New Jersey Realtor®—May June 2020

NEW JERSEY

REALTOR

®

May/June 2020: VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3

NJREALTOR.COM

16

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® A publication of New Jersey Realtors®

10 Hamilton Avenue Trenton, NJ 08611 Phone: 609-341-7100 njrealtor.com

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Jarrod C. Grasso, RCE Chief Executive Officer PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT Colleen King Oliver Director of Public Relations &

Marketing | editor@njrealtor.com

Erin McFeeters

Dana Fiori

Communications Coordinator

CONTENTS May/June 2020

Content Coordinator

2

2020 OFFICERS Angela Sicoli

President

Jeffrey Jones

President-Elect

Robert White

First Vice President

Kathleen Morin

Treasurer

President's View: Staying Connected and Positive Through Crisis

3

CEO's Desk: We’re Here to Help

4

2019 Profile of New Jersey Home Buyers and Sellers

14

Town Spotlight: Allentown

16

Social Media in the Age of Social Distancing

18

How to Drive Engagement on Social Media

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6 Social Media Schedulers

23

The Big Effect of Video Emails

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12 Tools to Help Keep You on Track

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Local Board/Association News

ADVERTISING SALES Laura Lemos | 973-822-9274 laura@boja.com DESIGN Rebecca Ryan McQuigg | Encompass Media Group rebecca@encompasspubs.com

5

Important Dates & Deadlines

6

Legislative Update: Advocating in Uncharted Territory

New Jersey Realtors® provides legal and legislative updates as well as information on a variety of real estate related topics solely for the use of its members.

Due to the wide range of issues affecting its members, NJ Realtors® publishes information concerning those issues that NJ Realtors®, in its sole discretion, deems the most important for its members.

The content and accuracy of all articles and/or advertisements by persons not employed by or agents of NJ Realtor® are the sole responsibility of

8

their author. NJ Realtors® disclaims any liability or

New Jersey Realtors® + Photofy

responsibility for their content or accuracy. Where such articles and/or advertisements contain legal advice or standards, NJ Realtors® recommends that NJ Realtors® seek legal counsel with regard to any

Sudoku puzzle solution:

specific situation to which they may seek to apply the article.

New

Jersey

Realtor ® ,

publication

number

13260. Published bi-monthly each year. Member subscriptions allocated annually from annual dues: $3. Non-member annual subscription: $10. Known office of publication: 10 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08611. Periodicals postage paid at Trenton, NJ 08611 and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to Editor, 10 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, NJ 08611.

NJRealtors

@NJ_Realtors

10

Impact of COVID-19 on the New Jersey Residential Real Estate Market

@njrealtors

NJRealtors

NJ Realtors

editor@njrealtor.com

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 1

PRESIDENT'S VIEW

Staying Connected and Positive Through Crisis

BY ANGELA SICOLI

W

e’ve been through hurricanes, recessions, and now we’re facing our most difficult challenge yet—a global pandemic. Even though our businesses look different than they did a few months ago, that doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. As an industry, we have to band together and support one another.

keep them informed and answer questions about arising pandemic issues such as the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Plan and unemployment for Realtors®.

Keep an eye on our social media pages and your inbox for future webinar announcements.

We are apart, but we are still in this together.

I miss my family, friends, and colleagues, as I’m sure all of you do, and even though I can’t visit them at this time, it’s so important to keep in touch so we still feel connected.

Over Zoom and FaceTime, we’re updating one another with our latest quarantine recipes and activities. I’m even able to stay in touch with my family in Italy with WhatsApp. Everyday I’ve been trying to take walks outside to create a sense of normalcy. It provides me the chance to breathe in fresh air and take a pause from cleaning out the drawers and cabinets in my home.

Serving as your President during this time is a unique challenge, but we’re doing our best to keep you updated and informed in a situation where information often changes by the hour. We’ve been busy conferencing about every new Executive Order and program and how it will affect our industry. We also held our first virtual Board of Directors meeting at the beginning of April. We added an option to attend meetings virtually in 2017 and it has been immensely helpful as we all transition to remote work.

Even though we can’t be together right now, we can still help each other. Check in on your colleagues and friends to see what they’re up to. Maybe they started a new online class that interests you, or they’re using a tool that could help you accomplish your goals. New Jersey Realtors® has been putting together webinars for members to help

2 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

FROM THE CEO'S DESK

We’re Here to Help I

’m sure you’ve been hearing this term a lot lately, from brands you’ve barely interacted with all the way up to the state government. We know the value of communicating information to you, but we also understand that you are being inundated with emails, ads, posts, and websites with things you “need.”

We’ve worked to ensure that our words are met with decisive action because we can say all we want, but we know you’re looking for real action. So here is what we’ve been doing since this global pandemic began to affect New Jersey real estate: • Constant, daily communication with the governor’s office with regards to multiple executive orders • Daily updates on COVID-19 resources page, including adding and changing FAQs relating to government and association programs • Government affairs staff personally reached out to more than 400 local municipalities, county offices, and condominium associations • Four additional forms were provided for use in transactions: addendum to sales contract, addendum to seasonal rental agreement, buyer and seller disclosure, landlord and tenant disclosure • Webinars on critical, time-sensitive programs for thousands of members (e.g. a conversation about SBA, PPP, and EIDL with NJ SBA staff and a real estate-specific unemployment webinar with NJ Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Robert Asaro-Angelo) • Weekly (if not more) membership-wide emails on any updates that change day-to-day • Advocating for e-notary bill (which became law in mid-April) • Working with various state agencies including NJ REC, Board of Appraisers, Department of Environmental Protection, Motor Vehicle Commission for help with member inquiries on licensing, permits, title transfers, etc.

• Thousands of individual emails and phone calls answered from all staff managing member inquiries • Member survey regarding COVID-19 effect on real estate market sent in mid-March • Weekly check-in with local Executive Officers to ensure consistent communication

• Staff is working from home, but functioning at full capacity • Committee meetings are still ongoing through our remote system we implemented in 2017 • Weekly business calls with the governor’s office, twice weekly calls with NJBIA and NJ Chamber of Commerce, daily calls with NJ Association of Counties • The education department has recently implemented a webinar feature in ACE, which allows local boards to deliver continuing education to their members, while still following NJ Real Estate Commission guidelines. Since the feature became available to all boards, over 30 webinars have been scheduled, with more being created daily • Virtual conference with strategic planning and leadership trainer Adorna Carroll for Association Executives to help guide them through streamlining some of their board and member services in a virtual environment • Educational Foundation scholarship application deadline extended to allow schools and students adequate time to apply. Plus, the student selection and interview process was reconfigured in order for scholarships to be awarded before the 2020-2021 academic year begins • Reaching out to current Member Perk Partners to obtain deeper discounts and custom packages and pursuing new partnerships to specifically assist members during this time— stay tuned for upcoming announcements • The tri-state convention committee met to evaluate conditions and best convention scenarios. Presenting the most accessible, comprehensive, and safe Triple Play REALTORS® Convention & Trade Expo is a priority Let me be clear, I’ve listed these things not as a job well done to the association, but for you to know we’ve been working and will continue to work for you. So thank you for standing by us, and we’ll continue to stand by you.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the other side of this.

