ERA Justin Realty Report:  
Seller Financing Great For Selling Second Home

ERA Justin Realtor Cathy Vick suggests, “Memorial Day weekend is the traditional opening of the summer season. Cabins are aired-out for the first time in months, and boats, recently serviced, are delivered to launches on route to their seasonal homes in cozy marinas or weathered docks.

But not all second-home owners are expecting the summer rush, and through our extensive ERA referral service we can refer you to a Realtor where your second home is located who has the resources to handle all sale details. For example, Mr. and Mrs. Homeowner had just returned from the holiday weekend at their waterfront getaway and realized a long-awaited European vacation, coupled with no visits by the grandkids, will leave the once popular home mostly vacant during the most favorable periods of the year, including the Fourth of July.”

"I nearly sold it five years ago," said Mr. Homeowner, "but the kids talked me out of it; said they wanted to come back. They've used it less and less and it's one of the few real assets we have. I could use some cash, but I don't need it all right now."

Cathy continued, “Not all property sellers want cash. The monthly payment income from the sale of a family home, a rental property or vacation cabin can supplement retirement income and serve as a continuing comfort zone. Like many retirees, Mr. homeowner needs only simple comforts. The mere mention of selling the cabin meant he had reexamined that comfort zone. To another person, the cabin sale could now be viewed as an extremely important, and perhaps a critical flow of income.  If you no longer choose to nurse a rental or vacation cabin and want to sell it, you can spread any resulting capital gains tax over time by providing seller financing. And, you can save the new buyer, perhaps a young family that has shown interest in your getaway community, the costs of a conventional loan while negotiating a favorable interest rate for both sides.

However, if you participate in seller financing, make sure you speak directly with an attorney and an accountant to represent you in the sale and build in safety features that protect your investment. In fact, your attorney’s documents should duplicate many of the loan requirements a local bank would insist upon. Among them, obtain a credit report on the buyer. He should also include in the agreement that the buyer provides, and keeps current, a homeowner's insurance policy. Include that the buyer make timely tax payments, and insist on a "due on sale" clause. That way, if the property is sold before the term of your note or contract, you will receive all your cash upon the transfer of the property, or retain the ability to approve the new buyer.  Consider taking a down payment of at least 20 percent. If you need to sell the note before term (illness or other emergency) this will make it easier to sell. Like regular mortgages, lenders require mortgage insurance for loans they write with less than 20 percent down. You will reduce the risk of any future note holder by having an amount at least equal to a conventional down payment.

When honest, competent parties are involved, seller financing via a real estate contract can be a wonderful vehicle for buying and selling property. Yet take time to prepare if you are going to assume the position of playing the bank. The bank certainly does.”

Cathy concluded, “Many more suggestions to review with your attorney are covered in Tom Kelly's book ‘Cashing In on a Second Home in Mexico: How to Buy, Sell and Profit from Property South of the Border.’”

There is a difference in real estate companies and ERA Justin Realty is always focused on serving the needs of area sellers and proudly reviews this information with you. The firm asks buyers and sellers to compare.  Their philosophy includes exceeding expectations of what a real estate agent is about.  They don’t offer just real estate basics; they are as comprehensive as possible.  In that way they know that their buyers and sellers will hold them in the highest regard.

ERA Justin Realty Report: How long does it take 
to buy a home?

Buying a home is a learning experience. It's exciting and fulfilling.  With focus and working with a Realtor, it can happen in a brief time.

Home buying is best approached with a game plan in mind, and with the understanding that home buying is a process. For example, in a low-inventory area, you may have to wait for the right house. When you do find the right house, you may be ready to move quickly. There are elements of the process that you can control.  Working with good, reliable and conscientious people will improve the quality of your home-buying experience.

Ilene Harpuder a Realtor sales professional with ERA Justin Realty stated, “We will provide our report of over 500 testimonials and recommendations from our satisfied buyers and sellers for your comfort.   Also seek referrals from friends and colleagues who've bought a home recently in an area where you want to live. Keep in mind that rapport, particularly with your Realtor, is essential to a satisfying transaction.”

Dian Hymer author of House Hunting, The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers and Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide offered, “After you've contacted a trustworthy mortgage person who will give you good service, find out how much you can afford to pay for a home. Then get pre-approved for the mortgage you will need to close the deal. In order to be pre-approved, your credit needs to be checked and your financial qualifications verified. One benefit of getting approved before you're in contract to buy a home is that you know you have a loan commitment when you need it. Another is that you'll have more negotiating ability with the seller. Also, if you're buying in an area or price range where multiple offers are still prevalent, you'll have a hard time competing unless you're pre-approved.”

