Agency News and Awards • August 10, 2020

Krissy Many Receives Military Relocation Professional Certification

by Nicole McCormick

Krissy Many of Green Team New York Realty has achieved Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Designation. This certification prepares real estate professionals to work with current and former military service members. Importantly, the course addresses finding the right housing solutions and taking full advantage of military benefits and support.

NAR’s Military Relocation Professional Certification

When military staff and their families relocate, the services of a real estate professional who understands their needs and timetables makes the transfer easier, faster, and less stressful. This certification focuses on educating real estate professionals about working with current and former military service members to find the housing solutions that best suit their needs and take full advantage of military benefits and support. Course participants learn to provide the real estate services, at any stage in the service member’s military career, that meet the needs of this niche market and win future referrals. In addition, participants hone their knowledge and skills to work with active-duty military buyers and sellers, as well as veterans with the NAR’s Military Relocation Professional Certification.

When asked why she decided to obtain this certification, Krissy replied:

“Veterans and their families do what they do so we can do what we do in comfort and safety. I sought this designation so that in some small way I can show my support for our military. Maybe, just maybe, I can make their relocation and home selection a little easier and smoother. The benefit of this training and designation is that I will speak and understand their language as well as their time frames. Military personnel speak a language all their own and it is full acronyms! Their needs, timing and challenges are unique to them. I understand these factors and can be a source of information, guidance and support to our military families in their real estate needs.”

Selling a Home • August 10, 2020

Why Homeowners Have Great Selling Power Today

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

We’re sitting in an optimal moment in time for homeowners who are ready to sell their houses and make a move this year. Today’s homeowners are, on average, staying in their homes longer than they used to, and this is one factor driving increased homeowner equity. When equity grows, selling a house becomes increasingly desirable. Here’s a breakdown of why it’s a great time to capitalize on equity gain in today’s market.

As average homeowner tenure lengthens and home prices rise, equity, a form of forced savings, can be applied forward to the purchase of a new home. CoreLogic explains:

“Over the past 10 years, the equity position of homeowners has positively changed as a result of more than eight years of rising home prices. As the economy climbed out of the recession in the first quarter of 2010, 25.9% or 12.1 million homes were still underwater, compared to the first quarter of 2020 when the negative equity share was at 3.4%, or 1.8 million properties. Borrowers have seen an aggregate increase of $6.2 trillion in home equity since the first quarter of 2010 and the average homeowner has gained about $106,100 in equity.”

Increasing equity is enabling many homeowners who are ready to sell their current houses today to sell for an increased profit, and then reinvest their earnings in a new home. According to the Q2 2020 U.S. Home Sales Report from ATTOM Data Solutions, in the second quarter of 2020:

“Home sellers nationwide realized a gain of $75,971 on the typical sale, up from the $66,500 in the first quarter of 2020 and from $65,250 in the second quarter of last year. The latest figure, based on median purchase and resale prices, marked yet another peak level of raw profits in the United States since the housing market began recovering from the Great Recession in 2012.”

If you’ve been taking a closer look at your house recently and are thinking it might be time for you to make a move, determining your equity position is a great place to start. Understanding how much equity you’ve earned over time can be a key factor in helping you realize the potential profits in your real estate investment and move toward your next homeownership goal.

Bottom Line

With average home sale profits growing, it’s a great time to leverage your equity and make a move, especially while the inventory of houses for sale and mortgage rates are historically low. If you’re considering selling your house, let’s connect today so you can better understand your home equity position and take one step closer to the home of your dreams.

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Housing Market News • August 10, 2020

The Latest Unemployment Report: Slow and Steady Improvement

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its latest Employment Situation Summary. Going into the release, the expert consensus was for 1.58 million jobs to be added in July, and for the unemployment rate to fall to 10.5%.

When the official report came out, it revealed that 1.8 million jobs were added, and the unemployment rate fell to 10.2% (from 11.1% last month). Once again, this is excellent news as this was the third consecutive month the unemployment rate decreased.There is, however, still a long way to go before the job market fully recovers. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) put a potential date on that recovery:

“July’s payroll growth, at 1.8 million, still leaves total payrolls 12.9 million lower than in February. And yet if job gains continued at July’s pace, that deficit will be erased by March 2021. If payrolls reclaim their last peak in 13 months, that would be remarkably fast. It took more than six years after the last recession.”

Permanent vs. Temporary Unemployment

During a pandemic, it’s important to differentiate those who have lost their jobs on a temporary basis from those who have lost them on a permanent basis. Morgan Stanley economists noted in the same WSJ article:

“The rate of churn in the labor market remains incredibly high, but a notable positive detail in this month’s report was the downtick in the rate of new permanent layoffs.”

