In its third quarter 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report, RealtyTrac, Inc. reported New York State total foreclosure sales decreased from the last quarter as well as the 2010 third quarter. Foreclosed home sales accounted for 4.61 percent of all home sales in the 2011 third quarter. Click here to learn more.

The deadline for the New York State Real Estate Education Foundation Next Generation Scholarship is March 1. This fund will award scholarships to the next generation of real estate professionals for higher education. Eligibility is limited to relatives of active NYSAR members living in New York State. Click here to learn more.

Tell Congress to "do no harm" to housing. Increasing the cost of a mortgage is not the way to end the housing downturn. Please take action today by clicking here. Click here for more information.

Last week, Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit in Supreme Court in Manhattan against the state Legislative Taskforce on Redistricting (LATFOR). The lawsuit seeks to order LATFOR to drop its proposal to add a 63rd Senate District within the state. Click here to learn more.

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama put forward a plan that usesa broad range of tools to help homeowners, supporting middle-class families and the economy. Click here to learn more.

Click here to read the entire Government Affairs Weekly Report.

Today's NYSAR Radio show previewing the NYSAR Mid-Winter Business Meetings will re-air tomorrow, Wednesday, February 8, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You can also listen to it any time after tomorrow, by visiting NYSAR.com. To listen to the show during one of its regularly scheduled hours, click here.

The NYSAR Legal Update will be held during the Mid-Winter Business Meetings on Wednesday, February 15, from 8-9 a.m., at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, in Albany, NY. This session is open to all meeting attendees. Click here to learn more.

The NYSAR Mid-Winter Business Meetings will be held February 13-16, 2012 at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Albany, NY. The meetings will include: committee meetings; the inaugural dinner; the Association Update, featuring New York State Secretary of State Cesar Perales; and more. Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 402 – "Real Estate Legal Issues" – will be offered February 9-10 at the Staten Island Board of REALTORS office in Staten Island, NY. This course will give you a clear understanding of agency practice and policy issues, and will teach you how to avoid misrepresentation, antitrust and fair housing violations. Click here for more information or to register.

Enroll today to receive your electricity and/or natural gas for your home or business from NYSAR's energy partner Energy Plus, an Energy Supply Company (ESCO). You'll receive an activation bonus and earn cash back for each account you enroll, while still receiving the same reliable service from your local utility company. Click here to learn more.

With a $250 pledge or investment in RPAC, you'll gain access to the RPAC Lounge on Tuesday, Febuary 14, during NYSAR's Mid-Winter Business Meetings at the Desmond. The lounge features food, beverages, computers, printers, cell phone chargers, cable TV, and access to a professional massage, a Valentines manicure, and more! Click here to learn more.

The February RPAC silent auction item is a Brookstone iConvert Portable Document and Photo Scanner. Bids must be placed by February 29, at 11:59 p.m. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to Karen Peebles from the Jefferson Lewis Board of REALTORS for submitting the high bid of $125 for the Magellan GPS. Karen has been an RPAC President's Club and Capitol Club investor for the past several years. Thank you Karen for your support of RPAC!