Ilene continued, “The next phase of your plan is exploratory. You should have a list of the features you need in the home before you start your search. For example, you may find in your top choice neighborhood of charming older homes, most of the houses have one-car garages and you'd been hoping for a two-car garage. So, you either modify your wish list or change neighborhoods to one that has newer homes with larger garages. There are always compromises to be made when buying a home. The perfect home doesn't exist -- not at any price. It takes some time to learn what the inventory in an area has to offer so that you can decide how you'll be willing to compromise. While you're learning about what features are available in local housing, you'll also be developing your pricing instincts. This is a very important part of the home-buying process. The better informed you are about local valuations, the easier it will be to determine how much you should pay for a property. The final step of the process is negotiating a home purchase with the seller of the home you want to buy through your Realtor.  Negotiations can go quickly or they may be carried out over days, depending on the situation.”

All across the nation, the most sought award that can be achieved in business is the ‘J.D. Power & Associates’ award.  Only outstanding business entities are honored and receive it.  ERA Real Estate was the recipient of ‘Highest Satisfaction for First Time Home Buyers, Home Sellers & Repeat Home Sellers Among Full Service Real Estate Firms,’ for three consecutive years.  For these reasons ERA Justin Realty should be your buying and selling Realtor of choice.

ERA Justin Realty's Fara Espandi Hamzeh and Haleh Hamzeh one of the best-of-the-best mom-daughter real estate teams serving Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex Counties ready themselves for the spring 2007 real estate market.  Serving the needs of first time buyers or sellers moving-up to a second home, their focus to detail will exceed expectations.

Outstanding Mom-Daughter Real Estate Team 
at ERA Justin Realty

Rutherford:  We all know that Mom-Daughter relationships begin at home where the basics for values begin.  As years pass it is unique to see a relationship grow to where Mom and Daughter join together in a team effort to focus on their business interests and transform to a successful and award winning real estate team. 

Such exists at ERA Justin Realty, where Mom Fara and Daughter Haleh are recognized throughout Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex Counties.  The Fara-Haleh team is recognized as one of the best-of-the-best, as their successes are evident.

Their buyers and sellers note, “Instead of one person diligently working, you have two, focused to achieve your goals.”  “When buyers and sellers call, there is an instant response.” 

Fara’s educational background includes graduating with a Bachelor degree in business management and attendance in Masters degree business administration at the International Institute in Holland.  Haleh is a graduate of Rutgers University who achieved Dean’s list in her junior and senior years with a degree in Psychology.  Through her degree she has a great understanding of people and their needs and desires. 

Jennifer Darby, ERA Justin Realty Broker Co-owner added, “From our management perspective, we have expertise from two generations, Fara’s experience of many years and Haleh’s use of technology and educational background.  Their combined files of buyer prospects bring forth a strong pool of prospects for our sellers. They constantly assess each other’s performance and develop new and better strategies to benefit our clients and customers needs. And immediate buyer and seller response, which is important in our fast paced industry.”

Since joining ERA Justin Realty Fara and Haleh have been recognized for many industry awards including ERA’s Leadership Circle and New Jersey Association of Realtors Awards.  They focus on continuing education for serving their buyers and sellers and give of their free time to assist in raising donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and serving the local Kip Center in their holiday fundraising efforts.

Jennifer continued, “As team members they are deeply committed to each other’s personal growth and success. Their team efforts outperform all reasonable expectations compared to its individual members.  That is, a team has a synergistic effect….one plus one equals a lot more than two.  We are pleased that they have grown with us and are recognized so highly by their buyers and sellers.

ERA JUSTIN REALTY SPRING 2007 SHOWING TIPS

“For many, we hardly want to think about closets, but the day is nearing, hour by hour. When your Realtor arranges for an open house or appointment, you will no doubt make sure everything is tidy and clean. The dishes are put away, beds made, litter box cleaned. But, what about your closets?   Storage is a number one priority with homebuyers. They want to make sure they have a place to put their stuff. Will your closets prove to be a selling point? Ready? Here's how it goes. You get a phone call. Friends are dropping by for a few minutes, so you toss everything into the closet - toys, coats and whatever. When your guests leave, you swear you will get to it tomorrow. Sometimes, tomorrow never comes. After a while, it becomes hard to close the door and you do not remember what is in there. It is now time to de-clutter and de-stress.

Everyone loves lots of closet space. Closets are where we keep clothing, shoes, and storage for seasonal items, sports equipment, linens and the endless supply of home necessities. The problem is it can become an 'out of sight, out of mind' issue. Since these things reside behind a closed door, they do not get much thought until the day we absolutely have to have that one thing in the very back. It is not going to go away by itself, so take time to tackle it head on and get organized. Allow lots of time for this task. You probably won't be able to get through it in a day or even a weekend. Remember, it took you a long time to accumulate these items. You cannot expect to clean them all out in a few hours. You might want to tackle this chore in chunks of time, allowing a few weekends to get totally through the process.

