What Columbus Realtors does

Columbus REALTORS® is a private, nonprofit trade association founded in 1908 and headquartered at 2700 Airport Drive in Columbus, Ohio. It serves 9,400+ licensed real estate professionals across Central Ohio who specialize in sales, leasing, property management, appraisal, and development. The association also enrolls affiliate and sustaining members from adjacent industries such as moving, title, mortgage, inspection, and appraisal. Its wholly owned subsidiary, Columbus and Central Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. (MLS), connects over 700 real estate offices and thousands of agents through real-time property listing data and cross-brokerage collaboration tools.

The core technology stack includes the MLS, the Supra Electronic Key Box System (iBox hardware with eKEY mobile apps on iOS and Android for property access), the FOREWAWN identity-verification safety app, the Rayse client-facing transaction tracking app, and integrated forms vendors (DotLoop, formsRus, ZipForms/Lone Wolf). Members also access a commercial dashboard, monthly housing reports, complimentary Columbus Business First and HousingWire subscriptions, and In Contract Magazine, the association's bimonthly publication with 10,000+ circulation.

Columbus REALTORS® generates revenue through recurring annual REALTOR® and affiliate membership dues, MLS subscription access fees for licensed brokers, preferred-vendor referral programs, and advertising in In Contract Magazine. Its go-to-market is direct membership sales to licensed Ohio real estate professionals, supported by content marketing (housing reports, news, Three For Thursday blog), events (Central Ohio Real Estate Summit, CORPAC Golf Outing, YPN activities), and member portal distribution. The organization is governed by an elected Board of Directors and is affiliated with Ohio REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®.

Name

Columbus Realtors

Legal name

Columbus REALTORS® Association

Website

https://columbusrealtors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Columbus REALTORS® is a 1908-founded nonprofit trade association serving 9,400+ licensed real estate professionals in Central Ohio, operating the regional MLS connecting 700+ offices alongside Supra key boxes, member benefits, and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Trade Association

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell) (FSAEAJAA)

Keywords

• Real estate trade association
• Multiple listing service
• Realtor professional development
• Real estate advocacy
• Member networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues & Fees: Trade association membership dues and fees for licensed real estate agents and REALTOR® members. Membership types include REALTOR® membership, Affiliate and Sustaining Memberships for affiliated businesses.
2. MLS Subscription Access: Access to Columbus and Central Ohio Regional MLS is available to licensed brokers and their agents who are members of the MLS.
3. Preferred Vendor Program: Residential and commercial preferred vendor partnerships offering discounts to members. Vendors include moving companies, flooring companies, insurance providers, and service companies.
4. In Contract Magazine Advertising: Official publication of Columbus REALTORS® printed and mailed to 10,000+ members six times a year. Advertising available to vendors and partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Columbus REALTORS® is a nonprofit trade association serving more than 9,400 real estate professionals across Central Ohio. It provides its members with Multiple Listing Service (MLS) access, professional development and education programs, government advocacy, networking opportunities, and member-exclusive tools such as an electronic key box system, member portal, and association magazine.

