Last week, 12 members of the Greater Chattanooga Realtors traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 2026 REALTORS Legislative Meetings, where they met with members of Congress and Congressional staff to advocate for policies that increase housing supply, build stronger communities, and support self-employed professionals.

During meetings on Capitol Hill, members and staff of the GCR met with Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Bill Hagerty, and Legislative Correspondent Madeleine Lee from Congressman Chuck Fleischmann office and urged support for:

• The More Homes on the Market Act, which would update the tax exclusion on the sale of a primary residence and incentivize more long-term owners to sell their homes. Updating America’s tax law is a key pathway to more supply.
• The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, to increase housing production, improve affordability, and reduce barriers to development.
• The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act, to encourage the conversion of underutilized commercial properties into housing and mixed-use developments.
• Federal investments in fair housing, housing counseling, and homebuyer education programs that expand housing opportunities and strengthen communities.

• The Association Health Plans Act, which would expand access to affordable, high-quality health insurance for REALTORS and other independent contractors.

GCR also reviewed a National Association of REALTORS report showing that the average economic impact of a typical home sale in Tennessee was $123,440 in 2025. The report also found that the real estate industry accounted for $97.7 billion, or 16.6% of Tennessee’s gross state product, reinforcing the importance of policies that support housing supply and homeownership.

America has a shortage of more than four million homes, and the solution starts with smart policy. Our meetings on Capitol Hill gave GCR a chance to bring that message directly to lawmakers and make the case for concrete legislation that will get inventory moving and open the door for more Americans to buy a home.

NAR and GCR are championing a suite of federal policies designed to boost housing supply, reduce development barriers, and make homeownership more attainable. From converting vacant commercial buildings into new housing to updating outdated tax laws that are keeping homes off the market, these efforts aim to ease the affordability crisis affecting communities nationwide.

Realtors are on the front lines of the housing market every day, and we see firsthand how the shortage affects families and communities. The lawmakers we met with were receptive to our ideas and understood that investing in housing supply and supporting the professionals who help people buy and sell homes is good for the economy and good for America.

The Capitol Hill meetings were organized by the National Association of Realtors, along with state and local realtors associations, as part of the association’s ongoing federal advocacy efforts on behalf of the real estate industry and the consumers it serves.