You will find yourself agonizing over many decisions, but be brutal. The rule is, if you haven't worn it for 2 years, toss it. If it is a gift that Aunt Emma gave you 5 years ago and something you will never use, get rid of it. (Just don't tell Aunt Emma.) Pretend you are moving to smaller quarters, whether you are or not, and you can only take the things you truly love. If you are having trouble, enlist the help of a friend who can be relentless. Begin with clothing and shoes. Most of us keep favorites around far too long. 'I'm sure I can get back into that dress soon.' It only takes up valuable space in your home. Donate it to a charity. There is someone out there who will put your items to good use. Think about your lifestyle as you are making these choices. Maybe your former employment was in an office and you needed to wear suits every day. Your current employment is a more casual job and your attire now reflects this attitude. Keep your favorite two suits and take the others to a second hand store or give them away. Retain clothing that works for your current way of living, not how you used to live.

Place everything in piles: (1) Keepers; (2) Maybes or Yard Sale; and (3) Donations. It might also help to obtain some of the organized storage available for closets. These are especially useful for those small items such as ties and belts. Everything will be neater and you will be able to find things quicker. Toys and seasonal items are a little more difficult. If the kids have outgrown those old skates, pass them down to a friend. Holiday decorations can tug at your heartstrings, but if they are broken or no longer hold their luster, out they should go.  If you cannot bear to part with them, pack them in a storage box. By the time the de-cluttering is finished you should have room left over. Books, toys and clothing that are going to a charity should be boxed up or placed in plastic bags. If you are considering a yard sale, try to tag as you go along.

Most of us are drowning in paper. When you start sorting through paperwork, promise yourself to handle each piece only once. Papers that belong to other family members should be sorted and then handed over to that individual. Control newspaper and magazine pileup by vowing to discard each issue by the time the next one arrives. On Sunday, Saturday's paper goes out whether or not it has been read. The same thing goes for magazines. Some offices or charities are happy to have them, especially hospital waiting rooms. As for regular bills, they can be organized with a portable file box.”

Ed concluded, “ERA Justin Realty received the prestigious world-wide ‘Commitment to Excellence Award’, one of 11 premier ERA real estate firms from 3,000 for four consecutive years.  All of our ERA Justin Realty full service sales professionals can be reached at either of our two Rutherford offices at 118 Jackson Avenue and 57 Park Avenue.  By office phone (201) 939-7500, (201) 438-0588 or (201) 438-SOLD. View 1000s of homes at our website at www.ERAJustin.com.”

ERA Justin Realty Realtor Associate Mary Iannaccone is the recipient of the New Jersey Association of Realtors Circle of Excellence award for 2005 and 2006.  Additionally she is a member of the Meadowlands Board of Realtors, New Jersey and Garden State Multiple Listing Services.  She shares her Moving With Children Report with our readers

ERA Justin Realty Report For Spring: 
Moving With Children

Spring, 2007 is upon us.  A time for flowers and trees to bloom. New houses coming on the market and new families on the move. Moving is a major change for all members of a family. Adult responsibilities weigh heavily when keeping track of all the tasks needed to make a move go smoothly. If you have children, this may be a difficult time to focus on their problems, too, but its also one of the most crucial times to keep their concerns in mind.

Sometimes what seems like a major disruption to grownups is viewed as an adventure to the kids. Still, changing homes can also upset feelings of stability (in the case of younger children) and belonging (in the case of teens). These are special concerns for these age groups.

According to ERA Justin real estate consultant, Mary Iannaccone, “The most important thing a parent can do is maintain normal routines as much as possible, and when it isn't possible, to let the kids know that apprehension about a big life change is normal, too. Try to keep calm about the move yourself, and your children will be more likely to follow your lead. It is advisable to be open about what's happening and how everyone feels about it. 

This means keeping your kids in the loop at each stage of the move. They don’t have to get a vote, but it helps everyone for them to get increasingly use to the idea of this change. Bring them along when you look at houses, make them familiar with the new area you're moving to, and investigate its attractions (including the athletic or extracurricular offerings that appeal to your kids). Exploring some of this on the Internet is a good way to relate your relocation to an activity they already enjoy.

Encourage your children to express any worries, and do what you can to reassure them. If you went through similar experiences as a child, you can share how you dealt with it, if it was easy, so much the better, and if it was hard, your children will know they're not the only ones who have ever had to deal with change.

