Being engaged in the Tri-cities is a requirement for being an effective local REALTOR®.
Nothing saddens me more than seeing a new homeowner in a TV report decrying something that was practically discoverable, or even publicly known. My first thought is the buyer(s) obviously didn’t have a local REALTOR® to guide them, and I question, “Why not?” 
We’ve seen many news clips throughout Metro, where a new homeowner is objecting to what is often something, known, expected, and allowed, in their new neighbourhood. This misguided opposition from newcomers to pre-existing conditions tells me they didn’t do their due diligence, or worse, they were given wrong information.
In the various neighbourhoods of the Tri-cities, things like transit, traffic, OCP, the Murray-connector, flood plains, zoning, schools, or the trains that have gone through here for over 100 years, are some topical examples where a buyer might need to be informed.
I’d recommend anyone considering becoming a local stakeholder to get engaged beforehand, and know what you’re getting into. Homeowners have a choice to be apathetic, complacent or engaged.
Later this year, apathy and complacency will be in abundance with a municipal election upon us. Again I’d encourage you to be engaged and dig below the surface of any media commentary that raises your brow.
For me, being locally engaged as a community volunteer, council-watcher, commentator and professional, keeps me reasonably up to date, which better serves my clients. I also enjoy being engaged with many of my neighbours and meeting new ones.