond leadership team, then joined Toastmasters and practiced with groups until he was comfortable speaking to his peers.

What does a local REALTOR® association actually do?

A local association runs education programs, supports members with policies and questions, and builds the professional culture of the community. It is where new agents first see professionalism in action and where members find others who understand their local market.

Why do local associations matter if there is a state and national association?

Virginia REALTORS® and NAR provide advocacy, legal resources, and a statewide or national voice, while local associations know their own communities. Every market has its own employers, housing needs, and character, and local members need to be part of the conversations that affect them.

Why should busy agents take on leadership roles?

Decisions about the profession and housing will be made whether or not experienced REALTORS® participate. Getting involved makes sure those decisions benefit from real-world experience, and it builds relationships, listening skills, and perspective across Virginia and the country.

How did Curt Reichstetter become President of Virginia REALTORS®?

Curt Reichstetter, a Richmond, Virginia broker with more than 35 years in the business, started on his local association's membership and education committees. He later joined the Richmond board, served as President of the Richmond Association of REALTORS®, held leadership roles at CVR MLS, and is the 2026 President of Virginia REALTORS®.

Thinking about buying or selling in Richmond?

I am proud of my leadership roles, but my day job is helping Richmond families make good decisions about their homes. If you have questions, I am always happy to talk.

Curt Reichstetter

Two Dog Realty

804-370-1210

curt@curtsellsrva.com