NEW JERSEY 7-1-22

NEW JERSEY EDITION

How to

SPEED UP FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRANSACTIONS

BE THEIR REALTOR® FOR LIFE:

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients that Will Last a Lifetime 4 WAYS TO

COVER STORY

SOFIA TRACY

WIN THE BATTLE AGAINST PROCRASTINATION FEATURED AGENTS

VINNY CARLESI MATT CURIALE DONALD HUGHES THE MACC GROUP

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How to Speed Up First-Time Homebuyer Transactions Working with first-time homebuyers can be among the most rewarding real estate transactions an agent can embark upon.

Not only are you helping guide newcomers into the housing market, but you’re also witness to the excitement and triumphs along the way, including handing over those keys for the first time. While 4

helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

So, what’s the best way to streamline the homebuying process for first-timers, while maintaining the magic and keeping your sanity along the way?

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While helping first-time homebuyers navigate the transactional process can be a reminder of real estate’s benevolent power, it can also come with its own bumps and bruises.

Set expectations upfront and often.

It’s no secret that communication is a cornerstone of a successful real estate practice and client relationship. Amidst a transaction as complex as buying (or selling) a home, it’s important that no wires get crossed, no questions go unanswered, and no information gets lost in translation. To accomplish this, create communication parameters with your clients up front. Inquire about the communication medium they’re most comfortable with—a text, a call, an email, etc.

Then, tailor your outreach accordingly.

Also, consider setting a weekly time to check in, even if no official progress has been made. This helps clients and agents touch base, float questions and concerns, and get ahead of any problems or developments. Another helpful tool is to draft a transaction timeline for your client that outlines the major milestones along the way, what sort of information will need to be gathered, what steps taken, and what outcomes are possible. This might seem like exhaustive work, but in the era of digital research, clients will come to their own conclusions and biases Top Agent Magazine

whether you like it or not. To stay on the same page and timeline, be the foremost resource for your client, and don’t leave their questions up to chance.

Know your first-time homebuyer programs and perks.

There are a variety of national, state, regional, and local grants and programs that aid first-time homebuyers as they pay their down payment, shop for home or mortgage insurance, and otherwise deal with the financial implications of becoming a homeowner. Sometimes these programs are neighborhood-specific in certain cities, with incentives to buy in up and coming areas. In some cases, there are grants that support underrepresented minority communities breaking into homebuying, and these can go a long way in making the burden of a down payment and associated fees doable. In other words, do your research.

The right program or grant could make the difference in nabbing a dream starter home for your client, while setting them up for future financial success.

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Get pre-approved for a mortgage—and shop around for the best rate.

Not all mortgage rates are made equal. As an agent, you likely have good relationships with area lenders that you trust, but it’s still important to complete your due diligence when helping first-time homebuyers find the rate that suits their longterm housing goals. Also remember that first-time homebuyers are new to this process, and while real estate transactions are complex in their own right, the borrowing and lending processes can be alienating in their complexity. As an agent, it’s your job to play intermediary and teacher, ensuring your clients know their options, are prepared to make an educated decision, and

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feel confident that they’ve chosen correctly. Talk with your preferred mortgage partners to best outline options for your clients’ understanding, laying out a framework that’s informative, projected into the future, and allows them to feel empowered by knowledge.

All in all, working with first-time homebuyers can be an exciting and joyous occasion, as long as you’re adequately prepared for some hand-holding and instruction along the way. Aside from the enthusiasm of successful first-timers at the closing table, you’ll also enjoy the lasting benefit of strong referrals to their friends and family, many of whom will be shopping with you for their own first dream homes.

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SOFIA TRACY Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Sofia Tracy primarily serves her home area of Morris County, but she travels wherever her clients need her to go, and prides herself on being a local expert for communities throughout Sussex, Bergen, and Passaic Counties as well.

Passionate, hardworking, and always available for her clients whenever they need her, Sofia Tracy exemplifies the sort of caring real estate agent who puts clients’ needs first. Sofia’s interest in real estate began at an early age, spurred by her family’s involvement in the business.

“I’ve always loved real estate, ever since I was young,” Sofia recalls. “One of my first goals as 8 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

a 5-year-old was that I wanted to be an architect! My family has always been involved in real estate investments, property management, and construction. It was a passion of theirs, and it became a passion of mine as well.”

