Weekly Newsletter

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

A Message From GBR 2025 President, Nicola Esposito

2025 President’s Video Library

ASSOCIATION NEWS

JOIN THE CELEBRATION!

TOMORROW AT GBR!

HURRY, THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER!

The Global Business Council Presents GBR's Annual Black History Month Celebration!

Shaping Futures Through Real Estate & Homeownership

Featuring A Live Performance From The Mount Olive Baptist Church Ensemble With Miniter Of Music, Elder Terrence Kitchings! Right Here At GBR Headquarters!

February is Black History Month! Join us for our annual celebration to learn more about how you can take your business Global while enjoying ethnic food, drinks and informative conversations!

This year, hear from keynote speakers, Councilwoman Denise Belcher, Deputy Mayor of Teaneck, NJ; Allegra House, State Liaison of Women's Council Of REALTORS® New Jersey; New Jersey State Senator Gordon M. Johnson.

February 19, 2025

6:00PM - 8:30PM

In-Person at GBR Headquarters

$20 For Members | $30 Non-members

TOMORROW! REGISTER NOW!

FREE For Members!

Let's Talk: Utilizing DSTs In A 1031 Exchange

Learn the fundamentals of 1031 tax-deferred exchanges in the dynamic realm of commercial real estate. Participating in this course will enhance your understanding of a 1031 exchange and empower you to proactively guide your clients toward tax-saving real estate ventures.

Talk Takeaways:

Understanding of 1031 exchanges.
Learn fundamental principles governing 1031 exchanges.
Learn about replacement property purchase options.
And more!

February 19, 2025

11:30AM - 12:30PM

FREE For Members | $20 Non-members

Hybrid

REMINDER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET PAID THEIR 2025 DUES:

PLEASE NOTE:

Membership Fees Were Due On Friday, January 31, 2025.

A $100 Reinstatement Fee Was Applied on Monday,

February 3, 2025. In Addition, A $100 Late Fee Is Now Required For Reactivation.

GBR Members! Head to the

2025 Membership Dues Billing

tab on the GBR website homepage to find helpful information to all your billing questions and concerns.

PAY DUES HERE

Be Recognized For All You Do!

Apply Today Or Nominate Someone Great!

2025 Greater Bergen REALTORS® Rising Star Award

Applications Are Now Open!

Greater Bergen REALTORS® “Rising Star Award” recognizes current and past professional achievements by a newly licensed sales agent. Along with high moral standards, ethical character and promising success in the real estate industry.

The submission deadline is Friday, February 28, 2025. Finalists will be selected from those nominated by the members of the GBR Awards and Verification Committee and their selection affirmed by the GBR Board of Directors. The winner will be announced, and the award presented at the Circle of Excellence Award Ceremony.

Deadline:

All Applications must be received by: FRIDAY, February 28, 2025

No exceptions or extensions will be granted.

APPLY TODAY

The Community Outreach Committee & Baby Bundle Present: Stork Mission 2025! A Donation Drive!

Donations Will Become Maternity Packages For Families

In Need - Donate To One Of Our Many Drop-off Locations Today Or Directly From Amazon!

Join the Community Outreach Committee and GBR partner, Baby Bundle Inc. for Stork Mission 2025, where donations will become maternity packages for families in need.

View the full donation list below and bring items to one of our drop-off locations OR donate directly from the Amazon Wishlist, right from your home or office! Please share the Amazon link, the donation list information, and help make a difference!

LEARN MORE

$IGN UP & $AVE!

LAST WEEK TO SAVE!

Special Early Bird Pricing!

Earn The At Home with Diversity® (AHWD) Certification In Just ONE Day!

The At Home with Diversity® (AHWD) Certification is designed to enable you to work successfully with and within a rapidly changing multicultural market. It will help you to learn diversity sensitivity, how it applies to U.S. fair housing laws in your business, and ways to develop professional guidelines for working with people in the increasingly multicultural real estate market.

February 27, 2025

9:00AM - 4:30PM

HURRY, SPECIAL EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21!

