Real estate is about three words: location, location and location. For that reason, I think it’s easy for us to focus on our own area and forget we’re part of a much larger group.
I do spend a lot of time focusing on the greater Chattanooga area. As the 2023 president of Greater Chattanooga Realtors, I spend most of my time thinking about real estate issues that fall into Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in southeast Tennessee and Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in northwest Georgia.
More than 2,700 Realtors serve the real estate needs of these areas and the many different housing issues that impact each county differently.
As important as it is to care for your community, it’s also critical to take a step back and zoom out. Realtors in our local market are also a part of the state and national associations.
Some of our members are part of Georgia Realtors, which represents more than 46,000 agents. The bulk of our members belong to Tennessee Realtors, which represents in 36,000-plus Realtors.
Put those numbers together and we’re talking about more than 80,000 Realtors.
Something that drove this home occurred a few weeks ago when members of our association joined with more than 500 Realtors from across Tennessee to participate in Tennessee Realtors’ Day on the Hill. (Georgia Realtors had its Day at the Dome Conference Feb. 28–March 1.)
This event was an opportunity for Realtors from all over Tennessee to visit with their elected officials and discuss matters concerning real estate and possible hindrances to homeownership. This year, we wanted to address three primary issues:
Opposing the expansion of the County Powers Relief Act
Why would we take this stance? Tennessee Realtors supports keeping the County Powers Relief Act in its current state so more Tennesseans can realize the dream of homeownership.
Affordable housing is an urgent issue in Tennessee, given the high prices of building materials and the current interest rates in today’s market. The addition of impact fees on new development will only compound the problem and place affordable workforce housing even more out of reach for Tennesseans.
Assisting supportive housing
What does this mean? In short, Tennessee Realtors is part of a supportive housing coalition that’s committed to promoting measures to house and support the state’s most vulnerable residents.
The coalition hopes to create housing opportunities and initiate policy changes that will set Tennessee on a path to become a national model for scaling evidence-based models and addressing critical housing needs.
Opposing proposed legislation that would require landlords to pay an additional registration fee for information that’s already public
Tennessee Realtors opposes this measure and sees it as merely a money grab for local governments as most of this information is already public record. Tennessee Realtors does not see a rational basis for requiring landlords to register with their local government.
Our state association and its more than 36,000 Realtors believes these issues impact current and potential homeowners. But aside from real estate, I think we’d all do well to remember that no matter what our occupation might be, or where we might live, we’re stronger together.
It doesn’t take a tragedy or a natural disaster to remind us that individuals have the most impact when they act as one group.
Realtors work in their individual communities but also work together to assist homebuyers achieve the dream of homeownership. That’s Who We R.
Founded in 1912, Greater Chattanooga Realtors is the voice for real estate in Greater Chattanooga. A regional organization with more than 2,700 members, Greater Chattanooga Realtors serves Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in southeast Tennessee and Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in northwest Georgia. The association is one of approximately 1,100 local associations and boards of Realtors nationwide that comprise the National Association of Realtors. Greater Chattanooga Realtors owns and operates a Multiple Listing Service that is one of approximately 600 MLSs in the country and services more than 3,000 MLS users. Local association membership consists of Realtors servicing the Greater Chattanooga area and specializing in a variety of disciplines, including appraisal, commercial, industrial, land, multifamily, property management and residential. Affiliate members who represent related industries work alongside these Realtors, including mortgage lenders, home inspectors, title and closing services, pest inspection and control services and insurance providers.