Arizona Highlights from 2018 Legislative Meetings

State association staff and approximately 170 Arizona REALTOR® members attended the 2018 Legislative Meetings in very rainy Washington D.C. Below are some highlights from the week-long trip.

Arizona REALTORS® CEO Michelle Lind, Esq.

  • The Board of Directors, Issues Mobilization and Executive Committees approved a $2M grant to assist in our campaign to pass a November 2018 constitutional amendment ballot initiative that would preclude new service taxes that were not taxed as of December 31, 2017
  • The Board of Directors approved a $30 National Association of REALTORS® dues increase
  • Arizona REALTORS® 2017 President Paula Monthofer was officially elected Region XI RVP

Broker Involvement Council – J.T. Tsighis ABR, CRB, rCRMS, CRS, GRI

  • Realtor.com® SVP of Industry Relations Suzanne Mueller recommended their Train The Trainer webinars
  • BIC Chair David Tina reported the following:
    • 16,270 agents recruited in 2017, now at 17,843; 16,061 Brokers enrolled representing 480K agents
    • 25 percent of responses on Flood Insurance and 20 percent to Tax Reform CFA (first to surpass 200K actions) came from Broker Involvement Program
  • Interested in joining BIP? Visit the Broker Involvement Program webpage or email J.T.

Commercial Legislative & Regulatory Advisory Board – Suzanne Brown RCE

  • Possible House Judiciary hearing this year on ADA Website Lawsuits
  • House could take up Clarifying Commercial RE Loans or Senate may vote on it as standalone legislation
  • NAR asking for clarification that real estate “brokerage services” aren’t included in Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

Consumer Communications Committee – Shane Cook ABR, CIPS, GRI

  • Brand Story & Evolution or THE LOGO is not a REVOLUTIONARY new branding of some type; the timing of implementation is the main issue I believe
  • Realtor.com® is no longer using Elizabeth Banks in ad campaigns; also acknowledged they do a poor job of connecting leads with “Active” Realtors who return the contact inquiry
  • Workgroup seeing how to get the content that Arnold Worldwide (manages content development for NAR and the Consumer Advertising Campaign) and maybe Houselogic brandable down to the agent level

Diversity Committee – Steve Redmond ABR, GRI

  • Fair Housing Resolution was approved by the Executive Committee; inclusion of this proclamation and continued commitment to support Fair Housing in Private Property Rights is ahead of the curve

Global Business & Alliances Committee – James Robertson, Jr. MBA, CCIM

  • Residential sector continues to be an attractive investment for new or mid-level foreign investors and will continue through 2018
  • Arizona is now the #5 destination for inbound real estate investments
  • EB5 and H2B visa programs are still being pulled into the immigration debate and this could harm the future commercial labor pool.

Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee – Sue Cartun CRS, GRI
Mandatory waiver option for CIE subscription fees was approved to amend Policy Statements 7.33 and 7.43 to establish benefits of a no-cost waiver of subscription fees for Commercial Information Exchanges, so CIEs have the option of a no-cost waiver for any licensee, licensed or certified appraiser who does not use the service and can demonstrate subscription to a different CIE or MLS where their principal is a participant.

Professional Standards Committee – Jon Kichen

  • California Association of REALTORS® has been publishing information about its Code Of Ethics violators (viewable by members only); this would be voluntary for a board or association, with or without guidelines from NAR — read more here
  • There was discussion about geographically-close boards creating interstate hearing panels when it’s difficult to seat an impartial panel
  • Committee approved a change to Code of Ethics, Article 1, SOP 1-7: new language would require, upon written request from the buyer’s agent, for the listing agent to provide written affirmation that the buyer’s offer was presented to the seller.

Hill Visits – Arizona REALTOR® Party Director Charles Siler
All talking points were covered with Ruben Gallego (D-AZ 7th District), Paul Gosar (R-AZ 4th District), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ 8th District), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ 1st District), Martha McSally (R-AZ 2nd District) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ 9th District); as well as with staffers for Andy Biggs (R-AZ 5th District), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ 3rd District) and David Schweikert (R-AZ 6th District).

Related stories:
NAR Board OKs Broader Ethics Enforcement, Dues Increase
The Branding Forum – Let’s Go There, Shall We?
A VA Renovation Loan? That exists?!?
Work Goes on After the Board Meeting

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