Member News
February 18, 2022



CORE


The CORE Circle of Excellence Celebration Breakfast will take place on Tuesday, April 26 at The Palace at Somerset Park. More details will be announced soon.

Office Closure CORE will be closed next Monday, February 21 for the Presidents' Day holiday. We will reopen at 8:30 am, Tuesday, February 22. We wish our members a safe and happy holiday!

2021 NJ REALTORS® Circle of Excellence Award Recipients Congratulations to all the winners on a highly successful year! Click here to view CORE’s 589 winners. New Jersey Realtors emailed all recipients the 2021 advertising package, and it’s also available here. To view the advertising rules, click here.


Local
Trenton Daily: Help Needed for Locust Hill Cemetery Clean Up The restoration of Trenton’s largest surviving African American cemetery, Locust Hill, continues on Saturday, March 12, from 9 am to noon with the first spring clean-up of the season, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Trenton. All are welcome to participate. The rain date for the project is Saturday, March 19. Read more.
Mercer County: Owners of NY Jets Donate 800-Acre Farm Near Princeton for Conservation The 800-acre farm in Mercer County will connect to thousands of acres in the Sourlands regions, with the possibility of adding miles of new public trails. Read more.

New Rutgers Report Focuses on Mercer County’s Parks and Open Space The Mercer County Park Commission has released a report from Rutgers University’s Center for Urban Sustainability (CUES). The report is the culmination of a year-long study by CUES and provides a detailed inventory and analysis of County parks and how they provide a diverse variety of recreation amenities and also protect the County’s natural resources. Read more.

Somerset County: Franklin Township Received the Largest Grant From “Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act” for School Security Upgrades Read more.

Webinars
  • 
Realtor.com: "Connections with Richard Rothstein Author of The Color of Law" Richard Rothstein will discuss the history of racial segregation in housing. The first 100 attendees will receive a free copy of The Color of Law. Wednesday, February 23, from 1 - 2 pm. Register here.

More Free Webinars from Realtor.com:
  • Successfully Leveraging Video - Wednesday, February 23, from 2 - 2:20 pm. Register here.
  • Improve your SEO Score - Monday, February 28, from 11 am - 12 pm. Register here.
  • Dos and Don'ts of Social Media in Real Estate - Thursday, March 3, from 2 - 3 pm. Register here.

FEMA: Why You Should Talk About Flood Insurance New Jersey ranks third in highest flood insurance payouts historically while only 46th in geographic size. Add in a low penetration rate, and it is clear many properties still need coverage. As a trusted advisor in the community, you are in a position to help clients vulnerable to the risks of flooding by promoting actions that shield the lives they have built from devasting loss. Join FEMA on Thursday, March 3, at 10 am to hear from industry leaders on how they are navigating changes to flood insurance under Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action, a major update to the National Flood Insurance Program. Learn practical strategies for conveying the importance of flood insurance; communicating risk to clients; and overcoming challenges to expand your book of business. Register for the free webinar here.


Continuing Education (CE)

At Home With Diversity (AHWD) Certification Course This certification course, providing NJ and PA CE credit, is an educational experience designed to present a picture of the changing face of the real estate industry. More importantly, the class teaches Realtors how to work effectively with - and within - a rapidly changing multicultural market. Diversifying your clientele means learning the practical skills and tools to expand business and effectively service all cultural groups.
Date: Monday, April 11, from 9 am – 4 pm via Zoom
Instructor: Isabelle Perkins
NJ CE Credit: 5 Core Credits, 1 Fair Housing Credit
PA CE Credit: 7 PA CE Credits (including 3.5 hours required on the topics of Redlining, Steering, Implicit Bias, Diversity and the Fair Housing Act)
  • Register for NJ Credit Only here.
  • Register for PA Credit Only here.
  • Register for NJ & PA Credit here.

SUPRA

SUPRA is now offering live Zoom trainings specifically for agents! Check out CORE's calendar to register for upcoming classes here.

