Weekly Newsletter

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

March Is Women's History Month!

Greater Bergen REALTORS® and our charitable REALTORS® Care Foundation (RCF) are celebrating #WomensHistoryMonth with our #RCFCommunityCampaign!

Join us in uplifting the women in our communities by supporting non-profit organizations helping those in need and making meaningful connections.

VISIT THE RCF!

Introducing Northern New Jersey Non-profit Organization: Baby Bundle Inc.

#WomensHistoryMonth #RCFCommunityCampaign

Baby Bundle Inc. is a local non-profit organization founded by women, for women.

GBR member and RCF Trustee, Mia Villon founded Baby Bundle Box after recognizing the pressing need for maternity support for mothers in New Jersey.

To learn more about the mission of Baby Bundle Inc., click HERE.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

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

TOMORROW!

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

THIS WEEK! Don't Miss This FREE Event!

Coffee Talk with Bruce Shapiro! Join Us On March 7th At GBR For An RPAC Discussion With 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

FUN-draising With Friends! Come Out And Bowl!

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! Join us!

March 10, 2025

6:00PM - 8:00PM

$45 For Members | $55 Non-members

Bowler City, Hackensack, NJ

Early Bird Gets The Discount!

$ign Up Today & $ave!

Earn The Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR®) Designation In Two Days!

The Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR®) designation is for real estate buyer's agents who focus on working directly with buyer-clients at every stage of the home-buying process.

What you gain:

Valuable real estate education that elevates your skills and knowledge in the eyes of home buyers.
Ongoing specialized information, programs, and updates that keep you knowledgeable on the issues and trends facing home buyers.

Thursday, March 27 & Friday, March 28, 2025

9:00AM - 4:30PM

SPECIAL EARLY BIRD PRICING

$185 For Members | $235 Non-members

Credits: NJ 12 Ethics (2 Ethics & 10 Core) / NY 15 Hours

Instructor: Rhoda Moss-Latimer

NEW! FREE For Members!

"Let's Talk" Achieving Peak Performance:

Energy Management & Self-Care Strategies for High-Performing REALTORS®

Long-term growth in real estate requires more than endless hustle; it requires mastering your energy, focus, and resilience. Join us for this transformative workshop, where you’ll discover science-backed strategies to sustain peak performance, boost productivity, and avoid burnout. Whether you’re already thriving or aiming to reach new heights, this session will equip you with the strategies to achieve peak performance, sustain momentum, and build a successful, long-lasting real estate business.

March 19, 2025

11:30AM - 12:30PM

FREE For Members | $20 Non-members

Hybrid

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

It's Your Lucky Month!

A New Career In Real Estate Is Waiting For You!

Know Someone Interested In Making The Change?

$ave $150 When You Sign Up With Promo Code: LUCKY150

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 Tip Of The Month:

March Is Sleep Awareness Month!

VISIT THE HWC PAGE

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

New Jersey REALTORS® Fire Regulation Update Webinar Slated For March 6, 2025 - Register Today!

Governor Murphy recently signed Bill A3894 into law, which amends and updates several existing fire safety regulations.

Refresh your knowledge of fire inspection requirements and join us for a webinar with Lou Kilmer, Bureau Chief of the NJ Department of Community Affairs Bureau of Fire Code Enforcement on March 6 from 10-11 a.m.

Secure your spot to become fully prepared to assist clients and help ensure they comply with proper fire safety codes.

Changes include removing the requirement that a fire extinguisher be present at the time of the fire inspection, labeling requirements for certain residential structures containing secondary power sources, and more.

NATIONAL NEWS

Pending Home Sales Waned 4.6% In January

Key Highlights

Pending home sales in January dropped 4.6%.

Compared to one month ago, pending home sales retreated in the Midwest, South and West, while the Northeast underwent a slight increase.

Year-over-year, contract signings declined in all four U.S. regions, with the South showing the largest reduction.

"It is unclear if the coldest January in 25 years contributed to fewer buyers in the market, and if so, expect greater sales activity in upcoming months. However, it's evident that elevated home prices and higher mortgage rates strained affordability."

-NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

Monaco's Property Market: A Tale Of Two Cities

A new report by Knight Frank reveals a striking divergence in Monaco's property market. In 2024, the average price of newly built properties skyrocketed to €36.4 million -- six times higher than the €6 million average for resales. While overall sales in the Principality rose by 12%, this growth was almost entirely fueled by new developments, according to fresh data from IMSEE, Monaco's Statistics Office.

The secondary market experienced its weakest year since 2012, with only 365 transactions--a 6% decline year-over-year. Monte Carlo remained the most active district, accounting for a third of these sales.

In stark contrast, new-build sales surged to 101 units in 2024, up from just 28 the previous year--the highest figure since records began in 2006. This boom was largely driven by the completion of two landmark developments: Mareterra and Bay House.

TIPS FOR CONSUMERS/REALTORS®

Just the Facts, Ma'am: Single Women Home Buyers Since 1981

Flash back 44 years to 1981: both the Post-it Note and IBM's first microcomputer were introduced to the public, and Dolly Parton topped Billboard charts with "9 to 5." That same year, the National Association of REALTORS® first started the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, and a stunning finding was made: Single women outpaced single men in the housing market. In fact, single women were second only to married couples.

Today, single women are surpassing all odds in the housing market by purchasing homes while having lower household incomes in an increasingly unaffordable housing market. Let's look at how they stack up compared to their single male counterparts by pouring themselves a "cup of ambition."

AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT

Meet Affiliate Partner, Lawrence Zhou!

Lawrence Zhou is a loan officer with loanDepot, bringing 15 years of experience in the real estate industry to his role. He is passionate about helping people achieve their dream of homeownership. Furthermore, Lawrence finds his work rewarding, especially building rapport with clients and guiding them through the largest financial transaction of their lives. Lawrence believes that informed clients make the best decisions, and he prioritizes building trust to guide them through the mortgage process.

After receiving his bachelor's degree from Union College, Lawrence earned a master's degree in Real Estate Finance & Investments from NYU. His expertise in finance and dedication to helping others made this a natural career choice.

Clients appreciate Lawrence and his team's knowledge and ability to confidently answer their questions. In addition to his expertise, he prioritizes educating his clients so they can make the best mortgage choices for themselves and their families.

Outside of work, Lawrence enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and grilling. He is actively involved in his community, serving as Treasurer and Board Member for the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) Northern New Jersey Chapter. AREAA is a non-profit professional trade organization dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities. Lawrence's involvement with AREAA reflects his commitment to supporting and empowering these communities.

You can find Lawrence at the loanDepot branch in Hoboken.

With his extensive experience, dedication to client education, and strong community ties, Lawrence Zhou is a trusted advisor for anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of the mortgage process.