The Work Property Owners Don’t Always See

We live in a state where property rights are continually being challenged. Most homeowners and small investment-property owners hear about the laws that pass. What they rarely see are the proposals that never become law because someone was paying attention, speaking up and explaining their real-world consequences.

That is where the advocacy work of the California Association of REALTORS® becomes so valuable.

This year, C.A.R. helped stop legislation that would have encouraged local governments to increase transfer taxes on property sales. More than 12,000 REALTORS® contacted legislators in just over 24 hours. C.A.R. also successfully opposed a proposal that would have expanded permanent statewide rent control to nearly all rental housing, including most single-family homes.

And then the process begins again.

Legislative advocacy can feel like a game of whack-a-mole: a proposal that fails this year may return next year in a slightly different form. Other measures may sound reasonable at first but create unintended costs or restrictions for homeowners, housing providers and future buyers. That is why this work requires constant attention—not only when a controversial bill makes the news.

Protecting property rights does not mean opposing every new housing policy or resisting reasonable protections for tenants. It means asking whether a proposal is fair, workable and likely to accomplish what it promises without creating consequences that ultimately make housing more expensive or less available. Those questions deserve to be asked before legislation becomes law—not after property owners and communities are left to absorb the results.

As a C.A.R. State Director - and now as the 2027 President-Elect of the San Luis Obispo Coastal Association of REALTORS® - I have the opportunity to hear directly from advocacy leaders, participate in these discussions and help carry the concerns of Central Coast property owners into the larger statewide conversation.

If you know a REALTOR® - and chances are you know several - you might thank them. Their membership and advocacy assessments help fund this work, even though many REALTORS® may not fully realize how much is being done behind the scenes on behalf of their clients and communities.

I do realize it, and it is one of the reasons I volunteer.

For me, serving in these roles is not about adding another title. It is about staying informed, contributing to the conversation and helping protect the rights of homeowners and investment-property owners throughout California. My responsibility to my clients extends beyond an individual purchase or sale. It includes paying attention to what may affect them long after the transaction has closed.

I also encourage property owners to pay attention and lend their voices when these issues arise. You do not need to follow every bill introduced in Sacramento, but when a proposal could materially affect your home, rental property or community, informed participation matters. I will continue sharing the issues I believe property owners should know about—because advocacy begins with awareness.

Much of this work happens out of public view. But if you own a home or investment property in California, it matters to you.