MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A vast majority of likely voters in Alabama value the protection of property owners’ rights, according to a Cygnal new poll released Thursday by the Alabama Association of Realtors.
In a survey of 600 likely midterm election voters, 92% of respondents said it is important for Alabama to protect private property rights. That includes 96% of Republicans, 90% of independents and 85% of Democrats, the poll found.
The survey was conducted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. It has a margin of error of ±4%.
Sixty-percent of likely voters participating in the survey said property rights are not protected strongly enough, while 8% said they are protected too strongly. The association did not include a party breakdown for this question.
“Our state motto is ‘We Dare Defend Our Rights,’ so it comes as no surprise that Alabamians across the board support the continuing protection and preservation of their private property rights,” CEO Jeremy Walker said in a press release. “Voters strongly believe that sellers should have the final say in how homes being sold are marketed and advertised, and they are sending a clear message to elected officials that they oppose more government intervention in the home buying process.”
The discussion of property rights comes as the conversation about data centers ramps up in Alabama, with residents in some areas seeking bans or moratoriums for the facilities that span thousands of acres in some cases. It also comes as the Legislature has in recent years sought to limit when and by how much local property tax can be hiked by way of home appraisals.
Nearly three-quarters – 72% – of those surveyed said they were concerned about the government becoming too involved in decisions about privately owned property. That includes 78% of Republicans, 68% of independents and 64% of Democrats.
Most likely voters want Alabama-centered policies, with 69% saying they want the state’s policy based on Alabama conditions and 70% saying they were concerned about out-of-state organizations drafting Alabama’s real estate standards. Eleven percent said they would adopt policies common among other states.
The poll also included questions about the government’s licensing of certain professions.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said working as a real estate agent for other people should require a license, and 54% percent said the same for home builders. Very few respondents said they want to see licensing for other players in home sales, with 3% saying selling one’s home should require a license and 2% saying that for those advertising their own home.
The poll showed that a majority of respondents – 63% – want to see licensing boards accountable to the governor, including 75% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats. Sixty-three percent said they want gubernatorial oversight of the Alabama Real Estate Commission.
Walker, the association’s CEO, urged state officials and lawmakers to consider the survey results when the Legislature begins a new quadrennium in February.
“None of these are coin-toss, wedge issues because the numbers prove that voters have solid expectations when it comes to protecting their property rights and keeping government intrusion into the buying and selling of their homes to an absolute minimum,” Walker said. “Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike embrace the long-held axiom that their home is their castle, and it should remain free from further meddling from Montgomery.”