$99 For Members | $125 Non-members

Credits: 6 Core/ 6 NY Hours

Instructor: Alireza Memar

NEW! FREE For Members!

"Let's Talk" AI & Efficiency

Are you new to using AI? Are you using AI in the best possible way? Do you want to learn more about what AI can do for you, your business, and your clients? AI continues to be the topic of much conversation and debate. Learn about the history behind some of the most widely used AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Perplexity, and more. This course will also discuss various use cases to help scale your business. Take a deep dive into the world of AI by taking this course.

March 5, 2025

11:30AM - 12:30PM

FREE For Members | $20 Non-members

Hybrid

Don't Miss This FREE Event!

Coffee Talk with Bruce Shapiro, Director of RPAC and Regulatory Affairs, NJ REALTORS®

The RPAC and Legislative Affairs Committee presents a special Coffee Talk with Bruce Shapiro, Director of RPAC and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey REALTORS®. Join us for a discussion on 2025 REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) initiatives with a question-and-answer segment to follow.

Have an RPAC question? Submit your question when registering below!

March 7, 2025

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

FREE For Members

GBR Headquarters

It's Back! YPN's Annual Kick-Off Event!

Bowling For Charity With YPN Is March 10th!

Benefiting The REALTORS® Relief Foundation & Aiding Victims Of The California Wildfires

YPN’s Kick-Off Event, Bowling for Charity, will donate the profit to the REALTORS® Relief Foundation, aiding those affected by the wildfires in California. Come out and enjoy the fun while benefitting a great cause! Feel free to share the following attachments and registration link on social media, around your office, and your family/friends!

This event is open to all!

March 10, 2025

6:00PM - 8:00PM

$45 For Members | $55 Non-members

Bowler City, Hackensack, NJ

Reminder To Complete Your Continuing Education Requirements By April 30, 2025!

GBR's 2025 Course Catalog Is Here!

View Upcoming CE Classes, Event Schedules, And More!

Complete Your Mandatory Continuing Education Credits, Including the NEW 1 Agency Credit Requirement By Wednesday, April 30, 2025!

For Your Convenience, NEW 1-Hour Agency Hybrid Classes Have Been Added!

VIEW COURSE CATALOG

DO WHAT YOU LOVE IN 2025! A Pre-Licensing Course Makes A Great Gift!

Perhaps It Is A New Career In Real Estate For A Loved One!

$ave $150 When You Sign Up With Promo Code: LOVE150

PLUS A FREE Course Book - A $70 Value!

Do You Know A Graduating Senior Who Could Use A Helping Hand? Apply Today!

The REALTORS® Care Foundation High School Scholarship Applications Are Now Open!

The Greater Bergen REALTORS® High School Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for high school seniors. GBR offers this scholarship to public high school districts within its jurisdiction.

Fill out the application and email all supporting documents to:

education@greaterbergenrealtors.com by the application deadline of April 21, 2025.

APPLY HERE

EXCLUSIVE GBR Member Benefit!

In a housing industry that is increasingly complex and interconnected, real estate leaders rely on HousingWire for the full picture.

HousingWire provides housing leaders with a complete view of the housing market – including news, market data, housing research and more!

Visit the Greater Bergen REALTORS® HousingWire page and click "Get Access" to enter your information and sign up today!

Looking To Expand Your Network & Build Business Connections?

Do You Want To Be More Involved In Your Community In 2025? Committee Sign-Ups Are Live!

Greater Bergen REALTORS® relies on the expertise and participation of our members. Our committees ensure that association programs and services meet the needs of the membership. Please lend your skill and experience for the betterment of our association and industry.

*Please note, all current committee members must re-apply for 2025 committees.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

GBR's Health & Wellness Council Book Club Is Back In 2025!

Join Us For Our First Reading: The Sleep Revolution

Transforming Your Life, One Night At A Time

Our Next Read: The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night At A Time

Date: March 31, 2025, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Hybrid Event: Virtual on Zoom or In-Person at the GBR Headquarters

Moderator: Kathleen Houston (bergenhomes@gmail.com)

Feel free to sign up, even if you haven't finished reading!

