With the 2018 midterm elections quickly approaching, it’s a good time to remember that legislative decisions at the national and state level can significantly impact your brokerage, your agents, and your customers. How can you help shape the legislative landscape to support REALTORS® and property ownership? Join the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Broker Involvement Program.
The Broker Involvement Program provides broker/owners with a quick and effective tool to rally their agents and send a strong, united REALTOR® voice to state and federal leaders. Once you’ve enrolled, NAR will email your agents, on your behalf, on critical legislative and regulatory issues affecting the real estate industry. These emails are typically sent only three to five times a year.
Past results have proven that agents are more likely to respond to a legislative Call for Action if it comes from their broker. You’ll be alerted by email when a Call for Action is being launched and can use an online portal to view agent participation reports.
It’s easy to sign up, and there’s no cost. Currently, over 16,000 brokers participate in the Broker Involvement Program, representing nearly 500,000 agents. To register, visit www.realtorparty.realtor/brokers.
Priorities
The REALTOR® Party tackles many issues, all stemming from the mission to support property ownership, private property rights and transfer of real property without undue obstacles, and to promote the free enterprise system.
For example, the National Flood Insurance Program provides vital disaster assistance but isn’t financially sustainable over the long run. With strong support from REALTORS®, the program was recently renewed, allowing critical homeowner protection to continue while reform measures are developed.
Closer to Home
State REALTOR® associations have also used the Broker Involvement Program to engage with their members. Recent examples include:
Missouri – In April, Missouri REALTORS® used the Broker Involvement Program to rally their members in support of the Missouri First-Time Homebuyer Initiative (HB 1796), a bill that had passed the House, but was at risk of missing a Senate vote prior to adjournment, forcing the process back to square one in the next legislative session.
Grassroots efforts, including the Broker Involvement Program, brought the bill to the Senate floor, where it passed with overwhelming support (29-4). The law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2019, helping more Missourians achieve homeownership using individual tax-free savings accounts.
Mississippi – The Mississippi Association of REALTORS® was the first association to use the Broker Involvement Program to help ensure all members had a voice in establishing the association’s statewide legislative priorities, a key component of its 2019 strategy and vision.
First, a Legislative Priorities Survey was emailed to all members, along with follow-up text messages to non-responders and reminders from local boards. Then, using the Broker Involvement Program, another email was sent under the broker’s signature. This innovative approach helped the Mississippi Association of REALTORS® reach members who might have missed the other outreach methods and ensure their voice was heard.
Involvement at All Levels
The Broker Involvement Program is a significant and straightforward way for any broker to get involved, but it’s not the only way. Leaders in the brokerage community are also actively engaged in federal policy development through NAR committees and in other ways.
One of those includes NAR’s Real Estate Services (RES) program, which helps residential real estate brokerage leaders play an essential role in shaping NAR’s policy advocacy efforts and other initiatives. RES brings together an advisory group of CEOs of the largest real estate brokerage firms in the U.S., who employ over 600,000 REALTORS®.
Add Your Voice
As a broker, your actions can make a positive impact for all REALTORS®, consumers and communities. Join the Broker Involvement Program today by visiting www.realtorparty.realtor/brokers.
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