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NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® 2023 Winners
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team was Excited to see our Agents Shine at the NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award®s for 2023.
The real estate industry is highly competitive, with agents striving to provide exceptional service and deliver outstanding results. On March 20, 2024 we had the privilege to recognize and congratulate the remarkable achievements of several BHGRE Green Team agents at the esteemed NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® held at Minerals Resort in Vernon, NJ. Their dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to their clients have earned them well-deserved accolades. Join us in celebrating the incredible accomplishments of Ted Van Laar, Charles Nagy, Kristi Anderson, Barbara Tesa, and Nicole Albert as they shine brightly at this prestigious event.
Silver Level Recognition $6.5-11.99 million: Ted Van Laar, Charles Nagy & Kristi Anderson.
We are delighted to honor Ted Van Laar, Charles Nagy and Kristi Anderson for their remarkable accomplishments. All of these amazing agents have received the Silver Level award at the NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® Ceremony. Ted, Charlie and Barbara’s unwavering commitment to their clients and exceptional service have consistently exceeded expectations. Their attention to detail, strong negotiation skills, and market expertise have contributed to their success in helping clients navigate the real estate market with ease. Barbara and Ted’s Silver Level recognition is a well-deserved tribute to their hard work and dedication. Congratulations, Barbara and Ted!
Bronze Level Achievement $2.5-6.49 million: Barbara Tesa & Nicole Albert
We are delighted to congratulate Barbara Tesa and Nicole Albert on receiving the Bronze Level award at the NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® Ceremony. Their passion for real estate, combined with their dedication to their clients, have allowed them to achieve remarkable results. Additionally, their integrity, professionalism, and expertise have earned them the trust and admiration of their clients. Barbara and Nicole’s Bronze Level recognition is a testament to their commitment to excellence and unwavering pursuit of client satisfaction. Well done, Barbara and Nicole!
The achievements of Ted Van Laar, Charles Nagy, Kristi Anderson, Barbara Tesa, and Nicole Albert at the NJ Realtors® Circle of Excellence Sales Award®s serve as a testament to their exceptional skills, unwavering commitment, and outstanding contributions to the real estate industry. These agents have not only excelled professionally but have also made a significant impact on the lives of their clients. Their dedication, expertise, and commitment to providing exceptional service have set them apart as true industry leaders. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kristi, Barbara, Ted, Charlie and Nicole for their well-deserved recognition and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.
Weekly Market Update for Week Ending 12/08/2023
Weekly Market Update from Cross Country Mortgage for the Week Ending 12/8/23 |
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Mixed Labor Market Data |
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| In November, the economy added 199,000 jobs, above the consensus forecast of 180,000, but the results for prior months were revised lower by 35,000. The largest gains were seen in health care, government, and leisure/hospitality, while the retail sector unexpectedly posted a significant decline. The other major components of the Employment report exceeded expectations. The unemployment rate declined from 3.9% to 3.7%, below the consensus for a flat reading. Average hourly earnings increased 0.4% from October, slightly above the consensus forecast. Earnings were 4.0% higher than a year ago, the same annual rate of increase as last month and the lowest level since June 2021. Fed officials keep a close eye on wage growth because it generally raises future inflationary pressures.
While the Employment report was a bit stronger than expected overall, the JOLTS (job openings and labor turnover rates) data suggested looser conditions in the labor market. At the end of October, there were 8.7 million job openings, far below the consensus forecast of 9.3 million and the lowest level since March 2021. This equates to just 1.3 openings for each available worker, down from around 2.0 only a few months ago, nearly in line with the levels seen prior to the pandemic. In addition, the “quits” rate was just 2.3%, down from about 3.0% at the end of 2021. Since people generally are more willing to voluntarily leave their jobs when they are optimistic about finding a better one, a lower quits rate is consistent with a looser labor market. Similarly, a lower number of openings suggests that companies face less pressure to raise wages in order to hire enough workers, so this positive news on inflation also was favorable for mortgage rates. Lower rates have jumpstarted applications for home refinancing, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Applications to refinance increased 14% from last week and were 10% higher than one year ago, making the last couple of weeks the best period since 2021. Purchase applications were flat from the prior week and remain down 17% from last year at this time. |
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Week Ahead |
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| The next Fed meeting will take place on Wednesday. No change in rates is expected, and investors will focus on the latest set of forecasts from officials. This will be followed by the European Central Bank meeting on Thursday. For economic reports, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be released on Tuesday. CPI is a widely followed monthly inflation indicator that looks at the price changes for a broad range of goods and services. Retail Sales will come out on Thursday. Since consumer spending accounts for over two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, the retail sales data is a key measure of the health of the economy. | ||||||||||||
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| Information above was provided by Cross Country Mortgage.
