Southern Arizona’s largest trade association is right here in Tucson. You may have seen our name around town through various events and initiatives such as the Soccer Shootout and the Meet Me Downtown Run. We are the Tucson Association of Realtors (TAR).

TAR represents the interests of 5,800 professionals in the real estate industry and as of October 2009 the Tucson Association of Realtors was the 46th largest of the 1,400 associations nationwide.

Our membership is primarily Realtors with a small percentage of affiliate members (businesses with services relating to the real estate industry). Not all real estate licensees are Realtors.

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Realtors are able to utilize the Multiple Listing Service (TAR/MLS), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Tucson Association of Realtors, which is a reliable, cooperative real estate database of listing and sale information in Southern Arizona.

The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). As a member of NAR, Realtors pledge to follow the NAR’s Code of Ethics - a commitment of honesty, integrity and commitment to their clients.

For instance, Article 2 states: “Realtors refrain from exaggeration, mis-representation, or concealment of pertinent facts related to property or transactions.” The Code of Ethics goes above and beyond the duties imposed by law or regulation, and if a Realtor fails to carry out any aspect of the Code of Ethics, they are subject to disciplinary actions.

The Arizona Association of Realtors (AAR) enforces the Code of Ethics in our state and is the entity to which ethics complaints are filed. The state association also offers dispute resolution through arbitration and mediation services.

The Tucson Association of Realtors is committed to our members and offering them the best benefits possible. We encourage our members’ professional development by offering a variety of educational classes, roundtables and seminars throughout the year. Most of these are offered free for members or at discounted rates.

The association also has an affinity program that includes vendors who will provide benefits such as discounts for products and services that cannot be obtained anywhere else.

Another member benefit is representation through public affairs. The Tucson association advances public policies that preserve the best real estate environment for our member’s business through legislative efforts at the local level.

Thousands of volunteer and staff hours have gone into promoting Realtor interests in our community. These are just a few of the many benefits our members receive.

Not only do Realtors have resources and benefits at the local level, they also have an advocate through the state and national level through AAR and NAR.

The state association battles state legislative issues that affect the real estate profession as well as offering numerous member benefits such as a legal hotline and resources to obtain medial coverage.

On the national level, NAR works to promote Realtors through their Public Awareness Campaign, HousingMarketFacts.com and through their Surround Sound Campaign, a campaign that works with state and local associations to help them dispel negative perceptions about the housing market.

Members also have a large number of benefits available through NAR, such as a Realtor Federal Credit Union and the “Right Tools, Right Now” program that offers hundreds of free publications, tools and resources.

It is the Tucson Association of Realtors mission to promote enhanced communication, a positive regulatory climate and to elevate professionalism and public perception for its members.

It is our vision to be the best prepared real estate practitioners with the highest standards. Learn more about us at www.tucsonrealtors.org.

Laura Kruszewski is the marketing manager for the Tucson Association of Realtors. She can be contacted at laura@tucsonrealtors.org.