NAR Pretends Like It Has Power

A reader sent me this document from NAR: Guidelines for REALTOR® Associations: Providing Products and Services to Non-Members. Obviously, this is a response to the Phoenix Association of Realtors doing their totally-not-local-membership-membership thing. I’m just getting to it now, because… well, other things caught my interest first.

I assume these guidelines are one result of Phoenix Realtors “surrendering” to NAR. I put that in quotes because… well… the corporate industry press has been covering this story as a victory for NAR.

For example, here’s Real Estate News:

With its charter on the line, Phoenix Realtors has dropped its MLS Choice program, which allowed non-Realtors to pay half the price of a regular membership and access the MLS plus other products including transaction forms.

The move brings the Phoenix association "back into compliance with NAR's Constitution and Bylaws," the National Association of Realtors said in a statement released today. It also ends the charter revocation proceedings NAR launched in December 2024.

The headline? “Under pressure from NAR, Phoenix Realtors cuts MLS Choice.”

RISMedia says they “reach agreement” but portrays it thus:

NAR announced on Friday that it reached a resolution with Phoenix REALTORS® to bring the local association back into compliance with NAR’s Constitution and Bylaws, allowing the local association to retain its charter.

“Back into compliance” and “allowing the local association to retain its charter.”

One local Association headlined their article “Phoenix Realtors Comes Into Compliance With NAR Constitution and Bylaws.”

We haven’t heard much in the way of protest from Phoenix Realtors, which is suggestive. Since the substance of what they agreed to was very much not what the impression you’re supposed to take away is, I’m chalking this up to Phoenix Realtors deciding they’d rather let NAR pretend like it won, pretend like it has power, while they go and do what it was that they wanted to do anyhow.

I don’t think other locals are fooled. In the story about the emperor’s new clothes, there comes a point where the emperor suspects that he’s actually naked, but carries on for the sake of appearances. We’re pretty close to that point now.

These guidelines are the evidence. Locals and their brokers would be wise to pay attention.