Top 10 regional Realtor associations:

* Miami Association of Realtors* (23,493 members)
* Houston Association of Realtors (22,992)
* Long Island Board of Realtors (21,888)
* Chicago Association of Realtors (12,547)
* Metrotex Association of Realtors (Dallas, Texas -- 12,235)
* Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors (12,229)
* Mainstreet Organization of Realtors (Downers Grove, Ill. -- 10,982)
* Pacific West Association of Realtors (Anaheim, Calif. -- 10,749)
* San Diego Association of Realtors (10,563)
* Orange County Association of Realtors (Orange County, Calif. -- 10,171)
* Southeast Valley Regional Association of Realtors (Mesa, Arizona. -- 10,044)

*Name change pending approval by NAR.

But not all Realtors think bigger is better. A planned merger of the San Diego Association of Realtors (SDAR) and the smaller North San Diego County Association of Realtors (NSDCAR), backed by the boards of both associations, was scuttled after NSDCAR members rejected the plan in a June 30 vote.

"It probably doesn't make sense to have Miami and Orlando in the same association, because of the distance," Kinney said. "But think about MRIS, the largest MLS in the nation. If (it) can serve 55,000 people, providing probably the most important service we offer to members, why couldn't an association do that with the right focus, offices and team?"

The merger makes the Miami association the biggest regional association in the nation -- and larger than all but 12 state associations. Only California, Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Georgia are bigger, according to National Association of Realtors statistics.