To address this, the core unemployment rate becomes increasingly important. It identifies the number of people who have permanently lost their jobs. This measure subtracts temporary layoffs and adds unemployed who did not search for a job recently. Jed Kolko, Chief Economist at Indeed and the founder of the index reported:

“Core unemployment fell in July for the first time in the pandemic. That’s the good news I was hoping for.”

What about the housing market?

The housing market has continued to show tremendous resilience during the pandemic. Commenting on the labor report, Robert Dietz, Chief Economist for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), tweeted:

“Housing continues to rebound in another positive labor market report. Home builder and remodeler job gains of 24K for July. Residential construction employment down just 56.4K compared to a year ago. Total residential construction employment at 2.85 million.”

Bottom Line

We should remain cautious in our optimism, as the recovery is ultimately tied to our future success in mitigating the ongoing health crisis. However, as Mike Fratantoni, Chief Economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, reminds us: “The pace of job growth slowed in July, but the gains over the past three months represent an impressive rebound during the ongoing economic challenges brought forth by the pandemic.”
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Agency News and Awards • August 10, 2020

Welcome Kevin Many

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

The Green Team is proud to announce that Kevin Many has decided to join our Warwick, NY office. We’re excited to have him on our team and look forward to helping him grow!

Please join us in Welcoming Kevin to The Green Team New York!

To learn more about Kevin and his business visit his website.

Buying a home • August 5, 2020

Today’s Buyers Are Serious about Purchasing a Home

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

Today’s homebuyers are not just talking about their plans, they’re actively engaged in the buying process – and they’re serious about it. A recent report by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) indicates:

“…. Of American adults considering a future home purchase in the second quarter of 2020, about half (49%) are not simply planning it, they are actively engaged in the process to find a home. That is a significantly higher share than the comparable figure a year ago (41%), which suggests that the COVID-19 crisis and its accompanying record-low mortgage rates have converted some prospective buyers into active buyers.”

It’s no surprise that buyers are out in full force today. Many Americans now need more space to work from home, and the current low mortgage rates are providing an extra boost of motivation to enter the housing market.

If you’re considering selling your house, know that today’s buyers are serious about making a move. Your opportunity to sell your house in a market with high demand is growing, especially as more millennials enter the housing market too. The same report also notes:

“Of Millennials planning a home purchase in the next year, 57% are already actively searching for a home.”

Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, explains:

“When breaking down house-buying power by educational attainment for millennials in 2019, we find that the higher the education, the higher the household income, and the higher the house-buying power. In 2019, median house-buying power for millennials increased 16 percent relative to 2018.”

As demand for homes to buy grows and more millennials enter the market with growing buying power, the opportunity to sell your house grows too.

Bottom Line

Today’s buyers are serious ones and more millennials are helping to fuel that charge. So, if you’re considering selling your home, let’s connect you with one of our Real Estate Sales Associates today to determine your next steps in the process while buyers are actively looking.

Housing Market News • July 29, 2020

July 2020 Housing Market Update

by Nicole McCormick

Geoff Green, President of Green Team Realty, welcomed everyone to the July 2020 Housing Market Update. The webinar, which was held on Tuesday, July 24 at 2 p.m., examined the housing market on national and local levels, in light of the impact of various economic factors resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you missed the webinar or would like to view it again, it is available here.

Meet the panel

Following a review of the national and local stats, Geoff checked in with the panel. Sales Associates from Green Team New York Realty and Green Team New Jersey Realty shared what was happening in their respective states and communities. Covid-19 regulations on the real estate industries in New York and New Jersey have differed, with varying results. The July 2020 Housing Market Update panelists were Keren Gonen, Pam Zachowski, and Kristi Anderson, who discussed the Vernon and Sussex County, NJ market. Toni Kreusch shared her experiences and views on the Warwick and Orange County, NY market. Additionally, our guest panelist, Ken Aulicino, Mortgage Loan Originator with Family First Funding, shared his expertise and experiences.

First, though, here are some of the stats presented by Geoff.

It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs

The consensus of various experts was that the US would add 3,000,000 new jobs in June. However, the actual number of jobs added was 4,800,000. While that’s a good number, there is more to the story. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for June was 11.1%. In March, just before Covid-necessitated shut-downs, unemployment was at 4.4%. In April, it shot up to 14.7%. Then in May it declined to 13.3% So it would appear unemployment is trending downwards. However, it’s just not that simple.

The core unemployment rate is trending upwards. Geoff took a look at historical core unemployment rates to bring things into perspective. How many companies will actually be bringing jobs back?

