Terrie Magazine - Spring 2022 Edition

MAGA INE

ERRIEO CONNOR Editor in i

MA HEWO CONNOR in nci Editor

SARAHM DRENNAN M n in Editor

OSE HO CONNOR ir ctoro P oto r

BARBARARI S ON ont nt oordin tor

OSE HRI ACCO Editori oordin tor M

LESLIE ERLMU ER ontri tin Writ r

NANC COHEN ontri tin Writ r

MANAGEMEN EAM

ERRIEO CONNOR Founder President

MA HEWO CONNOR ChiefOperatingOfficer

SARAHM DRENNAN Executive VicePresident

IONAMIESNER VicePresident,BusinessDevelopment CA HERINE KA O CONNORSMIECHOWSKI DirectorofProfessionalDevelopment

OSE HO CONNOR DirectorofPhotography

MICHAEL EEHAN Directorof Technology

SUSANBROWNE HumanResourcesManager

MEGMULDOWNE FinanceManager

ODIMONRO BusinessDevelopmentManager,Relocation eadGen CHER L IS ER MarketingManager

O ICELOCA IONS

BRANCHO ICEMANAGERS

KAREN USARO Allendale

MAR ELLENCOUR NE HasbrouckHeights

O ANNEMI CHELL innelon

LINDAKAUL KRISSI Ramsey

SHANE WAL ERS Ridgewood

MADELINERA SaddleRiver

A RICIADEMILIA UpperSaddleRiver

COLLEEN ENSA Wyckoff

ALLENDALE W t nd n nd cont ct nd tocr com

HASBROUCKHEIGH S Bo rd ro c i t t o c tocr com

KINNELON Rt So t inn on inn on tocr com

RAMSE E tM inStr t R m r m o c tocr com

RIDGEWOOD W tRid ood n Rid ood rid ood tocr com

SADDLERI ER E t nd Ro d S dd Ri r cont ct r tocr com

U ERSADDLERI ER E tS dd Ri rRo d U rS dd Ri r cont ct r tocr com W CKO r n in n W c o cont ct c o tocr com

BUSINESSO ICE L Str t R m in o tocr com

NEW ORKO ICE L Str t R m in o tocr com COMMERCIAL L Str t R m in o tocr com

E

MAGAZINE

VO LUME 2|I SSUE 1

NorthernNewJerseyand theSaddleRiver Valley has been myhomefornearly alifetime. Iraisedfourchildrenin UpperSaddleRiver,launchedmyownbrokerage30years agoandcontinuetoenjoy asuccessful 0yearrealestate career.Alongtheway,I havemet somanyinteresting individuals amongthemlocalcelebrities,restaurateurs, architectsand artists whohavealsomadenorthern NewJerseyhome forthemselves,theirfamiliesandtheir businesses.Inthis issueofTerrie,we’llintroduceyoutothe ownersandexecutivechefsofsomeofmyfavoritelocal restaurants.You’llmeetan architectwhohasdesigned someofthemostspectacularhomesand luxurytownhouse communitiesinour area,a sculptorwhoseworksare displayedaroundtheworld,anaward-winninginterior designerandeventheCommissionerofthe National Hockey eague.

Proximitytothecity,exceptionalschools,anabundance ofamenitiesandstunningpropertiesmadenorthernNew Jerseyanattractivedestinationforourlocalcelebrities, aswellasthethousandsofclientsTerrieO’Connor Realtorsservedlastyear.Despitethe tightinventory,Terrie O’ConnorRealtors representedthousands ofspectacular propertiesduringthe recordbreaking 2021 real estate market.Inthisissue,we’llhighlightmyfavoritelistingsfrom lastyear,includingfabuloushomesfromnorthernNew JerseyandsouthernNew Yorkcounties ofRockland andOrange.

aunchedin2021tocommemorateour30yearsas TerrieO’ConnorRealtors,thisissueof Terrieisdedicated toourmorethan 5spectacularsalesassociates,our exceptionalleadershipteamandourdedicatedstaff who workamongninebranchoffices.Asyou’vecometoexpect, thepagesover owwithstunningphotography,insightful articlesonlending,titleandthemarket,compellingstories ofcommunityserviceand highlightsfromeach ofthe communitieswhere weliveandwork

Formorethan30years, realestateiswhatwedo,it’s whoweare. TOCRis ocal

ERRIEO CONNOR

ARecord ear,

WRITTE BYTERRIE R

Following ayearlikenoother,2021 provedtobe ayearofbothchallenges andtremendousopportunityfor Terrie O’ConnorRealtorsand the entirereal estateindustry.Asbuyerdemand continuedtosurge,newlistingsliterally ew offthe market.Sellersenjoyed a markettippedintheir favor, asmost propertiesenjoyedmultipleoffersin recordtimewithpricessoaringwell aboveaskingprice.Bankappraisers employedtheCOVIDeffectpremium, supportingthe in atedfinalpurchase prices.Duetothesupply demand imbalance,buyersexperienced increasingdisappointment asthey continuedtolosebidafterbid.Buyer fatiguenaturallybegantosetin,but thesavvy TerrieO’ConnorRealtors agentpersisted,employingcreative andstrategicnegotiationtactics towincontracts.And, winwedid Thankstothedoggedeffortsofour nearly500 realestateprofessionals, TerrieO’ConnorRealtorsonceagain broke records,outpacingtheM S with32. growth over2020. Ayear ofsignificantgrowth, TerrieO’Connor Realtorswelcomed110newagentsto ourfamily.And,onceagain, Bergen Magazine namedTOCRtheBestReal EstateAgencyinBergenCounty.What amomentouswayto mark30yearsas TerrieO’ConnorRealtors.

