Real Estate Central

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Dick Gaylord, president
of the National Association of Realtors(R), today urged Realtors(R) to make
their voices heard on Capitol Hill this week as they press legislators to
quickly enact housing legislation that will help restore consumer
confidence in the real estate market.



Gaylord addressed thousands of Realtors(R) gathered here for the 2008
National Association of Realtors(R) Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade
Expo. More than 9,000 Realtors(R) and guests are expected for the meetings
that began today and will run through Saturday, May 17.



“To jumpstart the housing market, Congress needs to pass housing
stimulus legislation promptly,” said Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real
Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif. “Because homeownership offers
immediate social benefits and long-term value, Congress can help bring
consumers off the sidelines by enacting common sense legislation that a
wide majority of Americans support.”



The housing stimulus package includes legislation that will reform the
Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage loan insurance program, which
would help give home buyers access to more affordable loan options. It
would also help keep mortgage costs down, especially in high-cost areas, by
permanently raising loan limits for government-sponsored entities Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac, and bolster consumer confidence by strengthening their
regulatory oversight.



To further stabilize the market, Gaylord called on Congress to
prioritize affordable homeowners’ insurance by reauthorizing the National
Flood Insurance Program, which is set to expire on September 30. Housing
affordability is affected by the rising cost of insurance and the impact of
natural disasters on insurance rates. “All home buyers and owners should
have access to affordable flood insurance and homeowners insurance to
protect them from unforeseen circumstances,” Gaylord said.



Gaylord also urged Congress to strengthen small businesses by
supporting the recently introduced Small Business Health Option Program
(SHOP) legislation that would give small businesses access to affordable
health insurance.



Approximately 25 percent of NAR’s 1.2 million Realtors(R) do not have
health insurance, a problem that many independent contractors and small
business owners share.



Gaylord was joined by NAR President-elect Charles McMillan, who
reflected on the occasion of NAR’s centennial this week. McMillan recounted
some of NAR’s accomplishments during the association’s first 100 years and
explained the vision behind NAR’s Second Century Initiatives, which include
a new partnership with consumers, venture capital investment in technology
and plans for a federal credit union.



“For 100 years, NAR has been the ‘Voice for Real Estate’ as the
nation’s leading advocate for private property rights, homeownership and
housing issues,” said McMillan. “For our next 100 years, we will leverage
the voices of consumers and state and local association partners to press
for issues important to all property owners.”



In addition to enhancing NAR’s state-of-the-art strategic lobbying and
grassroots program, the association plans to develop an innovative Web
site, featuring an array of tools and information targeted to real estate
consumers, and will create new advertising and other communications to help
show that consumers and Realtors(R) share common interests and concerns.



Realtors(R) in attendance were inspired by Realtor(R) Ebby Halliday,
who shared her experiences and lessons learned during a career in real
estate that spanned more than half a century.



The Midyear Legislative Meetings give Realtors(R) an opportunity to
visit Capitol Hill and urge Congress to act on real estate issues. Nearly
200 exhibitors are participating in the Midyear Trade Expo, which showcases
the newest real estate products and services for the real estate industry.



The National Association of Realtors(R), “The Voice for Real Estate,”
is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members
involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate
industries.



Information about NAR is available at http://www.realtor.org. This and other
news releases are posted in the Web site’s “News Media” section in the NAR
Media Center.



REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used
only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not
all real estate agents are REALTORS(R). All REALTORS(R) are members of NAR.









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Source: Real Estate Newswire