Agency News and Awards • April 20, 2023

James “Jimmy” Cosenza is now a Certified Real Estate Negotiator!

by Nicole McCormick

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!

Agency News and Awards • April 18, 2023

Angela Murphy Earns her SRES Designation!

by Nicole McCormick

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.

Agency News and Awards • April 17, 2023

Kimberly Lasalandra is now a Certified Real Estate Negotiator!

by Nicole McCormick

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.

Agency News and Awards • April 9, 2023

Easter Bunny makes An “Egg-citing” visit!

by Nicole McCormick

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!

Agency News and Awards • March 30, 2023

BHGRE Green Team’s 2022 Awards Ceremony

by Nicole McCormick

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.

Agency News and Awards • March 22, 2023

Carol Buchanan 2022 4th Quarter Sales Leader

by Nicole McCormick

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!

Agency News and Awards • March 22, 2023

BHGRE Luxury Essentials Skills Certified

by Nicole McCormick

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.

Agency News and Awards • March 22, 2023

Meet Ken Garby

by Nicole McCormick

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.

Agency News and Awards • March 22, 2023

Joe Mackey Rising Star in Real Estate & Basketball

by Nicole McCormick

Discovering his Passion

Joe Mackey grew up in Warwick and began playing for the WVCSD basketball team when he was in middle school. Throughout the years his dedication to the sport only continued to grow. During his two years of varsity, his team enjoyed a lot of success including a 15-5 record as a senior which is the best record Warwick has had in the last 15 years. Following this event, Joe knew that he wanted to become a coach.

After playing for the WVCSD throughout his middle and high school years, Joe attended Bucknell University. While there, he became a valuable member of their Division 1 basketball team. During his time at Bucknell, he learned about the coaching side of the sport and upon graduation, he knew he wanted to pursue it.

The travel and job relocation that comes along with being a college basketball coach can be difficult when it comes to family. Joe soon decided to become a High School coach and has never regretted this decision. It was the perfect opportunity to impact student-athletes and have the family and career he has always hoped for.

A Lucky Encounter

As luck would have it, in the summer of 2012 Joe was attending a graduation party when he ran into his former Junior Varsity coach, and fellow Green Teamer, Tom Folino. Tom was no stranger to Joe’s passion for the sport and asked him to join his staff as Varsity Assistant. After two years as Tom’s assistant Joe took over as the JV Head Coach. Three years later, when Tom Folino decided it was time to retire, Joe was promoted to the Varsity Head Coach and he hasn’t looked back.

“I had Joe as a student since he entered elementary school as a kindergartener. I then taught at the high school and had him as a student there as well. I was Joe’s junior varsity basketball coach his sophomore year. Joe has always been a leader and someone you can count on to do the right thing. He has an excellent rapport with all ages and genuinely cares about his players and staff. His knowledge and his ability to relay that to his players is what makes him stand out as a teacher/coach. He brings out the best in all of his players. We are fortunate to have him as our varsity basketball coach at Warwick High School.”

-Tom Folino

A Successful Career

Joe is now in his 11th year coaching the WVHS basketball team and 6th year as the Head Varsity Coach. His passion for the sport is reflected well in his team’s accomplishments. They started the season 11-0, a Warwick boy’s basketball school record. They have since set a new school record at 13-1 and it is Joe’s hope that they can continue to succeed.

Nine players returned for this season and they have been working out consistently since April of last year. With Joe’s expert guidance, his players have developed an excellent understanding of the game and what is expected of them.

“They trust the coaches and their peers and I think this has contributed significantly to how our season has gone thus far. We have worked extremely hard to build a culture that values work ethic, positive attitudes, and accountability.”

-Joe Mackey

In Joe’s previous five seasons of coaching, his team has made the playoffs four times. Although they have yet to win a playoff game Joe is confident that will change this season.

As an expert agent and coach, Joe will always give his clients the same 100% he gives his team.

Community Support • March 22, 2023

BHGRE Green Team’s Pajama Drive

by Nicole McCormick

The Gift of a Cozy Night

Hundreds of children in our community have never had the opportunity to own their own pajamas. BHGRE Green Team decided to help our community by collecting brand new pajamas for children from ages Newborn to 18.

This fundraiser ran from November 14th – January 5th and we received a massive outpouring of support from our community and staff. Throughout the duration of the event, donations were dropped off at both our Warwick and Vernon offices.

At the end of the fundraiser, all the donations collected in our Warwick office were given to Inspire, Orange County Cerebral Palsy Association. This group provides various outpatient, educational, and support services for individuals of all ages and abilities. Inspire then went on to share these pajamas with other charities. A few of the recipients were Fearless!; HONOR; Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster, NY; The Alamo; and Inspire Kids Preschools.

Additionally, everything collected in our Vernon office collected was given to Project Self-Sufficiency. Project Self-Sufficiency serves families in the New Jersey counties of Sussex, Morris, Warren, and Hunterdon. Their mission is to provide support to low-income single parents while they obtain the skills necessary to achieve economic independence.

We are so happy to have helped support these wonderful organizations and look forward to doing it again next year.

There’s nothing as Egg-citing as a visit from the Easter Bunny!

An afternoon to Celebrate one of our Most Memorable years yet

Getting the Afternoon Started…

The Emerald Elite, Yearly Sales Leader, and Citizen of the year awards go to… Kristi Anderson!

The Platinum and Team Player of the Year awards go to… Barbara Tesa!

Gold Awards for $6-7.99 Million in Sales were presented to:

Silver Awards for $3 to $5.99 Million in Sales were presented to:

Bronze Awards for $1.5 to $2.99 Million in Sales were presented to:

Team Players, Mentor, Citizens, Student, and Rising Stars of the Year…

Additional Awards…

Time for food, fun, and friends…

Carol Buchanan Is Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate Green Team’s Sales Leader For The 4th Quarter Of 2022 In The NY Office.

Beyond being Quarterly Sales Leader…

A fabulous 2022..

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.

We Are So Proud Of Our Agents Who Went Above And Beyond To Obtain this Certification And Expand Their Knowledge.

Ken Garby is bringing his investment real estate experience and extensive financial knowledge to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!

The Road to Real Estate

Discovering his Passion

A Lucky Encounter

A Successful Career

The Gift of a Cozy Night

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