Agency News and Awards May 4, 2023

Jacqueline Kraszewski Celebrates 10 years with BHGRE Green Team!

Congratulations to Jacqueline (Jacque) Kraszewski on her 10-year anniversary with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!

Jacque is an amazing and hardworking realtor who is loved dearly by our team. Her dedication, passion, and tireless efforts have not only contributed to her success but to the success of BHGRE Green Team as a whole.

Over the past decade, Jacque has established herself as a trusted and respected real estate professional in the community. Her commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and outstanding customer service have helped countless clients find their dream homes.

We are truly grateful for Jacque’s contributions to BHGRE Green Team and the real estate industry. Her contagious enthusiasm and unwavering work ethic are truly inspiring.

Here’s to many more years of success, growth, and achievements for Jacque and BHGRE Green Team! Congratulations, Jacqueline!

Agency News and Awards May 1, 2023

Rick Harrison joins Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team

Rick Harrison brings his Real Estate Experience, Competitiveness, and Humor to BHGRE Green Team

Richard “Rick” Harrison attended the University of Arkansas with a major in Business Administration. For eighteen years, before becoming a real estate agent, Rick was a professional tennis coach. 

About Rick

Rick has lived in Vernon since 2003.  He spends his weekdays doing real estate, working out, playing golf, and being Adam’s dad; he pretty much spends his weekends doing the same. Rick is a huge sports fan and loves the Razorbacks. An athlete his whole life, Rick still plays golf, tennis, basketball, and baseball; you’ll often see him working out at Minerals or running at Maple Grange Park. 

Rick Harrison in Real Estate

Rick decided to pivot his career, four years ago, when he entered into Real Estate. When asked why he decided to switch paths?  he said, “I knew I would be good at it and I didn’t want to have a real job anymore.”  Joking aside, the real estate world is extremely competitive, yet in the four years he has been in business, Rick’s numbers prove how devoted he is to his clients. 

Rick Harrison is happy to help with any of your real estate needs; when it comes to golf, he’s good to have in your foursome and he usually picks up the check.

It is no doubt that a realtor with Rick’s innate competitive sportsmanship and experience will be an unbeatable asset to every client that he meets. 

Agency News and Awards April 28, 2023

Servpro visits our BHGRE Green Team Goshen Office

Creating Connections and Friends 

Building strong business connections is essential for realtors. These connections allow you to provide your clients with the best recommendations and solutions for their needs. That’s why our Broker-Manager Krissy Many invited SERVPRO of North Orange County to our New Goshen office for a visit and a delicious lunch.

Lunch was not only enjoyable but also provided a valuable opportunity for both teams to get to know each other. Afterward, Brittany, the co-owner of Servpro shared with us the services they can provide to benefit our clients. 

Servpro offers a wide range of services for both commercial and residential clients. Their free emergency manual for commercial clients is a great resource that can help ensure the safety of employees and customers in the event of an emergency.

On the residential side, their services for water damage, leaks, storm damage, fire restoration, mold remediation, vent cleaning, bio-hazard clean up, deep cleaning and trash-outs can help homeowners deal with a variety of issues that can arise in their homes.

Furthermore, Servpro is a local family-owned franchise started by Brittany’s parents. Following their retirement, She and her sister took over and are continuing to carry on the great service their parents started. Servpro is a company that values quality and customer satisfaction. Having Brittany and her sister at the helm ensures that this tradition will continue for years to come.

According to Krissy, 

“I have known Brittany for 10 years and wouldn’t hesitate to call her with any questions. She is a source of info for our clients with many networking contacts that she is willing to share when you need to find the right vendor or professional.” 

 

It’s clear that Servpro is a reliable and trustworthy company that can help both commercial and residential clients with a variety of needs. We are so happy to have gotten the opportunity to get to know more about them and we look forward to sharing their skills with our future clients.

Agency News and Awards April 26, 2023

Krissy Many Promoted to Broker Manager

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team is proud to announce that Kristine “Krissy” Many has been promoted to Broker Manager of our new Goshen Office.

Since beginning her Real Estate career in 2015 Krissy’s hard work and dedication has made her one of the best in the business. She has ranked as one of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team’s Top 10 agents for the last three years and counting. Additionally, she has accumulated over 100 Five Star reviews on her website which is not only a huge accomplishment but a homage to her devotion. 

As a Real Estate Consultant, Krissy is committed to helping her clients achieve their real estate goals. She has gone above and beyond to expand her knowledge so that she is able to better assist her clients. In addition to passing the rigorous course to become an associate broker, Krissy has obtained multiple designations over the years. These include Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA), Military Relocation Professional (MRP), as well as Commercial & Investment Real Estate Certification. Additionally, she went on to graduate from Dr. Karrass’s Effective Negotiations.