After graduating from Rutgers with a degree in Planning and Public Policy, and certificates Top Agent Magazine

in Real Estate and Community Development, Sofia became a project manager in the corporate housing field and began doing real estate on the side. Finally she decided to take the plunge and go into real estate full-time, and she hasn’t looked back since. “I’m so glad I Top Agent Magazine

did, because it’s been so beneficial for me and so rewarding to work with my clients,” she says. “To be able to help them in the next step of their life, whether it’s finding a new home or selling their current home—I’ve loved every minute of it.”

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“I check in with my clients long after the closing to see how things are going for them and their families. I form such a close bond with them during the process that once I meet them and know what they want, they’re almost like an extended family.”

Sofia primarily serves her home area of Morris County, but she travels wherever her clients need her to go, and prides herself on being a local expert for communities throughout Sussex, Bergen, and Passaic Counties as well. “I’m very familiar with all of these areas, having worked in all of them very frequently, and lived in some of them as well,” she explains. “I always make sure to become an area expert in where my 10Copyright Top Agent Magazine

clients are going, because I want to be able to service them as well as an agent who has lived there for 10 years.”

Sofia is brimming with praise for Morris County. “The best part about Morris County is that there’s truly a town for every type of buyer,” she says. “Whether you’re looking to be close to highways for an easy commute, or you want large lots, are looking for Top Agent Magazine

a downtown, or just want to be surrounded by trees, Morris has a little bit of everything.”

Sofia’s favorite part of real estate is the close relationships she forms with her clients. “I check in with my clients long after the closing to see how things are going for them and their families. I form such a close bond with them Top Agent Magazine

during the process that once I meet them and know what they want, they’re almost like an extended family.”

Looking toward the future, Sofia plans to expand her real estate business and her home renovation business where she focuses on rebuilding dilapidated homes to help improve Copyright Top Agent Magazine11

communities throughout NJ, another passion of hers. Above all, she looks forward to continuing to be there for her clients every step of the way. “I love helping people,” Sofia says.

“I get so much satisfaction from knowing that I’ve helped them achieve what they were looking to achieve. I enjoy being able to coordinate

the whole process and ensure that there are as few bumps in the road as possible. I like to joke that sometimes I forget that I get paid to do this! When what you do is your passion, you just want to do what’s best for your clients, and the fact that I’ve made a career out of it is just amazing.”

To find out more about Sofia Tracy, call (551) 206-5189, email sofia.tracy@cbrealty.com, or visit zillow.com/profile/sofia%20tracy www.

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If it’s good for the soul,

IT’S GOOD FOR THE BUSINESS

Visibility, name recognition and knowing you’re supporting the community that makes your success possible are good reasons to take part in community service. But how is it that some people seem to be able to give time to charities while running their own businesses, managing their own families and households, exercising regularly, attending sporting events and concerts, eating well and sleeping seven or eight hours a night?

The truth is, not all agents are able to do everything so easily. But more important is the fact that no one needs to do everything all of the time. The trick is to make sure that, whatever you do holds meaning.

REALTORS® and mortgage professionals who seem the most gregarious in their community outreach are those whose giving seems to fill their own souls. When their Top Agent Magazine

volunteer efforts or donations directly impact causes they or their clients care deeply about, “giving back” becomes energizing.

Jason O’Quinn of Prime Lending in Dallas Texas, for instance, says that his family’s ongoing work building homes for some of the poorest families in Honduras fills him immeasurably. “It rejuvenates me,” he says.

“There’s quite a dichotomy between the houses we build there and the houses we finance here,” he says. “It refocuses me, going from financing $1 million homes in Dallas to physically laying cinderblock for $10,000 homes in Honduras. Everything has more meaning when we sacrificially give of our time, talent and treasure.”

The longtime “big picture” for Colorado REALTOR® and property manager, Linda

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Todd, for instance, has included giving back to the community, whether serving as a lead carpenter for Habitat for Humanity, making deliveries for Meals on Wheels, or pitching in for the sake of baseball. And through her lifelong passion for baseball, she harmoniously blended her personal interests, her work and her community service. For many years, she was so involved Little League the local league named a new field after her. “I cried for 3 days after they told me that!” She and her husband also started a scholarship fund for junior college baseball players and serve as a host family for the rookie league of the Colorado Rockies, putting up newly drafted players in their home.

