The REALTOR® Advocate March/April

March 30, 2020

- By The MAR Legal Team

What a difference a month makes. Following successful and fun Realtor Party Training in the first week of the month, things quickly started shutting down to address COVID-19, with a state of emergency declared in the state on March 10. Since then, it has been a whirlwind as the MAR Legal Team kicked into high gear advocating on your behalf with state leaders and generating the legal guidance and forms needed to make sure our members stay compliant and safe during this unique time. We’re doing our best to adjust to daily changes and get you everything you need and need to know in a timely manner. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.

If you ever have any questions or comments on our advocacy efforts or just want to chat about a recent or upcoming meeting with your legislator, contact MAR Legislative and Regulatory Counsel Jonny Schreiber, jschreiber@marealtor.com or (781) 839-5520.

March Highlights

  • 3/4 – Realtor Party Training – MAR hosted this annual event with information about Realtor Party including RPAC fundraising, NAR grant programs, and advocacy updates. Click here for a slideshow from the event on the basics of RPAC.
  • 3/12 – Representative Paul McMurtry Meeting – Rep. McMurtry hosted an in-district meeting for local Realtors® to discuss transfer taxes and other legislative priorities. The event was inspired by the large volume of outreach the Representative’s office received from our Call For Action opposing transfer taxes. Click here to see photos from the event.
  • 3/20 – MAR helps secure smoke detector inspection deferral – Governor Baker issued an executive order allowing deferral of smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm certificate inspections. Click here for more information and to access our Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Inspection Addendum.
  • 3/21 – MAR launches marcovid19.com, a site devoted to providing you real estate related news, legal guidance, and best practices throughout the COVID-19 epidemic.
  • 3/23 – Governor Baker Orders Non-Essential Business Closure – The Governor issued an Executive Order requiring all non-essential businesses to close their brick-and-mortar offices. On 3/25, MAR secured clear guidance that Realtors®, while not “essential employees,” may continue all remote work and still host showings, open houses for under 10 people, and conduct real estate closings and client meetings outside of brick-and-mortar real estate offices and within health and safety guidelines.

 

A Look Ahead: April 2020

Obviously we’re in a unique time right now. All of our traditional priorities are on hold while we work with the Legislature and other government leaders on addressing COVID-19 and its impacts on real estate. We are currently engaged on emergency housing bills that may provide some level of eviction and foreclosure relief. We anticipate that this legislation will be drafted and enacted soon. When things return to normalcy we’ll continue our work on our priority issues.