What Happened at NAR RLM in D.C.?
What happened this year at NAR’s Realtors Legislative Meetings (RLM) in D.C. in June? Any changes to professional standards? What if you see something that could be better as it relates to professional standards? Is there anything we can do?
Dear Shannon: I’ve been a Realtor® for many years, and I always attend the Realtors Legislative Meetings (RLM) in Washington D.C. by the National Association of Realtors®. Our advocacy efforts in D.C. are very important. In addition, I’ve served on our professional standards committee and grievance committee for years at the local association, so I’m passionate about helping educate fellow Realtors. Also, as a Realtor, helping to maintain high standards of moral conduct in business relations is a personal and professional calling for me. So, when I go to D.C, for RLM, I try to sit in on the professional standards committee meetings. But this year I needed to attend other sessions and was unable to sit in on the professional standards committee. I heard I missed a lively debate and discussion on a few proposed changes. But when I got to the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting at the end of the week, I was a little confused about what happened between the professional standards committee meeting and BOD meeting. For some reason I thought there were more proposed changes coming forward to the BOD. And I’m sure I remember last year there was a delegate body meeting after the BOD meeting, but there wasn’t one this year. Can you help explain what happened? And, if I happen to find something that I feel needs to be changed in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual (Manual), is there a way I can help make that change? I’m ever grateful for your assistance.
Dear Ever Grateful: It’s great to hear you regularly attend RLM in D.C. I agree our advocacy efforts are extremely important. Thank you for your work in the professional standards space and for your commitment to educating fellow Realtors. Your efforts to help maintain high moral conduct in business relations is exactly the aspirational sentiment in NAR’s Preamble. It’s refreshing to hear you take it seriously. Yes, you did miss lively discussions on a number of proposed changes during the professional standards committee meeting and even at the BOD meeting. And yes, you are correct, there were only two proposed changes presented to the BOD for their consideration.
First, let’s see what the BOD decisions were on the two proposed changes, then we’ll talk about what was sent from the professional standards committee to the executive committee, why there wasn’t a delegate body meeting and what you can do to present proposed changes to NAR.
Ultimately the Executive Committee made two recommendations to the BOD:
Recommendation 1: The Executive Committee recommended defeat.
If this recommendation was approved, the new Standard of Practice 1-17 would have read as follows (strikeouts indicate deletions, underscoring indicates additions):
While providing real estate services, REALTORS® must disclose to their clients if they do not possess the knowledge, information, or skills about a property type or geographical area to protect and promote the interests of their clients considering the complexity and particularities of the transaction.
There was a motion to refer this back to committee and the BOD voted 497 to 356 in favor of referring.
Recommendation 2: The Executive Committee recommended the BOD approve.
Standard of Practice 16-11 currently states:
On unlisted property, REALTORS® acting as buyer/tenant representatives or brokers shall disclose that relationship to the seller/landlord at first contact for that buyer/tenant and shall provide written confirmation of such disclosure to the seller/landlord not later than execution of any purchase or lease agreement. (Amended 1/04)
REALTORS® shall make any request for anticipated compensation from the seller/landlord at first contact. (Amended 1/98)
This ethical obligation in no way impacts REALTORS® or consumers' ability to negotiate compensation. (Adopted and effective June 5, 2025)
Recommendation 2: To amend Standard of Practice 16-11 to require Realtors® to make any request for compensation from a seller of unlisted property no later than when an offer is being presented rather than at first contact.
- BOD voted 819 to 58 in favor of this recommendation
I’ll look for NAR to provide a summary of changes along with rationale in the coming days or weeks.
There was a delegate body meeting last year because there was a proposed change to an Article of the Code of Ethics, which requires a 2/3 vote of the Delegate Body. A delegate body meeting wasn’t required this year because there was no proposed change to an Article, only changes to Standards of Practice.
The professional Standards committee regularly proposes changes based on recommendations from Realtors who have written in to bring an issue to light and propose a solution. Feel free to email: NARPolicyQuestions@nar.realtor with your suggestions or questions.
Shannon Allen is an attorney and Florida Realtors Director of Local Association Services
Note: Advice deemed accurate on date of publication
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