NYSCAR June 2026 president’s message - by Mercedes Brien

As I write this letter, we are preparing to be at the Annual Conference being held at the Rivers Casino, Schenectady, New York.

I look forward to reporting on the conference in my next letter.

We have some great courses coming up via Zoom. Please be sure to keep watch on upcoming courses by visiting nyscar.org/resources and tools/professional development.

• July 9, 2026, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm am via Zoom.

“Realtor Hunger Games” – Katheryn DeClerck. Fulfills two hours of “Implicit Bias” required for NYS license renewal.

• September 18, 2026, 9:00 am – 11:00 am via Zoom.

“Introduction to Cost Segregation” – Frank Giudici. Two-hour elective course.

• September 25, 2026 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. via Zoom.

“Safety and Security for Real Estate Professionals” - NYS trooper Steven Rothwein. 1.5 hours elective course.

New Course Offering!

• September 28 and 29, 2026 viz Zoom 4 -hour elective course. Advanced Financial Literacy for Investment Real Estate by Joseph Larkin, CCIM, SIOR.

Advanced Financial Literacy for Investment Real Estate provides the essential knowledge and ability to understand, analyze and manage the economic aspects of real estate investments and transactions. This comprehensive two-part course covers advanced financial concepts and mathematical tools essential for decision-making in commercial real estate.

Students will learn how to calculate and apply amortization strategies, develop sinking funds, determine the internal rate of return (IRR) and calculate net present value (NPV) in real-world contexts.

What you will learn:

Reserve Programs and Sinking Funds: CapEx funding and reserves are essential to real estate investments. We will outline strategies for managing reserve funds and for developing sinking funds effectively. Using a pre-populated Excel spreadsheet, we will apply the approach to determine the outcome.

Financing Investment Real Estate and Debt Management: We will provide an overview of commercial financing sources, loan structures and terminology. It includes understanding how debt financing (leverage) affects an investment as well as managing loan-to-value and debt coverage ratios to minimize risk.

Financial Analysis of Investment Properties: Demonstrate the concepts and skills of investment analysis needed to estimate the value of an income-producing property using the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) method, which are based on the investor’s required rate of return.

Mercedes Brien, CEA, is a licensed real estate broker with Yaman Commercial, Cortland, NY and is the 2026 president of the NYS Commercial Assn. of Realtors (NYSCAR), Albany, NY.