Headlines

10 Ways to Earn More Business than Your Competition Webinar — Oct 5, 10 a.m. RPR is a FREE tool for Realtors® with the sole purpose of helping you better your business. It provides tools and resources to help expand your business. During this one-hour webinar, you’ll learn: how to use RPR to improve prospecting and farming strategies run accurate comp analyses identify distressed properties and their impact on neighborhoods set industry standard values on home investments Register right now.

Senate President Steve Sweeney issued the following statement today on the proposed constitutional amendment on pension payments:   "Contrary to what some union leaders have been saying, the pension amendment does not die because it was not voted on by today. The Senate can still approve it with a simple majority vote any time before the legislative session expires in January, putting it on the November 2017 ballot. Without a resolution to the Transportation Trust Fund crisis – and a full accounting of how much future tax cuts…

NAR has been actively monitoring the implementation of the “Know Before You Owe” also known as the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Feedback from Realtors® across the nation highlighted the reluctance of lenders to share the new mandated Closing Disclosure with real estate professionals.   Lenders have been refusing to share the CD citing potential privacy violations of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act or Regulation P. However, an exception to Regulation P already allows lenders to…

Since the October 2015 implementation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s ‘Know Before You Owe’ mortgage initiative, Realtors® have raised red flags over challenges in gaining access to what’s known as the mortgage “closing disclosure” form, or CD. The CD is delivered to homebuyers in advance of their closing and contains important financial information related to their purchase.   Unfortunately, many lenders have chosen to withhold this document from real estate agents since Know Before You Owe went into effect…

There are a lot of questions that arise when you learn your new listing has security cameras installed. First, understand the difference between potential buyers walking through the house and tenants who have moved into a house. When it comes to potential buyers, the New Jersey Real Estate Commission informally has taken the position that the listing agent does not have a duty to disclose there is a security camera system in the house. However if the listing agent is asked about a security system, the listing agent must, of course…

On June 30, 2016, Gov. Chris Christie signed the Fiscal Year 2017 state budget in to law after issuing a line-item veto to remove approximately $300 million in spending from the budget.   The 2017 budget totals $34.5 billion, and for the eighth year in a row contains no tax or fee increases including those on any area affecting homeownership or the real estate industry. New Jersey Realtors® always monitors the state budget process to ensure no new taxes or fees are placed on real estate, including a realty transfer fee increase…

This press release originally appeared on realtor.org   WASHINGTON (June 21, 2016) — Commercial drone use in the real estate business got a boost today with the release of the Federal Aviation Administration's final rule governing small unmanned aerial systems, or UASs, in the national air space.   Drones are increasingly being used in commercial applications, but federal regulations have required commercial drone operators to apply for a "Section 333" waiver from the FAA before they can fly. Over 5,000 waivers were issued…

“But in 2003, we upgraded the bathroom, built a jungle gym and put in a new dishwasher.”   What Realtor® hasn’t felt challenged during pricing discussions with homeowners in a similar situation? And why wouldn’t an average homeowner expect to earn a return on home improvements?   Thankfully, there is a common ground when it comes to landing on a solid listing price. Here are five proven tools and techniques for guiding your seller in the right direction.   Getting real on the value of home improvements Flushing out…

U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced on June 13 that Newark and Trenton will receive millions in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce lead hazards in public housing and protect children and families from the health risks associated with exposure to high levels of lead.   “Under no circumstance should New Jersey families be forced to jeopardize their health or the health of their children due to dangerous levels of lead in their homes,” said Sen. Booker. "We already know…

Voters in New Jersey had the chance to have their voices heard in June 7's primary election. Despite early reports that Secretary Hillary Clinton had enough Super Delegates to be the presumptive Presidential nominee for the Democratic Party’s, it was the votes cast in New Jersey that put her over the top in the official delegate count. Secretary Clinton defeated Senator Bernie Sanders 63.3% to 36.7%. As expected, Donald Trump was victorious on the Republican side, winning 81% of the vote.     Around the state, all incumbent…