The National Association of REALTORS® just made a move that, frankly, they should have made a long time ago. By removing the requirement that MLSs only serve REALTORS®, NAR is no longer forcing agents into association membership just to get access to the MLS (though it was an “optional rule”, many MLS’s, if not most, throughout the country have adopted it). That might sound like a subtle policy tweak, but it could end up reshaping the entire structure of organized real estate.
For many MLSs, this change simply brings national policy in line with what they were already doing. CRMLS, Bright MLS, HAR, and several others have allowed non-REALTORS® to subscribe for years. Now others like SmartMLS in Connecticut and Doorify in North Carolina are following suit.
This is the right direction. For far too long, MLS access has been used as a mandatory carrot to drive association membership. You want the data and tools to do business? You have to pay dues to three levels of REALTOR® Associations. That model might have worked before, but it does not fit today’s reality.
And here’s the truth: if the only reason someone joins the association is because they have to, that is not a good foundation for a healthy membership base.
Will this hurt associations financially in the short term? Yes, probably. If agents can access the MLS without paying thousands in annual dues, many will take that option. But that is not a crisis. It is a challenge that, if met head-on, could push associations to deliver more real value.
Instead of leaning on forced membership, associations will need to offer education, legal resources, tools, advocacy, and tech that agents actually want. In other words, they’ll need to compete. That’s a good thing. A strong, voluntary association is better than one that survives on autopilot because of a rule.
This also helps MLSs grow. They are no longer limited to agents who are also NAR members. That opens the door to more subscribers, more accurate data, and a broader base of users. Some MLSs will charge higher fees to non-REALTORS®, or limit access to certain forms or tools, and that is fine too. At least it is a choice now, not a requirement.
So yes, there will be discomfort. Some associations may struggle. But I believe in the long run, this makes for a more open, flexible, and service-driven industry. Agents will join organizations that support them, not just because they have to.
And if an association can’t survive without forcing membership, maybe it shouldn’t.