ACVRealtors

07/14/2026

Don't miss the opportunity to grow personally and professionally by signing up for 2027 NYSAR committee service!
View committee descriptions at www.nysar.com/about-nysar/committee-descriptions and sign-up now at committeeapp.nysar.com.

07/13/2026

Recently our CEO, Mike Coughlin, attended the NAR Legislative Meetings in DC. While there, he gave a report on the Smart Growth Program supported by ACVRealtors within the Town of Plattsburgh. His report from the meetings is below.

Coughlin RLM Summary

Sunday, June 14, 2026
Land Use, Property Rights and Environment Committee
The Committee provided an update on various public policy and advocacy issues related to energy, environmental, property rights, infrastructure and water quality currently being discussed in Congress and the federal regulatory agencies.

Smart Growth Advisory Board
The Smart Growth Advisory Board discussed issues related to topic (walkability, transit, and community-centered development) and how REALTOR associations are advancing Smart Growth by utilizing NAR grant funding. They heard presentations on new data from Joe Goode (Chief Research Officer Statara), and REALTOR Association activity from Ryan Adcock (Nashville) and Mike Coughlin (Plattsburgh).

Monday, June 15, 2026
Fair housing Policy Committee
A fair housing update presented by Rebecca Livengood, esq (Partner at Relman Colfax) focused on challenging racial discrimination in housing and public services. She has participated in and played a lead role in numerous complex civil rights cases, including a groundbreaking challenge to unconstitutional discrimination against African Americans and Gullah-Geechee descendants on Sapelo Island, GA; a twenty-one-plaintiff case challenging racial discrimination by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) in its treatment of bank-owned properties post-foreclosure.

HUD Update
Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP)/Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) - 2 rounds of legislation are underway pertaining to HUD fair housing enforcement - Individual rights only and the fact that they are only enforcing Disparate treatment, not Disparate impact
Resources
- PHIP’s trainings are reasonable in cost for locals to work with (sponsorship)
Contact agency local person and have them present
- NAR’s Fair Housing alliance
What is owed to your clients
Crime and school data, as long as it is real data and not thoughts or subjective - also must be consistent with all clients.

Preserve your Legacy flyers from NAR – information for clients

AEC Forum
The Association Executives Forum ensures that there is knowledge and understanding of issues and concerns facing the REALTOR® association. This Forum is for AEs to communicate, share ideas, and discuss common issues and challenges as well as to hear updates and reports from around the industry and recognize fellow AE colleagues for their contributions. Forum concerns will be referred to the Association Executives Committee for consideration
- CEO
o Nikita Wright- no dues increase, staying positive
- SVP for Industry Relations
o Jarrod Grasso, NAR is listening to us and is responding to our requests. NAR is working to provide additional resources that we can actually use
o Website is being updated to improve the user experience
o The new HUB will be unveiled soon, and it has been completely re-configured and updated.
o We are continuing our visitations with associations and brokers.
o AEI 2027 San Antonio March 2-5
o The dates for NXT in 2029 in Las Vegas have been changed – the new dates are now October 7-12, 2029
- Finance Committee
o Ryan McLaughlin - there will be no 2027 Budget at RLM
o the 2027 Budget will be presented at NXT in NOLA. It will be a zero-based budget process with a realistic assumption of 1.2 mil members. Dues will be maintained at $156, The Assessment will remain at $45 with $35 being used for the settlement. This will all need to be approved at NXT.
- Professional Standards
o Carla Rose explained the proposed changes highlighted by:
 New SOP 1-17 – REALTORS must disclose to their clients if they do not possess the knowledge, information, or skills about a property type or geographic area to protect and promote the interests of their clients considering the complexity and particulars of the transaction.
 SOP 17-4 - Procuring Cause cannot be the sole factor in determining compensation
 16-11 request for compensation will no longer be required at first contact
 Changes to Article 6
 Alternate Hearing panelists may now sit with the active panelists
- AE Recognition of retiring CEO’s & new RCE’s

Left meeting to attend the Cybersecurity meeting

Cybersecurity
This session covered several essential tips for identifying scams, keeping your information secure, and understanding the importance of strong passwords.
- Discussed Why target real estate
o Move large sums of money
o Hold sensitive data
o Highly visible
- Methods
o Email phishing
o Email compromising
o Brand hijacked
- Emerging threats
o Deepfakes – using AI to scam you
 Your voice & image can be copied & used without your knowledge
o Non-human identities – every time you connect to an app, you initiate an invisible login
o Agentic AI – the NEW RISK - software that acts on its own
o Using AI to quick build things like websites, forms, etc just by describing them – often skip basic security
- The human element always presents the risk
- Move to Pass Keys will stop the possible loss

Left meeting to attend the AEC Committee meeting

AEC Committee
The Association Executives Committee is a resource for REALTOR® associations & their staff
- ensuring that there is knowledge and understanding of issues and concerns between the REALTOR association community and NAR committees and leadership
- providing a framework which ensures that staff and volunteer leaders have the professional development and management resources they need to provide optimal services to their members.
Review of what was discussed at the ACV Forum
New Information
- Value Proposition Delivery Toolkit
o Messaging Suite
 Equips AE’s with ready-to-use messaging, talking points, and customizable templates to clearly communicate how members’ dues, engagement, and participation delivers value.
 Provides actionable guidance to communicate the value of REALTOR associations linking association activity to member benefits and keep the communication consistent.
o Branding protection Strategy
 Seven (7) step staged process

