During a contentious election cycle, it has been a breath of fresh air to see legislative agreement across the aisle, facilitated by the National Association of REALTORS. As Congress voted to avert a government shutdown last week, NAR leaders were behind the scenes, educating lawmakers about the potential turmoil such a closure could cause in the housing, mortgage and insurance markets.
NAR President Kevin Sears pressed for a compromise in a letter to House and Senate leadership, writing: “The risk of an unnecessary [National Flood Insurance Program] NFIP lapse puts American lives, families, properties and businesses at untenable risk and must be avoided.”
While the 2024 general election plays out, housing has emerged as a rare bipartisan issue—and a major concern for voters. NAR is working to keep housing affordability a central theme in the election, supporting state and local candidates who champion real estate priorities. NAR’s political action arm, RPAC, helps to fund candidates on both sides of the aisle.
“We say we’re the ‘purple party,’” says Sara Lipnitz, PMN, SFR, with the Agency Hall & Hunter in Birmingham, Mich., chair of NAR’s RPAC Trustees Federal Disbursement Committee, which makes decisions on political disbursements.
Lipnitz calls it a “team process,” with local and state associations vetting and educating candidates on real estate priorities. A candidate must prove he or she is a bona fide real estate champion by going through a rigorous screening process.
“By the time it gets to the disbursement trustees at the national level, we’re taking those recommendations and we’re cross-checking them against the candidate’s voting history and can make confident endorsements accordingly,” Lipnitz says.
Electing leaders who understand and connect with the NAR mission helped make the newly minted Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus a reality. The caucus, which was announced in May, was founded by two Democrats and two Republicans. Three of the four are former real estate professionals.
“I know that housing is a key issue for all Americans, and especially for my constituents,” said Rep. Mark Alford (R-Mo.). “Before being elected to Congress, I owned a small real estate business, so I know firsthand the regulatory challenges that [real estate professionals] face every day.”
The caucus has expanded to nearly 50 members of Congress.
Additionally, NAR reaches each congressional member through its Federal Political Coordinator Program, a grassroots volunteer network of 535 REALTORS® who foster personal connections with lawmakers and become recognizable faces of real estate.
“We’re the envy of the lobbying world,” says Socar Chatmon-Thomas, ABR, AHWD, C2EX, with Elegant Estates Realty in Austin, Texas, who’s served as a federal political coordinator for the last 14 years. “We are individual constituents in the district who are going to Washington to talk about things that will benefit the constituency as a whole.”
These are the kinds of results a world-class advocacy operation like NAR’s can expect, Lipnitz says. “Advocacy is one of the crown jewels of what NAR offers its members. Our initiatives and support are profoundly effective at moving the ball forward and turning the volume up on our issues. At the local, state and national levels, people know who we are, and the dollars that we invest in candidates make sure doors stay open for further dialogue.”