The State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council is meeting this Friday, May 15, to vote on pending building and construction code requirements for New York State. These proposed regulations may contain language requiring the installation of fire sprinkler systems in all new one- and two-family homes as well as townhomes. NYSAR believes education, transparency and consumer choice is the appropriate action versus another state mandate on purchasers of new homes in New York State.

Take action and tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo and your state legislators that you oppose this mandate by clicking here.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will hold a 60-minute webinar on Tuesday, May 26, at 2 p.m. to answer frequently asked questions about the TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule. This fifth and final in the planned series of webinars will address specific questions related to rule interpretation and implementation challenges that have been raised by creditors, mortgage brokers, settlement agents, software developers, and other stakeholders. Click here to register today.

The National Association of REALTORS’ REALTOR Magazine is seeking nominations for the 2015 Good Neighbor Awards. The program recognizes REALTORS whose extraordinary commitment to community service has helped make their communities better places to live. Five winners will receive a $10,000 grant for their community cause and travel to the 2015 REALTORS Conference and Expo in San Diego. Five honorable mentions will receive $2,500 grants. Entries must be received by this Friday, May 15.  

Click here to learn more.

On Tuesday, May 5, two special elections were held in parts of New York City to fill two vacancies. Voters on Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn went to the polls to determine who will represent them in Washington. Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan (R) defeated former State Senator and current New York City Councilman Vincent Gentile (D) in the race for 11th Congressional District seat. Donovan garnered nearly 60 percent of the vote. In Brooklyn, the 43rd Assembly District seat vacated by Assemblyman Karim Camara, who resigned to work in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration, will be filled by Diana Richardson. In a runaway election, Richardson, who was supported by the Working Families Party, defeated Democrat and district leader Shirley Patterson.

Last week, NAR held a Town Hall webcast for any members attending the NAR Mid-Year Meetings in Washington D.C. NAR’s Chief Lobbyist Jerry Giovaniello and staff highlighted the issues REALTORS will be presenting to their congressional representatives as well as took questions from participants on the webcast. If you were unable to catch the webcast last week, you can watch it here.

The Tuesday, May 19, NYSAR Radio show will cover the topic of material defects. Tune in at 10 a.m. on May 19 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.

Join former IRS trainer and best-selling author Sandy Botkin for a free webinar this Thursday at 2 p.m. to learn how you can give yourself that raise by keeping more of what you earn! The webinar will also include an overview of the Taxbot mobile app, which NYSAR members receive a 50-percent discount on. Click here to register today.

The GRI-3 Agency course will be offered on May 19 at both the LIBOR REALTOR Service Center in West Babylon, NY and Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS in Goshen, NY. This course offers in-depth coverage of all forms of agency representation, associated issues and proper disclosure. You will also learn how to avoid the risk of misrepresentation, vicarious liability and breach of fiduciary duties.

Register online today or call NYSAR at 800-239-4432 x219. Click here for more information.

The GRI-2 – Business course will be offered May 20 at the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS in Amherst, NY. Take your business to the next level and gain market share. This course provides the building blocks to: create an effective business plan; build support structures using assistants and teams; prospect successfully and tap into niche markets; and develop policies to avoid risk. 

Register online today or call NYSAR at 800-239-4432 x219. Click here for more information.

NYSAR’s newest Member Perks partner, IdentityForce, is a leader in identity protection. Recognizing that identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States and can happen at anytime, anywhere and to anyone, NYSAR has negotiated a special discounted rate to provide you with a proven solution to safeguard your personal information. Don’t wait to fall victim to identity theft, let IdentityForce start protecting you today! Visit www.identityforce.com/nysar for more information and to enroll.

Take advantage of NYSAR Member Perks partner Taxbot to keep more of your commissions through tax deductions! The Taxbot mobile app offers you the ability to track business mileage and expenses with your iPhone or Android smartphone or tablet, and turn those expenses into IRS compliant tax deductions. Click here to watch a video showing how easy the app is to use. 

Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to the Long Island Board of REALTORS on raising $25,000 during their signature "RPAC Day at the Races" fundraiser! The day was complete with a gourmet lunch, live and silent auctions by Matthew Arnold in a private room with sweeping views of Belmont track, and great fun in the name of RPAC. Thank you to all 222 attendees who contributed to this successful event and those involved with planning and promotion.

Congratulations also to the Greater Capital Association of REALTORS on raising $2,000 during their second annual "Bowling for RPAC" event. The event included two hours of bowling, food, drinks and trophies for various categories including most team spirit, highest score and most gutter balls. Thank you to the 70 attendees who contributed to the event and to those who worked very hard to plan and execute!Click here to see a video from the event.

The Fitbit Charge activity wristband is your perfect companion on the road to a healthier lifestyle. It displays daily steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, time of day and even syncs with your smartphone to display caller ID. Bidding closes Tuesday, May 26. Click here to learn more.