International

KAAR is the REALTORS® International Ambassador Association to Romania

Program Fundamentals

During the course of each year, the National Association of REALTORS® hosts more than 1,500 international real estate professionals. The vast majority of these international colleagues attend the REALTORS® Annual Conference and Expo. In addition to this group, a number of delegations and individuals request meetings with REALTORS® throughout the year for guidance on the industry, to network, and to exchange information about the U.S. and global real estate markets. Most of these exchanges emerge because of the bilateral cooperating agreements that NAR maintains with 80 real estate associations in 59 countries (as of October 2010). Additionally, REALTORS® are interested in developing international business ties, as a result of the growing CIPS Network as well as cultural diversity and globalization within local real estate markets.

Program Particulars

To accommodate our international visitors, and to expose them to the range of opportunities available to them throughout the NAR organization, the International Networks Advisory Group developed the International Ambassador Program. The program is loosely based on the international Sister-City programs: NAR appoints “partner” state and local REALTOR® associations to each of the foreign cooperating associations. The Ambassador Association works closely with President’s Liaison assigned to that country and NAR’s Regional Coordinator for that part of the world. The program also gives members of the Ambassador Association the opportunity to expand their global business networks and get involved in international real estate activities at the local or state level.

Communication and Structure

Interaction between Ambassador Associations and their assigned cooperating associations varies from country to country. NAR Global Business and Alliances staff or the President’s Liaison is often the central point of communication to the partner association, especially where language is a barrier. Ambassador Associations frequently become involved in assisting in the development of organized real estate in a country or in the structure of a country’s real estate association. In this case, a particular Ambassador Association staff member or volunteer representative may work closely with the bilateral partner.

Given the range of communication styles and levels of responsibility, it is most important that the President’s Liaison and the Ambassador Association communicate frequently and develop a working relationship. The Ambassador Association should also regularly communicate with the Regional Coordinator assigned to the country as well as NAR Global Business and Alliances staff.

Responsibilities

The very minimum responsibility of an Ambassador Association is to host and assist delegates from NAR’s foreign cooperating associations during official visits to the United States. An Ambassador Association plays an important role during the REALTORS® Annual Conference and Expo and spends a significant amount of time helping delegates from the partner association navigate the event. The Ambassador Association is expected to provide association management advice if requested, to respond to questions about NAR or other REALTOR® organizations, and to maintain regular correspondence with all parties.  More developed relationships, however, provide the opportunity for member-to-member business contact, which should be the ultimate objective of an Ambassador Association relationship. 

BENEFITS

An Ambassador Association appointment can have a wide variety of benefits for your local association that may range from the satisfaction of helping a foreign real estate association establish an organized real estate market to developing business opportunities in a foreign market.  All Ambassador Associations benefit locally from marketing their relationship with their foreign cooperating associations, and the Ambassador Association appointments are also publicly acknowledged at NAR’s annual meeting.