| THE GADFLY |
| February 2019 |
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| In This Issue... |
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 Video: Celebrating 50 Years of RPAC Success
Join NAR in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the REALTORS® Political Action Committee. Share the RPAC Archival Video with your members and at your RPAC celebrations.
Learn more and download graphics at www.realtorparty.realtor/rpac50. |
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| Dates & Deadlines |
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Mar. 8: FPC Meritorious Service Award Deadline
Your nominations for the FPC Meritorious Service Award are due March 8, 2019. Each year, NAR recognizes two outstanding Federal Political Coordinators for their exceptional service to the National Association of REALTORS® with this esteemed award. These recipients are the best of the best of our FPCs, those who truly believe in and advocate on behalf of the REALTOR® Party. Recipients meet a rigorous set of criteria that set them apart from other FPCs. A leadership panel assembles for a vote each year after blind assessment of the nominations with no personal attributions, making the award completely earned on merit alone. View a list of former MSA award winners and criteria for receiving the award. The Meritorious Service Award nomination form can be accessed online. For more information about the MSA award and process, contact Victoria Given. |
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Mar. 15: Sign Up for the New Transforming Neighborhoods Resource
NAR will provide a limited number of opportunities for associations to hold place-based trainings to identify solutions to tackle problems of vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties. This includes providing planning assistance and covering the costs of bringing national experts to each community (a value of $15,000.) For consideration, complete the interest form by March 15. For more information, contact Wendy Penn at 202-383-7504. |
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May 17: Best Practices for Choosing REALTOR® Champions Train the Trainer
On May 17 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the Washington Hilton Hotel, NAR will be offering a Train the Trainer course (in conjunction with the 2019 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings) to provide GADs an opportunity to become eligible to teach this offering to volunteer leaders, RPAC trustees, Government Affairs Committee members, and interested staffers. The Best Practices for Choosing REALTOR® Champions course provides time-tested methods for screening, identifying, and ultimately choosing the best political candidates who will support issues important to REALTORS® and real estate. For more information, contact Kyle Lambert London. Register Today. |
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| Advocacy Resources |
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New Program! Rural Outreach Initiative
The Rural Outreach Initiative serves REALTOR® Associations in communities with less than 30,000 population and rural in character. The program has a two-fold strategy: (1) Identify and disseminate information and resources on the real estate-related issues and challenges facing rural communities impacting, and (2) provide one-on-one assistance to small associations to help them take advantage of the REALTOR® Party Community Outreach programs to address these challenges. Staff will provide a concierge-type service to small associations to identify a challenge they would like to address and direct them to the appropriate program to use. Educational opportunities include webinars and conference sessions to discuss issues and ways to address issues. |
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State Legislative Monitor
Affordable housing measures continue to be of significant interest to state lawmakers. Of note, a bill in Utah (SB 34) connects municipal housing affordability to state transportation funding. California, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon are considering measures related to rent control; however, the bill introduced in Maine (LD522) would preempt municipalities from regulating rental rates. More than 20 states are considering bills related to electronic or remote notarization. Bills preempting local governments from regulating residential building design standards are moving through the Arkansas (SB 170) and Oklahoma (SB 862) legislatures. For more information, contact Adriann Murawski. |
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Apply for a Placemaking Grant. Create a New Destination in your Community.
