NAR Conference: Key Takeaways from Realtors

This week, NAR held a conference in the nation’s capital for realtors to come and talk about important subjects regarding the real estate market. A lot of hot topics were discussed at the annual National Association of Realtors Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo, and many realtors shared their opinions on said topics.

Perhaps the most talked-about subject was the Fair Housing Act, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. On Wednesday, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson gave a speech on the act, and was generously applauded for his discourse and ideas. However, some realtors are still nervous about the ways in which the Trump administration perceives this act.

According to Todd Pierceall from the North Carolina-based Blue Real Estate Group, “How ironic that it’s the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act and that’s what we’re pushing this week. It’s interesting to see how things are going to play out.”

Many realtors are also looking for a change in some real estate policies, such as Jenni Ruiz, a board member with Mibor Realtors Association. Her main focus is on enhancing the practices for “coming soon,” real estate listings, and she claimed at the beginning of the week that she is most excited for, “Sitting with our board and doing some brainstorming at night.”

Essentially, what realtors want most from this conference is to ensure that they can get what is best for their clients. According to Austin-based Realtor Mark Minchew, “We just want more people to be able to buy a home with fewer restrictions.”

In the end, that’s what the majority of this conference came down to – guaranteeing ease for clients and working to elicit change in areas where there is difficulty. Throughout all the panels, that was the most common idea that came up across the board.