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The National Association of Realtors announced this week that it would stop publishing printed versions of Realtor magazine amid a bid to trim costs.
As the organization undergoes a search for cost savings, NAR President Kevin Sears said the organization would roll all of its publishing into a digital format under Realtor Magazine Media.
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Sears said the new publishing platform would “continue to provide everything from research on the latest housing statistics to policy updates explained through their impact on your business to the market outlook for 2025,” he said. “It’s just one of the ways we’re rethinking our value proposition.”
In a blog post called “A Better Way,” Sears called the change an evolution that followed others made by media companies that have moved away from costly printed products in favor of meeting readers online.
NAR President Kevin Sears on the cover of Realtor magazine.
The magazine debuted in 1998, itself an evolution of Today’s Realtor and Real Estate Today. The magazine promised to be a quick read with “essential business intelligence you need to stay competitive.”
Former NAR President Kenny Parcell on the cover of Realtor magazine.
Cost cutting comes as the 1.5-million member organization is facing budget reductions to help pay for its $418 million antitrust settlement, half of which is due this month.
Cutting printed products is a common way for media companies to trim costs associated with physically printing a magazine at a press and distributing it. It’s also generally a way for outlets to speed up the output of important information.
In a statement to Inman, NAR acknowledged it had its finances in mind when it made the change, as well as value to its members.
“Print products are harder to track in terms of usage and value gained,” an NAR spokesperson said. “NAR thought it prudent to sunset a product that cannot be effectively measured when compared to more sophisticated digital products that have inherent digital and real-time KPIs that help management make better business decisions.”
The print magazine archive is still available online, serving as a look back at the organization’s priorities and leadership over the years.
NAR moved to a quarterly print edition in late 2021, moving from a bi-monthly seasonal distribution it previously followed.
Its winter edition covers typically served as a chance to introduce the new president of the organization. Former NAR President Tracy Kasper, who resigned her role in January 2024, is the only president who wasn’t featured on a cover of the winter or January edition since at least 2013.
Sears said that Realtor Magazine Media would be a collection of multimedia content relevant to agents’ everyday business, including new research, housing statistics and policy updates.
“Going forward, we’ll bring you more frequent business-focused content, delivered through the website, the ‘Drive With NAR’ podcast series, and enhanced video and email breaking news products, tailored to your needs and interests,” Sears wrote.
For the past six years, Realtor magazine has been led by Stacey Moncrieff, who joined NAR as an editor in 1988 and was named its executive editor in 2021.
“The real estate media environment has exploded, with both mainstream and specialty media focusing on real estate as a pillar of our national economy,” Moncrieff said in a statement. “Through it all, we’ve maintained our position as a publication that both celebrates the achievement of NAR members and serves as a kind of business confidante for them, focused on serving their day-to-day business information needs.”
