Hello REALTORS®,
The primary election is set for June 11. Early voting begins Tuesday, May 28 and closes Friday, June 7. Visit SCVotes.gov to find your polling place.
Your REALTORS® Association has prepared a Voter Guide to help you evaluate the candidates. You can download the REALTOR® Voter Guide by clicking here.
REALTOR® Legislative Priorities signed by the Governor
Governor Henry McMaster signed four of the SC REALTOR® Legislative Priorities last week.
- Real Estate License Law Update—Signed May 21, 2024: modernizes real estate license law and addresses new issues like AI, teams, and wholesaling.
- Prohibiting Unfair Real Estate Service Agreements—Signed May 20, 2024: prohibits listing agreements that last more than a year, among other things.
- Real Estate Appraisers Law Update—Signed May 21, 2024: Exempts Realtors from appraisal licensing, with certain restrictions, when they offer advice on the pricing of real estate for sale.
- Extend SC Abandoned Buildings Revitalization Act—Signed May 20, 2024: extends the tax credit until 2035 and increases it to $700,000.
The remaining legislative priority will extend the ban on the exercise of eminent domain by Petroleum Pipeline Companies until June 30, 2025. That issue was incorporated into the state budget, which is still being considered by the General Assembly.
A lot of work went into the SC REALTOR® Advocacy Agenda. Realtors and SCR staff have worked hard for you this legislative session.
Another Realtor Success
Earlier this month, thousands of Realtors were in Washington, DC, supporting the National REALTOR® Advocacy Agenda. A key priority is to ensure that veterans have access to professional representation by allowing VA buyers to compensate their broker directly. This week, a VA deputy director announced at a Mortgage Bankers Association conference in New York that the VA plans to temporarily lift its ban on buyers directly paying for professional real estate representation. While not a formal announcement, that is encouraging news.
Let’s thank your fellow Realtors who took time away from their families and businesses throughout the winter and spring to advocate for all 1.5 million Realtors nationwide.
Support RPAC
RPAC is an important element of your Realtors Association’s advocacy program. I encourage you to support RPAC, and we make it easy to do so—we include a voluntary RPAC contribution on your annual dues renewal. Simply pay it and you have supported RPAC. If you want to do more than that modest amount, we make that easy too.
Michael Dey, Director of Government Affairs