NYSAR's annual Lobby Day started today at 9 a.m.! We are happy to welcome hundreds of REALTORS from around the state who have come to Albany to participate in this extremely important event. REALTORS will spend the day educating their legislators on the issues that matter to our industry, such as S.5693-B(Zeldin)/A.7979-B(Lavine), which amends Section 442 of the Real Property Law titled "Splitting Commissions."

Click here for a schedule of events and to view the 2014 legislative talking points.

According to the latest poll by the Siena Research Institute (SRI), New York State consumer home buying plans were up 1.1 points to 5.1 percent in May. Overall, New York State consumer confidence rose 1.6 points in May, while the nation’s confidence fell 2.2 points. At 76, New York State’s overall consumer confidence is 5.9 points below the nation’s confidence level of 81.9.

Click here to learn more.

In honor of June being NYSAR Housing Opportunities Month and in an effort to raise awareness for housing opportunities in New York State, the NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation has made a goal of raising $5,000, which goes directly to its First-time Homebuyer Grant Program. The foundation will have a fundraiser at the NYSAR 2015Mid-Winter Business Meetings called the "It’s New to You" Couture Store and is collecting gently-used items to be sold in the store. In recognition of this effort, any donation you make will raise the level in their virtual shopping bag.

The bag with donor recognition will be prominently displayed on NYSARHousingFoundation.com, in an upcoming issue of New York State REALTOR magazine, on the foundation’s Facebook page and at the NYSAR Fall Business Meetings. Click here to learn more and to donate.

NYSAR has launched a Call for Action in support of S.5693-B(Zeldin)/A.7979-B(Lavine), which amends Section 442 of the Real Property Law titled "Splitting Commissions" to explicitly state that nothing shall prohibit a broker from offering any part of a fee, commission, or other compensation received by the broker to the seller, buyer, landlord or tenant as an incentive for using the services of that broker.

Your action and support are needed immediately. The bill has yet to be voted on by the Assembly or Senate and there are only two weeks left in the legislative session! Please click here to take action and tell your member of the Assembly and your state senator to vote "yes" on S.5693-B(Zeldin)/A.7979-B(Lavine).

NYSAR is actively working on the legislation below in the New York State Legislature:

Sandy Tax Abatement (A.9578 – Silver/S.7257 - Lanza). NYSAR supports this legislation that establishes a partial tax abatement for real property that was repaired and rebuilt following Hurricane Sandy.

Fire Sprinkler Information (A.7916 – Morelle/S.4610 - Young). NYSAR supports this legislation that adds a new article to the general business law requiring any builder of a one- or two-family residence to provide information regarding the installation of fire sprinklers. Click here to read NYSAR’s Memorandum in Support.

Click here to learn more.

The Tuesday, June 17, NYSAR Radio show will cover agency issues, specifically relating to buyer’s agents. Tune in at 10 a.m. on June 17 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.

Open enrollment has begun for a July 1 effective date, so now is the time to consider NYSAR’s dental plan and optional vision rider for your insurance needs. Key benefits of United Concordia dental plan include: options to offer you a range in coverage and cost; lower rates with a two-year guarantee; orthodontia coverage; and more. New in 2014, the optional vision rider, administered by Davis Vision, includes: an annual vision exam; annual allowance for glasses or contacts; discounts on disposable contact lenses and laser vision correction; and more.

For more information about the plans and rates, please call 888-834-3713 or visit www.myrealtorinsurance.com/nysar.

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) course will be offered June 16-17 at the Long Island REALTOR Service Center in West Babylon, NY. This course helps you develop the business-building skills and resources for specialization in the senior real estate market by: expanding your knowledge of how life stages impact real estate choices; connecting you to a network of resources; and fostering empathy.

Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 404 – "Serving Real Estate Investors" – will be offered June 19 at the Greater Rochester Association of REALTORS in Rochester, NY. In this course, you'll learn how to complete financial calculations, explain conceptsused in evaluating real estate as an investment, and help clients negotiate, purchase, finance, manage and sell commercial and/or investment property.

Click here for more information or to register.

REALTOR Institute 408 – "e-PRO Day One" – will be offered June 20 at the Greater Binghamton Association of REALTORS in Johnson City, NY. This course 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.

Time Warner Cable recognizes the vital connection you provide to their potential customers and wants to reward you for your referrals. To get started, you first need permission from your broker to present clients with this opportunity. Then, register yourself and gain access to the online referral portal. Your clients will appreciate the time-saving concierge services and a free standard installation, while you earn award points that can be redeemed for thousands of exciting awards, such as electronics, travel awards and luxury gifts, or even donated to charity. You can even choose to use your points to make donations to either the NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation or New York State Real Estate Education Foundation (NYSREEF).

For more information or register as a referrer, visit www.twcablerealty.com/nysar. Click here to watch a brief video about the program.

It’s time to enjoy the great outdoors by gathering around this cozy fire pit! Made of durable steel with a rubbed bronze finish, it includes a log grate, fire poker, mesh screen and cover to protect against the elements. Bidding closes on Wednesday, June 25.

Click here to learn more.

The spring and summer fundraising season is in full swing! Find out which boards across the state are busy holding RPAC fundraising events in the coming weeks and months by clicking here.