Moving into a new home is an exciting time, and you’re probably daydreaming about decor and paint schemes and new furniture. But before you get into the fun stuff, there are some basics you should cover first.

Change the locks

Even if you’re promised that new locks have been installed in your home, you can never be too careful. It’s worth the money to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that no one else has the keys to your home. Changing the locks can be a DIY project, or you can call in a locksmith for a little extra money.

Steam clean the carpets

It’s good to get a fresh start with your floors before you start decorating. The previous owners may have had pets, young children, or just some plain old clumsiness. Take the time to steam clean the carpets so that your floors are free of stains and allergens. It’s pretty easy and affordable to rent a steam cleaner—your local grocery store may have them available.

Call an exterminator

Prior to move-in, you probably haven’t spent enough time in the house to get a view of any pests that may be lurking. Call an exterminator to take care of any mice, insects, and other critters that may be hiding in your home.

Clean out the kitchen

If the previous occupants wanted to skip on some of their cleaning duties when they moved out, the kitchen is where they probably cut corners. Wipe down the inside of cabinets, clean out the refrigerator, clean the oven, and clean in the nooks and crannies underneath the appliances.

Article courtesy of Breakthrough Broker

5 Tips for Creating and Managing a Facebook Business Page

Getting Started - One of the main advantages of creating a Facebook business page is to gain an audience and promote your brand. Begin by Identifying yourself and mapping your location. You want to select the specific criteria for your business as advised through the initial selection process. (Local Business or Place)- Enter Name, Job Category & Branch office location.

Creating a User Name & Adding Photos -It is recommended to have your own website and domain ready before you create a username. A great tip many don’t realize is uniformity is key. You should create your username initially; if not you will not be able to until you to get a certain number of likes and increase your page visibility.
Your username should match your domain name.

When adding photos such as your profile or cover photo use the criteria as shown below.

Establishing your Brand Identity- Tell your story with a brief bio or mission statement that should include your URL. You then have the ability to select category tags to define your service. Facebook has new template settings you can use to help you get started.

Being able to navigate your settings is essential. You can arrange your tab display and manage your tabs by turning them on and off. You can create a subtab button with a link to your domain to direct your followers to your site.

Censoring & Compliance- It is important to censor your content on your facebook page. You can manage who can post to your timeline. You can do this by customizing your Timeline, Tag Review, Security Log and Privacy settings. You want to be able to control the flow of information being posted on a consistent basis.

Keeping Contact -   You always want to begin with who you know.  However, if you only had one to two mins to make a good first impression what would you do to gain audienceship? Consistent brand messaging, when you post on Facebook make sure you include this standard:  your name, professional title, brokerage name, and phone number.  In a world where you are constantly bombarded by solicitations and fake news, you come to find the public attention span to be about one minute. As a Realtor®, you want to make sure your professional integrity and rapport show.  

Follow these five quick easy steps and your page will be social media worthy. All you have to do is start posting. You will be booming with activity in no time. Please refer to Prime Agent select the Brokerage tab -Information and documents- under Broker’s office information to access your guides and manuals. Select the Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors® “Internet Policy Guide” for design and posting guidelines.

Realty Executives agents named in REAL Trends “The Thousand” and “America’s Best Real Estate Agents” rankings 

Realty Executives is proud to announce that 55 teams and close to 90 individual agents have been featured in REAL Trends annual report, America’s Best Real Estate Agents, with the highest ranking agents and teams also included in REAL Trends renowned list, The Thousand. The prestigious national awards rankings represent less than 1 percent of America’s real estate practitioners. 

“The best individual agents’ and teams’ efforts were nothing short of phenomenal considering the challenges in today’s complex housing market,” said Steve Murray, founder of REAL Trends.

The Thousand

The Thousand, as advertised in The Wall Street Journal, is a ranking of agents across the U.S. and is broken down into four categories, ranking the top 250 individual agents and teams separately by closed, residential transaction sides and by total closed sales volume. Only individuals who closed 50 transaction sides or $20 million in closed sales volume and teams who closed 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sales volume during 2016 may be considered for the ranking.

The following Executives are featured in The Thousand:

Realty Executives agents ranked in the “Individuals by Side” category:

Realty Executives agents ranked in the “Teams by Side” category:

This year, the agents and teams featured in The Thousand closed 167,688 sides in total.

