NAR CEO offers reassurance about learning platform reboot 

With the National Association of Realtors poised to launch a new learning management system (LMS) on Dec. 1, CEO Nykia Wright wants state and local association leaders to know that the initiative is not meant to encroach on their turf.

Speaking at the Association Executives Forum at the trade group's annual NAR NXT conference on Nov. 6, NAR SVP of Industry Relations Jarrod Grasso said that while there is "a lot of angst out there about the new LMS system," NAR leaders wanted to make sure "that you understood that this is a partnership."

Wright, who stopped by the meeting at Grasso's request, noted that NAR has had an education arm for decades, a point she later reiterated during a live podcast recording. "People think we're entering the education business," Wright said, but NAR's Center for Realtor Development (CRD) "has been in existence for 30 years. We've got over 800,000 credential holders around the country."

Replacing a 'janky,' outdated LMS: NAR staffers have described YourMembership Learning, the LMS CRD currently uses that was built specifically for associations, as having "a dated feel" with website crashes and inconsistent saving. At the Nov. 6 forum, Wright said it is "janky" with a "very clunky" user experience and "too dense" content that doesn't ensure users understand concepts.

"People are asking us why we haven't modernized our courses and what we are doing to continue to elevate professionalism," Wright said. "If there's one topic that brings brokers, the industry, members together, it's this concept of professionalism."

Initial platform rollout to feature 6 courses: NAR has hired a new vendor, Docebo, and will debut the new LMS with six modernized courses chosen for their popularity: Pricing Strategy Advisor, Accredited Buyer's Representative, At Home With Diversity, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource, and Marketing Strategy and Lead Generation. 

Wright said NAR will continue to modernize as many courses as it can as quickly as it can. The platform will come with a new mobile app in early 2027.

A partnership — not a competition: Focus groups composed of association leaders had emphasized that they want NAR to partner with them, not compete with them, Wright noted. "People are saying, 'Are you taking my revenues? Are you putting up courses that I have?' The answer to that is no," she said.

She said some associations offer their own expensive LMS platform and suggested that associations could white-label NAR's platform. "There is an opportunity for you all to put more information on our platform in a de-identified way," she said. "The user would not know that they were coming into NAR's platform. It would have your logo. It would be labeled where you all could use that information."

Brokers have also asked if they can white-label the platform, Wright said — and NAR is "building for that." Wright added that she is "sensitive to how can we continue to partner, how can we continue to add value without you all having an economic burden, if we can carry most of that."

Leveling up to build a 'whole ecosystem': CRD is debuting a new verified instructor training program for current and potential instructors to ensure teaching quality. In addition, Wright said NAR's new LMS is attracting "world-class instructors around the country" who work with top brands. NAR will be rolling out a Teams credential from such an instructor, she added.

"We're also partnering with some of the world-class instructors around certain credentials to be able to give that out to members," she said. "All of them will not be paid. Some of them we will subsidize because we're trying to get information out to build the whole ecosystem."