East Tennessee REALTORS

What East Tennessee REALTORS does

East Tennessee REALTORS is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1912 that serves more than 6,300 licensed real estate professionals across 12 counties in East Tennessee (Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Union). The organization operates as a member-owned entity governed by an elected Board of Directors under CEO Lyle Irish, with Angel Scott serving as 2026 Board President. Originally chartered as The Real Estate Board of Knoxville, the association has undergone four name changes, most recently rebranding from Knoxville Area Association of REALTORS (KAAR) to East Tennessee REALTORS in June 2023 to reflect its broadened regional scope.

The association's core offering is a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) built on the FlexMLS platform, which enables authorized broker participants to share listing data, make unilateral offers of cooperation and compensation, and integrate with partner MLSs (Greater Chattanooga MLS and TN/VA Regional MLS) for cross-regional listing visibility. Supplementary technology products include standard IDX/VOW/BBO data feed APIs ($250 one-time setup fee), Supra BT LE electronic lockboxes with eKey Bluetooth access ($135 per unit, lifetime warranty for members), and complimentary Forewarn identity-verification analytics. The association also operates member directories (REALTOR, Affiliate, Office with 365+ affiliates), continuing education (tracked via third-party CE Broker), standardized forms, professional standards and Code of Ethics enforcement, RPAC political advocacy, a Benevolent Fund for hardship cases, and a Corporate Ally Program with tiered contributions ($1,500–$5,000).

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: recurring annual membership dues from REALTOR and Affiliate members, MLS and technology fees (API setup, FlexMLS link upgrades), and Supra lockbox hardware sales. Distribution is community-led, with members acquired through professional standards requirements and Code of Ethics commitments, and engaged via continuing education, networking events, committee participation, social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube), the Market Pulse newsletter, and PR coverage in regional outlets (WBIR, WATE, WVLT, Knox News).

Name

East Tennessee REALTORS

Legal name

East Tennessee REALTORS

Website

https://etnrealtors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

East Tennessee REALTORS is a 1912-founded nonprofit trade association serving 6,300+ licensed real estate professionals across 12 East Tennessee counties, operating a FlexMLS-based Multiple Listing Service with supplementary lockbox, data feed, advocacy, and education services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from real estate professionals (REALTORS and REALTOR-associated members) covering association services, MLS access, professional standards, and advocacy representation.
2. MLS and Technology Fees: API setup fees ($250 one-time), FlexMLS link upgrades, and technology services for MLS subscribers.
3. Supra Lockbox Sales: Sale of Supra electronic lockboxes at $135 per unit including lifetime warranty for association members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

East Tennessee REALTORS operates a REALTOR-owned Multiple Listing Service (FlexMLS) enabling authorized broker members to share property listings, cooperate on compensation, and exchange listing data with partner MLSs in Greater Chattanooga and the TN/VA region. Around the MLS, the association delivers member services including IDX/VOW data feeds, Supra electronic lockbox sales, continuing education, professional standards and Code of Ethics enforcement, RPAC political advocacy, a Benevolent Fund, market research via the Market Pulse newsletter, and member directories.

Product overview

East Tennessee REALTORS is a trade association serving real estate professionals across 12 East Tennessee counties, not a unified SaaS product. The organization's offerings are organized as a service portfolio centered on its Multiple Listing Service (MLS), with supplementary modules including IDX/VOW data feeds, Supra electronic lockbox systems, the Forewarn analytics verification service, continuing education tracking via CE Broker, market research and newsletters, advocacy and political action programs (RPAC, Corporate Ally Program), member directories, forms, and a benevolent fund for members in hardship. The MLS serves as the core platform, while the various add-on modules provide specialized services for members to conduct real estate business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• East Tennessee REALTORS MLS: Multiple Listing Service operated by the association for property listings and data sharing.
• Market Pulse Newsletter
• East Tennessee Realtors Benevolent Fund

Products and services

• Multiple Listing Service (MLS) via FlexMLS
• IDX/VOW/BBO Data Feed API
• Supra Key & Lockbox System
• Continuing Education Classes
• Market Pulse Newsletter
• Research Reports
• REALTOR Political Action Committee (RPAC)
• Corporate Ally Program (CAP)
• Benevolent Fund Assistance Program
• Professional Standards & Code of Ethics Enforcement
• Standard Real Estate Forms
• REALTOR Directory
• Affiliate Directory
• Forewarn Identity Verification Service
• Advocacy & Government Affairs Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Data sharing enables subscribers to view listings in participating MLSs without additional subscription costs, potentially saving hundreds of dollars in application and MLS fees
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Chattanooga MLScoreTechnology or IntegrationData sharing partnership through flexMLS allowing participants and subscribers to view listings in Greater Chattanooga MLS service area (Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in TN, Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in GA) without additional subscription costs.
• TN/VA Regional MLScoreTechnology or IntegrationJointly owned MLS data sharing partnership including Northeast TN and Bristol TN/VA associations. Service area includes Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties in TN and Lee, Scott, and Wise counties in VA.
• Supra (lockbox technology)coreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic lockbox systems and eKey technology provider enabling secure property access for REALTORS. Supra BT LE lockboxes used for member property access.
• ForewarnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnalytics service for real estate professionals enabling identity verification, criminal history searches, and information validation. Complimentary service for all ETNR primary and secondary members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/etnrealtors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCV-vQs_CgKNvDgPixOcaRnQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ETNREALTORS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-tennessee-realtors
• Instagraminstagram.com/etnrealtors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 East Tennessee REALTORS