In this week’s episode of the Power House podcast, host Diego Sanchez sits down with a close observer from within the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sherry Chris, special advisor to NAR CEO Nykia Wright, joins the show to discuss the trade association’s response to post-settlement changes and challenges in 2025.
This episode has been edited for length and clarity purposes.
To kick off the episode’s discussion, Chris dives into her decision to leave retirement and work directly with Nykia Wright.
Sherry Chris: I met Nykia in the late summer of 2024. I was really drawn to her energy, intelligence, sharp wit, and passion for what she wanted to do. And I thought I would really like to stand at her side. My role is pretty limited right now, but it’s an important one. It is rebuilding the relationships with the largest brokerages and stakeholders of the public companies that are affiliated with NAR.
Diego Sanchez: The various issues faced by NAR are well documented by HousingWire and other housing media companies. How have you been guiding Nykia in these first couple of weeks in terms of prioritizing challenges?
Chris: In three weeks, I have contacted a lot of people. I’m at the headquarters in Chicago today and we have several meetings set up — some in-person, some virtual with some of those stakeholders. We just continue to meet with them and listen. We both agreed that listening was job number one. Then, rectifying and moving forward in a positive way is job number two.
The other part is getting Nykia out on the stage, which I’m looking forward to being on your stage soon. It’s so she can talk about what she’s planning on doing.
Sanchez: How do you think you can remove some of the potential downsides of dual agency?
Chris: I think full disclosure is first and foremost. Whatever form that takes, the consumer and the agent need to understand exactly how the transaction is going to take place.
Sanchez: Several state and local Realtor organizations have asked to decouple their membership from the national NAR membership. NAR is actually facing a few lawsuits on this issue, as well. Why do you think that Realtors should join their local state and national organizations?
Chris: NAR has three primary buckets that it helps members with. Code of ethics and ethical standards at a time like this I believe are very important.
Number two is advocacy. Even though it’s only been three weeks, advocacy is so important. It’s probably one of the best kept secrets here at NAR. One of the things that I hope to do is to uncover that secret and make sure that it’s known to all the people that I’m talking to. It’s so important and the advocacy team has been working very hard at what they’re doing.
The third one is just the comprehensive support that the National Association offers.
To close the conversation, Chris issued a clear message to any organizations planning to separate from NAR in 2025.
Chris: I think about these brokers and associations that want to decouple and I wonder why. If they’re listening to this podcast, let’s give it a chance. Don’t do anything yet. Let’s give it a chance and see how we can all work together.
