Hello everyone.
Florida emergency management officials are continuing preparations for Hurricane Isaias, which is expected to make landfall near Pensacola Friday evening as a major hurricane. Life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, flooding rains and possible tornadoes threaten the Panhandle, with impacts expected well beyond the storm's center. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 25 counties, and state officials have mobilized thousands of National Guard members and utility workers to support response and recovery efforts. Residents in low-lying coastal areas have been ordered to evacuate, and officials are urging everyone to follow local guidance and remain alert as conditions evolve.
Please keep in mind that the Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) stands ready to assist members, REALTOR® boards and associations, and staff whose primary residence or real estate office sustains qualifying storm damage. Members should monitor the DRF webpage for eligibility requirements, application deadlines and instructions. Once conditions are safe, document any damage with photos, insurance information, repair estimates and receipts.
Additionally, here are some other resources that may be helpful:
Hurricane Preparedness Resources
Florida Realtors Hurricane Preparation and Recovery Plan -- Tips to help agents, brokerages and associations prepare their businesses and plan for recovery.
Florida Division of Emergency Management: Plan and Prepare
Know Your Zone and Evacuation Information
Florida County Emergency Management Contacts
Ready.gov: Hurricane Preparedness
After the Storm: Recovery Resources
Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund -- Check for updates on storm-related assistance, eligibility and application details.
FEMA Disaster Assistance -- Check eligibility and apply for federal disaster assistance.
Florida Division of Emergency Management -- Find state recovery updates and assistance information.
American Red Cross -- Find disaster assistance, recovery guidance and safety information.
Florida Power & Light -- Report outages and check restoration updates for FPL customers.
Please remember to follow evacuation orders and local officials' guidance, avoid flooded roads and downed power lines, and document property damage when it is safe to do so. If your homes or real estate offices sustain damage, you should keep records of losses and repair costs to help prepare for potential disaster assistance applications.
New Appraisal Reporting Format Calls for Early Preparation for Appraisers and Real Estate Licensees
A new appraisal reporting format is beginning to roll out, bringing changes to how property information is organized and submitted. The change doesn't alter appraisal methodology or how appraisers determine value, but agents and their customers may notice a very different-looking report.
To help members prepare, Florida Realtors® will host a 60-minute webinar, "UAD 3.6: Appraisal Changes," with instructor Kim Bell on Friday, Oct. 16, from 10 to 11 a.m., ET.
Register HERE.
The new Uniform Appraisal Dataset, known as UAD 3.6, replaces the existing appraisal forms with a redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report. It introduces a new reporting format and data structure designed to make property information more standardized and easier for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other stakeholders to use.
For real estate agents, the transition may mean a few practical changes:
Property information can help. Realtors® are not expected to perform any portion of the appraiser's work, but providing relevant and reliable property information or documentation when appropriate may help support a more efficient appraisal process. That could include information about improvements, permits or other property characteristics.
Customers might have questions. The report's format and terminology will look different. Becoming familiar with the changes can help agents explain why a report looks different without suggesting that the underlying appraisal process has changed.
The transition could create some bumps. As appraisers, lenders and software providers adapt to UAD 3.6, some transactions could experience longer appraisal turnaround times or potentially higher appraisal costs.
More than one format may appear. Nov. 2, 2026, marks an important point in the transition to UAD 3.6, but it should not be viewed as an absolute switch for every lender. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have created an exception process that may allow certain lenders additional time to adopt the new format.
Get all the details HERE.
New NAR Advocacy Scoop Podcast: How Housing Could Shape Election Night
Election Day is approaching, and "The Advocacy Scoop" podcast is breaking down the 2026 midterms and what's at stake for real estate. NAR's Shannon McGahn and Patrick Newton look at the battle for Congress, the housing issues on the campaign trail and what could make this election cycle different from past midterms. Then they go behind the scenes of the REALTOR® Party's bipartisan election efforts: NAR is engaging in 448 of 470 general-election contests this cycle, with RPAC participating in 85 key races. From ballot measures to grassroots advocacy, you'll learn what NAR's Advocacy team will be watching as the results come in.
Listen to the podcast HERE.
U.S. Senators introduce bill to protect independent contractor status
A bipartisan effort to clarify the independent contractor status of real estate professionals is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill.
Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and John Curtis (R-Utah) have introduced legislation that would establish consistent treatment for real estate professionals and direct sellers under federal labor law. The Direct Seller and Real Estate Agent Harmonization Act would clarify that qualifying professionals are independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act, consistent with their longstanding treatment under the federal tax code.
The Senate action follows the House Committee on Education and Workforce's advancement of companion legislation, H.R. 3495, introduced by Reps. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) in 2025.
The legislation comes as independent contractor status remains a defining feature of the real estate profession. According to the National Association of Realtors®, 89% of its members operate as independent contractors. That structure gives real estate professionals flexibility to manage their businesses, work with clients and determine how they provide services.
Read the full story HERE.
U.S. Senate Passes 7-Year Terrorism Insurance Extension
On September 28, 2026, the United States Senate passed S. 4395 by unanimous consent. The bill is a clean seven-year extension of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) through 2034. NAR supported the bill ahead of its approval by the Senate Banking Committee last month. TRIA helps keep terrorism insurance available, and many commercial real estate loans require that coverage.
Both chambers have now passed seven-year extensions, but the bills differ. The House bill (H.R. 7128) adds two changes to Treasury's certification process: a 90-day deadline for decisions and a higher loss threshold for certifying an event, from $5 million to $10 million beginning in 2029. The House and Senate must pass identical legislation before it can go to the president.
Read the full story HERE.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Urge Delay of MLS Copyright Fee Increase
On September 21, the Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus sent a letter urging the U.S. Copyright Office to reconsider or delay a proposed increase in the fee used by multiple listing services (MLSs) to register updates to their databases. The proposal would raise the registration fee from $500 to $700 per filing, only six years after fees increased from $85 to $500. The letter was led by Representatives Mark Alford (R-Mo.) and Lou Correa (D-Calif.). Congress has until November 12 to approve or disapprove of the fee schedule.
NAR worked with the bipartisan group of lawmakers to raise concerns about the proposed fee increase. The letter asks the Copyright Office to explain why MLSs are being charged more than the agency's reported cost of providing the service; why MLSs remain limited to an outdated paper-based registration process while most applicants can file electronically; and its rationale for refusing to revisit the increase. The lawmakers also requested a timeline for electronic MLS registration and asked the office to respond within 14 days.
Read the full story HERE.
This Week in Florida History (October 4 - October 11)
Oct. 11, 1904: Mary McLeod Bethune opened a school for African American girls in Daytona Beach with just $1.50, five students and a rented house. The school grew into what is now Bethune-Cookman University, a historically Black university that has played an important role in Florida's educational history.
Please reach out to us at publicpolicy@floridarealtors.org with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Trey Goldman
Senior Vice President of Public Policy
Florida Realtors®