NAR Joins Call to Stabilize Mortgage Market

Washington, DC, May 6, 2008 - The National Assn. of REALTORS®, in a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives, urged Congress to make the FHA and conforming loan limit increases permanent as part of the 2008 Housing Stimulus bill, which is expected to be marked up this week.

Yesterday, Reps. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., and Gary Miller, R-Calif., introduced H.R. 5958, the Homeowner Opportunity Act, making permanent the increase to FHA and conforming loan limits for high-cost areas. The bill will be considered as an amendment to the larger housing stimulus bill.

"By making the loan limit increases to FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac permanent the mortgage market will achieve an immediate increase in liquidity," said NAR President Dick Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif. "This increased liquidity should help drive down mortgage costs and create stability in the mortgage market."

"As the leading advocate for homeownership, NAR applauds the bipartisan efforts by Congressmen McNerney and Miller in sponsoring this amendment. That can also help veterans, teachers, nurses, police officers and other working families to achieve the dream of homeownership by offering a safe and affordable alternative to risky subprime loans," Gaylord said.

NAR urges members of Congress to support the McNerney-Miller amendment. Higher loan limits are critical to ensure that homeowners and those who aspire to own a home are given the same safe alternatives for mortgages regardless of where they live. "It is simply a matter of equity for American families who live in high-cost communities," according to Gaylord.

The National Association of REALTORS®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.