NAR’s turnaround is now in its execution phase, and CEO Nykia Wright says the focus has shifted from listening to members to delivering for them.
On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered — recorded live at NAR NXT in New Orleans — James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Nykia Wright, CEO of the National Association of Realtors, for a candid conversation about what some have called the largest turnaround in real estate history.
Wright shares how NAR moved from listening to doing; why she travels three weeks a month to meet members where they are; and what she’s hearing from large, mid-sized and small brokerages.
Wright explains that NAR’s strategic plan was built with input from more than 150,000 voices across the industry. Since January 2026, she has reported progress to NAR’s leadership every 90 to 180 days. She also spends three weeks a month on the road meeting members, and NAR has held broker summits in every state.
On advocacy, she points to the 10,000 meetings over two years behind the Road to Housing Act. Her warning is simple: If real estate isn’t in the room, another industry will fill that time.
She explains why it’s her job to have a “catastrophic imagination,” what’s at stake if the industry loses its advocacy voice and why agents sometimes need to slow down in order to speed up. They also dig into professionalism, NAR’s new learning platform and why agents should ask whether their opinion is worth more than their transaction.
Highlights
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How NAR is tracking progress on its strategic plan
- What large, mid-sized and small brokerages need from NAR
- Why losing the industry’s advocacy voice would be so costly
- What NAR is doing to raise professionalism and modernize education
- Wright’s leadership advice for navigating uncertain times
On professionalism, Keith and James argue that brokers, not NAR, are ultimately responsible for the agents they hire. Wright adds a challenge for every agent posting on social media: Ask yourself whether your opinion is worth more than your transaction.
Her leadership advice for 2027 is to lead with integrity and transparency, build a team that helps carry the load, and don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
Plus, Wright shares her leadership approach for uncertain times, her love of fast cars and the book she’s reading right now.
Connect with Nykia Wright on LinkedIn.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the president of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the president of strategy at NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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The views and opinions expressed on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered are those of the hosts and guests in their personal capacities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AGNT, Inc., eXp Realty, LLC, NextHome, Inc., or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, or directors.
