California REALTORS^® applaud bill to raise capital gains exclusion and free up housing inventory

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 29) – The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (C.A.R.) today issued the following statement in response to the "More Homes on the Market Act," introduced today by House Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Mike Kelly (R-PA). The bipartisan bill increases the capital gain exclusion amounts on the sale of a principal residence to $500,000 for single filers and $1 million for joint filers and indexes the exclusion for inflation. 

"California REALTORS^® thank Congressman Panetta for introducing the 'More Homes on the Market Act,' which will provide the necessary tax relief for California homeowners, particularly senior citizens, who have been unable to move because of the onerous tax burden that could result if they were to sell," said C.A.R. President Otto Catrina, a Bay Area real estate broker and REALTOR^®.

For working Californians, a home is their biggest and most important investment. However, because the capital gains exclusion was passed 25 years ago with no indexing for inflation, fewer and fewer families have been able to downsize and access the equity built up in their homes. This has resulted in fewer homes being available for younger and first-time homebuyers to move into, which has driven up demand and home prices even more." 

The National Association of REALTORS^® estimates that in California, as many as 95 percent of single homeowners and 68 percent of married homeowners who purchased their homes before 2000 could face capital gains tax if they sold their home this year. 

Leading the way... ® in California real estate for more than 110 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, with more than 217,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

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