For Florida REALTOR® and property manager, Mario Gonzalez, neither his business nor his primary community outreach would exist without the other. A retired U.S. Navy pilot, Mario formed his brokerage, Navy to Navy Homes, when he saw a need for military personnel to find affordable homes to purchase. “We got into it to help, but that led to a full-blown real estate business.” Besides providing opportunities for investment and homeownership, the company donates 35% of every commission to Homes for Heroes, veterans’ groups, or organizations benefiting fire, police, medical organizations, churches and homeless shelters. “We’re small, but we give so much back that we were the top Homes for Heroes company in Florida and

top-five nationwide.” But he does none of this for the attention. His friends may call him the “Humble Hero of Heroes,” but helping is Mario’s passion. “To be such a small business and be the top Homes for Heroes affiliate is mind boggling!”

Like Mario, for many, the best service takes place in simple and quiet ways. Illinois REALTOR®, Susie Scheuber, for example, takes a humble approach to giving back. Although she donates a portion of every commission check to the Children’s Miracle Network, she doesn’t discuss this with clients unless they happen to ask. “I do it because I want to and because, to me, giving back is the right thing to do when you’ve been fortunate in business and life,” says Susie.

We all know how inertia works; the more energized we get by certain behaviors, the more likely we are to continue those behaviors. For some top agents, community outreach has become such a natural routine of their daily lives that they never find it burdensome. A good way to add community service into your life, therefore, is through the causes that mean the most to you. For starters, consider giving a small donation after closing to the charity of your client’s choosing. Learning the different causes that they care about just might foster a new mission for you.

If you have a unique story to share about how your community outreach has impacted your life and your business or inspired others, click here for consideration in our magazines: www.topagentmagazine.com/nominate-a-real-estate-agent-to-be-featured 14

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Area Specialist VINNY CARLESI Vinny Carlesi had an early interest in real estate, and he has sales in his blood. “I’ve always been a big sales person, and my dad has been in sales his whole life, so I have a background with that,” Vinny says. “I really liked the whole process of housing and house-hunting, so when I graduated college two years ago in the middle of the pandemic, I decided to get my license. I was very fortunate in that I get to work with the #1 RE/MAX in the world, and once I got started, I fell in love right away.

I love everything about real estate!” Vinny’s business is growing rapidly as he helps more and more clients find the real estate solution that’s right for them.

With RE/MAX 1st Advantage, Vinny serves the entire state of New Jersey, with a primary focus on the area north of Atlantic City. From the Jersey Shore to the communities right across the Hudson River from New York City and everything in between, Vinny loves serving his home state and is full of praise for the excellent quality of life it has to offer. “I live in Hoboken, and we are seeing a lot of people from New York move here,” he explains. “The commute to the city is easy by train, bus, or car, and people are finding that with taxes and prices nowhere near what they are in New York, this is a great place to live.”

Vinny’s rate of repeat and referral business is the third-highest on his team, and it’s easy to see what keeps people coming back. He guides them through the entire process and stays in touch long after the closing. “I have everyone’s number in my phone and get in touch regularly just to see how everything’s going and how they like their new place,” Vinny says.

His relationships with clients are the most important part of real estate for Vinny. “One of the things I love the most about being in real estate is when we get to the closing table and my clients are so happy. I like knowing I played a part in that.”

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Vinny contributes to his community whenever possible, and takes part in Knights of Columbus events with his dad, who is a member. When he is not working or giving back, Vinny is an avid sports fan and loves going out to games, as well as working out at the gym or just relaxing. As for what the future holds, Vinny would like to eventually start his own team. He also flips houses on the side and would love to start his own house-flipping business, but he also loves where he is right now and wants to continue bringing his clients the same great service.

Keeping the process as easy and stress-free as possible for his clients is a high point for Vinny. “I always do my best to make sure my clients are very comfortable and have no second thoughts,” Vinny says. “Everybody gets nervous through the whole process, and I like being able to talk to my clients, put everything in perspective, and let them know everything is going to be fine. That contributes to the confidence they have in me. I also love the fact that I get to help people find their new home, and seeing their face light up when they walk in is the best feeling ever. It’s what I love about real estate.”

To find out more about Vinny Carlesi, you can call him at 862-258-6829 or email at vinnycarlesi2@gmail.com.