Product overview

Columbus REALTORS is a trade association serving 9,400+ real estate professionals in Central Ohio. The core product is the Columbus and Central Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service (MLS), an electronic key box system powered by Supra (IBOX/eKey), and a member portal providing access to commercial dashboards, housing reports, and professional development. Members can access transaction management through integrated forms vendors (DotLoop, formsRus, ZipForms), safety tools (FOREWARN), and client-facing transparency apps (Rayse). The association publishes In Contract Magazine bimonthly and provides advocacy resources, foundation programs, and networking through the Young Professionals Network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• REALTOR Membership Annual membership category for licensed REALTORS®, providing access to the MLS, advocacy, professional development, networking events, and association benefits.
• Affiliate/Sustaining Membership Non-licensed industry partners such as lenders, title companies, and home inspectors who join the association to network with REALTOR members and gain visibility.
• Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Centralized property listing platform operated for members and participating real estate offices to share and search property listings across Central Ohio.
• Supra Electronic Key Box System Supra iBox and eKey electronic lockbox service that allows REALTORS to securely access listed properties during showings.
• In Contract Magazine Association-published magazine providing industry news, market data, and member-relevant content to Central Ohio real estate professionals.
• Professional Development and Education Programs Continuing education, certification courses, and training designed to keep REALTORS informed on industry standards, technology, and best practices.
• Commercial Dashboard Member-facing dashboard presenting commercial real estate market data and listing activity in the Central Ohio market.
• Housing Reports Periodic market reports summarizing housing statistics and trends for the Central Ohio region, available to members.
• Government Affairs and CORPAC Advocacy program and political action committee representing REALTOR interests with local, state, and federal policymakers on real estate policy issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,400+ members served through comprehensive member benefits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ohio RealtorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level trade association partnership providing Ohio REALTORS® members access to state-level advocacy, education, and resources. Columbus REALTORS® is affiliated with Ohio Realtors for coordinated professional standards.
• National Association of RealtorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational-level trade association providing members access to national advocacy, research, professional standards, and REALTOR® benefits program. Columbus REALTORS® operates as a local board of this national association.
• SupraOne/BrokerBaycoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic key box and showing scheduling system providing access to listed properties. Supra iBox and eKEY technology enables secure property access for showing agents.
• FOREWARNsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSafety app for REALTORS® to verify prospects before meetings. Part of the association's REALTOR® Safety program resources.
• County Auditors (Central Ohio)supportingOthersLinks to county auditor websites across Central Ohio including Athens, Clark, Clinton, Champaign, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Highland, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, and Union counties.
• County Recorders (Central Ohio)supportingOthersLinks to county recorder offices across Central Ohio for property recording and land records access.
• Columbus Business FirstsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerComplimentary online subscription provided to Columbus REALTORS® members. Members receive digital access through the member portal for local business news, contacts, and company rankings.
• HousingWiresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerComplimentary subscription provided to Columbus REALTORS® members. Offers weekly market statistics, analysis, reporting powered by Altos, and HousingWire Daily newsletter.
• RaysesupportingTechnology or IntegrationClient experience app offered 100% complimentary for all REALTOR® members. Tracks research, showings, offers, and communication, providing transparency and real-time updates for clients.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stellar MLS: Large regional MLS covering Florida and adjacent states with MLS subscriptions, showing services, and member portals comparable to those offered by Columbus and Central Ohio Regional MLS. Same core business: providing listing data infrastructure to brokers and agents.
• Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS: Neighboring Ohio local REALTOR association serving the Cincinnati metro. Closest in-function peer: another Ohio local board offering REALTOR membership, MLS access, advocacy, education, and member benefits to a similar mix of Ohio-licensed agents and affiliates.
• CRMLS (California Regional MLS): One of the largest MLS operators in the U.S., offering comparable MLS listing data, Supra-style electronic keyboxes, and member-facing technology tools. Useful peer for understanding the technology, product breadth, and operational maturity of an MLS-only operator vs. an association-affiliated MLS.
• Dayton REALTORS: Southwestern Ohio local REALTOR trade association with a similar membership + MLS + advocacy model. Comparable in scale, structure, and revenue mix to Columbus REALTORS for a benchmark within the Ohio local-board network.
• Bright MLS: Large multi-state regional MLS serving the Mid-Atlantic with comparable MLS product (real-time listing data, Supra keyboxes, showing scheduling, compliance tools). Direct comparable to Columbus and Central Ohio Regional MLS on infrastructure, member services, and revenue model.
• Greater Metropolitan Association of REALTORS (Detroit): Midwestern local REALTOR association combining trade association membership with MLS services, education, and advocacy. Direct functional peer at a similar mid-size metro scale to Columbus.

Broad incumbents

• Ohio REALTORS: State-level trade association of which Columbus REALTORS is a local board. Directly comparable model: dues-funded trade association providing MLS-adjacent services, advocacy, education, and member benefits to Ohio real estate professionals, just at a larger statewide footprint.
• National Association of REALTORS: National federation of which Columbus REALTORS is a local affiliate. Operates the same trade association model (dues, code of ethics, advocacy, MLS governance) but at national scale; the relevant comparable for understanding Columbus REALTORS' positioning within the tiered local/state/national REALTOR ecosystem.

Others

• FOREWRN: Identity-verification safety app offered to Columbus REALTORS members as a benefit. Comparable as an adjacent/partnered technology that is increasingly bundled into REALTOR association member offerings nationally.
• Supra (UTOO/USKey): Core technology vendor to Columbus REALTORS for the electronic key box and eKEY system. Comparable as a peer because its product (Bluetooth IBOX, eKey app, showing scheduling via BrokerBay) is embedded into the MLS workflow and shapes member experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ColumbusREALTORS
• Xx.com/cbusrealtors
• Facebookfacebook.com/columbusrealtors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbusrealtors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbus Realtors