When Adam J. Smith, GRI, e-PRO, became the CEO at Upstate Alliance of REALTORS® (UPSTAR) in Fort Wayne, Ind., two years ago, the settlement and related required changes were among the immediate challenges he had to navigate.
A real estate agent for 27 years, Smith understood members’ concerns and expectations. “We recognized that NAR, unfortunately, was not always being viewed in a positive light by the membership,” he says.
The missing piece, he began to realize, was the three-way agreement. “We felt that this story had not been clearly communicated to our members, or in some cases, it was being overlooked altogether,” he says.
That was the first step in UPSTAR’s updated new-member orientation process, which reinforces the value of the three-way agreement and adds on NMO 2.0 and 3.0—to meet members where they are in their journey and provide value, when they are ready to absorb it.
Showcasing the Three-Way Agreement
To start, Smith asked Jarrod Grasso, RCE, senior vice president of industry relations at the National Association of REALTORS®, if Nykia Wright, NAR’s CEO, and Kevin Brown, AHWD, C2EX, 2026 president, could record a short video for UPSTAR’s new-member orientation, welcoming new agents and explaining the benefits of NAR membership. He also reached out to state CEO Mark Fisher, RCE, and state Chair Aaron Luttrull to do the same. “[The resulting videos] have been incredibly impactful,” Smith says.
Along with the videos, Smith and his team incorporated more intentional discussion around the three-way agreement using the voices of staff, leadership and peer members. Those small changes have created visible and concrete results, he says, with newer agents asking to get involved in committees and events far earlier in their careers than they might have otherwise.
“I understood the value of being an agent who is a REALTOR® because I was raised in it as a fourth-generation REALTOR®, but many new agents come in without that context,” Smith says. “When we simply hand them the document about the three-way agreement, they tend to gloss over it. However, when we explain it through multiple voices, they begin to see the local, state and national associations as interconnected resources that support their success, not just a requirement for membership.
New Member Orientation 2.0 and 3.0
The orientation process has continued to evolve with the addition of NMO 2.0 and 3.0.
The quarterly sessions, which are not mandatory, are packed with valuable information about what’s available for members at the national, state and local levels, such as resources, tools, advocacy and other benefits—and importantly, how to easily access it all to support their businesses. “We could spend days alone on the nar.realtor website,” Smith says.
Members also asked for evening class options, and leadership listened. Classes are now offered during the day and in the evening and include lunch or dinner. Sessions usually attract about 35 attendees. “We had never offered evening education before, but it’s been well received,” Smith says.
For those who have been members for six months to one year, NMO 2.0 focuses on practical application and foundational business tools, including:
- Guided walkthroughs of local, state and national websites
- Hands-on updates to profiles and systems
- An overview of key resources and communication channels
- Education on legal requirements such as buyer agreements
- Customer relationship management, or CRM, systems
- Social media expectations and professionalism guidelines
- A strong emphasis on agent safety
NMO 3.0 is designed for members of one year to three years. “We focus heavily on helping them run their business more effectively, something many agents struggle with early on,” Smith says. Sessions include:
- MLS tips, shortcuts and efficiencies
- How to access and use market data and statistics
- Training on REALTORS® Property Resource tools
- Financial wellness resources and business planning (financialwellness.realtor)
Affiliate members can educate UPSTAR members on their resources, too, through 30-minute spotlight opportunities, such as a “Title 101” session led by a title company.
Direct expenses of the two new programs are minimal. Affiliates sponsor meals for attendees, and staff time for develop and delivery is part of the association’s core responsibilities. “From our perspective, the return on investment is clear,” Smith says. “Increased engagement, stronger member relationships and improved professional development far outweigh any small costs involved.”
The feedback supports these results:
- “Can we have more sessions like these?”
- “I appreciate you offering both daytime and evening options.”
- “There’s so much value in hearing personal experiences. Being able to connect education with real-life scenarios really helps me feel more confident.”
- “Why didn’t we start this sooner?”
“New agents enter the industry feeling supported and informed,” Smith says. “It shifts their mindset from ‘I joined because I had to’ to ‘I belong to a professional community that invests in me.’”
