The Realtors Association is a group with a lot of members and a lot of influence. The members join this "union" because they think it prestigious and it might help their career some how. In the case of Amendment 4, it was sheep to slaughter. All those members who voted against Amendment 4 live in Florida too but they sold out the State just like Rick Scott is doing with the Department of Community Affairs.
The Realtors Association, a group that once even had me as a member, is a lobbying arm for all those in real estate. Everyone in residential sales usually joins. It costs you. Membership dues for all three REALTOR® associations in Orlando will total $590 for sales agents (including a voluntary $99 donation to RPAC) and $741 for brokers (including a voluntary $250 donation to RPAC).
If you go to their web site the first thing that grabs you on the left side of the page is a reminder of DUES.
REALTOR® dues breakdown:
ORRA dues - $225.00
ORRA media campaign assessment - $25.00
Florida REALTORS® dues - $116.00
Florida REALTORS® advocacy assessment - $10.00
NAR dues - $80.00
NAR media campaign assessment - $35.00
RPAC voluntary donation - $99.00 (sales agent); $250.00 (broker)
Why did the Realtors Group oppose Amendment 4? Anything that they perceive might lessen its ability of its members to make real estate commissions and of course, pay them all those hefty dues. Building anywhere in this State is the goal. The more houses, the more commissions, the happier real estate agents are and all those who feed off of them. It doesn't matter that we have enough growth for 100 million people already on the books.
The Realtors' Association has a big lobby in government--they have representation before local municipalities and governmental agencies, and lobbying for decisions that would benefit REALTORS® in issues such as sign ordinances, taxes, and environmental regulations. They don't give a squat about the environment for if they did, they would have voted YES on Amendment 4 and freed up Ryan Houck to screw someone else, somewhere else, rather than the entire State of Florida.
This is one of the most destructive, money grabbing "unions" in the State.
When I registered with the MLS, and gave my money for their now nearly doubled dues, I was terrorized by that organization,with the verbal thumbscrews, that I had 48 hours to join the Realtors Association,their cohorts in ..... or I would be blocked from making a living in Real Estate with a State issued license with their paid for services.I would be denied access to their service ,by
ReplyDeleterefusing my payemnt after two days acceptance.
As I had a deal pending, I was forced like in Communist Regimes to join both private, for huge profit organizations(like the Komsomol) with forced membership organizations.Those State licensed agents who can't bring up their huge dues are kept from the information needed to do Real Estate business,to make a living. This is a new America,with thumb screws to join organizations created by clever .....!!!doting on human needs.
Did R. send a thnk you note for mentioning his name for an Office where highest level of morality and honor are required?
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