The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced the departure of Katherine “Katie” Johnson as chief legal officer and chief member experience officer.
The daughter of two realtors, Johnson joined NAR in October 2007 as an associate counsel and was promoted to general counsel and senior vice president in February 2014. She was named chief member experience officer in July 2018 and chief legal officer in March 2023. As chief legal officer, Johnson was often front and center in explaining how NAR was handling the multiple lawsuits it faced.
Johnson received her undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati, Master of Law from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, and Juris Doctorate from Cardozo School of Law. Last year, she was named a fellow by the American Bar Association.
NAR did not state if Johnson was leaving for another opportunity. In a statement to Weekly Real Estate News, a NAR spokesperson said,” “Katie Johnson is stepping down as chief legal officer and chief member experience officer after 17 years of dedicated service to NAR. Having joined NAR in 2007, Katie has spent the bulk of her career committed to fulfilling NAR’s mission to make homeownership a reality for all Americans. We are grateful for her service. As we make this transition, our priority is ensuring business continuity and remaining laser focused on shepherding NAR through this time of significant industry change.”
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She did such a great job on a lawsuit she should have won.
That makes absolutely no sense.
It’s called sarcasm.
Incompetent Lazy Idiot.She screwed hundred of thousands of Realtors by bending over and accepting those scam lawsuits and throwing ALL OF US under the bus. Hard enough to sell homes, and now unless you have the listing we have to convince Buyers, some that we met recently, to sign ridiculous showing and commission agreements!!
Imagine just telling a new prospective buyer to sign a document stating if he or she buys that particular property, that THEY, the buyer, has to pay our Commission.
OUR COMMISSION!! I wish that Jerk gets disbarred and loses her house to Foreclosure. THIEF!!!
You sir, should take a seat and be quiet, as your ignorance of the real estate business in general and of the incredible legacy that Katie Johnson has left behind, not withstanding some unpopular decisions that she had to make by settling many of the recent lawsuits rather than spending more of out money trying to defend them – all because of a bad judicial and jury finding in Burnett. To those in the profession, it defies logic to understand the allegations put forth against the Realtor organization. But to blame Katie Johnson for trying not to throw the baby out with the bath water is plain reckless on your part.
Additionally, you have no one to blame but yourself and maybe your Broker for not running your business as a real estate licensee properly. Regulations surrounding designated agency have been on the books in most states for more than 10 or 15 years now. Buyer agency is not new. If you were foolish enough to ever take a buyer out without an exclusive buyer agency agreement, then Shame On You. I hope many of your buyer customers used multiple agents to show them the same property and I hope you tried to file a grievance for procuring cause and the buyer side of the commission; because you would have lost every single time without proof of the existence of a signed exclusive buyer agency agreement. As I used to tell my agents, “if you need a listing agreement to set forth the contractual obligations between the brokerage and a seller, then why wouldn’t you do the same with a buyer who is probably going to make you show her 30 homes, at which point you find that “your” buyer showed up unaccompanied at an open house that you told her about and the listing agent helps her with writing up an offer because “there are already offers coming in” (the old double dip scenario); or that buyer finally decides to have you write up an offer which not only is accepted, but shortly afterwards, you receive an email from your client that their sister in law in a far away state wants a “referral fee” from you.
In both cases without that Exclusive Buyer’s Agency Agreement, you can kiss that commission goodbye. And for that buyer that drags you around half the state, looking at properties she can’t afford, for months on end and then finally decides to have you write up an offer on a boarded up home, with an offer of compensation to the buyer agent of 1.5 apples, wouldn’t you have been happier if you had a piece of paper that says “my fee for professional services is $100 per hour and you (the buyer) agree to reimburse me for all mileage in excess of 20 miles for each showing; said fee shall be billed to you every 45 days and payment is expected within 10 days. No further research, advise or showings will be made until payment is received in full (remember that my brokerage is entitled to the buyer side commission of any property that I have introduced to you for a period of 60 days after the termination or expiation of this exclusive buyer agency agreement); should you purchase a property through my brokerage, we will return X% in the form of a credit towards your closing costs.” Alternatively, how about stating “ our fee for professional services shall be 3.5 % of the accepted offer price of your new home (I.e. before reductions in the purchase price because of negotiations made after the inspection, etc.). I aim to receive said remuneration from the offer of compensation made by the seller (or you acknowledge that you may request the seller to pay brokerage this fee as part of your written offer to purchase. If the offer of compensation from the seller is less than 3.5% of the offer price, or if the seller does not agree to pay our fee, then you (the buyer) agree to compensate brokerage for any difference prior to, or as a condition to be cleared at closing.” (Yes, I am fully aware that a commission in real estate is not earned until closing. A professional fee does not necessarily have to be “earned” only upon a closing, however). “If however, the seller’s offer of compensation is more than 3.5% (or whatever fee my brokerage charges), then we agree to provide you a credit for the difference at the time of closing.”