We would like to thank our partner, MBSQuoteline for their insightful information. All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission. |
James “Jimmy” Cosenza is now a Certified Real Estate Negotiator!
Better Home and Gardens Real Estate Green Team proudly announces that Jimmy has received his CREN designation!
Jimmy Cosenza is well-known as a ‘go-getter’ and will do whatever he needs to achieve his client’s goals. With great attention to detail, investigative skills, and top-notch problem-solving abilities Jimmy is an amazing Realtor to work with. Still, he always wants to ensure he provides the best possible service to every client that comes to him. This desire to expand his expertise is what pushed him to obtain his CREN designation.
According to NAR®, 83% of buyers and sellers consider negotiation skills very important. As an agent who is always looking for ways to expand his skills, Jimmy decided this designation would be an amazing asset to his clients. As a Certified Real Estate Negotiator he is prepared to tailor a specific negotiation strategy for both his buyers and sellers. Additionally, with this knowledge, he is ready to negotiate the highest price for his sellers and the lowest price for his buyers.
If you are looking for an Expert Realtor who is prepared to get you the best price for your current or future home, contact Jimmy!
Angela Murphy Earns her SRES Designation!
BHGRE Green Team is proud to announce that Angela is now a Seniors Real Estate Specialist!
Anyone who knows Angela Murphy knows that she never gives up. She will go above and beyond for every client she meets in order to help them achieve their goals. Her dedication never wavers and she is described by many as one of the most trustworthy, honest, and dependable agents in our community.
Angela is always searching for new ways to better herself and expand the skills she has to offer her clients. She decided to become a Senior Real Estate Specialist to enhance her expertise in serving the senior generation. With this designation, she can better advise mature clients when buying, selling, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties.
Additionally, Angela plans to use this designation to offer downsizing workshops to help seniors in her community. In these workshops, she will teach seniors how to declutter, downsize, and prepare for their next real estate endeavor.
If you know anyone who needs this service, reach out to Angela at 845-987-4897 or look for the workshops in the paper or on Facebook.
Kimberly Lasalandra is now a Certified Real Estate Negotiator!
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team proudly announces that Kimberly Lasalandra has received her CREN designation!
Kim has always strived to make meaningful connections with every client she encounters. Understanding her client’s wants and needs guarantees that their experience with her is productive and successful. She is described by many clients and coworkers as an expert in her field. Additionally, Kim is known to be thorough in all of her deals and is dedicated to ensuring that she never misses the important details. These traits have been a huge part of her continued success as a Realtor.
According to NAR®, 83% of buyers and sellers consider negotiation skills very important. As an agent who is always looking for ways to expand her skills, Kim decided this designation would be an amazing asset to her clients. Furthermore, as a Certified Real Estate Negotiator she is prepared to tailor a specific negotiation strategy for both her buyers and sellers. With this knowledge, Kim is ready to negotiate the highest price for her sellers and the lowest price for her buyers.
If you are looking for an Expert Realtor who is prepared to get you the best price for your current or future home, Kimberly Lasalandra is ready to help.
Easter Bunny makes An “Egg-citing” visit!
There’s nothing as Egg-citing as a visit from the Easter Bunny!
When BHGRE Green Team learned the Easter Bunny would be visiting Vernon a little early this year we “hopped” right into action. On March 9th our agents, Joe Mackey, Kimberly Lasalandra, Toni Kreusch, Kristi Anderson, Amy Klypka, Charles Nagy, Barbara Tesa, and Peggy Bradfield all got together. They spent hours filling eggs for our fuzzy friend. They then spread them around during an easter egg hunt at our Vernon office on Saturday, April 1st. Once all the eggs were filled we could barely contain our excitement.
Finally, the wait was over, and our team rushed to the office to see the magic that the Easter Bunny had created. When Barbara Tesa, Kim Lasalandra, Peggy Bradfield, Kristi Anderson, Vikki Garby, Heidi Hyland, Toni Kreusch, and Ted Van Laar walked through the door they couldn’t believe their eyes. Despite the rainy weather, our office was full of festive Spring Vibes. There were decorations, treats, easter eggs, and The Easter Bunny himself!
