Association News
September 2024
NAR Settlement Updates
NYSAR’s dedicated NAR lawsuit settlement webpage has all of the resources your members need, including FAQ’s for New York REALTORS® and more.
Model statewide forms and tutorial videos available
NYSAR has updated model statewide forms and instructional videos available for your members.
NAR has updated its “Consumer Guide” series, which explains open houses, written agreements and what it means for a REALTOR® to act in their client’s best interest.
News
NYSAR “Elevate Your Profession” Fall Business Meetings
The in-person portion of the NYSAR “Elevate Your Profession” Fall Business Meetings, including the NYSAR Board of Directors meeting, will be held September 29-October 2, 2024 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY.
National Association of REALTORS® Good Neighbor Awards
Daniel Davies of the Southern Adirondack REALTORS® is a 2024 NAR Good Neighbor Award finalist. Learn more about Dan’s story and encourage your members to vote for him before Oct. 2.
Local Board REALTOR® of the Year
Please notify NYSAR Board Relations and Professional Standards Assistant Charity Murray of your REALTOR® of the Year by January 3, 2025. They will be recognized at the NYSAR “Opportunity Awaits” 2025 Mid-Winter Business Meetings. Email Charity Murray.
Early bird registration for REALTORS® Triple Play is open! Join us December 9-12 in Atlantic City, NJ for education, a trade expo, networking, and more. Encourage your members to attend and take advantage of the lowest registration rate before October 15.
Encourage your members to apply for the NYSAR Leadership Academy, which identifies, educates, and inspires future leaders in a professional, supportive environment. Applications are being accepted until October 11.
Cold Calling Still Prohibited in New York
Unsolicited telemarketing sales call to any person in a county, city, town or village are still prohibited. All other types of marketing such as mailers, billboards, social media, internet etc., are permitted. You may call a FSBO if you have an identifiable purchaser interested in the property. You are prohibited from calling the FSBO to solicit the listing. You may still perform business to business calls so long as you are calling the number provided as the business number.
Education
October Zoom Education Classes
Kick Start Your Career this Fall with a Certification or Designation Class! Examine proven strategies and techniques to create smoother transactions for both buyers and sellers on September 19-20 at GRI-7 Property with instructor Roseann Farrow. 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. Use these to your advantage to close more deals! Let noted North Fork REALTOR®/instructor Jerry Cibulski guide you through the process of buying, selling, or managing a resort property or second home for recreation, investment, or development at the 6 credit, September 23-24, Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) course. Autumn is the most popular time to sell vacation properties in the Northeast. Get tips on the latest technology and office management tools to run your business “smarter” and market yourself to potential customers, October 10-11, at GRI-8 Technology with instructor Ifoma Pierre. Learn about the best apps, software, and hardware to help you exceed client expectations while automating and/or streamlining processes. Be more productive in less time – go mobile and paperless with tips on internet advertising and syndication, e-marketing and social media. Earn six credits including 3 in Fair Housing and 2 in Cultural Competency attending At Home With Diversity (AHWD) with Carmen Cartagena on October 15-16. Explore the importance of incorporating inclusion and equality into your daily business practices to help all buyers achieve the dream of homeownership. This course addresses the topics of diversity, fair housing and business planning to assure equal treatment of all. October 17-18, capitalize on strategies to secure more buyer clients and become proficient in guiding them through the process from pre-qualifying to closing, assuring Fair Housing compliance, and keeping you, your clients, and customers safe at GRI-5 Buyers with instructor Katheryn DeClerck. Attend this class and earn your required credits in Fair Housing (3) and Agency (2) for license renewal. Join us for the Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) course, October 21-24 with Randy Templeman. This 15-credit class, with 2 credits in Agency, provides a blueprint on what a successful seller transaction should look like – from effective prospecting and generational marketing to compensation policies, listing models, and more. Discover which Articles of the REALTOR® Code of Ethics are the most common subjects of complaints and how to apply the Code using real life scenarios and case studies at GRI-1 Ethics, October 28-29, with Lin Fields. Professional Standards enforcement, procuring cause, arbitration, NAR’s mediation requirement and the appeals process will also be reviewed. Earn 7.5 hours of CE at this program and satisfy both the 2.5 hours in Ethical Business Practice required in NYS and the mandatory 2.5 hours of NAR Code of Ethics training required every three years. Take advantage of our last NAR GREEN designation class until 2026 on October 29-November 1 with Matthew Dean and Randy Templeman. Learn how to retrofit an older home or construct a new home with green features and smart technologies. Develop the skills required to properly value resource-efficient homes (solar, geo-thermal etc.) and find out how to find and assemble a team of experts to service them. Earn 13.25 credits at the program and the title of “GREEN expert” in your market.
