06/22/2026
"Once again, some of the most committed, long-standing members of NAR have been left to deal with potential exposure in major litigation and funding defense of the same, while others were protected through settlements funded by dues money that came from all Realtors, including all those firms left out.
This is not a small issue, nor is it an abstract one. It has real financial consequences for real companies, many of whom have supported NAR for decades, upheld its standards, and contributed meaningfully to its influence and success.
Yet, when it matters most, those same firms are being asked to stand on their own. After the first round of settlements, the message from across the brokerage community was clear: This could not happen again. Yet here we are. NAR has made it clear that there is no benefit or value to volunteering within its organization at a high level, even if one has volunteered for many years.
NAR’s response is not equitable, and it is not sustainable. Despite favoring certain members over others—particularly those within NAR’s own current leadership structure—NAR continues to collect dues from all members. NAR’s defense and financial protections should be (but are not being) applied evenly.
So, it is fair to ask a very simple question: What does membership in NAR truly mean if it does not include NAR standing behind its members when they need it most? Let me be clear: this is not about tearing anything down. This is about accountability and about preserving trust in an organization that has historically played an important role in our industry.
We of course stand fully behind the practice changes and the integrity of the settlement reached by Shorewest. But companies like Shorewest, companies which have supported and been the lifeblood of NAR for decades, should not have been abandoned by NAR all while NAR went out of its way to support itself and others.
The path forward is not complicated. The right thing, the only thing that can restore confidence in NAR, is for it to voluntarily step up and make whole those firms that it intentionally left out--not because NAR is legally required to do so, but because it is the right thing to do. And because leadership demands it.
This is a pivotal moment for our industry and decisions made now will reverberate forward through time and will determine whether we move forward together or continue to fragment. I believe in this industry. I believe in the professionals who serve within it. And I believe we are strongest when we act with fairness, consistency, and integrity.
It is time to begin the conversation about making things right in the Realtor family."
-- Joe Horning, president of Shorewest, Realtors