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 3

2019 Profile of New Jersey

Home Buyers and Sellers Characteristics of Home Buyers

33% are first-time

$71,000 median income

home buyers

58% married couples

the typical home buyer is

36

9% single males

20% single females

10% unmarried couples

29%

desired to own a home of their own

12%

2% active duty

veterans

years old

Characteristics of Homes Purchased

11% new homes

The Home Search Process looked at

1,800

89% previously

built in

1981

owned homes

92%

square feet

found websites useful

8

86% found photos

homes over

very useful

5

weeks

Financing the Home Purchase

86%

87% first-time buyers

repeat buyers

their agent

loan debt

55% have credit

30% have car loans

card debt

Home Buying & Real Estate Professionals

90% would recommend

55% have student

44%

used referrals to find their agent

4 | NEW JERSEY REALTORÂŽ | May/June 2020

Home Sellers & Their Selling Experience the typical seller is

55

years old

lived in their homes for

$138,200 median income

9

years before selling

I M P O R TA N T D AT E S & D E A D L I N E S

MAY

10 11-16

25

JUNE

Mother’s Day

JULY Realtors 4 NJ Office Closed —

9 Executive Committee

®

Independence Day

Meeting

National Association of Realtors® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo (Virtual) New Jersey Realtor® Office Closed — Memorial Day

AUGUST

of Directors 9 Board Meeting

Financial 14 National Awareness Day

15 Tax Day

Day of 20 First Summer

21 Father’s Day

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NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 5

L E G I S L AT I V E U P D AT E

Advocating in Uncharted Territory

BY BRUCE SHAPIRO

I

t’s been less than two months since our way of life

Throughout the time period that New Jersey and

changed in response to COVID-19. In mid-March,

the country has been dealing with the effects of the

New Jersey Realtors closed its office and staff members

coronavirus, Gov. Murphy has held daily briefings

began working from home, as did Realtors® across New

nearly every afternoon to provide New Jersey residents

Jersey and the United States.

with updates. The briefings are a clear indication of the

®

new normal we are facing during these times. Under On March 21, Gov. Murphy signed Executive Order 107

normal circumstances, the governor holds his Trenton

directing New Jersey residents to stay at home, less than

press conferences at his office at a podium surrounded

a week after aggressive social distancing guidelines were

by experts on the issue being discussed. Now, the press

issued and all schools were closed. This, and other new

briefings occur in the much larger George Washington

guidelines ordered by the State of New Jersey, would also

Ballroom at the Trenton War Memorial. The governor

mean many changes to how our government operates and

sits at a table typically with New Jersey Department of

how advocacy on behalf of New Jersey Realtors® would

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and New Jersey

have to adapt.

State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan. These cabinet officials, and any others who attend, sit at least six

Four days after Gov. Murphy issued the stay-at-home

feet apart from one another. The number of attendees at

order, the New Jersey General Assembly held its first ever

these briefings has been limited for the safety of all in the

remote voting session, with nearly all 80 members of the

room and attendees must undergo health screenings before

Assembly voting by phone. Both the full Assembly and

they enter.

Senate also held voting sessions by phone, sending many pieces of legislation addressing with COVID-19 to the

The COVID-19 pandemic caused upcoming government

governor’s desk. Town council and county Freeholder

deadlines to be extended and election dates to be moved,

meetings across the state were also held remotely—

so our government can continue functioning and elections

members of the public could watch through apps such as

could be held in as safe of a manner as possible. Gov.

Zoom, or communicate by email to their elected officials.

Murphy announced, in coordination with the Democratic and Republican leaders of the New Jersey State

New Jersey Realtors quickly adapted to the changes and

Legislature, the June 30 state budget deadline would be

has been in constant contact with our elected officials. We

extended through Sept. 30. This gives the State Legislature

were talking with elected officials to ensure municipalities

enough time to assess the effects COVID-19 had on state

had measures in place to allow real estate closings

revenues and how the next fiscal year budget will have to

to proceed. Traditionally, the New Jersey Realtors®

be adjusted. In addition, the June primary elections were

Government Affairs team would be at the State House

rescheduled from June 2 to July 7, and many voters are

meeting with members of the Assembly and Senate, or the

requesting mail-in ballots.

®

governor’s administration, or traveling to a town council meeting when an issue arises affecting real estate. Now, the

In light of the fact that large scale gatherings cannot

government affairs team advocates on these issues, largely

occur, and delays are possible during the COVID-19 state

pertaining to COVID-19, but from our dining room tables

of emergency, multiple government agencies across New

by means of phone call, FaceTime, or Zoom.

Jersey have also enacted new policies. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance issued a bulletin

6 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

L E G I S L AT I V E U P D AT E

allowing real estate pre-license classes to be held online,

to put policies forward to assist all New Jerseyans. Just

with approval of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission.

as important, New Jersey Realtors® has found ways to

Traditionally these pre-licensing classes have only been

continue our work on behalf of the real estate industry,

allowed to be held in-person. The department issued an

homeownership and private property rights within the

exemption so classes can be held during the COVID-19

confines of social distancing guidelines. It is important for

state of emergency. Additionally, the department is allowing

all Realtors® to know we have been working and are here

extensions to the one-year deadline for the license exam to

for you during these difficult times. For information on

be taken and license applications to be submitted.

COVID-19 from the State of New Jersey visit covid19.nj.gov and for information that New Jersey

Now more than ever, it has been important for the

Realtors® has provided, visit njrealtor.com/covid19.

government in New Jersey to step up on a bipartisan basis

RPAC OF NEW JERSEY

$900,000

[$ 375,298.87] as of Apr. 17, 2020.

N E W J E R S E Y L E G I S L AT I V E B I L L S

A660 – Vaineri Huttle (D37)/S1274 – Turner (D15) Directs Division of Consumer Affairs to establish public information campaign concerning real estate rental scams.

New Jersey Realtors Position: ®

SUPPORT We support this bill as a way to educate the public about real estate rental scams that have occurred in recent years.

Bill History: 1/14/2020 – Introduced in Assembly and referred to Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee 2/10/2020 – Introduced in Senate and referred to Senate Commerce Committee

A1145 – Freiman (D16), Egan (D17)/S1739 – Oroho (R24), Beach (D6) Establishes “Electronic Permit Processing Review System.”

New Jersey Realtors Position: ®

STRONG SUPPORT We strongly support this bill creating a web-based system for submitting permit applications as well as to be able to schedule inspection appointments online.

