WHEREAS,  the Maine Association of REALTORS® has nearly 4,500 members actively involved in the business of real estate and it has approximately 450 affiliate members, including lenders, appraisers, title companies, building inspectors, surveyors and insurance providers; and

WHEREAS,  the not-for-profit association provides each member with an equal voice and representation in the real estate profession, serving members in all 16 Maine counties and in their communities; and

WHEREAS,  the benefit that the Maine Association of REALTORS® provides to Maine's economy includes not only the money spent and reinvested in the sale price of a property, but all those services and expenditures that occur in relation to a property transaction, both for a buyer and a seller; and

WHEREAS,  according to national statistics, it is estimated that one job is generated for every 2 home sales and that each home sale contributes about $60,000 to the economy; and

WHEREAS,  the real estate market in Maine is recovering, as evidenced by the number of home sales increasing by more than 12% to 20,296 homes sold in 2016 with a value of $4,760,000,000; and

WHEREAS,  home ownership has been enhanced by the work in Maine of the public and private sectors to provide housing opportunities; and

WHEREAS,  expanding home ownership will strengthen our State and its families and communities, enhance our economy and create jobs; now, therefore, be it