Association News
March 2023
News
Registration is open for NYSAR’s 2023 Lobby Day
NYSAR Lobby Day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, 2023 at the Empire State Plaza, Meeting room 6 in Albany. Join your fellow REALTORS® from across the Empire State to advocate in front of your lawmakers and discuss real estate related priorities that matter in your area and across the state. Lobby Day is a FREE event and travel reimbursement is available. Don’t be left behind – make your REALTOR® voice heard! Learn more.
NYSAR offering mediation and Ombudsman training
NYSAR is hosting mediation and Ombudsman training for members who would like to become locally and state certified. Training will be held at the Crowne Plaza Albany – Desmond Hotel. Mediation training is April 17 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and April 18 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Ombudsman training is April 18 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Mediation training is $150/member with Ombudsman training just $50. To register, click here.
For more information, click here.
2023 Core Standards Certification Form now available
The 2023 Core Standards Certification Form is now available by clicking here.
There are no changes to the Core Standards requirements for 2023. NYSAR’s deadline will be December 15, 2023. Please remember that NYSAR staff will review your applications prior to submission if you wish. This must be done before December 15. Please reach out to Ali Mann to make a review request at [email protected].
Across the Association
In the latest edition of Across the Association, we offer up some opportunities at NYSAR both legislatively and educationally. Watch now!
NYSAR awards program nominations open
Nominations for four NYSAR awards are being accepted until July 28, 2023.
Alan Yassky Distinguished Service Award: NYSAR will recognize up to two individuals who have made significant industry contributions.
2023 REALTORS® Honor Society: Recognizes board/association members for their REALTOR® association involvement during 2022.
Community Service Award: Recognizes up to three individuals who are involved in an endeavor in their community.
REALTOR® of the Year: Honors someone who is involved in activities at all levels of the association.
To learn more about any of the above awards, click here!
Education
April Zoom Education Classes
April is Fair Housing Month and the Education Department will be offering several programs addressing the topic. The Four Hour Update to Fair Housing and Fair Lending Instruction on April 11, taught by Rebecca Jones, offers 4 CE hours in Fair Housing for both Appraisers and Real Estate licensees. Discover the history of Fair Housing and Lending including policy changes to the present day with the USPAP and how it applies to valuations for appraisers and real estate agents who are performing broker price opinions and other valuation services. This is the mandatory 4 Hour Update required for appraisers as of January 1, 2022 who have taken RE-2 and GE-1. Instructor Roseann Farrow will review the importance of incorporating inclusion and equality into your daily business practices to help all buyers achieve their homeownership dreams on April 19-20 during the At Home With Diversity Certification class. The course offers 2 credits in Cultural Competency and 3 in Fair Housing. On April 28, examine your attitudes and behaviors to ensure you are treating all clients and customers equally at the Fair Housing Reality Check for Brokers and Managers from 1 pm to 4 pm. Discrimination is illegal and REALTORS® have an obligation to protect people’s rights to live where they like. This course, taught by Roseann Farrow, offers 3 CE hours in Fair Housing.
GRI courses offering 7.5 CE credits coming up include GRI-8: Technology on March 29-30. Ifoma Pierre will provide information on how to streamline your business – go mobile and paperless with transaction management tools, online advertising and e-marketing and learn about automation hardware, software and apps. Jeffrey Decatur will teach GRI-6: Sellers on April 26-27. Learn how to represent seller clients to ensure repeat business and gain more listings. The course includes 2 hours CE in Agency.
Other certification courses in April include two of the core Certified International Property Specialist classes: CIPS-Global Real Estate: Local Markets on April 17-18 and CIPS-Global Real Estate: Transaction Tools on April 24-25. Each class, taught by Linda Lugo, offers 7.5 CE hours including 2 in Cultural Competency. In the Local Markets course, learn how to connect with foreign buyers who invest billions in residential real estate, the majority paying in cash and, on average, $100,000 more than the US median price. Transaction Tools will help you better serve foreign-born buyers. Discover how to research markets, monitor currency trends and provide alerts to clients on tax and visa matters that may affect transactions.
Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) with Randy Templeman will be offered April 18- 21. This 12-credit CE course offers tips on tapping into the largest and wealthiest buyer’s group in the county – the over 50 crowd and what motivates them.
Additional April classes include Ethical and Agency Issues on April 12 from 1 pm – 4:30 pm taught by Roseann Farrow. Ethical theories, challenges, enforcement, and resolution practices will be covered along with “best practices” through a review of the NAR Pathways to Professionalism and commonly misunderstood areas of NAR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. This course offers 2.5 hours in Ethics and 1 in Agency.