RSPS, AHWD, SRES and GREEN courses can be used as an elective towards your Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR) designation. New NYSAR Members, licensed 12 months or less can also take advantage of our “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” – GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute) promotion* – we are offering four courses in as many weeks over late September and October. Each foundational GRI- Graduate REALTOR® Institute – course offers 7.5 CE credits, many in required credit areas. GRI Courses must be completed within 12 months of the first GRI course you attend to qualify for the free class. Registration for the free GRI class must be made by phone at 518-463-0300 x219 following the completion of the initial two classes.
Need a refresher on Buyer Representation? Avoid conflicts and potential misunderstandings by knowing how to explain representation options to consumers, when to present the disclosure form and how to clearly describe its contents and meaning. With purchasers having more choices than ever of Buyer’s agents, it’s important to develop methods for advocating and building buyer loyalty right now. Randy Templeman will give you tips on how to gain a client for life, October 9, at Buyer Representation: The Essential Guide, 9 am – 12:00 pm. Explore the best ways to communicate with buyer clients to explain your fiduciary duties, provide them with better advice and build trust to exceed their expectations. This $50 course carries 3 CE credits including 1 in Agency.
View the full Zoom Education calendar and/or register for a course here. Unless otherwise noted, all courses above are offered 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Register by phone at 518-463-0300 Ext. x219.
Remember: Active REALTORS® who have earned and maintained their NAR-family designations/ certifications and are looking for a refresher, may retake a previously completed designation/certification course for only $50 and earn CE credit for doing so provided your dues are current!
NYS REEF Scholarship Information
Since 2004 the New York State Real Estate Education Foundation (NYSREEF) has awarded more than $462,443 in tuition scholarships for national REALTOR® designation courses. These courses help to provide participants with the latest industry-based information helping in the growth of their business and careers. The deadline for the next round of scholarships is December 31, 2024. You must be licensed for at least one full year, be actively engaged in real estate and hold primary REALTOR® membership in New York State to apply. Salespersons, associate brokers, brokers and appraisers are eligible. Application information may be found online.
Government Affairs
State Code Council considers new mandate requiring homes to install fire sprinklers
The State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council released its proposed amendments to the state Uniform Code, which includes a new unfunded mandate requiring the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems in all new 1-2 family homes and townhomes. NYSAR has opposed this requirement in the past and continues to express its opposition to this most recent draft code update, which is open for public comment through September 24. Among the issues of concern include additional costs associated with the installation and maintenance of the system, particularly for those homes on well water. Importantly, state law already exists requiring home builders to provide purchasers of newly constructed homes with information on the benefits and estimated costs associated with the installation of fire sprinklers, which NYSAR supported.
Take Action now and tell the Governor and Code Council to oppose mandated residential fire sprinklers in New York. Please share the link with colleagues and clients. Read NYSAR’s letter to the Code Council here.
NYSAR urges DEC restraint in developing new wetland regulations
NYSAR and housing developers are warning that more restrictive wetlands protections set to take effect next year could negatively impact new housing development at a time when the state desperately needs more housing. The Department of Environmental Conservation is in the process of collecting public comment on draft regulations required by state law, which extend state protections to an additional 1 million acres of wetlands. The DEC will have new jurisdiction, imposing a 100-foot buffer around wetlands, as well as a proposed 800-foot buffer around designated “vernal pools.” NYSAR has submitted comment urging the DEC to provide clarity and further restraint on its proposed buffer zones. You can read NYSAR’s full testimony here.
