July GAAR President Update: Advocacy, Governance, REALTOR® Relief and Dash

In his July update, Chris Venegas, 2026 President of the Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS®, shared several initiatives moving forward following the latest GAAR Board of Directors meeting.

GAAR is continuing to strengthen its local advocacy efforts through the development of its own REALTORS® Government Affairs Committee. The committee will help amplify member voices and support issues affecting real estate professionals, property owners, and the Greater Albuquerque community.

The Board also introduced the Antitrust, Conflict of Interest, Code of Conduct, and Confidentiality Disclosure (AC4). The new resource will help educate Board and committee members about their fiduciary duties and responsibilities. Beginning next year, it will be reviewed at the first Board and committee meetings annually and referenced throughout the year as needed.

Venegas also announced the appointment of Keith Powell as GAAR’s National Association of REALTORS® REALTOR® Relief Foundation (RRF) Ambassador. RRF provides housing-related financial assistance to families affected by natural disasters across the country.

Finally, GAAR and Southwest MLS are preparing to introduce Dash, a customized AI assistant developed with Voiceflip. Coming this fall, Dash will be available through the GAAR and SWMLS websites and by phone, helping members quickly access answers and resources when they need them.