Blog
Passage of FY 2018 Spending Bill Critical Step for Affordable Housing Funding and Flood Reauthorization
March 28, 2018
The U.S. House and Senate voted Thursday to fund the federal government through September 30, 2018. The 2,232-page bill contains important provisions related to housing that REALTORS® have been fighting for, including alleviating the weakening of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) from the new tax law, extending the EB5 program, extending the National Flood […]
NAR Webinar: $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan: Opportunities for You?
March 21, 2018
The Trump administration has released details on its plan to leverage $200 billion in federal funds to generate $1.3 trillion in local, state, and private investment to improve infrastructure projects around the country. What needs to happen next for this plan to be enacted? Should it be enacted, in its entirety or in part, what […]
Submit Your Ideas for DAAR’s 2019 Legislative Positions
March 21, 2018
Are you concerned about an issue that impacts the real estate industry? Do you know of a legislative or regulatory way to help address the issue? Now is the time to let us know! DAAR is developing the 2019 Legislative Positions and we’d like to hear from you! The legislative positions address both local and […]
Dedicated Funding Plan for Metro Awaits Action by the Governor
March 16, 2018
The fate of providing dedicated funding for Metro is in the hands of Governor Northam. Members of the Virginia General Assembly agreed on a $154 million plan to fund Metro without imposing any new taxes. It is important to note that this plan has not yet been approved by Governor, who has three options: sign, […]
VA Legislative Session Comes to an End – Almost
March 16, 2018
Last week the Virginia General Assembly adjourned for the year. Almost all of the bills advanced by the Virginia REALTORS® this year passed both chambers and were approved by the Governor. Topics include defining Teams, document translations, earnest money deposits, broker education, post-licensing curriculum, civil violations for non-licensed activities, POA/COA summary information, and restrictions to […]
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 […]