Boston, MA Rob Nahigian, FRICS, SIOR, CRE, MCR of Auburndale Realty Co., was invited and attended the NAR Realtors Legislative Meetings held at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Washington DC on June 2-3, 2025 as a member of the NAR Professional Development Committee. Kevin Sears, 2025 NAR president made the announcement to Nahigian in a letter dated October 8, 2024 of Nahigian’s appointment to the Professional Development Committee with his term commencing on December 1, 2024. Nahigian is now serving as the Group Leader of “Education at All Levels” sub-group of the NAR Professional Development Committee. He was appointed as Group Leader during March 2025. Nahigian was appointed as a representative of the Counselors of Real Estate as the affiliated member to serve on this committee.
the Harvard Club of Boston event.
During the Professional Development Committee meeting in D.C., Nahigian was asked to come to the stage and give his summary of the work conducted to date on his group’s findings on gaps identified in education for real estate practitioners on a national basis. The “Education at All Levels” focuses on all real estate education of all kinds that could be offered at a regional, state or local basis irrespective of an association being affiliated with NAR. Nahigian stated to the audience that one of the recommendations was to strengthen commercial education opportunities on logistics supply chain, commercial lease analysis, marketing practices of commercial real estate and building one’s own real estate firm. In addition, his group wanted to have more courses for residential brokers that want to transition into commercial real estate as introductory courses.
Later in the meeting, Nahigian then reported to the audience and leadership, on the various education opportunities with both CRE and SIOR institute affiliates that can be tapped as a resource for state and local associations. He gave an overview of the genesis of both organizations, the education that is being offered to CRE and SIOR members and non-members, teaching opportunities with these organizations and how associations can utilize funding from CRE or SIOR Ed Foundations to enhance its education opportunities.
Nahigian’s group is part of four groups that comprise the NAR Professional Development Committee. The Professional Development Committee works to establish through planning and visioning processes the future initiatives for NAR education, to manage the GRI program including the REALTOR Institute accreditation process, and to encourage cooperative educational efforts with the NAR societies, institutes and councils, state and local associations and other industry-related organizations.
On June 5, 2025, the Harvard Club of Boston jointly with the Harvard Real Estate Alumni Association held its quarterly reception at the Harvard Club of Boston. Nahigian was invited as a member of the Harvard Club Real Estate SIG and spoke to members about the D.C. meetings and the commercial real estate expected trends for 2025. He was joined by fellow counselor Dana Rowan, CRE who spoke on behalf of the Harvard Real Estate Alumni. Many of the members were deliberating on the potential impact of the tariffs on industrial real estate and what might be the next desirable asset class. The evening was a fun mix of real estate professionals and Harvard and BU real estate professors who also contributed to the discussion.