Advocacy

The REALTOR® Party

The REALTOR® Party advances public policies and candidates that build strong communities, protect property interests, and promote a vibrant business environment.

2023 RPAC Honor Roll

Broker Involvement Program

The Broker Involvement Program provides broker-owners with a quick and effective tool to rally their agents on critical legislative issues affecting the real estate industry.

What Does the Broker Involvement Program Offer?

Voice on Capitol Hill

The program is an opportunity to bring a strong and united REALTOR® voice to members of Congress. With over 16,000 broker owners and 450,000 agents in the program, the REALTOR® voice will be heard loud and clear.

Easy-to-Manage Solution

Nothing needs to be downloaded and there is no cost to the broker. NAR gives the broker-owner or managing broker access to the Broker Portal.

Proven Results

Calls for Action response rates are significantly higher when agents receive their message from their broker. Nearly 40% of all responses on Calls for Action were from agents in the Broker Involvement Program.

Enroll in the Broker Involvement Program

What is RPAC?

As REALTORS®, we maximize our political power through the REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC). RPAC raises voluntary funds from REALTORS® and uses those funds to help elect candidates for public office who share our views on issues that affect our industry and shape our communities. By supporting the campaigns of candidates who understand your business, Georgia RPAC ensures that your interests are represented when laws, ordinances, and regulations are being enacted. The relationships created by RPAC help public officials understand the implications of their decisions on your business.

This isn’t personal; this is business. When RPAC decides whether to contribute to candidates, the only consideration is how supportive they are on real estate and property rights issues. As an organization that represents REALTORS®, RPAC doesn’t consider other kinds of issues. Party affiliation doesn’t matter, either; Georgia RPAC has contributed to Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. RPAC looks to build the future by putting dollars in places that will help advance the interests of real estate professionals. RPAC is insurance for our industry.

Where does your RPAC investment go?

How does RPAC decide whom to support?

RPAC contributions may be requested by local associations, GAR’s lobbyists, or even the candidates themselves. Contributions are approved by the state RPAC Board of Trustees – REALTORS® from across Georgia who are committed to protecting the real estate industry and private property rights by giving money to candidates for office who both understand and support REALTOR® issues. Some of the criteria considered by the RPAC Trustees include:

if the legislator is a leader (Speaker of the House, Majority/Minority Leader, etc);
if the legislator serves on a “key committee” (those that directly affect the outcome of bills and issues);
if the legislator sponsored a REALTOR®-friendly bill (or, conversely, if the legislator sponsored a REALTOR®-unfriendly bill); and
whether or not the legislator is a REALTOR® or affiliated with the real-estate industry.

How does RPAC benefit your business?

Whether you are a broker-owner or a part-time agent, politics directly impacts your profitability. Here in Georgia, RPAC has helped us accomplish numerous legislative victories:

Passing legislation that allows REALTORS® to engage in short sale transactions that had previously been interpreted by the state Banking Department as illegal
Successfully limiting local government’s ability to register vacant and foreclosed properties by creating statewide standards that all local governments must follow
Protecting REALTORS®’ ability to collect and distribute escrow funds
Defeating legislation to mandate a termite inspection prior to closing
Preventing statewide point-of-sale plumbing retrofit mandates
Passing legislation to reform Georgia’s property tax assessment and appeals process.
Preventing cities and counties in Georgia from charging individual agents a business license fee for each jurisdiction in which they conduct business
That’s money back in your pocket and added back to your business’ bottom line. To learn more about GAR’s legislative accomplishments, click here.

If not you, then who?

REALTORS® must be politically active, get involved and help shape the discussion. If not, who will take on the responsibility of protecting the values and rights we hold dear? Be assured that someone will – someone who may not value wise business planning and could threaten property owners and their rights. No one knows a community better than a REALTOR®. REALTORS® know the lay of the land, the families, the best schools, the neighborhoods and the leaders of any given area. REALTORS® work in every city, county and community in the nation. REALTORS® are on the front line as defenders of real estate issues. RPAC is the only political group in the country organized for REALTORS® and run by REALTORS®. RPAC exists solely to further issues important to REALTORS®.

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