The New York State Association of REALTORS will hold its annual Fall Business Meetings from September 29 to October 2 at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, NY. NYSAR encourages all members to participate as many of the sessions do not require official committee service.

For more information or to register for the meetings, click here.

Get involved and help guide the future of your state association by signing up for 2014 committee service. Committee sign up has been extended and is now available until Wednesday, August 7.

Click here to learn more and to sign up.

Sales of new single-family homes in the Northeast in June were up 18.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted rate of 32,000, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. May’s revised annual rate was 27,000. 

Click here to learn more.

Last week, the House Financial Services Committee passed H.R 2767, the Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners (PATH) Act. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) opposes this legislation, which includes reforms to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), and the financial regulatory law known as the Dodd-Frank Act. NAR opposes the bill based on two major concerns, namely, the end of federal guarantee for a secondary mortgage market, and the dramatic restructuring and targeting of the FHA. 

Click here to learn more.

A new poll found Anthony Weiner’s New York City mayoral campaign struggling after last week’s revelations of continued online misbehavior following his resignation from Congress. The poll contained better news for former governor Elliot Spitzer, who leads over his opponent in the race for New York City Comptroller.

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The Tuesday, August 6, NYSAR Radio show will take a look at the most common real estate-related myths. Tune in at 10 a.m. on August 6 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.

The NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation will be raffling off a prize worth more than $1,200! The winner will enjoy a two night stay at The Lodge at Turning Stone as well as a complimentary round of golf for two, or spa treatments at Skana worth $210. And to top it off, the winner will receive a $200 American Express gift card to use during their stay. All proceeds go toward the Foundation’s first-time homebuyer grant program, which awards $2,000 grants to low-to-moderate income families/individuals.

Buy one chance for $40, or 3 chances for $100. Make your donation online at members.nysar.com, or bring it to the Fall Business Meetings. The winner will be announced at the Board of Directors meeting. A special thanks to our generous sponsor, The Turning Stone Resort and Casino. Some restrictions apply. Click here for more information. 

REALTOR Institute 408 – "e-PRO Day One" – will be offered August 7 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. This new addition to the GRI program covers day one of the two-day e-PRO certification (day two is completed online - additional fee applies). In this program, you'll focus on the changing market, creating an online presence and managing your online reputation. 

Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 402 – "Real Estate Legal Issues" – will be offered August 8-9 at the Elmira-Corning Regional Board of REALTORS in Corning, NY. This course gives you a clear understanding of agency practice and policy issues, and teaches how to avoid misrepresentation, antitrust and fair housing violations.

Click here for more information or call 800-239-4432 to register for the free course.

Short Sales and Foreclosures (SFR) – "What Real Estate Professionals Need to Know" – will be offered August 8 at Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, 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.

Energy Plus® is leaving its mark on the energy industry through its special cash back rewards program. Enroll your home with Energy Plus® and receive 3 percent cash back and a $25 enrollment bonus after two months of active service, and 5 percent cash back and a $50 bonus for a business account. Enrolling with Energy Plus® is easy and there are no monthly service fees, cancellation fees, or long-term commitments. Stop missing out on what you deserve and start earning cash back rewards. Click here to enroll today. 

Click here to learn more.

NYSAR's compliance partner, PossibleNOW, makes do-not-call compliance easy. With DNCQuickcheck you can instantly verify phone numbers, access compliance training, generate reports for safe harbor defense assistance and much more. Individual accounts pay just $10/month (a 50-percent savings) or cover unlimited agents in one office for $100/month. To subscribe, visit www1.dncquickcheck.com or call 800.585.4888 and use member code SC1477NY.

NYSAR CEO Duncan MacKenzie submitted the high bid of $542 on Brookstone's deluxe jumbo float. Thank you Duncan for generously supporting RPAC at the Sterling R level for many years!

Duncan was also an inaugural member of the RPAC of New York Hall of Fame for investing at least $15,000 in RPAC over his lifetime! Stay tuned for the August RPAC auction item to be unveiled soon.

Thank you Jennifer Hayes-Vucetic and the Capital Region Chapter of the Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR) for hosting the Code of Ethics/RPAC Mini Golf event last week in Clifton Park. The event included mini-golf, food and beverages all in the name RPAC!

Join your colleagues from across the Metro region for an elite RPAC experience at Modell’s Clubhouse at Citi Field for the New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals game on Tuesday, September 10. The RPAC experience at Modell’s includes: a ticket to the game and private access to the Modell’s Clubhouse; the ballpark buffet; and private bar service with complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks. *This RPAC event is open to the members of NYSAR’s Metropolitan Region including: Bronx-Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan and Staten Island. 

For complete details and registration instructions, click here.