REALTOR Party Talking Points for Hill Visits, NAR’s first Consumer Call for Action and more. View e-mail in browser May 8, 2014 REALTOR® PARTY | for REALTORS® | RPAC | for ASSOCIATIONS     From the Nation’s Capital   Check Out the Talking Points for Hill Visits Access talking points on the federal legislative priorities REALTORS® will be raising with their senators and House staff members during the 2014 REALTOR® Party Convention & Trade Expo next week. REALTORS® will urge policymakers to preserve the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA’s) mortgage insurance program and real estate-related tax policies, as well as reform the secondary mortgage market in a way that provides certainty in the U.S. Housing Market. REad More     NAR Launches First Ever Consumer Call for Action NAR has begun sending its first Consumer Call for Action to ask 85 million consumers—homeowners and prospective homeowners-- to contact their members of Congress.They are urged to ask their lawmakers not to take away their real estate tax deductions.This is the first time NAR has ever extended its Call for Action system beyond its members. 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.   San Diego REALTORS® Help Defeat Proposed “Jobs Tax” The Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR) needed 34,000 signatures to get a referendum on the ballot to overturn an onerous fee increase on commercial developers, which would have amounted to a jobs tax. The12,000-member SDAR put an Issues Mobilization Grant to work and got far more signatures than were required. That was enough to turn the tide. The City Council rescinded the tax increase altogether… REad More   Ada County (ID) Association Makes Strides in Employer-Assisted Housing No one ever said it would be quick or easy.But the Ada County Association of REALTORS® (ACAR) stuck to its conviction that focusing on workforce housing is good for everyone in a community.The 3,000-member association is finally beginning to see results from its years of diligent Employer-Assisted Housing efforts in and around Boise, Idaho… REad More   St. Louis Association Gets Creative in Spurring Energy Efficient Housing Designs Successful projects benefit from a solid foundation, an abundance of expertise, and a bright idea. In this case, the 7,100-member St. Louis Association of REALTORS® (SLAR) had it all.Coming on the heels of a successful project to promote walkable communities, SLAR decided to turn its attention to raising awareness about sustainable housing.They did this with an Energy Efficient Housing Contest, which garnered support from local governments, non-profits and industry partners… REad More   By The Numbers   $68K The average amount of economic activity generated by one home sale.This activity takes the form of things like moving expenses, home furnishing purchases, landscaping, insurance and more.Real estate and related industries account for about 18 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. REad More   400 The number of light bulbs replaced to restore the historic sign in Hampton Roads, VA as part of the Hampton Roads REALTORS® Association’s “Build a Better Block” campaign. They used a Smart Growth Grant to help turn a tired commercial/ residential area into a vibrant arts district. REad More   80 The number of years the Federal Housing Administration has been in existence.Since created in 1934 by the National Housing Act, the FHA has insured more than 34 million home mortgages and 47,205 multifamily project mortgages. REad More   2014-13 The identifying number on the Mortgagee Letter issued by the Federal Housing Administration this year allowing for broader use of  e-signatures on loan documents. watch video   Resources & Opportunities   Download REALTOR® Party Convention App Navigate the REALTOR® Party Convention & Trade Expo more efficiently with the REALTOR® Party Convention & Trade Expo.It’s easy and free. REad More   Two Political Strategists Share the Stage at Next Week’s Convention They have different political orientations but Steve Schmidt, a top Republican political strategist, and David Plouffe, one of his counterparts on the Democratic side, are in lockstep when it comes to the importance of home ownership in anchoring a growing U.S. economy and building strong communities.Hear from them at the Federal Legislative & Political Forum during the REALTOR Party Convention & Trade Expo next week. REad More   Check Out Our Facebook Page Watch the Community Outreach Facebook page for news on how the REALTOR® Party works in the areas of diversity, smart growth and housing opportunity. REad More   It’s All in the Resource Guide Check out the 2014 REALTOR® Party Association Resource Guide for brief descriptions of all the REALTOR® Party resources and info on how to get them. REad More     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 March 13, 2014. 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. 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