NAR recognizes the hardships our members are facing, especially in states that have had more COVID-19 cases and deaths and those that have had a shut-down of real estate transactions. Our belief is that for NAR to slow its work, or to cut back services to members at a time when they need them most, would hurt more than help REALTORS®.
Our mission critical focus during this national emergency is to:
Deliver more programs and services that offer the greatest impact to members' bottom line free or at reduced cost through our Right Tool Right Now program;
Advocate aggressively for our members and the real estate industry; and
Provide the latest legal, legislative, and business guidance to members in a rapidly changing environment.
Indeed, the NAR staff is fully deployed and working long hours on these priorities.
Right Tools Right Now
NAR has launched its Right Tools, Right Now program, which in just a few weeks has provided millions of dollars in savings to members on products and services just when they most need them. After all, the best way we can give back to our members is to provide business-critical services at no or substantially reduced costs.
As part of Right Tools, Right Now, and because your health and welfare are critical priorities, the association is also fully funding two months of Members TeleHealth for REALTORS® who don't already have telemedicine coverage and who enroll by the end of May. NAR has even negotiated a greatly reduced rate for members who want to continue Members TeleHealth beyond the two-month period.
Advocacy on Members' Behalf
Through our advocacy in Washington, we helped ensure the CARES Act included loans and grants for small businesses to use toward mortgage interest, rents, utilities, and payroll costs. We helped ensure that the legislation provides an unprecedented benefit for the self-employed and independent contractors: unemployment insurance eligibility.
And NAR continues the advocacy fight, working with coalition partners to advocate for additional funding for small business loans; liquidity for the mortgage industry; and relief for property owners. We're also working closely with state REALTOR® associations on the myriad of issues affecting members-from stay-at-home orders to the rollout of Pandemic Unemployment Aid for independent contractors.
REALTORS® are family. And during an emergency, family pulls together.