Houston Association of REALTORS®
HAR is the second-largest local REALTOR® association in the United States — a century-old institution serving greater Houston, one of the most active real estate markets in the country. Texas Ally is a HAR member broker, which makes HAR one of the local boards our agents can choose to join.
Texas Ally is a HAR member broker. Every agent who joins us is required to become a member of a local REALTOR® board of their choice — and HAR is one of the options. Our brokerage-level membership is what makes it available to you.
What HAR Is
The Houston Association of REALTORS® is the local REALTOR® board headquartered in Houston. Founded in 1918 and now more than a century old, HAR is the second-largest local real estate trade association in the United States — trailing only the Chicago Association of REALTORS® in membership.
HAR represents more than 50,000 REALTORS® and operates HAR.com, the most-trafficked consumer-facing REALTOR® association website in the country. HAR.com regularly ranks in the top 20 real estate sites nationally, giving HAR-member listings exceptional organic visibility. This is a genuinely meaningful competitive advantage for agents working in greater Houston.
HAR 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.
Greater Houston & Surrounding Counties
HAR's MLS jurisdiction covers the Houston metropolitan area and reaches well beyond it into surrounding counties. For TA agents working anywhere in greater Houston, the Bay Area, Fort Bend, or Montgomery County, HAR is typically the most natural choice of local board.
- Harris County Houston — the core of the service area
- Fort Bend County Sugar Land, Richmond, Katy (south), Missouri City
- Montgomery County The Woodlands, Conroe, Magnolia
- Galveston County Galveston, League City, Friendswood, Texas City
- Brazoria County Pearland, Angleton, Lake Jackson, Alvin
- Liberty County Liberty, Cleveland, Dayton
- Waller County Waller, Hempstead, Prairie View
- Chambers County Mont Belvieu, Anahuac, Winnie
- Austin County Sealy, Bellville — western reach
- San Jacinto County Coldspring, Point Blank
HAR also has data-sharing agreements with ABoR's Unlock MLS and other Texas associations, extending agent reach beyond the metro core for relocation clients.
HAR MLS
HAR's MLS is one of the largest and most sophisticated in the country — and HAR.com, the consumer-facing side, is a major reason HAR-member listings get the traffic they do.
What It Covers
Residential, commercial, farm and ranch, vacant land, and rental listings across greater Houston and roughly 10 surrounding counties. Combined active inventory regularly runs into the tens of thousands of listings.
HAR.com Advantage
HAR-listed properties get visibility on HAR.com — one of the top 20 real estate websites in the U.S. by traffic. That's direct consumer exposure most markets simply can't match.
Technology
HAR's Matrix platform includes market stats, CMA tools, mobile apps, and a comprehensive forms library. HAR is widely considered one of the most technology-forward REALTOR® associations in the country.
What You Get as a HAR Member
Beyond MLS access, HAR membership carries weight. Here's what actually matters day-to-day for a working agent.
REALTOR® Standing & the Code of Ethics
HAR 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."
HAR 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
HAR 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 HAR, 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 HAR REALTORS® and 110,000+ statewide, plus the NAR referral network for clients moving into or out of the region. HAR also hosts local events, committees, and affiliate networking opportunities.
Consumer Trust Resources
HAR 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 HAR 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 HAR member broker, which makes HAR available as one of your options. Here's how it works if you pick it.
If you choose HAR as your local board
- You apply to HAR directly under our brokerage sponsorship — this is what unlocks your ability to list and sell across the service area and access HAR MLS.
- You pay your own HAR 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.
HAR Membership Basics
The board sets its own requirements; we just sponsor. These are the essentials any new HAR member needs to know.
Who Qualifies
Any actively licensed Texas real estate agent or broker whose sponsoring brokerage is a HAR member broker. Texas Ally qualifies. Appraisers, inspectors, lenders, and other service providers can join as affiliates.
Dues & Fees
Annual HAR dues plus MLS participation fees, paid directly to the board. Exact amounts change year to year; confirm current rates at har.com.
Onboarding Requirements
New members complete a HAR New Member Orientation and the NAR Code of Ethics course, typically within a defined window after joining. Both are offered locally and online.
Work Greater Houston. Keep 100%.
Texas Ally is a HAR member broker. If you're a licensed Texas agent and HAR 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 Houston →See Our Plans Talk to a BrokerHAR & Texas Ally — FAQ
Can Texas Ally sponsor my HAR membership?
Yes. Texas Ally is a HAR member broker, which is the prerequisite that lets our agents join the board. Once you're sponsored at Texas Ally, you apply to HAR directly and pay dues to the board. We don't mark up or administer those fees.
Do I have to join HAR 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. HAR is the natural choice for agents working the HAR 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 HAR membership cost?
Annual HAR 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 HAR's membership page at har.com.
Can I belong to HAR 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 HAR offer continuing education?
Yes. HAR 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 HAR-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 makes HAR different from other Texas boards?
Three things: scale, consumer reach, and technology. HAR is the second-largest local board in the U.S., operates HAR.com (a top-20 national real estate site), and consistently leads in MLS tooling and digital infrastructure. For agents working the Houston market, these are material advantages — HAR-listed properties genuinely get more organic consumer traffic than listings in markets without a comparable local portal.
Does HAR have branch offices?
Yes. In addition to HAR headquarters on the Southwest Freeway in Houston, HAR operates branch offices serving the Bay Area, Fort Bend County, and Montgomery County, with full membership services at each location.
Houston Association 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 HAR at har.com.