Beginning September 14, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is implementing a mandate that instructs lenders to inform borrowers when they first meet to get a home inspection prior to purchasing a home. The mandate will be added to the HUD/Federal Housing Administration Single Family Policy Handbook and will include a document called, "For Your Protection, Get a Home Inspection." Click here to learn more.

To remind REALTORS to be aware of the dangers they face throughout the course of their work day, the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) has dedicated September as REALTOR Safety Month. The association has created an expanded toolkit to empower practitioners to avoid risky situations. NYSAR also included an article on brokerage safety tips in the July/August issue of New York State REALTOR magazine. 

NYSAR will be offering "Self-Defense for the Real Estate Professional" during the Fall Business Meetings on Tuesday, October 6, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Certified Martial Arts Instructor and sixth-degree black belt Jeff Sgarlata will teach attendees to defend themselves using simple to master and easy to remember techniques. The class is free to all NYSAR members who register by September 30. Visit NYSAR.com for more details.

Finley Maxson, senior counsel with the National Association of REALTORS, will be presenting "TRID: Changes to the Mortgage Closing Process" at the upcoming NYSAR Fall Business Meetings. Maxson will be a special guest speaker during the Legislative Policy Forum on Tuesday, October 6, at 8:30 a.m. in the Mohawk room at Turning Stone. Come learn about changes to the RESPA/Truth in Lending disclosures, their timing and impact on real estate professionals. The forum is open to all NYSAR members in attendance.

Please join the REALTOR Party and tell your U.S. Representative to support H.R. 9, the Innovation Act, to stop patent trolls and protect the real estate industry from frivolous lawsuits. REALTORS across the country receive threatening demand letters and lawsuits alleging patent infringement based on the use of common business tools such as drop-down menus or search alert functions on websites, and the scanner function on a copier. H.R. 9 will help combat this problem and is necessary to protect REALTORS. For more information and to sign the petition, click here and tell Congress to pass this common-sense comprehensive patent litigation reform. 

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 common commission issues. 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.

In order to help you streamline your experience on NYSAR.com, NYSAR has developed a Bookmarks tool that allows you to keep your most visited pages in one easy location. Once you are logged in as a member, you’ll notice a "Bookmark Page" link on each page of the website. After clicking the link, that page will then be stored on your Bookmarks page, which can be accessed by clicking the "Show All Bookmarks" link located at the top right corner of the screen, next to your name.

GRI-4 Legal will be offered on September 17 at the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS in Johnson City, NY. Reduce your risk of claims, fines and lawsuits while gaining a complete understanding of: advertising that is legal and ethical; contracts, forms, deposits, disclosures and record retention; risk management strategies; title insurance and settlement procedures.

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

GRI-8 Technology will be offered on September 17 at the Greater Syracuse Association of REALTORS in Syracuse, NY. Discover the latest tools to streamline your business and exceed client expectations. Learn how to be mobile and paperless in your real estate practice with tips on: transaction management tools; Internet advertising and syndication; e-marketing and social media; automation hardware, software and apps.

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

The Global Real Estate: Local Markets (CIPS) course will be offered September 17 at the Ithaca Board of REALTORS in Ithaca, NY. This course covers: the advantages of international investment in the U.S. market; how to position your local real estate market in a global economy; serving foreign-born clients; and building a global presence. 

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

The enrollment period for NYSAR’s dental plan has been extended through October 1, 2015! 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.

NYSAR’s newest Member Perks partner, IdentityForce, isa 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.

Submit your bids for a Tiffany & Co. mini double heart tag pendant in sterling silver with Tiffany blue enamel finish on a 16" chain necklace. Bidding closes Friday, September 25. Visit the RPAC page of NYSAR.com to learn more.

Test your trivia knowledge while raising funds to support RPAC during the RPAC Trivia Night on Monday, October 5, from 7:30-11 p.m. at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, NY. In addition to the trivia tournament, there will be live and silent auctions, a selection of your favorite hot pub foods, and a cash bar. Tickets are $50 and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Register online today to attend NYSAR’s Fall Business Meetings and the RPAC Trivia Night. Or, simply download, complete and return the registration form to NYSAR via fax at 518.462.5474. Questions? Contact Derick King at dking@nysar.com or 518.463.0300 x238.

Once again we will be featuring live and silent auction items as part of the RPAC Trivia Night fundraiser. If local boards or individual members would like to donate auction items, please contact Derick King at dking@nysar.com or 518.463.0300 x238 with a description of the item and the value by Monday, September 21. Local boards and individual members will receive RPAC credit for auction item donations!