By Lilli Dubler, Building Kentucky
Kentucky REALTORS®
Kentucky REALTORS® is proud to introduce Barb Curtis as the newly installed president of the association. In collaboration with other members of the 2025 Board of Directors, Curtis’ agenda includes advocating for housing accessibility across the Commonwealth, supporting first-time homebuyers and encouraging Kentuckians to tell their stories.
“Behind every successful organization is a unified mission. I’m honored to take the lead as Kentucky REALTORS® continues to advocate for access to housing, protection of homeownership and the growth of our communities,” Kentucky REALTORS® President Barb Curtis said.
Curtis added, “In 2025, Kentucky REALTORS® will continue our mission to expand access to housing, protect homeownership and private property rights and develop our communities and local economies. Also, this year, I challenge all REALTORS® in the state to tell their stories – how they help buyers find their dream homes, how they work with sellers to market and sell their homes, how they support their communities and everything in between.”
Under Curtis’s leadership, Kentucky REALTORS® is in support of policies to increase housing supply and encourage homeownership, ensuring every Kentuckian has a safe place to call home. As policymakers develop solutions to address the state’s housing needs, Kentucky REALTORS® are ready to work with local communities, state leaders and other stakeholders to find solutions that support more homebuilding, address workforce challenges and help more Kentuckians achieve the American Dream of homeownership.
According to the Kentucky Housing Corporation’s housing supply gap analysis, more than 200,000 housing units are needed in Kentucky. The split is divided nearly equally between rental and for-sale units and both urban and rural communities alike across the state are facing the shortage.
As a result of the association’s commitment to support and protect homebuyers and their rights, Kentucky REALTORS® strongly supports House Bill 195, which would implement a savings program for first-time homebuyers. The program would provide an opportunity for Kentuckians to save funds for use toward the purchase of a home, and funds deposited into the savings account could be deducted from the individual or couple’s income tax.
When looking for a home in 2025, given the need for increased housing units and the current affordability of homes impacting Kentuckians, the association recommends that consumers who are interested in purchasing a home connect with a professional REALTOR® sooner rather than later. REALTORS® work with a wide variety of clients in their communities and have the experience and expertise to help consumers find the right home at the right time for their families. REALTORS® also encourage Kentuckians to utilize the Kentucky REALTORS® Purchasing Power Calculator to learn more about the real estate market across the state and to assist in the early stages of homebuying process.
“REALTORS® are here to help their clients long-term. Whether you are ready to buy today, six months from now, or are just in the beginning stages of saving for a down payment, meet and interview REALTORS® in your community to find one that is the right fit for you, your family and your homebuying goals,” Curtis said.
Beyond navigating clients through the homebuying process, REALTORS® throughout the state are dedicated to improving the communities they serve. Since 2021, the Kentucky REALTORS® Relief Foundation and the national REALTORS® Relief Foundation have allocated more than $1.6 million in relief housing assistance to victims of natural disasters in Kentucky.
The full listing of the 2025 Board of Directors can be found here.
