Breaking News: NAR President Kasper Resigns Over Blackmail Threat; Sears Takes Over as Association President Immediately

WASHINGTON—The turmoil at the embattled National Association of Realtors continues. Earlier today (Jan. 8), NAR announced that 2024 NAR President Tracy Kasper had resigned over a blackmail threat she received to disclose a “past personal, non-financial matter unless she compromised her position at NAR.”

Kasper stated in an announcement that she refused to compromise her position and in fact reported the threat to law enforcement. NAR President-elect Kevin Sears has stepped into the role of NAR President, effective immediately.

While not providing any further details on the specifics and/or source of the threat, Kasper said that she felt under the circumstances it was best for the organization that she step down. In the announcement, NAR stated that its “Leadership Team is deeply concerned about any attempt to undermine its governance and, as a result, is taking steps to protect the integrity of the organization.”

“As president and a long-time member of NAR, I always have put the interests of NAR first. As a result of the recent threat and given the significance of this moment for myself, my family and the organization, it is again time for me to put the interests of NAR first,” Kasper said. “So, it is with a mix of gratitude and a heavy heart that I submit my resignation as your president effective immediately. In doing so, it gives our Leadership Team the ability to take the reins and forge forward in effecting the change that we all have worked so hard over the past few months to begin. I know I leave our members, our staff and our association in good hands.”

NAR stated that it appreciates Kasper's service and her years of dedication to the association, and in particular her commitment to advocating for homeownership for all.

Kasper was installed as 2024 president of the National Association of Realtors during the 2023 NAR NXT, The Realtor Experience held in Anaheim, CA in November 2023. She took over as 2023 NAR President in late August 2023 when then NAR President Kenny Parcell, resigned from the post on Aug. 28 effective immediately in response to reported sexual harassment allegations by the New York Times.

With more than 30 years in real estate, Kasper, a Realtor from Nampa, ID, is broker-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty. She has served on NAR’s board of directors since 2016, when she also was president of the Idaho Association of Realtors. Kasper has helped raise more than $500,000 for a variety of youth charities in the Boise Valley throughout her career in real estate.

Sears, a Realtor from Springfield, MA, is the broker/partner of Sears Real Estate, which specializes in single-family brokerage and property management. Prior to serving for a short time as 2024 NAR President-elect, he was NAR’s vice president of government affairs in 2017 and president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors in 2010. In 2011, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick appointed Sears as chairman of the board of the state’s real estate commission, a position he was reappointed to in 2016 by Gov. Charlie Baker.