NAR Spire kicks off this month and runs through October.
This mentorship program, devised and developed by NAR members and staff over recent years, offers mentees the opportunity to work directly with and receive valuable one-on-one guidance from a current REALTOR®. By allowing mentees to see the industry from multiple angles and perspectives, NAR hopes new and aspiring professionals will be able to find the career path that suits them best.
Launched back in the spring of 2021, NAR Spire specifically targets multi-cultural, minority communities throughout the U.S. in an effort to build some much-needed bridges to the real estate industry, one that has historically lacked racial and ethnic diversity.
Roughly 77% of NAR’s 1.5 million members were White in 2021, an NAR research report released earlier this month found. While this number is down slightly from 78% in 2020, we see diversity increasing most in our industry in those newest to the field. Among those with two years or less experience in real estate, 37% were racial minorities in 2021, an increase from 34% the year prior.
Overall, Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 11% of REALTORS® in 2021, followed by Black/African Americans at 8% and Asian/Pacific Islanders at 5%.
Mentorship opportunities help individuals learn the fundamentals of the real estate industry, understanding the intricacies and realities of this profession. They also help NAR further its cause to educate the public on the generational wealth building opportunities made available by property ownership.
Although the application and matching process for this year is closed, associations interested in participating next year can apply by visiting this link.
Until then, we encourage the public to visit futureinrealestate.realtor to explore various career paths, take an assessment to receive customized career path recommendations, and learn about all of the generational wealth building opportunities the American Dream makes possible.