AUSTIN, Texas —
Texas REALTORS will be at the Capitol Wednesday to advocate for their priorities with lawmakers and community leaders.
Thousands of realtors will convene at the Capitol from across the state to meet with policymakers about property tax relief, infrastructure, protecting private property rights and anything that could help property owners. The realtors plan to arrive on the Capitol's south lawn at 10 a.m and have meetings scheduled throughout the day with their respective legislators to discuss priorities.
According to a press release, Texas REALTORS is the state's largest professional association, with 150,000 members.
Marcus Phipps, chairman of the board for Texas REALTORS, said it's important to talk to lawmakers because a lot of the decisions and laws they make impact property and owners' rights.
One of the biggest items on the realtors' agenda is helping with affordability.
"When you think about especially the rising cost of property taxes in the state of Texas, which is one of our key issues that we work on every legislative session, that's one of the things that, quite frankly, at times can force people out of their homes," Phipps said. "They can no longer afford to pay their property taxes. And so, we advocate on behalf of that."
Some of the realtors' other goals include making development easier and figuring out how to create more affordable housing.
Phipps said advocating for property owners can also trickle down and help renters as well.
"I mean, if you think about it, someone who's renting is paying someone else's mortgage and someone else's property tax bill. And say you're paying somebody's property tax bill and you're paying somebody's mortgage, whether it's yours or theirs," Phipps said.
He said there are homestead exemptions on property taxes but not on commercial properties and rental properties.
When the realtors show up to the Capitol, they will be wearing purple because they say their issues are about property, not politics.