Two Idaho real estate brokers are urging their colleagues to put their money where their financial interests are and help the economy by buying property.

One is John Knipe, a real estate broker with Boise's Knipe Land Co. and a former officer of the National Association of Realtors Land Institute in Chicago. The other is Meridian broker Douglas Ferguson, president of the institute's Idaho chapter.

The National Association of Realtors has more than 1.5 million members — enough purchasing power to help solve the national housing crisis, Knipe and Ferguson say.

Realtors should "lead the battle against a catastrophic decline in property values, equities and the American economy some markets are facing by purchasing one additional asset of realty in coming days," Ferguson said in a statement. “Members of the National Association of Realtors can make a dramatic impact on inventory levels, pricing and demand by purchasing the very product we tell all others to purchase."

The commission income alone would top $14 billion, and tax revenues would total $4.9 billion, Ferguson estimated.

"As the world's largest trade organization, it is time to show our country we can make a difference,” he said.

I wonder what fellow Realtors think about this. Comments?