See what you’ve been missing out on? Instead of being bitter and talking nonsense about things you know nothing about, try getting serious about the business of real estate. Otherwise, go work for one of the food delivery companies. At least there if you don’t get paid for your efforts, you get to eat a cold hamburger and fries.
Very long winded Martin.
Not very convincing.
I totally agree with Rodger Martin must be related or has a personal relationship bc it is long winded with no sense of being a true hard working realtor buyers are thrown under the bus period !
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Blah blah blah. I didn’t even read all you BS. The truth is NAR screwed us she’s part of it. They should all GO. Including you. I’m a great realtor and according to your comment at the start, you think you’re perfect, Miss, you need to take a back seat with you typing. And maybe your license. Bye bye.
Based on the length of the attack narrative, wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that “Martin” (If that’s a real name) is a paid member of the National Realtor’s board. I’ve been in Real Estate for a real long time, tried to present the Buyer Agency Agreement to several potential buyers along the way and in every case they refused to sign. Now we want a total stranger to sign an 8 page “Exclusive” agreement to pay a commission at closing? Good luck “Martin”, maybe it’s YOU that should find a job at Walmart.
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wow. sounds like you are ready and willing to go down with the nar similar to the Titanic. you can read up on the captain of the Titanic and his willingness after he hit the iceberg to go down with his ship. enjoy your ride down to the bottom, I for one have given up on nar and have no desire to be any part of it. thank God my state doesn’t require belonging. hope you enjoy paying your fees to these creeps.
How could we get my state (Virginia) to make NAR participation optional?
Martin, try suing someone for your comission on that dumb document. Or going after a broker who has a buyer’s agreeement with an accepted offer and closing. Or even knowing if your buyer signed another agreement with another real estate agent. It’s worthless. It is less transperent now because commissions arent published. Double talk. Either way it doesn’t make a bit of difference until someone buys something. How about the states that dual agency is illegal? This lawsuit should have never gotten to jury trial and would have been easy to defend and get thrown out beforehand. No money spent.
You make many unfounded assumptions about what someone is or is not doing in their business and what NAR has done or is doing for them or to them. And overstate their importance grossly.
We are having a great year this year despite the incompetence of this organization.
A partner and I have done real estate in several countries outside the US, Mexico, South America, Europe, and Asia. Even in Nepal, you get paid 3% for acting as an agent and brokering a transaction. NAR had nothing to do with that.
I have been in the top 1/10th of 1% for decades. My company, which I own with partners, is in the top 15 nationally.
I have no use for NAR and havent’ for many years.. Their overreach into our personal lives is a big deal for me when they tell me what I can and cannot say outside of my job as a broker or agent. If I am giving a sermon at church I am going to speak out about the evils of transgenderism, homosexuality, infidelity etc. Yet NAR has said that ” I can’t”.
Tossing without warning companies like ours under the bus because we are the most successful in the industry closing over 2BN a year, was shameful, and I don’t care if it was to save their collective butt or not. It wasn’t moral.
Their junkets, trips, etc. are more expensive for leadership than they should have been, even in slow markets, etc.
Now, among my brokers who are partners and work for me, I have a past president of NAR and several board members, so I think I have a pretty good idea of what is going on currently.
