?What will change in your work, your market, and your advocacy when Kevin Sears goes to Washington on behalf of the National Association of REALTORS®?
Kevin Sears Goes to Washington – National Association of REALTORS®
You are reading this because the movement of one leader to the decision-making center matters. When Kevin Sears travels to Washington, D.C., he does more than keep meetings; he translates the everyday concerns of brokers, agents, homebuyers, sellers, and communities into policy talk, legislative asks, and sometimes into the regulatory and statutory language that shapes your practice. This article explains what that trip means for you, how the priorities are framed, and how you can act with clarity and purpose.
Who Kevin Sears Is and Why His Trip Matters
Kevin Sears serves as a national leader in real estate, representing the organized interests of REALTORS® across jurisdictions. When you see his name attached to advocacy on the Hill, understand that he is not only arguing for an organization; he is making a case for the systems, standards, and market conditions that affect your daily transactions.
You should think of this visit as both symbolic and strategic. Symbolic because it signals priorities for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and the profession at large; strategic because it mobilizes staff, members, and resources to pursue specific legislative or regulatory outcomes. You will feel its effects through policy changes, program access, and sometimes through compliance or disclosure requirements.
Purpose of the Washington Visit
The trip to Washington has multiple concrete goals that will shape the way you do business. First, it is about advocacy: securing support for housing production, mortgage access, and fair property rules. Second, it is about relationships: building lines of communication with congressional offices, federal agencies, and coalition partners who influence legislation and regulation.
You should expect the visit to be focused on turning broad priorities into actionable next steps. That means meetings, briefings, and specific asks—letters of support, co-sponsorships, or regulatory comments—are all part of the agenda. Your role is to understand the ask and be prepared to support it locally.
Immediate Objectives You Should Know
You will want to be aware of the immediate objectives before, during, and after the visit. These typically include:
- Elevating housing affordability and supply as central policy concerns.
- Defending property rights and the integrity of real estate transactions.
- Advocating for policies that protect consumer access to mortgage credit.
- Engaging on antitrust and transparency issues that could affect how you disclose and receive compensation.
These objectives become practical items for your local advocacy and business planning. If a particular priority advances in Congress or in the agencies, you will need to adapt quickly—policy windows do not stay open long.
Key Policy Priorities and How They Affect You
Below is a table summarizing typical priorities you should expect Kevin Sears to address in Washington and how each may affect your practice.
| Priority Area | What Kevin Sears Is Likely to Ask For | How It May Affect You |
|---|---|---|
| Housing affordability & supply | Support for zoning reform incentives, federal funding for production, and tax credits for affordable housing | Changes to local development opportunities, potential new funding sources for projects, greater demand for land and development expertise |
| Mortgage access & credit | Policies to expand affordable lending, support for FHA/GSE stability, and programs for first‑time buyers | More viable buyers in your pipeline, adjustments to underwriting norms, training on new financing programs |
| Property rights & land use | Opposition to undue federal preemption of state/local property rules; support for clear, fair eminent domain standards | Clarification of development rights, protection against abrupt regulatory changes that affect listings |
| Tax policy | Defense of 1031 exchanges, tax incentives for housing development, and clear treatment of capital gains | Influences investor behavior, affects investment property markets, impacts recommendations you give investors |
| Insurance & disaster resilience | Federal support for flood insurance reform and mitigation funding | Impacts insurability of properties and the disclosures you need to provide |
| Antitrust & commissions | Advocacy for fair competition and against punitive actions that would destabilize brokerage compensation models | Potential changes to commission disclosure, payment practices, or contractual arrangements |
| Fair Housing & civil rights | Support for enforcement that protects buyers and sellers while ensuring practical compliance guidance | Affects training requirements, disclosure language, and risk management in transactions |
| Technology & data privacy | Calls for balanced regulation that protects consumer data while enabling efficient transaction platforms | May create new compliance obligations; could expand or limit the tech tools available to you |
You should use this table as a framework for your priorities in the months after the visit. Each item is actionable—meaning you will have opportunities to support, oppose, or shape how these items land in law or rule.
How the Visit Is Structured: Meetings, Messaging, Materials
When Kevin Sears goes to Washington, the agenda is deliberate. It typically includes member meetings with House and Senate members, briefings with federal agencies (HUD, Treasury, FHFA, CFPB), and discussions with allied associations and stakeholders. You will want to know what kind of messages and materials he brings to those rooms because they will shape the media narrative and legislative text.
You should understand that good advocacy uses stories plus data. Kevin Sears and his team will present state- and district-specific profiles, economic impact analyses, and constituent anecdotes to make policy arguments tangible. If you have local data or client stories, your contributions can matter in those briefings.
