In the third quarter, NAR helped deliver historic federal housing legislation and put new tools, research and resources in members' hands. The result is a stronger, safer and more transparent industry for the professionals who power it and the consumers they serve.

Following two years of sustained lobbying by NAR, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law, setting the stage for more housing supply and greater affordability in communities nationwide. The housing finance system moved closer to recognizing more qualified borrowers through credit score modernization, and bipartisan support grew for updating the home equity tax for the first time since 1997 to help unlock inventory.

NAR also brought clarity and stability to a marketplace navigating change. Through sustained engagement with MLS leaders, brokers, association executives and agents and new guidance on evolving marketing practices, NAR reinforced the MLS transparency and cooperation buyers and sellers depend on, while federal appeals courts upheld rulings supporting NAR’s MLS policies. At the same time, NAR took on one of the fastest-growing threats facing the industry—frud—by helping practitioners and consumers spot warning signs earlier and making member accounts harder to compromise.

NAR also turned its industry reach into practical support for members—connecting directly with thousands of brokers to understand the challenges facing their firms and drawing on its ability to gather and analyze real estate data at scale. In Q3, that work put market intelligence and actionable insight at the fingertips of residential and commercial practitioners, strengthening the expertise and professionalism clients count on from REALTORS®.

Each achievement is part of a broader, connected effort to expand housing opportunity, ensure integrity in the market and throughout the transaction, and give members the insight and support to grow their business.

View the full report on NAR's Third Quarter Progress webpage.

Bringing MLSs Together

Goal: Protect and promote transparency in a pro-competitive market with data integrity and respect for local market discretion. Members need a clear, transparent and consistent marketplace to best service their clients. Agents, brokers, MLSs and associations are grappling with the future of market transparency and cooperation. NAR is uniquely positioned to convene MLSs, associations, policymakers, and industry leaders to provide support that benefits members and the clients they serve by answering their pressing questions about MLS policies through the development of practical, easy to digest resources.

Q3 Progress

• Expanded MLS executive engagement, bringing the total number of MLS executives contacted to nearly 500, and formed the new MLS Work Group, consisting of MLS leaders, brokers, and association executives. NAR sits at the center of the MLS conversation through standing calls and one-on-one meetings with MLS executives, MLS board members, brokers, association leaders and policy experts. This sustained outreach gives MLS leaders and participants across the ecosystem regular opportunities to share market-specific perspectives, identify emerging operational and policy challenges, and help NAR better understand where additional guidance, coordination, or resources are needed.
• Based on the insights gleaned from our expanded outreach, the Work Group is analyzing how to modernize MLS data policies to ensure they best serve agents, their clients, brokers, and MLSs. The Work Group is also providing guidance on MLS and member resources to navigate emerging market trends like the filtering of listings on IDX or VOW displays. By connecting broad MLS executive engagement with a focused group of industry experts, NAR is creating a stronger feedback loop between local market experience and national-level support, helping MLSs better serve their participants, subscribers, and the buyers and sellers they support while reinforcing a transparent, pro-competitive marketplace grounded in reliable data and local market discretion. 
• As a result of this work, NAR published resources to support a pro-competitive, transparent marketplace, including guidance on VOW compliance, office exclusives, pre-marketing and limited-exposure marketing. These resources give MLS executives and broker participants practical guidance to support transparency and competition as market practices evolve.

Implementing Historic Housing Law  to Improve Supply and Affordability

Goal: Advance policies at the local, state and national levels of government to support a resilient real estate economy and expand access to real estate ownership for future generations.

