This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Illinois Association of Realtors. Illinois was among the first in the country to form a state Realtors Association and is now the 6th largest in the U.S with 44,000 members. The Realtor association represents one of the largest trade associations in Illinois. The name has been changed to Illinois Realtors but its mission remains the same: “to serve as a collective voice and committed advocate for the state’s real estate industry and the issues it faces”.
The association was an early proponent of real estate license law in Illinois as well as promoting the highest standards and ethics in our profession. The licensing and training center facilitates training and continuing education so that our members may better serve the public. The government affairs division is a leader in the industry and fights for the best interests of Realtors and property owners throughout the State.
The governmental affairs program includes the Realtors Political Action Committee or RPAC, which was formed in 1969. The purpose of this committee is to promote and elect bipartisan candidates that support Realtors interests and protect private property rights in Illinois. Realtors contribute voluntarily to RPAC, the donations are not part of the dues Realtor members pay annually. Last year, Illinois Realtors raised more than $1,000,000 for RPAC and many of our local Realtors contribute money every year to help our politicians protect private property rights. Here are some of the ways RPAC has protected your property rights recently: stopped a proposed statewide mandate that would have added a $500 pre- sale video sewer inspection fee on all Illinois homes being sold, postponed a fire sprinkler mandate on all new construction and retro fitting existing properties in the State, stopped a bill allowing municipalities to license and regulate the use of multifamily dwellings and nationally have successfully lobbied to continue tax deductions for mortgage interest and property taxes for homeowners.
These are just a few of the ways our local Realtors that donate to RPAC are helping to protect our homeowner’s property rights. We live and work in this community and earn our living listing and selling local property. Some of us own businesses here and have a personal stake in the health of our local economy. Many local Realtors not only contribute monetarily to RPAC but contribute their time to many local causes. Our members sit on various boards, volunteer at local churches and schools and help raise money for community projects. Our members attend school board and city council meetings to advocate for local property owners rights and property tax concerns. Our local Realtors do more for our communities than most people realize. We are fighting to protect your private property rights and promote our local community and economy every day. Happy Mother’s Day!