I just returned from a week of REALTOR meetings in Washington, DC. The National Association of Realtors meets for a week in May for the Mid-Year Meetings. I attended the meeting this year with a primary focus on my role as the President-Elect of the Northern New England Real Estate Network, the multiple listing service for my area.
During my time in Washington I was able to attend meetings about rules and regulations pertaining to Multiple Listing Services, a general overview of the NAR in general, great networking with my piers, and meetings with Rep. Peter Welch, Senator Bernie Sanders and representatives from the office of Senator Patrick Leahy. We were able to discuss the state of the real estate market here in Vermont and thanked our Congressmen for their efforts in getting the housing market back on track. The $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit is a great help, and we explained why we thought it necessary to extend it beyond the November 20, 2009 deadline. Our suggestions seemed heard.
The new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mr. Shaun Donovan spoke to the group of REALTORS in DC. He suggested that he favors finding a way to get the $8,000 tax credit into the hands of buyers at the time of closing instead of waiting to file a return next year. I stronly support this idea, and he is working with the Obama administration to make it happen.
If you have any questions about the real estate market or about the new $8,000 first-time tax credit, please give me a call. I would be happy to help.
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