“Most” of the lobby efforts are fine with me, and I would support that continuing. But I am done with the attempt to control agents’ lives and businesses. I am done with codes of ethics that are not needed in today’s world and are enforced arbitrarily. I am done with people who have lost touch with the majority of agents on the ground and has become a good ole boys club.
In fact, “personally,” and I mean just me, not the other owners of my company, I would not be against suing them for damages caused by this suit, their high-handed handling of it, and the copycat suits that keep coming forth.
They may have served a purpose and did so for a time, like the Teamsters. But that time of total control is past, and we are here in this situation because they told everyone what to do and how to run their business collectively in each state with little thought to what ramifications that would have in different areas.
Just like when the Teamsters lost their hold after Hoffa, the workers still survived and made a living, and so would real estate without NAR.
Amazing how some fools like you Martin can defend the incompetence of
Katie Johnson. IT WAS NOT BROKEN, SO WHY DID THESE ASSHOLES TRY TO FIX IT???!!??
She And her Cronies BETRAYED Hard working Honest Realtors and Shoved the totally unnecessary and Shameful documentation forcing buyers to sign ANYTHING before we show them a house.ONE FOR EACH individual property!!! Every Realtor in this country knows That Buyers care first about being shown a property, with an obligation to only the realtor that can bring it to their attention regardless if they know that realtor for 20 years or 20 minutes. That’s one of the ways we Listing agents turn potential buyers that call us directly into our clients, They may not like our listing once they view it, but are willing to come and visit other properties WITH US, without having to start signing a bunch of Garbage.The minute we walk in to that other house the listing agent ( that usually know us from name and brand and previous Transactions) Understands that potential buyer at that moment is OUR CLIENT, without any signed agreement. Real Estate is a dog eat dog business, and all the seller and listing agent cares about is WHO AND HOW FAST someone came to visit the property regardless of WHO brought that buyer there. And then, NAR and this TRAITOR Johnson came up with eliminating Commission system and Structure that WORKED for years and UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATE matters with forcing the buyer to sign another document that he or her will pay selling Side’s Commission!!!!!!
DEALBREAKER!!!!!
She sold us out!!
Surely your not real??
AMEN!!!! People want to do what’s comfortable for THEM. As a newer/“part time” agent, these are habits and practices that should’ve been the bedrock of ANY interaction with buyers.
My first “trainer/mentor” told me….” I usually don’t make anyone sign anything until they get ready to make an offer. It makes some people uncomfortable.”
I’ve been burned many times and have learned some painful and costly lessons. Not trying to cut corners, just not wanting to “put pressure on people!”
Protect yourself and your business at all times. Some agents don’t want to hear the truth. It’s much easier to pout and point fingers than to hold ourselves accountable. When we know better, we must DO better.
Franco clearly doesn’t understand that transaction has always paid his fee and the buyer has always brought the funds to the transaction. The seller has always been told how to distribute the funds. All that has changed is the seller gets a choice on how they want to distribute the funds because the buyer has to ask them, in contract, to agree. The buyers agent is now protected against this bilateral agreement with their own bilateral agreement.
I would largely agree with that premise based on a general and not specific view.
She did screw over many of us and did so with no warning. If your brokerage closes over 2B in sales a year you were tossed to the wolves to save the collective NAR butt so to speak.
I have not liked NAR for more than a decade and have lobbied for the ability to get MLS access without the necessity of joining this organization as has been done in CO, CA, WA, OR, etc.
They stepped over the line when they told agents what they could and could not say in private and when not practicing real estate.
Their trips were excessively expensive for leadership and they never seem to truly have the well being of the membership at heart. Just the usually liberal twaddle and give us your money.
The one thing they have done somewhat well at is lobbying. I would get rid of NAR in a heartbeat but would support the Lobby efforts alone.
I’ve never have a prospective buyer sign an agreement to purchase with me. If my services from first meeting to closing was not enough to convince them I would do a good job for them, then I didn’t deserve their business. In over 20 years of being a licensed realtor, I’ve only had one potential client purchase through someone else – but not even a home I showed!
When I list a property now, in the confidential comments, I write, “Showing realtors are Appreciated” and hopefully, they understand what I’m trying to convey.