You can find him online at vinnycarlesi.gardenstatehomesearcher.com

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Be Their REALTOR for Life: ®

How to Build a Relationship with Your Clients That Will Last a Lifetime In the world of real estate, an agent’s relationship with their clients can make or break their career. This industry revolves around working well with people, and being able to develop a strong relationship with your clients is the foundation that you business is based upon.

Just like with a house, if that foundation is weak, the rest of the structure is also going to be unsteady and fragile. The mark of a good REALTOR® is their ability to build up a good referral network and following of loyal clients. This isn’t something that just happens by accident. Building healthy, strong relationships with your clients takes work and knowing how to gain another person’s trust, respect, and friendship. Here are some ways to make sure you are building the right kind of relationship with your clients.

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1. Use Your Friendliness and Optimism to Win Them Over: No one wants a pushy, overly confident salesperson for a REALTOR®. Clients are much more inclined to put their trust in the hands of someone who is friendly when it comes to one of the biggest financial transactions of their lives. A pleasant, outgoing disposition will win you more clients as well as friends. You want to establish rapport in the first few minutes of first meeting prospective clients. Rather than starting with business right off the bat, begin your meeting with some small talk such as similar interests, hobbies, and family life. This will immediately help to put your clients at ease, and show that you are not simply trying to “sell” them something.

People also respond well to optimism. During what can be a very stressful time, clients need someone to help them stay positive when a situation looks difficult and challenging. Optimism also tends to radiate charisma, and people want to be around and do business with charismatic people. You want to learn how to understand, motivate, and inspire people.

2. Be an Inquisitive Learner and an Empathetic Listener:

On the other side of this coin is knowing how to listen empathetically. Empathy involves actually putting yourself or your mind in their shoes so you can genuinely understand their concerns, needs, and opinions. That understanding and empathy is then reflected in your conversation with that client. Your clients want to know that you care about their situation, and that they’re not just another sale for you to make. People are much more willing to put their trust in you when they can sense that you are actually making an effort to feel what they feel in order to understand their situation.

Showing your interest through questions, and then thoughtfully listening goes a long way towards gaining trust. Showing empathy and acknowledging the feelings and emotions involved in your clients situation helps build a relationship founded on genuine care and trust.

3. Watch for Nonverbal Clues:

Don’t be afraid to show your curiosity and ask your clients a lot of questions. Some of these questions may even be difficult and uncomfortable. You want to discover and learn as much as you can about your client. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into the role of the know-it-all. Every different client has unique needs, so you want to learn as much as you can about their specific situation before trying to propose a solution. You want to uncover their primary motive for buying or selling, and flush Top Agent Magazine

out any potential concerns they might have.

After you’ve gained as much information as possible, you can then gauge their interest in your possible solutions by asking “what if” questions. Being inquisitive also demonstrates to your clients that you are genuinely interested and invested in their situation.

Most communication happens nonverbally, so knowing how to interpret your client’s body language can be incredibly helpful. Here are a few things to pay special attention to: Eye contact: Be careful with the level of eye contact you use with clients when first meeting.

Too much and too little eye contact can send the wrong impression. You want to try and maintain eye contact around 70 percent of the time. That is the amount that most people are comfortable with. Pay attention to your client’s level of eye

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contact to determine how comfortable they are.

When someone avoids eye contact that could mean they are not engaged in the conversation.

A good way to quickly build a feeling of rapport when first meeting clients is to make eye contact when you first meet them and then start nodding yes to what they’re saying. If the client reciprocates the eye contact and nodding, you’ve established a connection.

4. Prove your honesty and credibility:

Choose the right handshake for each client: One handshake does not fit all people, and that first handshake can be crucial to making a good first impression. The way to do a good handshake for each client is to try and mirror the other person’s handshake in strength, keep your shoulders aligned as you are preferably standing when you shake hands. While you shake your client’s hand make sure you make eye contact and give them a sincere smile.

Showing a little weakness can actually be to your advantage in this situation, and will actually make others more inclined view you as honest. You don’t want to come across as too good to be true. When revealing this weakness, however, the key to coming out on top is turning what sounds like a weakness into a strength. For example, your service may be more expensive, but that’s because you offer more personalized and extra services than your competitors.

Honesty and integrity are the two traits that 98 percent of buyers and sellers report are qualities they consider “very important”. The thing is you can say you have these traits all you want on your website, bio, etc., but trust has to be earned, and the only way to do this is to prove your credibility.