Who the Delegation Will Meet and Why It Matters to Your Market
Below is a table that clarifies typical stakeholders and the purpose of meetings during a Washington visit.
| Stakeholder | Purpose of Meeting | What You Should Watch For |
|---|---|---|
| Congressional offices (House & Senate) | Solicit co-sponsorships, explain policy impacts, request legislative action | Follow-up asks such as constituent outreach or local events |
| HUD & Treasury | Discuss housing programs and funding priorities | Program changes or new funding pathways that affect your clients |
| FHFA, CFPB, GSEs | Address mortgage lending standards and consumer protection rules | Changes to loan eligibility, disclosures, or lender behavior |
| Consumer advocacy groups | Build common ground on access and fairness | Cross-sector coalitions that can influence public opinion |
| Homebuilders and developers | Coordinate supply-side solutions and financing | Potential public-private initiatives you can participate in |
| Insurance regulators & FEMA | Discuss disaster risk and insurability | Changes affecting property insurance in high-risk areas |
| Tech platforms & MLS providers | Discuss data use, privacy, and interoperability | Potential shifts in how you share and access listing data |
You should track the outcomes of these meetings because they will often generate action items where you, as a local REALTOR®, will be called upon to provide testimony, letters, or constituent pressure.
Messaging Strategy: How Kevin Sears Frames the Ask
The messaging from NAR under Kevin Sears tends to combine urgency with practicality. The ask is usually framed around two central claims: the status of the housing market has direct economic and social consequences, and REALTORS® are positioned to be partners in both producing homes and stabilizing markets.
You should pay attention to the precise language used in templates and press materials. When rhetoric moves from generalities to specific policy language, your legislative outreach will be more effective if you echo their phrasing. Consistency amplifies impact.
Core Narrative Elements You Can Use
- Emphasize the consumer angle: how policies will expand or restrict housing access for families.
- Use numbers and real examples: cite local metrics for supply, pricing, and days on market.
- Link local stories to national trends: show how a federal policy affects your micro-market.
You should practice these talking points so that when contacted by a legislative office you can be succinct and persuasive.
Practical Implications for Your Daily Work
Policy changes can be subtle at first but materialize quickly in your daily practice. You must be ready for:
- New or revised disclosure requirements.
- Shifts in financing availability or underwriting criteria.
- Changes in the tax treatment of real estate investments.
- Altered liability frameworks affecting consumer protection and advertising.
You should prepare your brokerage and clients by reviewing compliance materials, attending NAR or state association briefings, and updating transaction checklists. Having an internal plan reduces disruption and preserves client trust.
Compliance and Training You Should Prioritize
You will be expected to maintain best practices in:
- Fair Housing training and documentation;
- Data privacy and cybersecurity for client records;
- Accurate compensation disclosure and contract transparency;
- Properly communicating financing options and risks.
You should schedule time for continuing education and staff training in the weeks following major policy shifts. Information changes quickly; your action cannot lag.
How You Can Support the Agenda (and What to Avoid)
If you agree with the policy priorities being advocated, your active support can be influential. Actions include:
- Contacting your representatives with personalized, concise messages.
- Sharing constituent stories that exemplify the policy need.
- Inviting lawmakers to see local projects or communities impacted by the issue.
- Contributing to NAR’s advocacy funds or state association efforts.
You should avoid generic form letters and over-politicized rhetoric. Lawmakers respond more to consistent, factual, and locally grounded messages. Keep the tone professional, avoid hyperbole, and focus on constituents’ needs.
Sample Talking Points You Can Use
- “In district X, inventory has declined Y% in Z years, which directly reduces affordability for first-time buyers.”
- “Program X would enable builders to begin projects that are currently stalled due to financing gaps.”
- “A targeted tax incentive for rehabilitation of multifamily units could create N affordable units in our market while preserving neighborhood character.”
You should tailor these points to real local data. Specificity demonstrates credibility.
Tactics for Effective Local Advocacy
You will be more persuasive when you pair personal outreach with structural tactics. Here is a practical checklist for engagement you can use immediately:
- Identify your congressional district and relevant committee members.
- Schedule meetings or briefings with their staff, focusing on 15–20 minute windows.
- Prepare one-page briefs that summarize the issue, the local impact, and the requested congressional action.
- Bring a constituent example or business case study to every meeting.
- Follow up within 48 hours with a thank-you email and any requested documents.
You should maintain records of your outreach, including staff names and requested actions. This creates institutional memory that can be reused and scaled.
Template Email for Legislative Outreach
Subject: Constituents’ Perspective on [Policy Issue] — Request for Meeting
Dear [Staffer Name],
You represent [Representative/Senator Name] in [District/State]. I am a REALTOR® and business owner based in [City/Town]. Recently, our market has experienced [brief fact — e.g., a 20% reduction in starter home inventory], which directly impacts families seeking to buy and build wealth.
I would appreciate 15–20 minutes to discuss how [specific policy or program] can address this issue in our community. I can provide local data and examples showing the expected outcomes if federal support is implemented.
