March/April 2006 Issue
Page 2

NATIONAL NEWS

NAR LAUNCHES PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN WITH ADS TARGETING UNREPRESENTED SELLERS

WASHINGTON (February 6, 2006) – The National Association of REALTOR® $25 million Public Awareness Campaign kicks off its ninth year this week with new broadcast ads highlighting the value and experience REALTORS ® bring to the transaction.

One of the new spots, called “Don't Try This At Home,” explains how choosing a REALTOR® to sell a home is a smart financial decision since home sellers make more money when they rely on the expertise of a real estate professional. Homes sold by a real estate agent sell for 16 percent higher on average than those sold by an unrepresented seller, according to NAR's 2005 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers .

The spot, which debuts today on national radio networks, also reminds folks that not all agents are REALTORS® . The ads help differentiate REALTORS ® from others in the real estate business with the tag line, “Ask if your agent is a REALTOR® , a member of the National Association of REALTORS® .”

“NAR's Public Awareness Campaign helps millions of home buyers, home sellers and commercial business owners understand the benefits of working with a REALTOR® ,” said NAR President Thomas M. Stevens of Vienna, Va. “This year's campaign showcases the fact that homes sold by a professional can sell for a lot more than homes sold by owners with no professional representation. REALTORS® have the knowledge and experience to help consumers price a home accurately and navigate the intricate details surrounding a real estate transaction.”

The 2006 campaign will feature two new television commercials and two new radio spots as well as new customizable print ads, posters and Web banners for state and local associations to use. The television and radio commercials will run on network and cable television stations from March 6 through the end of September. This year's campaign builds on the success of last year's first ever Spanish-language television ad with a new Hispanic ad that will begin airing on Spanish-language television networks March 6.

For the first time, ads will air during the NCAA Basketball Playoffs. The spots will air in prime time on such popular programs as Extreme Makeover Home Edition, CSI Miami and The George Lopez Show. Ads will also air on morning and evening news shows like ABC's Good Morning America, CBS' Sunday Morning News and CBS' Late Show with David Letterman. On cable, the ads will run on networks such The Learning Channel, Home & Garden Television and Discovery Home.

The network television and radio advertisements have changed the way consumers think about buying and selling real estate. A 2005 tracking study found that approximately three out of four consumers, 73 percent, are aware of the NAR's advertising campaign. The survey also found that more consumers than ever are likely to select a REALTOR® to help them buy or sell a home. Consumer preference for working with a REALTOR has increased from 58 percent in 2000 to 76 percent in 2005.

Resource: REALTOR.org

NAR PRESIDENT: "IT'S TIME TO PASS SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH PLAN LEGISLATION."

WASHINGTON (March 17, 2006) – The president of the National Association of Realtors® said today that the Senate should act now to give 45 million Americans access to adequate health coverage and give them the opportunity to decide for themselves whether they want coverage and how much coverage they need.

“While every American is concerned with the spread of debilitating diseases, each benefit mandate increases the cost of health insurance. Not making coverage for specific medical conditions mandatory in this legislation should not be used as a reason to keep access to affordable coverage from millions of long- suffering families. At the very least, we must give them a chance to get the coverage that they lack today,” said NAR President Thomas M. Stevens of Vienna, Va. Earlier this week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee passed S.1955, the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, cosponsored by Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Senators Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Conrad Burns (R-Mont.).

“Let's stay focused on the primary goal—to give families a chance to get the affordable coverage that they lack today. It's time we empowered consumers to make the right decisions to provide for their families' needs,” said Stevens.

Small business health plan legislation is a top priority for NAR. A significant number of America 's 45 million uninsured citizens are self-employed or work for small businesses that cannot afford to offer quality health insurance benefits to their workers. According to a 2004 NAR survey, 28 percent of Realtors® have no health insurance at all. Only 7 percent of real estate firms offer health care coverage for independent contractors, who are the largest segment of real estate agents.

NAR, with over 1.2 million members, is actively working with members of Congress and the administration to ensure that this NAR priority becomes a national priority. In recent weeks, NAR members have written over 17,000 letters to members of Congress encouraging them to pass small business health care now.

S.1955 would allow the self-employed and small businesses to band together through a trade or professional association to negotiate lower health insurance costs for participants. A similar bill, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, H.R. 525, was approved by the House early in 2005. The bill would make quality health care affordable and available to the self-employed and small businesses.

Resource: REALTOR.org

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