Cultural Competency in Real Estate with instructor Dorothy Botsoe is scheduled for April 21 from 1 pm – 4 pm. Ensure interactions with consumers are positive by being aware of cultural differences and accommodating the differences without discriminatory actions. Fair Housing laws must prevail in all dealings with the buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, etc. Identify and implement what you learn about yourself during the course to improve your interactions. Various forms will be discussed and provided in available languages. The course offers 3 CE hours in Cultural Competency.
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Government Affairs
Senate and Assembly release their one-house budgets
The state Senate and Assembly released their respective one-house budget proposals on Tuesday signaling the Legislature’s response to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s initial Executive Budget proposal released in February. The deadline to pass a final budget is April 1, 2023. Notably, neither house included “good cause” eviction legislation in their budget proposals, however, lawmakers still have the opportunity to negotiate its inclusion prior to April 1 or consider the bill outside the budget. Among some of the more contentious issues being negotiated between the Legislature and governor include increasing income taxes on New Yorkers earning over $5 million, amending the state’s bail reform laws, increasing housing development, and electrification of homes and buildings.
Housing
Both the Senate and Assembly gutted Governor Hochul’s “Housing Compact” plan by removing language that would have provided the state authority to override local zoning and proposes providing state aid incentives for regional housing growth rather than a mandated requirement. Both houses proposed $250 million for a housing-access voucher program that would subsidize rent for people at risk of eviction and/or homelessness. The Legislature also removed many of the governor’s proposals to incentivize and expand affordable housing and multi-family development throughout the state.
Climate
Both the Senate and Assembly rejected the governor’s proposal to require the electrification of existing homes, however, both houses proposed to require new construction homes and buildings to be all-electric by 2025 for smaller buildings and 2028 for larger buildings.
To read a full budget summary of these issues and more, click here.
Take Action – REALTORS® call Governor Hochul urging opposition to “good cause” eviction
On Wednesday, NYSAR promoted a Call for Action asking REALTORS® across the state to call Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office to express their opposition to the inclusion of “good cause” eviction in this year’s state budget, which could be voted on April 1. The Call for Action is part of a broader coalition effort that NYSAR is a partner of called Homeowners for an Affordable New York. If you have not taken action yet, click here to send an email to your state lawmakers and Governor Hochul urging them to say NO to “good cause” eviction.
Push for co-op fairness and transparency
“Inside City Hall” news reporter Errol Louis recently highlighted the need for more transparency and fairness in the co-op purchasing process. NYSAR has prioritized support for enacting new laws that would create a uniform process and timeline for co-op boards to respond to prospective purchasers at both the state level and within New York City and continues to engage lawmakers to take action. Legislation (A.1778) before the state Legislature will be one of several key agenda items during NYSAR’s annual REALTOR® Lobby Day is on Tuesday, May 2. For more information on NYSAR’s Lobby Day, click here.
NY faces rising customer bills for gas as New York electrifies, report says
As policymakers continue to negotiate decarbonization in New York, they have so far declined to outline in detail the costs to individual households and ratepayers to shift away from fossil fuels. According to a report by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, which supports building electrification, remaining gas ratepayers could see monthly utility bills rise to $8,000 in 2050 if 90 percent of customers leave the gas system. A hybrid approach of electrification with the gas system decarbonized with alternative fuels is estimated to have a lower cost impact on ratepayers, according to the report. For more information, visit NYSAR’s website.
RPAC
RPAC of NY presents Happy Hour @ the War Room Tavern & Dinner @ the Renaissance Hotel
Kick off NYSAR’s 2023 Lobby Day experience by attending an RPAC Happy Hour at the War Room, Albany’s premiere political-themed tavern, followed by a delicious four-course dinner at the Albany Renaissance Hotel on Monday, May 1. Happy Hour will run from 4:00-6:00 p.m., including an open beer and wine bar and appetizers, followed by the four-course dinner at the Renaissance from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Limited tickets available, pre-register for this RPAC fundraiser before tickets sell out. See flyer for complete details (attached.) To register for Lobby Day and the RPAC fundraiser, click here.
2023 Local Board RPAC Events on the Calendar
Local boards are busy planning events to tackle NY’s $1.4 million RPAC Goal! On the calendar are DCAR and GCAR bowling nights, GRAR Paint and Sip and the HGAR Happy Hour in Rockland with more in the works. To view the event calendar, click here.
RPAC March Auction Item
Beats Solo3 Wireless On-ear headphones. Apple W1 Headphone chip, Class 1 Bluetooth, 40 hours of listening time, built-in microphone, lightning-fast charging – 5 minutes of charging provides 3 hours of playback time. Compatible with both Apple and Android. Bidding will end, Friday, March 31.
To bid, visit the RPAC of NY Facebook page.
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.