The New York State housing market continued to build on its early 2013 momentum with April gains in closed sales, median price and pending sales. April 2013 closed sales for existing single-family homes, townhomes and condos were up 8.5 percent compared to April 2012, while the median price and pending sales rose 10 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

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Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast in April were down 16.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted rate of 30,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. March's revised annual rate was 36,000.

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NYSAR's annual Lobby Day will be held Tuesday, June 11, 2013, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Albany. NYSAR will once again reimburse anyone wishing to participate in Lobby Day 50 percent of your total individual travel costs including gas, tolls, and/or a hotel room up to $75!

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On Friday, May 31, at 11 a.m. NYSAR's government affairs staff will be hosting the free, informative webinar "NYSAR Pre-Lobby Day Briefing and Overview." Presented by NYSAR Director of Government Affairs Mike Kelly, this webinar will cover: NYSAR's legislative priorities; lobby day expense rules and procedures; the schedule of events; and what to expect during Lobby Day. The webinar will conclude with a brief Q & A session.

To attend this webinar, you must first register for it.

The Tuesday, June 4, NYSAR Radio show will preview Lobby Day, which is being held June 11, and will feature special guest, NYSAR Director of Government Affairs Mike Kelly. Tune in at 10 a.m. on June 4 on your PC or Mac by using the player on the NYSAR Radio page. You will need to be logged in to listen. If you have not yet created your account with the website, you will need to click on "New User" on the Member Login page and follow the prompts.

Click here for more information as well as a list of links to play NYSAR Radio from any of your mobile devices.

As a part of NYSAR's ongoing effort to educate our members about the changes to the advertising regulations, NYSAR Legal Counsel Anthony Gatto, Esq. will host a live webinar on Thursday, June 20, at 2:30 p.m. A culmination of five years of work by NYSAR and other interested parties, the new regulations still need to go through the regulatory public notice process, including publication in the New York Register. Following publication, the new regulations are set to become effective on January 2, 2014.

To attend this webinar, you must first register for it.

For the full text of the new regulations, click here. To listen to a recent NYSAR Radio show discussing the new regulations, click here.

Online registration is open for the 12^th Annual New York State Commercial Real Estate Conference being held June 3-5 at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. The event is the largest commercial investment real estate conference in the Northeast and features a full-day, pre-conference CCIM negotiations session on June 3, a full-day marketing session on June 4, and a full day of education on June 5.

Online registration is available through May 31 by clicking here. For more information and to download a registration form, click here.

REALTOR Institute 402 - "Real Estate Legal Issues" - will be offered June 4-5 at the Dutchess County Association of REALTORS in Poughkeepsie, NY and June 6-7 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Lake Placid, NY. This course gives you a clear understanding of agency practice and policy issues, and teaches how to avoid misrepresentation, antitrust and fair housing violations.

Click here for more information or call 800-239-4432 to register for the free course.

TransUnion SmartMove is an easy, comprehensive and reliable web-based tenant background check offering access to a full credit report, criminal report, customized leasing recommendations and suggested deposit amount to request at lease signing. The trusted brand's process is all online and you pay only when you use it with no set-up, minimum or annual fees.

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With the July open enrollment month quickly approaching, now is the time to consider NYSAR's dental plan for your dental insurance needs. Key benefits of United Concordia include: three plan options to offer you a range in coverage; lower rates with a two-year guarantee; orthodontia coverage and more. Keep in mind, the NYSAR dental plan is superior to the NAR dental plan because it takes into account the costs charged by dentists in New York State, as opposed to NAR's one-sized fits all coverage. For more information about the plans and rates, please call 888-834-3713 or visit www.myrealtorinsurance.com/nysar.

To view a flyer with plan options and rates, click here. 

The Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS, Greater Capital Association of REALTORS, Dutchess County Association of REALTORS and Columbia-Greene Board of REALTORS are all hosting RPAC events in the coming weeks. Click here for more details.