Here are a few tips for how to sound more credible:

When you talk to your clients avoid using filler words such as “um” and “uh”, which can decrease your credibility. You also want to watch the tone of your voice. People tend to translate a deeper tone as sounding more credible.

You want to develop a relationship to last a lifetime when interacting with your clients. There are many things you can do to accomplish this, and using these tips can take you from getting just a few referrals and repeat customers to gaining a loyal client following. Taking the little extra time to make sure you are projecting the right attitude and making sure that you are doing things to gain your client’s trust can make a world of difference for your business.

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Area Specialist MATT CURIALE The bottom line in real estate will always be important for all parties involved – buyer, seller, and REALTOR®. But for Matt Curiale, that’s just the end result.

The important part is what leads up to it.

“Part of the training we take on is to go back to the fundamentals of valuing relationships over transactions. Having a true, genuine approach working with a buyer or seller and not trying to do a broad approach, and catering to each client’s unique needs, really I believe that’s what sets us apart,” said Matt, an agent with RE/MAX First Realty in East Brunswick, New Jersey. “With us being genuine, our clients can feel that – just like a client can feel if you’re just doing this for a commission check. They respect that and they trust us. And they want to continue with us in the future or refer to us family and friends.”

Licensed since 2019, Matt was originally in the hospitality industry before changing careers. It was his affinity for being brand-oriented that led him to one of the most notable and respected brands in the real estate industry with RE/MAX. When he was a new agent, Matt was part of a team – which he called “a great platform for a new agent looking for direction, motivation and accountability.” But he noticed some areas for growth and scaling and, now that he and his partner Daniel Lynch have created their own team called the Ignite Group, they are incorporating those elements as well in a changing industry.

“Ever since the pandemic the biggest thing we’ve seen is you don’t need to be close to an office or be close to the city. It’s given people a chance to come into these suburban rural areas but still be an arm’s reach of Philadelphia or New York and have that accessibility,” said Matt, who covers Monmouth, Middlesex, and Mercer counties in New Jersey.

Matt’s clientele is made up of 40-50 percent of repeat Top Agent Magazine

and referral business. Last year, his team was awarded Platinum status in RE/MAX after doing $36 million in volume, and they are on pace to do about 150 transactions and $55 million this year. He was part of the Middlesex County Board for Youth Professional Networking, and his team donates a portion of their commissions to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Matt is also involved in donating to local first responder and police departments near him. When he carves out free time, Matt loves to be with his girlfriend, Marisa and, of course, heading to the Jersey Shore.

What’s next for Matt and the Ignite Group? Growing his business.

“We’re in the scaling phase. We’re looking to add about 10 more agents to the team,” Matt said. “Ultimately, we would just like to help more families. We would love to be a top team in the state. The more we’re able to help families, the better we feel about it.”

You can contact Matthew Curiale through email at matt@ignitegroupnj.com or by phone at (609) 651-3076.

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DONALD HUGHES Raised in Point Pleasant, Donald Hughes has always possessed an entrepreneurial spirit. For years, he owned and managed his own home renovation company, where he had an opportunity to learn the housing industry from the ground up. After curiosity inspired him to enroll in a real estate seminar, however, he decided to switch tracks and pursue his career as an agent, training with some of the top producers in his region. Leveraging his foundations as a contractor, he would go on to author an accomplished career as a REALTOR®, uncovering a distinct niche in the new construction properties spanning the Jersey Shore.

Today, Donald leads Homes with Hughes, powered by eXp Realty, where he assists clients throughout Point Pleasant, Brick Town, and the surrounding areas of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Having exceeded $70 million in career sales, he has cultivated a boutique workflow to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Donald prefers a comprehensive approach. Starting out, he helps his clients fully prepare for the market, providing them with a suite of professional photography, videography, and drone photography services. From there, he broadcasts his listings via a highly targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns. But he also utilizes proven outlets like high definition brochures and postcards to the surrounding communities—all to give his clients an added advantage.

“I’m committed to going above and beyond for every client,” he says. “Whether they’re selling a $200,000 home or a $2 million dollar home, I make sure they have the same marketing and resources.”

Elsewhere, Donald is just as hands-on with his buyers,

drawing from his extensive knowledge of new construction to uncover the right property for their best interests. More than anything, though, he loves welcoming newcomers into his Jersey Shore community, whether they are grabbing a cup of coffee at Divi Tree in Point Pleasant, or maximizing their potential in Brick Town’s thriving real estate market.

