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Thousands of Realtors will head to Washington D.C. this weekend to lobby federal lawmakers and grapple with issues threatening to upend the real estate industry, including an erratic market, class-action commission lawsuits, and the growth of artificial intelligence.
Realtors Legislative Meetings: Home Front, the National Association of Realtors’ midyear conference, will run from May 6-11 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center with some governance meetings held at the nearby Marriott Marquis hotel. Inman will be on the ground.
Here’s a rundown of some of the sessions slated during the event, several of which will be live-streamed for NAR members:
Sunday, May 7, 2023
8:00 AM–9:30 AM ET: Federal Legislative and Political Forum: How Banking and Institutional Investors are Influencing the American Dream of Homeownership (Live-streamed)
This session will be live-streamed for NAR members at nar.realtor/stream.
Doug Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office, and Dana Peterson, chief economist of The Conference Board, will discuss the direction of the economy, the complex role of banking and institutional investors in the housing market, and what’s coming next in banking policy and what it means for the future of homeownership, according to NAR.
10:00 AM–12:00 PM ET: MLS Association Executives Session
NAR senior counsel Charlie Lee will offer Realtor association and MLS executives a legal update after a tumultuous last few months in the legal arena. In March, the larger of two federal commissions lawsuits against NAR that could rock the real estate industry and impact how agents are compensated nationwide, known as Moehrl, got class-action status. The smaller of the two suits, known as Sitzer/Burnett, got class certification nearly a year ago and is set to go to trial this fall. Also in March, the U.S. Department of Justice appealed a lower court ruling in favor of NAR that limits the DOJ’s ability to investigate the trade group’s policies regarding buyer broker commissions and pocket listings. The latter rule, known as the Clear Cooperation Policy, is also the subject of two antitrust lawsuits against NAR that are ongoing.
Also at this session, Dave Conroy, NAR’s director of emerging tech, will give a presentation titled “ChatGPT and the Exponential Growth of AI Solutions,” highlighting a hot topic in the industry right now.
Lastly, Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) CEO Sam DeBord will moderate a panel titled “MLSs Investing in their own Tech,” which will feature speakers from a number of MLS initiatives, including REdistribute, Markt, MLS Aligned, Venture MLS, MLS Technology Holdings, Nestfully, and MLS Grid.
1:00PM-4:00PM ET: Bias Override: Overcoming Barriers to Fair Housing
At this session, which requires members to sign up in advance, attendees will learn how implicit bias can lead to fair housing violations and participate in interactive exercises to better their communication skills and business relationships with clients of all backgrounds, according to NAR. The session is currently full but the trade group noted that more seats may become available.
4:00 PM–4:30 PM ET: The Leadership Scoop (Live-streamed)
To kick off the event, 2023 President Kenny Parcell and other members of NAR’s Leadership Team will share what the association is doing to benefit its 1.5 million members and also offer attendees “a game plan” for the week.
4:30 PM–5:30 PM ET: The Advocacy Scoop (Live-streamed)
NAR’s Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn and NAR Vice President of Policy Advocacy Bryan Greene will discuss the state of NAR’s advocacy and NAR’s key priorities as it lobbies lawmakers at the federal, state, and local levels, including the nation’s affordable housing shortage and ensuring fair housing for all.
Monday, May 8, 2023
8:00 AM–9:30 AM ET: General Session: Truth Worth Telling: A Reporter’s Search for Meaning in the Stories of Our Times with Scott Pelley (Live-streamed)
During this session, award-winning investigative reporter Scott Pelley, who’s spent decades at 60 Minutes and the CBS Evening News, will share “his nuanced perspective of the major events of the day” through a “multi-media trip around the world,” NAR said.
10:00 AM–11:30 AM ET: Regulatory Issues Forum: Now and Beyond – Understanding the Role of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in the Real Estate Sector (Live-streamed)
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Julia Gordon will provide key updates and information on what’s happening at FHA, including more about a reduction in mortgage premium insurance, according to NAR.
Other speakers will also discuss the current role of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies in real estate as well as their benefits and concerns.
1:00 PM–4:00 PM ET: Multiple Listing Service Forum and Multiple Listing Issues & Policies Committee
During the forum, NAR’s Lee will provide another legal update, and NAR Associate Counsel Deanne Rymarowicz will discuss MLS insurance coverage. There will also be a panel discussion on NAR’s website focused on competition in the industry, competition.realtor, and “Riding With the Brand,” a new motor coach tour designed to boost member and consumer engagement with the trade group and the Realtor brand. Another panel, lead by Dave Garland of NAR’s REACH tech accelerator, will cover the impact of AI on the MLS.
No MLS policy changes are currently slated for discussion at the MLIP Committee meeting after the two-hour forum.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
8:00 AM–9:00 AM ET: Residential Economic Issues & Trends Forum (Live-streamed)
This much-anticipated session will be a double-header. First, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun will discuss recent economic developments and their impact on the U.S. housing market, according to NAR. Then, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chief Economist Robert Dietz will talk about the challenges of homebuilders and upcoming changes in the sector.
10:30 AM–12:00 PM ET: Risk Management Issues Committee
Dan Weisman, NAR director of emerging technology, and Chloe Hecht, NAR senior counsel, will give presentations during an education session titled “Artificial Intelligence & Real Estate” that will offer information on industry investments in AI and on AI and copyright laws, among other topics.
2:00 PM–4:00 PM ET: Treasurer’s Budget Forum (NAR Members Only)
This session is only open to attendees who are NAR members, who are encouraged to come with questions about NAR’s budget, which the association’s board of directors vote on annually at the midyear conference.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
8:30 AM–1:00 PM ET: Board of Directors Meeting (Live-streamed)
This is where NAR’s main governing body will consider and vote on policy recommendations that come before it after they have run the gauntlet of the association’s committee structure.
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