During this consequential election cycle, NAR's political advocacy team is focused on supporting REALTOR® Party champions and public policies that protect property ownership and strengthen communities. 

Download 50+ Years of Advocacy Wins for REALTORS®

1970s

1970: Supported the Solid Waste Disposal Act and Clean Air Act amendments.

1971: Included in the Banking Reform Act a prohibition against requiring an equity participation as a condition for making a mortgage loan.

1972: Helped pass the Emergency Mortgage Credit Act.

1973: Eliminated the blanket registration of commercial and industrial properties under the Interstate Land Sales Registration Act.

1974: Supported a tax reform bill that repealed the applicability of the Asset Depreciation Range to real property.

1975: Amended the Land Use and Resource Conservation Act to assure the involvement of local government and property owners in the land use process.

1976: Supported Regulation Q of the Mortgage Loan Disclosure Act, which created more mortgage credit.

1977: Supported the passage of the Housing and Community Development Act.

1978: Supported the Revenue Act, which lowered the tax on capital gains for individuals.

1979: Supported reforms to the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act that eased complicated registration and reporting requirements.

1980s

1980: Supported the Crude Oil Windfall Profit Tax Act, which repealed the estate tax carryover basis rule.

1981: Secured safeguards for private property owners in the National Historical Preservation Act.

1982: Supported provisions that clarified REALTORS®’ right to be independent contractors for federal tax purposes.

1983: Reduced the tax burden on the self-employed in the Social Security Reform package.

1984: Supported Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act amendments to prohibit the use of new multifamily program funds by communities imposing rent control on newly constructed units.

1985: Reformed a provision in the law increasing the minimum interest rate that sellers who financed the sale of real estate had to charge.

1986: Secured continued protection of the mortgage interest deduction in the tax reform package.

1987: Opposed and defeated a proposal to limit tax-deferred like-kind exchanges.

1988: Achieved the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, working with a broad coalition of civil rights advocacy groups.

1989: Preserved deferral of capital gains taxes on most exchanges of like-kind property.

1990s

1990: Issued Call for Action to reform the passive-loss tax rules that unfairly penalized real estate practitioners.

1991: Scored a major win when Congress approved a bill limiting the powers of federally chartered banks in the real estate arena and rolling back the existing authority of state- chartered banks to engage in real estate activities.

1992: Supported the Veterans Home Loan Program Amendments of 1992 that expanded the VA Guaranty Home Loan Program to members of the National Guard and military reserves.

1993: After a seven-year NAR lobbying campaign, Congress approved changes to passive loss rules enacted by the 1986 Tax Reform Act that had unfairly singled out real estate professionals.

1994: Following more than three years of NAR lobbying, Congress passed the Community Development and Financial Institutions Act that build the foundation for a commercial secondary mortgage market.

1995: Successfully opposed a proposal to dismantle the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and privatize the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

1996: Successfully opposed proposals to replace the federal income tax with a flat tax that would eliminate the mortgage interest deduction.

1997: Secured passage of tax legislation that raised the tax exclusion on the sale of a principal residence and allowed first-time buyers to withdraw up to $10K penalty-free from tax-deferred retirement savings to be used for home purchases.

1998: Supported legislation that raised the FHA’s mortgage insurance limits for single-family homes and provided uniformity to metropolitan areas with several different FHA limits.

1999: Secured adoption of a HUD rule to rely on the services of local real estate professionals to help sell HUD-owned single-family properties.

2000s

2000: Supported the White House’s livability agenda, promoting the development of smart growth and quality of life programs in state and local governments.

2001: Supported congressional efforts to approve $25 million in FEMA funding for floodplain mapping.

2002: Prevented the Federal Reserve and Treasury from putting its banks in real estate proposal into effect.

2003: Supported legislation reducing the capital gains rate from 20% to 15% as well as a bonus depreciation provision that included tenant leasehold improvements.

2004: Supported legislation reauthorizing the flood insurance program through 2008.

2005: Prevented HUD from instituting its Valuation Conditions form and its Homebuyer Summary form related to the FHA appraisal process.

2006: Prevented large corporations from owning industrial loan companies that would have hurt competition in real estate.

2007: Supported legislation providing mortgage forgiveness debt relief.

2008: Supported a $7500 first-time homebuyer tax credit.

2009: After an eight-year fight, supported legislation that prevented banks from engaging in real estate brokerage.

2010s

2010: Secured extensions of the temporary higher loan limits for FHA and government sponsored enterprises (GSEs).

2011: Successfully opposed proposals to increase FHA’s down payment requirement to 5%.

2012: Successfully opposed proposed provisions of the Qualified Residential Mortgage (QRM) rule that would have required a 20% down payment.

2013: Supported the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which extended the 50% bonus depreciation rule for qualifying property.

2014: Supported the Flood Insurance Affordability Act, which slowed flood insurance rates for homes and commercial properties.

2015: After an NAR Call for Action, Congress removed the use of guarantee fees (G-fees) as a financing mechanism for programs other than supporting the GSEs.

2016: Supported the FAA granting the use of drones in commercial real estate without requiring a Section 333 waiver.

2017: Improved the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure policy by seeking explicit clarity on the ability to share the Closing Disclosure with third parties, including real estate agents.

2018: Successfully opposed the repeal of 1031 like-kind exchanges and supported creation of a provision that allows REALTORS® to deduct 20% of their qualified business income. After decades of NAR advocacy, the U.S. Department of Labor issued final rules enabling independent contractors to join association health plans.

2019: Secured removal of the cap on the VA loan limit through the Blue Water Navy Act, as well as a seven-year reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program.

2020s

2020: Sustained the real estate industry through the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting real estate as an essential service across the country and ensuring independent contractors were eligible for stimulus funds, rescue loans, and unemployment benefits. Secured permanent Section 179D deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings.

2021: Provided crucial support to the Alabama and Georgia REALTOR® associations in their victorious lawsuit against the nationwide eviction moratorium. Secured multiple REALTOR® priorities in the bipartisan infrastructure law, including funding to expand broadband.

2022: Successfully opposed nearly a dozen proposed tax increase provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that would have crippled the real estate market.

2023: Secured a 30-basis-point reduction in mortgage insurance premiums and successfully opposed the FHFA's proposed loan level pricing adjustment upfront fee on borrowers with debt-to-income ratios greater than 40 percent.