ShareMost NAR members know that the REALTOR® community is comprised of nearly 1,600 local, state, and territorial associations, spanning from Guam to Cape Cod and hundreds of points in between. Many members are surprised, however, to learn that NAR also maintains bilateral partnerships with over 80 trade associations, franchises, and government entities in nearly 60 countries. From Argentina to Ukraine, the Bahamas to Thailand, and beyond, NAR is a national association with a truly global footprint. NAR is also pleased to include International REALTOR® Members in 53 countries worldwide, creating a global network of real estate professionals that generates referrals, business partnerships, marketing, and educational opportunities for America’s million-plus active REALTORS®. Additionally, each bilateral partner and its members are thoroughly vetted to ensure that they not only have a track record of reliability and professionalism, but indeed that they employ a code of ethics mandating the same standard of conduct demonstrated by REALTORS® in the United States.
Maintaining such a vast global business network is a challenge that NAR can only meet with the help of a mini diplomatic corps of REALTOR® volunteers and association executives from across the U.S. Each year, NAR’s president-elect appoints a President’s Liaison to each country in which the Association maintains a bilateral partnership. The role of a President’s Liaison is to act as an ambassador of sorts, facilitating relationships and information sharing between NAR members and their international counterparts. Each bilateral partner is also assigned an Ambassador Association, a local or state REALTOR® association whose responsibilities include hosting its assigned Cooperating Association’s delegation to NAR’s Annual Conference and Expo, to which we annually welcome roughly 2,000 international visitors.
Each month, readers of The Global View will hear from a President’s Liaison, International REALTOR® Member, or Ambassador Association representative. We hope their entries will help educate readers regarding NAR’s international partnerships, how they benefit our members, and the various ways they help strengthen America’s real estate industry.
Meanwhile, we encourage you to use the comments to let us know how you've interacted with an international audience and how it has impacted your business!