National Association of REALTORS® Chief Executive Officer Bob Goldberg will retire when his current contract expires, effective December 31, 2024. Goldberg will close his career after serving 30 years at NAR and more than four decades in U.S. real estate.
“My time at NAR has been extremely gratifying and, I hope, extremely successful, too,” Goldberg said. “I’ve had the chance to lead a wonderful staff and we’ve taken great pride in making sure this organization is as valuable and responsive to our members as possible. I’m tremendously thankful for the opportunity NAR has given me and for all the people I’ve been fortunate to work with over these past three decades.”
Goldberg was named an inaugural member of RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers Hall of Fame in 2018, and has been an integral participant at RISMedia events over the years.
“Bob Goldberg has been and continues to be the most stalwart advocate for REALTORS® and the larger cause of homeownership,” said RISMedia Founder & CEO John Featherston. “He has selflessly led this industry through countless challenges and tirelessly worked to move residential real estate into the future for the benefit of NAR members and the millions of consumers who rely on their services. Over the next year and a half, I know Bob will continue to lead the industry and help find a worthwhile successor who will rise to the challenge and advance NAR’s mission.”
Goldberg was initially hired at NAR in 1995 to lead the development of realtor.com®, which launched that year. He continues to serve as president and CEO of the Realtors® Information Network, which is responsible for oversight of the operating agreement between realtor.com® and Move, Inc.
“Bob’s selfless commitment to our association has been inspiring to me and to everyone who’s served on NAR’s leadership team these past six years,” said 2023 NAR President Kenny Parcell. “He’s done so much in a relatively short time that will help REALTORS® and consumers thrive both today and decades into the future. I’m incredibly thankful for that, and I know each of our members has Bob to thank for the innovations and advancements he’s championed in real estate markets across the world.”
Soon after becoming CEO, Goldberg spearheaded creation of the association’s Strategic Business, Innovation, and Technology team. Today, more than 220 global firms have been scaled through NAR’s growth accelerator, REACH, and its investment arm, Second Century Ventures (SCV).
Just one domestic REACH program was operating in the U.S. when Goldberg’s tenure began in 2017. Seven global entities now serve consumers, real estate agents and technology innovators, with REACH programs active in Canada, the United Kingdom and Latin America, among others. REACH participation has grown from 40 global enterprises to 211 in that time—a 400% expansion in less than six years—while SCV has simultaneously increased its investments from 12 to 73.
Goldberg was also instrumental in creating NAR’s Innovation, Opportunity & Investment Summit, an annual event which today attracts hundreds of industry professionals, PropTech leaders and global investors.
“When I was named CEO, I noted how excited I was to begin this role at such a critical time for NAR,” Goldberg said. “I committed to making sure this association was wholly focused on our members’ long-term success, and I’m so proud of the work my team has done to make good on that intention.”
Under Goldberg’s leadership, NAR’s advocacy team helped guide the industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting real estate’s classification as an “essential” service and allowing residential markets to pace America’s broader economic recovery. To assist members, Goldberg revived the association’s “Right Tools, Right Now” program and drove an initiative to provide telemedicine services to REALTORS®. REACH and SCV, too, played a critical role in supporting REALTORS® and consumers during the pandemic.
Goldberg has also led ongoing efforts to ensure NAR member dues are allocated more efficiently, resulting in cumulative savings of more than $45 million for the association since 2017.
“Bob has made a lasting impact on our industry and all three levels of this association—local, state and national,” Parcell continued. “I am tremendously grateful for him, and I know I speak on behalf of our entire membership when I say Bob Goldberg has been amazing. We cannot thank him enough for his service.”
Under Goldberg, NAR has worked to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion for staff and members, recognizing its unique position as the nation’s largest trade association and its substantial influence to advance fair housing and combat systemic discrimination.
The organization has dedicated significant resources both in Washington, D.C. and alongside several national real estate entities in support of the industry’s broader fair housing efforts. NAR advocates consistently for stronger fair housing and fair lending enforcement, as well as for federal policy that will help close homeownership gaps among demographic groups. Goldberg called the effort to close racial wealth and homeownership gaps “the most consequential civil rights issue of our day” in an opinion piece he authored in 2022.
In addition to its federal advocacy, NAR has launched a number of innovative fair housing programs and partnerships under Goldberg’s leadership, dating back to his hiring of the association’s first Director of Fair Housing Policy in 2019.
Goldberg has also overseen significant growth of the Realtors Property Resource® (RPR), which now attracts a record number of REALTORS® capitalizing on its collection of professional tools and services. RPR has reduced annual costs by 22% since 2017, illustrating its ability to maximize member benefits while preserving NAR resources.
Similarly, SentriLock has recorded 50% revenue growth with Goldberg serving as its board chairman, with operations expanding to serve nearly 500,000 members across five nations. NAR Realtor® Benefits has also negotiated over 40 strategic partnerships that have benefited hundreds of thousands of members dating back to 2017.
Finally, within his first year as CEO, Goldberg launched NAR’s “Day in the Life of a Realtor®” program, an ongoing annual requirement for NAR staff intended to provide a more accurate illustration of its members’ profession. NAR also recently earned the distinction as one of the nation’s top employment destinations for the third straight year. Organizations certified as “Great Places to Work” typically report higher levels of employee satisfaction and lower rates of voluntary turnover than the typical U.S. employer.
“Although there is still much to accomplish in the next year and a half, I am glad this timeline will give our leadership ample opportunity to conduct a thorough, national search,” Goldberg concluded. “I look forward to supporting that team however possible as their work to find NAR’s next CEO begins in the coming days.”
NAR will announce additional information regarding its CEO search and application process in a separate advisory expected early next week.
Stay tuned to RISMedia for further updates.
Much success in your next life chapter.