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Furever Homes for Pets
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team loves helping people find their perfect home. This time we wanted to help pets find their Furever homes as well.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team decided to host Furever Homes for Pets, a fundraiser for the Warwick Valley Humane Society. Our goal was to help get these loving animals seen and hopefully find their forever families. In addition, we aspired to raise funds and collect supplies for the shelter.
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- Adoptable Kitten
After much anticipation, the day finally came and the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. We had so many people come out to join us and show their support! Adults and children alike were able to enjoy balloons, pictures, face painting, and goody bags for their pets. Maddie Schloika and her pup, Sven, from Warwick Wags were the star performers showing off Sven’s amazing tricks. Of course, the adorable animals from the Warwick Valley Humane Society stole the hearts of everyone there; some of which received applications for adoption! Many people who came out for the fundraiser were also kind enough to donate blankets, food, and other necessities. In addition to these donations, Furever Homes for Pets was able to raise a total of $1,530 for The Warwick Valley Humane Society.
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- Facepainting
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- Volunteers from the Warwick Valley High School
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- Picture Time
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- Furever Homes
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- More Face Painting
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- Carol & Brian
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- An Adopted Pet and his Family
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- Furever Homes
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- Sven & Maddie
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- Maddie & Sven
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- Sully and his Humans
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- Sully
Looking Sharp!
Every pet looked fabulous as they posed for portraits in front of a beautifully crafted faux house, made by Valentine Home Builders. The “house” was decorated with branded pumpkins and other stylish fall decor. The portraits were taken by Cesar Done from Home Tour Vision who donated his time and skills for this amazing cause.
We had over 40 adorable pets have their portraits taken and enter our pet portrait contest. People were able to vote on our Facebook page, @bhgregreenteam, for which pet they felt was the cutest. It was amazing to see the number of people interacting and helping choose our winners. The winners would receive a gift basket for their furry, or feathery, friend. These gift baskets were generously donated by Northern Bear Pet Food & Supplies, Coat Tails Pet Grooming, Track 7 Postal Center, and Ellen’s K9 Dog Grooming.
After one week of voting and anticipation, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for, time to announce the winners!
First Place and recipient of a Pet Basket from Northern Bear Pet and Supplies and a Gift Certificate for Dog Grooming from Ellen’s K9 Grooming was the very handsome pup, Monty! Our very adorable second-place winner Sully took home a Pet Grooming Gift Certificate from Coat Tails Pet Grooming. Last but certainly not least was our Third Place Winner, a fine feline friend, Freddie took home a 9×9 Canvas Portrait Print donated by Track 7 Postal Center!
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- Monty
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- Sully
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- Freddie
BHGRE Green Team loved being able to host such a rewarding fundraiser. It’s always important to us to interact with and support our local community. We would also like to thank all of our sponsors for helping us make this day possible. Furthermore, a big thank you to our amazing team members and awesome high school volunteers, Ryan McCormick, Melina Garby, Carrington Mask, and Keegan Armistead who came out to help this day run as smoothly as possible!
Haunted Homes: Barbara Matchett’s Story
Barbara Matchett always loves a good ghost story.
Today she shares a chilling experience she had in August of this year.
When Barbara’s son and his wife were ready to buy their home, who better to help them accomplish this than Barbara? After seeing the listing for a home with lots of potential right in Wantage New Jersey, of course they had to see it.
Barbara arrived early and decided to wait outside for her son and daughter-in-law before entering the home. While she was standing there alone, chills began to creep up her arms and she could feel a grim energy oozing from this house. She has shown many houses throughout her real estate career but has never felt something like this before.
It was a relief to Barbara when she saw her son and his wife pull up in front of the house. She was conflicted about whether or not she wanted to share this feeling with them. Barbara didn’t want to discourage them from this home if it was only her mind playing tricks on her.
As they got out of their car and walked towards her, she ultimately decided it was best to say something. Barbara opened her mouth to tell them about the eerie feeling she had but her son spoke before she could.
“What’s up with this house?” He asked her “There’s a really weird feeling here that’s making me uneasy.” Barbara was shocked and a little relieved that he was feeling the same energy as she was.
Despite how creeped out they were by the home they decided to tour it anyway. They had already made the trip and didn’t want to waste it.