Soon enough it was time for the fun to really begin. When the children and their families arrived at our office it was time to start the egg hunt. You could feel the air buzzing with excitement as they ran through the rooms collecting as many eggs as would fit in their baskets. Our team and the Easter Bunny cheered them on the entire time. Once all the eggs were found the Easter Bunny was happy to sit for photos with the kids.
Our team loves to see the joy that these events bring to the members of our community. This was an amazing experience for all of us and we can’t wait until we host our next fun event!
BHGRE Green Team’s 2022 Awards Ceremony
An afternoon to Celebrate one of our Most Memorable years yet
BHGRE Green Team’s 2022 awards ceremony was held on March 3rd at the Warwick Valley Country Club. This year was full of transformation, learning, and success for our team and we couldn’t wait to celebrate.
In May 2022, Vikki Garby stepped into the position of Green Team Realty’s new President. Since then she has invested countless hours of hard work into improving our company. Shortly after, our beloved Broker manager for our NY office, Lucyann Tinnirello stepped down. After being in this position since 2018 she decided it was time for her to begin focusing on working full-time with her clients. Carol Buchanan was chosen to take her place and has done a fantastic job as our NY office’s new Broker Manager.
Arguably our largest change came in July of 2022. After 17 years as an independent agency, the decision was made to affiliate with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. This opportunity was unparalleled; the marketing tools and training they provide to our agents give us a huge advantage in the business.
Getting the Afternoon Started…
Our President Vikki Garby started the afternoon with an inspiring speech. Since her promotion to president, she has made inspiring teamwork and improving the experience of our agents her priority.
Following Vikki’s speech, our CEO Geoffery Green stepped up to take the mic. He extended his appreciation to our agents as well as our “behind the scenes” team. He invited our ASMs, Natalee DiMichele and Morgan Beattie, and our Broker Managers Carol Buchanan, Kim Lasalandra, and Krissy Many. As well as our headquarters team, Nicole McCormick, Britanni Gaucher, Ryan Fischer, Lora Chandra, Vikki Garby, and Jane Steinhoff. These individuals keep our team running smoothly and help our sales associates be as successful as they can be.
He also thanked Linda VanDeWeert, our “jack of all trades” as well as Lucyann Tinnirello, NY’s former Broker manager.
After Geoff’s speech, our Marketing Director Nicole McCormick took over to start the awards.
The Emerald Elite, Yearly Sales Leader, and Citizen of the year awards go to… Kristi Anderson!
Kristi’s hard work and dedication to her clients and her career placed her at the top this year. She blew us away when she not only closed out 2022 with $12,422,350 in total sales volume but also was the top-selling agent in Vernon, NJ for 2022. She was proud to have helped 45 different families with their real estate dreams.
With all these accomplishments, it’s no surprise Kristi reached Emerald Elite status and received the Yearly Sales Leader award. Additionally, for the second year in a row, Kristi was selected as BHGRE Green Team’s Citizen of the year. This award is given in recognition of their valuable contributions and outstanding support to their community.
Congratulations Kristi!
The Platinum and Team Player of the Year awards go to… Barbara Tesa!
Barbara joined our team in 2017 and brought her 20 years of exceptional real estate experience. Over the years she has continued to excel and has become one of our top Sales associates. Barbara has been described as an intelligent, responsive, and hardworking agent who will stop at nothing to achieve her client’s goals. This professionalism and work ethic continue to set her apart from the competition and these qualities are what earned her the Platinum sales award for $8-11.99 Million in sales volume.
Additionally, Barbara also received one of the “Team Player of the year” awards. The recipient of this award is chosen by their peers to recognize their reliability, positivity, and dependability while exhibiting dedication and devotion to the agency and team.
Congratulations Barbara!
Gold Awards for $6-7.99 Million in Sales were presented to:
Kristine Many, Chris & Megan Kimiecik, Vikki Garby, Charles Nagy, and Ted Van Laar.
Silver Awards for $3 to $5.99 Million in Sales were presented to:
Tammy Scotto, Carol Buchanan, Nancy Sardo, Cara Dumond, Barbara Matchett, Ed Sattler, Tom Folino, Pip Klein, and Renee Williams.
