More than 60 Greater Fort Worth Association of REALTORS® (GFWAR) members and 3,000 REALTORS® from across Texas came to the Capitol March 26 to visit with elected officials about issues important to real estate, business, and property owners.
This biennial grassroots advocacy gathering, REALTOR® Day at the Texas Capitol, provided the opportunity for REALTORS® to speak up for homeowners, buyers, and communities across the state. GFWAR members met face-to-face with Representatives David Lowe (Dist. 91), Nate Schatzline (Dist. 93), Ramon Romero, Jr. (Dist. 90), Nicole Collier (Dist. 95), John McQueeney (Dist. 97) and Chair Charlie Geren (Dist. 99), sharing real data and stories about how proposed policies would impact homebuyers, sellers, property owners and communities. By hearing directly from REALTORS® who work in the field every day, legislators gained a clearer understanding of how their decisions shape the real estate market.
“As REALTORS®, we will always advocate on behalf of fair real estate practices, and an opportunity to speak directly with our legislators is not wasted,” GFWAR President Paul Epperley said. “We want to ensure the voices of those in the Fort Worth region are heard and our legislators know what is important to their local constituents as the economic and home buying/selling landscape continues to evolve.”
GFWAR members addressed specific bills, including those impacting property taxes, housing affordability and water. HB8 and HB9 aim to reduce school district tax rates by increasing state funding to offset local taxes, helping to lower barriers to homeownership and create more opportunities for buyers. They also propose exempting $250,000 of a business’s inventory from taxation by any taxing entity. SB4 passed in February and is off to the House, which would raise homestead exemptions to $140,000, providing homeowners with a valuable property tax deduction. SB673 and HB1779 would give homeowners greater flexibility in modifying their properties, including the ability to build accessory dwelling units. Finally, SB7 and HB16 aim to address the state’s growing water needs by expanding funding mechanisms and improving the management of water resources.
"It’s so gratifying that thousands of our members took time away from their everyday business to come to Austin for REALTOR® Day,” said Christy Gessler, 2025 Chairman of Texas REALTORS®. “REALTORS® showed once again that we are a driving force in policies that benefit our clients, fuel economic growth and shape the future of Texas. Through these meetings, Texas REALTORS® give lawmakers the insights they need to foster our thriving real estate market, a crucial sector responsible for 17.8% of the Texas economy."
