Year in Review 2025

As this year comes to a close, I want to thank you for your dedication to our association and to the consumers and communities you serve each day. As your president, it's an honor to share a brief look at what we have accomplished together.

Our Cape Coral market was the focus of intense national attention, including a Wall Street Journal article that labeled our area as "the worst housing market in America." Together with Florida Gulf Coast MLS, your association issued a formal rebuttal grounded in real data. As your president, I participated in 17 articles, interviews, and podcasts to share the true story of our market--with you, your customers, and your businesses at the center of every conversation.

Even amid negative headlines, your association deepened its ties to the community. This year, we organized a backpack drive to support children heading back to school, collected prom gowns for the PACE Center for Girls, participated in a Peanut Butter and Jelly drive for the Community Cooperative to help local families in need, and supported the Cape Coral Caring Center, Habitat for Humanity, and Builders Care. We also hosted a successful golf tournament, with proceeds benefiting our own foundations, ensuring the dollars raised by Realtors® stay working here in Southwest Florida.

Advocacy was another central area of impact. Your association played a pivotal role in opposing the proposed Cape Coral rental registration fee and mobility fees, speaking out against the added financial burdens they would have imposed on property owners, renters, and our local housing economy. By engaging with local officials and providing data and an on-the-ground perspective, we helped ensure Realtor® voices and homeowner concerns were heard in policymaking.

Member education and business support remained at the heart of our mission. In 2025, we delivered no-cost education to approximately 4,500 members, ensuring you had timely information on market trends, legal changes, and business tools during a rapidly evolving year. We also hosted Tech Con, a Broker Summit, a Housing Symposium, and our annual Trade Show, creating valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and collaborate with peers, industry partners, and thought leaders.

We also continued to build your global reach. This year, your association strengthened international relationships by establishing a memorandum of understanding with the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, opening new avenues for collaboration and referrals between Southwest Florida and the Greater Toronto market. These efforts position our members to serve international buyers and sellers better and remain competitive in an increasingly global real estate landscape.

Florida Gulf Coast MLS delivered major technology and data milestones that directly support your day-to-day business. In 2025, FGCMLS launched advanced tools such as RealReports and Property Panorama to provide deeper, data-rich property insights and enhanced marketing capabilities. In addition, FGCMLS completed a significant system and data-sharing project that provides full control over its MLS systems and database, enabling faster updates, more responsive system improvements, and expanded data-sharing opportunities across the region--all without disrupting your access to comprehensive listing data.

It has been an incredible honor to serve as your 2025 president and to advocate for each of you, our vibrant market, and our cherished profession throughout this year.

As Realtors®, we are not just facilitators of transactions; we are champions of dreams, guardians of trust, and unwavering advocates for brighter futures. Your resilience, engagement, and confidence have been a source of inspiration, propelling us forward together.

As the holiday season approaches, I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and your families. May this time be filled with joy, peace, and the promise of a prosperous New Year overflowing with health and happiness. Thank you for the opportunity to serve--together, we embody the heart and soul of our profession!

With appreciation,
Karen Borrelli
President
Royal Palm Coast Realtor® Association
Florida Gulf Coast MLS