The REALTORS^® Political Action Committee (RPAC) is 55 years old this year. At the federal level, RPAC was created in 1969 “to solicit voluntary contributions from the Association’s members and pool those funds to make contributions to candidates running for public office.” The group’s name was changed to RPAC in 1974.

In Wisconsin, RPAC launched in 1970 under the leadership of then-WRA President Otto Bytof. Bytof and the WRA board of directors decided it was equally important to have a state RPAC for state legislative elections and constitutional office including governor, attorney general and state Supreme Court.

The 1970 RPAC fundraising drive raised about $7,000. Today, the fundraising numbers are significantly higher: 2023 RPAC and Direct Giver fundraising numbers totaled $1.1 million.

Thanks to your generous support, RPAC continues to be a powerful and growing influence in Washington, D.C., and the state Capitol in Madison. Both Democrats and Republicans receive support from RPAC, and that support goes to candidates who support the “REALTOR^® Party,” meaning we support those who support our industry.

What does RPAC do for you?

At the national level, the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR) advocacy team has worked tirelessly to protect and benefit the real estate industry on many priorities. NAR was successful in stopping a proposal that would have limited the use of like-kind exchanges, a proposal to increase the capital gains tax rate, and supported the Flood Insurance Affordability Act that slowed flood insurance rates for homes and commercial properties. NAR was also instrumental in ensuring that federal rental assistance was well funded to help tenants and landlords during the eviction moratorium. These were consequential pieces of federal legislation that benefited REALTORS^® in every part of the industry.

At the state level, the list of accomplishments is impressive as well. Over the last 50 years, WRA members and property owners have benefited significantly from member investments in RPAC. Victories include protecting your right to use state-approved forms, passing a two-year statute of limitations for REALTOR^® liability, and maintaining the property tax levy limits.

Since the founding of RPAC in 1969, REALTORS^® have notched many crucial wins for the real estate industry. The following page provides a very brief look at a few of the top advocacy accomplishments at the national and state level over the last 50 years.

National-level RPAC accomplishments

• 1982: Clarified REALTORS^®’ right to be independent contractors for federal tax purposes
• 1986: Protected the mortgage interest tax deduction.
• 1997: Raised the capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of a principal residence
• 2009: Prevented banks from engaging in real estate brokerage.
• 2018: Successfully opposed the repeal of 1031 like-kind exchanges
• 2020: Sustained the real estate industry through the COVID-19 pandemic
• 2022: Successfully opposed numerous tax increase proposals that, if implemented, would have been harmful to the real estate industry.

State-level RPAC accomplishments

• 1991: Created and required the use of property condition reports for residential real estate sales
• 1995: Established that REALTORS^® cannot be held liable for third-party misrepresentations
• 2005: Confirmed that rules restricting the construction of or use of piers cannot apply retroactively to existing piers
• 2007: Stopped a proposal to double the real estate transfer tax.
• 2011: Passed significant landlord-tenant law reform.
• 2015: Passed the right to rent for homeowners in Wisconsin
• 2020: Deemed REALTORS^® and real estate practice “essential” during the COVID-19 pandemic
• 2022: Maintained property tax freeze levy limits.

While these accomplishments are impressive, they barely scratch the surface of what we have accomplished together with your financial support for RPAC and the Direct Giver program. By financially supporting candidates who support our issues, we can pass good laws and defeat bad laws to preserve and protect REALTORS^® and property owners alike.

RPAC is your best investment in real estate.