Bill History: 1/14/2020 – Introduced in Assembly and referred to Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee 1/27/2020 – Reported out of committee, 2nd reading in Assembly 2/24/2020 – Passed by the Assembly 70-90 and referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee

A1611 – Lampitt (D6), DeAngelo (D14) Establishes the “Student Loan Assistance and Home Purchase Act.” New Jersey Realtors® Position:

SUPPORT We support this bill that will alleviate the financial burden of student loan debt and help first-time homebuyers purchase a home.

Bill History: 1/14/2020 – Introduced in Assembly and referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 7

+ W

hen it comes to marketing yourself, what’s your strategy? Do you have help from your office or are you responsible for managing your own brand from the ground up? It’s hard to find the time to be an expert marketer for yourself when you’re busy juggling deals, clients, and properties.

As you may know, the National Association of Realtors® has partnered with Photofy, a mobile content creation tool, for their national ad campaign — That’s Who We R. And now, we’re excited to announce that New Jersey Realtors® has also partnered with the company to offer you New Jersey-specific assets for your marketing.

This partnership allows you to easily personalize and share marketing assets right from your phone. And if you’ve already signed up with Photofy, the New Jersey library will be easy to access.

Get Started If you haven’t already, download the Photofy app with your NRDS ID to verify your membership and load the NAR and NJ Realtors® libraries. From there you’ll be prompted to enter in your

8 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

personal contact information. The information you enter here will automatically populate on the graphics in the library.

Assets in the New Jersey Realtors ® library include our seasonal advertising campaign, some evergreen content and content relating to the current issue at hand. The content is pre-sized for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook covers and Twitter covers, respectfully.

What Can You Do With It? Do you ever find yourself searching for content that fits you? Well now you can take a statewide advertising campaign—Plant Roots with a Realtor®—and make it yours. You’ll be able to add a headshot, your name, contact information and then immediately share it to Facebook. Or you can save it to your phone for use elsewhere.

We know how hard you all work in every aspect of your business, so when it comes to creating professional content for your personal marketing, we hope this new tool will help you promote the value of using a Realtor®.

1

2

Visit photofy.nar to get started.

Download the Photofy app and link your NAR account.

4

3

Tap “accounts,” which is located on the bottom of the screen, then “New Jersey Realtors®.”

Tap templates.

5

Choose what platform you want to use (located at the top portion of the screen) and choose which graphic you want to customize.

6

Tap “text” to edit your personal information, and tap the bottom lefthand corner of the graphic to change/add a photo.

7

After customization is complete click done in the top righthand corner of your screen and choose where you want to share your graphic.

Download

For Instagram, choose if you want to post on your story or feed, so the sizing is correct.

8 If you choose to not post directly to your profile, you can save the image to your camera roll to post later.

from the App Store!

The National Association of Realtors® and New Jersey Realtors® libraries are available now! Visit Photofy.com/nar.

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 9

Im p a c t o f COV ID -n1ti9 al on the New Jersey Reside Real Estate Market

By Pamela Babcock

G

arden State Realtors® are trying to adapt to new guidelines stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and are learning to navigate transactions in a virtual world.

said he expects home prices to remain stable because of reduced inventory and less immediate concerns over foreclosures.

Open houses have been prohibited since Gov. Phil Murphy’s March 21 ban on large gatherings, but he issued a clarification later saying homes could be shown on a one-on-one basis and to the buyer’s immediate families. New Jersey Realtors® have urged members to use virtual tools for showings and to exercise caution when they do in-person showings by wearing face masks and asking that their clients do as well.

MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCE

While there has been a slowdown in the real estate market across the U.S., many Realtors® remain hopeful for a rebound as delayed transactions return, according to the National Association of Realtors®. In an April 5-6 survey, members reported that 59 percent of buyers and 57 percent of sellers said they expected to stay on the sideline for a couple of months.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun

There may even be an upside for some New Jersey markets once the lockdown is lifted, says Ryan Bruen, a Realtor® who leads the Bruen Team in Coldwell Banker’s Morristown office.

Bruen says he expects a spike in buyers from New York City, which has been particularly hard hit by the virus, “not only because people will seek more space and less density, but also because employers will be more willing to allow

10 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

work from home, making the commute less of a factor.”

Alan Ellenbogen, a Realtor® with Team Ellenbogen at RE/MAX Select in Montclair, agrees and says he thinks towns within a one-hour train commute into New York City, including Montclair, Glen Ridge and Bloomfield near him, will benefit.

“Everybody is very frightened,” Ellenbogen says. “We have friends in New York City who are basically saying we’re getting out of New York City because we don’t want to keep our family in the city anymore.”

“And I don’t blame them,” Ellenbogen says. “They’re afraid of the viruses and they’re frightened that it is going to come back.”

Tech Skills are Key It’s becoming clear that Realtors® who are doing well have tech skills and know how to use virtual and online applications such as FaceTime, Zoom, FreeConferenceCall, DocuSign and others. Bruen’s team is continuing to

focus on digital marketing, including social media, the Google Display Network for advertising, and virtual tours.

An April 13 Harvard Business Review article says the pandemic “has struck at the very heart of what makes sales organizations tick” and notes that some industries, including real estate, transportation and hospitality, “have suffered immensely and are facing an existential crisis.” Sales organizations need to refocus, retool, retrench, and, hopefully, prepare for an eventual rebound.

“A nimble mindset will be essential for adapting rapidly,” the authors wrote, adding that unfortunately many salespeople and buyers “have shunned digital channels and aids, either because they could or because they missed the technology train. That will have to change.”

Stay Safe

Protection For All Staying safe while being productive has been one of the biggest challenges.

Vacant properties are getting more activity because buyers are more at ease going through them. Most Realtors® prefer to do virtual

Be Kind

tours for all occupied homes but some will enter vacant homes with a client as long as they maintain safe social distancing of at least six feet, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some listing agents are requiring buyers and sellers to sign a “holdharmless” form whereby buyers attest that they do not have symptoms of the coronavirus, nor have they come in contact with anybody that has had the virus, before they’re allowed to see a home in person.

sit in their car and guide the buyer through the home on the phone via FaceTime.

Realtor® Marie Bagarozza of EXIT Realty East Coast in Holmdel says she and her team also prefer not to enter occupied or vacant homes and use video or FaceTime tours. They unlock the property before the appointment and turn lights on wearing gloves and using a wipe. Clients typically tour solo while the agent waits outside. After the customer leaves, the agent wipes down all light switches and door handles with hand sanitizer before locking up.

Wash Your Hands

“These forms also supposedly absolve all parties from liability if anybody contracts the virus as a result of the showing,” Bruen says. But, he adds, “the rules are changing on a daily basis and it is a full-time job just keeping up with the changing legalities, procedures, and consumer preferences.”

