Above, an attendee at NAR NXT in Anaheim, California looks out over a balcony at the convention center.
Last Tuesday, scattered across the smoggy, sunny concrete walkways that loop around the Anaheim Convention Center, REALTORS® soaked up the 78-degree Southern California weather, mostly exuding a business-as-usual attitude—balancing plastic salad bowls on their laps as they scrolled phones with one hand, or gossiping in tight clusters of four or five huddled against the sheer sides of the arena, where the National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) most-watched gathering in its hundred-year history was taking place.
In the shadow of a potentially crippling jury verdict, and only two months after revelations of widespread sexual harassment rocked the organization, the annual REALTOR® get-together offered none of the drama that might have been expected considering the circumstances. Held in Southern California to avoid clashing with a major auto racing event in Las Vegas, the ever sharply-dressed real estate crowd jostled with families wearing Mickey Mouse ears that filtered in and out of Disneyland—the theme park’s main entrance only a stone’s throw away. Ducking out of hotels and hurrying across the wide Orange County avenues, it appeared that those who did choose to attend the convention were there to work rather than soak in the drama. All the usual sidebars, networking and dealmaking continued wherever there was a phone charging station or bench. At the same time, attendees who ventured out with colleagues to meet in the ballrooms at the Westin Hotel or at nearby Golden Roads Brewery seemed just as focused on having a good time, with no hint of melancholy or foreboding hanging over their gatherings.
That isn’t to say that this year was like any other NAR convention, though. Inside the massive exhibit hall, and permeating dozens of windowless meeting rooms scattered around the convention center, a much more subdued atmosphere pervaded. There was little chatter along the main walkway, as NAR representatives smiled and directed a trickle of traffic, with attendees seeming eager to hurry in and out of sessions. The exhibit floor offered an initially lively experience, with big vendors offering everything from arcade games to magic shows as the blue aisles flowed with chattering brokers and agents. But activity died down relatively quickly as the afternoon wore on, with empty floor space becoming more noticeable and impatient presenters peering from behind quiet booths.
This moment is widely being described as an existential crisis for the industry. Although many real estate leaders contend ongoing lawsuits are unlikely to upend the traditional practice of buying and selling homes, many others are already preparing for seismic shifts. Assuming major changes are afoot—either through a reduction in agents and commissions, or broad-based policy changes and new governance—what would that look like today?
Possibly a lot like what was seen in Anaheim last week. Pressed by a huge array of uncertainties, those who chose to show up were committed, if not entirely enthusiastic, to navigating the near future of their industry. Many others simply didn’t come—and whether they are back next year seems like a serious, important question.
In this new environment, NAR’s 2023 “Own the Moment” slogan felt more like a reminder for those already onboard, rather than a rallying cry for the weary and doubtful. At a session focused on the lawsuits—likely the best-attended presentation of the week—NAR mostly reiterated what it has said both publicly and in court, focusing on the value of buyer agents and promising to continue fighting (while still leaving open the possibility of a settlement). Attendees of the myriad sessions on tech, fair housing and other boilerplate issues kept their heads down—literally and figuratively—scattering across the overlarge meeting rooms with tablets and pads. Speakers dropped the phrase “elephant in the room” like the hook of a hip-hop radio hit, with people seeming compelled to address the commission lawsuits even when their session topics appeared unrelated.
It was Tuesday evening that optimism seemed to grow among the attendees. At the end of what, by some measures, was just another working day, REALTORS® took the opportunity to indulge at the hotel bars, catch rides to local restaurants or just mingle in liminal spaces around the convention center. Voices grew boisterous, heels were exchanged for flats or sneakers, and the sense of community that has meant so much to so many in the independent-minded real estate crowd bubbled back to the surface.
But if the Burnett trial proved one thing, it was that good vibes and well-trodden paths are not going to stave off the coming storm. In Anaheim, the storm was a literal one—a rare rush of El Niño rain, wind and chills that swept across the city mid-morning Wednesday. With infrastructure designed for mostly sunny days and a dearth of umbrellas in the hotels, many REALTORS® seemed unsure of how to navigate the day of sessions, huddled in hotel restaurants with laptops, or sipping coffees, waiting for Ubers by hotel doors.
As people emerged from the exhibit hall for lunch, many seemed surprised at the downpour, which quickly formed deep puddles and rivulets along the uncovered walkways between the convention center and the nearest block of hotels.
One woman, holding a purse on her head, paused at the big glass doors that led outside, looking around as if to see how other people planned to make it through the deluge.
“Well, alright,” she said.
