What is the National Association of Realtors (NAR)? What Is the National Association of Realtors (NAR)? The National Association of Realtors Explained Andersen Ross / Getty Images The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is one of the world’s largest professional trade organizations. It is comprised of real estate agents, as well as others involved in the real estate industry, like appraisers and property managers. These individuals create and maintain standards for ethical real estate practices. They also fund and maintain a substantial database of real estate data and advocate for legislation related to the interests of the real estate industry. Understanding all that the NAR does can help you see why your realtor chooses to be a member and what they gain from that membership. Anyone interested in working in real estate can also discover more about what this membership allows them to access and learn. Definition of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) The NAR is a professional organization within the real estate industry that supports real estate agents. It has over 1.5 million members, as of October 2021. Member dues fund a variety of educational courses and industry-related data collection, helping to give professionals answers about recent housing sales trends. The organization first began as the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges in 1908. Since then, the organization has changed names a few times, landing on the National Association of Realtors in 1972. If you’ve ever seen a real estate agent who specifically refers to himself or herself as a Realtor, they aren’t using a generic term. This term is specific to real estate agents who are members of the NAR. The term was coined all the way back in 1916.