As soon as they entered the home the feeling of dread got worse. Barbara could feel the air inside the home was heavy and full of sadness and despair. There was no doubt in her mind that, at some point, something horrible had happened in this house. At the time of their viewing, the house was completely vacant. Barbara couldn’t help but wonder if the previous owners left because of the same feelings they were experiencing now.
The haunting feeling of this house made the three of them wrap up the showing rather quickly. It wasn’t a surprise to Barbara when her son and his wife decided that this was definitely not the home for them.
People say homes can hold onto energy long after their previous occupants have moved on. Could this have been what Barbara and her family experienced on that day? If you want to read more creepy experiences from our agents take a look at Krissy Many and Barbara Tesa’s stories.
Haunted Homes: Krissy Many’s Story
Krissy Many’s Chilling Experience
Krissy Many is often asked if she has ever experienced a haunted house throughout her many years of real estate.
While Krissy believes that houses have feelings and different energies, there have been some that stand out more than others. On occasion, she has visited homes that felt so heavy she couldn’t wait for an excuse to leave; One of these experiences she shares today.
A few years ago Krissy got a request to show a new property to one of her clients. Just by looking at it, Krissy didn’t notice anything unordinary about the house. It was a flipped home that had recently been renovated and was now sitting vacant. To avoid tracking dirt through the newly finished home, Krissy and her client removed their shoes at the front door. When they started their tour Krissy took note of the minimal staging. The only furniture in the home was a kitchen table where plates, silverware, glasses, and cloth napkins were all neatly placed. It looked as if the home was waiting for a family to sit down for dinner.
As they concluded the viewing Krissy and her client returned to the front door for their shoes. While they were putting on their shoes, making small talk, a noise made both Krissy and her client freeze. They heard the clanking of dishes and the sound of silverware on glass! Krissy glanced at her client as they hesitantly made their way back to the kitchen. Alone in the home, they couldn’t think of anything which could have been making all that noise.
Upon entering the kitchen, a shiver went down her spine; one of the place settings was now amiss. The napkin had been unfolded and the silverware, that had been so neatly placed on the table, now rested on the plate. It was almost as if she and her client had interrupted someone in the middle of their lunch. With no desire to experience any more hauntings for that day, Krissy and her client quickly made their way out of the home.
Krissy isn’t alone in these experiences. She has had clients tell her about spirits that have followed them home. These clients have experienced many unexplainable events like exploding candle jars and flickering lights. While viewings can leave an impression it may not always be in a good way.
Haunted Homes: Barbara Tesa’s tale from Clinton Road
Barbara Tesa shares her frightening experience on New Jersey’s Clinton Road.
Clinton Road is located in West Milford New Jersey, and became famous for being one of America’s most Haunted Highways. This 10-mile stretch is home to many paranormal experiences, hair-raising folklore, and even true crime stories. Aside from that, being surrounded by a dense forest and with extremely limited cell phone service, Clinton Road can make anyone feel uneasy…
A road filled with hauntings
It was a rainy October evening and Barbara was on her way to meet clients at a home they wanted to view. Due to the rain causing traffic delays, Barbara was running a few minutes late. She decided to call her clients to notify them of her delay but they had hesitation in going into the home. Barbara insisted they wait just a little longer for her to arrive; they agreed.
Barbara began to feel uneasy. The rain started to come down in buckets and the road began to narrow; she was surrounded by dense woods to the right and what appeared to be a pond on the left.
As the rain came down harder, Barbara needed to slow down to be able to see out her windshield. Up ahead she saw a couple on a tandem bicycle, as she approached them she was able to see they were dressed in clothes from an era well behind us. She thought to herself “They must be going to a Halloween party somewhere close by but how strange to be out in this weather.”
A moment later she came upon a vehicle stopped on the side of the road. A man was standing there with his foot propped up against his Jeep, wearing a cowboy hat while smoking a cigarette. It was almost as if he was enjoying the scenery on a beautiful sunny fall day.
Up ahead, a man appeared on the left side of the road. He was standing in front of his motorcycle with his helmet resting on the seat. Again, enjoying the day as if the rain had no effect on him.
Barbara called her clients to let them know she was only seconds away. They told her they were no longer interested in the home because the area gave them an eerie feeling. Barbara notified the listing agent to let her know they would not be viewing this home and to make the owner aware.