“If the client wants me to be in the property with them during appointments, I will be there practicing a safe social distance with wipes, gloves, and a mask on,” Bagarozza says.

Some agents are providing hand sanitizer to house hunters but these are in short supply. Bruen will only show occupied and vacant homes via virtual tours. His team members typically arrive early to unlock the door, then

Karla Jusko, a Realtor® associate with Exit Homestead Realty Professionals in Vineland, also strongly recommends virtual listing appointments and tours but says if she has to enter a home, in addition to a mask and gloves, NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 11

she also wears shoe covers. She also requests that clients bring their own masks and gloves for tours, regardless of occupancy, and adds that “so far, everyone has had them.”

STO P THE SPR EAD

Other Challenges Once a contract is agreed upon, most Realtors® say they aren’t experiencing problems with mortgage processing, inspections and closings, although drive-by appraisals are being done on many occupied homes and the number of people present at inspections and closings is usually limited.

have more space, particular outdoors, while social distancing remains in effect.

They include a four-bedroom Morris Plains Colonial listed at $699,000 and a $1.25 million Bernardsville home that was taken off the market last winter but was ready to be relisted.

It’s now a welcome way station for the seller’s children and grandchildren as they escape their city apartment.

Getting certificates of occupancy is also challenging since many town halls are closed and jurisdictions aren’t scheduling them. One option is closing with a temporary certificate, transfer of title, or by holding money in escrow in case of problems arise, Bagarozza says.

HELP

E AC H OT H E R

Jennifer D’Elia, a broker salesperson and broker manager for Samsel & Associates Realty in Clark, says her office has bumped up its advertising to take advantage of the fact that most people are home and surfing social media.

“Many agents are taking a break and even lowering their advertising,” D’Elia says, but she thinks this is a perfect time to be more diligent, particularly with so many financial changes going on. “It’s time to be the expert for our clients,” D’Elia says.

“How does this affect their buying power? How can the delayed tax prep help mortgage applications? These are the types of questions we need to be able to answer.”

Jusko agrees, and says she’s using this downtime to connect with past clients, create meaningful social media video content, and to continue to work her existing and new deals. “It is not just about surviving during this time, it is about thriving,” she says.

“Anything that can be done digitally is being done first,” Jusko says.

Bruen notes deals that have fallen apart have done so because the buyer “tries to take advantage of the situation to renegotiate a better price on their existing purchase contract and the seller refuses to be taken advantage of.”

He adds, however, that some of his listings have been temporarily withdrawn or haven’t gone on the market because the sellers are allowing family members that live in New York City to stay in the homes so they can 12 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

What’s Next Bagarozza is optimistic there are still a lot of buyers who believe this is an opportunity to get “a good deal” because fewer people are flooding the market. It doesn’t hurt that 30-year fixed mortgage rates were 3.63 percent as of April 15.

“Mortgage rates are still fantastic and all the mortgage professionals that I know are conducting business as usual, while also respecting social distancing,” Bagarozza says.

For the most up-to-date information, follow us on Instagram @njrealtors

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NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 13

TOWN SPOTLIGHT

Allentown

BY ERIN MCFEETERS

O

n the outskirts of Monmouth County between Trenton and Freehold, lies a small downtown surrounded by farmland and historic homes. If you blink your eyes while driving through Allentown you’ll probably miss it, but the historic homes and unique gift shops and restaurants are worth the stop.

“Allentown [is] your typical small town,” said Zoë Danch, co-owner of the Moth Coffeehouse. “It’s family-friendly, everyone knows each other, and there is a lot of historical value.”

Town History Allentown has a history of 2,500 years in the making, beginning with Native Americans of the Delaware Nation. In the early 1700s, the town was founded

by Nathan Allen who purchased the land from his father-in-law and named the area Allen’s Town. Shortly after purchasing the land, he built a grist mill powered by a waterwheel, which at the time, was an important step in advancing civilization of the New World, according to The Old Mill. The mill was operational for nearly 250 years before being transformed for shops and a restaurant.

Allen’s Town was surrounded by well-traveled roads and became a popular rest stop on the way to Philadelphia. During the Revolutionary War, the town served as a regional New Jersey militia center, and almost every local business in town is said to have supplied goods and services to the Continental Army, according to the Allentown Village Initiative.

Allen’s Town was also home to a former New Jersey Governor, Dr. William A. Newell. He also served as a U.S. Congressman and governor of the Northwest Territory of Washington. During his time in office, he advocated for the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which is now a part of the U.S. Coast Guard. His home, the Newell House, is a historical home on South Main Street today.

14 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

TOWN SPOTLIGHT

Visit The Moth Coffeehouse for your morning cup of coffee and enjoy a vegan pastry such as a chocolate cake

Sometime around the late 18th Century, Allen’s Town became what it is known as today, Allentown.

donut or chocolate coconut scone.

Allentown Today Fast forward to today, Allentown has been a designated village since 2001 and is home to a little over 1,800 residents, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Walking down the brick paths of South Main Street, it feels as if you’re taking a step back in time.

Historical Colonial and Victorian-style homes line the streets and small businesses have vintage style signage.

Throughout the year Allentown hosts an array of different events that bring in people from around the area. In April they host a Spring Stoll with handcrafted vendors, food, and live music; in October they host a Fall Festival with crafters, vendors, and food trucks as well as a Witches Night Out and Halloween Parade; and during the first weekend in December they host a Holiday Open House with Christmas carolers to promote shopping locally.

The old grist mill in the heart of town is now occupied by an array of different studios and unique craft shops. Nestled on the first floor of the mill is The Moth, a vegan/ vegetarian coffeehouse known for its tasty baked goods and freshly roasted coffee.

“My family has owned the mill that The Moth is located in for 40 years,” said Danch.

“Ever since I was a little, we were always planning on opening a coffee shop.”

Even though their large events throughout the year bring people into town, the growing towns of Robbinsville and Hamilton have caused vacancies in commercial spaces along Main Street. However, in the past five years, new businesses like The Moth have opened and now call Allentown home.

“At times it is challenging, like any business,” said Danch. “However, the support and the love that we receive from the community is so great that it outweighs any challenges that we may face.”

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 15

Social Media in the Age of Social Distancing

BY COLLEEN KING OLIVER

E

verything, especially your business, is different now. While New Jersey Realtors® are still able to conduct business and show homes, there are strict regulations enacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Restrategize & Restructure It doesn’t matter where you were on the social media marketing spectrum before the pandemic, it’s time to rethink what you’re sharing. It’s crisis communications 101—be credible, be candid, and give context.

Consider your online presence a blank slate. There’s the opportunity to connect with your audience like never before, so long as it comes from a place of authenticity.

