October 20, 2020

Member News



CORE Gloria Monks Honored as Both Local and Statewide Realtor of the Year At last week’s CORE Annual Meeting, CORE President Gloria Monks was honored as CORE Realtor of the Year, and it was announced that she has also just been named New Jersey REALTORS® Realtor of the Year. The statewide award means that Monks will represent all Realtors in New Jersey at the upcoming virtual NAR Annual Conference, at which Monks will be honored along with her fellow statewide Realtors of the Year. Click here to view Gloria Monks’ ROTY State Nominating Form, which lists her many efforts and achievements. Congratulations Door Prize Winners! The following names were announced at the Annual Meeting: >>Affiliates Newsletter Sponsorship: Frank Mancino, Finance of America Website Banner: Robert Lepore, AnnieMac Solo Email Sponsorship: Lindsay Musser, Legacy Branding Gifts >>Realtors CE Class on Multiple Offers: Kirsten Thoft CORE Dues: Lisa Goetz All 2021 Dues: Linda Thell >>Winners will be contacted by email as to the next steps in obtaining their prizes. >>Congratulations to all the winners!

If you missed CORE’s Virtual Annual Meeting, you can watch the recording here. Member Volunteers Needed - Apply for a 2021 CORE Committee CORE Realtors and Affiliate members are needed for 2021 CORE Committees. At CORE, member workgroups are key channels by which member voices are incorporated into plans and actions. Newly created for next year is a Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Current committee members who wish to stay on that workgroup should reapply. The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, November 10. Click here for the application.

Local

Somerset County: Curbing Hunger, Inc. President Ask Residents to Help the Food-Unstable Put Food on Their Table View video.

Webinars New Jersey Realtors: Latest Legal Resources and Forms Update Session This class is a part of the F.R.E.S.H. Summit and has CE credit pending. Monday, October 26 from 2:00 -3:00 pm.  Click here to register. Bright MLS: Social Media Strategies for Real Estate All attendees will be automatically entered in a drawing to win an Amazon Echo. Wednesday, October 21 from 10:00 am – Noon. Free. Register now.

Bright MLS

Later this month, Bright MLS will be making updates to the login screen, which will simplify the look and process. To view some tips to ensure a smooth transition, click here.

For Brokers: Update your Office Roster Agents in an office have the broker’s name and brokerage information attached to their MLS information and their listings. In order to make sure that information is accurate, Bright’s Rules and Regulations require notice of all new or terminated subscribers within an office in 3 business days of the change. Learn more.

Commercial Real Estate Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP: Litigators Prevail in Consequential Ruling Involving Force Majeure and Doctrines of Impossibility and Impracticability in Commercial Lease Agreements Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, both landlords and tenants have been wrestling with the impact of force majeure provisions in their lease agreements, as well as common-law notions of impossibility and impracticability. Read more. 

New Jersey NJ Economic Development Authority: The Small Business Emergency Grant Program One more day until pre-registration goes live for our Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program. You must pre-register to qualify for grants ranging from $5k-$20k. To find out more, click here.  NJ.gov: Moratorium on Utility Shutoffs Extended Governor Murphy has issued a new Executive Order - no household may have its electricity, gas service, or water shut off for nonpayment through March 15, 2021. The moratorium against Internet or voice services is extended through November 15 for general households and through March 15, 2021 for households with school-age children who need Internet connectivity for remote learning. Learn more about the moratorium and assistance programs to help pay for utility bills here. NJ.gov: State Launches Spanish Language Business Site The launch of the translated version of Business.NJ.gov offers information and resources from more than 15 different agencies in a "first digital stop" for companies. It will also provide live chat capabilities with experts from the Business Action Center. Read more. New Jersey Realtors: Introducing the Legal Resource Library - A brand new Member Benefit Do you have legal questions? Now is your time to receive answers! As a member of New Jersey Realtors, you now have access to a new Legal Resource Library. Whenever a legal question comes up, post it to legal.njrealtor.com, then your question will be sent to New Jersey Realtors legal counsel. The legal counsel will review your question and you'll receive notification when they post an answer. Visit the Legal Library here.

National

NAR’s 2020 Realtors Conference & Expo is your best investment for connecting with and learning from industry leaders, experiencing new tools to optimize your business, and building your referral network. Session Topics to Explore: Sales & Marketing Strategies, Finding Your R, Legal Issues & Risk Management, and Property Management. November 2 - 18. NAR Members: $199, Non-Members: $249. Members may attend the Governance sessions at no cost by emailing NARAnnual@maritz.com. Access to all Conference & Expo activities held November 16-18 Access to Governance activities held November 2-6 and November 9-13 Access to the on-demand Session Video Library on the MeetingPlay Virtual platform for one-month post-event Networking opportunities with attendees, exhibitors and sponsors Receive a complimentary Realtors Conference & Expo T-Shirt for being one of the first 5,000 Premier Access registrants!** Register now. NAR: Housing Shortage Tied to Single-Family Zoning Plagued by lack of inventory, more cities and states are doing away with single-family zoning. Read more.

NAR: Real Estate Industry Shifts to Address COVID-19 Nearly four in five real estate agents, lenders, and title agents say they won’t do business without a mask. They also say their clients are concerned about the coronavirus. Read more from a new survey. Read more.

NAR: Video: COVID-19 Showing Guidance NAR encourages you to continue using virtual tours and limiting in-person activity whenever possible. If you’ve chosen to conduct in-person showings, a COVID-19 prevention plan is essential. Use these guidelines to create a plan that shows clients your commitment to ensuring health and well-being. Watch video.