NYSAR - New York State Association of REALTORS, inc.

Albany – March 17, 2009 – New York State Association of REALTORS’ (NYSAR) Secretary/Treasurer Nicholas Gigante, GRI, ITI, met with New York’s U.S. senators and 13 members of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. last week to brief them on REALTOR issues including the importance of keeping homeownership affordable and private property rights.

Gigante, a REALTOR from Massapequa, and the other members of NYSAR’s leadership team met with Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to discuss the REALTOR opposition to President Barack Obama’s proposed cut to the mortgage interest deduction, which will kill any chance of a housing recovery in high tax states like New York. Other key issues included Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reform to ensure liquidity, stability and accountability in the mortgage market and H.R. 111, a REALTOR-supported act that permanently prohibits banks from entering the real estate brokerage and management businesses.

Gigante and the NYSAR delegation also met with members of the House of Representatives or their staff including the staff of Congressman Pete King.

During this trip to Washington, President Obama signed a measure into law that included the REALTOR-supported permanent ban on banks in real estate, which is a great victory for the real estate industry and consumers.

Gigante, a REALTOR for more than 30 years, is the president and broker-owner of RE/MAX Shores.

The New York State Association of REALTORS is a not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 61,000 of New York state’s real estate professionals. The term REALTOR is a registered trademark, which identifies real estate professionals who subscribe to a strict code of ethics as members of the National Association of REALTORS. These REALTORS are also members of the New York State Association of REALTORS as well as their local board or association of REALTORS.

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Salvatore I. Prividera Jr.
Director of Communications
and Marketing