The more than 5-percent increase in home sales in March helped the New York State housing market post first quarter gains, according to the housing market report released by the New York State Association of REALTORS. Closed sales were up 1.6 percent in the 2015 first quarter compared to the same period in 2014, while the median price climbed by 2.2 percent. 

Click here to learn more.

Existing-home sales jumped in March to their highest annual rate in 18 months, while unsold inventory showed needed improvement, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). Click here to learn more.

Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast in March fell 33.3 percent to 20,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. February’s revised annual rate was 30,000.

Nationally, new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 481,000, down 11.4 percent from February but 19.4 percent above the March 2014 total of 403,000. Click here to read the entire U.S. Commerce Department press release.

New York State regulators are expected to vote on Friday, May 15, on a measure that will require the installation of fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes and townhomes built in New York. NYSAR supports fire sprinklers and consumer education about the benefits of a sprinkler system but is opposed to mandating their installation. NYSAR has launched an all-member Call for Action opposing the proposed mandate. Take action in opposition to this proposal by clicking here.

NYSAR also launched a media campaign including a radio commercial, newspaper ads and a website in opposition to this mandate on Monday, February 2. A link to the radio commercial and more information including fire sprinkler facts and poll results can be found at www.stopalbanymandates.com.

The New York City Council passed a bill that will make New York City the 12th jurisdiction in the country to prohibit employers from using credit checks to screen job applicants. By a 47-to-3 vote, the council approved legislation banning employers from considering the credit histories of job applicants when making hiring decisions.

The bill, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign, includes nearly a dozen exemptions, such as police officers, workers required to have security clearances under state and federal law, and employees who have signatory authority over third-party assets worth $10,000 or more.

NAR is hosting a Town Hall webcast on May 6, at 2 p.m. REALTORS who are planning to attend the 2015 REALTORS Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo should plan to participate. NAR’s Chief Lobbyist Jerry Giovaniello and the lobbying team will highlight the issues REALTORS will present on Capitol Hill and be available to answer questions from the audience. 

Click here to sign up. Click here for more information.

Today’s NYSAR Radio show will take a look at recent court and New York State Department of State decisions. Tune in at 10 a.m. on May 5 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.

Click here for more information as well as a list of links to play NYSAR Radio from any of your mobile devices.

NYSAR partners with Naylor, LLC., the publisher of New York State REALTOR magazine for the distribution of E-News Weekly. To ensure receipt of your communications and to avoid any difficulty with emails getting caught in your spam filters, please be sure to add Naylor as a safe sender to your contacts. To ensure that you receive both the digital edition of the magazine and E-News Weekly, please add the domain "@naylorconnect.com" to your safe sender list.

The Home Sweet (Second) Home: Vacation, Investment & Luxury Properties course will be offered May 1 at the LIBOR REALTOR Service Center in Riverhead, NY. Specialize in buying, selling or managing resort properties and second homes for recreation, investment or development. This course provides elective credit for the ABR and CIPS designations.

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

The Military Relocation Professional (MRP) core course will be offered on May 7 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. Help current and former military service members find housing solutions that best suit their needs and make the best use of their available benefits.

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

The Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) course will be offered May 7-8 at the Elmira-Corning Regional Board of REALTORS in Corning, NY. Elevate your standards, enhance your performance, and demonstrate the knowledge and skills essential to professionally and ethically represent sellers.

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

NYSAR’s newest Member Perks partner, IdentityForce, is a 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.

NYSAR’s insurance plan administrator, USI Affinity, will do the legwork for you to find the best policy to suit your needs and budget. They will shop the market for you, leverage their size and tap into their nationwide provider relationships to get you the best plans and rates possible. Plus, by bundling your auto and homeowners insurance, you can save up to 30 percent a year.

Click here to learn more.

Local boards across the state have been busy hosting local RPAC events this spring! Already, local boards have raised more than $10,000 for RPAC through local board events alone. From March Madness to Cooking for RPAC, wine tastings, painting for RPAC and casual mixers, REALTORS have come out to support RPAC in their communities. To view the calendar of RPAC events to be held across the state over the next several weeks, click here.

It’s baseball season in America! Support RPAC and win a pair of tickets to see the New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, May 9, at 1:05 p.m. Bidding closes Thursday, April 30. Click here to learn more.