GADFly Newsletter – January 2022

Campaign Services

Online REALTOR® Candidate Training Academy for State and Local Office
The updated online version of the REALTOR® Candidate Training Academy for State and Local Office is now live on the Center for REALTOR® Development site. It is free to members and staff interested in running for elected office or learning more about campaigns. It is free to members and staff interested in running for elected office or learning more about campaigns.

If you are interested in hosting an in-person or virtual candidate training academy this year, please contact John Winston (202) 383-1235 to get on the schedule before slots run out.

Consumer Advocacy Outreach

What is your focus for 2022?
A few of you answered the consumer Call for Action survey and shared the policy issues that you’re focusing on this year (first time homebuyer and property taxes). What other issues are out there? Please take a few minutes and tell us what issues your association, state legislatures or city councils are focused on in 2022. We will reach out and work with each of you on how to best message consumers on these issues. Fill out the quick survey, or contact Erin Murphy (202-383-1079 / emurphy@nar.realtor).

Community Outreach

Apply for 2022 Consumer Advocacy Grant
The Consumer Advocacy grant offers your association the ability to apply for money up to $25,000 (with a 15% skin in the game requirement) to engage with consumers in your community and educate them on public policy issues that impact homeownership and property rights. The Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board will meet the first Tuesday of each month at 3pm EST to hear application requests. First quarter meeting dates are January 4, February 1, and March 1. The 2022 Consumer Advocacy grant application is available at https://realtorparty.realtor/grants/grant-manager. Apply now or contact Erin Murphy at 202-383-1079 or emurphy@nar.realtor.

Tell Us Your Policy Issues – Consumer Calls for Action
As you plan for 2022, please take three minutes to tell us what policy issues you will be working on. We will reach out and work with each of you on how to best message consumers on these issues. Fill out this survey, https://bit.ly/3r1CJhL, or contact Erin Murphy (202-383-1079 / emurphy@nar.realtor).

Community Outreach

Get the Facts on Modern Growth Management Techniques
NAR’s Growth Management Fact Book provides a comprehensive look at modern growth management techniques, such as urban growth boundaries, housing moratoria, adequate public facilities and cluster zoning, to help REALTOR® Associations stay informed and develop well-reasoned policy positions to advance growth-related issue priorities. A recent update now includes the latest on parking reform trends, planning for equity models, missing middle housing strategies and links to NAR resources on all topics. Access the latest update (M1 Member ID and password required). Questions? Contact Hugh Morris at 202-383-1278.

Take Action with help from a Community Outreach Grant
You’re an advocate for change, and NAR’s Community Outreach Grants provide the resources to move your association’s agenda forward. Five grants with various levels of funding helps associations take action on issues that matter the most. View the Community Outreach video to learn how grants and resources help associations build stronger communities. Questions? Contact Christine Windle at 202-383-1135.

Advocacy Resource Guide: Vote, Act and Invest, REALTOR® Party (Print Version)
A print version of the Advocacy Resource Guide: Vote, Act and Invest, REALTOR® Party includes resources that can help associations reach their advocacy goals and meet Core Standards requirements. State and local association staff may request copies for events and conferences by contacting Ted Wright, Coordinator, Advocacy Meetings. Important: Requests for printed guides need to be submitted two weeks prior to the event. The resource guide is also available online.

Associations Celebrate Advocacy Wins
Success stories chronicle the efforts of associations taking advantage of REALTOR® Party tools and resources and beyond to advance their community engagement and advocacy efforts. Search examples by keyword and state including the recent stories from Long Island, Spokane and Massachusetts. Submit your association’s advocacy success story or contact Christine Windle at 202-383-1135.

REALTOR® Party Success Stories – January 2022
Each month, stories highlighting state and local associations who leveraged a REALTOR® Party grant or resource that led to an advocacy “win” are highlighted and cataloged in the REALTOR Party Success Stories. Success stories created in January include:

RPAC Fundraising

Jan 31: RPAC Hall of Fame Nomination Form Deadline
The RPAC Hall of Fame eligibility deadline for members and staff to meet the $25,000 minimum threshold was Wednesday, December 15. State associations must submit Hall of Fame nomination forms to NAR by January 31, 2022. Click here to access the guidelines and nomination form. For questions regarding the Hall of Fame, or to verify an investment history total, please contact Jackie Zaporowski (202-383-1029).

