Area Realtors Advocate for Home Ownership in Washington, D.C.

SPRINGFIELD — On behalf of current and future home and property owners throughout the country, more than 9,600 Realtors traveled to Washington, D.C., in mid-May to advance key real-estate issues during the 2017 Realtor Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo.

Members of the Realtor Assoc. of Pioneer Valley (RAPV) joined fellow Realtors from Massachusetts and across the nation to attend meetings and informational sessions, as well as meet with regulatory agency staff and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss and advocate on real-estate issues affecting their businesses, communities, and clients.

Members of the National Assoc. of Realtors focused on several significant issues affecting the industry during the legislative-focused meetings, including flood insurance, tax reform, and sustainable home ownership.

“Realtors are critical advocates for the real-estate industry and for their clients, and this meeting is the perfect opportunity to educate ourselves on the issues facing real-estate markets, as well as the legislative and regulatory issues on the horizon that could affect Realtors, home buyers and sellers, and property owners,” said Rick Sawicki, president of the RAPV.

While in Washington, the Pioneer Valley Realtor delegation met with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey and U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and Jim McGovern on Capitol Hill to discuss and influence public-policy decisions that directly affect consumers’ ability to own, buy, rent, and sell residential and commercial real estate.