Guest Speakers announced for NYSAR’s Fall Business Meetings: Senior Editor and Elections Analyst David Wasserman; Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon
NYSAR is pleased to announce this year’s guest speaker at the Fall Business Meetings General Session at Turning Stone Resort on Monday, September 30, will be Senior Editor & Elections Analyst for The Cook Political Report, David Wasserman. Wasserman is recognized as one of the nation’s top election forecasters and is a contributor to NBC News and has appeared on C-SPAN, CNN, Fox News and NPR.
Additionally, NYSAR’s Legislative Policy Forum on Monday, September 30, will feature guest speaker Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. County Executive McMahon has held the office since being elected in 2018. Most recently, he was a featured speaker at Governor Hochul’s Future Energy Economy Summit held in Syracuse on September 5. For more information on NYSAR’s 2024 Fall Business Meetings schedule and to register, click here.
Gov. Hochul convenes Energy Summit and Energy Planning Board
On September 5, Governor Kathy Hochul convened the “Future Energy Economy Summit” in Syracuse in order to outline next steps to address New York’s growing energy demand and advance clean energy technologies. Among the goals of the summit included the need to build out the state’s renewable energy grid and solicit industry feedback on a new draft Advanced Nuclear Technologies Blueprint, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. Additionally, on August 29, Governor Hochul announced a convening of the State Energy Planning Board to update New York’s comprehensive State Energy Plan, in which a draft scope plan was released at its September 9 meeting. The public will have 60 days to provide written comment on the draft scope and learn more about the issue on the State Energy Plan website.
RPAC
RPAC Karaoke at NYSAR Fall Meetings – Grab your tickets while they are still available!
Registration for the NYSAR Fall Meetings is now open. The legendary RPAC Karaoke Night is returning on Monday, September 30 with Karaoke, the addition of a dance floor this year where attendees may dance the night away and live and silent auctions with MC. Matt Arnold. Don’t delay, secure your tickets for Karaoke Night while registering for the meetings. Once the event is SOLD OUT, we cannot offer more tickets.
RPAC of New York’s summer/fall Fundraising Season is still hot
The Summer/Fall fundraising season is still hot across New York with LIBOR’s Brews on the Battleground – 2024 election preview, a Meatball Brawl in Buffalo & an HGAR Cocktail Party with NAR President, Kevin Sears on the calendar with additional exciting events in the works including, GCAR’s RPAC Lounge and more HGAR events!
New RPAC Merch available – Soft Cooler Tote Bag – $25 RPAC Investment
Our 2024 signature RPAC item is a Soft Cooler Tote bag in Black. The bag is insulated, features a zippered main compartment, front pocket, handy adjustable shoulder strap and padded carrying handle. Perfect for the beach, pool, picnic and more. Size:12 ½” W x 9″ H x 6 ½” D
To order your Soft Cooler Tote visit https://www.nysar.com/advocacy/rpac/rpac-merchandise/
September Auction Item – Portable HD Projector
View your favorite movies, tv shows or presentations with this 1080P HD portable projector with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities. Compatible with your phone, HDMI, USB, Stick or other devises. The projector also includes a screen. Perfect for indoor or outdoor movies. Bidding will end, Friday, September 27 @ 5pm. To bid, visit the RPAC of New York Facebook group.
Contributions are not deductible for income tax purposes. Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and are used for political purposes. You may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal and the National Association of REALTORS®, the New York State Association of REALTORS® or any of its local boards or associations will not favor or disfavor any member because of the amount contributed. 70% of each contribution is used by your state PAC to support state and local political candidates. Until your NYSAR PAC reaches its PAC goal, 30% is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a; after NYSAR PAC reaches its RPAC goal, it may elect to retain your entire contribution for use in supporting state and local candidates. Contributions are not deductible for income tax purposes. Contributions to RPAC are voluntary and are used for political purposes. You may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal and the National Association of REALTORS®, the New York State Association of REALTORS® or any of its local boards or associations will not favor or disfavor any member because of the amount contributed. 70% of each contribution is used by your state PAC to support state and local political candidates. Until your NYSAR PAC reaches its PAC goal, 30% is sent to National RPAC to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under 2 U.S.C. 441a; after NYSAR PAC reaches its RPAC goal, it may elect to retain your entire contribution for use in supporting state and local candidates.