May 2025 - REALTOR® Party Newsletter

  In This Issue

  • Advocacy Scoop Podcast - The Tax Survey Results Are In!
  • First Draft of Tax Reform Bill "Very Positive" for Real Estate
  • Capitol Pulse: Spring Advocacy Update
  • Housing Supply Frameworks Act Would Break Down Barriers to Housing
  • The REALTOR® Party at Work 

Advocacy Scoop Podcast - The Tax Survey Results Are In!

The REALTOR® Party At Work

Advocacy Everywhere helps expand REALTOR® influence on public policy and boosts engagement in Calls for Action at all levels. In 2025 so far:

Local Advocacy in Action

  • RPAC-endorsed candidate won in a mayoral runoff race in Jackson, Miss. 
  • St. Louis REALTORS® used an NAR Issues Mobilization Grant to help secure unanimous passage of a landmark county land bank, transforming blighted properties into community assets and strengthening the local housing market. 
  • 19 Issue Mobilization grants have gone out this year - totaling $3.5M spent on helping state and local REALTOR® associations fund advocacy campaigns on public policies that impact real estate. 
  • 45 Calls for Action have been sent to elected officials through Advocacy Everywhere, thanks to REALTOR® action in support of affordable housing policies. 

REALTOR® Party News

June Is Homeownership Month: Expand Access, Build Community 
Host a housing fair, lead a policy summit, or partner on buyer education. Apply for a Housing Opportunity Grant to grow homeownership in your community. Explore REALTOR® Party Success Stories or the Housing Opportunity Toolkit. Questions? Christine Windle. 


Join: Enhancing Rural Development Initiatives on Thursday, June 17, 2:00 PM ET 
Discover how the NAR Rural Outreach Grant can help your association tackle key rural issues—like broadband, wells and septic, and open space. Register to learn, hear success stories and get inspired. Questions? Contact Hannah Dannenfelser. 


Expert Advocacy Help When You Need It
The Land Use Initiative provides free expert analysis and talking points to counter harmful measures like transfer taxes, building moratoria, short-term rental regulations, and more. See how the East Tennessee Association of REALTORS® tapped the Land Use Initiative Program to defeat proposed down-zoning in Knoxville. Questions? Christine Windle. 

REALTOR® Party Success Stories

Rural Outreach Grant Helps Indiana Association of REALTORS® Ensure Rural Residents Will Receive High Speed Internet Service - Read more 


Lebanon County Association of REALTORS® Uses Rural Outreach Grant to Host Responsible Growth Meeting for Municipal Managers - Read more


Greater Nashville REALTORS® Boost Passage of Pro-Transit Referendum - Read more


REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati Advocates for Major re-Zoning Initiative with Help from Land Use Initiative Program - Read more


Expanding Fresno’s Art of Life Healing Garden: A Project to Enhance Community Livability - Read more

 Capitol Pulse: Spring Advocacy Update

Shannon McGahn, center, joins lawmakers and industry leaders on Capitol Hill for a National Small Business Week discussion on policies that empower small-business owners. © U.S. House / Office of the Majority Whip / Rep. Tom Emmer

 

National Association of REALTORS® Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn joined lawmakers and fellow industry leaders on Capitol Hill this past week for a Small Business Roundtable hosted by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.). The event marked National Small Business Week and focused on advancing pro-growth policies for the nation’s entrepreneurs.


“[Our members] are small businesses in motion. More than 90% are classified as independent contractors. They are job creators, community leaders and economic drivers,” McGahn says. “When Congress supports small businesses through policy, they’re also supporting housing, Main Street and the millions of families our members serve.”


NAR Advocated for You in Washington, DC

Last week, NAR submitted a letter to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs in support of H.R. 1815, the VA Home Loan Reform Act, which will help safeguard veterans’ ability to maintain access to professional representation in the home search process and remain competitive in the market.
For more information, read the full letter here.


Budget Breakdown 

On Friday, May 2, the White House released their fiscal year 2026 budget proposal. This “skinny” budget is an outline of priorities going into the budget process. 


Importantly, this is the first presidentially proposed budget in four years that has not recommended limiting or repealing the 1031 like-kind exchange, an important tax tool for real estate. 


The president’s proposed budget is not policy; it is sent to the appropriators in Congress as a messaging document that shares the White House’s spending priorities. The Appropriations Committees will consider its proposals but ultimately will develop their own budget to reflect their own priorities and those of their constituents. NAR is monitoring the budget-making process and actively advocating for the wide range of federal grants and programs used to support home buyers, a healthy rental housing market, and NAR members around the country.


Housing Is a Bipartisan Issue

The bipartisan Real Estate Caucus now sits at 73 members (40 Democrats, 33 Republicans), up from 50 last year. This growth reflects the strength of NAR’s message and our powerful relationships on Capitol Hill.

To keep up with policy and regulatory updates, visit Advocacy's Washington Report. 

First Draft of Tax Reform Bill "Very Positive" for Real Estate

Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee voted on of their portion of tax reform legislation last week—delivering significant wins for the real estate sector and reinforcing provisions long championed by the National Association of REALTORS®.


NAR's advocacy team successfully secured its top five tax priorities in the draft bill, including an enhanced small business tax deduction, a strengthened state and local tax (SALT) deduction, and protections for the mortgage interest deduction (MID). The bill also makes the current lower individual tax rates permanent and increases the child tax credit, moves that could help increase homeownership access for more American families.


"While the early details are overwhelmingly positive for the real estate economy and small businesses, I would caution that this is just the first draft. The bill will continue to evolve as it moves through the committee process and eventual passage in the House and Senate, with many amendment votes to come," says NAR Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn.


Read the full story here.

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