An Open Letter to NAR Members: Be the change you seek
Last week I attended the NAR Influencer Summit, although I have to admit I almost didn’t attend. My speaking schedule made things difficult, and given my history of publicly addressing NAR’s shortcomings, I wasn’t sure I would be the most welcome voice in the room.
But when I realized I might be the only listing and sales coach there with a direct line to working agents like you, I felt I had to show up. Someone had to ask the questions officers would want to ask.
I am fiercely pro-real estate agent. I have also been outspoken about NAR’s failures over the years. To be fair, the former CEO’s tenure Bob Goudberg has done lasting damage to the organization’s credibility, and I felt compelled to address the effects where I saw them. That history meant that I approached the summit with healthy skepticism.
Some officers are still angry – angry at NAR for reaching a settlement, angry about the changes that followed, and angry about what they believe was “lost” in the process. I understand those feelings. But what worries me most is what some of them are like respond to them.
Not only do some agents complain that NAR is “useless,” but some choose to ignore the new rules altogether and continue practicing real estate the old way, as if nothing has changed. That is not only unwise, it is also dangerous. Doing so puts individual agents, their brokers, and ultimately our entire profession at risk of the next wave of lawsuits.
That is why I am writing this open letter. Because while it’s easy to point the finger at NAR, the truth is this: we are NAR.
You are NAR
Every member, from broker, to agent, to affiliate partner – collectively is the organization. So when someone says, “NAR does not represent me,” what they are really saying is: I don’t represent myself.
Think about that for a moment. Whether we like it or not, we are all part of the same body. NAR is not a faceless entity sitting in an office in Chicago. It’s us: the real estate agents in every town, city and state across America who pay dues, follow the code of ethics and serve clients every day.
If something frustrates you about NAR, the solution shouldn’t be to throw rocks at the house you live in, but to pick up a hammer and help fix what’s broken.
The 3 choices if you are unhappy
In life and in business, if you are unhappy with a situation, you have three options:
- Leave it alone.
- Accept it.
- Change it.
Leaving means walking away from your membership, your board, and your seat at the table. Accepting it means resigning yourself to the status quo: grumbling quietly, frustrated about the direction things are going, but telling yourself that it’s not your fight and there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
It’s the ‘I’ll just live with it’ option. And while that’s understandable, it’s also the choice that doesn’t change anything.
But there is a third – and more powerful – choice: change it.
If you don’t like the direction, steer the ship
If you think NAR has lost its way, don’t stand on the dock yelling at the boat – Gget on board and grab an oar.
Change doesn’t come from Facebook rants or office gossip. It comes from actions such as joining the leadership of your local government, running for committees, attending meetings, and petitioning for reforms.
If you think companies like Zillow have become too powerful, the answer is not to complain online; it is intended to influence the data sharing policies and practices that made this possible. Real change will only come from brokers entering the arena and leading.
We are essential, so let’s act like it
We are not powerless. We are essential to buyers, sellers and communities around the world. Every day we guide families through one of the biggest financial and emotional moments of their lives. For most, that’s not just a job, it’s a calling.
If we believe in the value of what we do, we must also believe in the value of the organization that represents us. NAR’s strength comes from its members, and its future depends on our collective leadership.
Don’t just complain. Contributions
Complaining does not change policy or improve professionalism. It consumes energy and affects credibility.
Every minute spent blaming instead of building gives more power to those who want brokers weakened or replaced. And with everything our industry has been through – the lawsuits, the media attention, the changing consumer perception – we can’t afford to tear ourselves down from within.
The settlement may have reshaped the way we work, but it hasn’t erased who we are. We are still confidential counselors. We are still in favor of home ownership. We are still the professionals who make the American dream possible.
The bottom line
If you don’t like the direction NAR is going, join committees that create change. If you don’t like the rules, join us in writing better rules. If you don’t like how the public sees real estate agents, help change the narrative.
Because again, the truth is: we are NAR, and if we want it to be better, stronger and more reliable, it starts with us.
That’s why I urge complainers to stop complaining and be the change you want to see happen. Together, let’s ensure that our next chapter is not written in a courtroom, but by real estate agents who care enough to create the change our profession deserves.