“While traditional social media sites have been growing, it seems that we want to do more than just connect through messaging and text—we want to see one another,” said a New York Times article from April 7.

Utilize the video option—show your face, your personality, and your business.

16 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

Compassionate Content

Forward-Thinking

Now is the time to be authentic and honest. Gone are the days of perfectly crafted feeds and patterned Instagram squares—it’s time to post who you are and what you represent. Instagram specifically had been trending this way far before the COVID-19 crisis hit—exponential growth was seen on the accounts that rang true and honest, rather than manufactured.

Deciding to not solely focus on pandemic-content does not indicate ignorance. By allowing yourself to incorporate other items into your social media marketing plan, you’re keeping the door open for the end of the crisis, an important step in all crisis communications. Don’t feel obligated to only post pandemic content. The fatigue of that type of content exists on both sides—for you as creator and for your audience.

The new normal has categorized so much into essential and non-essential, so do the same for your online presence.

When you take away all the extras—the hashtags, graphics, ad campaigns, scheduled posts—what do you want to be known as? If your answer is “a true expert,” staying authentic will keep you on the right path.

However, it’s important to not be insensitive and to check your own privilege before hitting post.

Tell your followers, no matter how large or small, exactly what your new day looks like. Show how, despite all the odds, you’re getting deals done. If business is slow, give a glimpse into how you’re setting yourself up for success at the end of this. Are you helping your community in some way but feel uncomfortable sharing that information at the risk of it seeming inauthentic? Share it as a call to action, encouraging neighbors, clients, friends to do the same.

Post about the importance of staying mentally healthy during this time—a pandemic may not be the time for productivity. Whatever it is, be true, be humble, and be receptive. If you open the door to a conversation, don’t shut it when someone shows up with a different opinion.

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NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 17

4/14/20 11:49 AM

How to Drive Engagement on Social Media

BY SARAH LI CAIN

I

t’s no surprise that standing out as a Realtor® will help you get more leads, referrals and repeat business. If you’re using social media to engage with your audience and it looks the same as others in the industry, you might not receive the engagement you want. Simply posting listings on Facebook or Instagram often won’t lead to a sale.

Instead, Realtors® who want to successfully use social media as part of their marketing efforts need content that will elevate their brand so they stay top of mind.

“When people look at my accounts, they can see that I am active in the market and knowledgeable about the industry because people want to work with someone they know and trust.”

Considering there are thousands of Realtors® at someone’s disposal, it’s important to stand out by addressing homebuyers’ needs directly. For Alan Paraso and Shamie Barrett, Realtors® with Exit Real Estate Gallery, started their Instagram account because of their desire to serve their audience.

Stephanie Geist, a broker associate with Century 21 in East Brunswick, saw the importance of social media to get Serving clients in Jacksonville, Fl., both Barrett and in front of consumers. “Everyone is on social media,” says Geist. “It’s not only a great way to get in front of people but Paraso knew that much of their clientele are those who aren’t familiar with the area due to the large percentage of you can engage with them for free.” military families that move there. Plus, many are first-time buyers who are in their 20s, so they tailored their content to Sarah Potter, founder of Mother of Marketing, a social attract these types of homebuyers. media consulting company in Arizona, agrees. “You don’t have to spend copious amounts of time doing things “[Shamie Barrett and I] noticed that for us, we like to look like attending a bunch of networking events, searching up local businesses on Instagram and part of what we do for outlets to place ads and other types of traditional as Realtors® is to sell the area and not only the physical advertising,” says Potter. “Social media gives you the property,” says Paraso. “So we thought, since our area is opportunity to quickly share your expertise, your take considered an up and coming city, why not start a social on real estate and reach clients you may not have had media account that highlights things you can do and new otherwise.” businesses and restaurants that are popping up?”

While it may seem time consuming to come up with a Taking this strategy proves to their buyers that they successful strategy, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, three understand one of their many pain points — they don’t Realtors® are giving you a sneak peek into their Realtor® business and how they’ve used social media to drive leads know the area. Their Instagram account helps them stand and more sales. out among other Realtors® since both Barrett and Paraso are taking the time to show they care enough to help buyers Understanding Your Audience is Key transition to Jacksonville.

One of many reasons why posting just anything on social doesn’t work is it may not be relevant to your audience.

Diego Corzo, a Realtor® with Keller Williams in Austin, Sure, posting listings with well thought out professional Texas, uses a similar strategy. He takes to social media to photos may attract buyers, but the point of using social address concerns his homebuyers may have, who are mostly media is to build relationships. first-time homebuyers interested in investing in homes.

Corzo utilizes a strategy called “househacking,” where Geist understands that prospective homebuyers do someone purchases a home and rents out extra bedrooms to research online before reaching out to her, so she wants roommates, helping to drive down home-related expenses to makesure her online presence is rock solid. “If a for the owner. “When I walk through a home for an open home buyer doesn’t see an agent on social media, house or to write a listing, I like to do a quick video on my many times they’ll probably think he or she phone and show it on Instagram stories or Facebook,” says isn’t active on the market,” says Geist. Corzo. “I point out features of the home, particularly ones

18 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

that prospects might like, such as different ways to make the home more attractive to future renters or potential roommates.”

The point is, these Realtors® are using social media in a way that makes it clear they understand who they are addressing. All of them point out that social media is a conversation, so it’s important to treat it like so. That way, it helps you build trust and stay top of mind when a prospect is ready to find a Realtor®.

Finding Unique Ways to Build the Know, Like and Trust Factor There are plenty of ways to showcase you’re well regarded as a Realtor®, such as posting images of you with homebuyers or how many homes you’ve sold or listed within a certain period of time, but so is everyone else.

For Barrett and Paraso, they’ve also networked with other businesses, showing video content on their website. Their Instagram account showcases tours of local businesses and hotspots, and prospective homebuyers have sent direct messages to their account as a result. “Our sales have increased exponentially, and we have so many messages of interested homebuyers just from our social media account, we haven’t had to market any other way,” Barrett says. “Past home buyers also direct friends and family to our account, and a few have said our knowledge and passion for the Jacksonville community is what convinced them to work with us.”

How You Can Get Started Using Social Media to Drive Engagement

It seems like Barrett, Corzo and Paraso are on social media 24/7 and spend a lot of time creating content to drive leads, but that’s not necessarily the case. For Corzo, he Instead, think about what your audience wants, see what ® creates content when he’s showing homes or is at the office, other Realtors aren’t doing and go from there. For Geist, she aims to provide value in all aspects of the real estate helping him be more efficient. As for the Facebook lives, industry, not just listing and sales. For example, she’s posting he sees that as part of his marketing efforts, which is no informative posts on her Instagram of community resources different than talking to a prospective home buyer on the and small businesses around East Brunswick, as well as tips phone. on shopping around for the best mortgage. She also uses social media as an opportunity for her audience to engage “Anything that keeps me on top of mine, even homeowners by asking questions, since she’s noticed that many people who I’ve sold a property to is worth the effort doing,” says love to express their opinions.

