President’s View

A Year to Remember

BY ANGELA SICOLI

If you asked me a year ago about my expectations for my New Jersey Realtors® presidential term, I would not have responded with a global pandemic. After serving four years on the Leadership Team, I have witnessed my share of industry issues, but no one could have predicted what 2020 would bring.

The association began the year launching Photofy, a free social content tool for members, and a New Jersey Realtors® Instagram page. We never anticipated that they would be so useful for the association and members in the months to come.

When a majority of businesses had to shut down due to COVID-19, it became an immediate goal to receive clarification from the governor’s office about permitted business activities in the state. While it remained unclear if Realtors® could show homes, I submitted a letter to the New Jersey Congressional Delegation asking for unemployment benefits for independent contractors. Our more than 53,000 members were counting on New Jersey Realtors® to keep them informed. We employed a crisis mindset and ramped up communications, ensuring that when any new information was given to the association, it was immediately disseminated to members through social media, emails, webinars, and the NJ Realtors® COVID-19 resource page.

Later, as the state slowly began to open, the housing market began to pick up and thrive. Low mortgage rates coupled with high selling prices, have ramped up business and there’s no sign of stopping yet. With the inability to hold in-person events, it was crucial to offer virtual educational sessions and resources. By combining events we were meant to have in person, such as Trenton Day and the New Jersey Women: That’s Who We R Conference, we created a month-long educational summit. We’ve received so many positive responses from members who attended, and I am honored Gov. Murphy took time out of his busy schedule to speak to all of you—a highlight of my year.

One of my original major goals for 2020 was to improve the safety culture of the real estate industry, and the pandemic only amplified the importance of that goal. I assembled a Safety Presidential Advisory Group to address member concerns, as well as evaluating current safety resources, protocol, and promotion. The PAG has been conducting research through member focus groups and working on the most effective means of effectively promoting member safety. In the years to come, I hope the PAG will continue to grow and make the New Jersey real estate industry a safer place for members to conduct business.

And while this year was not as I expected, it was certainly memorable. I hope I have served you all well during this very challenging time and I thank you, as always, for sticking by us with your constant support.