On January 9, hundreds of REALTORS® converged on Wesley Bolin Plaza for the annual Arizona REALTORS® at the Capitol event.

2018 State Association President Lori Doerfler introduced guest speaker and National Association of REALTORS® President Elizabeth Mendenhall to a crowd that also included distinguished members of the REALTORS® of Arizona Political Action Committee (RAPAC).

Mendenhall said, “The decisions that are going to be made this year, in [the Arizona State Capitol], have the power to impact everything that you do. You’re here today to protect this profession and we’ve got to fight for it — to share your voice.

“We have people who are challenging our voice, as far as what it means to represent home and property ownership. But we’ve got to stand up. Home ownership is not a special interest, it is a human interest.

“From a national perspective, there are certain priorities that we’re all behind.”

  1.   Defining measurable increases in our professionalism
  2.   Increasing influence in an uncertain legislative and regulatory political environment
  3.   Taking the management of real estate data to the next level
  4.   Ensuring that the role of the REALTOR® is essential to the transaction

Mendenhall was followed by Arizona REALTORS® Vice President of Government Affairs Nicole LaSlavic who hammered home two key state priorities for 2018:

  1.   Protect Real Estate Signage
    • “A number of your local associations have worked hard to establish sign ordinances that work for them…we need to make sure that there’s (statewide) protection put in place — that basically says no city can ban the usage of real estate signage.”
  2.   Stop Infringing on Private Property Water Rights
    • “A member of the state legislature wants the government to require well owners to fully pay for the installation of usage meters on their well. And then, they further want the property owner to report back to the government the usage from the well.”

LaSlavic went on to say, “At the state level we don’t do (Calls for Action) all that frequently, but when we do I need you to answer. If I reach out to you at any point during the legislative session and say, ‘Please email your legislator tell them how this impacts your business.’ Tell them why this is important and tell them to pass it.”

After lunch, REALTORS® split into groups to attend Senate and House floor sessions, and be recognized. All 2017 and 2018 RAPAC Major Investors were treated to a special tour of the House floor by Speaker Pro Tempore T.J. Shope.


See the Facebook photo album

See the Facebook recap video

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