Continuing education credits, vacant properties and a potential Provincetown real estate transfer tax brought Realtors to Beacon Hill today to lobby state lawmakers on issues affecting the industry.
"We’re active, we’re the canaries in the coal mine and we vote, and that has to be emphasized time and time again without legislators," said David Wluka, broker/owner of Wluka Real Estate in Sharon, who received an association award at the gathering.
A bill which would increase the amount of continuing education credits required to maintain a Realtor license topped the list of priorities. Massachusetts requires only 12 hours of classroom instruction to renew a Realtor’s license; most states require more. The bill would raise the requirement to 20 hours. Last year, Realtors passed a bill which increased the amount of time required to initially obtain a license.
Other concerns include efforts to address problems with vacant properties created by the foreclosure crisis. Several bills attracted Realtor support, including one which would help crack down on the theft of copper piping from abandoned buildings and create a state registry of such buildings to help ensure they are maintained. Another would make it easier for municipalities to sell town- or city-owned property in part by allowing them to use agents to market the properties.
The Realtors were also concerned by an effort on the part of Provincetown to pass a real estate transfer tax of 0.5 percent on the purchase price of a home in order to fund road maintenance. "Creating a local sales tax on people’s homes is a bad idea, there’s no question about it," said Stephen Ryan, general counsel for the Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR).
The group received a warm welcome on the Hill, with several legislators stopping by the gathering and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray addressing the group, emphasizing the aid the administration has given to local communities to repair streets and increase curb appeal, create a registry of available for commercial sites, reduce the time required to obtain permits and create affordable housing.
But the loudest round of applause from the assembled group was reserved for the mentioned threats Realtors face on the federal level, with MAR President Laurie Cadigan, of Barrett & Co. in Concord, highlighting Realtors’ 98-year record of support of the mortgage interest tax deduction.
"We will be standing up for it again," she said in light of recent efforts to cut the deduction.
The groups also highlighted efforts by MAR and the Realtor Association of the Pioneer Valley to help those affected by the tornado.