Other neighborhood kids may grow distant when they know a friend is leaving. This is hurtful to your own children, but try and explain that some kids aren't yet mature enough to handle it another way, and that it isn't your kids, or even the others, fault.  

Minimizing transitions and heading off family disputes are each essential to a smooth move with children. Try and arrange visits to the new school and meetings with the new teachers before the school year or semester starts. When you have more than one child, make bedroom assignments in the new house as soon as possible to avoid sibling strife (comfort, privacy and age seniority are all issues of kid politics that it is sometimes easy for grownups to forget).

Above all, be open and patient. If you pay the right attention, you will be letting your children know that, move or no move, the most important people in their lives aren't going anywhere.”

Mary concluded, “There is a difference in real estate companies.  Presenting consumer information, we believe, is in order to exceed sellers expectations of what ERA Justin Realty is about, and we don’t offer just the basics.    In that way, we know that our sellers will hold us in the highest regard.  Our sellers have put their thoughts in writing. We have on file for the asking, ‘What people are saying’ our report of over 600 quotes and testimonials from our sellers and buyers.  No other area real estate firm can offer that.  Are we proud?  Absolutely!”

ERA Justin Realty proudly received the prestigious ERA national Commitment to Excellence Award for four consecutive years, one of 11 premier ERA real estate firms from 3,000. Check our their 1000's of homes website at www.erajustin.com.

ERA Justin Top Producers Report: 
Smart Sellers Think Like Buyers

ERA Justin Realty’s Jennifer Darby and Fara Espandi Hamzeh succeeded each challenge during 2006 and achieved the position of the firm’s Leadership Circle Top Producing Agents.  To be successful, these sales professionals know what makes for a successful sale and advise that smart sellers think like buyers.  This advice continues in 2007.

Jennifer Darby said, “There are plenty of homebuyers intent on buying while they can still lock in a relatively low mortgage rate. So, the 2007 housing market should present good opportunities for sellers who understand how to maximize profit in this new, more balanced, selling environment.  The first step is to start thinking like a buyer, not a seller. Although buyers are anxious to buy before rates rise further, they know that the appreciation rate is subsiding. As written in Inman News by Dian Hymer, when the market is rising quickly, buyers are less concerned about overpaying because they're sure they'll recoup the excess payment within a few months because of robust appreciation. This was the psychology of the 2005 buyer. Now, buyers are much more concerned about value.  For this reason, pricing is more important than ever, as is property condition. Buyers are less forgiving of defects. So, ideally, you should fix defects before you put your home on the market.”

Fara Espandi Hamzeh added, “Listings are most salable when they're new on the market. To maximize your opportunities, your home not only needs to be priced right and properly prepared for sale, you also need a comprehensive marketing plan. You want to make sure that information about your listing reaches as many potential buyers as possible. Our ERA Justin Realty listing and sales consultants/agents are proactive in advising potential sellers with comprehensive information when reviewing the sale of their house.   They provide you with a marketing plan with samples of the marketing materials that will be used to promote your house, as well as strong Internet exposure. As reported, nearly 80 percent of today's homebuyers start their home searches on the Internet. 

Fara continued,  “A listing on the Internet isn't enough, though. Buyers don't look at listings that don't have photos. You can gain an edge on the competition if multiple photos and a  virtual tour of your home is on the Internet as soon as your home is opened up to the market. It's important to have a good working relationship with your agent. For this reason, many sellers who had a positive experience buying their home decide to list with the agent who represented them as buyers. This is often a good strategy. Just make sure that you find out how your past agent works as a seller's agent.  In most cases, it's not wise to work with an agent who is outside of the local market area. Few agents can give good service if they are spreading themselves too thin. A bad marketing effort as well as selling through an outside area discount brokerage firm can result in a lower sale price.”

Jennifer commented, “Your aim is to sell for the highest price possible. Some sellers, who think they are selling in last year's market, think it's a good idea to list at a price that's way under market value to generate a bidding contest and send the price higher. This strategy could backfire on you this year. If you don't receive multiple offers--and most sellers aren't these days--you will have a hard time negotiating a buyer up from a low price. Don't list for less than a price you can accept if you don't receive multiple offers. But, keep in mind that overpriced listings won't sell. Your house is in daily competition with many similar houses on the market at any given time.

Our ERA Justin Realty listing and selling consultants who are active in your area will be able to advise you about an effective list price for your home.  We offer our Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), a comprehensive study of your house in comparison with others that are on the market, that have sold, that have expired, as well as the spring 2007 market update.  It’s offered at no cost or obligation simply by phoning our office, or responding to our CMA offer that you have recently received by mail.”

