The National Association of Realtors released its 2025 Annual Report on Tuesday, reflecting on industry pressure points and how NAR is refocusing on helping real estate agents “succeed in their daily operations.”
After a difficult few years, the National Association of Realtors released a new report Tuesday outlining efforts to cut millions of dollars from the budget, streamline staffing and respond to member feedback.
The report began with a letter from NAR leaders, including CEO Nikia Wright, highlighting efforts to increase member satisfaction in 2025, after the association weathered the impact of a $418 million buyer-broker fee settlement, continued fears of being in the crosshairs of the Department of Justice, and a controversial change in its clear cooperation policy.
NAR CEO Nikia Wright |Credit: NAR
“Over the past year, the National Association of Realtors has embarked on the most significant transformation in real estate history,” NAR CEO Nikia Wright said in the report. “With a heritage spanning more than a century, NAR stands on the threshold of a new era defined by transparency, innovation, and unwavering service to real estate agents and the broader real estate industry.”
This report details NAR’s strategic plans for the coming years and addresses three key pressure points: industry and economic factors. diverse expectations from consumers, real estate agents, regulators and other industry participants; and organizational constraints.
The association said significant progress has been made in alleviating these pressure points, including by expanding market research tools and education opportunities available to real estate agents, leveraging artificial intelligence, restructuring the legal department to reduce legal and regulatory risks, increasing advocacy efforts and a renewed focus on industry relations.
But NAR’s most important goal is to refocus real estate agents on helping real estate agents succeed in their daily operations as the market continues to move toward a new and often unpredictable normal, NAR said.
“NAR empowers real estate agents by helping them succeed in their businesses,” Wright said, citing the association’s 2026-2028 value proposition. “NAR accomplishes this goal by advocating on behalf of real estate agents, providing market intelligence and research tools, providing professional development and education, maintaining high standards, and elevating the real estate agent brand. By supporting real estate agents, NAR protects and advances Americans’ right to own real estate.”
Wright said the value proposition was shaped by a survey of real estate agents, with 79% of members saying that “helping real estate agents thrive in their day-to-day operations” was a “somewhat or very valuable” part of what they want from NAR.
Building trust in the real estate agent brand (83%), protecting and promoting the real estate agent’s legal interests (83%), and recommitting to professionalism (81%) also topped the list of real estate agent priorities.
The report outlined a strategy for 2026, with leaders pledging continued progress, particularly on financial transparency and governance. The association said it will employ “zero-based budgeting practices” to ensure “every dollar is justified and aligned with strategic objectives.”
“With this approach, all budgets start from scratch and provide a cost justification for each expense,” the report says. “Each division is responsible for aligning each line item with the organization’s mission. Additionally, NAR Finance will establish consistent budgeting guardrails to ensure that NAR staff and budget holders across the Commission act responsibly and with agility.”
NAR Chairman Kevin Brown said he is excited for 2026 because Mr. Wright and former Chairman Kevin Sears have laid the foundation for NAR to be ready for the future of real estate. of
“In 2026, we will take NAR to the next level by returning to business. Our organization has been serving real estate agents for more than a century, and we see this strategic plan as the first three years of our next 100 years of business,” he said. “What does this mean? We help our members resolve issues that impact their daily operations, such as financing, inventory, insurance, zoning restrictions, and other barriers to home and real estate ownership.”
“This means leveling up areas that our members already find valuable, such as our advocacy, research and technical tools,” he added. “And that means finding new ways to help our members reach and execute their next deal.”
Read the full study below.
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