Arizona REALTORS® Save Homeowners $20.2 million

Photo of the Arizona Capitol. AAR successfully lobbied the legislature on behalf of Arizona homeowners and businesses this year.

While many industries suffered during the 2015 Arizona legislature’s budget cuts, the Arizona Association of REALTORS® was successful in protecting Arizona homeowners and businesses.

Each year the state rebates up to $600 to individual homeowners to offset their property taxes. When this rebate was threatened, the REALTORS® association successfully saved homeowners more than $20.2 million by protecting the rebate from state budget cuts.

In addition, the association lobbied to prohibit certain fees for residential services from being charged to anyone other than a person who physically resided at the property and received those services. A new law went into effect this year, titled “Responsibility of payment; utility services,” that prevents utilities and cities from holding small landlords liable for utility bills that their tenants sign up for and use.