On The Market

NAR Hit with Another Blow After Shocking “Donation” Discovery w/NYT’s Debra Kamin

Dec 12, 2024

Debra Kamin, a New York Times reporter, uncovers shocking revelations about the National Association of Realtors' hidden political donations. She discusses the fallout from a major commission lawsuit and troubling leadership changes within NAR. Many members are frustrated to learn their dues fund questionable political groups, possibly straying from industry interests. Will these controversies spark competition among real estate organizations? Kamin's investigation suggests NAR's troubles might just be beginning.

33:22

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Debra Kamin

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Quick takeaways

The NAR faces significant challenges including a massive lawsuit settlement and leadership turmoil amid allegations, impacting its credibility and future direction.

Investigative reports highlight NAR's controversial political donations, raising concerns among members about transparency and the allocation of their dues towards partisan initiatives.

Deep dives

Legal and Financial Scrutiny of NAR

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has been dealing with significant legal challenges, particularly related to commission rates. A notable lawsuit from a group of home sellers accused NAR and several brokerages of price-fixing and artificially inflating real estate commissions, resulting in a settlement amount of $1.8 billion. This settlement led to substantial changes in NAR's practices, further emphasizing the scrutiny NAR faces regarding its financial dealings and transparency. The impacts are profound, affecting not only the organization itself but potentially influencing the housing market and real estate practices nationwide.

Intro

2min

NAR: Legal Turmoil and Financial Influence

12min

Investment Opportunities and Hosting Solutions

2min

NAR Under the Microscope

5min

Revisiting the NAR: Transparency and Trust

6min

Impact of Real Estate Commission Changes

5min

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this episode and written below are solely opinions of the hosts, guests, and writers and do not reflect the views of BiggerPockets.

Is it about to get even worse for NAR (National Association of Realtors)? After a ground-breaking agent commission lawsuit settlement forced the organization to pay out hundreds of millions, NAR has been on thin ice. They had just come off of a massive change in leadership, with some executives facing sexual harassment accusations, only to have the spotlight put on them once again. But it’s not over.

A new investigative piece from The New York Times reporter Debra Kamin uncovers a web of hidden donations to political groups that many NAR members aren’t aware of. NAR, the largest lobbyist group in the country, is well-known for donating to political causes that benefit their industry. However, it seems those donations heavily lean to one side of the political spectrum.

So, is this a problem? Could it even be illegal? Debra reveals that many of these donations go to groups unrelated to real estate, leaving some members frustrated with how their dues are being spent. Could this be the final blow to NAR, paving the way for more competition among real estate agent organizations? Debra is on to break the story.

In This Episode We Cover

The new investigation on where NAR “donations” and member dues are going

NAR’s recent turmoil with massive lawsuits, sexual harassment accusations, and more

What do realtors think of their dues being spent on fringe political causes?

The future of NAR and whether they’ll recover from their recent internal challenges

A new DOJ (department of justice) investigation into NAR and whether members will leave

And So Much More!

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