National Association of Realtors Tops 1 Million Members 4/15/2004
From: Steve Cook of the National Association of Realtors, 202-383-1014 or scook@realtors.org http://realtor.org CHICAGO, April 15 -- The National Association of Realtors(r) (NAR) has become the first trade association in America to exceed 1 million members. Dues paying membership in NAR, its institutes, societies and councils, now totals 1,005,785, according to the association's latest membership data. Membership has increased dramatically in recent years and has risen every year since 1997 when it stood at 716,078. NAR has added more than 100,000 Realtors in the past year alone. NAR's previous high water mark came in 1989, when membership reached 822,935. Since the 1970s, NAR has been America's largest trade and professional association, according to the Encyclopedia of Associations. "Reaching the million member milestone speaks to the value real estate professionals place on belonging to this organization. Realtors stand for professionalism and ethical business practices. We are the national advocates for homeownership, affordable housing and private property rights. Consumers can find a Realtor to fulfill their real estate needs in virtually every neighborhood and community in the nation," said Walt McDonald, president of NAR and broker-owner of Walt McDonald Real Estate of Riverside, Calif. Benefits of membership include education and professional development, legislative and political advocacy, discounts on products and services, research products and services, publications and the right to be called a Realtor. A Realtor is a licensed real estate professional who subscribes to NAR's strict Code of Ethics and belongs to one of the nations 1,471 local and state Realtor boards and associations. Less than half of all real estate licensees are Realtors(r). Some 2,381,767 people hold broker or sales agent licenses in the United States and about 1,839,093 are active -- participating in a transaction in the past year, according to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO). The National Association of Realtors, "The Voice for Real Estate," is Americas largest trade association, representing 1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Information about NAR is available at http://realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the Web sites News Media section under NAR News Releases. ------ REALTOR is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(r) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. |