Trust is at the heart of the real estate business. In this digital economy, trust has taken on new dimensions that impact how real estate professionals collect, share and, most importantly, protect the information they use in their businesses. Creating a data security program for your business means implementing and maintaining reasonable safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of data, including proper disposal of the data. A privacy policy is a document that discloses some or all of the ways your business collects,shares, protects, and destroys personal information. Often, a written data security program is an internal document provided to and implemented by employees, whereas a privacy policy is distributed more widely, such as on your organization’s website.

NAR aims to educate real estate associations, brokers, agents, and multiple listing services about the need for data security and privacy; and to assist them in complying with legal responsibilities. NAR offers a toolkit that provides information about state laws and pending federal regulations regarding data security and privacy protection that may affect your business. In regards to compliance, the toolkit includes various checklists of issues to consider when drafting a security program tailored to your business’s needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to security and compliance, but NAR aims to provide your real estate business with the tools necessary for developing a program that best suits your business.

NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.

Educational Resources

What does data privacy and security mean in today's world?

Data Security and Privacy Toolkit - This Toolkit provides information about state laws and pending federal regulations regarding data security and privacy protection that may affect your business.
Courses

Enhance Your Brand & Protect Your Clients with Data Privacy & Security - This Data Security and Privacy Course aims to educate real estate associations, brokers, agents, and multiple listing services about the need for data security and privacy; and to assist them in complying with legal responsibilities.

Video: Window to the Law: Creating a Cybersecurity Program – Learn about the steps to follow when implementing a cybersecurity plan from NAR Senior Counsel Finley Maxson.

Topic: Social Media - NAR topic page providing background information on concerns with various popular social media sites, and including tips and suggestions to protect privacy and identity.

3-Hour Safety Course for REALTOR® Associations - This course is an essential primer on how real estate professionals can limit risk to preserve safety and facilitate positive business outcomes.

Archived Webinars

• Are You & Y​our D​ata an Easy Target?
  Safety expert Andrew Wooten provides tips on how to keep you and your data safe while at the office. Topics covered in this free NAR webinar include workplace personal safety, how to keep your office from becoming exposed to risk, and how to create an office plan with safeguards.

• Identity Theft: Protecting You & Your Clients
  The second in the series of NAR's REALTOR® Safety Webinars led by industry expert Andrew Wooten, "Identity Theft: Protecting You and Your Clients," offered several suggestions and precautions you should take to keep your personal information and property secure, and what you should do if you are a victim of identity theft. The session also provides great information to can share with your clients, including brief instructions on how to keep your clients' information protected.

• Social Media & Cyber Safety
  In this session, safety expert Andrew Wooten, provides social media and cybersafety safety tips. Learn how today's criminals are using your social media information for illegal activities, and discover how you could be tracked through geotags.

Tools for REALTORS®

What are your legal obligations? Where can you find the latest information about the laws?

• Five Steps Towards Achieving Data Security

• Cybersecurity Checklist: Best Practices for Real Estate Professionals

• NAR Toolkit 

• NAR Principles: REALTOR®-endorsed data privacy and security principles regarding personal information

• Internet Security Best Practices: NAR’s Member Support three-part report recommending a number of security practices to help keep REALTORS® and their business safe online.

• Which Self-Defense Tool Should You Choose?

Other Resources

• FTC Data Security Best Practices: Rules and guides for businesses of any size.

• FTC: Privacy Initiatives: A comprehensive listing of compliance resources, including Data Security, from the FTC, categorized by line of work.

• FTC: Avoid ID Theft: Detailed information to help consumers deter, detect, and defend against identity theft.

• FTC Data Security Best Practices: Free resources to help businesses securely collect, keep, and dispose of sensitive personal information of customers or employees in their files.   

• Safety Program Reimbursement Grant: The goal of the NAR Safety Program Reimbursement Grant is to provide funding assistance to state and local REALTOR® Associations to help implement a Safety Program or feature for their members, and to encourage ongoing awareness of REALTOR® Safety.

• Man to Man: You’re Just as at Risk (REALTOR® Magazine, July 2015)

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  The inclusion of links on this page does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this page complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.