June Incorvaia a full-time Realtor with ERA Justin Realty offers information on the latest technology for successful home sales in 2007.  She is a member of the Meadowlands Board of Realtors, New Jersey Multiple Listing Service and New Jersey Association of Realtors.  Throughout her long association with ERA Justin Realty she has achieved many service and production awards.

ERA Justin Realty Offers Technologies for 
Successful Home Sales

Rutherford: ERA Justin Realty, recognized as an industry leader throughout Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex Counties for expertise in real estate sales reviewed advanced 2007 technology including features which enable consumers to view ERA Justin Realty property listings through an online virtual tour, making home buying and selling easier with greater success.

June Incorvaia, an award-winning agent with the firm said, “ERA Justin Realty is a top 100 ERA real estate firm nationwide, and we feature virtual tours in today's fast-paced and technologically advanced real estate market on our listings. Virtual tours offer home sellers the advantages of a 24-hour a day, seven-day a week open house, at the homebuyers convenience.

Virtual tours include multi-scene views of the interiors and exteriors of ERA Justin listed properties. Online visitors can tour properties at any hour, from their home, office, or from anywhere in the world. The expectations of today's real estate homebuyers and sellers are high, and as millions of viewers use the Internet to look for a home, it is critical to have the best tools to promote our listings online. Virtual tours help potential buyers view a property's features so much better than just a text description or a single photo of a house; for example, consumers may view what is on the other side of the street and next-door. ERA Justin Realty offers this additional service to each of our sellers on every listing that we market for sale.  When we post a virtual tour, it is available on our website, www.ERAJustin.com, www.ERA.com, and a menu of nearly two dozen additional national websites from which we market our seller’s homes.  Online virtual tours increase a listing's exposure to potential buyers, which our home sellers find very valuable in the current real estate market.  More exposure means more pre-approved buyers to potentially see each listing.  More exposure potentially brings more buying contracts to be considered, giving each seller a better opportunity to sell their house in the modifying 2007 market.  Buyers who view virtual tours are strong, interested prospects.  There is no cost to our sellers for this added value service.”

Buyers and Sellers interested in learning more about ERA Justin Realty’s online virtual tours can reach any of the ERA Justin Realty sales professionals who will be pleased to provide extensive details.

Continuing, Incorvaia said, “Because of our daily priorities, we proudly received the prestigious ERA world-wide ‘Commitment to Excellence Award’, for four consecutive years from nearly 3,000 ERA firms.  Also view 1000s of homes at our website at www.ERAJustin.com.  Thousands of area sellers have selected ERA Justin Realty as their Realtor of choice since 1950.  We work to exceed expectations each day and that makes us truly proud.”

ERA Justin Realty 2006 Leadership Circle Award achievers, standing L to R: Glenn Elliot, Fara Espandi Hamzeh, Carol Calamari, Jennifer Darby, June Incorvaia, Grace Tirrito, Peg McLaughlin, Ilene Harpuder, Kristen Davis.  Seated: Rosemarie Zembryski, Haleh Hamzeh and Mary Iannaccone.  Not pictured: Cathy Vick

  ERA JUSTIN REALTY HONORS LEADERS AT 2006 YEAR-END

Bergen County, New Jersey:  Focus for clients and customers are the force that motivates the staff of active sales professionals at ERA Justin Realty.  In fact, the firm tracks continuing activity of 100 real estate firms who service the vast reaches of Bergen County and ERA Justin Realty has again proven itself to be an area real estate market leader in 2006.

Ron Darby, Broker and Co-owner recently posted the 2006 year-end Leadership Circle production results for those sales professionals who have exceeded all expectations for the year.  Receiving accolades was Glenn Elliot, Fara Espandi Hamzeh, Carol Calamari, Jennifer Darby, June Incorvaia, Grace Tirrito, Peg Mc Laughlin, Ilene Harpuder, Kristen Davis, Rosemarie Zembryski, Haleh Hamzeh, Mary Iannaccone and Cathy Vick.

Darby stated, "Throughout each quarter we proudly present the Leadership Circle Award to those teammates who focus and exceed the expectations of their sellers and buyers.  These fine professionals who are currently awarded had earned accolades throughout 2006 quarters.  It is an ongoing team effort that makes us a market leader throughout Bergen, Essex, Passaic and Hudson counties. 

For our sellers and buyers, we have compiled our 'What People Are Saying' presentation of nearly 600 testimonials regarding the services that we offer.  A copy is available for the asking. Additionally, these sales professionals focus on the inventory of homes that we have for sale, knowing exacting details, so they can provide our sellers and buyers with the service they deserve.  It's a win-win for all! 

