By Aayush Gupta, Real Estate Reporter, Albuquerque Business First

October 30, 2023

In April, the New Mexico Association of Realtors hired a new CEO. 

Zach Benjamin is responsible for learning and developing the needs of the company’s board, leadership and members. In addition, he oversees internal operations such as staffing and day-to-day agendas. 

He began his position in June, and said he hopes to serve as an advocacy voice for the real estate industry in New Mexico during his tenure. 

“It's a balancing act between serving our leadership and our members and also ensuring that the business of the association is running as smoothly and successfully as possible,” Benjamin said. 

From 2010 to 2015, Benjamin lived in Chicago, Illinois, and oversaw international business development programs and international partnerships in 15 different countries for the National Association of Realtors. After five years in the trade association industry, Benjamin moved on to serve as the executive director at the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, a social service and advocacy organization that addresses the needs of New Mexico’s Jewish community. In 2019, he and his wife moved to Southern California in pursuit of new professional opportunities.

Benjamin served as the CEO of the Alpert Jewish Community Center, a nonprofit organization based in Long Beach, California, for four years before moving back to Albuquerque in 2023. Nostalgia for New Mexico’s culture and lifestyle brought the pair back to the "Land of Entrapment," Benjamin said.

Having spent the majority of his career in trade associations and nonprofits, Benjamin said he is looking forward to helping the firm and its members grow. He graduated in 2005 from Northwestern University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in media, politics and Chinese language and culture.

Albuquerque Business First sat down with Benjamin to hear about recent trends in the real estate market and the importance of community.

This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Albuquerque Business First: What are your overall career goals moving forward? 

Zach Benjamin: If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would say my goal would be to advance in management and advance as an executive. And now that I've spent almost a decade as an executive, I'm focused on maintaining a strong, happy and healthy family. 

How important is it to remain connected and in tune with your culture and your community? 

I spent eight years in Jewish Federation, Jewish Community Foundation and Jewish Community Center. Judaism is central to my personal identity. I am not what you would call a religiously observant person, but preserving and advancing Jewish culture and ensuring that my daughter and the generations beyond are able to appreciate it, practice it and pass it on, is one of my most important personal causes. 

Do you have any advice for people who might be hesitant to do business in or move to New Mexico? 

Not only does New Mexico's natural setting rival anywhere that I've ever been in, but it is a place that is just beginning to realize its potential as a job market, as an economy and as a housing market. Most importantly, this is a place where generational families have a genuine appreciation for the new arrivals who are coming to help develop this economy, develop their communities, and bring New Mexico to its social and economic potential. If you're interested in purchasing a home for your family, this is a place where in 10 years, while I don't have a crystal ball, I suspect that the value of property is only going to appreciate.

Have you noticed any real estate trends in New Mexico? 

I think the name of the game at the moment is low inventory, and I think that's a reality probably nationwide. But properties are not lasting terribly long on the market. They're being purchased often at a high premium, above asking price very shortly after hitting the market. So, it's certainly a mixed blessing. It's challenging, I think, for our members, because their businesses depend on as high a volume of sales as possible. And when there isn't that much inventory on the market, obviously, it limits the volume that they can do.

Source: "New Mexicans to Know: Meet the new CEO of the New Mexico Association of Realtors"