2023 Realtor Giving, Volunteering Increased

WASHINGTON – Charitable giving continues to rise among Realtors® and Realtor associations, according to a new report from the National Association of Realtors®.

The 2024 Community Aid and Real Estate Report – CARE Report – provides insight into the monetary and volunteer contributions of NAR members, broker-owners and AEs or MLS staff.

Monthly volunteering and annual monetary donations by Realtors both increased this past year, demonstrating Realtors’ continued dedication to giving back.

Monetary contributions from brokers and Realtor associations also increased or remained strong in 2023. The typical amount donated annually was $1,000 (compared to $800 in 2022). General members at large who donated annually gave a median of $1,200, which was identical to 2022.

“Realtors are intertwined with and engaged in their communities, and the CARE Report highlights the great volunteer efforts by NAR members,” said NAR President Kevin Sears, a broker-partner of Sears Real Estate in Springfield, Massachusetts. “It is heartwarming to see Realtor associations nationwide continue to enhance and further local charitable endeavors, and I’m proud to be associated with such caring and thoughtful professionals.”

Nearly seven out of 10 (69%) Realtor members at large volunteered monthly, spending an average of eight hours volunteering each month, which is an increase from 66% in 2022. Eighty-six percent of Realtor members at large made donations last year, a jump up from 79% in 2022.

Among broker-owners, 73% volunteered their time each month, a small decline from 77% in 2022. Broker donation amounts remain strong. The typical amount donated annually by all broker-owners increased this year to $2,400 (compared to $2,300 in 2022), and the annual donation amount among contributing broker-owners held steady at $3,000.

Sixty percent of AEs or MLS staff volunteered monthly, and 92% made personal donations in 2023, up from 87% in 2022. Ninety-seven percent of AEs or MLS staff said that their associations hold events that encourage their members to volunteer.

NAR is celebrating the 25th year of its Good Neighbor Awards, which recognize Realtors who have made an extraordinary impact on their community through volunteer work. To date, the Good Neighbors have raised and donated $1.47 billion for charitable causes. Since 2000, nearly 240 recipients have served people in need in 43 states and 17 countries.

“We have a deep sense of connection with our communities,” said Kristina Rhodes, 2013 Good Neighbor Award winner and real estate salesperson with ERA First Advantage Realty. “The high rate of volunteerism suggests a profession that goes beyond transactional interactions and actively invests time and effort into the well-being of the communities we serve.”

Over the past year, Realtors were most likely to have volunteered with food bank delivery/meals, a local school or a kids’ sports team. Eighty percent of respondents reported that community involvement is an important component of their business plan.

“Being a Realtor is not just about selling homes or properties; it is the lives inside that matter the most,” said Debra Parmenter, 2001 Good Neighbor Award winner, who recently retired from real estate after 44 years. “We want to make the world a better place. ‘For it is in giving that we receive’; and that’s the beauty of it all.”

Ninety-eight percent of AE or MLS respondents’ associations held a fundraiser last year for nonprofits or charitable causes. The typical number of events hosted last year was four.

“Volunteerism indicates a strong commitment to community engagement and social responsibility,” said Deborah Miller, 2022 Good Neighbor Award finalist and real estate salesperson with Lakeland Homes. “As Realtors, we demonstrate a genuine dedication to making a positive impact beyond our professional duties. It reflects positively on our character, suggesting a sense of empathy, community awareness and a willingness to contribute to the well-being of the neighborhoods we serve.”

Survey methodology

In February 2024, a survey about charity and volunteer work was sent to general members at large, broker-owners, AEs and MLS staff. The data compiled for this report is based on 6,360 respondents for a response rate of 4.2%. The survey was sent to 150,000 people, and approximately 100,000 of the total sample were randomly selected Realtors who are not Brokers of Record. The remaining invitations were sent to a random sample of 50,000 Designated Realtors (Brokers of Record) and all AEs, including some MLS staff. The margin of error for the survey is +/-1.23 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

© 2024 National Association of Realtors® (NAR)