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Howard Hanna’s CEO weighs in on NAR’s evolving role and explains why he believes control over listing distribution will define the industry’s next phase.
Key points:
- Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV argues that NAR should refocus on advocacy and governance — and claims the trade association has overreached by competing with its members and imposing costly mandates.
- Howard Hanna’s president and CEO expects tight inventory to continue driving modest price growth in 2026, with interest rates playing a key role in unlocking demand.
- The indie leader also suggests that brokerages will increasingly differentiate themselves by how they distribute and market listings, signaling a shift where power resides in the transaction.
As residential real estate continues grappling with regulatory change, inventory constraints and shifting power dynamics, Howard Hanna CEO Howard “Hoby” Hanna IV believes the industry’s next phase will be focused on who controls data, listings and consumer relationships.
During a recent interview with Real Estate News, Hanna shared his candid view of the National Association of Realtors, outlined his expectations for the 2026 housing market and hinted at a new approach his company is developing around the ownership and marketing of home listings.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Part 1, which focused on consolidation and the Compass-Anywhere merger, can be found here.
What’s your general sense of where NAR stands now and where it’s heading?
My opinion on NAR is that it should focus on advocacy for the housing industry — that’s what it was created to do. But it shouldn’t be competing with its members for goods, products and services. Let the brokers and the companies that do that work do it. Don’t have a trade association doing that.
I believe they should look at their governance and the mistakes they’ve made. They should get out of telling people how to operate a business.
It should even go as far as giving more choice. Not mandating that, if a broker isn’t a member, or everybody in your company isn’t a member, that others can’t be a member. I just think they’ve — many times — caused more harm than good.
That’s not against the people that volunteer and put their time there. I just think there’s been a history of some real mistakes that have been against the independent creative broker — and we get dragged in with some of the decisions they make.
I think NAR is going to have to change. I don’t think their strategic plan is enough. I even think their strategic plan — coming out and saying they’re going to offer technology and marketing and website services for agents — that’s what we as brokers already do.
It’s been great. We’ve had very little agent breakage. We’ve recruited some really fantastic associates to come on board. We’re seeing referral income start to come into play.
We have a bunch of opportunities with some other smaller brokerage firms that we’re talking to,…
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Read More: NAR ‘shouldn’t be competing with members,’ Hoby Hanna says