Bronze Awards for $1.5 to $2.99 Million in Sales were presented to:
Robert Valentine, Linda VanDeWeert, Kimberly Lasalandra, Guillermina Tavares, Lucyann Tinnirello, Angela Murphy, Kathy Eubanks, Toni Vogel, Terry Gavan, Kathy Moran, Toni Kreusch, Britanni Gaucher, Vanessa Wight, and Jacque Kraszewski.
Team Players, Mentor, Citizens, Student, and Rising Stars of the Year…
Team Players are chosen by their peers, “in recognition of their reliability, positivity, and dependability while exhibiting dedication and devotion to the agency and team.” Our sales associates selected Barbara Tesa and Brian Cisek as the recipients of this award for 2022.
Krissy Many earned her award for Mentor of the Year “in recognition of her dedication, dependability, and devotion to Her mentees.”
Citizens of the Year are selected in recognition of their valuable contributions and outstanding support to our community. This award was given to Walter Ross and Kristi Anderson to recognize all they do for their communities.
Pip Klein was presented the “Student of the Year” award in recognition of her dedication and devotion to expanding her knowledge.
For the first time this year, we introduced the Rising Star award. This is given to agents to recognize their exceptional and ongoing growth in the Real Estate Profession. Barbara Matchett and Kathleen Moran were presented with these awards for their extraordinary success as newer agents.
Additional Awards…
Joseph Mackey was presented with the “Smallest Big Deal” award for 2022. This award was given to recognize his dedication to even the smallest of sales, proving that this career is about relationships and building long-lasting connections.
Teresa “Terry” Gavan was given the Legacy Award in recognition of the dedication she has shown over her 40-year career as a real estate agent. Afterward, she gave a wonderful speech recounting the amazing memories she has made over the years.
The Momentum Builder Award was given to Cara Dumond this year. This award is given to acknowledge “her ability to create the most positive and consistent momentum in her professional career while maintaining the same impetus reflected in many aspects of her personal life.” During Cara’s speech, she opened up about the many challenges she faced over the years. Her two children joined us for our award ceremony to show the support and pride they have for all their mother’s achievements.
Finally, Vanessa Wight was awarded a certificate for the “Funniest Survey Answer”. While preparing for our awards ceremony our associates were sent an “endless” amount of survey requests. Vanessa kept the entire team laughing with her humorous responses while completing them.
Time for food, fun, and friends…
Once the award presentations finished our team spent the rest of the afternoon celebrating. Despite the challenges, 2022 was an amazing year we won’t soon forget.
Carol Buchanan 2022 4th Quarter Sales Leader
Carol Buchanan Is Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate Green Team’s Sales Leader For The 4th Quarter Of 2022 In The NY Office.
The New York office of “Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team” announced that Carol Buchanan is the sales leader for the fourth quarter of 2022. From October 1st to December 31st, Carol brought in $2.9 Million in sales volume!
Beyond being Quarterly Sales Leader…
Carol brings with her over 30 years of business experience and a diverse real estate background. She began her real estate adventure while working for a company that managed sales and marketing of new construction developments. The passion she discovered while working there inspired her to go on to earn her Associate Brokers license. Following this accomplishment, Carol became the manager of several New Home developments throughout Orange County and Peekskill.
After returning to working as a sales agent, Carol worked for large corporate real estate offices as well as smaller real estate offices. Additionally, Carol even spent time working as the Major Events Coordinator and Assistant to the Regional Director for Benjamin Moore & Co.
The skills Carol learned throughout these experiences helped her grow into the amazing realtor she is today. She is known for being a diligent and detail-oriented agent who is ready to help her clients overcome any obstacles that arise. In May of 2022, Carol was promoted to Broker Manager and has exceeded all expectations.
A fabulous 2022..
Carol closed out the year with an amazing $5,746,675 in total sales volume. According to Vikki Garby, President of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team,
“One of my first-ever transactions was a deal I closed with Carol on the other side. While she was not yet with the Green Team, she was as kind, professional, and supportive then as she is now as one of my most trusted colleagues. She always puts her clients’ needs first and works tirelessly to help both her clients and her fellow agents. As a professional who has been in this business much longer than I have, I have a great deal of respect for Carol and am fortunate to work alongside her.”
Congratulations Carol, we’re wishing you another very successful year!
