RISMEDIA, May 11, 2011—REALTORS ® from across the country are meeting with legislators, public policy makers and industry leaders this week to address pressing concerns and issues that affect home owners, aspiring home owners and real estate investors everywhere as the REALTORS ® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo begins.
“As leading advocates for home ownership, housing issues and private property rights, REALTORS ® know that the time for action is now,” says NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “We need to make sure that our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities to build their futures through home ownership, just as many in our generation and generations past have.”
More than 8,000 REALTORS® and guests are expected to attend the meetings, which run through May 14. During the week, Realtors ® will meet with legislators on Capitol Hill to urge action toward streamlining short sales, ensuring access to affordable financing, and preserving the tax benefits associated with home ownership.
REALTORS ® will also participate in sessions with a number of government officials and industry experts, including representatives from the Federal Housing Administration, National Economic Council, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Mortgage Bankers Association of America, Center for Responsible Lending, and the National Urban League.
“The issues facing our industry—like the mortgage interest deduction, foreclosures and short sales, affordable financing and available credit—don’t just affect people who own a home,” says Phipps. “Home ownership shapes communities and strengthens the nation’s economy. This week and every week, R REALTORS ® are at the ready to keep housing first on the nation’s public policy agenda, because housing and home ownership issues affect all Americans.”
For more information about the REALTORS ® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo, visit www.realtor.org/midyear.nsf/pages/homepage.
The National Association of Realtors ®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