Corzo.

“The idea is to use your content in a few ways like showcase your expertise and make you more relatable,” Corzo says.

“Most importantly, I find that me posting on social media consistently keeps me on top of mind with both prospects and past customers, especially those who want to buy additional properties or want to sell their home down the line.”

Corzo uses a combination of strategies to get in front of his audience. He’s found that podcasts who talk about real estate investing or ones for first-time homebuyers help him reach prospects, even ones out of state. Sometimes he partners with them to do Facebook or Instagram lives to answer questions about real estate, elevating him to expert status. Corzo has also posted personal stories of when he first moved to the U.S. which has helped him attract other immigrant homebuyers.

He’s even taken out-of-state prospects and turned them into business — he networks with other Realtors® all over the country so that he can refer prospective homebuyers to them, earning him referral money and furthering his reputation as a Realtor®.

Barrett and Paraso suggest starting small and building your skills as you go along. For example, start out using your phone for pictures and video, and build from there.

“It took a long time for me to edit videos, but it’s been worth it for me professionally,” Barrett says. “I’m able to use these skills to create videos for listings and it has been rewarding to help people understand our city better and to help sell homes using video.”

Perhaps the biggest lesson learned here is that social media, when done right, can be a catalyst for a thriving real estate business. Neither Barrett, Corzo, Geist, or Paraso are social media experts—they’ve all admitted to learning what works through trial and error. In other words, if you’re just getting started don’t be afraid to experiment, get feedback, and keep going.

“Feel free to look through other social media accounts for inspiration, but be yourself,” Potter says. “Your prospects will know when you’re being genuine and gravitate towards that.”

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 19

6 SOCIAL MEDIA SCHEDULERS

PLUS: GETTING STARTED WITH ANALYTICS

BY DANA FIORI

S

ocial media is a massive part of marketing for business today. With 3.5 billion users according to Oberlo.com, it is a way you can creatively and efficiently reach your audience in the blink of an eye. Social media in 2020 is not what it was when it first began in the late 90s. Today we have platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, and there are specific tips and tricks needed to master marketing. For instance, Instagram and Facebook are constantly changing their algorithms, meaning content appearing in your audience’s feed can vary drastically. Photos formerly showed in chronological order, but now they are shown only to the people who interact with your profile the most, so some less

engaged followers may not see your content at all. Algorithm uncertainty is why it is so important to be sure to post on your social media platforms regularly, preferably at scheduled times every day, or at least 3-4 times a week. Frequently posting on your profiles allows for more audience engagement because they will see your posts more often.

Now you may be thinking, “but I don’t have time to worry about posting something every single day.” Fear not, because many platforms allow you to schedule posts ahead of time.

Here are some of the top social media schedulers you can use to stay on top of your game.

1 2 Later

Facebook

Cost: Free Did you know that you can schedule your Facebook and Instagram posts within Facebook? The first step in using Facebook Creator Studio is to make sure that your profile is a business page, and your Instagram account is set to public and business. The Creator Studio will only work if your profiles have these stipulations. Once your profiles are ready, you can head over to business.facebook.com/creatorstudio. There you will be able to connect your Facebook page and your Instagram account and begin scheduling posts. You can schedule as many posts as you like, as well as videos and stories.

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Cost: Plans start at $7.50 per month Free plan for individuals Later is one of the most popular social media schedulers available. It was the first-to-market Instagram scheduler with its launch in 2014. Since then, the visual marketing platform has incorporated Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter and has over 2 million users worldwide. Later helps you streamline your marketing strategy and enables you to organize your content for the week or month ahead.

Monday.com

3 4

Cost: Plans start at $8 Free 14-day trial If you are working with a team, Monday.com is the platform to use to stay organized and keep track of each other’s work. By specializing in remote work for teams, this platform allows you to create an easy-touse workspace. With the ability to manage marketing, media and production, project management, and more, you and your team will be able to stay organized and on track. You can even customize your team’s hub with the option of over 50 integrations such as forms, time tracking, and file sharing, to name a few.

If you are a part of a team looking to streamline your workflow, Monday.com is the best option for you.

Loomly

Cost: Plans start at $25 per month Free 15-day trial If you are looking for an advanced social media scheduling platform, Loomly might be your match. With Loomly, you can manage your organic posts and ads in a straightforward spreadsheet. You can track their performance and get notified if someone on your team comments on your content. Loomly differs from the competition because it can also help you create content with ideas and inspiration related to you and your brand’s trending topics. It also reminds you of upcoming holidays, events, and birthdays, so you never miss a thing.

2 5 6 ContentCal

Cost: Plans start at $17 per month Free plan available Plan and populate your posts with ContentCal and have all of your content in one place. This Londonbased social media scheduler began as a social media marketing agency in 2014. Two years later, they decided to put their techniques and knowledge into a platform to share with the world. ContentCal allows you to do more than just schedule posts; you can also store your to-do lists, save links from the web for future posts, save commonly used hashtags, and so much more. This all-in-one platform allows you to up your marketing game in the process.

Crowdfire

Cost: Plans start at $7.48 per month Free plan available This powerful social media tool used by businesses and individuals alike allows you to grow your social media engagement, and your business, better than ever before.

Crowdfire lets you connect to social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Wordpress, and more. The flexibility of various social media platforms creates a broader audience range for you to reach.

With Crowdfire, you can compose and schedule posts, use analytics to determine the best time to post, customize one post for all profiles, and so much more.

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 21

ANALYTICS Now that you have the schedulers down, it’s time to talk analytics. Social media analytics is a collection of data from your social media sites that reports how many likes, views, shares, etc. your posts receive. Analytics can go even further and share who your audience is by gender, where they are from, and the time of day they are most active with your posts. Analytics are essential for businesses to determine what their audience likes to see, what they need, and what they want.

It is key to a successful strategy. Social media scheduling platforms usually have an analytic feature, depending on the plan. However, if the one you use does not, here are some analytic platforms to try out.

Sprout Social Cost: Plans start at $99 per user per month Free 30-day trial This award-winning social media company is more than a software. With firstrate analytics and social media management, it’s no surprise it is one of the top companies of its kind. Sprout differs from its competitors because its main focus is connecting you to your audience in an engaging and real way. Sprout focuses on providing a deep understanding of analytics so you can determine what your audience cares about, and you can authentically represent your brand.

Keyhole Cost: Plans start at $59 per month Using hashtags in your content allows consumers to find you and enables you to reach a specific audience. Keyhole does just that by providing real-time performances of the top hashtags in your industry. With this tool, you can see which hashtags are trending, which ones are the most popular with your followers, and also find out the peak times they are active to post your content.

