HOUSTON — The Nationwide Affiliation of Realtors has a brand new chief because it embarks on what it hopes is a brand new period of transparency, service and modernization.
Kevin Brown, a Realtor now dwelling close to California’s Lake Tahoe, stepped into his position as NAR president Monday, marking the tip of an almost two-year time period by Kevin Sears.
Sears labored carefully with NAR CEO Nykia Wright to regular the group, get its financials so as, implement widespread enterprise follow modifications for the business and rebuild confidence within the group after years of tumult.
“Now that we have now gotten again to fundamentals, my plan is to get NAR again to enterprise,” Brown advised Inman in an unique interview on the eve of the beginning of his time period.
2026 NAR President Kevin Brown
Brown’s shall be an ordinary one-year time period. Meaning he’ll be liable for delivering on the primary of a brand new three-year Strategic Plan NAR adopted final weekend to information the group’s work from 2026-2028.
Simply earlier than moving into the brand new position on Monday, Brown sat down with Inman for an unique interview.
Beneath is a model of the interview, edited for readability and size.
Inman: You’ve been round in management for a very long time, however for on a regular basis members who would possibly learn Inman, it’s a great likelihood for them to fulfill you. So, I’m simply studying your bio and see you’re from Oakland, however you’re dwelling in Tahoe?
Brown: Tahoe Vista. It’s within the north, and it’s form of on the hill overlooking the lake. You go over the hill from Truckee to the lake and that’s proper once you’re happening that hill to the lake, we’re form of off within the woods.
It’s onerous to go away there. I don’t spend that a lot time at dwelling now. I’m dwelling possibly six days a month between January and November — at the very least that’s what it was final yr. So, after I’m there for these six days, it’s prefer it’s actually onerous to go away.
Later right this moment, the Govt Committee is predicted to move a brand new three-year Strategic Plan [Editors note: The plan passed Sunday as expected]. Let’s say you walked right into a 50-person brokerage in Illinois. What’s the very first thing you’re telling them about this plan?
The plan actually is geared to the way forward for NAR. We’ve by no means had a plan this granular and this detailed. We’re the true property ecosystem that we’re working in. We’re additionally wanting on the inside constraints that we have now as a company, and we’re additionally wanting on the exterior panorama.
It’s a plan that holds our workers liable for efficiency, and it’s actually geared to modernize NAR and ensure that we’re an affiliation working within the twenty first century.
Did the larger brokerages want extra assist or work? Did you guys determine like, ‘OK, we have been delivering possibly a one-size-fits-all,’ however as a part of this work, you wanted to concentrate on the small groups and the mid groups, after which the big brokerages?
Sure and sure. Traditionally, we have to pay extra consideration to the brokers. I believe that our focus was elsewhere and dealer engagement can be a large a part of our strategic plan and our path ahead as a result of we’re not speaking — we weren’t speaking — correctly with our members or the brokers.
Numerous our members and the brokers don’t actually know what we do. They don’t actually perceive our place within the ecosystem, and so we’ve set out on a plan to reinforce our engagement with brokers.
I’ve heard the analogy that NAR is sort of a large cargo ship, and it wanted to get circled, straightened out. Now you’re the man to form of assist get that factor going. Are you able to describe your management position and the way you’re going to get the ship shifting?
Over the previous couple of years, Kevin [Sears] and Nykia [Wright], they needed to proper the ship. It was again to fundamentals. Now that we have now gotten again to fundamentals, my plan is to get NAR again to enterprise, looking at these points which are impacting our members of their day-to-day enterprise, like finance, stock, insurance coverage, zoning restrictions and different obstacles to homeownership.
That’s what I believe the member actually cares about. They care about how they execute and get to their subsequent transaction. And that’s going to be our focus.
You do industrial and residential in your small business, proper?
My brother and I are within the multifamily market. The primary day I began actual property, my father mentioned, ‘Hey, you may make an amazing dwelling off of promoting homes, off of commissions, however you’re going to retire off your investments. You need to purchase a home, and you must purchase funding property.’
That first yr, my brother and I purchased our first duplex as an funding. We didn’t reside there, however we did that earlier than we even purchased a home. After which over time, we purchased increasingly funding property.
On housing stock and affordability, are you able to discuss NAR’s position in working on the state and native ranges to unlock stock?
Lots of people don’t actually perceive the three-way settlement, nevertheless it’s how we work together with the locals and the state. Like in California, as an illustration, there have been quite a few instances the place there have been measures on the poll that might actually injury the housing market or possibly cease improvement. And so the locals notify us of these items, or the state notifies us of these items. After which we, in flip, give them our market intelligence, our assets and grants.
We give them cash to assist combat these items on the poll. That’s occurred quite a few instances in my state of California. And we’ve been capable of defeat a few of these measures that might actually injury the housing market.
Let’s simply say Trump referred to as you tomorrow and mentioned, ‘I’ll inform Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi to do no matter you want for Realtors, for the true property business.’ What’s the No. 1 factor that the federal authorities or Congress might do?
Elevated stock. In reality, one of many issues we’re engaged on is the Extra Properties on the Market Act proper now. And if we will do one thing to affect capital good points.
There are about 29 million owners who’re topic to, or will exceed, the $250,000–$500,000 exclusion for capital good points. If we will discover a approach to enhance that exclusion — that’s about one third of property house owners, owners proper now in America — we will instantly unlock or unleash stock and unlock provide.
So that you don’t should construct housing. All you’ve acquired to do is move a regulation. And a few of these people who find themselves locked in proper now, they may promote their properties.
To shut out, what sort of management fashion ought to members count on and just a bit bit extra about your self to shut?
I actually like working with others. I actually need to hear different opinions, even when I disagree. I imply, it’s a part of the crucial pondering course of, you already know.
All of us have been very captivated with our concepts, however I believe one factor I’ve discovered over time — I’m getting older, I’m getting loads older — so one factor I’ve discovered is that with a view to come to one of the best conclusions, to critically assume by means of a problem, you actually should be dispassionate in that room. You need to take heed to what different persons are saying, and you then inform your resolution.
I actually need to work with one of the best individuals. I believe we have now an incredible workers in place proper now. I would like one of the best volunteer leaders, and I believe by way of a partnership, we’re going to get loads of issues finished.
However I believe that, you already know, the individuals who I need to be surrounded with are individuals who take a look at all of the concepts and give you the perfect selections. We have to hear. We have to take heed to all people, not simply internally, but in addition to our members on the market and to the large brokers and all people.
Proper now, that is going to be a yr of listening. We have to take heed to others, after which we have to act accordingly — do what’s finest, we expect, for your complete business.
E-mail Taylor Anderson