CORE has reciprocity with most SUPRA providers in NJ, meaning you don't always need to pay for another key to get access. See a list of CORE's reciprocities here and activate yours today!


Bright MLS
Homesnap Pro Access current listing details and photos, view which homes may be likely to list soon, create a quick CMA, schedule a showing, and much more from your phone or mobile device with Homesnap Pro. Learn more.


New Jersey
NJ Department of Treasury: As Filing Season Kicks Off, Treasury Reminds Taxpayers That More Money is Available to More People Than Ever Before Under Expanded Earned Income Tax Credit Program 
 
NJ.com: These Are the Three Worst-Rated Bridges in Each NJ County There are almost 500 bridges in New Jersey that are structurally deficient, according to the National Bridge Inventory. Read more.
 
NJ Monitor: NJ Will No Longer Attempt to Recover Some Overpaid Unemployment Payments The move could affect more than 250,000 non-fraudulent claims. Read more.

NJSpotlightNews.com: New Jersey Courts' Struggling' to Fairly Apply Eviction Law, Advocates Claim A coalition of 20 advocates has filed an amicus legal brief that argues many New Jersey courts are making mistakes in eviction cases because they're "struggling to understand" a new statute, said attorney Catherine Weiss of the Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest. Read more. 

New Jersey Realtors Educational Foundation: Do you have a family member heading to or already attending college? Encourage them to apply for a scholarship through NJ Realtors Educational Foundation. Applications are due April 8, 2022. Apply here.
NJ Realtors: Virtual Wine Tasting You're invited to a virtual wine tasting with the Realtors Political Action Committee. The tasting will feature a curated selection of French and Italian wines that will leave you booking the next flight to Europe. Click here for the wine list. For a $150 investment, you'll receive 8/187 ml bottles of wine featuring Bordeaux, Barbera, Rosé, and five other selections shipped directly to your home two weeks before the event. On March 9 at 6 pm, log in for your virtual tasting. Register here. Ticket sales end February 23.

Disclaimer: Contributions to RPAC are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. Contributions are voluntary and are used for political purposes. The amounts indicated are merely guidelines and you may contribute more or less than the suggested amounts provided your contribution is within applicable contribution limits. The National Association of REALTORS® and its state and local associations will not favor or disadvantage any member because of the amount contributed or a decision not to contribute. You may refuse to contribute without reprisal. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, any request for the refund of a contribution must be made within two (2) business days of the date on which you authorize RPAC to charge you for said contribution. Your contribution is split between National RPAC and the State PAC in your state. Contact your State Association or PAC for information about the percentages of your contribution provided to National RPAC and to the State PAC. The National RPAC portion is used to support federal candidates and is charged against your limits under 52 U.S.C. 30116.

National
NAR: 2022 Realtors Legislative Meetings Home Front Take an active role, along with fellow NAR members, to advance the real estate industry, public policy, and association at the annual legislative meetings, which will take place May 1-6 in National Harbor, Maryland. Admission is free for Realtors. Register here.

NAR: Existing-Home Sales Surge 6.7 Percent in January Existing-home sales rose in January, making a notable move upward following a previous month where sales declined, according to the National Association of Realtors. On a month-over-month basis, each of the four major U.S. regions experienced an increase in sales in January. However, activity was mixed year-over-year as two regions reported sagging sales, another watched sales increase, and a fourth region remained flat. Read more.

Housing Stats and Analysis from NAR's Research Experts: Instant Reaction -Mortgage Rates “Following the upward trend of the 10-year Treasury yield, mortgage rates soared this week. Specifically, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumped to 3.92 percent from 3.69 percent the previous week. This is the highest rate since the end of May 2019." Read more.
CNBC: The Average Size of a New Mortgage Just Set a Record, as Home Prices Continue to Climb Homebuyers are facing one of the priciest housing markets in history, and that means they need larger mortgages than ever before. While mortgage demand is falling due to rising interest rates, the size of the average purchase loan application just set a record. Read more





FEMA: National Flood Insurance Program
Quick Resources
 General Information on the NFIP