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Podcast Series

Capitol Insights delivers the latest real estate legislative developments so you'll stay up to date on legislative and political issues that affect the industry and your business. Episodes feature WRA staffers, Wisconsin lawmakers or WRA members who discuss the latest state capitol news that affects you. 

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Featured Podcasts


Learn about the WRA’s legislative priorities for the legislative session ending in April 2022. The WRA’s Tom Larson and Cori Lamont explain the WRA’s priorities regarding workforce housing, HOAs, foreclosure proceeds, discriminatory covenants and access easements.

State Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and the WRA's Tom Larson discuss legislation that updates state appraisal practices to ensure fair and equal property tax assessments in Wisconsin.

Under current law, certain access easements automatically expire after 40 years. In this episode, state Sen. Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) joins the WRA’s Tom Larson to discuss legislation to eliminate the 40-year statute of limitations for easements.

A well-managed HOA can be a blessing, and a poorly managed HOA can be a curse. State Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) joins the WRA’s Tom Larson to discuss Brooks’ commonsense legislation to provide needed regulation to current and future HOAs in Wisconsin.

What happens to tax proceeds after a property is sold in foreclosure? Rep. Shannon Zimmerman sits down with the WRA’s Tom Larson to discuss a proposal that would prohibit local governments from retaining the proceeds from the sale of non-homestead properties.

Workforce housing and real estate transactions are just some of the WRA’s legislative priorities for the remainder of the legislative session. Listen in as the WRA’s Tom Larson and Cori Lamont discuss these issues and more.

Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) discusses the Democratic point of view of the GOP-authored state budget. Most legislative Democrats voted against the budget signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers last month. That begs the question: how will the property tax and income tax cuts impact the midterm elections in 2022? Listen in as Rep. Goyke and the WRA’s EVP Tom Larson discuss the $85 billion state budget.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos discusses the recently passed state budget that included historically large property and income tax cuts, more money for broadband expansion, and millions of dollars for DSPS tech upgrades to simplify online credentialing. Listen as Vos and the WRA's EVP Tom Larson explore these provisions of the state budget.

Historic tax cuts, greatly expanded broadband funding and lower property taxes. Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) discusses the recently passed state budget with the WRA’s Tom Larson.

Are real estate licensing requirements overly burdensome? Do they keep people out of the business? In this episode, the WRA’s Tom Larson and Cori Lamont discuss the push by some individuals to reform the occupational licensing process in Wisconsin.

Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) discusses the GOP’s changes to Gov. Evers’ $92 billion budget, and Evers may veto the entire bill once on his desk. WRA EVP Tom Larson joins Rep. Born to discuss the GOP’s legislative priorities and budget modifications.

Rep. Tony Kurtz discusses the competing proposals for Wisconsin broadband expansion. In this episode, WRA Executive Vice President Tom Larson talks with Rep. Kurtz about how much Wisconsin will invest in expanded broadband service to unserved areas of the Badger State.

Rep. Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer) introduced Assembly Bill 156 to provide a tax credit to incentivize developers to build more workforce housing in Wisconsin. In this edition of Capitol Insights, WRA Executive Vice President Tom Larson discusses this proposal with Rep. Summerfield.

Sen. Dan Feyen (R-Fond du Lac) and WRA EVP Tom Larson discuss the shortage of workforce housing in Wisconsin and what we can do to address the problem.

Take a detailed look at the American Rescue Plan’s funding assistance for landlords and tenants. Heiner Giese with the Apartment Association of Southeast Wisconsin discusses the new COVID-19 relief legislation with the WRA’s EVP Tom Larson.

WHEDA deputy secretary Kim Plache joins the WRA’s EVP Tom Larson to discuss the workforce housing proposals in Gov. Evers’ state budget bill.

Explore the items contained in Gov. Evers’ proposed state budget that are good for real estate, not so good and downright “drugly.” Hosted by the WRA’s Tom Larson, Cori Lamont and Joe Murray.

A recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision creates a loophole in shoreland zoning regulations. The WRA’s Tom Larson and former state Rep. Adam Jarchow (R-Balsam Lake) explain.

What does the future hold for waterfront property owners? REALTOR® Mike Spranger discusses the importance of the WRA’s lobbying efforts and advocacy on the “Protect Our Piers” bill working its way through the Wisconsin Legislature.

Assembly Housing & Real Estate Committee chair and WRA member Rep. Jagler outlines his priorities for the current legislative session that include the urgent need for workforce housing, expanded broadband access, and moving legislation that was stalled from the last session due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) discusses his 2021-22 legislative priorities, including election reform, broadband expansion and COVID-19 pandemic liability protection.

Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley (D-Mason) discusses the priorities for Senate Democrats in the upcoming 2021-22 legislative session.

Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) offers his thoughts on the upcoming state budget, the critical need for rural broadband access, the eviction moratorium and rental assistance.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos returns with his large Republican majority intact in the state Assembly, 61-38. In this episode, Speaker Vos shares his thoughts on why voters reelected all but two of his members as well as his legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

The 2020 elections are over, sort of. Learn how the election results in Wisconsin affect REALTORS® and what they mean for the WRA’s legislative agenda in Madison over the next two years.

Tom Larson, Cori Lamont and Joe Murray gaze into their political crystal ball and discuss how the outcome of the November 3 elections will influence legislation in Madison and Washington, D.C., over the next two years. What will the WRA and NAR legislative agenda include if we have divided government vs. single-party control? Listen in for 13 minutes and get the inside scoop on how the likely election outcomes will influence the REALTOR® agenda in 2021-22.

Do you ever wonder which programs your state association dues pay for? Listen to WRA attorneys Tom Larson and Cori Lamont as they provide a brief overview of the WRA’s advocacy within the judiciary branch of government, the Legal Action Program. Local, state and federal cases involving commissions, short-term rentals, moratoria on local development, wind siting rules, shoreland zoning and more are just some of the issues the program has been involved in. The Legal Action Program has the backs of REALTORS®, homeowners and property owners. It’s worth every penny and more!

On September 4, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared a temporary halt to residential evictions to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Congress and President Trump did not, however, provide any additional financial assistance to help tenants and landlords during the moratorium. In this episode of Capitol Insights, the WRA’s Tom Larson and Joe Murray discuss the current number of evictions in Wisconsin as well as what the WRA and landlord associations are doing to educate Congress on the need for additional rental assistance to go along with the nationwide eviction moratorium.

Listen to the WRA's Tom Larson and Joe Murray discuss the current political environment in Wisconsin, including the presidential race and down-ballot races. Topics in this episode include Trump, Biden, and legislative election goals for Democrats and Republicans this fall. In just 12 minutes, you'll gain a better understanding of what to watch for on November 3.

Tune in to listen to Tom Larson and Cori Lamont of the WRA's public affairs team discuss legislation pending in the Wisconsin Senate that requires home inspectors to use the word "defect" in inspection reports when inspectors discover a clearly defined defect in the property. You'll gain valuable insights into why this common-sense legislation was necessary in the first place.

For some WRA members, cow manure and politics smell the same, and they don’t want to get too close to either one. But even if you don’t like the smell of politics, your engagement is critical because the stakes are so high. In this episode, WRA Senior Vice President of Legal & Public Affairs Tom Larson and WRA Director of Political Affairs Joe Murray discuss the importance of advocacy at the state Capitol in Madison and what this advocacy means to your bottom line. You are not required to plug your nose for this.

We have all heard reports that say residential rental evictions surged due to the Wisconsin eviction moratorium expiration in May. The real numbers show a 30% decline for the first six months of 2020 versus 2019. How can this be true, you ask? Listen in as WRA chief lobbyist Tom Larson and residential rental expert Tim Ballering from the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW) break down the actual numbers and provide valuable insights into the eviction issue in Wisconsin.

In the 2018 Movrich v. Lobermeier case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that riparian owners on a flowage do not have a right to place a pier. This decision could impact thousands of waterfront property owners by limiting their access to the water and decreasing the value of their property. WRA Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs Tom Larson and attorney, land use and property rights specialist Larry Konopacki discuss the fallout from this decision and the status of legislation to restore the rights to place a pier in the Badger State.

Learn about the responsibilities and challenges from the leader of the state’s regulatory body for real estate licensees. Curious about the most common consumer complaint or how COVID-19 has impacted the profession? Chairman of the Real Estate Examining Board (REEB) Tom Richie will provide a glimpse of what it is like to be on the REEB and regulate the real estate profession.

Listen to Tom Larson and Cori Lamont of the WRA legislative team discuss the status of the WRA’s legislation related to home inspectors, the right to place a pier, the workforce housing shortage and disclosure reports. This brief yet insightful update will explore why these bills are still “pending” in the legislature as well as why these issues matter to both homeowners and REALTORS® in Wisconsin.

Tune in to hear what it’s like to practice real estate in a state that did not deem home buyers and sellers “essential.”

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