STATE NEWS

Congratulations 2024 Good Neighbor Award Winners

Meet The Three GBR Members Who Swept The 2024 NJ REALTORS® Good Neighbor Awards!

New Jersey REALTORS® awarded three incredible REALTOR® volunteers,

Rebecca Miller Pringle, Maria “Mia” Forsberg-Villon, and Antonio Osso with the

2024 NJ REALTORS® Good Neighbor Awards at the Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo.

The Good Neighbor Award recognizes REALTORS® who have made an extraordinary commitment to community service on the local, national and/or global level. Candidates are judged based on their contribution, the impact of their work, and their leadership skills. Winners receive a grant of $2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place for a charity organization in their name.

To participate in GBR & Mia Forsberg-Villon's

Stork Mission 2025 Donation Drive click HERE.

Introducing Your 2024 State And Local REALTORS® Of The Year

GBR Member, Alireza Memar Receives State REALTOR® Of The Year Award!

The REALTOR® of the Year award celebrates those who have contributed the most to the advancement of his/her community and the cause of REALTORS®. In addition, these individuals have exemplified significant involvement in humanitarian services.

New Jersey REALTORS® named Alireza “Ali” Memar as 2024 REALTOR® of the Year during the annual New Jersey REALTORS® Awards Ceremony at the Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Trade Expo.

Additionally, 12 Local REALTOR® of the Year Award winners were honored for their dedication to the industry.

NATIONAL NEWS

Things Are Looking Up

With Rates And Prices Stabilizing, Home Sales Will Continue The Upward Trajectory That Started In The Final Months Of 2024

The past year was another terrific one for homeowners. Their overall net housing equity swelled to $35 trillion in 2024. Nearly a third of that growth came in the past four years. It is, therefore, not surprising that consumers who’ve bought and sold recently continue to rate very highly the real estate agent with whom they worked. Nearly 9 in 10 consumers would recommend their real estate agent or broker to their friends, business colleagues, and other family members. It’s quite reassuring in the free market, with so many competing brokerage models, including do-it-yourself options, that consumers want to work, and are happy, with their specific real estate professional.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Where Will House Prices Rise The Most In The UK In 2025?

The UK housing market is currently booming – if you know where to look.

Zoopla has identified what it says are housing markets with best prospects for house price growth in 2025.

The property portal has assessed a range of key housing indicators including the affordability of homes, how quickly property is selling, how much asking prices are being cut to attract demand and how many homes have been on the market for more than six months. These factors have been collated and ranked across 120 postal areas of the UK to create an overall ranking of the areas with the best prospects for 2025.

The UK housing market returned to growth in 2024 as incomes grew, mortgage rates fell and sales volumes recovered. House price inflation varies widely across the UK with faster price inflation outside southern England.

TIPS FOR CONSUMERS/REALTORS®

Top 25 Smart Home Innovations To Look Forward To This Year

This year's CES event showcased the latest advancements in smart home technology, offering innovations that combine convenience, security and sustainability. These products are poised to become essential upgrades for tech-savvy homeowners. Real estate agents who are up to date on what’s new are better equipped to help those clients interested in smart home features.

Please read the curated list of the most exciting smart home solutions unveiled this year.

AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT

Meet Affiliate Partner, Tiffany Acosta!

Tiffany Acosta is the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Designer of Grayscale Homes LLC.

More than just a name, Grayscale Homes embodies the essence of sophistication in its purest form. Inspired by the timeless beauty of grayscale art, where shades of white and black create a symphony of elegance, we translate this philosophy into stunning interior design for your modern haven.

Founder, Tiffany Acosta, discovered her passion for this aesthetic during a college course, captivated by the power of minimalism and its ability to evoke character and depth. This passion transcended the canvas, igniting a desire to create spaces that resonate with the same simplicity and grace.

"Grayscale Homes: Where Simplicity Meets Modern Luxury"