American Real Estate Association Targets Advocacy Growth as Membership Climbs Toward 100,000

The American Real Estate Association (ARA), a burgeoning national trade association, is strategically expanding its membership and advocacy influence, with a clear objective of approaching 100,000 members. Co-founded by Jason Haber, an entrepreneur and agent with Compass, and Mauricio Umansky, the founder and CEO of The Agency, the ARA represents a significant undertaking in the real estate sector. Haber has articulated that establishing a nonprofit organization like the ARA presents distinct challenges compared to launching a for-profit business. Notably, the absence of traditional shareholders or investors means that capital acquisition is a more protracted process, requiring a different approach to funding and growth. This deliberate pace, as Haber describes it, involves building the organization "brick by brick" to ensure a solid foundation, a philosophy adopted since the ARA opened its membership to the broader housing industry approximately two years ago.

The ARA's growth trajectory has been significantly bolstered by strategic alliances with established players in the real estate ecosystem. A pivotal moment occurred last summer when RLTYco, a real estate technology firm, partnered with the ARA. Briggs Ellwell, the CEO and co-founder of RLTYco, joined the ARA's board of directors, signaling early industry recognition and support. This momentum continued in September 2023, with Douglas Elliman, a prominent real estate brokerage, aligning with the ARA. This partnership integrated over 6,600 Douglas Elliman agents into the ARA's membership base. Furthermore, the leadership of Douglas Elliman demonstrated a strong commitment, with its president and CEO, Michael Liebowitz, and general counsel, Deva Roberts, also joining the ARA's board of directors. This move by Douglas Elliman, a firm with a substantial agent network, significantly amplified the ARA's reach and credibility.

More recently, the ARA has accelerated its expansion efforts with further high-profile board appointments and significant membership initiatives. Chris Lim, the president and chief growth officer at REMAX, a globally recognized real estate brand, and investor Andrew Dodge have joined the ARA's board. In a strategic move to rapidly increase its membership and engagement, the ARA is providing all REMAX agents across the United States with a complimentary first-year membership. This initiative is designed to onboard a substantial number of professionals quickly. Following this, Compass International Holdings, a company with which co-founder Jason Haber is affiliated, announced that all agents operating under its company-owned operations will receive complimentary membership. These collaborations are instrumental in the ARA's mission to consolidate a powerful national voice for real estate professionals, enhancing its capacity for advocacy and industry representation.