In its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for the 2016 first quarter, RealtyTrac Inc. reported New York State ranked 16 out of all 50 states for quarterly total foreclosure filings. New York had 16,525 total foreclosure filings in the first quarter, with 6,667 of them happening in the month of March. Learn more here.

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes remained unchanged in April at a level of 58, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The Northeast fell two points to 44 in April.To read the entire NAHB press release, click here.

NYSAR’s annual Lobby Day is Tuesday, May 24, 2016 in Albany. Contact Government Affairs Director Mike Kelly at mkelly@nysar.com to RSVP. This year, we will be advocating for a statewide first-time homebuyer savings account program, among other legislative priorities. For those traveling to Albany the day prior, a block of rooms at the new Renaissance Albany Hotel, located across the street from the New York State Capitol Building, has been set aside until April 23. The rate is $179. To reserve a room, call 518-992-2500 and use our room block code SAR, or enter the online group code: SARSARA. NYSAR will reimburse up to $75 per person for travel expenses to Albany for Lobby Day. NYSAR also reimburses local boards half the cost to lease mass transportation to Lobby Day. NYSAR will provide breakfast, lunch, lobbying orientation and lobbying materials.

In addition to the presidential primary election, voters on Long Island and Lower East Side Manhattan will decide who will replace convicted former leaders Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver. Republican Chis McGrath is running against Democrat Todd Kaminsky for Skelos’ Long Island Senate seat. Democrat Alice Cancel is facing Working Families candidate Yuh-Line Niou and Republican Lester Chang for Silver’s Manhattan Assembly seat. More on this can be found here.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is set to expire in September 2017, and according to NAR, the stakes are high for reauthorization. The program lapsed twice between 2008 and 2012, and as many as 40,000 home sales stalled every month as a result. Another lapse would represent a significant challenge to consumers and the housing market. In an op-ed, NAR President Tom Salomone announced joint principles for reform of the NFIP. More on this story can be found here.

Today’s NYSAR Radio show will cover the topic of Fair Housing in honor of April being Fair Housing Month. 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.

Mandatory Code of Ethics training (formerly known as the Quadrennial Code of Ethics training) must be completed by Dec. 31 of this year. Members are advised not to wait until the last minute to take the Code of Ethics training. Failure to complete the training by Dec. 31 will result in your local board/association suspending your membership on Jan. 1, 2017 until the requirement is met. Any member who has not met the requirement by March 1, 2017 will be automatically terminated. Learn more here.

The GRI-7 Property course will be offered on April 25 at the High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, NY. Learn about all the factors impacting value and close more deals. Discover the myriad elements that affect property value including: types of housing; appraisals and inspections; neighborhoods and amenities; energy efficiency and environmental issues; lender requirements; and more.

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

The GRI-6 Sellers course will be offered on April 26 at the High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, NY. Represent seller clients in a way that keeps them coming back. Get a competitive advantage with strategies to: gain more listings; get clients to price 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.

NYSAR's partnership with UPS gives you access to exclusive shipping discounts – up to 30 percent! Enroll today to start saving on every package you send. Visit www.savewithups.com/nysar or call 800-325-7000 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. Visit www.myrealtorinsurance.com/nysar to learn more.

The April RPAC auction item is a pair of New York Mets tickets for Saturday, May 21, at 4:10 p.m. against the Brewers. Seats are located in the Excelsior Level, Section 311. The auction closes Monday, April 25. Visit the RPAC Facebook group to place a bid or contact Derick King at dking@nysar.com or 518-463-0300 x238.

Local boards are busy planning spring RPAC events including LIBOR’s Day at the Races and Jefferson-Lewis/WCR’s Paint & Sip. A calendar of local board RPAC events is displayed on the RPAC page of NYSAR.com. Click here to view the calendar.