Q3 Progress

• Spearheaded a landmark bipartisan, veto-proof housing win with the historic 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which officially became law on July 11. The sweeping package includes nearly 50 measures designed to increase housing supply, improve affordability, expand access to homeownership, strengthen housing finance and support veterans. The victory is a result of two years of sustained advocacy by NAR and its members, including 10,000 meetings with policymakers, and it serves as a powerful example of how NAR’s research, policy expertise, relationships and nationwide member network drives meaningful housing solutions.
• Launched nationwide ROAD to Housing implementation effort to translate federal law into state and local impact. A dedicated NAR team is working with state and local associations as implementation moves forward to track progress. Members can follow the latest updates and access resources at ROAD.realtor.
• Secured additional funding and reopened applications for Community Development Advocacy Grants that expand housing opportunity and drive economic growth. State and local associations applied for grants that support local initiatives, including expanding housing opportunity, advancing fair housing, strengthening rural communities, creating welcoming public spaces and promoting smart growth. Grants are in high demand because they mobilize the resources that empower states and locals to turn national advocacy priorities into community-level solutions that expand housing opportunity and drive economic growth.
• Broadened bipartisan momentum for the More Homes on the Market Act, which would modernize the current home equity tax for the first time since 1997. The bill provides tax relief for millions of homeowners that will help to unlock inventory. NAR’s sustained advocacy has driven significant bipartisan support, with hundreds of policymakers including nearly one-third of the House and one-quarter of the Senate signed on as cosponsors.
• Secured another major credit score modernization win as the FHA announced it will accept VantageScore 4.0 and a new FICO score beginning in 2027. The decision builds on years of NAR lobbying to expand credit score competition and incorporate alternative data, helping open the door to homeownership for more qualified borrowers. Because the practical impact to clients will depend on lender implementation, NAR advised brokers to gain visibility into which lending partners their clients plan to use, how the new models impact potential homebuyers’ qualifications for mortgages, and how agents should discuss the changes with potential clients. Dedicated credit policy resources help members explain to clients how expanded credit scoring options for lenders can give additional qualified borrowers access to financing.
• Deepened dialogue with the Executive Branch on affordable health care options for real estate professionals. As the Department of Labor develops a proposed rule that could create a pathway for self-employed professionals to participate in Association Health Plans, NAR is urging policymakers to include real estate professionals and create a durable pathway members can rely on long term. As a part of these efforts, NAR has been regularly meeting with the White House, U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Protecting REALTORS® and Consumers  from Real Estate Fraud

Goal: Equip members, associations, brokers and consumers with knowledge and tools to recognize emerging threats, including:

• Payment and wire fraud,
• Identity and impersonation scams,
• Compromised email, and
• AI-enabled threats such as voice cloning and deepfakes.

Knowing how to spot real estate fraud protects sensitive information, such as financial data, login credentials, personal identification, and transaction details. This helps safeguard transactions to help members protect their clients and get to their next transaction with more confidence.

Q3 Progress

• Launched a centralized fraud prevention hub that helps REALTORS®, associations, and consumers recognize fraud risks at every stage of a transaction and access trusted guidance on prevention and reporting. The hub brings information and warning signs on common real estate fraud threats, such as wire fraud, mortgage fraud, title fraud, and cryptocurrency scams, into one place. This enables members to more easily identify warning signs, understand how different schemes can affect a transaction, and find guidance to help protect their clients and businesses. As fraud schemes evolve, NAR will continue adding and updating content so members have an ongoing resource for understanding new and emerging threats.
• Expanded fraud, cybersecurity, and AI-focused education, to help members understand both emerging technology and the potential risks that can accompany it. This included new NAR NXT programming sessions by Secret Service Special Agent George Benoit on stopping fraud before it starts, Google’s Suraj Rajdev sharing his thoughts on the intersection between AI and real estate, Ryan Serhant on his digital-first approach, and Cotality's John Rogers on the human’s role in incorporating AI into the industry. The August Broker Power Hour featured CertifID’s Tyler Adams on specific ways AI is changing fraud, including voice cloning and deepfake impersonation targeting agents, buyers, and sellers. In September, NAR hosted a webinar on Cybersecurity in the Age of AI to help members better understand how rapidly evolving technology is changing the cybersecurity and fraud landscape and why protecting sensitive information remains critical to their businesses, clients, and transactions.
• Produced a consumer guide focused on fraud protection, helping REALTORS® and consumers identify fraud warning signs earlier and reduce the risk of fraud disrupting a transaction. NAR’s consumer guides give members a practical tool they can put directly in clients’ hands, helping members to demonstrate their expertise and professionalism in client conversations. Members can use the guides to reinforce their own explanations, connect key points to a client’s situation and support follow-up discussions. Members can also add their own branding for a personalized resource current and potential clients can refer back to throughout the transaction. The downloadable guides complement members’ knowledge and professional judgment, helping clients understand risks, ask informed questions and make confident decisions.
• Connected members with technology designed to reduce risk through REACH, NAR’s tech accelerator program. NAR hosted REACH technology leaders on the Change Agents podcast to inform members about how to leverage technology and innovative solutions to reduce payment fraud, automate compliance review, and provide live dispatch monitoring to keep agents safe when showing homes or meeting new clients.