According to BHGRE President Vikki Garby:

“We are extremely fortunate to have Krissy Many as the Broker Manager of our new Goshen office. Giving Krissy this position was a very easy decision to make. Krissy has been one of the best mentors in our office for years. No matter how long you have been in this business, there is always something to learn. Krissy recognizes this and she consistently seeks ways to improve her service to her clients and is willing to share her knowledge with our agents. She also has excellent suggestions and ideas on how we can be better, for our agents and for our clients. Krissy is proactive, very personable, and easy to work with, all making her a great leader for our newest office. We can not wait to watch her thrive in her new role.”

Krissy’s vast knowledge of the business as well as her determination to excel in everything she does makes her the perfect fit for this position. Congratulations Krissy, we look forward to your continued success!

Agency News and Awards April 24, 2023

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team announces the opening of their new Office in Goshen, NY. 

We at BHGRE Green Team are excited to announce the opening of our new office in Goshen, NY! When the original Green Team Home Selling System was founded we never could have imagined the success that would follow. Over the last 18 years, we have grown and expanded in many ways. From the opening of our first office in Warwick, then our Vernon office, and most recently our affiliation with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate. The dedication and hard work of our team have undoubtedly contributed to our success and reputation as a trusted brokerage in the Hudson Valley and Northern NJ. With the addition of this new office, our team will be able to better serve our community and continue to build on our success. 

Our newest office is sure to be a hot spot for our agents who need a comfortable and functional workspace. The spacious conference room and natural light will no doubt create an ideal environment for productive meetings and collaboration. Additionally, our team has access to a kitchenette as well as a cozy lounge for well-deserved breaks. To add to the sweetness of this new space, we are located right next to an ice cream shop. Overall, this new space is the perfect place for us to thrive and grow!

According to BHGRE Green Teams President Vikki Garby,

“We are so excited about our beautiful and conveniently located office in Goshen, NY. Our new location benefits from ample parking, close proximity to 17, and an ideal central location within Orange County. The goal was to find a location that would be convenient for agents who serve clients throughout the county. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team is growing and our new location is an important step towards our expansion. We look forward to making 40 Matthews St. home to many more agents as our company continues to grow.  We invite you to stop by and visit us soon.”

Agency News and Awards March 22, 2023

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. 

Agency News and Awards October 18, 2022

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:

Agency News and Awards September 8, 2022

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.

Buying a home July 15, 2022

Should I Rent or Should I Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Should I Rent or Should I Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM

Some Highlights

  • It’s worth considering the many benefits of homeownership before you make the decision to rent or buy a home.
  • When you buy, you can stabilize your housing costs, own a tangible asset, and grow your net worth as you gain equity. When you rent, you face rising housing costs, won’t see a return on your investment, and limit your ability to save.
  • If you want to learn more about the benefits of homeownership, let’s connect today.
Buying a home July 13, 2022

Should I Buy a Home Right Now?

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, you likely have one question on the top of your mind: should I buy right now, or should I wait? While no one can answer that question for you, here’s some information that could help you make your decision.

The Future of Home Price Appreciation

Each quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a national panel of over 100 economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists to compile projections for the future of home price appreciation. The output is the Home Price Expectation Survey. In the latest release, it forecasts home prices will continue appreciating over the next five years (see graph below):

Should I Buy a Home Right Now? | MyKCM

As the graph shows, the rate of appreciation will moderate over the next few years as the market shifts away from the unsustainable pace it saw during the pandemic. After this year, experts project home price appreciation will continue, but at levels that are more typical for the market. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: 

“People should not anticipate another double-digit price appreciation. Those days are over. . . . We may return to more normal price appreciation of 4%, 5% a year.”

For you, that ongoing appreciation should give you peace of mind your investment in homeownership is worthwhile because you’re buying an asset that’s projected to grow in value in the years ahead.

Should I Buy a Home Right Now? | MyKCM

What Does That Mean for You?

To give you an idea of how this could impact your net worth, here’s how a typical home could grow in value over the next few years using the expert price appreciation projections from the Pulsenomics survey mentioned above (see graph below):

Should I Buy a Home Right Now? | MyKCM

As the graph conveys, even at a more typical pace of appreciation, you still stand to make significant equity gains as your home grows in value. That’s what’s at stake if you delay your plans.

Bottom Line

If you’re ready to become a homeowner, know that buying today can set you up for long-term success as your asset’s value (and your own net worth) is projected to grow with the ongoing home price appreciation. Let’s connect to begin your homebuying process today.