2022 President’s Circle Launched
The President’s Circle launched its first round for 2022 on January 11, consisting of the National Party Committees and FPC’s contributions to the re-election campaign for their Member of Congress. The deadline for President’s Circle members to invest their first $500 is May 31, 2022. For more information regarding President’s Circle, contact Avery Walker (202-383-1268).

RPAC Major Investor Recognition Deadlines
Make sure you and your members are recognized as RPAC Major Investors by the April, October, and December deadlines! Click here for all dates and important details. These are HARD deadlines to submit RPAC investments to the NAR Finance Office. For questions about RPAC transmittal deadlines contact Jackie Zaporowski (202-383-1029), or Debbie Frey (312-329-8565).

GAD Directory Needs Your Help

Are you a Local or State GAD? Have you looked at the GAD Directory lately? The GAD Directory is a central database that contains the latest contact information for you and your fellow GADs. This Directory is totally reliant on GAD Nation to keep it up to date by supplying us with the most current information on you or your fellow GADs. The Directory can be searched by state and/or local and can be easily updated by clicking on the “Add a New GAD(s)” button.

For more information or questions about the GAD Directory contact Jim MacGregor, jmacgregor@nar.realtor

NAR Research and Press Releases

More Consumers Are Optimistic About Their Income Outlook
Take a look at the latest trends on the perception to obtain credit, income growth and moving expectations from the Federal Reserve Board of New York’s Survey of Consumer Expectations.
By: Michael Hyman

Home Buyers Narrow Home Search With Technology
Home buyers today have the ability to view homes online and quickly weed out what they want to see versus what can be discarded.
By: Jessica Lautz

Housing Affordability Conditions Slightly Weaken in November
Compared to the prior month, the national monthly mortgage payment increased by 0.9% while the median family income rose modestly by 0.2%.
By: Michael Hyman

Instant Reaction: Retail Trade Sales, January 14, 2022
Retail sales recorded a seasonally adjusted total of $626.8 billion in December, a decrease of 1.9% from November.
By: Brandon Hardin

Commercial Weekly: Office Market Ends on Strong Note in 2021 Q4; Investors Still Likely to Stay on the Sidelines in Primary Markets
Amid sustained job growth and the continuing re-entry of workers to the office, the demand for office space ended with a strong finish in the second half of 2021, mainly driven by office space absorption in secondary markets.
By: Scholastica (Gay) Cororaton

Key Dates

May 1–6, 2022
REALTORS® Legislative Meetings

Brad Ward
GAD Chair
Michigan REALTORS®

“I’m eating junk, feeling bad, another night, I’m going mad… but I just love the life I lead.” Motörhead, “(We are) The Road Crew”

Happy New year to all of you! Pressure and stress are mounting as legislative sessions get underway and we prepare for another big election year. The holidays were a nice break, but it’s back to business. Hopefully, we can stick to all our resolutions and Dry Januarys.

We just held our first RPAC Trustees meeting of the year, and I did something that I haven’t done in a while: Prepared a PowerPoint for the committee. After years of doing this, I may have become complacent in providing a thorough, in-depth primer for new trustees. My resolution this year was to drill down on committee expectations, the ins and outs of fundraising, and how we make decisions on spending the dollars entrusted to us, in hopes of making things easier on our staff as we get further into the year. I received a lot of appreciation from both new and seasoned committee members for providing more confidence in their role.

This week’s All GAD Call hopefully will give you that same feeling. The GAD Advisory Group believed strongly that outlining best practices and sharing different perspectives on interview and endorsement processes will make your life easier. A well-functioning volunteer committee is a wonderful thing.

A request went out on the GAD Facebook page and during our call for everyone to send samples of their interview process and questions. My hope as chair is to maintain an evolving compilation that can help select RPAC champions. Please take the time to share your materials. If this is your first election year as GAD, I would also recommend checking out the program that John Winston and his group have put together.

Hopefully these opportunities and resources will help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions and reduce a little stress along the way.

GADFly Newsletter – January 2022