TRUE Thank you for helping to Stop Patent Trolls FALSE Stop Patent Trolls , State and Property Tax Deductions, Graffiti Abatement Program in Indianapolis and more View e-mail in browser August 13, 2015 REALTOR® PARTY | for REALTORS® | RPAC | for ASSOCIATIONS       From the Nation’s Capital   TRUE Call for Action: Thank you Thank you for participating in the latest Call for Action regarding Patent Trolls.  Your commitment to advocacy ensures that Members of Congress understand what issues are important to REALTORS® and helps us influence policy that affects the real estate industry. Please forward the action page to your REALTOR® colleagues and friends.  We need your help to prevent REALTORS® and others in the real estate community from becoming victims of extortion and to close the loopholes in our legal system that permit patent trolls to thrive. PLEASE FORWARD FALSE Call for Action: Stop Patent Trolls REALTORS® across the country receive threatening letters and lawsuits alleging patent infringement based on the use of common business tools like website search tools and scan-to-email functions on copiers. These patent trolls buy vague patents and use them to turn everyday business practices into potential lawsuits. In fact, they cost U.S. business more than $80 billion a year these days!  Ask Congress to stop patent abuse. ACT NOW   By The Numbers   $2,089 Bill Average annual property tax bill for American households.  NAR’s latest Hot Topic Alert explains the history of the U.S. Tax Code provision that allows homeowners to take a deduction for real estate taxes paid to state, local, and foreign governments. READ MORE   63% REALTORS® Percentage of NAR members who participated in a tax-deferred, like-kind exchange between 2011 and 2014.  Congress is considering several proposals that would ban these sales.  NAR is urging Congress to keep the 1031 like-kind exchange provision, which is an important vehicle for transferring properties that helps support the economy and creates jobs. READ MORE   3 Days Beginning Oct. 3, this is the number of days before closing that borrowers must receive a list of all transaction costs. The Consumer Finance Protection Board issued this and other new rules to give home buyers clearer and better information about their mortgage in advance of closing. WATCH VIDEO   126,000 Responses Number of REALTORS® who have responded so far to the current Patent Legislation Reform Call for Action.  This translates to a 13 percent response rate.  Help us get to 20 percent by Labor Day!  Nineteen states are already above 20 percent.  Check to see how your state stacks up!  These numbers are updated daily. READ MORE     Success Stories   Highlighted here are a few of the many REALTOR® Party success stories across the nation. These and others are cataloged in the Success Stories section of the REALTOR® Action Center.   Santa Clara Association Helps Elect Pro-Business REALTOR® Champion to City Council When a seat opened up on the San Jose, CA City Council last January, the 5,000-member Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® saw an opportunity to elect a candidate who would stand up for their issues.  This was especially important with a number of significant property-rights issues looming on the horizon. Their successful Independent Expenditure Campaign helped their candidate win a decisive victory in the June election… REad More   Indianapolis REALTORS® Kick Off Graffiti Abatement Program The Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of REALTORS® had long wanted to help lessen crime in their area.  With a Game Changer Grant they found their opportunity by taking a lead in the city's new Graffiti Abatement Program. The 6,850-member board partnered with several government and non-profit groups to create a mobile Graffiti Abatement Unit to remove graffiti from houses and businesses.  Most exciting of all is that the unit is staffed by a program that helps former inmates re-enter the workforce with dignity, skills and a strong worth ethic… REad More   Houston REALTORS® Host Mayoral Candidate Forum Houston is looking for a new mayor, and there are seven major candidates vying for the job.  Supported by a grant from NAR, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) held a forum to help members and the voting public sort them out. In addition to its own membership, HAR opened the guest list to like-minded business groups, and about half of the Houston City Council was in attendance, as well… REad More   Resources & Opportunities   PACTion! Offers Online Auction Tool for State & Local Associations Take your RPAC auction to another level with PACTion!, a new online auction tool for state and local REALTOR® associations.  This customizable platform handles online bidding and simplified check in/out stations be linked to your association’s bank account. READ More   Check Out the Voice For Real Estate Roundup! Curbing Patent Trolls, Getting Closing Rules Right, Wild Fires--A Growing Concern – these are among the headlines in NAR’s latest bi-weekly video roundup of news about the industry and your business. WATCH NOW   REALTOR® Party Association Resources Are All in the Guide Check out the 2015 REALTOR® Party Association Resource Guide.  Get brief descriptions of each REALTOR® Party Association Resource including grants, campaign tools, polling services, toolkits and more.  It’s all available for you to download as a PDF. DOWNLOAD   Be a REALTOR® Party “Fashionista” Order REALTOR® Party t-shirts, sunglasses, beverage napkins, coffee cups, fans, bumper stickers, Vote/Act/Invest pins and balloons and more from the REALTOR® Team Store. SHOP NOW   Check out the “Spaces to Places” Blog Plazas, walkways, sidewalks, gardens, roofless buildings – all places to gather and enjoy – and candidates for Placemaking Projects. Learn about it all at NAR’s “Spaces to Places” Blog.  READ MORE   Have You Gotten Our Text Messages? More than 60,000 REALTORS® from across the country have already signed up for REALTOR® Party Mobile Alerts - have you? Text REALTORS® to 30644 to sign up!  You’ll be among the first to know about NAR Calls for Action and more! CHECK IT OUT     Send us examples of how your association put NAR’s REALTOR® Party resources to work to implement a successful advocacy or community outreach program. Email your stories to: realtorparty@realtors.org See more than 100 stories documenting how REALTOR® associations around the country put REALTOR® Party Resources to work at the REALTOR® Party Success Stories page. This newsletter replaces the NAR Weekly Report for this week and the second week of every month. The REALTOR® Party News will publish next on September 10, 2015. If you missed a previous edition check out the REALTOR® Party News Archive. Headquarters: 430 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 DC Office: 500 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-2020 | 1-800-874-6500      This message was sent to . Visit your subscription management page to modify your email communication preferences or update your personal profile. To stop receiving this e-mail in the future, click to remove yourself from this list. NAR maintains a separate email system to communicate our national news and programs. 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