Social Network Cost: Free There are countless analytics tools that delve deep into your social media accounts for data. However, the social media platforms themselves do have the ability to pull analytics for free. If you are a beginner at analytics or looking for something simpler, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest have analytic tools right on their site. To access the analytics, your pages and profiles must be set as a business account on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest and set as a business page on Facebook. Once you have that set up you can access your account statistics right from the platform.

To succeed in social media, you must be savvy and understand how marketing your business works.

With these schedulers and analytics tools you will be able to soar above your competitors.

22 | NEW JERSEY REALTORÂŽ | May/June 2020

The Big Effect of Video Emails

BY LEE NELSON

F

or most of Terrie O’Connor’s real estate career, she dictated her letters and memos to an employee who took shorthand. However, her company has been ramping up using video emails in the past few years.

“Well, I’ve found that videos are much easier than sitting down with pen and paper,” says O’Connor, founder and broker/owner of Terrie O’Connor Realtors® with 10 offices in New Jersey.

Sending video emails to clients, potential clients, and even agents thinking about joining her team seems to get a better response than an actual email or text, says O’Connor.

Research from WireBuzz showed viewers retain 95 percent of a message if it is watched in a video compared to only 10 percent from a text.

Richard Nagel, broker/owner of RE/MAX Elite in Monmouth Beach, started using video emails four years ago.

He had been invited by a title company which was offering the idea and providing the software. If Realtors® generated business with it, it would generate business for them. “It was a quid pro quo,” says Nagel.

“I thought it was a good idea. The challenge you have in business is how to differentiate yourself from others in a positive way. Video emails do that,” says Nagel.

Getting Used to the Camera “I was not a fan of doing videos in the beginning,” O’Connor says. “You see yourself for the first time and think, ‘Do I really look like that, but then you begin to realize it’s such an easy and great way to communicate.”

And ever since her first clients received video emails, they have been “blown away” by it.

“Some people are astonished when they get it. They tell me that they couldn’t believe I did that just for them,” says O’Connor.

She believes people just need to get used to seeing their own face. “I’ve gotten over all that. I’m who I am.”

Nagel produces between 1,000 to 1,500 videos each year with the BombBomb platform, but cannot convince his team members to use them. “Nobody else will use it. I’ve encouraged them to,” says Nagel.

He believes most of the time they just don’t like the way they look, and that overwhelming reason stops them.

Using video can humanize who you are to your clients and let them get to know you.

“People are dying for authenticity,” says Ethan Beute, chief evangelist at BombBomb, a video email marketing platform. He co-authored the book, Rehumanize Your Business: How Personal Videos Accelerate Sales and Improve Customer Experience.

“Videos show transparency. We are tired of the polish and posh. It’s very liberating,” says Beute.

The company’s real estate customers tell him that video emails make what they do fun again, and it reminds them of why they got into the business in the first place.

BombBomb tracks results of when recipients opened the video, how many of them clicked to see the video, or if they RSVP to an event.

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 23

Some topics agents talk about on the video can be anything from introducing themselves when someone enquires about a listing online, to sending a thank you for coming to an open house. Many agents who had a great appointment face to face also send a quick video while sitting in their car or outside the home.

Nagel mostly films one-on-one videos such as introducing himself to potential clients – “Hey Bob. It’s Rich. You stopped by my website. Is there something I can help you with?”

The BombBomb software allows agents to insert someone’s name for a one-on-one video email even when sending to a group.

Why Use Videos Now Videos have become more affordable as technology evolves, says Hope Horner, CEO of Lemonlight, an on-demand video production company in Inglewood, Calif.

“Realtors® can make better video emails to build deeper relationships,” says Horner.

They can keep potential clients engaged and keep the Realtor® on the top of their minds.

“It all comes down to nurturing content and to provide value or entertainment,” Horner says. “And you need to create that trust and rapport.”

Her company helps produce videos all over the world for companies, including Realtors®—which are usually between 15-90 seconds long. They can add visual imagery, sound and extras like effects or text headings for a more dramatic attention-getter.

24 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

“A video inherently captures your attention more, piques your curiosity, and creates emotions quickly,” says Horner.

“They say a picture is worth a 1,000 words. But in a 30 second video, you can convey so much information in a short time.”

She also adds that even when potential clients don’t buy or sell something right away, your video email can keep them engaged and keep you on top of their mind.

“If you nurture them with your content, and provide value or entertainment, the viewer is getting more for their journey,” says Horner. “And then if you get to a closing in a couple of months later with them, you send out another video email to keep yourself top of their mind for referrals.”

The content of your video really depends on where that person is in the scheme of things. The content varies from market to market. But she suggests answering questions you get on a regular basis and expand on that by answering pertinent questions such as — How does financing work?

How long do renovations take? What happens during a closing?

She adds that if you do use a video company to film your email videos, make sure that you aren’t just reading from a teleprompter.

“We do bring one with us. But sometimes, it just sounds too scripted and unnatural,” Horner says. “With our clients, we ask them a series of questions so they have a conversation on camera. Then we pull out the most important soundbites.”

Adding Video to Your Routine Nagel responds to leads from the internet with videos rather than just an email.

“I usually do it in the morning. Also, if I talk to someone on the phone that I haven’t met and want to hopefully establish a relationship, I thank them in a video for speaking to me,” says Nagel.

He stresses that you don’t have to be a tech wizard to do this. It becomes quite simple by just using your computer, tablet or phone.

“It’s a good medium to introduce yourself to someone and show them you are a real live person. You can make it personal and direct,” says Nagel.

He can’t quantify how video emails have improved his bottom line.

“No one has ever said they did business with me because I used video emails. But it’s only $40 a month with unlimited use for the software I get,” says Nagel.

The convenience remains good for him, and he feels like the speed of which he can just tape himself talking instead of typing works out well.

“I’m always looking for ways to differentiate myself. And this definitely does that,” says Nagel.

During the isolation when COVID-19 shut down almost everything, O’Connor said video was more important than ever to create a community within her own company and with clients.

“We sent many videos to let people know we care and that the agents care, and if they need anything to reach out to us,” says O’Connor.

They also did many video trainings during the downturn on subjects such as using technology, marketing, and what happens when the market comes back.

“It’s important for agents to stay connected to consumers. Video emails can do that,” says O’Connor.

Eight Tips on Making the Best Videos Here are thoughts from those who have done it and from companies deep in the video email popularity on how to make a successful video that will appeal to your buyers and sellers, and be easier than you ever believed: 1. Don’t buy special equipment.

You only need your webcam or smartphone, says Beute.

2. Figure out your main message you want to share, Horner says. “People try to share too much information.

Split it up into different videos.”

