Trust is at the heart of every real estate transaction. Clients often share sensitive personal and financial information, and real estate professionals are expected—by both law and professional standards—to safeguard that information and use it responsibly. As business has become increasingly digital, so have the risks, including data breaches, identity theft, and the misuse of personal information. Protecting client data is therefore not just a legal requirement, but a fundamental part of maintaining trust in the real estate marketplace.
NAR provides resources to help real estate professionals meet these responsibilities under the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and comply with evolving state and federal legal requirements. Through its data security and privacy toolkit and related guidance, NAR helps brokers, agents, associations, and MLSs understand applicable laws and industry expectations, and implement practical safeguards—such as data security programs and privacy policies—tailored to their businesses.
NAR is also actively engaged with Congress and federal agencies to help ensure that data privacy and security laws both protect consumers and reflect how real estate professionals use data in practice. REALTORS® serve as trusted stewards of consumer information, and NAR supports national data privacy standards and protections against identity theft and fraud. Because real estate professionals primarily work with property and transaction-related data and operate overwhelmingly as small, independent businesses, NAR advocates for requirements that are appropriately tailored so firms—often consisting of just a few professionals—can implement effective safeguards without undue burden.
