Biggest Realtor Association in the World Is Forming in South Florida: What the Miami and RWorld Merger Means for Buyers, Sellers, and Investors

Salome Penailillo
Apr 21
4 min read

On May 11, 2026, the MIAMI Association of REALTORS® and Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors® (RWorld) will merge into a single 93,000-member organization called Miami and South Florida REALTORS®, pending approval from the National Association of REALTORS®. It will be the largest local Realtor association in the world and the third-largest MLS in the United States, directly impacting property marketing, pricing data, and transaction speed across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties.

Miami and South Florida Realtors merger announcement, May 11 2026, forming the world's largest local Realtor association with 93,000 members across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties.

Key Takeaways

The merger takes effect May 11, 2026, creating a 93,000-member unified association, roughly 33% larger than the next-largest local Realtor association in the world.
Combined $69 billion in 2025 real estate volume between the two groups, per the official merger announcement from MIAMI Association of REALTORS®.
The new MLS will be the third-largest in the U.S., behind Bright MLS (101,000 subscribers) and California Regional MLS (99,000), per T3 Sixty's 2025 rankings.
Members get access to both Flexmls and Matrix, plus 437+ international referral agreements through MIAMI's global program.
For buyers and sellers: broader listing exposure, unified market data, and fewer jurisdictional barriers across four South Florida counties.

The Miami and South Florida Realtors Merger: The Largest Local Association Ever Formed

The merger, announced on April 20, 2026, combines the largest and third-largest local Realtor associations in the United States. According to the official release from the MIAMI Association of REALTORS®, MIAMI currently has 56,000 members and RWorld has 37,000. The unified organization will be larger than 47 U.S. state Realtor associations and more than double the next-largest local association in the country, which has 43,000 members.

Alfredo Pujol, chairman of the board of MIAMI, will serve as the first chairman of the combined organization. RWorld President Jonathan Dolphus becomes the 2026 chair-elect and 2027 chairman of the board, making him the first African American chairman in the history of both organizations. Katherine Arteta will serve as 2027 chair-elect.

Teresa King Kinney and Dionna Hall will lead the new organization as co-CEOs through the end of 2026. Kinney, who has led MIAMI for 33 years, announced her retirement on February 20, 2026, and will step down at the end of 2026. Hall will continue as sole CEO beginning January 1, 2027.

What Is Changing on the MLS Side

According to Florida Realtors (April 2026), both MLSs will initially continue to operate as separate entities before being consolidated. Once unified, the combined MLS will have approximately 93,000 subscribers. Per T3 Sixty's 2025 MLS rankings, that places it third nationally behind Bright MLS at 101,000 subscribers and California Regional MLS at 99,000.

Members of the new organization will be able to work in both Flexmls and Matrix platforms. The association also maintains 11 active data exchanges with major MLSs across the U.S. and Canada and will soon join the Global Data Exchange (GDX), which shares listing data across borders.

[[Image – two hands shaking over a map of South Florida counties | Miami and RWorld merger unites four South Florida counties under one Realtor association | Fusi\u00f3n entre Miami y RWorld une cuatro condados del sur de Florida bajo una sola asociaci\u00f3n]]

The Physical Footprint and Operational Changes

According to The Real Deal (April 20, 2026), the two associations collectively employ about 150 people and operate from 14 locations. Co-CEOs Kinney and Hall have indicated they will evaluate which offices to close based on lease expirations and operational redundancy. MIAMI's headquarters at 1800 Oakwood Drive in Miami Springs will remain a core asset of the combined organization.

The merged organization will also streamline rules and regulations into a single set of guidelines and prioritize lobbying on issues including Florida condominium legislation and home ownership policy. This matters because South Florida's condo market has faced mounting regulatory pressure since 2022.

Why This Matters for the Market

A More Connected Market

South Florida has long operated as three loosely connected regional markets: Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. Agents, listings, and data often stopped at county lines. The merger erases much of that friction. Agents in Hollywood will have the same direct access to Boca Raton and Jupiter listings that Miami agents have to Brickell and Coral Gables.

More Data, Better Pricing

A unified 93,000-subscriber MLS means more comparable sales, more recent transaction data, and more accurate pricing across all four counties. This is the single most valuable outcome for anyone trying to price a listing or make an offer.

International Reach Expands

The new organization will carry forward MIAMI's award-winning global program, which already holds more than 437 signed agreements with international real estate associations. For South Florida sellers, this means broader international buyer exposure. For Latin American, Canadian, and European investors, it means easier access to verified, professionally represented inventory across the entire region.

What This Means for You as a Buyer, Seller, or Investor

If you are a buyer or tenant: You will see more listings, faster. A single unified MLS means your agent can run one search across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie without hitting county walls. Comparable sales data will be deeper and more accurate, giving you stronger negotiation leverage and better protection against overpaying.

If you are a seller or landlord: Your listing will be exposed to 93,000 member agents and their clients across four counties and to more than 437 international partner organizations. That is a meaningful increase in reach, especially for luxury and investment-grade properties where the buyer pool is national or global. Expect faster showings and more qualified offers.

If you are an investor: The combined data set gives you the clearest picture of the South Florida market ever published. Yield analysis, rent comps, absorption rates, and price-per-square-foot benchmarks will now pull from a unified pool of 93,000 subscribers and $69 billion in annual volume. For international investors from Latin America, Canada, and Europe, the expanded global program means Real Estate Sales Intl Inc can now route your inquiries through a stronger referral and data network than ever before.

Sources

MIAMI Association of REALTORS® official merger announcement, April 2026
Florida Realtors, "South Florida Association Merger Sets Record," April 2026
The Real Deal, "South Florida merger to create largest Realtors' association," Katherine Kallergis, April 20, 2026
T3 Sixty, 2025 MLS Rankings

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