The state Senate and Assembly passed legislation (A.8323/S.6012) that extends the property tax cap for four more years. It includes a couple minor technical amendments and provides a four-year, $3.1 billion property tax rebate program for homeowners who qualify for a STAR exemption. NYSAR played a significant role in passing the tax cap in 2011 and kept the pressure on legislators this year to extend its benefits for homeowners. Learn more here.

Millennials are primed to gain market share in the second half of the year as more decide to take the plunge into homeownership, according to a consumer behavior survey conducted by realtor.com. As the economy continues to grow over the next few years, first-time buyers are expected to return to a healthy level of 40 percent of the market, adding approximately 15 percent to the number of total homes sold. Learn more here.

Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast during May rose an impressive 87.5 percent to 30,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. April’s revised annual rate was 16,000. Learn more here.

On Monday, June 22, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced a $78.5 billion budget deal to hire an additional 1,297 NYPD officers, while funding a variety of public safety and service initiatives. This year’s budget is up from $75 million a year ago. The mayor's proposal to create a city "mansion tax," which NYSAR opposed, was not mentioned in the budget deal. A final budget must be passed before July 1, which is the start of the city’s new fiscal year. The New York City Council details more information on the budget deal here.

Tens of thousands of REALTORS now receive REALTOR Party mobile alerts directly to their phone, giving them exclusive opportunities to take action on important real estate issues. Don’t miss out – join the network quickly and easily by texting "NY REALTORS" to 30644.

The National Association of REALTORS will send you short text messages when they need you to respond to a Call for Action (usually only three to five times per year). Message and data rates may apply, and you can unsubscribe at any time. For questions about the REALTOR Party mobile alerts, contact comments@realtoractioncenter.com. 


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

The second quarter 2015 edition of NYSAR’s Legal Lines is now available online at NYSAR.com. This edition covers the new carbon monoxide detector requirement in all new commercial buildings, the use of corporate titles by real estate teams, and the use of third-party short-term rental services. Several key federal cases including a trademark dispute win for the National Association of REALTORS, the classification of independent contractors, and the strengthening of consumer protections against unwanted calls and texts are also covered. Read the latest issue.

The Tuesday, July 7, NYSAR Radio show will take a look at brokerage dos, don’ts and best practices. Tune in at 10 a.m. on July 7 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 miss the June Legal Update webinar presented by Anthony Gatto, Esq., NYSAR director of legal services? The recording is now available in the Media Center of NYSAR.com. The webinar covers recent court and DOS decisions relating to commissions, fair housing and unlicensed individuals, teams and broker rebates.

REALTORS Property Resource (RPR) is more than a comprehensive database - it provides tools and resources to help expand your business. Join NYSAR and RPR on July 16 at 2:30 p.m. to learn how to use RPR to improve prospecting and farming strategies, run accurate comp analyses, identify distressed properties and their impact on neighborhoods, and set industry standard values on home investments. You’ll also get a quick overview of RPR Mobile. Start impressing clients - register for this webinar today.

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 www.MyREALTORInsurance.com/nysar or call USI Affinity’s dedicated sales representative Ned Cox at 888.834.3713 for more information.

Energy Plus® is leaving its mark on the energy industry through its special cash back rewards program. Enroll your home with Energy Plus® and receive 3 percent cash back and a $25 enrollment bonus after two months of active service, and 5 percent cash back and a $50 bonus for a business account. Enrolling with Energy Plus® is easy and there are no monthly service fees, cancellation fees, or long-term commitments. Stop missing out on what you deserve and start earning cash back rewards. Click here to enroll today.

Congratulations Hudson Gateway REALTORS on raising more than $11,000 for RPAC during the New York Yankees versus the Philadelphia Phillies game last week. The event featured a pre-game BBQ on the rooftop terrace with food, drinks and plenty of fun in the name of RPAC. Thank you to the nearly 75 attendees and generous sponsors that contributed to this event’s success.

Last week, the Warren County Board of REALTORS welcomed NYSAR Government Affairs Director Mike Kelly and NYSAR Political Affairs Coordinator Derick King to a broker’s gathering featuring a cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres followed by a table-side culinary demonstration by Chef Christian Gates at Jack’s Bistro in Queensbury. NYSAR staff provided a comprehensive legislative and RPAC update to the attendees detailing the importance of political involvement at all levels of government by REALTORS. Thank you to those attendees who invested in RPAC flasks and pins and raised nearly $700 for RPAC.

Thank you to our June RPAC auction winner, Mary Collins from Mary Collins Real Estate in High Falls. The Ulster County REALTOR submitted the high bid of $320 for the black steel outside fire pit. Stay tuned for the July RPAC auction item to be announced early next week.