Real Estate Metrics

Forbearances & Foreclosures

Geoff predicted that we’ll be hearing more and more about forbearances and foreclosures in the media. Of all active forbearances past due, 77% had at least 20% equity in their homes. Of these, 59% had 30% or more equity. According to Geoff, not many people will walk away from the equity they have in their homes. As long as pricing stays intact and doesn’t plummet, many homeowners will do their best to stay in their homes and keep their mortgages going.

Showing Activity

According to Showingtime.com, showing activity is up big time. Year-over-year, the showing index is up nationally by 21.4%. Inventory has been a problem for a while, but it’s exacerbated now. The long term average of households currently on the market is 2.4% Currently that number is down to 1.2%. How does this impact pricing? It is all about supply and demand.

To learn more, watch the webinar

Watch the video to hear what the experts had to say, as well as to see Geoff’s full presentation on national and local economic and real estate trends. To compare with what was happening last month, click here for the June 2020 Housing Market Update.

“Housekeeping” Items

Contact our Panelists

Remember to join us on Tuesday, September 15th at 2 p.m. Sign up for updates now at GreenTeamRealty.com/HMU

Agency News and Awards • July 29, 2020

Welcome Sandra Medina

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

The Green Team is proud to announce that Sandra Medina has decided to join our Warwick, NY team. We’re excited to have her on our team and look forward to helping her grow!

Please join us in Welcoming Sandra to The Green Team New York Realty!

To learn more about Sandra Medina and her business visit her website here.

Mortgage and Home Loans • July 23, 2020

Two Reasons We Won’t See a Rush of Foreclosures This Fall

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

The health crisis we face as a country has led businesses all over the nation to reduce or discontinue their services altogether. This pause in the economy has greatly impacted the workforce and as a result, many people have been laid off or furloughed. Naturally, that would lead many to believe we might see a rush of foreclosures this fall like we saw in 2008. The market today, however, is very different from 2008.

The concern of more foreclosures based on those that are out of work is one that we need to understand fully. There are two reasons we won’t see a rush of foreclosures this fall: forbearance extension options and strong homeowner equity.

1. Forbearance Extension

Forbearance, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), is “when your mortgage servicer or lender allows you to temporarily pay your mortgage at a lower payment or pause paying your mortgage.” This is an option for those who need immediate relief. In today’s economy, the CFPB has given homeowners a way to extend their forbearance, which will greatly assist those families who need it at this critical time.

Under the CARES Act, the CFPB notes:

“If you experience financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic, you have a right to request and obtain a forbearance for up to 180 days. You also have the right to request and obtain an extension for up to another 180 days (for a total of up to 360 days).”

2. Strong Homeowner Equity

Equity is also working in favor of today’s homeowners. This savings is another reason why we won’t see substantial foreclosures in the near future. Today’s homeowners who are in forbearance actually have more equity in their homes than what the market experienced in 2008.

The Mortgage Monitor report from Black Knight indicates that of all active forbearances which are past due on their mortgage payment, 77% have at least 20% equity in their homes (See graph below):Black Knight notes:

“The high level of equity provides options for homeowners, policymakers, mortgage investors and servicers in helping to avoid downstream foreclosure activity and default-related losses.”

Bottom Line

Many think we may see a rush of foreclosures this fall, but the facts just don’t add up in this case. Today’s real estate market is very different from 2008 when we saw many homeowners walk away when they owed more than their homes were worth. This time, equity is stronger and plans are in place to help those affected weather the storm.

Selling a Home • July 23, 2020

Home Sales Hit a Record-Setting Rebound

by Better Homes and Gardens Green Team

With a worldwide health crisis that drove a pause in the economy this year, the housing market was greatly impacted. Many have been eagerly awaiting some bright signs of a recovery. Based on the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), June hit a much-anticipated record-setting rebound to ignite that spark.

According to NAR, home sales jumped 20.7% from May to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 4.72 million in June:

“Existing-home sales rebounded at a record pace in June, showing strong signs of a market turnaround after three straight months of sales declines caused by the ongoing pandemic…Each of the four major regions achieved month-over-month growth.”

This significant rebound is a major boost for the housing market and the U.S. economy. According to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for NAR, the momentum has the potential to continue on, too:

“The sales recovery is strong, as buyers were eager to purchase homes and properties that they had been eyeing during the shutdown…This revitalization looks to be sustainable for many months ahead as long as mortgage rates remain low and job gains continue.”

With mortgage rates hitting an all-time low, dropping below 3% for the first time last week, potential homebuyers are poised to continue taking advantage of this historic opportunity to buy. This fierce competition among buyers is contributing to home price increases as well, as more buyers are finding themselves in bidding wars in this environment. The report also notes:

“The median existing-home price for all housing types in June was $295,300, up 3.5% from June 2019 ($285,400), as prices rose in every region. June’s national price increase marks 100 straight months of year-over-year gains.”