Do you think a neighborhood in your community could benefit from a new destination like a pocket park, garden, or trail? would your members be interested in helping to build that new community gathering place. If so, it may be time to think about applying for a Placemaking Grant. Take a look at how the St. Louis REALTORS® built two pocket parks, which not only gave back to the community, but got the attention of elected officials. Also, take a look at what other Associations have done as that may work in your community. For more information, contact Holly Moskerintz at 202-383-1157. |
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Candidate & Issues Campaign Training Webinar Series Continues
These webinars are open to all, however are required for those association staff members who are registered for the Candidate and Issue Training Certificate Course
- March 12, 2019 – 12:00 p.m. EDT
Topic: Utilizing Field in Issue and Candidate Campaigns
Speakers: Meghan Cox, Lincoln Strategy
Register for Webinar Here:
- March 19, 2019 – 12:00 p.m. EDT
Topic: Becoming a Better Consumer of Polling
Speakers: Joe Goode, American Strategies
Register for Webinar Here:
- March 26, 2019 – 12:00 p.m. EDT
Topic: Effective Use of Direct Mail
Speaker: John Winston, NAR
Register for Webinar Here:
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Update Your Information in NAR’s GAD Directory
Are you a new Government Affairs Director, serving your association in a GA or REALTOR® Party capacity, or do you have a new staffer who is? Please add (or remove) any contact information in the GAD Directory. Help us keep this list accurate and up to date. Thanks! |
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Participate in the 2019 FPC Advocacy Academy Webinars
Participate in the 2019 FPC Academy for all new Federal Political Coordinators in 2019 to better understand what NAR is teaching and expecting of our grasstops advocates during this critical session of Congress. The 2019 FPC Advocacy Academy syllabus is comprised of 4 future webinars and one in-person training. The next webinar, “The Growing Power if Grasstops Influence on Public Policy,” is Friday, March 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET. |
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| RPAC News |
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May 31: 2019 President’s Circle Rounds and Deadline
The President’s Circle launched its second round for 2019 last week, consisting of eight REALTOR® Champion candidates. The deadline for President’s Circle members to invest their first $500 is May 31, 2019. For more information, contact Avery Walker at 202-383-7510. |
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April 17: RPAC Major Investor Recognition
Make sure you and your members are recognized as RPAC Major Investors in time for the 2019 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C. All RPAC investments must be submitted to the NAR Finance Office no later than Wednesday, April 17, 2019 to meet this deadline. Click here for more information. For more information, contact Jackie Zaporowski at 202-383-1029. |
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And the Local President’s Cup and Local Triple Crown Winners are…
Congratulations to the 228 local REALTOR® Associations that won the President’s Cup and the 435 local REALTOR® Associations that won the Triple Crown! These awards reflect the hard work of local association staff and leaders like yourselves who have met their RPAC and advocacy goals. For more information, contact Jackie Zaporowski at 202-383-1029. |
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| NAR’s Economic Outlook |
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Existing-Home Sales Drop 1.2 Percent in January - Existing-homes sales took a minor drop for the third consecutive month in January. Of the four major U.S. regions, only the Northeast saw an uptick in sales activity last month. |
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REALTORS® Confidence Index - Twenty-one percent of sellers offered incentives such as paying for closing costs (10 percent), providing warranty (8 percent), and undertaking remodeling (3 percent). |
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Metro Home Prices Jump 4 Percent in 2018’s Fourth Quarter - Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says in light of the various hurdles for 2018, the close of the fourth quarter was promising. |
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Video: Who are REALTORS®? A Look at NAR Members Through 2018 Member Surveys - This short video takes a look at the demographics of a typical REALTOR®, as well as specialties, sources of business, membership on real estate teams, and ways in which REALTORS® participate in and give back to their communities. |
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Expectations and Market Realities in Real Estate - What will the year bring for the US and global economies and the commercial real estate market? |
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For more information on NAR’s Economic Outlook, contact Meredith Dunn at 202-383-1207. |
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Message from the GAD Chair
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Matthew Leger
GAD Chair
REALTORS® of the Palm Beaches and Greater Fort Lauderdale |
Last month, we asked for your help in participating on three workgroups: Short-Term Rentals, Affordable Housing and GAD’s Give Back, and you answered the call. Thank You! I’m happy to announce that all three workgroups are underway. I want to thank Liz Peetz, Danielle Scoggins, Lacey Everett, and Mark Quarry for their leadership as they lead their respective workgroups. I am confident that the effort these workgroups put into their topics will help us guide the conversation back home in our local communities.
While I know the 2019 GAD Institute is still five months away, your 2019 GAD Advisory Group has been busy putting together content for both Professional Development and Policy Day. With that said, if you have any specific ideas/topics you’d like to see addressed at the GAD Institute, now is the time to speak up! If you have ideas for Professional Development Day, please email Vice Chair Julia Parenteau. If you have ideas for Policy Day, please email me.
Lastly, I know there are some curious minds and questions about who the Keynote Speaker is for the 2019 GAD Institute, but sit tight, we’ll have some exciting announcements coming soon in regard to speakers, city tours, enhancements to our GAD Mentor Program, and which nonprofit we’ll be dedicating our GAD’s Give Back efforts to!.
As always, thank you all for your efforts in helping make the GAD Institute a success. It is appreciated by our entire GAD Community!
Thank you,
Matthew
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