National Association of REALTORS 2016 Vice President Sherri Meadows recently delivered a message to the U.S. House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity that NAR strongly supports the Veterans Affairs Department’s Home Loan Guaranty Program and Specially Adapted Housing Grants. NAR looks forward to working with the VA on further initiatives to ensure homeownership remains in reach for America’s veterans. Learn more here.

NYSAR 2016 President Linda Lugo, President-elect Dawn Carpenter and Secretary/Treasurer CJ DelVecchio took the oath of office last week during the association’s Mid-Winter Business Meetings. In addition: attendees heard from 2016 NAR President Tom Salomone; 2015 local board/association REALTORS and REALTOR Associates of the Year and Community Service Award winners were recognized; the Lawrence B. Caldwell Award winner was announced; and the 2015 RPAC awards were presented. Learn more here.

New York State Real Estate Education Foundation (NYSREEF) awarded scholarships to 51 REALTOR members during its meeting last week.  For information on the scholarship program or on making a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation, visit NYSREEF.org. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 30-day amendments to his 2016-17 budget proposal, which are amendments and supplements that can be added to his initial executive budget proposed in January, can be found on the New York State Division of Budget website or on the governor’s website here.

The New York State Assembly will hold hearings at an undetermined date in April to discuss water quality issues in light of recent events in Hoosick Falls and Flint, MI. The hearings will include the Assembly committees on health and environmental conservation. More on this story can be found here.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Thursday that Empire State Development has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to revitalize more than 40 acres at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County. The RFP is for five parcels, which is owned by the New York State Department of Transportation, and range in size from five to 18 acres and total 41.5 acres. More on this announcement can be found here.

Today’s NYSAR Radio show will cover common agency issues, specifically related to buyers and sellers. 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.

Join NYSAR’s Director of Legal Services Anthony Gatto, Esq. this Thursday, Feb. 18, at 2:30 p.m. for the latest NYSAR Legal Leftovers webinar. This webinar is a follow-up to the Legal Update being presented at the NYSAR Mid-Winter Business Meetings. Topics may include such matters as commissions, agency, and other recent legal developments. Click here to register today.

The Short Sales and Foreclosures (SFR) course will be offered Feb. 25 at the Mohawk Valley Association of REALTORS in Utica, NY. This course provides you with the framework for understanding how to: qualify sellers for short sales; develop a short sale package; negotiate with lenders; tap into buyer demand; safeguard commissions; limit risk; and protect buyers.

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

The CRS 201 – Listing Strategies for the Residential Specialist course will be offered Feb. 25-26 at the Greater Syracuse Association of REALTORS in Syracuse, NY. This course provides you with the important skills necessary to conduct successful listing presentations, price a home to sell, close the transaction and market the listing effectively.

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

NYSAR Member Perks partner Taradel is an approved affiliate of the U.S. Postal Service’s Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM®) program. Through this partnership, NYSAR members receive a five-percent discount to design, target, print and mail marketing pieces to every address in a specific zip code or carrier route. Forget buying mailing lists and printing labels, get started with Every Door Direct Mail® today. Click here to access the exclusive NYSAR EDDM® member portal.

Through their partnership with Oncor Insurance Services, NYSAR’s insurance plan administrator USI Affinity offers you affordable, easy-to-acquire life insurance solutions to fit your needs and protect your income. With options from multiple carriers, you have access to competitive products including term-life, universal life and whole life insurance. There is no cost or obligation for a quote. Call 800-259-3430 or visit www.MyREALTORInsurance.com/nysar to get started today.

New York State REALTORS raised more than $25,000 during the RPAC VIP Lounge held during the NYSAR Mid-Winter Business Meetings at the Desmond Hotel. Thank you to the more than 100 REALTORS who each invested $250 in RPAC to enjoy the amenities of the RPAC lounge including the deluxe breakfast and lunch spreads, manicure, massage, psychic readings and more! Congratulations to BNAR's Charlene Zoratti on submitting the high bid on the HD TV featured in the lounge.

Matthew Arnold of Islip, NY was presented with the prestigious Lawrence B. Caldwell RPAC Service Award, the highest honor presented by the REALTORS Political Action Committee of New York. Arnold, a REALTOR for more than 17 years and a former co-owner/Broker of Dutch Door Realty in Sayville, is currently with Netter Real Estate in West Islip. He has been a consistent RPAC Major Investor, served as an RPAC of New York Trustee and outspoken advocate for RPAC. Year after year, he has donated his time and talents to RPAC of New York’s fall fundraising event, serving as Master of Ceremony and live auctioneer for the past eight  years. During that time period, Arnold has helped RPAC of New York raise more than $100,000 in live auction proceeds alone.

RPAC of New York and NYSAR’s 50,000 members thank Matthew Arnold for commitment and dedication in support of RPAC.