Barbara decided to make a K-Turn in the road to head back towards the highway; the road was so narrow it became a disheartening task. The rain continued to come down and her heart began to race. Barbara called her husband to ease her uncomfortable feeling, and he remained on the phone until she made it back to the main road. She told her husband about the strange occurrences that she had seen and yet, moments later after turning around, the man by his motorcycle, the man with the cowboy hat, and the couple on a tandem bicycle had all disappeared.
When Barbara got home she spoke with the seller’s agent who suggested she look up “Clinton Road in West Milford NJ”. Barbara gasped at what she read; apparently what she had seen were APPARITIONS; Ghosts of the past!
This is a true story based on the experience of Barbara Tesa.
A Spine Chilling Story
An experience like that is sure to give you goosebumps for years to come. A quick google search will show hundreds of other stories similar to Barbaras, perhaps you even have your own. If you’ve never visited Clinton Road would you be brave enough to?
Meet Renee Williams
Renée Williams is bringing her expertise to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!
Renée began her career as a political analyst in London’s Parliament. Following that she spent nearly a decade in Private Equity as a Financial Analyst. She worked in Midtown, Manhattan, at a global real estate-oriented merchant bank, asset management, and investment company. This company was the industry leader in distressed and value-focused real estate investing. This position earned her unrivaled experience across the real estate industry.
At the end of 2019, Renée relinquished her role at C-III Capital Partners to devote more time to social impact matters. Following this, she became a part of a minority-led, technology and social impact company in SoHo, New York. Providing top millennial, corporate professionals access to philanthropic, board leadership opportunities within well-known nonprofits and foundations. While a part of this company Renée led Corporate Relations, Diversity Training, and Partnership Engagement.
An expert in her field
Renée now works as a licensed real estate advisor. With extensive experience across mixed-use commercial and residential real estate. Additionally, she has firsthand property development and interior design experience. Thanks to her nearly 10-year career in private equity investment real estate she has lots to bring to the table as a real estate advisor.
“I enjoy all the different aspects of real estate and it doesn’t feel like work.” Say’s Renée when asked about her experience as an agent.
Additionally Renée is a Political Science Graduate of Boston University and Foreign Language Studies at London School of Economics. She is also an active member of the prestigious Alumni Society. This elite network is composed of senior-level Latinx leaders who graduated from the country’s top universities.
Making a house into a home
Four years ago Renée and her husband made the decision to leave Brooklyn and to relocate to the Hudson Valley. While house hunting in Greenwood Lake, they found a hidden gem in the form of a small lakefront bungalow. This home had recently gone into foreclosure and was in desperate need of some TLC. Thankfully Renée and her husband had a vision and were ready to make it a reality. After some hard work, they had completely transformed this property. They were now proud owners of an idyllic, three-story, contemporary-modern, designer lakefront home.
Renée’s dedication to her community
Now Renée is a proud member of the Warwick Valley Rotary Club and recent graduate of Leadership Orange Class of 2022. She is happy to go above and beyond for her community and serves monthly at the Greenwood Lake Food Pantry. Furthermore, she is honored to sit as the Chairwoman of the Rumshock Veterans Foundation.
As a former nationally ranked Rhythmic Gymnast and New England Patriots Cheerleader, Renée enjoys an active life. She can often be found on new adventures and traveling with her husband and two young children.
A new team to call her own
When it came time for Renée to leave her previous brokerage she wanted to find a group that would help her achieve her goals. When she met with us at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team she could tell she found her new “home”. With our entire team ready to support her every step of the way she was ready to begin her newest adventure.
When asked why she picked Green Team she said: ” I chose to make a move because I feel that at BHGRE Green Team I would receive support. I also knew that they would truly focus on my success and help me to achieve my goals. That kind of support and personal touch is difficult to find in this industry.”.”
We are so happy to welcome Renée to our team and can’t wait to see all her future accomplishments.
Agent Spotlight on Krissy Many
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln
This quote reminds Krissy Many to Strive to be her best every day.
A top-tier Agent
Krissy became a realtor in 2015 and since then has created a very successful career for herself.
Out of all the agents we have at Better Homes and Gardens Green Team Krissy has been in the top 10 for the last 3 years and counting. She is very proud to have ranked 2nd in 2022’s 3rd quarter sales volume. Additionally, she has accumulated over 85 Five Star reviews on her website. This is the most that any agent in her brokerage has received before.
