Austin Board of REALTORS®
ABoR is Central Texas's hundred-year-old REALTOR® board, serving one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the United States. Texas Ally is an ABoR member broker, which makes ABoR one of the local boards our agents can choose to join.
Texas Ally is an ABoR member broker. Every agent who joins us is required to become a member of a local REALTOR® board of their choice — and ABoR is one of the options. Our brokerage-level membership is what makes it available to you.
What ABoR Is
The Austin Board of REALTORS® is the local REALTOR® board headquartered in Austin. Founded in 1926, it just celebrated its centennial and has grown alongside the Austin metro itself — from a small Hill Country capital into one of the most-watched real estate markets in the country.
ABoR represents more than 20,000 REALTORS® across 18 Central Texas counties and operates Unlock MLS — formerly known as ACTRIS, one of the oldest continuously operating MLS systems in the U.S., first launched in 1952. The rebrand to Unlock MLS in 2023 came alongside strategic data-sharing partnerships with Houston (HAR) and San Antonio (SABOR), giving Austin-area agents visibility into listings across most of Texas.
ABoR members are part of the broader networks of Texas REALTORS® (110,000+ members) and the National Association of REALTORS® (1M+ members), and operate under the NAR Code of Ethics.
18 Counties Across Central Texas
ABoR's jurisdiction stretches from the Texas Hill Country through the Austin metro and out into the surrounding rural counties. For TA agents working anywhere in Central Texas, ABoR is typically the most natural choice of local board.
- Travis County Austin — the core of the service area
- Williamson County Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Leander
- Hays County San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, Wimberley
- Bastrop County Bastrop, Elgin, Smithville
- Burnet County Marble Falls, Burnet — Highland Lakes region
- Blanco County Johnson City, Blanco
- Caldwell County Lockhart, Luling
- Llano County Llano — western Hill Country
- Milam County Cameron, Rockdale
- Lee County Giddings, Dime Box
- Fayette County La Grange, Schulenburg
- Gillespie County Fredericksburg — wine country
- And 6 more Washington, Lampasas, Mason, San Saba, McCulloch, Concho
Unlock MLS also has data-sharing agreements with HAR and SABOR, which gives ABoR subscribers visibility into Houston and San Antonio listings — useful for agents serving relocation clients.
Unlock MLS
Unlock MLS is ABoR's multiple listing service — formerly known as ACTRIS. It's one of the most technologically advanced MLS systems in the country, with tools like Flex, Matrix, and UnlockStats all available to subscribers.
What It Covers
Residential, commercial, farm and ranch, vacant land, and rental listings across 18 Central Texas counties, plus partnership visibility into Houston (HAR) and San Antonio (SABOR) markets.
Technology
Unlock MLS includes Matrix, Flex, UnlockStats, the Unlock MLS mobile app, Cubicasa floor plans, RESO-compliant APIs, and a full forms library. The platform is RESO Platinum certified.
Syndication
Listings syndicate to REALTOR.com, Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, and all major consumer portals. IDX and VOW feeds are available to member brokerages.
What You Get as a ABoR Member
Beyond MLS access, ABoR membership carries weight. Here's what actually matters day-to-day for a working agent.
REALTOR® Standing & the Code of Ethics
ABoR membership is what lets you use the REALTOR® trademark and operate under the NAR Code of Ethics — the standard that distinguishes professional REALTORS® from the general pool of licensees. Consumers increasingly search for REALTOR®, not "real estate agent."
Unlock MLS Access
Full access to listings, comps, market data, property histories, and the MLS tools you'll rely on for pricing, CMAs, and showing scheduling. IDX for your own website if Texas Ally's public search isn't enough.
Continuing Education & Designations
ABoR offers TREC-approved CE courses at the board and pathways into NAR designations like ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative), SRS (Seller Representative Specialist), and GRI (Graduate, REALTOR® Institute).
Advocacy — Local, State, National
Your membership dues fund RPAC and the advocacy work of ABoR, Texas REALTORS®, and NAR — which lobby on private property rights, tax treatment, licensing reform, and housing policy issues that affect your business.
Networking & Referrals
Access to local ABoR REALTORS® and 110,000+ statewide, plus the NAR referral network for clients moving into or out of the region. ABoR also hosts local events, committees, and affiliate networking opportunities.
Consumer Trust Resources
ABoR publishes local housing reports, provides market data tools, and maintains public member directories — all tools you can point clients to as neutral third-party sources.
