As a condition of membership in the National Association of REALTORS®, local, state, and territorial associations of REALTORS® must meet NAR’s Organizational Alignment Core Standards, a set of requirements that fall into six categories: code of ethics, advocacy, consumer outreach, unification efforts and support of the REALTOR® organization, technology, and financial solvency. Associations must certify compliance each calendar year or be subject to revocation of their charter.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, many associations were forced to restructure their operations quickly, while keeping their focus on completing Core Standards. NAR’s leadership approved a recommendation to suspend Section 2, Standard E requirements that associations support REALTOR® Party’s tripartite “Vote–Act-Invest” goals, and perform at least two initiatives or activities furthering or supporting each of the three goals annually.
NAR also suspended Section 3 requirements that every association demonstrate participation in at least four meaningful consumer engagement activities annually, including at least two activities demonstrating how the association is the “Voice for Real Estate” in its market, and at least two activities demonstrating the association’s involvement and/or investment in the community.