Pending home sales rose nationally in April for the fourth straight month and reached their highest level in nine years, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). After falling four straight months, the index in the Northeast bounced back solidly to 88.3 in April, 9.4 percent above a year ago.

Learn more here.

On Friday, May 15, 2015, the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council approved regulations requiring carbon monoxide (CO) detectors/alarms in all new and existing commercial buildings and restaurants. The regulation requires all newly-constructed commercial buildings or restaurants to have "hard-wired" CO detectors installed pursuant to the requirements of the regulation. The new rule takes effect on June 27, 2015. 

Learn more here.

Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast during April fell 5.6 percent to 17,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. March’s revised annual rate was 18,000. Nationally, new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 517,000, up 6.8 percent from March and 26.1 percent above the April 2014 total of 410,000.

Read the entire U.S. Commerce Department press release here.

In honor of June being NYSAR Housing Opportunities Month and in an effort to raise awareness for housing opportunities in New York State, the NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation has made a goal of raising $5,000, which goes directly to its First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. Donor recognition will be prominently displayed on NYSARHousingFoundation.com, in an upcoming issue of New York State REALTOR magazine, on the foundation's Facebook page and at the NYSAR Fall Business Meetings. Learn more about the foundation's efforts, and donate here.

This year’s Lobby Day will be next Tuesday, June 9, starting at 9 a.m., giving REALTORS from around the state the opportunity to speak with their legislators. Some of the priority issues being discussed will include continuing the property tax cap, properly defining a real estate "team," a push for greater transparency in the process of purchasing a cooperative apartment, and the support for a residential fire sprinkler tax credit, among others.

Albany lawmakers have three weeks left until the end of session, and NYSAR's annual Lobby Day has a tremendous impact on ensuring REALTOR priorities and interests are protected throughout New York State. Follow the NYSAR GA Twitter feed for updates on this event and more.

The final rule on "Waters of the U.S.," or the Clean Water Rule, was released on May 27, 2015 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The final rule expands federal jurisdiction over more U.S. waters and undermines state and local authority over land use. The National Association of REALTORS opposes this rule change and will pursue legislative opportunities that would require the EPA to withdraw the rule and start from scratch. Learn more here.

Stay up-to-date on NYSAR Government Affairs news and events by following us on Facebook and Twitter. 

Today’s NYSAR Radio show will cover MLS Issues and also include a preview of next week’s Lobby Day. Tune in at 10 a.m. this morning 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.

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

Did you know that NYSAR has a presence on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? Not to mention the Government Affairs Twitter page and RPAC of New York Facebook group, which give you legislative updates as they happen. Be sure to follow along on your preferred social media network to get the latest news and updates on the association and the real estate industry, while connecting with your colleagues from across the state.

The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) course will be offered June 9-10 at the Dutchess County Association of REALTORS in Poughkeepsie, NY. Become a proficient and profitable buyer’s representative, serving with quality, fidelity and confidence.

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

The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) course will be offered June 9-10 at the LIBOR REALTOR Service Center in Woodbury, NY. Elevate your standards, enhance your performance, and demonstrate the knowledge and skills essential to professionally and ethically represent sellers.

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

The GRI-4 Legal course will be offered June 11 at the Staten Island Board of REALTORS in Staten Island, NY. This course will give you a complete understanding of: advertising that is legal and ethical; contracts, forms, deposits, disclosures and record retention; risk management strategies; and title insurance and settlement procedures.

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

The open enrollment period for NYSAR’s dental plan has begun, and there’s never been a better time to re-evaluate your dental and vision coverage. Administered by USI Affinity and now underwritten by MetLife, the NYSAR dental plan offers: options for a range in coverage and cost; third straight year of no rate increases; coverage for individuals and families; freedom to visit any dentist, in or out-of-network; and coverage for orthodontia.

Through this new partnership with MetLife, vision coverage is now being offered as a standalone option in addition to being an optional rider on the dental policy. Visit the Insurance page of NYSAR.com or all USI Affinity’s dedicated sales representative Ned Cox at 888.834.3713 for more information.

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. Learn more.

Congratulations to Sharon Ciminelli from the Buffalo Niagara Association on winning the May RPAC auction item, the Fitbit Charge, via a high bid of $350! Thank you Sharon for your leadership with RPAC through your role as RPAC Regional Trustee for the Western Region and generous investments at the RPAC Sterling R, Major Investor level ($1,000+) for many years. The June RPAC auction item will be announced later this week.

RPAC has launched two brand new promotional flyers for 2015 including a flyer specific to commercial real estate practitioners and a comprehensive "RPAC Your Best Investment" flyer detailing actual savings to REALTORS as a direct result of RPAC working hard to protect their interests before lawmakers.
Download the RPAC commercial brochure here.
Download the "RPAC Your Best Investment" brochure here.