Due to modifying market changes, any of our professionals will be pleased to provide a current market price analysis of your home at no cost or obligation.  The report features current homes on the market, homes that have sold and closed, and details as to the value of your home.  The analysis will focus on market value for 2007 and anticipated market activity for Spring.  It will also give details on the specifics of your home and what a seller may do to make it more marketable. Invite them in, it will be well rewarding.”

Carol Darby Co-owner added, “Additionally our 4^th quarter 2006 award winners included Fara Espandi Hamzeh, Carol Calamari, Grace Tirrito, Ilene Harpuder and Glenn Elliot.  Each month our teams of sales professionals focus on the needs of their sellers and buyers which result in the Leadership Circle Awards program.”

ERA Justin Realty has received the prestigious world-wide ERA Commitment to Excellence Award, one of 11 premier ERA real estate firms from nearly 3,000 for four consecutive years.  They will be honored at the upcoming ERA International Business Conference at Las Vegas in March.”

ERA Justin Realty Growth Throughout 57 Years

Rutherford, New Jersey:  ERA Justin Realty, a company with a sterling reputation since 1950 has grown in even more positive directions since Ron Darby was invited by founder Justin Tokarski to join him in leading the firm to greater heights. 

Ron Darby took the lead as Justin’s business associate in 1982 and continuous growth of the firm followed.  Years later, direct from her graduation from Westchester University with a degree in Earth and Space Science came Jennifer Darby.  After completing her post as a student teacher she decided to change careers and become a Realtor. 

At that moment after nearly thirty years in the real estate business, experiencing all aspects of the industry and a bit surprised, Ron thought, “Years of university education and training, many secure job opportunities and Jennifer wants to join the firm.  It sounded like the spirit and adventure was about to continue.”  In the blink of an eye, Jennifer was attending an accredited real estate licensing school and the rest is history.  In the following ten years, she has gone from salesperson to achieving her brokers license and becoming an accredited New Jersey real estate licensing course instructor, a director at the Meadowlands Board of Realtors and has achieved her designation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation of historic homes.  Taking full advantage of all continuing education courses she continued to excel, exceeding buyer and seller expectations and achieving the New Jersey Association of Realtors “Circle of Excellence” award each year since 1996.  Her popularity is evident, as her listings and sales constantly increased, and then receiving the New Jersey Association of Realtors “Circle of Excellence Gold” award in 2005, the only member of the Meadowland Board of Realtors to achieve this honor.  Jennifer also accepted the opportunity to be featured in the ERA Global Trends In-Flight Continental Airlines video, filmed on location at a home in her market area and shown on Continental flights nationwide for many months. Jennifer then accepted an invitation to be a guest speaker at the ERA International Business Conference held in San Francisco.  Locally she also serves the Chamber of Commerce.

In 2003, the National Association of Realtors magazine featured Jennifer in their special “30 under 30” issue and published, “Jennifer finds ways to exceed expectations. She chairs the ERA Muscular Dystrophy Association fund-raising drive, the MDA Summer Camp for Kids program, and attends the VIP day at the camp where she takes part in the activities with the kids.  She also chairs an annual fund-raiser for a senior center and volunteers at charity events to raise money for AIDS research.”

 Ron Darby, who operates ERA Justin Realty, awarded as a “Top100” firm from nearly 3,000 ERA real estate firms said,  “Jennifer is a mentor to many of our sales professionals. She sets a tone for our newer agents to follow as they fine-tune their skills with ongoing real estate training.”

While Jennifer was developing her real estate career, Ron was equally active.  He accepted an appointment from ERA to serve on the Advisory Marketing Board, working with selected ERA owners nationally in critiquing proposed ERA products and services.  He achieved the prestigious ERA Commitment to Excellence Award, one of eleven ERA firms to receive it, for four consecutive years and serves as the New Jersey ERA Awards and Recognition Chairman for all ERA real estate firms throughout the state.

But there’s more.  When Ron’s then partner Cass Tokarski announced his desire to explore additional business horizons, Carol Darby, a family member said it was again time for her to reenter the real estate business, having been licensed for many years and coming from a corporate business with a commercial real estate background.  She joined the firm, strongly embraced the work being done by Ron, Jennifer and Cass and their entire staff of sales professionals. The growth of the firm continued. Ron, Jennifer and Carol have been invited to take part in roundtable meetings at ERA Broker Councils and to explore programs under consideration for ERA member offices nationwide.

