Recent housing and economic reports predict we’ll see
solid spring home sales, according to Jonathan Smoke, REALTOR.com’s chief
economist. Sales are taking longer to close, due to new mortgage rules that
took effect last fall, but the pace of sales is growing.
Smoke predicts that the latest job employment
growth should translate into a 3-percent boost to home sales this year and that
low mortgage rates are improving home buyer affordability. Click
here to learn more.
The
House recently passed a bill that would eliminate loan caps for VA loans, and
it now waits for action from the Senate. Right now, VA loans are capped based
on market area, making it hard for veterans to buy a home that costs more than
$417,000. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) played a role in getting
the House to pass the bill, called the "Veterans Employment, Education and
Healthcare Improvement Act." Learn more here.
Republican
chairmen in the 18 th Congressional District in the Hudson Valley
backed Phil Oliva to take on
Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney this November. Oliva is a top aide to
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the party’s 2014 nominee for
governor. The Oneida County Republican Committee endorsed Cazeonvia businessman Steve Wells over Republican
candidates Assemblymember Claudia Tenney and George Phillips to replace
retiring Rep. Richard Hanna (R-Barneveld) in the 22 nd Congressional
District. The state Republican Party also nominated judicial activist Wendy Long to run against
Democratic U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer.
State
lawmakers have agreed there is $225 million more in revenue than the Cuomo
administration projected for the end of this fiscal year and the coming one,
which begins April 1, according to an official report. The higher
revenue will be factored into ongoing budget negotiations including the
one-house spending proposals currently being prepared by the majority
conference in each legislative house. They are due to be passed by March 14.
More on this story can be found here.
According
to a report from the state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the percentage of
school districts initially planning to override New York’s property tax cap in
2016-17 has nearly doubled when compared to last year, but still remains
relatively small. According to preliminary data, 6 percent, or 36 of the 601
school districts that reported, indicated that they will seek an override of
the tax cap. Property tax levy growth for school districts is capped at 0.12
percent this fiscal year. More on this report can be found here.
The
Tuesday, March 15, NYSAR Radio show will cover the topic of teams. Tune in at
10 a.m. on March 15 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 and Member Perks partner Taxbot for an enlightening webinar focused on
automotive and mileage tracking including SUV/truck deductions and associated
entertainment. The webinar will also cover: the true cost of taxes; dollar
doubling; benefits of owning your own business; hiring your kids; meals; and
home office basics. The webinar will conclude with an overview of the Taxbot
mobile expense tracking app, which is discounted by 50-percent for NYSAR members. Click here to register today.
The GRI-4 Legal course will be offered on March 22 at the
Ithaca Board of REALTORS in Ithaca, NY. Reduce your risk of claims, fines and
lawsuits. Gain a complete understanding of: advertising that is legal and
ethical; contracts, forms, deposits, disclosures and record retention; risk
management strategies; and title insurance and settlement procedures.
Register online today or call 800-239-4432 x219. Click here for more information.
The
GRI-6 Sellers course will be offered on March 23 at the Greater Capital
Association of REALTORS in Albany, NY. Represent seller clients in a way that
keeps them coming back. Get a competitive advantage with strategies to: gain
more listings; get clients priced to sell; enhance your marketing; and avoid
Fair Housing violations and safety concerns.
Register online today or call 800-239-4432
x219. Click here for more information.
The
GRI-3 Agency course will be offered on March 23 at the Greater Rochester
Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. Provide effective, legal and ethical
client representation. This course offers in-depth coverage of: all forms of
agency representation, associated issues and proper disclosure; and how to
avoid the risk of misrepresentation, vicarious liability and breach of
fiduciary duties.
Register online today or call 800-239-4432
x219. Click here for more information.
One
out of every four adults will have their identity stolen – are you next?
According to NYSAR Member Perks partner IdentityForce, a leader in identity
protection, identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United
States and can happen at anytime, anywhere and to anyone. Knowing this, 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.
NYSAR’s
professional insurance broker, USI Affinity, has partnered with Long Term Care
Resources to offer you the choice of three long-term care insurance carriers:
Mutual of Omaha, John Hancock and Prudential. Not only do you have the choice
of carriers, you also have the flexibility to choose from a variety of plan
options to find the plan and pricing best suited to your needs. For more
information or a customized quote, call Ned Cox, NYSAR’s dedicated sales
representative, at 888.834.3713 or visit www.MyREALTORInsurance.com/nysar.
One
gallon of New York State-produced pure maple syrup could be yours with the
highest bid! The syrup is donated by Michael Coughlin and made by Angela Swan,
Homestead Maple Syrup, both members of the Clinton County Board of REALTORS.
The auction closes Friday, March 25. Visit the RPAC Facebook group to place a bid or contact Derick King
at dking@nysar.com or 518-463-0300 x238.
Spring
fever has prompted several local boards to leap into RPAC special event
planning! Congratulations
to the Long Island board on raising $4,500 for RPAC last week. LIBOR's Bowling for RPAC
with WCR and YPN was huge success. Thank you all for the outstanding support!
Congratulations also to the Hudson Gateway Association for raising $1,400 last
week at the Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Putnam County. Thank you HGAR for your
continued support of RPAC! The schedule of March local board events is available here.
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