According to the latest poll by the Siena Research Institute (SRI), New York State consumer home buying plans were up 10.4 percent in September. Dr. Doug Lonnstrom, professor of statistics and finance at Siena College and SRI founding director, said that New Yorkers are looking to buy a home at a rate they haven’t seen in more than 15 years of polling residents. Learn more here.

In its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending Oct. 2, 2015, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported that the volume of mortgage loan applications rose 25.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the index rose 26 percent compared to the previous week.

 

Both the Refinance Index and the Purchase Index also increased, rising 24 and 27 percent, respectively, from one week earlier.To read the entire MBA press release,click here.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo stood with former Vice President Al Gore to announce New York will participate in a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and keep global temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius. As part of the commitment, commercial projects will be able to share solar power they generate on their properties with surrounding homes and businesses through the Governor’s Shared Renewables program. More on this announcement can be found here

Starting next summer, nearly all shops and restaurants in New York City will be required to keep front doors and windows shut while their air-conditioners and cooling systems are running. Those in violation of the new rules would face fines, ranging from $250 for a first offense to as much as $1,000 for an egregious violation. More on this story can be found here.

Today’s NYSAR Radio show will cover the topic of environmental 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.

There’s still time to register for Thursday’s Legal Update webinar
Don’t miss NYSAR’s "Legal Leftovers" webinar presented by NYSAR Director of Legal Services Anthony Gatto, Esq. this Thursday, Oct. 15, at 2:30 p.m. The webinar is a follow-up to the Legal Update held last week at the Fall Business Meetings and will cover commissions, agency and other recent legal developments. Register today! 

The GRI-7 Property course will be offered Oct. 19 at the Long Island REALTOR Service Center in Jackson Heights, NY and on Oct. 20 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. Learn about all the factors impacting value and close more deals. Discover the myriad elements that affect property value including: types of housing; appraisals and inspections; neighborhoods and amenities; energy efficiency and environmental issues; lender requirements and more.

The GRI-8 Technology e-PRO Day One course will be offered Oct. 21 at the Dutchess County Association of REALTORS in Poughkeepsie, 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. This program covers day one of the two-day e-PRO certification (day two is completed online – additional fee applies).

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

Enrollment for health insurance in 2016 will begin on Sunday, Nov. 1. It will close on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Look to NYSAR Member Perks partner USI Affinity to help you navigate the plan options and find the coverage that best suits your needs. Remember, you will face tax penalties if you do not obtain coverage. Also, if you miss open enrollment, you will not be able to obtain health insurance until the next open enrollment period unless you qualify for a special enrollment. For more information, visit www.myrealtorinsurance.com/nysar.