The meeting and trade expo is slated to run Tuesday through Saturday, with more than 7,000 realtors and others expected to attend the event, which is being held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. Martinez's speech will cap off the session on Saturday, during the NAR's board of directors meetings.

Topics to be discussed at the jam-packed session include updates on legislative and regulatory issues affecting the real estate industry, smart growth, PMI, appraisal, energy, the environment and market forecasts for both the commercial and residential sectors. A trade expo is also being held.

Other events include the May 16 unveiling of a new NAR-sponsored exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, entitled "Within These Walls…" that explores the evolution of American homes. An International Consortium of Real Estate Consortiums--an alliance of 20 national real estate associations involved in markets across the world--will get its official launch during the mid-year expo.