America’s Best Real Estate Agents

America’s Best Real Estate Agents ranks almost 12,600 residential real estate professionals based on their real estate sales during 2016. In order to be included in the report, individual agents had to have closed a minimum of 50 transactions or $20 million in closed sales volume, and teams had to have closed 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sales volume.

The Realty Executives agents featured in this ranking closed over 6,100 transactions, selling $670 million in real estate. The teams featured closed almost 7,000 transactions, adding up to $1 billion dollars in sales.

“This elite group of sales associates are proven professionals who bring together innovative marketing solutions that combine cutting-edge technology with best-in-class customer service to consistently exceed their client’s expectations,” said Luke Bahrenburg, vice president of real estate advertising at Dow Jones.
The following Executives are featured among America’s best real estate agents:

Realty Executives agents ranked in the “Individuals by Side” category:

• Raymond Megie, Realty Executives Main Street, LLC
• Christine McConnaughay, Realty Executives McConnaughay
• Nikitia Thompson, Realty Executives Associates
• Tom Zibkowski, Realty Executives Midwest
• Randy Duncan, Realty Executives Phoenix
• David Thoenig, Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®
• Cindy Callahan, Realty Executives Five Star Homes
• Sally Love, Realty Executives in the Villages
• Kathy Abruzzo, Realty Executives in the Villages
• Aaron Fowler, Realty Executives Associates
• Mark Romano, Realty Executives America (Utica)
• Gregg Ahnemann, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Jason Utesch, Realty Executives Premier
• Carolyn McKelvey-Malouff, Realty Executives Yuma
• Lyle Caddell, Realty Executives All Area
• Blake Frei, Realty Executives Jerry Jensen Real Estate
• Brian Roslawski, Realty Executives Integrity
• Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Tony Brown, Realty Executives Premiere
• Kerry Queener, Realty Executives Associates
• Scott Shippy, Realty Executives Coastal Empire
• David Holbrook, Realty Executives Fort Leonard Wood LLC
• Kenton Young, Realty Executives Associates
• Kathy Foran, Realty Executives Boston West
• Jodi Olson, Realty Executives Integrity
• Jason Moon, Realty Executives Premier
• Judy Serocinski, Realty Executives Premier
• Greg Krome, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Patrick Peterson, Realty Executives Elite
• Doug Ferrell, Realty Executives Main Street, LLC
• Nic Nicaud, Realty Executives Associates
• Michael Bowling, Realty Executives Yuma
• Cole Edwards, Realty Executives Associates
• Mark Brewer, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Rick Hansen, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Kriston Wilson, Realty Executives Associates
• Carrie Dougherty, Realty Executives Associates
• Craig Morrison, Realty Executives Boston West
• Alan Hays, Realty Executives of Southern Nevada
• Rebecca Buehler, Realty Executives of Cape County
• Crystal White, Realty Executives White Mountains
• Jeremy Applebaum, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Tom Yang, Realty Executives Results
• Jeff Miller, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Frances Burkett, Realty Executives Premier
• Amy Corn, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Paul Coulter, Realty Executives Main Street, LLC
• Caitlin Sudduth, Realty Executives Sudduth Realty Inc.
• Don Batho, Realty Executives Associates
• Yvonnca Landes, Realty Executives Associates
• Brian Hickman, Realty Executives Jerry Jensen Real Estate
• Ray Gaudet, Realty Executives Associates
• Jeff Gregory, Realty Executives Success
• Debbie Hogan, Realty Executives Yuma
• Debra Lively, Realty Executives Associates
• Ofelia Smith, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Linda Weis, Realty Executives Weis Real Estate Company
• Beth Pankratz, Realty Executives Associates
• Debbie Wyrick, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Billie Ward, Realty Executives Yuma
• Mark Foust, Realty Executives Associates
• Andrew Kolars, Realty Executives Associates – Mankato
• Richard Osos, Realty Executives America (Utica)
• Dustin Walsh, Realty Executives Premiere
• Sharon Bailey, Realty Executives Associates
• Tammy Garber, Realty Executives Associates
• Jon Brock, Realty Executives Associates
• James Wexler, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Debaran Hughes, Realty Executives Associates
• Amy King, Realty Executives Associates
• John Schwabe, Realty Executives of St. Louis
• Jon Wolf, Realty Executives Premier
• Julie Haines, Realty Executives in the Villages
• Serri Rowell, Realty Executives Carlsbad
• Julie Clarke, Realty Executives Integrity
• Les Davis, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Gina Dingman, Realty Executives Integrity
• Philip Ottaviani, Realty Executives Boston West
• Quint Bourgeois, Realty Executives Associates
• Ari Koufos, Realty Executives Suburban
• Lothair Lambrecht, Realty Executives Integrity
• Sofia Gil, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Jody Kvarnlov, Realty Executives Results
• Florence Larkin, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Jackie Mills, Realty Executives Associates

