Bill Text: VA SJR269 | 2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Virginia REALTORS?.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2020-03-07 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ269ER) [SJR269 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-SJR269-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Virginia REALTORS®, one of the largest trade associations in Virginia, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020; and
WHEREAS, originally known as the Virginia Real Estate Association, Virginia REALTORS® was founded on October 21, 1920, with a mission to standardize the real estate business, cultivate and enforce fair dealing, and encourage the business of owning, buying, selling, renting, and managing real estate in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, beginning with just 54 members in 1920, the membership of Virginia REALTORS® has grown to include 35,000 realtors; the organization comprises 28 local associations, representing all regions of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Paul T. Collins, president of the Norfolk Real Estate & Stock Exchange, served as the first president of Virginia REALTORS® from 1920 to 1922; and
WHEREAS, J. Kemper Funkhouser, chief operating officer of the Funkhouser Real Estate Group, is serving as the president of Virginia REALTORS® during the association's centennial year; and
WHEREAS, three past presidents of Virginia REALTORS® have gone on to serve as president of the National Association of REALTORS®, including Dorcas Helfant-Browning, who became the national association's first female president in 1992; and
WHEREAS, Virginia REALTORS® provides industry advocacy, training, and professional resources to real estate professionals across the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Virginia REALTORS® is an ardent advocate of fair housing legislation and strives to create stable housing opportunities for all Virginians; and
WHEREAS, Virginia REALTORS® recognizes that homeownership is key to the American dream and works to make that dream accessible to all Virginians; and
WHEREAS, the members of Virginia REALTORS® are major contributors to the state economy, facilitating the buying and selling of both residential and commercial real estate, as well as property management; and
WHEREAS, members of Virginia REALTORS® are held to a high ethical standard and adhere to the REALTORS® Code of Ethics; and
WHEREAS, community outreach is central to the association's mission, and in 2019, the Virginia REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund was created to assist individuals facing real property loss/damage as a result of natural or manmade disasters in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Virginia REALTORS® will commemorate its centennial year with special events throughout 2020; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Virginia REALTORS® on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to J. Kemper Funkhouser, president of Virginia REALTORS®, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the association's contributions to communities throughout Virginia and the real estate profession as a whole.