BHGRE Luxury Essentials Skills Certified
Almost Weekly Since Our Affiliation With Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate, Our Agents Have Been Given New Chances To Expand Their Knowledge And Improve Their Business.
Recently Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate offered our agents the exciting chance to become Luxury Essentials Skills Certified. Almost every Realtor in the business dreams about breaking into the Luxury Real Estate Market. Unfortunately, becoming a name in the Luxury Real Estate industry proves to be difficult to achieve. Few agents ever get the opportunity to have a single Luxury listing, let alone become experts in the Luxury market.
Distinctive Collection brings luxury to mind which is why BHGRE offers this high-end advantage; you expect service and support from your real estate partner that is as singular and distinct as your position in the marketplace. It was obvious this class would truly give our team members a huge advantage over their competition. During this course, our agents were taught the language of Luxury. They were shown how to make a name for themselves and break into this niche market. Throughout the course, they honed their skills and explored ways to provide the best white glove service to luxury clients. Additionally, everything they learned would not only enhance their profitability but give their business a boost unlike any other.
Upon their completion of this course, our sales associates are ready to share the immense amount of knowledge they have gained. Additionally, they now have a luxury flag for their profile pictures so they can market themselves as luxury certified.
We Are So Proud Of Our Agents Who Went Above And Beyond To Obtain this Certification And Expand Their Knowledge.
Our knowledgeable real estate professionals in the luxury field are always ready to help you accomplish your goals. We serve Warwick, Goshen, Monroe, Chester, Montgomery, and many other towns & villages in the Hudson Valley, NY area. Additionally, our luxury New Jersey agents are well-versed in many areas of Northern, NJ such as Vernon, Sparta, Hardyston, Hamburg, and more towns in Sussex, Bergan, Passaic, and Morris County. You can be sure these real estate professionals will give you the best luxury real estate experience possible.
Our New York Distinctive Collection Luxury Certified agents are James Cosenza, Tammy Scotto, Janine Blandino, Vikki Garby, Angela Murphy, Kristine Many, Pip Klein, and Kasey Douglas!
Our New Jersey Distinctive Collection Luxury Certified agents are Barbara Tesa and Toni Kreusch.
Meet Ken Garby
Ken Garby is bringing his investment real estate experience and extensive financial knowledge to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!
Ken Garby grew up in Warwick, New York. Here he met his wife Vikki, President of BHGRE Green Team, and grew to have a strong love for the area.
Ken received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. He and Vikki relocated to Teaneck, New Jersey soon after Ken began his career. Ken designed and built sewage treatment facilities and managed HVAC projects in NYC.
Ken soon discovered his passion for investing and decided to pursue a career in this field. He soon passed his Series 7, 55, and 63 exams and began his new career working on Wall Street. For seven years Ken excelled as a licensed Registered Representative working as a stock trader for one of Wall Street’s premier proprietary trading firms. Although his license is no longer active, the years of financial knowledge are a valuable asset to anyone looking to invest in real estate.
The Road to Real Estate
In 2005, Ken and Vikki began investing in Real estate, and in 2008 Ken stopped trading professionally and became a full-time Real Estate investor. By combining a strategy of accumulating rental properties and flipping houses, they now have 21 residential and 7 commercial units in Orange County that Ken manages. Ken is a strong negotiator and has extensive experience on both the buy and sell side of many transactions.
After starting their family, Ken and Vikki decided to return to Orange County to raise their children. Their son Zachary, and daughter Melina, went on to flourish in the Warwick Valley Central School District. Zach has since graduated and went on to attend Syracuse University and Melina is currently a Junior at Warwick Valley High School.
Ken and Vikki are proud parents who make sure to play an active role in their kids’ lives. Ken has loved coaching his kids’ soccer, baseball, and softball teams since they were young. Even now he continues to coach softball for the OC Bombers’ travel team that Melina plays on.
After returning to Warwick, Vikki became a licensed real estate agent and joined BHGRE Green Team. With hard work and dedication, Vikki was promoted to BHGRE Green Teams’ President in May of 2022.
After his wife became Green Team’s president Ken decided it was time to become a realtor himself. With almost 20 years of investment real estate experience and extensive financial knowledge, Ken knew this was the right move for him. Additionally, his skills and understanding of construction/flipping give him the ability to recognize the value of a house.
It is no doubt that a realtor with Ken’s knowledge and experience will be an unbeatable asset to every client that he meets.