What other business person doesn’t know if they’ll will be paid for doing their job?
Great job!!! She screwed all of US, Realtors in this Country paying a lot of $ every year!! She should resigned before they make that bad deal for us!! With the $ we pay, NAR should have better Lawyers!!
bye -bye….. don’t get ran over by the bus you pushed all the nar members in front of. no thank you for your service… it was worthless
I can understand why she is either running from the job or has been run out of the job, if she is the person giving advice to the NAR as to caving on those idiotic lawsuits.
She hastened the demise of Realtor respect for the NAR.
I wonder if her exit has to do with the dei hire of the new ceo of nar, who has zero experience on her resume in real estate who also pushed for the settlement.
She should have resigned long ago. Too late for those of us she threw under the bus!
She’s a worthless asshole! She got hers F everyone else! She deserves every bit of misery in life!
Amen to that Jay!
She’s a Piece of SHIT!
She and the other assholes that accepted that Ripoff Settlement that HAS and WILL cost tens of thousands of Honest Hard working Realtors a huge chunk of our income.!!
We have families and expenses and obligations just like most people have. We Realtors DO NOT have guaranteed Salaries!!
Our Commission is our only Income, and this Bitch messed with our income, BIG TIME.
That’s unacceptable and UNFORGIVABLE!!
She was in way over her head!
She will probably go work for the DOJ
Craig, don’t be an idiot.
Either you resign or we’ll fire you. Your choice.
If she was at helm during the lawsuit, its better that she leave. This could have been resolved in a much better logical way.
Good good riddance, after destroying the profession that she was supposed to see over! She didn’t allow any of the members to confer, voice or vote on the crap settlement that has hurt all Buyers and Realtors! I’m sure she’ll take her millions and run!!!
NAR is about to become irrelevant anyway with the REALTORS they have swindled for years.
Well said!
Go look at the money these people are making and the steady flow of cash that comes in from our fees. Then look at what they have done for us over the years, and especially with the commission lawsuits, which are far from over. They are going to bleed us dry. We need an alternative to the NAR and we need it now. We pay into the association and they run it into the ground…then walk away.
This is a lot like government. When someone screws up there are never any repercussions. When crap catches up with you, out the door. Bob Goldberg was making almost $2.6 million. Nykia Wright is now “permanent” CEO, with no real estate experience. She worked for the Chicago Sun Times. Do they ever print newspapers any more?Again I compare NAR leadership to our government leadership. Out of touch. Overpaid. Helping themselves first, members last.
Well Mike, you’re totally right about the “moneyed elite” of the NAR, but totally inappropriate, really stretching, in your comments about “the government”.
Bruce: Have you ever worked for/with the government – Mike is ‘Spot-on! Check out the US Postal system, forever in the Red; then check out UPS &/or Fed/Ex, moneymakers and what a difference. Anything the government touches is a jumbo albatross……
Spot on regarding the givernment. Always beware if someone comes to your door and says, “We’re here from the government to help you.” Slam the door shut.
I am so disappointed in our NAR legal staff for letting the situation get out of hand. The whole premise was based on “fake news” that the seller was paying for things they were not aware of. Our local association attorney would have done better. Once again, the misguided actions of a very few has resulted in major shift in how we do business and has actually resulted in less transparency for our clients.
Been in the Business for 45 + years. Any potential buyer that I have spoken to has refused to sign the ridiculous 8 page “Exclusive Buyer-Broker” document when presented to them. Now that the the Seller is longer required to pay the selling broker that has spent months working with a buyer WE WON’T GET PAID. Talked to at least 15 other long term Brokers that I know, SAME SITUATION. Now the Sellers are getting solicited by “discount brokers” that are offering 1% or less than that in flat fees. The Realtor’s Associations have shot them selves in the foot and will lose members in droves. This “Attorney” that just quit has ruined the industry, along with the overpaid “Officers” who will soon be out of a job!
