This interview has been edited for brevity and readability.
Brooklee Han: You’re coming into the presidency whereas NAR is within the midst of a variety of change. How are you viewing this problem and the way do you hope to deal with it?
Kevin Brown: I consider that my predecessor Kevin Sears and Nykia Wright have gotten the affiliation back to basics and that basically set a robust basis for us to maneuver ahead with in 2026. One of many issues that we’re specializing in is knowing what our members’ wants are. We have to take heed to our members and perceive their wants however we additionally must anticipate what their wants are for the longer term. I feel we’re in a great place to maneuver ahead with that in thoughts.
BH: The membership has requested for and pushed for elevated transparency from the group. What are among the issues you might be exploring as you’re employed towards that purpose?
Brown: One of many issues we’re doing is listening extra so than we ever have earlier than. We’re doing a variety of outreach and once we, the complete management group, goes out, it will be disingenuous for us to simply give our remarks and depart, so we are literally listening to the members. We’re encouraging them to ask questions, and we need to have a dialogue, know what’s on their thoughts, and what the problems are regardless of whether or not they’re good or unhealthy.
We’re additionally implementing the Strategic Plan beginning in January 2026 and that basically lays out the course for our future. We really feel that may be very clear as we’re laying out the highway map for the longer term for members. As well as, we’re going to be speaking with our members and Nykia on a quarterly foundation to allow them to know what our progress is with the strategic plan.
We’re additionally beginning to launch an annual report starting subsequent 12 months that may discuss what we completed in 2025 and what we’re doing in 2026. We’ve by no means carried out that earlier than. Moreover, we are going to proceed assembly with large brokers on a steady foundation, and we’re going to proceed to have interaction in dialogue with them and our stakeholders.
BH: There was a variety of information currently about a few of these conversations with big brokers. Are you able to inform me a bit about how these conversations are going?
Brown: One of many issues that large brokers have talked about is that they need to put somebody from exterior the business, somebody who’s independent on our board or on our govt committee. We have now a big board — just a little over 1,000 members and below the IRS definition, they’re all unbiased administrators. They don’t have any type of battle of curiosity or funding ties or anything to the Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors, so they’re the truth is unbiased. Similar to many different commerce organizations, we’re a member-led affiliation and we are going to proceed to be a member-led affiliation.
With that being stated, there are some ways in which we will streamline our governance. I do know that we’ve carried out a examine with over 100 of our members, 86 committees and our liaisons to see how we will streamline the method and grow to be extra environment friendly. We are going to proceed to have a look at ways in which we may be more practical whereas additionally streamlining our governance.
BH: I do know that members love being a part of the governance of the group, however on the identical time they’re pushing for this effectivity and streamlining, so how are you engaged on balancing these competing pursuits?
Brown: It’s positively a problem. No person needs to vote themselves out of a place, however I feel a variety of the choices which might be being made proper now are being made inside a smaller group — on the govt committee degree or the management group degree. Traditionally, a variety of these selections had been made on the board degree. They’re nonetheless going via the committees and that total course of earlier than coming to the manager group, and the manager group has the power to maneuver issues to the total board if they need.
BH: Whereas Realtors might disagree about many issues in the case of NAR, the bulk are nonetheless robust supporters of NAR’s advocacy work. Are you able to present us with any details about what we will count on from NAR’s advocacy efforts in 2026?
Brown: What we’re actually centered on is launched stock. The entire housing and affordability difficulty is contingent upon us having the ability to unleash stock. We have now quite a few payments that we’re supporting, one considerations capital gains tax, and we’re very enthusiastic about that. We predict that may unleash some quick stock into {the marketplace}.
It has been estimated that about 29 million American householders can be confronted with unfavorable capital positive factors remedy as a result of they’re over the $250,000 exclusion, so they’re locked in and never promoting their houses. This invoice would permit these houses to be freed up and permit the homeowners who need to promote, to promote.
The opposite factor is that the typical age of the brand new first-time homebuyer is now 40 years previous, which is totally ridiculous. We need to guarantee that there may be sufficient housing available on the market and that our members are a necessary service in the true property business, and we need to shield their unbiased contractor standing.
BH: The present administration is clearly centered on this housing affordability problem. Understanding this, how are you feeling about NAR’s odds at succeeding in a few of these advocacy efforts?
Brown: It makes me really feel actually good, and I consider that one thing will occur within the subsequent 12 months with capital positive factors. It’s actually promising that it’s a bipartisan difficulty and that each Democrats and Republicans agree that one thing wants to vary. They go about it a bit otherwise, however I’m hoping that one thing will occur inside the 12 months.
BH: NAR is over 100 years previous. The previous few years have been relatively turbulent for the business and the affiliation. How are you hoping to see the group evolve so it is ready to deal with these subsequent 100 years?
Brown: I feel that we’re positioning ourselves for the longer term proper now with the Strategic Plan, and we are going to make adjustments alongside the best way with this plan if we have to re-evaluate issues. We’re positioning ourselves for the longer term, and we’re anticipating the wants of our future members.
We’re making a variety of inside adjustments. For Kevin Sears and Nykia, their focus was actually on again to fundamentals and mine is again to enterprise. We’re leveling up in areas that our members already discover beneficial, like our advocacy program and the superb analysis that we do and the know-how we offer our members to assist them get to their subsequent transaction.
For me, a variety of that is fueled by my ‘why,’ and that’s, that I really feel like this work is necessary. What we do helps create intergenerational wealth and it drives the American financial system ahead. And I feel specializing in that, that’s how we’re going to get again to enterprise.
BH: If we sit down once more a 12 months from now and have a dialog reflecting in your 12 months as NAR president, what do you hope that we’ll see otherwise and the way do you hope to see the group evolve below your management?
Brown: I hope that we’re going to be an environment friendly group. That we’re going to streamline our processes and that we’ve added worth to our members. I hope that we anticipate what the longer term wants of our members are and that we going to be the advocacy powerhouse that I do know we’re.
I hope that we’ve attacked the stock difficulty and that we’re additionally advancing our know-how and creating extra know-how for our members to make use of that helps them achieve enterprise.
We’re additionally going to be centered on finance and insurance coverage challenges for customers and members, and we’re going to be centered on restrictive zoning obstacles and different obstacles to homeownership as a result of that’s what our members actually care about. If we will accomplish a few of these targets, then I feel we are going to simply preserve constructing the inspiration for Christine Hansen for her 12 months to return.
I additionally need to be aware that listening is the brand new regular at NAR. We’re going to proceed to have interaction and take heed to our members and permit them to form the initiative that we’re enterprise and the way we greatest serve them.
