Louisiana REALTORS® Resource (02- 19-2018)
Amy P. Fennell • February 19, 2018
#1 Legislative Special Session Begins Monday
Norman Morris, CEO along with 2018 LR President, Pam Testroet and Director of Legal & Government Affairs, Kim Callaway take a quick minute to discuss why REALTORS® need to ENGAGE and be READY to ACT as the state legislature convenes for a Special Session beginning Monday, February 19 to address the state's $1B budget deficit.
Members can track the happenings and issues throughout the 2018 Legislative Session online.
#2 Input & Feedback on Purchase Agreement
Louisiana REALTORS® along with the Louisiana Real Estate Commission will convene a group to review the Residential Agreement to Buy or Sell and address revisions or additions to the form. In preparation for the meeting and discussions, REALTOR® members are encouraged to submit comments, suggestions or concerns as it relates to the document and any ideas on ways to improve it for the real estate practitioner as well as for the consumers.
DON'T FORGET: The revised Property Disclosure Document will be required for use starting on March 1, 2018. A letter size version is now available on the LREC website
#3 Real Estate Technology in 2018
Every year there are new technological developments that change how we live and work. Today these developments are happening more quickly than ever before, and they are having sweeping changes how real estate is bought and sold.
2018 will be no different. In addition to taking steps to protect your information technology impacts every part of your business. <<Read More>> on the 3 big trends for 2018 and 5 Apps Every REALTOR Should Use
#4 Education Opportunities
WORK BETTER WITH SELLERS
The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) class starts Tuesday. Join national instructor Adorna Carroll at NOMAR in Metairie on Tuesday, February 20 & Wednesday, February 21 and you will walk away better equipped to win more listings and work with sellers!
This is the ONLY opportunity to take this course this year through Louisiana REALTORS and pick up 8 hours of Louisiana CE credit.
SAVE WITH OFFICE DEPOT/OFFICE MAX
Join us for a FREE 15-minute educational webinar on Tuesday, February 27 at 9:00 am CST to learn about the advantages of buying your office supplies through the Louisiana Realtors Office Depot/ Office Max member benefit program.
WEBINAR | Getting Started with RPR: Tools for Building Your Business
March 1, 2018; 11:00 AM CST
REALTORS® across the country are enhancing their business by using Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®’s) extensive database.
In this introductory class, you’ll learn how agents use RPR as their all-in-one data and information source to build their business and impress clients. You will learn how to generate property reports, conduct a detailed CMA in minutes, research schools and neighborhoods, and get a sneak peak into RPR Mobile™. RPR access is included in your annual National Association of REALTORS dues.
#5 REALTOR® Day at the Capitol - April 24th
This year's Spring Into Action Conference schedule includes CE education offerings for appraisers, commercial and residential practitioners. We have secured an impressive line up of guest speakers including Don Pierson with Louisiana Economic Development and journalist for LaPolitics, Jeremy Alford.
REALTORS® in attendance will gain a competitive edge by getting the latest in regulatory changes and knowledge on what issues will have an impact in your markets and on your business. There will be ample time for talking with legislators, networking, and the chance to meet with a select group of vendors showcasing their tools and services for the expo.
There are a limited number of sponsorship and expo opportunities that will be available. If you know of a company that may be interested, please have them contact Amy P. Fennell, Director of Communications & Member Services.
Louisiana’s 2026 Regular Session opened this week with several developments that matter directly to REALTORS ®, property managers and housing providers, alongside some broader political shifts worth watching. HB 292: Security Deposit Return Timelines Rep. Delisha Boyd’s HB 292, which addresses procedures for returning residential security deposits, was deferred to next week. This provides additional time for stakeholders to engage with members on practical impacts for lease administration, move out inspections and documentation standards. We’ll continue working to ensure any changes to deposit law are clear, workable and do not expose housing providers to unreasonable liability. Land Use and Development: St. James Parish Decision The Louisiana Supreme Court’s recent St. James Parish decision significantly tightens the standards for overturning local land use decisions, reinforcing that zoning and permitting authority rests with parish and municipal governments as long as their decisions are not arbitrary or capricious. For real estate and development, that means more predictability if projects are aligned with adopted plans and ordinances, but also higher stakes in local elections, planning processes and parish-level negotiations. Governor’s State of the State In his State of the State address, Governor Jeff Landry reiterated his push to phase out the state income tax, expand the LA GATOR and MJ Foster scholarship and workforce programs, and replace vehicle inspection stickers with a QR code system. These programs frame a debate around long-term competitiveness, workforce readiness and household cost of living which are all key drivers of housing demand and migration patterns. Business & Market Trends The business community is focusing the session on insurance, workforce and energy. Commercial and property insurance costs remain a top concern for employers and property owners, and we are monitoring civil justice and insurance reform proposals that could affect market stability and availability. At the same time, Louisiana is seeing more than $100 billion in announced industrial and data center projects, which could reshape local markets, labor conditions and housing needs in multiple regions of the state. Please view the weekly bill tracking report at the link below provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
Learn how Louisiana real estate regulations, disclosure laws, and licensing standards help protect homebuyers and create safer, more transparent transactions.
Nominations are open now through April 24, 2026, for the Louisiana REALTORS® 2025 REALTOR® of the Year & the 2025 Lawrence R. DeMarcay, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Both awards are aimed to showcase an individual who has volunteered their time in service to the real estate industry. Recipients of the awards will be recognized during the Spring Legislative Conference. (Registration coming soon!) Please see the below links with the selection criteria and consider submitting a nomination today. Contact Donna Teekel at (225) 224-0704 or dteekel@larealtors.org with any questions.