3. Remain natural and sincere and don’t overthink things, O’Conner says. “This isn’t a staged Broadway show.”

4. The closer to the microphone the better. Don’t be too far away, Beute says.

5. Smile before you hit record, Beute says. “It puts you in a better frame of mind. You feel more attractive, and you will be more attractive to the recipient.”

6. Keep it as short as possible like 20 to 30 seconds, Nagel says. This gives respect to the customer or viewer.

7. You don’t need to use video all the time, Beute says.

8. Practice makes perfect. If you don’t like the way you sound, liven it up, Nagel says.

NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020 | 25

12

Tools to Keep You on Track

BY ERIN MCFEETERS AND DANA FIORI

1

Canva

Animoto

Free Basic Version | canva.com For many, more time at home means more time to endlessly scroll through social media feeds. Stay top of mind with your followers during the pandemic and create graphics with Canva. The platform is easy to use whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out. Canva has millions of stock photographs, vectors and illustrations, and you can upload your own images too. They have a free version you can use and a paid version with access to more photos and graphic elements.

*NJ Realtors® Member Perks Partner Free Basic Version | animoto.com Animoto makes it easy to create marketing videos to post on your social media accounts. You can create virtual tours or new listing announcements without a professional video background in a few easy steps. Step one: choose a template or start from scratch and upload photo and/or video clips.

Step two: personalize your video with text, music, and add your logo. Step three: download your video and post it to your social media profile and/ or your listing website. You can try Animoto free or visit njrealtor.com/memberperks to receive 15 percent off a year of Animoto’s Professional Plan.

4

Constant Contact

2

*NJ Realtors® Member Perks Partner $20 Per Month | constantcontact.com Are you a frequent blogger, or have industry insight to share? Consider starting an email marketing campaign to keep in touch with past, current, and potential clients. Constant Contact’s drag and drop editor makes it easy to create campaigns and they have an array of templates that are ready for you to use. Constant Contact also has a new feature that allows you to schedule posts to your social media page. With access to analytics and contact management you’ll be well on your way to success. New Jersey Realtor® members receive an additional 10 percent off the standard prepay discounts—that’s 20 percent off six months, or 25 percent off the full year.

Google Calendar

5

Evernote

3

Free Basic Version | evernote.com Keep your to-do lists and notes in one place with the help of Evernote. This notetaking app is designed to keep you on track, but it can do so much more. Scan documents, search for handwriting, clip links from the web, search for pdfs, and connect with your other favorite apps all in one place. Evernote is an exceptional tool to use to stay organized.

26 | NEW JERSEY REALTOR® | May/June 2020

Free | calendar.google.com G-suite applications are your one-stop-shop to keep track of everything you have going on in your life. During these uncertain times, having blocks of time scheduled to do certain tasks or cooking your favorite meal can help you feel sane and at ease. Google calendar allows you to share your calendar with other Google users, so you can invite your family members and friends to your next Zoom call through Google.

You can also view your calendar three different ways: day, week, and month depending on your preference. Google’s event color coding feature to differentiate work and home tasks will keep you organized and ready to conquer the day.

zipForm® Plus

6

Free with Realtor® Membership | ziplogix.com/zipform-plus With the help of this immersive platform, members of New Jersey Realtors® can keep essential forms in one place. ZipForm Plus also allows you to have unlimited e-sign capabilities, access to support, manage transactions, has secure storage, and more. This platform saves you time and keeps you organized and focused on your business.

7 8

Trello

iStaging

Free Basic Version | trello.com If you’re working as a team or collaboratively with others from your office, Trello can organize your workflow and keep everyone on track.

With Trello, you can create different boards for different projects and see all your information and ongoing projects at a glance. With its flexibility and features, you can customize your workflow, so it fits any team or project. They have a free version you can use on your mobile device or desktop.

*NJ Realtors® Member Perks Partner Pay By Use $5 Per Month | istaging.com/en Virtual tours are being used today more than ever, and iStaging is here to help. As a New Jersey Realtors® Member Perks Partner, members can receive a discount of up to 28 percent off of virtual tours. For as little as $5 a month, NJ Realtor® members gain access to free educational workshops, virtual reality editor, virtual reality maker app, and more! Take advantage of this deal and impress your clients with immersive virtual tours.

11

Slack

Facetime

$8 Per Person Per Month | slack.com A cluttered inbox filled with tasks and to do’s can be difficult to keep track of, which is why businesses around the globe have switched to Slack while working remotely. Teams and colleagues can instant message one another in different organized channels to help stay on top of tasks and projects. Slack also allows you to link other programs you use on a regular basis such as Google Drive, Salesforce, and Zoom. It can be hard to feel connected, but Slack helps teams come together and stay productive.

Free | Only For Apple Products FaceTime has been a feature of Apple products since 2010, but now it is being used for more than catching up with family and friends. Since the country has been on lockdown because of COVID-19, Realtors® are getting creative when it comes to showing homes.

FaceTime is being used as a safe way to show clients a home. It is also a quick, more casual way to chat with clients or team members. However, FaceTime is only accessible to those with Apple products, so be sure to keep that in mind.

12

Toby

9

Free | gettoby.com We are all guilty of having too many tabs open on our browser, creating a cluttered mess at the top of our screens. Toby is the solution to that. Instead of searching through your many open tabs, Toby allows you to save them in one collaborative place where they can be shared with teammates, put into categories, and provide you with a seamless workspace. Gone are the days of searching through tons of open tabs to find what you are looking for. Toby’s search feature provides easy access to exactly what you need in the blink of an eye. You will never go back to open tabs in your browser again.

Zoom

10

Free Basic Version | zoom.us Catch up with friends, family, clients, and colleagues with the help of the video conferencing platform, Zoom. This free application allows you to connect with others virtually anywhere via meetings, webinars, conference rooms, phone systems, and chats. Zoom is an easy way to stay connected to those who matter most during these uncertain times.

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While VMD continues to be fully operational during these unprecedented times, we are taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of our clients and staff. It is important that we continue to follow the CDC guidelines and maintain social distancing during this time. To help you effectively market your homes, VMD is offering

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B O A R D / A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S

Greater Bergen Hosts Black History Month Celebration In February, 100 members and industry professionals joined Greater Bergen Realtors速 Equal Opportunity and Cultural Diversity Committee for their first Black History Month Celebration. The event highlighted the culture and the impact the African American community has in the real estate industry. Attendees learned about The National Association of Real Estate Brokers and watched a performance by the Center for Modern Dance company.

Members gather to commemorate Black History Month.

NCJAR Supports Local Food Banks North Central Jersey Association of Realtors速 recently donated $2000 from their Realtor速 Community Care Fund to help support four food banks in North Jersey. Their funds will be going to Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris County, Community Food Bank in Union County, United Way of Newark in Essex County, and CUMAC in Passaic County.

NCJAR Past President and NAR Director, Frank Anthony, presenting the check for local food banks.

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