Act now and tell Congress to stop the housing tax for transportation! On Thursday, October 22, the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will begin consideration on a proposal that would use Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s credit risk guarantee fees (g-fees) to fund transportation programs, unrelated to any housing needs. Implementing an extension of the g-fee increase could also act to hinder the necessary reforms required of the housing finance system for the foreseeable future.
Read NAR’s Letter to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Read NAR’s Letter to the U.S. Senate.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced it is awarding more than $3.5 million under HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program to 11 organizations in New York State to fight housing discrimination. The funding will benefit fair housing organizations in Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Westchester, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island. Learn more here.

RPR Vice President of Business Technologies Bob Bemis’ presentation "The Issues of Today and Challenges of Tomorrow" during the General Session and the Legal Update featuring NYSAR Director of Legal Services Anthony Gatto, Esq. are now available in the Media Center of NYSAR.com. Other videos available from NYSAR’s Fall Business Meetings include: President Mike Smith’s State of the Association address; the presentation of the 2015 REALTOR of the Year award; NAR Director of Digital Engagement Nobu Hata’s presentation, "Tech, Tips and Video for Real Estate Pros;" and a TRID update from NAR Senior Counsel Finley Maxson. Click here to visit the Video section of the Media Center. 

Committee meeting reports are also available on NYSAR.com by clicking here.

Realtor.com and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro will be hosting a virtual town hall on Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. for those interested in the topic of "Millennials and the Housing Market." To register, click here.

The $10.8 billion transit funding agreement between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was a positive development for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s bond rating, according to Moody’s Investor Services. The two leaders agreed that the state would allocate $8.3 billion to the plan and the city would increase its contribution to $2.5 billion, helping to close a funding gap in the agency’s $26.1 billion capital budget over the next five years. The MTA is set to approve the five-year capital plan at its Oct. 28 board meeting. More on this story can be found here.

The Tuesday, Oct. 27, NYSAR Radio show will take a look at common agency pitfalls. Tune in at 10 a.m. on Oct. 27 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.

The REALTORS Property Resource (RPR) webinar next Thursday, Oct. 29, at 2:30 p.m. will teach you how to use RPR to impress clients and close more deals. You’ll learn how to help sellers understand online value estimates and how RPR provides concrete data to help sellers comprehend market realities. You’ll also learn how to use RPR’s state-of-the-art mapping tools to pin-point searches, locate neighborhood and school info, analyze heat map data and much more for your buyers. Register today!

The GRI-2 Business course will be offered Oct. 28 at the Greater Capital Association of REALTORS in Albany, 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. Find more information here.

The GRI-8 Technology e-PRO Day One course will be offered Oct. 28 at the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS in Amherst, NY and on Oct. 29 at the Elmira-Corning Regional Board of REALTORS in Corning, 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.

The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) course will be offered Oct. 29-30 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. Become a proficient buyer’s representative, serving with quality, fidelity and confidence. 

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

Fulfill your USPAP requirement and learn how you can strengthen your appraisal skills while reviewing how to correctly develop and report the sales comparison approach in appraising real property during the conference at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY. Click here for more information or to register.

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. Use promo code "NYSAR123" to get $5 off today. Learn more here.

NYSAR's partnership with UPS gives you access to exclusive shipping discounts – up to 30 percent! Enroll today to start saving on every package you send. Visit www.savewithups.com/nysar or call 800-325-7000 to enroll.

It’s time to embrace the opportunity to own the Apple Watch Sport! Perfect for yourself or as a holiday gift. The lightweight sport model is made for those with an active lifestyle and features a silver case and white sports band. Bidding closes Friday, October 30. Visit the RPAC page of NYSAR.com to learn more.

Congratulations to RPAC of New York on raising a record of more than $35,000 during the first-ever RPAC Trivia Night held as part of the NYSAR Fall Business Meetings at Turning Stone. Thank you to the 204 attendees who generously invested in RPAC through ticket sales and auction items. It was a spirited competition where the Metro Region was crowned "Smartest Region of REALTORS." Thank you to Matt Arnold for once again lending his talents to our live auction, and to Katheryn DeClerck for her dedicated service as 2015 RPAC Trustees Chair.