What ABoR Membership Looks Like for a TA Agent
Every Texas Ally agent is required to join a local REALTOR® board of their own choice — the brokerage can't join for you, and different territories call for different boards. We're a ABoR member broker, which makes ABoR available as one of your options. Here's how it works if you pick it.
If you choose ABoR as your local board
- You apply to ABoR directly under our brokerage sponsorship — this is what unlocks your ability to list and sell across the service area and access Unlock MLS.
- You pay your own ABoR dues and MLS fees directly to the board — the same as you would at any other brokerage. Those fees aren't marked up or administered by us.
- You keep 100% of your commissions at Texas Ally. No splits, no desk fees, no franchise fees, no monthly tech fees. Our plans are flat.
- You have direct access to our managing broker for contract questions, guidance, and broker support — we answer the phone.
- If your business also takes you outside this region, you can join additional boards. We're member brokers at the other major Texas associations, so multi-board setups are common and welcomed.
ABoR Membership Basics
The board sets its own requirements; we just sponsor. These are the essentials any new ABoR member needs to know.
Who Qualifies
Any actively licensed Texas real estate agent or broker whose sponsoring brokerage is a ABoR member broker. Texas Ally qualifies. Appraisers, inspectors, lenders, and other service providers can join as affiliates.
Dues & Fees
Annual ABoR dues plus MLS participation fees, paid directly to the board. Exact amounts change year to year; confirm current rates at abor.com.
Onboarding Requirements
New members complete a ABoR New Member Orientation and the NAR Code of Ethics course, typically within a defined window after joining. Both are offered locally and online.
Work Central Texas. Keep 100%.
Texas Ally is an ABoR member broker. If you're a licensed Texas agent and ABoR is the right local board for your market, we'll sponsor you there. If another board fits better, we can sponsor you there too — we're member brokers at all the major Texas associations. Either way, you keep 100% of your commissions. No splits, no desk fees, no surprises.
100% Commission in Austin →See Our Plans Talk to a BrokerABoR & Texas Ally — FAQ
Can Texas Ally sponsor my ABoR membership?
Yes. Texas Ally is a ABoR member broker, which is the prerequisite that lets our agents join the board. Once you're sponsored at Texas Ally, you apply to ABoR directly and pay dues to the board. We don't mark up or administer those fees.
Do I have to join ABoR specifically if I work with Texas Ally?
No. Every Texas Ally agent joins a local REALTOR® board of their own choice — not one we assign. ABoR is the natural choice for agents working the ABoR service area, but if your territory calls for a different Texas board, that's fine. We're member brokers at the other major associations and can sponsor you accordingly.
What does ABoR membership cost?
Annual ABoR dues plus MLS participation fees. Exact amounts change year to year and are set by the board — not by Texas Ally. The authoritative source is ABoR's membership page at abor.com.
Can I belong to ABoR and another MLS at the same time?
Yes — many working agents do, especially those whose territory straddles markets. Texas Ally has access to the major Texas boards, so if your book of business crosses regions, we can usually get you sponsored at multiple.
Does ABoR offer continuing education?
Yes. ABoR offers TREC-approved CE courses required for license renewal, plus the coursework pathways for NAR designations like ABR, SRS, and GRI. Schedules are published on the board's website.
How is this different from just joining any random brokerage in the area?
The board access is the same — any ABoR-member broker can sponsor you. The difference is what the brokerage keeps from your commission checks. At most traditional brokerages in this market, it's a meaningful percentage. At Texas Ally, it's zero. That's the core of what we do.
What's the difference between Unlock MLS and ACTRIS?
They're the same MLS, renamed. ABoR rebranded ACTRIS (Austin/Central Texas Realty Information Service) to Unlock MLS in July 2023. If you hear older Austin agents say ACTRIS, they mean the same platform you're logging into.
Do I have to be an ABoR member to access Unlock MLS?
As of June 1, 2025, no. Unlock MLS dropped the association-membership requirement — any TREC-licensed agent or broker whose sponsoring brokerage subscribes to Unlock MLS can get access. That said, most working agents still join ABoR because membership is what allows you to use the REALTOR® trademark and gets you access to the full range of benefits.
Austin Board of REALTORS®
This page is maintained by Texas Ally Real Estate Group as a resource for prospective agents. For authoritative information on membership, dues, governance, and policies, always refer directly to ABoR at abor.com.