Connecting Commercial REALTORS® to Intelligence, Innovation & Insights

Goal: Improve how commercial practitioners access information, connections, and opportunities to drive success in their business. 

Q3 Progress

• Launched the Commercial Real Estate Demand Index, to help practitioners evaluate local economic conditions and see where demand is building across office, industrial, retail, and multifamily sectors.
• Expanded the member exclusive Metro Market Dashboard to track commercial real estate demand across retail, industrial, and office sectors at the metro level. This tool delivers monthly proprietary insights that help commercial practitioners understand where markets are moving and why.
• Released six Local Market Assessment Reports, giving practitioners targeted insights to identify foreign investment opportunities in their local markets and support business growth across NAR regions.
• Designed the Commercial Edge education track at NAR NXT™, a compilation of immersive programming that will give commercial practitioners direct access to influential industry leaders and ideas shaping the future of commercial real estate, including development, adaptive reuse, sustainability, AI, investment, land use, and more.
• Announced the 2026 REACH Commercial cohort via Second Century Ventures, connecting eight emerging proptech companies with NAR’s network of executives, investors, and developers to accelerate innovation and bring next-generation tools to commercial practitioners.
• Opened applications for the Commercial Services Accreditation, to recognize associations for their commitment to providing commercial services, engaging members and elevating the association as a resource for commercial real estate in the area.
• Opened applications for the National Commercial Awards, to honor REALTORS® for their exceptional service and contributions to the commercial real estate industry. This recognition spotlights members’ achievements and the high standard of professionalism they bring to the industry.

Partnering with Brokers to Build  Stronger, More Resilient Firms

Goal: Give brokers practical, ready-to-use support and information to strengthen their business, regardless of the size of their firm. Brokerage leaders are navigating compressed margins, lower transaction volume, legal and regulatory complexity, rapid technology change, and pressure to recruit and retain agents. With more than 80% of firms at 25 or fewer licensees, NAR must provide tangible business value, including free and affordable resources, timely legal and technology guidance, agent recruiting and retention tools, and market intelligence.

