NVAR members and staff gather outside the floor of the House of Delegates. Pictured (l – r): NVAR President Nicholas Lagos, RPAC Development Strategist Paula Martino, Mary Ann Burstein, Angie Delboy, Sonia Iqbal, Ishrat Saba, and NVAR Sr. Vice President, Public & Government Affairs Mary Beth Coya.

EACH YEAR, NVAR’s Realtor® advocates travel to the Capitol to lobby for the Realtor® Legislative Agenda and other real estate- related issues. This year, there is new leadership in both the House and Senate with the majority of those legislators being Northern Virginians, giving us an even greater voice in the Legislature. As NVAR members descended upon the Capitol on Jan. 29, legislative activity was heating up before the crossover deadline – when bills passed by each chamber are sent to the other for deliberation. That meant full committee dockets and long session days for the legislators.

A total of $5,200 was raised for NV/RPAC from attendees. Their day on the Hill highlighted the number of issues that can affect their business and the importance of their voices in the process. There were 58 Realtors® on this year’s trip.

 

In the Rotunda of the Capitol in Richmond, Jean-Antoine Houdon’s sculpture of President George Washington has stood for more than 200 years. He is joined by NVAR members during a building tour as part of the annual trip to Richmond.

NVAR members (l – r): Jim Stakem, Jorden Booth, and Grace Perez meet with staff in Delegate Dan Helmer’s (D) office to advocate for the Realtors’® Legislative Agenda.

NVAR Realtor® advocates meet in the Speaker’s Conference Room to close out the day and meet with legislators and staff from the House and Senate leadership.

NVAR members prepare to board the bus and ride in style to Richmond, thanks to event sponsor Interstate Moving, for the Annual Realtor® Lobby Day on Jan. 29.

More than 50 NVAR members made the 100-mile trip south to the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond to speak to elected officials about real estate issues and policy.

2020 NV/RPAC Campaign Chair Michelle Doherty leads a group of enthusiastic Realtors® through the halls of the General Assembly offices on their way to meet with legislators.

 

Josh Veverka is the NVAR government affairs director.