The graph below shows home price increases by region, powered by low interest rates, pent-up demand, and a decline in inventory on the market:Yun also indicates:

“Home prices rose during the lockdown and could rise even further due to heavy buyer competition and a significant shortage of supply.”

Bottom Line

Buyers returning to the market is a great sign for the economy, as housing is still leading the way toward a recovery. If you’re ready to buy a home this year, let’s connect you to one of our Real Estate Agents to make sure you have the best possible guide with you each step of the way.

Agency News and Awards • July 22, 2020

Green Team Realty’s 2nd Quarter 2020 Sales Leaders

by Nicole McCormick

Congratulations from Geoff Green, President of Green Team Realty, to our 2nd Quarter Sales Leaders.

Geoff Green, President of Green Team Realty, was proud to announce the 2nd Quarter 2020 Sales Leaders. They are Chris Kimiecik of Green Team New York Realty in Warwick NY, In addition, Carol Buchanan was second and Terry Gavan, third. Keren Gonen is 2Q Sales Leader for Green Team New Jersey Realty, located in Vernon NJ, with Charles Nagy and Ted Van Laar in second place, and Pam Zachowski in third.

Chris Kimiecik, Green Team New York Realty

Geoff had the following to say about Chris’s achievement:

“Chris Kimiecik is a shining example of “success begets success.” Here is a guy who runs one of the most successful landscaping companies in Orange County and yet he finds time to not only become a Realtor, but to be very successful at doing so. Chris will be the first one to point out that he couldn’t do it all without the support of his wife Megan who plays an integral role in his Real Estate business. This is the first Quarterly Sales Leader award for Chris, but I am certain that there will be more. Congratulations Chris and Megan!”

Chris on being 2Q Sales Leader

“Our clients, my wife and real estate partner, Megan, and the support of The Green Team “Warwick” all played a part on this journey to Q2 sales leader. Through diversified businesses that integrate with each other, and our partnership with the Green Team, we are able to offer an unmatched experience. When you surround yourself with the right people and team, anything is possible. We look forward to working with you, your friends, your family and anyone considering buying or selling a home in Warwick NY and surrounding area.”

Keren Gonen, Green Team New Jersey Realty

Geoff said the following about Keren’s latest achievement:

“If it wasn’t clear before, it should be abundantly clear to everyone now that Keren Gonen is going to top the production charts in her market territory for many years to come. No one works harder and cares more for her clients then Keren. We are extremely blessed to have Keren as part of Green Team New Jersey Realty. Congratulations Keren, and keep up the good work!”

This is not Keren’s first time as a Sales Leader. This is her third time as Quarterly Sales Leader. And in 2017, the year Keren started at Green Team New Jersey Realty, she was Yearly Sales Leader.

Keren on being 2Q Sales Leader

Keren had this to say about her latest achievement:

“I am very grateful to be the Second Quarter Sales Leader! 2020 started out really well for me in the Real Estate Market as it did for many others. I contribute this to the networking group I am a part of (Referral Roundtable), my involvement in the Community, and my overall work ethic. I am that agent that gets up at 5 am to finish paperwork and still is out with clients late in the evening. This Pandemic that has aggressively changed all of our lives, also changed the Housing Market. Like many others, working during COVID-19 means that I was able to assist clients running away from The City and into “The Country.” Working seven days a week, coordinating showings during Corona, along with inspections, appraisals, and being mindful of how cautious we all must be during this process meant that I was able to help more people get into new homes. Although Real Estate Agents were not deemed “Essential Workers” and thank God for those people who put their lives on the line every day and continue to do so, I believe that Real Estate Agents made the mass exodus from NYC possible for many people that were hopeless and quarantined. This made us Agents essential to those people seeking a different way of life.”

NAR’s Military Relocation Professional Certification

When asked why she decided to obtain this certification, Krissy replied:

Bottom Line

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Permanent vs. Temporary Unemployment

What about the housing market?

Bottom Line

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Bottom Line

Meet the panel

It’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs

Real Estate Metrics

Forbearances & Foreclosures

Showing Activity

To learn more, watch the webinar

“Housekeeping” Items

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Contact our Panelists

Remember to join us on Tuesday, September 15th at 2 p.m. Sign up for updates now at GreenTeamRealty.com/HMU

Bottom Line

Bottom Line

Congratulations from Geoff Green, President of Green Team Realty, to our 2nd Quarter Sales Leaders.

Chris Kimiecik, Green Team New York Realty

Chris on being 2Q Sales Leader

Keren Gonen, Green Team New Jersey Realty

Keren on being 2Q Sales Leader

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