Been in the Business for over 45 years. Any potential buyer that I have spoken to has refused to sign the ridiculous 8 page “Exclusive Buyer-Broker” document when presented to them. Now that the the Seller is no longer required to pay the selling broker (that has spent months working with a buyer) WE WON’T GET PAID. Talked to at least 15 other long term Brokers that I know, SAME SITUATION. Now the Sellers are getting solicited by “discount brokers” that are offering 1% or less than that in flat fees. The Realtor’s Associations have shot themselves in the foot and will lose members in droves. This “Attorney” that just quit has ruined the industry, along with the overpaid “Officers” who will soon be out of a job!
NAR and CAR have crumbled under the pressures exerted by who knows
All I can say is after almost 40 yrs these two organizations are not serving the needs of either Realtors Nor the rights of private property ownership. Look. If we don’t have an organization which believes in the right of individuals to own private property, we won’t have jobs. Listen to the media and they are chiming in about how young people should rent. Hummm wonder which socialist playbook they got that from.
We need to wake up. NAR and CAR have sold us out. We have to pay to be relevant and they put the screws to us with our own hard earned dollars.
I concur that we need a new type association for our membership and it needs to be built from the group up asap.
NAR & CAR are no longer relevant to our business. The executives reward themselves with large salaries from our dues and then when they screwup they resign leaving us holding the bag. I think the local boards are about worthless as well. We have over 1 million Realtors in the US, that’s a big number, we can do better, we should organize on behalf of ourselves. I say “NO, NO, NAR!”
The NAR is out for itself! The irreparable harm it has done to us is criminal! We need a new agent based group and soon. What benefit has the NAR provided over the last forty years? Especially the last ten to fifteen. They sold us down the river!
Best of luck Katie in your future work & happiness and thank you for everything you worked so hard for to help us Realtors..much appreciated here.It’s not easy to please everyone.
Maybe she should have consulted with her parents about what this ridiculous settlement actually does to agents. If you don’t think it’s fair that buyers don’t know what the commission offered percentage is, put the percentages on the customer page of the MLS. This simple, add the commission amount offered so everyone can see instead of this ridiculous new commission program.
She should be running from a potential class action lawsuit by the over 2 million members who she basically screwed, while potentially destroying the NAR. I’m not the only one looking at other potential options than having to join the NAR as opposed to another Association.
I Have Over 40 years in a Business I Love.
Forcing a Buyer to Sign a 3 to 8 (Really, 8) Page Legal Document With Real Consequences Before SHOWING a House or Land is Ludicrous.
I Have Never Required a Buyer Work With Me.
I Closed 4 Deals for 1.4 mill a few months ago.
It’s Not Like I’m Sleeping.
All Before This Travesty Came Down.
Do You Think Katherine Johnson and the Other Mucks at the nar Feel Our Pain. Now They Run Away.
It’s Proven a Worthless Association that Pays Itself Handsomely, While Cratering a Fantastic Career Choice for Thousands of People.
Hiring a PERMANENT CEO, Really, This Is Not the Supreme Court …
Forcing This Exorbitant and Anti Business Settlement Down our Throats …
Imposing $1000 to $3000 Fines for Not Lockstepping to Their Rules and Laws …
And They’ll Want Their Dues in a Few Months.
They Said No Dues Increases the Next 2 Years … What Happens Then ?
How Do We Eliminate This Anchor to OUR Business ?
Katie Johnson and her NAR Cronies sold us down the river without consulting her constituents (us as realtors). Who was she representing, the Seller(s) who filed the lawsuit), NAR or us as realtors. It is quite obvious that the settlement only satisfied a small number of Sellers most of whom made money on their sales due to the hard work of Buyers’ and sellers’ agents. That NAR and Ms. Johnson caved due to these frivolous lawsuits is criminal. It has affected the livelihood of thousands of realtors. NAR Legal and Ms. Johnson should have at the very lease discussed how the settlement would affect the real estate industry before capitulating. At the very least, NAR and Legal should have been our advocate arguing the case on our behalf. They have failed in their duty to the realtors who had looked up to them to advance our interests. We need to get rid of NAR and establish our own Association who will look out for our interests.
