Charting the Future of NAR: An Update to Members
Open letter from Nykia Wright, CEO of the National Association of REALTORS®
REALTORS®,
As CEO of the National Association of REALTORS®, I am committed to leading this organization with transparency, accountability, discipline and focus.
That commitment is not just a guiding principle or a tagline. It’s at the foundation of every effort we make to rebuild trust and reimagine how this association can serve you better or help you get you to your next transaction.
In that spirit of transparency, I want to update you on our progress to transform this organization.
Listening First: Crafting a Strategic Plan Grounded in Member Input
Before we can make change, we must listen and learn. Throughout 2025, the association’s leadership has solicited feedback from more than 100,000 NAR members through forums, surveys and focus groups. We’ve met with hundreds of real estate industry leaders—from large enterprise firms to regional brokerages—and we’ve empowered state and local association executives to host broker summits of their own. We will continue to meet with members and leaders from across the industry to share our progress on transforming the association and consistently receive feedback on our work.
While time consuming, that effort has been time well spent. We aim to ensure that every voice, in every corner of the industry, has a chance to be heard. This process is guiding the development of NAR’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, which will chart the course for how the association modernizes, operates and serves members in the years ahead.
Our goal is simple: to ensure there are no surprises about NAR’s direction and intention. Transparency is not a one-time effort; it’s the new normal.
Setting the Standard: Delivering on Our Value Proposition
Every organization must be clear about its purpose—especially during times of change.
At the heart of our transformation is a renewed focus on member experience. That’s why the 2026–2028 Strategic Plan will have a new Value Proposition that’s centered on you.
NAR’s Value Proposition for 2026–2028:
“NAR empowers REALTORS® by helping them thrive in their businesses. It achieves this goal by advocating on their behalf, providing market intelligence and research tools, offering professional development and education, maintaining high standards, and elevating the REALTOR® brand. By supporting REALTORS®, NAR protects and advances the right of Americans to own real estate.”
This statement reinforces that everything NAR does should be relentlessly focused on member success—whether through advocacy that defends and advances the industry, tools and education that sharpen competitiveness, or data and insights that make REALTORS® indispensable in every market.
To accomplish this, the Strategic Plan will build a better member experience and modernize the association. Some of the major projects within the strategic plan will include:
- Overhauling our financial systems to enhance processes, strengthen audit capabilities and increase transparency
- Managing legal risks
- Modernizing legacy systems and increasing efficiencies by using the latest technology and AI across budgeting, contracting, operations, member support and more
- Elevating the REALTOR® brand value and visibility through social media, national storytelling and an overhaul of the NAR consumer ad campaign
- Refreshing the new member onboarding experience
- Enhancing dynamic dashboards that offer real-time market insights exclusive to members, in collaboration with RPR
Increasing Fiscal Transparency With a 2025 Annual Report
For the first time, NAR is publishing an Annual Report. This report will add additional context to our 2024 990 filing, include details on NAR’s operations and priorities throughout 2025, and outline our goals for 2026.
The report will provide valuable information about how NAR is staying accountable to its members, the industry and consumers and how it operates with the highest levels of financial diligence. It will not resemble a publicly traded corporate financial statement, but it will represent a new level of transparency for NAR.
Next Steps
The work of transformation is ongoing—and it belongs to all of us. The combination of our annual report and strategic plan will provide an unprecedented level of transparency into how the association is currently situated and where it’s going. We are eager to share more information about both of these when they are finalized.
Equally important, we will continue to listen to inform what we do and enhance how we operate on your behalf. Like our commitment to transparency, our listening and learning will not stop—it’s another part of the new normal at NAR.
I look forward to hearing more from you about how NAR can enhance the value we provide members, the industry and consumers.
To every REALTOR® who shared their ideas, feedback and critiques, thank you. To those who haven’t yet had the opportunity, we’re listening. Reach out. Participate. Be heard.
In my short but intense tenure at NAR, I have learned that our greatest strength is our members. If we continue to work together, we will build an association that reflects the professionalism, resilience and leadership that real estate professionals who are REALTORS® bring to our communities.
Thank you,
Nykia Wright
