Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Councilmembers Robert White, Brooke Pinto, and Trayon White all won their primary races. Click here for detailed 2024 DC Primary Election results >

The District of Columbia Association of REALTORS^® Political Action Committee (DCAR RPAC) made the decision to endorse four candidates for DC Council in the 2024 Primary Election. Each of the candidates is a champion and advocate of homeownership and is actively working to provide better opportunities for small businesses. The candidates are committed to tackling issues vital to REALTORS^® during their time in office. Click here for the endorsements and voting information >

NAR has released the following guidance to help you better assist your clients in the aftermath of last week’s Burnett v. NAR verdict. Additionally, NPR recently aired this segment on real estate fees.

What does this mean for me and my business?

• We all should continue to express that commissions are negotiable and set between a broker and their client.
• As always, it is critical to maximize transparency with your clients about their choices and your terms.
• Continue to use your listing and buyer agreements to help them understand 1) exactly what services and value you are providing and 2) how much you charge.
  • For buyers, this includes options for offers of compensation from a listing broker or paying for your services directly or a combination.
  • For sellers, this includes options to allow offers of compensation to be made by their listing broker to a buyer’s broker, and if so, how much and under what terms.

What should I tell my clients who ask me about the verdict or lawsuits?

• The National Association of REALTORS® believes that the jury reached an outcome that is neither supported by the law nor the facts presented in the case and plans to appeal.
• The trial had to do with a very pro-consumer rule for local MLS broker marketplaces where listing brokers make offers of compensation to buyer brokers who identify someone who wants to buy the sellers’ home.
• Those offers can be any amount, can vary over time, are based on things like service and the market, and are negotiable. Neither the buyer nor seller broker gets paid until the home sale and purchase close based on what the seller and buyer have agreed to in writing.
• The offer of compensation practice ensures efficient, transparent and accessible marketplaces where sellers can sell their home for more and have their home seen by more buyers while buyers have more choices of homes and can afford representation.
• Plaintiffs have said wealthy people could still afford representation without the practice, but that hardly seems fair. The National Association of REALTORS® is going to continue to advocate for this pro-consumer practice and, as noted, plans to appeal the jury’s verdict.
• Know that agents who are REALTORS® will still and always be there for clients to guide you through the financial, legal and community complexities of buying and selling a home.
• The verdict doesn’t change the many choices buyers and sellers have when deciding whether to hire a real estate agent who is a REALTOR®. Compensation will continue to be negotiable and set between a broker and their respective client, as it always has been.

What can I do to help?

• It’s so important that as real estate agents who are REALTORS®, we continue to demonstrate the real value we bring as we guide consumers through the financial, legal and community complexities of buying and selling a home.
• There are so many great resources at the REALTORS® as Champions section of the competition.realtor website, including infographics you can reference, post and share:
  • Buying a home is easy if you work with a REALTOR®
  • Selling a home is easy if you work with a REALTOR®
  • Why hire an agent who is a REALTOR®
  • The essential real estate agent

We are honored to present the final list of candidates for our 2024 DCAR Board of Directors! The election will be held by electronic ballot beginning November 9 and ending November 29 at 11:59 p.m. Please review the final list of nominees below. Biographies of candidates can be viewed here.

CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION

Officers

• President-elect: Samuel Medvene, Century 21 Redwood Realty
• Secretary: Harrison Beacher, Keller Williams Capital Properties
• Treasurer: Frederic Bates, LPT Realty LLC

At-large directors up for election, two-year term:

(three to be elected)

• Joachim (James) Braeu, Coldwell Banker Realty
• Elizabeth Burgess, Fairfax Realty Elite
• April Contee*, EXQ Real Estate
• Virginia Gergoff, Keller Williams Capital Properties
• G. Anthony Graham, Independent Real Estate Broker
• Hillary Nash, RLAH Real Estate @properties
• Bonnie Roberts-Burke*, RLAH Real Estate @properties

* currently serving as a board member, term expiring.

RETURNING BOARD MEMBERS

Officers

• Immediate past president: Anthony Mancuso, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty
• President: Stacey Barton, RLAH Real Estate @properties

Other directors currently serving their two-year term:

• Harrison Beacher, Keller Williams Capital Properties
• Jennifer Frewer, Keller Williams Capital Properties
• Margaret “Ansa” Tyus, RE/MAX
• Annemarie Stephens, Samson Properties

Presidential appointees (2): To be determined
Public Policy Committee chair: To be determined
GCAAR president: Christopher Suranna, RLAH Real Estate @properties
Chief executive officer (ex-officio): Scott Reiter

Congratulations to Thomas P. Daley for being selected as our 2023 REALTOR® of the Year!

Tom served as DCAR’s 2022 president and has been a member of the DCAR Executive Committee since 2020. Presently he is an equity partner, associate broker and managing director of luxury with Keller Williams Capital Properties in Washington, D.C. and licensed to practice real estate in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

In addition to his role as DCAR president, Tom served on DCAR’s Public Policy Committee from 2018-2019 and DCAR’s Finance Committee and various presidential advisory groups. He was chair of NAR’s Data Strategies Committee in 2021 and has served on the NAR Board of Directors from 2016-2019 and 2022-2023. Tom was president of GCAAR in 2018, REALTOR® of the Year for both Maryland REALTORS® and GCAAR in 2019 and currently serves on NAR’s RPAC fundraising trustees and on NVAR’s (Northern Virginia Association of REALTORS®) Public Policy Committee.

Outside of his professional activities, Tom has been a supporter of the Washington Ballet, Rock Creek Conservancy and Friendship Place.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Boston College and a Master’s in Real Estate degree (MPS) from Georgetown University.

DCAR is pleased to announce that the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) has reopened for FY 2024 as of October 11, 2023; lender packages are now being accepted by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Funds are available for HPAP applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Please share this information as soon as possible with any clients who may benefit.

As you may recall, the District closed HPAP applications temporarily on July 22, 2023 when it exhausted all available funds for FY 2023.

DCAR worked closely with the mayor’s office and DHCD to ensure transparency and to improve communication with the HPAP applicants and our members. The open dialogue with the mayor’s office and DHCD led to a number of changes in the program, including a funding tracker that is now available on the DHCD HPAP website.

Please refer to the FAQ sheet to see the specific changes to HPAP.