Carol continued, “Every day growing ERA Justin Realty and interfacing with industry leaders gives us the energy to keep exploring ways to grow ERA Justin Realty for the benefit of our sellers, buyers and agents.  Although there are always modifying trends in real estate and knowing that we have a strong support group of sales agents gives us a level of comfort, knowing that our sellers and buyers will have the advantages of cutting-edge innovations to sell and buy even in unsettled real estate markets.”

Ron concluded, “ERA Justin Realty grows more successful each day using the newest industry products, services and technologies.  After my 40 years of real estate operations, with new and strong advantages in a daily changing industry, Jennifer sometimes reminds me, ‘Dad, we just don’t do it that way any more!’  I simply smile and tell myself, she’s probably right. With the new seller technologies that are available, the industry changes from day to day and our team of sales professionals are an integral part of the process.  They focus for their sellers and buyers every day.”

Pictured left to right: ERA Justin Realty sales professionals, June Incorvaia, Terry Mertens, Jennifer Darby, Ron Darby, Carol Darby, Glenn Elliot and Carol Calamari

ERA JUSTIN REALTY PARTICIPATES 
AT REALTOR CONFERENCE

New Jersey real estate Broker and Agent responsibilities continually increase as well as the training and education courses needed to successfully meet and exceed Buyers and Sellers expectations. 

Each year the New Jersey Association of Realtors holds their business conference in conjunction with New York and Pennsylvania.  The 2006 Realtor conference recently held, was attended by approximately 10,000 sales professionals who understand the need for continuing education to fine-tune their skills for their Buyers and Sellers.

ERA Justin Realty sales professionals who attended included, June Incorvaia, Terry Mertens, Jennifer Darby, Ron Darby, Carol Darby, Glenn Elliot and Carol Calamari.

Training sessions focused on education to assist Realtors in being successful for their sellers in the modifying sales market including proper pricing of houses and transacting business in a buyer’s market.

Ron Darby, Broker Co-owner of ERA Justin Realty stated, “If you want something done right, ask a busy agent.  Not only did our group attend training sessions, in between you would find them with notes in hand, on their cell phones focusing on their existing sales and listings, the needs of their Buyers and Sellers and handling on-going transaction details, all without missing a beat.”

During their daily business activities, ERA Justin Realty proudly received the prestigious ‘Commitment to Excellence Award’, one of 11 premier ERA real estate firms from nearly 3,000 for three consecutive years, as well as the Muscular Dystrophy President’s Club honors for their MDA fundraising in 2006. All across the nation, the most sought award that can be achieved in business is the ‘J.D. Power & Associates’ award.  Only outstanding business entities are honored and receive it.  ERA Real Estate was the recipient of ‘Highest Satisfaction for First Time Home Buyers Among Full Service Real Estate Firms.’ and again in 2005 the ‘J.D. Power & Associates’ award for ‘First Time Home Sellers’ Award, repeated again in 2006, for three consecutive years. For these reasons ERA Justin Realty should be your buying and selling Realtor of choice

ERA Justin Realty Tips On Minimizing Winter Roof 
and Home Damage

“During the cold winter months when the snow falls and the temperatures remain low, a phenomenon known as ice damming can occur on your roof. Left unchecked, ice damming can do substantial damage to both your roof and the interior of your home, so it pays to know what to look for and what to do about it.  Ice damming begins when snow piles up on the roof and outside temperatures remain low enough that it doesn't melt off from above. At the same time, heat being lost from inside the house begins to melt the snow from below. As the bottom of the snow layer melts, a thin film of water begins to form between the top of the roofing and the underside of the snow. This water runs down the top of the roof, beneath the snow, until it reaches the eaves.   Once at the eaves, the water is past the end of the attic, so no more heat is being lost from the house to keep the water warm enough to remain a liquid, allowing it to re-freeze into a solid dam of ice along the eaves. If the snow remains on the roof and the outside temperatures remain below freezing, the process will continue to repeat itself, and here is where the real danger starts.  As water keeps running down the roof and hitting the ice dam, it has no where to go but back up the roof, where it can work up under the shingles and lift and damage them as it freezes. When the outside temperatures eventually rise again, or when the ice dam gets over the heated portion of the attic once more, it melts. The water now has the opportunity to get inside the house, where it can cause a considerable amount of damage to the attic framing, the insulation and the drywall below,” advises Glenn Elliot, Realtor with ERA Justin Realty.

He continued, “As reported by Paul Bianchina of Inman News, luckily there are warning signs that alert you to the formation of an ice dam. One of the most obvious is icicles hanging over the edge of the roof, which indicate the melting and freezing cycle of the snow on the roof and are often an indicator that an ice dam is forming. The larger the icicles, the larger the ice dam is above them. You may also see smaller icicles coming out of eave vents, or even behind siding boards. This is an indication that water has now gotten into the attic or has dripped down behind the siding, which typically indicates a more severe problem. The appearance of water stains along the corner between the ceiling and an exterior wall is another indicator that water has gotten into the attic, wetting the insulation and making its way down to the drywall.  Ice damming requires below-freezing outside temperatures, a layer of snow on the roof, and heat being lost from inside the house. There's nothing you can do about the temperature, but you can do something about both the snow and the heat loss.