An Expert in the Business
Krissy’s BS in Economics and Masters in International Business and Marketing gives her an extra level of expertise to bring to her clients. Furthermore, while in real estate she has gone above and beyond to acquire knowledge to better assist her clients. Going on to become a Graduate of Dr. Karrass’s Effective Negotiations, Associate Broker, Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA), and a Military Relocation Professional (MRP). As well as receive her Commercial & Investment Real Estate Certification.
Krissy holds a lot of respect for Veterans as they have given so much for our country. The desire to be able to better serve Military and Veteran clientele is what inspired her to obtain her MRP. Ensure she could give them the possible representation when buying or selling real estate.
Pride in Her Work
As a Real Estate Consultant, Krissy’s main focus is to help her clients achieve their real estate goals. She provides expert coaching and teamwork and places heavy importance on communication and results. Krissy continues to be a trusted source of referrals and information for her clients long after the deal is closed.
Krissy enjoys working with many different types of clients and the challenges and problem-solving that accompany this career. The joy that comes with seeing her clients achieve their goals is unmatched.
A New Experience
Recently Krissy was presented with a new challenge, assisting an overseas buyer with their purchase and relocation to the Hudson Valley.
When asked about this experience Krissy told us:
“Due to the time difference; we mostly communicated via text & email with a few calls when we could manage it. The buyer viewed homes via video and purchased site unseen. We closed, she moved in and loves the home! But I still have no idea what she looks like.”
If Krissy can successfully take on a deal like that work she can take on anything!
Green Team Celebrates our affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.
Celebrating Our New Team!
After 17 years of being an independent agency, Green Team Realty made the decision to affiliate with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. This was a huge opportunity for us to expand our horizons and take advantage of everything this amazing company has to offer. The marketing tools, as well as the special training that they provide to our agents, are hard to beat. Additionally, these tools will also help to make the real estate process all the better for our clients.
After such an exciting change we wanted to take some time to celebrate joining this fantastic company. To do so we decided to host ribbon-cutting ceremonies at both our New York and New Jersey offices.
Our Warwick offices ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by numerous members of the community as well as many of our agents and administrative team. Mayor Newhard, Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Assemblyman Karl Brabanec, and Executive Director of the Chamber Stefanie Keegan all came out to show their support.
Afterward, at our Vernon offices ceremony, we were joined by Mayor Howard, The Vernon Chamber of Commerce, our administrative team, and many of our sales associates. While there our CEO Geoffery Green, made a wonderful champaign toast to our new affiliation and the future of our team. Following Geoff’s speech, Mayor Howard also made his own fantastic speech congratulating us.
We are so very thankful to everyone who was there with us for this exciting occasion. Our team looks forward to showing our communities everything we have to offer.
Geoffery Green’s Speech:
Mayor Howard’s Speech:
Another Successful Applefest!
Warwick’s Most Anticipated Event
The charming village of Warwick welcomed people for another very successful Applefest. An estimated 30,000 people come every year to enjoy the many treats Warwick has to offer.
Taking part in the Excitement
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team was excited to join in on the fun. Our booth included the perfect photo opp with a beautiful faux house, courtesy of Valentine Home Builders, complete with branded pumpkins and fabulous fall decor. Clearly many others were also impressed as we had hundreds of people stop by to take photos throughout the day.
Many people jokingly asked, “Can you come to my house and decorate my front door?” BHGRE Green Team’s Marketing Director, Nicole McCormick, who organized the event took that as a huge compliment. “As a lifestyle brand, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate offers many staging tips and guides for the home. I wanted to bring that to life at Applefest. With the help of the brand, our agents and Valentine Home Builders, that thought came to fruition. We will be using the same Door Front Display at our Furever Homes for Pets: Pet Portrait Fundraiser this weekend; all proceeds benefit the Warwick Valley Humane Society.” said Nicole.
Showing their devotion to their Community
Our sales associates were front and center to enjoy the festivities. They handed out brochures about the area, balloons to little ones, and goody bags they created themselves. Our agents love to go above and beyond; an ideal that is shown in the care that they take with their clients every day. Being able to meet new people and spread the love during Applefest was a great experience for everyone.
“It was a great event; it felt really good being a part of the team.” stated Brian Cisek.
