Kansas City Realtors® Visit Nation’s Capital to Advocate Policy Issues Affecting Homeownership, Commercial Real Estate

On behalf of current and future home and property owners throughout the country, over 9,000 Realtors®, including more than 30 from the Kansas City metro area, recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to advance key real estate issues during the 2018 REALTOR® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Members of the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors (KCRAR) joined fellow Realtors from Kansas, Missouri and across the nation to attend meetings and informational sessions, as well as meet with regulatory agency staff and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss and advocate real estate issues affecting their businesses, communities and clients including fair housing, flood insurance and internet neutrality.

“Realtors are the leading advocates for homeownership and commercial real estate, which is why it is so critical that we connect with lawmakers and ensure they understand the issues facing the real estate industry and their constituents – of which many are home and property owners,” said Andrea Sheridan, president of the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors. “Supporting home and property owners through smart legislation and regulatory initiatives is essential to advancing our nation’s economy, as well as our communities, so Realtors are continuing the fight to keep Congress’ attention on the issues that impact real estate most.”

While in Washington, local Realtors met with several Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill to discuss and influence public policy decisions that directly affect consumers’ ability to own, buy, rent and sell residential and commercial real estate across Kansas and Missouri.

When speaking with legislators , Realtors acknowledged the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act and urged Congress to adopt sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes under the Act, bringing it in line with the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) strict Code of Ethics. Additionally, Realtors advocated for strong net neutrality protections; fought to extend and reform the National Flood Insurance Program; and urged Congress to index homeownership deductions for future inflation and permanently extend the tax exclusion on mortgage debt forgiveness.

“We are proud to lead the way toward greater equality in housing opportunities and are committed to furthering policies that support sustainable and inclusive communities without discrimination,” said Sheridan.

During the meetings, attendees also heard from industry experts and leaders including Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Mick Mulvaney, who spoke about the organization’s latest initiatives, plans for improved efficiency of agency operations, and his perspectives on issues shaping the real estate industry.

In addition, attendees listened in as U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson, discussed the nation’s commitment to fair housing during the conference’s General Session; U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri) shared a personal story about the importance of safe and affordable housing for all Americans; Realtor.com® Chief Economist, Danielle Hale, provided an overview of current conditions in the residential and commercial markets; Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator, William “Brock” Long, addressed a broad range of disaster and emergency management topics, such as National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization and federal disaster relief; and NAR Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun, shared residential and commercial real estate market updates and forecasts for the remainder of 2018.

Your REALTOR® is Your Advocate

Whether buying or selling a home, it is important to partner with an expert who can guide you through the journey, walking you through each step with confidence and helping you reach the closing knowing your best interests were protected. That partner is a REALTOR®.

The ability to adopt the most appropriate role for any given situation is typically so seamless that it may even go unnoticed, but it’s within that ability that the value of a REALTOR® is most clear.

REALTORS® take on many roles:

Negotiator - Engaged in an unrelenting pursuit of the win-win

Concierge - The go-to person that even go-to people go to

Advocate - Making sure you never have to go it alone

Matchmaker - The mutual friend setting you up with your soulmate house

Wordsmith - Painting the picture of how you will feel

Firefighter - Snuffing out problems left and right

Designer - Selling homes is an artform

Advisor - With experience comes wisdom (and the eagerness to share it)

When you partner with a REALTOR®, you get them all.