She did a poor job! I could not believe how early they just caved on a baseless lawsuit. Commissions have always been negotiable, there was ample proof of that. Besides, the Buyer was already paying the commissions in the house price they were paying. They allowed the stupid headlines about ‘greedy’ realtors in the media to prevail. Our job is now more difficult but we will get it done. I just tell my Buyers, hey you were already paying this. Greedy Sellers not offering anything will find out that does not work too well.
Yep, NAR is an anchor. I expressed my reluctance 13 years ago when my local board required me to join NAR.
Huge red flag when/how the sexual harassment lawsuit was handled. Then, the new replacement Pres. resigned under partially disclosed circumstances & hints of extortion.
NAR panders to their biggest single contributors, hires political influencers on their behalf, attempts to steer individual member’s political votes. UGH!
As realtors we need to organize & regroup. As independent contractors, we should not be tied to NAR.
Meantime:
Please Do Not contribute to REPAC, do NOT allow anyone to steer your political vote. Whenever possible, pay the dues you need to function on the last day possible. Utilize pocket listings whenever possible. Let you local board know you are not drinking the
koolade.
Yes, NAR is an embarrassment to hard working real estate agents who put their customers above themselves over and over in our profession. I sat through the ethics class recently and seriously am offended that this organization who practiced such blatant racism (the birth of the Thompson Broker in 1991) has the audacity to tell me how I need to be a decent human being. Check yourself. You have failed us all NAR. Hoping desperately for an alternate option. I always use BBA’s so that’s not the rub with me – it’s the throwing in the towel and making us look guilty of something that is appalling and against my very faith. We need to clean house and get rid of this “anchor” as someone in the thread put it.
Check out: Thompson v. Dekalb County Board of REALTORS®
Then we have all these other scandals that are unacceptable. How did we get here?
She lost a case that should have been easily won. Now realtors in the business suffer the consequences. She opened the door for more frivolous lawsuits. It will be never ending now.
Yes, NAR threw Real Estate Agents under the bus. The question is, what are we all going to do about it other than complain? We need to take action! We all need to get our Brokers to put the pressure on all the MLS’s to allow us access without requiring that we are members of NAR and the local board! We also need to get our Brokers and all MLS’s to stop allowing listings and all our data to be displayed in Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and other real estate websites. Back in the 1990’s, before our listings & data were all over the internet, Buyers and Sellers felt we had value. Now, they think they can find anything on their own and that decreased our value in the eyes of the consumer. This is probably part of the reason why all these lawsuits started. Now one of the plaintiffs of the original lawsuit has started a new company offering flat fee service to buyers.
Totally incompetent. Rumor had it the staff hated her and tried to get her fired a year ago. It is her fault and the new CEO for the mess we are in now. That law suit should have been dismissed. It was faulty on every level. Now we are all paying for her incompetence. She should have been a better attorney and not so woke.
Our individual states determine how we are licensed and what rules we must follow. Why do we need a national association? I’ve long wondered what purpose NAR serves. It’s time for membership in NAR to be optional. Those who feel there’s value can join, those who feel there’s no value don’t have to join.
Totally agree
The NAR recognized that arguing against the premise that each party (Buyer and Seller) shoud pay for their own representation was a losing proposition. It is such a simple argument: A Seller is quite willing to pay their agent (listing) who is duty bound to represent the Seller’s best interest, but why should the Seller pay the Buyer’s agent – whose job is to negotiate against him? The only reason that dynamic existed is because of anti-competitive rules and practices that required co-operative compensation as a condition to listing on the MLS. The solution is easy – If you want the Seller to offer Buyer agent compensation, incorporate it in the purchase offer.
Jean G.
Thank you for effectively pointing out how simple the issue really is. Why should / would a seller set the fee for a buyers agent whose job it is to negotiate against them and the listing agent they hired? To add insult to this practice, the seller is told by the listing agent they hired that you HAVE to set the ”cooperating compensation” high to “properly incentivize” the buyers agent – or they will not show your property!
An argument can easily be made that the NAR staff gets paid excessive compensation – but there is NO way they could provide a defense for the practice of the listing agent setting the buyers agent fee without consent from the seller or the buyer.
Negotiate your fee with your buyer – incorporate your buyer agent compensation in your offer.
Full transparency!