Last week I attended the NAR Influencer Summit. I’ll admit, I almost didn’t go. My speaking schedule made this difficult, and given my history of publicly criticizing NAR’s shortcomings, I wasn’t sure if I would be the most welcome voice in the room.
But when I realized I might be the only listing and sales coach with direct access to active agents like you, I knew I needed to be present. Someone had to ask the questions that agents wanted to ask.
I am a big proponent of real estate agents. I have also been outspoken about NAR’s failures over the years. Frankly, former CEO Bob Goldberg’s tenure caused lasting damage to the organization’s credibility, and I’ve felt an obligation to call out its effects wherever I see them. Given its history, I stepped into the summit with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Some agents are still angry. Angry at the NAR that was settled, angry at the changes that followed, angry at what they believe was “lost” in the process. I understand that feeling. But what concerns me most is how some people are reacting to them.
Not only are some real estate agents complaining that the NAR is “useless,” but others are completely ignoring the new rules and continuing to do real estate the old way, as if nothing has changed. That’s not only unwise, it’s dangerous. Doing so puts individual agents, their brokers, and ultimately our entire profession at risk for the next wave of litigation.
That’s why I’m writing this open letter. Because while it’s easy to blame the NAR, the truth is: We are NAR.
you are NAR
An organization is a collection of all members, from brokers to agents to affiliates. So when someone says “NAR doesn’t represent me,” what they really mean is that I don’t represent me.
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. We are real estate agents in every town, city, and state across America who pay our dues, follow a code of ethics, and serve our clients every day.
When something irritates you about NAR, the solution is not to throw rocks at the house you live in, but to pick up a hammer and help fix what’s broken.
Three options when you are dissatisfied
When you’re not happy with a situation in life or business, you have three options:
Please leave me alone. Please accept it. Please change it.
Resignation means leaving your membership, your board of directors, and your seat at the table. Accepting it means surrendering to the status quo. You grumble under your breath, frustrated with the direction things are going, but remind yourself that this isn’t your fight and there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
That is the option of “living as is”. That’s natural, but it’s also a choice that won’t change anything.
But there is a third and more powerful option. It’s about changing.
Steer the ship if you don’t like the direction
If you think the NAR has lost its way, instead of standing on the dock and shouting at the boat, get on board and grab an oar.
Change doesn’t come from Facebook rants or office gossip. It comes from actions like joining local government leadership, running for committee, attending meetings, and petitioning for reform.
If you think companies like Zillow have too much power, the answer isn’t to complain online. Because it affects the policies and data sharing practices that allowed it. Real change will only come from real estate agents who step into that arena and lead.
We are indispensable, so let’s act like it.
We are not powerless. We are an essential part of buyers, sellers, and communities everywhere. Every day, we guide families through some of life’s biggest financial and emotional moments. For most people, it’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 organizations that represent us. NAR is only as strong as our members, and its future depends on our collective leadership.
Please don’t just complain. contribute
Complaining will not change the policy or improve professionalism. It drains energy and erodes trust.
All the time spent condemning instead of building gives more power to those who want real estate agents to be undermined or replaced. And given everything our industry has been through, including lawsuits, media scrutiny, and changing consumer perceptions, we cannot continue to tear ourselves apart from within.
This settlement may have reshaped how we operate, but it has not erased who we are. We are still fiduciaries. We are still advocates for homeownership. We are still professionals who make the American Dream a reality.
conclusion
If you don’t like the direction NAR is heading, be part of the committee that will make a difference. If you don’t like the rules, join us in writing better ones. If you don’t like the way the public views real estate agents, help change the narrative.
Because, again, the truth is: We are NAR, and if we want to make NAR better, stronger, and more reliable, it starts with us.
So to all the complainers out there, stop complaining and start making the changes you want. 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.
