As we face one of the most divisive and violent time periods in our history, a time where many feel helpless and that their dreams for the future may never be fulfilled, it can be tempting to give way to the pessimism – don’t! We can make a difference together, and here’s what the real estate industry can do to turn the tide.

What if the real estate community could come together in a massive one-day grass roots effort nationwide to spruce up as many homes and neighborhoods as possible, especially in those areas where the residents may lack the funds or the ability to make those changes themselves? If we, the industry, put its considerable weight in back of an initiative of this sort to help our neighborhoods, it has the potential to be a tipping point to change things for the better.

Spruce Up Day Is Born

“Spruce up” means “the act of improving the overall appearance; cleaning up, refurbishing or renovating.”

On Nov. 19, 2016, we are inviting every real estate professional, affiliate service provider, vendor and their clients to join us in this effort to spruce up our communities.

The idea is simple. Buy some flats of flowers and plant them, clean up trash from a public area or help someone else in need to improve something about where they live. You can ask your sellers if there is someone in their neighborhood who would appreciate your help raking leaves or cleaning up their property.

If you want to go big, make sure that you have the appropriate insurance, written permission to use a public place and permissions to enter and/or do work on someone else’s property.

Share Your Efforts!

Please use your social media to spread the word about Spruce Up Day and your planned contributions. The website is www.SpruceUpDay.com and the Facebook page is www.facebook.com/spruceupday.

On Spruce Up Day, make it fun, make it engaging and post what you do on both the national Facebook Spruce Up Day site as well as your local Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Post before and after pictures – tell the story and get others involved.

Looking ahead, it is our hope that the industry will support a Spruce Up Day the Saturday before Thanksgiving each year, as well as one in early May.

We invite you to join this effort in whatever way that works for you. Check the website and Facebook page for more ways to participate in Spruce Up Day and to continue the positive conversation about the results as well as what we can continue to do throughout the year.

Bernice Ross, CEO of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author. She may be reached at Bernice@RealEstateCoach.com.