Q3 Progress

• NAR leadership has connected with more than 5,000 brokers at state and local Broker Summits in the second half of 2026. At the summits NAR and brokers examine business challenges and solutions, including NAR broker resources like the AI policy template for brokers and the MLS resources on coming soon listings. NAR is on track to participate in 80 broker events virtually or in person by the end of the year. These broker summits show the three-way agreement in action: local and state associations pinpoint the issues that matter most to brokers in their region, and NAR adds national data, expertise and context so brokers leave with insights they can put to work right away.
• Developed a national broker networking session, giving brokerage leaders a dedicated forum to connect with peers nationwide and exchange practical ideas on talent, operations and technology so they can enhance their business. The more than 460 broker participants engaged in interactive breakout sessions on strengthening agent retention and recruitment, using AI to modernize their brokerage and how to leverage new technology while maintaining compliance. Each offered members the opportunity to discuss challenges and resources, and walk away with practical tools. In a recruitment and retention session, for example, NAR’s REACH partner, courted.io, repeatedly surfaced as a solution to not only find talent, but identify when an agent may be thinking about leaving a brokerage.
• Created the Broker Power Track for NAR NXT, bringing brokerage owners together for focused programming on leadership, operations, talent retention and strategies for building stronger, more resilient firms. NAR’s 2026 broker survey identified the top two broker challenges as lead generation and agent recruitment and retention. The broker track content at NXT arms members with the tools and expertise to address these, including activities that drive closings, a 5-step retention plan and how to turn industry change into profit.
• Launched an inaugural Broker Innovation Forum at NAR NXT, based on positive feedback from the Broker Policy Forum at REALTORS® Legislative Meetings. This sold-out forum will bring together 1,000 broker leaders for a focused, executive-level conversation on the forces redefining brokerage strategy, operations and growth. Speakers include Ryan Serhant, founder and CEO of SERHANT and John Rogers, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Cotality. Each session includes time for audience questions to ensure brokers walk away with the insights most relevant to your business.
• Hosted a broker leader roundtable at Inman Connect, convening 25 brokerage leaders to ensure NAR is providing the resources and information that enable leaders to address shifting market dynamics, business challenges and opportunities. These conversations ensure broker perspectives continue to inform NAR’s work and that NAR remains transparent and accountable to members. 
• Equipped brokers to amplify NAR’s Right by You campaign in their own social marketing with customizable social media assets designed to strengthen how brokers market their services and stretch their marketing further while reinforcing the value REALTORS® bring to consumers and communities.

Building Better Data, Technology,  and Security for Members

Goal: Expand guidance and education about emerging technology, modernize NAR’s data infrastructure, and strengthen member security so members and stakeholders benefit from a safer, smarter, and more responsive association. This work strengthens the systems members and associations rely on while helping REALTORS® understand and navigate rapidly changing technologies that affect how they do business.

Q3 Progress

• Expanded NAR’s AI and emerging technology programming through participating in Ai4, the largest AI conference, social media content that informs members on emerging tech and how to use it, and NAR NXT™ Tech & Innovation programming that keeps members on the cutting edge. Together, these efforts give members multiple ways to learn about AI, emerging technologies, innovation and cybersecurity and connect with industry experts that provide practical information they can apply to grow their business.
• Examined agent technology usage in the 2026 REALTORS® Technology Report and featured broker application of select technologies. Together, this research and its practical applications help members better understand how technology is being adopted across the industry and consider where new tools may fit into their own businesses.
• Created a clearer, more coordinated member technology experience by consolidating content and links on NAR websites so members can easily find NAR’s technology education, guidance, and resources in one place. Rather than requiring members to search across multiple pages, this work creates a clearer path to the information they need to learn about emerging technologies and identify resources relevant to their businesses.
• Strengthened account security for members by upgrading identity verification, email-change controls, and password recovery processes. These updates, and the resulting guidance shared with local and state associations, have enhanced data security the REALTOR® community. By strengthening the processes used to verify your identity and make sensitive account changes, NAR is improving protection against fraud and unauthorizes account access for members and associations.

That’s not all NAR was up to in Q3. NAR also:

• Propelled positive legal momentum in decisions supporting NAR’s MLS policies, with federal appeals courts upholding dismissals in both the Eytalis and Homie antitrust cases. The decisions add to a series of recent rulings supporting NAR’s position in MLS access litigation.
• Completed pilot instructor training and member testing of a new modernized course and learning platform. The new NAR Verified Instructor Training course will improve instructional quality and consistency, while the new learning platform and modernized courses will offer more practical, engaging, and relevant content to match members’ business needs. This transformation leverages our expanded education offerings to raise the level of professionalism in the industry.
• Released the Data Center Impact Report, a layered, county-level look at performance in home values, employment, electricity costs and more, with additional insights from real estate agents.
• Kept members and the industry informed and received face-to-face feedback on NAR’s work through nearly 200 leadership speaking engagements through the first three quarters, participating in events across 40+ states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and virtually. During these events, NAR leaders heard directly from members, answered their questions, and shared how NAR is working to help them get to their next transaction with more confidence.