Blog
NAR Urges Permanent Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Exclusion
March 15, 2018
The exclusion for forgiven home mortgage debt following a foreclosure, short sale or loan modification should be made permanent to provide relief to troubled borrowers and minimize the damage to families, neighborhoods and communities. That’s according to recent testimony(link is external) from the National Association of Realtors® before the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax […]
DAAR Weighs in on the Benefit of Additional Staff to Support Housing Programs
March 9, 2018
The FY 2019 Proposed Budget for Loudoun County includes funding for additional staff resources to address one of the most critical needs in Loudoun County – how to provide housing that is affordable. DAAR is pleased to see the inclusion of proposed funds for this purpose. County staff requested funding for five new staff positions […]
Health Insurance Rule Needs Improvement
March 9, 2018
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal to let more associations offer health plans to their members is encouraging, but changes—such as extending eligibility to self-employed individuals or small-business owners who have access to subsidized insurance through a spouse’s employer plan—are needed, the National Association of REALTORS says in a letter to Secretary of […]
Video: Avoiding Unlicensed Practice of Law
March 9, 2018
The latest Window to the Law video from the National Association of REALTORS Legal Affairs division provides strategies to help real estate licensees avoid activities that could constitute the unlicensed practice of law. You may also view the slide presentation.
Call to Action: Support the Association Health Plan Rule!
March 4, 2018
In an effort to expand access to more affordable, high-quality health insurance coverage, on January 5, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed a rule allowing self-employed individuals and small employers to purchase health insurance through professional or trade associations by expanding access to Association Health Plans (AHPs). An AHP plan would be treated as […]
Phase I – Part II: Your Clients May Need to Register for Renting Out Rooms in Their Homes
March 2, 2018
Loudoun County stepped closer to creating a registration process for homeowners who rent out rooms in Loudoun County. County staff is working on a draft ordinance to put in place a free registration process for people who offer short-term room rentals. Once complete, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the draft ordinance. […]
Money Laundering in Real Estate: How is it done? How can we stop it? 3/23
March 2, 2018
Sponsored by George Mason University’s Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center, the National Association of REALTORS is participating in an all-day conference featuring policy makers, law enforcement, academia, financial institutions, and other real estate sector representatives to better understand money laundering in real estate and how to counter the impact. Registration is free and lunch […]
Update: Virginia General Assembly Budget and Metro Funding
February 26, 2018
Last week, the House and Senate passed a 2-year state budget plans. Negotiations will continue as the two Chambers work to pass a final budget before the end of the 2018 General Assembly Session. The Fiscal Years 2019-2020 budget will take effect July 1, 2018. There are key differences in the two plans. The House […]
Loudoun County Begins the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Process
February 26, 2018
On February 14, 2018, Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet presented a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019) to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. The budget totals $2.3 billion in appropriations for the Loudoun County government and public schools. FY 2019 begins July 1, 2018. The proposed budget is based on the equalized […]
IRS Clarifies Home Equity Loan Interest Deductibility
February 23, 2018
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a news release (link is external) clarifying that in many cases, interest paid on home equity loans remains deductible under the new tax reform law. Many questions have arisen on this issue, as many media reports on the new tax law indicated that as of 2018, interest is no […]