Local Policies & Structure

For members, the local association is the most visible and best-known component of the REALTOR® organization. It is at this level that members can actively participate on a regular basis and contribute to achieve common goals to better the industry.

The following list of activities provides a partial picture of a local association's function:

• Provides the organization, administration, and execution of REALTOR® policy
• Provides a headquarters or "place" for REALTORS® to discuss plans and to implement policy in which they are in agreement
• Elects its leadership and selects its staff to execute final decisions
• Grants use of the terms REALTOR® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® to eligible members and ensures proper use of both terms
• Provides educational meetings and seminars on real estate topics
• Enforces the NAR Code of Ethics and provides an arbitration process for contractual disputes between REALTORS® and between REALTORS® and their clients (the local association is required to have a professional standards committee charged with such responsibility, subject to provisions of the bylaws and to control by the board of directors).
• Is the collective voice of all its members, by virtue of electing--through democratic processes--its officers and directors, by appointing REALTORS® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATES® to its committees, by having membership meetings, and by entertaining suggestions and complaints
• Provides training to members in public service and organized real estate through service on committees and in elective positions
• Provides, through tested and proven service on the local association level, an opportunity for members to serve on the state and national level
• Organizes and maintains the important function of cooperative business practices, such as an MLS
• Often provides a real estate library, training videos, standard business forms, advertising, publicity, public relations, and the opportunity for civic participation on behalf of the association and its members

A local REALTOR® association can be a great force for the public welfare of any community, and it can be a tremendous service to and on behalf of its REALTOR® and REALTOR-ASSOCIATE® members.