MLS Forum
A forum to communicate, share ideas, and discussions of concerns regarding NAR's multiple listing
- MLS logo Rules
o Only REALTOR owned MLS’s may use the MLS logo
o No modifications are allowed
- Discussion – Trends and what is on the horizon
o Jeff Young – CEO RPR
o Damian Eales – CEO of Move.com (Realtor.com)
- Panel Discussion - AI and the MLS
o Chris Lambrou, CEO Metro MLS
o Joseph Szurgyi, CEO MLS Grid
o Andrew Coca, CEO Modern.tech, SourceRE, MLS Proptech.com
 Safeguarding data - gray market, gray data
- Panel Discussion – Emerging Trends – Mergers, Acquisitions & more
o Dionna Hall, CEO Beaches MLS
o Dave Garland, Managing Partner, SCV and REACH
o Holly Mabery, Chief Brokerage Officer eXp Realty
 Mergers and acquisitions will continue
 Real estate is becoming more corporate and less mom and pop
 Firms will get bigger – more
o Update from Council of multiple Listing Services (CMLS)
 Compliance issues
• Attacks from the inside - unintended by our own vendors - misuse of the license
• Emerging Trends

Leadership Town Hall
A meeting hosted by NAR leaders for local and state association presidents, presidents-elect, and association staff.
Professionalism

RPAC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Attended this event in support of those who have reached this level of RPAC contribution – four (4) from NY were honored

Also attended the EXPO Show and met with representatives from
- FBS Flex MLS
- SentriLock
- Solid Earth
- Homes.com
- REALTOR Team Store
- SEI Navica AMS

Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Professional Standards Forum and Committee
The decisions that come from the Forum and Committee are then used to advise and make recommendations to the NAR Board of Directors on all matters relating to the Code of Ethics.
- Professional Standards
o Diane Mosley explained the proposed changes:
 Revision to Article 6
• Client disclosure of any additional compensation that may be received from other sources, including real estate referral fees
• New SOP 1-17 – REALTORS must disclose to their clients if they do not possess the knowledge, information, or skills about a property type or geographic area to protect and promote the interests of their clients considering the complexity and particulars of the transaction.
• SOP 17-4 - Procuring Cause cannot be the sole factor in determining compensation
• 16-11 request for compensation will no longer be required at first contact
• Alternate Hearing panelists may now sit with the active panelists
• Revise three (3) and delete two (2) case interpretations
• Additional changes to Appendix II - Arbitration Guidelines
- Several recommended changes from the Complaint Filing Work Group, including
o A recommendation for NAR to adopt an additional, non-mandatory informal dispute resolution program
 A presentation - Problem and Prevention Report was presented
• The Standards have not changed – Only the TOOLS have
• A brief Background & History of the Problem
• Current Dispute resolution Options
• How the Problem Prevention Report Works
• Guiding Principles behind the Report – Why it works
• Implementation tips and Benefits to Associations
 A similar program RED was presented
• Only for certain problems – not for all
- A presentation on Artificial Intelligence & the Code of Ethics was Ed Zorn, VP & General Counsel for the California Regional MLS (CRMLS)
o Overall Particle Guidelines for REALTORS using AI was presented
o Items addressed were:
 Article 1 – Honesty and Trustworthiness in Marketing
 Article 3 – Duty to Cooperate
 Article 10 – No Denial on Basis of Protected Class
 Article 11 – Competency & Skill
 Article16 – Interference with Representation
o Also addressed were several State licensing authorities decisions and rules for AI usage and misusage
- A final presentation from NAR on

Association Management Roundtables
Open discussions with colleagues on association management topics – idea sharing
- Discussion Topics were
o Governance
o Legal issues & protections
o Technology – AI
o Non-dues revenue
o Membership retention and events

MLS Issues and Policy Committee
The Multiple Listing Issues and Policies Committee develops and make recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning policies related to the operation of board-owned and operated multiple listing services and to advise member boards of current developments that could have an effect on board-operated multiple listing services.
- Review of lawsuits – Charlie Lee, NAR Senior council
o outcomes and pending decisions
o Discussion on the potential of new lawsuits being made
- Many items similar to the MLS Forum
o MLS logo Rules
 Only REALTOR owned MLS’s may use the MLS logo
 No modifications are allowed
o Update from Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS)
 Compliance issues
• Attacks from the inside - unintended by our own vendors - misuse of the license
• Emerging Trends
o Discussion – Trends and what is on the horizon
 Jeff Young – CEO RPR
 Damian Eales – CEO of Move.com (Realtor.com
o Rules and Regulations
 Nothing major
 Recap of the November 2025 decision to allow MLS’s to accept non-REALTOR members – local discretion

07/12/2026

07/11/2026

Strengthen your connection to the REALTOR® community by signing up for 2027 NYSAR committee service! View committee descriptions at www.nysar.com/about-nysar/committee-descriptions and sign-up now at committeeapp.nysar.com.

07/10/2026

REALTORS® are committed to preserving, protecting and advancing the right to real property for all.

07/08/2026

Happy Summer All
Your leadership team is working hard to structure the ACVR's future success. We strongly encourage membership to attend the offered Zoom informational meeting to be announced shortly. This meeting will explain the bylaw change requested next month and provide an opportunity to ask questions.
If you would like to ask any direct questions please reach out to any of your board members.
Jodi Gunther

07/07/2026