New York REALTORS sold 4,529 existing single-family homes in New York State during January 2012, a 0.8-percent decrease compared to the January 2011 sales total of 4,564. The January 2012 statewide median sales price of $212,500 represents a decrease of 5.3 percent compared to the January 2011 median of $224,450, while posting a 5.7-percent increase from December 2011. Click here to learn more.

Last week, the New York State Association of REALTORS PAC gave its enthusiastic endorsement to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) as she seeks a full six-year term from the voters in November. Click here to learn more.

According to the latest poll by the Siena Research Institute (SRI), New York State consumer home buying plans increased 1 point to 4 percent in January. Click here to learn more.

Last Wednesday, the New York State Senate and Assembly filed their preferred Congressional maps with a federal court in Brooklyn. These maps showed significant differences in the layout of several upstate and Queens districts. Redistricting must be complete well before the pending Congressional primaries scheduled for June 26, and the legislative primaries scheduled for September 11, 2012. Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

All New York brokers who enroll in the Broker Involvement Program between now and Friday, March 30, 2012, will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card! Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

National Association of REALTORS President Moe Veissi has issued a challenge to get 15,000 REALTORS to Washington, DC for a rally on Capitol Hill on Thursday, May 17, 2012. Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

Starting in April, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will raise the upfront insurance premiums that borrowers must pay when they take a loan backed by the agency by 0.75 percentage point to 1.75 percent. Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

Click here to read the entire Government Affairs Weekly Report.

Today's NYSAR Radio, "Myth busters" will re-air tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. You can also listen to it any time after tomorrow, by visiting NYSAR.com. To listen to the show during one of its regularly scheduled hours, click here.

The deadline for applications to NYSREEF's new Next Generation Scholarship has been extended to Thursday, March 15. Please encourage your college-aged relatives to apply today! Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

Short Sales and Foreclosures-"What Buyers' Representatives Need to Know" – will be offered March 12 at the LIBOR REALTOR Service Center in West Babylon, NY. This course will provide 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. Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 401 – "Get It Listed...Get it Sold" – will be offered March 12 – 13 at the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS office in Binghamton, NY; and March 14 – 15 at the Buffalo Niagara Association of REALTORS office in Amherst, NY. This course will teach you new methods of marketing and ways to integrate technology into your business to increase your listings, sales and profits. Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 403 – "Financing to Increase Homeownership" – will be offered March 16 at the Staten Island Board of REALTORS office in Staten Island, NY. This course shows you how to research products, qualify buyers and explain the best financing options for your clients. Click here for more information or to register.

As a member of NYSAR, you can get quality dental care for you, your family and your employees through an exclusive MetLife Dental Plan, designed specifically for our members. Benefits include lower costs, freedom to choose dentists in or out of the network, multiple plans to choose from and more. Please log in to NYSAR.com and click here to learn more.

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of RPAC of NY by investing $40 in a limited edition anniversary pin. Click here to learn more.

Congratulations to our February RPAC auction winner Jennifer Dindl-Neff from the Jefferson-Lewis Board of REALTORS. Jennifer submitted the high bid of $500 for the Brookstone portable scanner. Thank you, Jennifer for investing in RPAC and for submitting the highest bid we've yet to receive for an RPAC online auction item.

The March RPAC silent auction item is a Microsystem for iPod & iPhone. Bids must be placed by March 30, at 11:59 p.m. Click here to learn more.