Realty Executives agents ranked in the “Individuals by Volume” category:

• Lyle Caddell, Realty Executives All Area
• Sharon Bailey, Realty Executives Associates
• Tom Zibkowski, Realty Executives Midwest
• Lauren Ellington, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Kathy Foran, Realty Executives Boston West
• James Wexler, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Randy Duncan, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Debaran Hughes, Realty Executives Associates
• Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Serri Rowell, Realty Executives Carlsbad
• Ari Koufos, Realty Executives Suburban
• Greg Krome, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Mark Brewer, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Jodi Olson, Realty Executives Integrity
• Brian Hickman, Realty Executives Jerry Jensen Real Estate
• Sally Love, Realty Executives in the Villages
• Kerry Queener, Realty Executives Associates
• Kelly Knapp, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Tammy Garber, Realty Executives Associates
• Craig Morrison, Realty Executives Boston West
• Mike Aon, Realty Executives All Area
• Raymond Megie, Realty Executives Main Street, LLC
• Aaron Fowler, Realty Executives Associates

Realty Executives agents featured in the “Teams by Side” category:

• KMS Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Corner Connect, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• The Property Partners, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Vega Valle Team, Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®
• Laura Harbison Team, Realty Executives of Southern Nevada
• Sellin’Ellen Brewood, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• The Debra Whaley Team, Realty Executives Associates
• The Stinson Group, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Artemisa Boston, Realty Executives Results
• Tanya Kulaga, Realty Executives Hedges Real Estate
• Preferred Advisors Team, Realty Executives Preferred Advisors, Inc.
• The Bergamini Group, Realty Executives Northern Arizona
• Renee Revson, Realty Executives Williams-Sykes Realty
• The Energized Team, Realty Executives Premiere
• Trisha P Realty Group, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Commander Chris Barnett, PC, Realty Executives Southern Oregon
• The Luxe Group – Christine Wilczek & Jason Bacza, Realty Executives Elite
• Team Wehle, Realty Executives Premier
• Fox and Fogarty, Realty Executives Associates
• Team Tezak, Realty Executives Premier
• The Jim Geracie Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• The BAIR Group, Realty Executives Integrity
• Brandolino Group, Realty Executives Santa Clarita
• Local Listing Pro, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Matt Winzenried Real Estate Partners, Realty Executives Cooper Spransy
• The Yoo Team, Realty Executives Cooper Spransy
• Becky Burk, Realty Executives of Lebanon
• The Caniglia Group, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Charles Maher, Realty Executives Premiere
• Mankato Power House, Realty Executives Associates – Mankato
• The Watters Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Ashley Finney The A Team, Realty Executives Associates
• The Behie Team, Realty Executives Phoenix
• The Armbruster Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• The Cody Anne Team, Realty Executives Northern Arizona
• Fish Team, Realty Executives of Cape County
• House To Home Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• Kathleen Martz-Spidell Team, Realty Executives Tri-States
• The Blevins Group, Realty Executives Associates
• Great Oak Partners, Realty Executives Cape Cod
• Jack Burns, Realty Executives of Kansas City
• Raelenna Ferguson Real Estate Team, Realty Executives of Cape County
• Deakin-Anderson Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Marlene Bell, Realty Executives of Cape County
• Thurman & Sanders Group, Realty Executives of Cape County
• Elite Sales Team Angela Walters and Dionne Barnes, Realty Executives Integrity
• The Leach Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• The Bruce Nemovitz Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• W&B Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• WI Home Selling Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• The Bullington Team, Realty Executives Phoenix

