The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a resolution with Phoenix Realtors regarding the Arizona-based group’s MLS Choice program that enabled brokers to offer their agents access both the MLS and legal forms outside of the traditional three-tier membership system of local, state and national associations,
NAR released a statement declaring that Phoenix realtors eliminated the MLS Choice membership option, although it will continue to offer non-realtors access to the Arizona multiple listing service – which it has done since 1996. Phoenix Realtors also be able to offer “certain products and services to non-realtor licensees who purchase non-member MLS Access,” NAR added.
“This matter was never about MLS access, and NAR policy on this has not changed,” said the organization in its statement. “Phoenix Realtors ARMLS is and has long been open to non-realtors. MLSs have local discretion to determine individual participation requirements based on their market and applicable law.”
NAR, which threatened to revoke the Arizona group’s charter, also offered a statement attributed to Phoenix Realtors that said the two organizations “worked together to clarify the marketing around MLS Choice and introduce an updated offering. The updated offering is known as ‘non-member MLS access,’ which will eliminate any further confusion and make clear what the subscription option entails.”
Phoenix Realtors’ statement added that it “remains committed to the realtors’ brand, the three-way agreement, and the benefits made possible by the relationship between the Phoenix association, Arizona Association of Realtors and NAR. This outcome supports both Phoenix Realtors’ and NAR’s ultimate goal of helping realtors members succeed and the real estate industry at large thrive.”
If licensees are held accountable to the listing data they upload, and, they rely on their state laws of agency for mutual trust in the data and to ensure adherence to ethics and licensees pay to enter “their” info, WHY SHOULD NON-LICENSED MEMBERSHIPS BE PERMITTED?
Zillow and Realtor.com should never have been allowed to be members.
Realtors should not be left with the cost of memberships, the license requirements and enforcement to provide accurate information, and just give it away!
You don’t understand the differences. The MLSs must provide access to licensed Brokers, who pay for that access, and don’t want to be members of NAR, otherwise they will be sued back to the stone age.
The people employed by NAR are the only reason it exists. Non-member versus MLS choice? Really? So silly.
Totally agree. I am one of those “non-Member MLS” agents. It’s semantics. A silly name change. I would think NAR has better ways to spend member dues on legal scuffles. This was an act of intimidation. They wanted to scare people away and get the news/media coverage to put doubt in agent’s minds. More associations should do this. If NAR really offered so many benefits, then they wouldn’t have to threaten.
NAR – the members do not have a voice, discussion or vote on vital “Settlements” and they are just a place for their leaders and lawyers to take money from dues paying members only! We are so disgusted with NAR!
AGREED!!!!!
The NAR caved to the “Buyer/Broker” arrangement. I have submitted the 8 page representative (Including the “Non-Binding” agreement) to several potential clients and to date NO ONE was willing to sign. And GOOD luck attempting to collect a commission from a buyer. The NAR lawyers didn’t even bother to appeal the ruling in court, and instead walked away with their tail between their legs.
Like many professional associations, technology has rendered the information services and regulatory functions of the NAR essentially useless. Using “membership” to limit access to information and control business activity degrades the real estate industry.
When NAR talks, I hear two things. Blah, blah and Yada, yada. I am so frustrated that I pay
them to double speak with forked tongue. The worst part of it is that at no time, even though I pay their salary, have I been asked my thoughts. Here they are anyway. Go away,
please, just go away NAR.
The NAR does not want competition!
Why does the “Warren Group “
Have access to all our hard work of inputting homes for sale and sells our hard work to investors (?
Why? So the investors know where to invest based on the analytics that we input!
Don’t believe me look up the company and see for yourselves.. sooo angered me!