The first and most obvious solution is to be sure your attic is well insulated, so that heat remains inside the living space where it belongs. Be sure that your attic is insulated to at least R-38 – about 14 to 17 inches of blown fiberglass insulation – and that vaulted ceilings with no attic above them are at or above R-30. Don't overlook heating ducts running through the attic either. They can result in substantial heat loss, so make sure they are insulated to R-11 or better.  Even with good insulation, a certain amount of heat is still lost into the attic, so once it's there you need to get rid of it. The most effective way of doing that, just like in the summer, is through good attic ventilation. A combination of low vents under the eaves and high vents in the gable ends or along the ridge of the roof keeps a continuous flow of air moving through the attic, dissipating the waste heat before it can warm the roof sheathing and melt the snow above. Also, never intentionally block off attic vents, and be sure they remain clear when insulating.  Removing the snow layer also helps, since it allows sunlight to work on the ice layer below and melt it off. A snow rake, which is a lightweight plastic or metal rake head attached to a series of long poles, allows you to drag snow off the lower portions of the roof from below, without the danger of getting onto the roof to shovel it. Snow rakes are not effective on ice or hard snow, so rake it off while the snow is still soft and try to clear an area from the eaves up to about three feet past where the roof meets the exterior walls.

When it's time to re-roof your house, keep ice damming in mind. Shingles that are flat, uniform and adhere well to each other, such as composition shingles, form a better barrier against water intrusion than irregular roofing such as wood shakes. Metal roofing, which has no horizontal seams, is virtually imperious to water intrusion from ice damming. Also, install a layer of rubberized ice and water barrier from the eaves up past the line where the exterior wall meets the roof. Ice and water barriers seal around the fasteners and are very effective at keeping water out.”

ERA Justin Realty offers tips 
on the art of home purchase offers

Home buyers now have more negotiating power as we enter 2007.  However, that doesn't necessarily make it easier to decide how much to offer. The goal is to buy the property at a price with good terms. But, you don't necessarily get there by offering a very low price.

According to Inman News writer and author Dian Hymer, “One agent was asked to leave a house when he presented an offer for a buyer who thought there was no harm offering way less than the asking price. The seller was insulted by the buyer's very low offer.  After much encouragement by his listing agent, the seller finally issued a counteroffer. But the episode didn't sit well with the seller who was less than cooperative throughout the transaction. Another seller who received a very low offer debated long and hard about whether to counter the offer at all. He was inclined to reject the offer and tell the buyers to make another offer if they really wanted the house. He ended up countering at a price that was close to the asking price to send the message to the buyer that he wasn't giving his house away.”

Fara Espandi Hamzeh of ERA Justin Realty stated, “Some buyers, particularly in the current market, don't want to make an initial offer that's close to the top price they're willing or able to pay. They feel that if they do so, they'll have little room to bargain.  You don't necessarily need a lot of bargaining leeway to do an acceptable contract. If you start off with a price that is relatively close to the list price, you can stand firm or counter back at your best price indicating that this is your best offer. Just as a seller can decide not to sell if the price is too low, buyers can decide not to buy unless the price is suitable for them.

Ultimately, your decision about what price to offer should be based on a careful analysis of your own financial situation. Other considerations are how well the house is priced for the market and current market conditions as well to how perfect the house may be for you and your family.  Although there may be many homes that suit your needs, buyers should consider that once you pass on a house that you really like, it may be sold to someone else tomorrow.

In some markets, there's a wide range of pricing. Sellers who understand the current market and who want their listing to sell within months, price competitively. Other sellers with unrealistic expectations overprice their homes, thinking their property has appreciation more than it has. In most areas, appreciation is flat at best compared to a year ago.  Study the market carefully by looking at any listing that might suit your needs.

Even in the current market, there are times when the right offer price might be more than the list price. Buyers have paid over the asking price on a well-priced listing. For example, a seller, who had already bought another property, listed her home for $35,000 less than the more recent comparable sale in the neighborhood. The buyers recognized a good deal and offered to pay $10,000 more than the list price so that the seller would sell to them and not keep the listing on the market until more offers showed up. The seller had hoped that her competitive price would generate multiple offers and a higher price. But she was sufficiently intrigued by the over-asking price offer that she accepted it.”