Realtors on the March

The head of the County Association of Realtors, David Wright, urged his colleagues to get more involved in politics last week. Among the items Mr. Wright wants the realtors to take up:

• Continue the fight with the Justice Department over being able to consolidate its 900 multiple listing services (MLS). The DOJ argues that the consolidation constitutes an anti-trust violation, and would hamper competition. The realtors know that the MLS is their golden calf, and any effort to democratize its access could ultimately be the death of the profession.
  
  
• They want to oppose state laws that would require brokers provide a certain minimum level of service.
  
  
• Opposition to federal efforts to water down mortgage deductions.
  
  
• "Killing a plan that would allow banks to enter the real estate business on the premise that they could offer more choices at lower costs and would be subject to federal oversight."

Of course, we can likely expect that they will also lead the charge to open more land up to development. More homes = more potential commissions. Which may not actually improve things for any given realtor.