Early Saturday morning, the U.S. Senate, by a vote of 51-49, passed legislation that would change the face of homeownership in this country for decades to come. The House passed its own version of tax reform Nov. 16.

A last-minute change to the Senate version would make up to $10,000 in property taxes deductible for the small number of homeowners who would still be itemizing. Previously, the Senate version had eliminated the property tax deduction entirely. The change aligns with the property tax cap set in the House bill. One difference between the two bills is that the Senate version retains the deductibility of mortgage interest payments on up to $1 million of indebtedness; the House version caps indebtedness at $500,000 (again, for the small minority still itemizing).

Now, members of the Senate and the House must meet to agree on a final bill. It's not too late to make your voice heard. Join us in telling your members of Congress that incentives for homeownership and the capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of a home MUST be protected. On Monday, Dec. 4, NAR will issue a new Call for Action. If you haven't already signed up to receive CFAs on your phone, please text ACTION to 30644!

And visit nar.realtor for the latest developments on this fast-moving issue.