How can brokers safely use artificial intelligence? What’s next with NAR’s legal settlements? Will inventory improve? And what opportunities are emerging in commercial real estate?
During live recordings of the “REALTOR® News Change Agents” podcast at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings in Washington, D.C., members sat down with NAR legal, communications and research leaders to ask the questions shaping their businesses. The conversations touched on everything from technology and litigation to housing affordability and demographic trends, offering practical insights into where the industry is headed.
Navigating Legal Change and AI
Several members focused on the industry’s evolving legal landscape.
Denyse Wilson, broker-owner of Real Estate Places in California, as well as Jim Gamble, broker-owner of KW Kansas City Metro, asked NAR General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Legal Jon Waclawski about the status of the Sitzer/Burnett appeal and the Corey buyer-side settlement.
Waclawski shared that the Corey agreement provides broader protections for many REALTOR® associations, MLSs and brokerages while offering a more favorable payment structure for NAR. He also said the oral arguments in the Sitzer/Burnett appeal suggested the Eighth Circuit Court was receptive to upholding the lower court’s decision, with a ruling expected later this summer.
Artificial intelligence was another recurring topic.
Wilson also asked about the legal and fair housing risks surrounding AI, while Rose Eapen, broker-associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, raised a question on how to protect data.
Waclawski encouraged members to understand the difference between open and closed AI platforms, avoid entering confidential client information into public tools and carefully review AI-generated content before publishing it.
“We all need to be moving in that proactive path forward of looking at our rules, assessing the risk profile and making changes were appropriate,” Waclawski said, “Rules that were passed five, 10 or 20 years ago may have a different risk assessment associated with them today.”
He added: “The [real estate] profession is not going away. You still need that human element, not only in AI but also in the relationship component with clients.”
Building Value in a Changing Market
Members also wanted practical advice for navigating today’s marketplace.
Tetyana Ivanina, broker-owner of Hive Property Group in Orlando, Fla., asked NAR Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Bennett Richardson how the association is rebuilding consumer confidence and reinforcing the REALTOR® brand.
Richardson said NAR’s consumer campaign is focused on demonstrating the professionalism and expertise REALTORS® bring to every transaction.
“We want to make sure that the REALTOR® brand represents a gold standard designation in the industry,” he said.
Questions also touched on member communications and commercial real estate. Heather Haase, chair of NAR’s Meeting and Conference Committee, asked how members can stay better connected to NAR resources, while Denise Lo, broker-owner of Landmark Commercial & Residential Properties in Hawaii, asked about opportunities for commercial practitioners.
Richardson highlighted new newsletters, marketing resources and an expanded commercial education track planned for NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience, Nov. 6–8 in New Orleans.
Housing affordability remained one of the day’s biggest themes.
Kitty Wallace, an associate broker with RE/MAX The Collective in Georgia, asked Deputy Chief Economist Jessica Lautz about younger buyers entering today’s market. Lautz said Gen Z buyers continue to surprise researchers with their financial preparedness but emphasized that inventory remains the industry’s biggest challenge.
“We need to build more housing inventory,” Lautz said. “Frankly, we need to build entry-level inventory.”
Questions for Chief Economist Lawrence Yun explored broader economic trends. Tony Balboni, broker-owner of Key Properties in Rhode Island, asked whether portable mortgages could help ease the lock-in effect. Yun called the concept promising but noted the significant challenges involved in changing how mortgages are structured.
“The idea is terrific,” he said.
Lawrence also fielded questions from Ivanina about international investment trends, Barry Long, founder and CEO of Able Environments in Maryland, about housing accessibility and Yoshi Takita, broker-owner of C&R Real Estate Group NY LLC, about demographic changes affecting future housing demand.
Throughout the conversations, Yun returned to one consistent message: increasing housing supply remains essential to improving affordability and expanding homeownership opportunities.
Continuing the Conversation
Although the questions ranged from litigation and AI to market trends and commercial real estate, they shared a common purpose: helping NAR members better serve their clients in a rapidly changing industry.
The “Change Agents” podcast booth will return at NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience, where members will once again have the opportunity to ask NAR leaders and industry experts their biggest questions—and perhaps hear them featured in a future episode.