Thank you for considering this request. I look forward to coordinating a convenient time.
Sincerely,
[Your Name], [Brokerage], [Contact Info]
You should personalize every email; it is the difference between being heard and getting lost in the inbox.
Anticipated Legislative and Regulatory Outcomes
Not every trip to Washington yields immediate legislation. Some outcomes are incremental: new committee hearings, amendments to bills, or regulatory guidance that shapes agency priorities. You should expect:
- Short-term wins like securing a meeting or gaining a co-sponsor.
- Medium-term results such as amendments, funding allocations, or pilot program creation.
- Long-term outcomes that require sustained pressure, like major tax code changes or entitlements.
You should be realistic about timelines: many items move slowly and require patience and persistent member-level advocacy.
Timelines You Should Track
- Congressional sessions and committee schedules (watch for markup windows).
- Agency notice-and-comment periods for proposed rules (these are your formal opportunities to influence outcomes).
- Budget cycles and appropriations schedules (they can enable or stymie program funding).
You should calendar these milestones and coordinate local outreach around them to maximize influence.
Risks, Pushback, and How to Respond
When you engage in advocacy, expect pushback. Opponents may frame policy alternatives as costly or as favoring developers over neighborhoods. They might highlight environmental or equity concerns. You should prepare to respond with clear evidence and a values-based framework.
You should also be prepared for legal challenges in areas such as commission structures or privacy practices. Litigation can change rules faster than legislatures, so you must maintain a compliance-first approach in your business.
Strategies to Mitigate Risk
- Maintain transparent records and disclosure practices.
- Ensure training on fair housing and ethics is current for all staff.
- Use plain language in client communications to avoid misinterpretation.
- Build coalitions with consumer groups and local leaders to broaden support.
You should treat risk management as both a moral and a business imperative.
Measuring Success: Metrics You Can Use
You will want to know whether the advocacy trip achieved meaningful results. Metrics to track include:
- Number of congressional offices engaged and co-sponsorships secured.
- Regulatory changes or delays influenced by submitted comments.
- Funding allocations in appropriations that reflect NAR priorities.
- Media coverage and public sentiment shifts in key markets.
You should request post-visit reports from NAR or your state association. Use those reports to align your local advocacy tactics.
How to Use Those Metrics Locally
- Share outcomes with your brokerage to inform strategic planning.
- Publicize wins to clients and community partners, showing REALTOR® leadership.
- Use metrics to justify time and resource investments in advocacy.
You should treat advocacy like any other business initiative: measure, evaluate, and iterate.
What You Should Do Next: A Practical Action Plan
If you are ready to translate Kevin Sears’ Washington visit into local influence, follow this concise action plan:
- Review your district’s legislative delegation and identify key committee members. Find out who leads funding or oversight for housing, finance, and land use.
- Collect local data: inventory levels, sale-to-list price ratios, and any foreclosure or eviction statistics. Numbers matter.
- Prepare two concise anecdotes (human stories) that connect those numbers to real families.
- Reach out to your member offices and request briefings focused on specific policy asks.
- Coordinate with your state and local association to ensure messaging alignment.
- Attend or organize a local site visit for your representatives that illustrates the policy problem.
- Monitor federal rulemaking dockets and submit comments when NAR calls for member input.
- Keep your clients informed about changes that directly affect their transactions.
You should make advocacy a routine part of your practice—not an occasional activity.
Frequently Asked Questions You Might Have
You will have practical questions about timeframes, costs, and returns on advocacy. Here are answers to common concerns.
Q: How much time will this require?
A: A basic advocacy engagement—reaching out to your representatives, preparing a short brief, and following up—can be accomplished within a few hours. More sustained involvement, like joining a fly‑in or serving on a committee, will require more substantial time.
Q: Is financial contribution required to participate?
A: Direct political contributions are not required to participate in advocacy. Many associations offer tiered engagement paths, including volunteer actions, testimony, and grassroots correspondence that do not require donations.
Q: Can my local stories really influence federal policy?
A: Yes. Legislators respond to constituent narratives that are tied to data. Local stories help staff connect abstract policy language to tangible community effects.
You should feel empowered to engage at whatever level your time and resources permit.
Concluding Thoughts
When Kevin Sears goes to Washington representing the National Association of REALTORS®, you should treat that visit as a call to action, a planning horizon, and an opportunity. The outcomes will not always be dramatic or immediate, but the processes set in motion—meetings, briefings, legislative drafting, and coalition-building—reshape the context in which you operate.
You should commit to understanding the priorities, preparing local evidence, and engaging regularly. Advocacy is slow work, but it is effective when it is disciplined, data-driven, and grounded in real human stories. If you want to protect your clients, your practice, and the broader promise of homeownership, your participation matters. You are not merely an observer of policy; you are a stakeholder and a voice that matters in shaping the rules of the market.