Whether you’ve heard the phrase on a football field, a basketball court or from one of sports’ legendary coaches, the message has endured for decades because it rings true: defense wins championships.
The same is true in advocacy.
Much of the attention naturally goes toward new laws and legislative victories. Those successes matter, but effective advocacy is about more than passing good legislation. It’s also about stopping harmful proposals before they become law, protecting private property rights, and preparing for the policy challenges ahead.
At the WRA, that’s the role of the REALTOR® Party. As a year-round, nonpartisan advocacy effort, the REALTOR® Party works to advance policies that strengthen the real estate industry, defend against proposals that could negatively affect property owners and REALTORS®, and prepare for the issues that will shape tomorrow’s housing market.
This year provided several examples of what that work looks like in practice.
Playing defense
Some of the REALTOR® Party’s most important victories never make the headlines. During the 2025-26 legislative session, more than 2,500 bills were introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature. While much of the public attention focused on the bills that became law, some of the most important advocacy happened much earlier by preventing harmful proposals from advancing.
Throughout the session, the REALTOR® Party worked to oppose proposals that could have increased housing costs, created unnecessary regulatory burdens, or made it more difficult to buy, build, rent or own property in Wisconsin. Those efforts help protect private property rights, preserve housing opportunities, and provide greater certainty for REALTORS® and their clients.
One example is the ongoing discussion surrounding rent control. While proposals like rent control are often intended to address housing affordability, the REALTOR® Party continues to advocate for increasing housing supply as the most effective long-term solution. Expanding housing opportunities through policies that encourage construction and investment helps create a healthier housing market for renters, homeowners and communities alike.
Limiting rents does not create more housing: The REALTOR® Party supports policies that increase housing supply because expanding housing opportunities is the most effective long-term strategy for improving affordability.
Advocacy also extends beyond the Wisconsin Legislature. This year, the WRA Legal Action Program participated in a coalition amicus brief in Koble Investments v. Marquardt, a Wisconsin Supreme Court case that provided important legal clarity for Wisconsin’s residential rental industry. The case is another reminder that protecting property rights sometimes means engaging in the courts as well as the Capitol.
Keeping score
The REALTOR® Party’s impact extends well beyond the current session. Today’s successes build on a long record of advocacy that has strengthened the profession, supported property owners and expanded housing opportunities across Wisconsin.
That record includes protecting property owners’ ability to offer short-term rentals, securing a $525 million investment in senior and workforce housing, preserving waterfront property rights, modernizing wetland regulations, reducing REALTOR® liability from six years to two, and protecting homeowners from foreclosure equity theft. Just as important are the countless harmful proposals that never become law thanks to REALTORS® remaining actively engaged throughout the legislative process.
Each accomplishment reflects years of building relationships, member engagement and persistent advocacy. Together, the accomplishments demonstrate that lasting success is built through consistent engagement and a shared commitment to protecting private property rights and strengthening Wisconsin’s real estate industry.
Preparing for the next season
Effective advocacy doesn’t stop when the legislative session ends. Effective advocacy also means identifying tomorrow’s challenges and developing thoughtful solutions before they become tomorrow’s debates.
One example is the WRA’s new Property Tax Workgroup. Comprised of members of the Public Policy Committee, the workgroup is examining Wisconsin’s property tax system, studying the factors driving higher tax bills, and developing recommendations for both short- and long-term property tax solutions. As housing affordability and property taxes remain among the top concerns facing Wisconsin homeowners, this work will help shape the WRA’s future advocacy efforts.
The REALTOR® Party also depends on member engagement. At the 2026 REALTOR® & Government Day, nearly 500 REALTORS® gathered at the Wisconsin Capitol to meet directly with lawmakers and discuss housing supply, property taxes and affordability. Those conversations helped connect real-world experiences with public policy and reinforced why REALTOR® involvement matters.
Whether serving on a workgroup, meeting with elected officials, responding to calls for action, supporting legal advocacy or investing in the REALTOR® Party, every REALTOR® has an opportunity to contribute. Advocacy is most effective when members work together toward a common goal.
Together, through the REALTOR® Party, we are protecting what’s important today while advancing solutions for tomorrow.