Over the years, Donald has earned a fantastic reputation throughout New Jersey, with the majority of his volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. And the key to his success? “I view every client as a mission. Above all, it’s my responsibility to identify what they want, negotiate the best terms for it, and win for them. There’s no better feeling than delivering on my promises and knowing my clients are truly satisfied at the closing.”

Outside of real estate, Donald supports Cure JM, a national organization that raises funds and awareness to combat Juvenile Myositis. He also enjoys giving back to his industry, serving as a mentor to many up-andcoming agents in the field. When he’s not with clients, he can be found boating, fishing, or spending quality time at home with his wife and their two children.

Going forward, Donald has exciting plans for his business. As his volume maintains its steady growth, he intends on scaling his mentorship work while delving further into investment properties, with an eye towards building his team in the future. “At the end of the day, I take this career very seriously,” he says. “From beginning to end, I give all my effort and honesty to my clients. But I still believe in keeping the experience fun and lighthearted while getting them to the finish line.”

To learn more about Donald Hughes email dhughes1250@gmail.com or call (732) 881-1246 20

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting Top Agent Magazine

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your 22

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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MICHAEL & MICHELLE MACCAQUANO, THE MACC GROUP Born and raised in Hudson County, Michael and Michelle Maccaquano have always been drawn to real estate. Michael got his start in mortgages, where he would learn the business from the ground up while pursuing his license. Later, he was inspired to launch his career as an agent after his sister, Michelle, approached him with plans to work together. “When my sister sets her mind to something, she accomplishes it,” Michael says with a laugh. “Once she got her license, we teamed up, and we’ve been going strong ever since.”

Today, Michael and Michelle lead The Macc Group, powered by Century 21 Semiao & Associates, where they assist clients throughout Bergen County, Hudson County, and all of North Jersey. Having been ranked as the top producing team in all of New Jersey for Century 21, they have cultivated a boutique workflow to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

When listing a property, Michael prefers a comprehensive approach. Starting out, he helps his clients prepare for the market, utilizing the standout professional photography services at Ayala Photography to give them an added advantage. From there, he shares their listing via both their regional MLS and a zone-targeted blend of digital and social media campaigns, utilizing all social media platforms and Century 21’s global syndication power.

Michael and Michelle own several properties throughout the region and are able to leverage this experience when helping buyers. Michael also manages his own construction company, Floors By VAL. Their 20+ years of combined experience, and overall knowledge of owning properties gives them unmatched insights into the current market trends. Drawing from these, they thoughtfully guide buyers to the right home for

their best interests. Moreover, their expansive network of trusted home inspectors, lawyers and lenders provides clients with a one-stop shop for all their real estate needs. Most of all, though, they love welcoming newcomers into their North Jersey community—from its thriving business sector to local staples like Sofia’s Mediterranean Grill in Hasbrouck Heights or Las Palmas in West New York.

Over the years, The Macc Group has earned a terrific reputation throughout New Jersey, as evidenced by their strong rate of repeat clients and referrals, as well as their countless five-star reviews on Zillow. Having completed almost 40 transactions in 2021 alone, they remain focused on the proven values that brought them to real estate in the first place. “Every client is unique,” he says.

“Their transaction might take six months or six weeks— you never know. But once we identify the right home for them, that’s only the beginning of our process; Michelle and I stay by their side each step of the way.”

Outside of real estate, Michael is dedicated to his community, participating in annual Stop Soldier Suicide marathon fundraisers to raise awareness for at-risk veterans.

When he’s not with clients or giving back, he can be found spending time with his family, training for an upcoming marathon, or enjoying all the beautiful scenery New Jersey has to offer.

As their volume maintains its steady growth, Michael and Michelle intend on expanding their team while scaling the leading standards that have consistently anchored their success. But in the meantime, they are excited about all the new connections that await. “Michelle and I truly enjoy the journey behind each transaction,” he says.

“Many people don’t realize how intricate real estate can be, from the inspection reports to the appraisals and mortgage process. Because of that, we are careful to educate our clients and ensure they make fully informed decisions on their future.”

To learn more about Michael Maccaquano and The Macc Group please visit their Instagram @ Themaccgroup_NJ, email themaccgroup@gmail.com or call (201) 463-7821 Top Agent Magazine

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