“Me too!” Replied Nancy Sardo, “It was a great day spent with great people! Here’s to next year!”
A Rewarding Experience
In addition, Green Team was excited to have the opportunity to host a raffle to win a brand new Apple Watch SE. We had many people enter but the lucky winner was Linda Zappala!
We love having the opportunity to get to know our community on a personal level. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team strives to ensure that everyone we have the honor to work with receives the best possible experience.
Apple Fest 2022 was a huge success and we look forward to participating again next year!
Barbara Tesa Reached The Cap!
Congratulations From Geoffrey Green, President Of Better Homes and Gardens Realty Green Team, to Barbara Tesa for reaching the commission cap for Company Dollar Contribution in 2022!
“I am very happy for Barabara as she once again reaches the cap. If you know Barbara you would agree that she is a true professional. She takes her work in this industry very seriously. She is responsive, intelligent, and fun to be around. That is why she continues to excel as one of BHGRE Green Team’s top producers. Congrats Barabara, keep up the good work!”
Barbara Tesa‘s dedication to her clients and hard work has allowed her to reach the cap on her commission with Better Homes and Gardens Realty Green Team. This is an outstanding accomplishment and means Barbara will now receive a 100% commission split on any deal she closes during 2022.
Barbara Tesa’s thoughts on hitting CAP:
“The sales I’ve completed this year, whether for buyers or sellers, always came down to making the client feel THEY were the priority. No matter how the market is performing, the best I try to give all my clients is my attention to their real estate needs/goals…because if I don’t do that, I know someone else will. And that’s why my motto is: Your Property, My Priority!”
Better Homes and Gardens Realty Green Team’s commission structure is undoubtedly one of the finest in the industry, but it doesn’t end there. Our lead generation platform, certified sales assistant program, and dynamic training systems are just a few other things worth mentioning.
Click here to learn more about Better Homes and Gardens Realty Green Team and why you should join our team.
Congratulations, Barbara Tesa!
Agent Spotlight on Tammy Scotto
“It will all work out in the end”.
Tammy Scotto is a big believer that even when there are some bumps in the road throughout a transaction, it will all work out in the end.
Having many players at the table throughout a deal can sometimes be challenging but staying on top of everything can definitely contribute to a smoother transaction.
What separates Tammy from other realtors is her communication and responsiveness to clients. She is big on communication; whether there is information to be relayed or a period of time while under contract she always keeps the line of communication open.
23 Years and Still going strong!
Tammy obtained two licenses in 1999; her real estate license and her marriage license. She is happy to report that both are still thriving. Tammy initially became a real estate agent as she had always had a passion for sales and working with people. With her marriage and the thought of children on the horizon, she knew this career enabled her to be a stay-at-home mom while working part-time. As her children grew, so did her business moving into full-time real estate.
Now with two children off to college, she has ample time to dedicate to her clients. Tammy works long days and always tries to be available for calls, from early morning right through after dinner time. Regardless of whether a client is buying or selling, it’s stressful; Tammy feels that having the ability to connect with her clients and answer questions or concerns as they arise is “priceless” and helps ease their worries.
A memorable deal.
When Tammy was asked about her most memorable real estate transaction this is what she told us:
“I recently worked with a single woman moving to Warwick from another area. We met during the summer of 2020, in the midst of covid, with a home price range of $350-450K. When we finally found a home, we had inspections done and it turned out there were structural concerns that made her uncomfortable with moving forward. My client then saw a house for 700K and asked me to show it to her. She wound up closing on that home and said to me ” See what happens when you double your budget?””
-Tammy Scotto
Pride in her work.
Tammy is proud to be able to say that each year her sales volume grows. She loves to set goals for herself every year and while she might not hit every goal, each one helps her improve her business. Tammy has her CIREC (Commercial & Investment Real Estate Certification) and while she may not have one specific specialty she does work a lot with first-time home buyers as well as many sellers. Tammy has lived in Orange County her entire life and has a vast knowledge of the Greenwood Lake and Warwick areas as well as the surrounding towns. Working with an agent who knows the area as well as Tammy does comes as a huge advantage.
While Tammy has been in the business for over 23 years she attributes the success of her current business to all the training and support given by Geoff Green. Now that we are affiliated with Better Homes & Gardens she is excited to grow her business even further.