Realty Executives agents featured in the “Teams by Volume” category:

• KMS Team, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Corner Connect Realty, Executives Tucson Elite
• The Property Partners, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• The Luxe Group – Christine Wilczek & Jason Bacza, Realty Executives Elite
• The Energized Team, Realty Executives Premiere
• Laura Harbison Team, Realty Executives of Southern Nevada
• The Bergamini Group, Realty Executives Northern Arizona
• Brandolino Group, Realty Executives Santa Clarita
• The Caniglia Group, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Renee Revson, Realty Executives Williams-Sykes Realty
• Carmela Vlacich, Realty Executives Today
• Vega Valle Team, Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®
• The Debra Whaley Team, Realty Executives Associates
• The Grigg’s Group, Realty Executives Phoenix
• Commander Chris Barnett PC, Realty Executives Southern Oregon
• The Jim Geracie Team, Realty Executives Integrity
• The Stinson Group, Realty Executives Tucson Elite
• Tanya Kulaga, Realty Executives Hedges Real Estate
• Artemisa Boston, Realty Executives Results
• IK Realty Team, Realty Executives Today
• The BAIR Group, Realty Executives Integrity
• The Liebert Team, Realty Executives Integrity

We are honored to congratulate the agents featured in these reports, celebrating their hard work as they’ve built their businesses, created superior client experiences, and helped buyers and sellers achieve their dreams. Congratulations!

Realty Executives New Jersey has 17 locations serving all of New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and the Hudson Valley in New York. Visit us in Brick, Butler, Byram, Dover, Elmwood Park, Fairfield, Little Falls, Milford PA, Nutley, Oakland, Pompton Plains, Randolph, Sparta, Vernon, Wayne, West Milford or Woodland Park.  For More information: JoinRENJ 

REALTY EXECUTIVES EXCEPTIONAL REALTORS® AGENTS RANK AMONG AMERICA’S TOP 1 PERCENT OF REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

July 16, 2017 – Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors® is proud to announce that the Vega Valle Team and David Thoenig are featured in REAL Trends’ “America's Best Real Estate Agents” report. The Vega Valle Team ranked no. 2 out of 93 teams in the entire state of New Jersey in the “Teams by Sides” category, while David ranked no. 13 out of 148 agents in New Jersey, placing in the “Individuals by Sides” category.

The REAL Trends report ranks over 12,600 residential real estate professionals based on their excellence in real estate sales during 2016. To qualify for inclusion, an individual agent must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume in 2016; David closed 118 transactions, over the double the qualifying amount. For real estate agent teams, the minimum is 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sales volume; the  Vega Valley Team closed 291 transactions, almost quadruple the qualifying amount.

“Realty Executives agents are 47% more productive than the industry average, so while seeing our agents among this elite group of real estate professionals is no surprise, it is nothing short of an incredible achievement in today’s complex housing market,” says Doug Radford, president and founder of Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®.

“Our agents combine innovative marketing solutions, cutting-edge technology, and best-in-class customer service with the goal of exceeding client expectations every time. Our inclusion in this REAL Trends ranking is a reflection of that,” says Broker of Record and COO Kyle Poskitt.

According to REAL Trends, this report places the Vega Valle Team and David Thoenig in the top 1 percent of the more than 1.25 million REALTORS® nationwide.

For more information about Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®, please contact Doug Radford at 973-214-9314 or DougRadford@RealtyExecutives.com.

About Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors®

Founded in 2001 on the principal of providing the best in real estate services to their clients, Realty Executives Exceptional Realtors® currently serves the real estate needs in Northern New Jersey, Upstate New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania with offices in Byram, NJ, Dover, NJ, Fairfield, NJ, Kinnelon, NJ, Little Falls, NJ, Oakland, NJ, Pompton Plains, NJ, Randolph, NJ, Sparta, NJ, Vernon, NJ, Wayne, NJ, West Milford, NJ, and Woodland Park, NJ, as well as Milford, PA.   With over 300 of the industry’s top agents, the company is committed to providing quality service to both clients and affiliates. For additional company information visit www.RealtyExecutivesNJ.com.

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