To celebrate30yearsasTerrie O’ConnorRealtors,welaunched “Terrie:The TerrieO’ConnorRealtors Magazine,”highlightingmomentous occasionsfromthepastthreedecades, as wellasourspectacularagentsand ourfavoriteproperties,including

fabulous homesin eachofthemarkets weserve.Wefeaturedcommunities wherewelive,workandserve, highlightingamenitiesthatmakeeach towndesirabletotoday’sbuyers.The magazinetrulyre ectedthe higher standardsweholdfor ourcompany andthehallmarkserviceweprovide ourclients.Duetotheoverwhelming response,wepublishedasecond editioninthe fallandhopeyou’ll enjoy readingthisspring2022issue.

While OOMfatiguebecameas pervasiveasthe pandemicitself,the healthandsafetyof ouragentsandstaff supersededouroverwhelmingdesire to reconnect,atleastforthefirsthalfof theyear.Wecelebratedourtop office andcompanyagentswitha OOM celebrationandhostedlegendaryreal estatecoachTomFerryatourvirtual AgentAppreciationEventinFebruary. TomFerryremindedusthatthemarket

wasBANANAS,and BANANASstill describesthecurrentreal estatemarket.

As the infectionratesbegantodipin thesecondquarter,weslowlystartedto gatherbacktogether.Severalagents, managersandstaffsafely returned to as Vegasfor the eading Real EstateCompaniesoftheWorld Annual Conference.While amuchsmaller, US-onlycrowdgatheredto“Re-Imagine RealEstate,”thepervasivefeeling was oneofpositivityand renewedenergy. We participatedin apanel highlighting allourcompanydidtopivotduring thepandemic,ourwebsite www.tocr com was recognizedwiththeWebsite ualityCertification,and we returned superchargedwithstrategiesto continue“Winning atRealEstate.”

InJune,wegatheredtheNJ Realtors CircleofExcellence Award winnersfromboth2019and2020 for acelebrationatthe TuxedoPark

A ainstAllOdds

CountryClubBoathouse,complete withpontoonboatsunsetcruises around TuxedoPark ake,cocktails dockside, arawbar,lobsterdinners andgoodcompany.Itfeltsogood tobetogetheragaintocelebrateour award winningagents. InAugust,300 agents,employees,familymembers andfriendsgatheredunderthestars attheBarn atCrestwood akefor theAnnualTerrieO’ConnorRealtors FamilyPicnicwhere wefeastedon BB chicken,pulledporkandItalian icesand dancedtothemusicofthe 52ndStreetBand,featuringour very ownMatthewO’Connoronsax InOctober,twolegendarynames in realestatejoinedforcestolaunch TerrieO’ConnorRealtors The GatewayGroup.MaryEllenCourtney, co-founderofGatewayRealtors,will leadthecompany’snewestbranch officelocatedin alandmarkbuilding

WontheBoulevardinHasbrouckHeights. We aredelightedtowelcomeMary Ellenandheroutstandingteamof salesassociatestothe TerrieO’Connor Realtorsfamilyofcompanies.

Before thecloseoftheyear, we hiredNoreenGratzeltoheadupour newmortgagejointventure,Partners United whichisfundedbyAmerica’s thirdlargestlender,NewRez . Noreen bringsmorethan30yearsoflending expertisetoourcompany,andthe productsavailablethroughNewRez willhelpourclientssecure homesat competitiverates.What’s evenmore importantisthathavingNoreenin houseprovidesuswithbettercontrol over our clients’transactions.

TheentiremonthofNovemberwas dedicatedtoexpressinggratitude forthepeopleandcommunitieswe serve. Acompany-widefooddrive benefitedtheCenterforFoodAction,

theHasbrouckHeightsFoodPantry andthe innelonFoodPantry. Ateam of13agentsandstaffsleptoutinthe corporateofficeparkinglotaspartof theCovenantHouseExecutiveSleep Out,raisingmorethan 26,000forNew Jerseyyouthfacinghomelessness. InDecember,ourcompany“gave back”tothosesamecommunities. We collectedtoysandpajamasforOasis: AHavenfor WomenandChildren; sponsoredentirefamiliesthrough UpperSaddleRiver’sChurchofthe Presentation;collectednew,unwrapped toysfortheMarineCorps’ Toysfor Totsprogram;andevencollected bookstosupportthe“BookforEvery Bed”initiative. We aresoproudofthe communitywarriorsat TerrieO’Connor Realtorswhogivesogenerouslyoftheir timeandtreasureduringtheholiday seasonandthroughouttheyear.Infact, Allendale’sveryownScottMillerwas honoredasCitizenofthe Yearbythe MahwahChamberofCommerceforhis outstandingworkonbehalfofsomany communityorganizations.

As weclosedouttheyear,Omicron interruptedmuchofourplannedholiday celebrations,buteachofficegatheredin smallergroupstocelebrateallthatwas accomplishedin2021.From ahouse partyforSaddleRiver,toanuglysweater partyinAllendale,to amountaintop partyfortheGatewayGroup,the celebrationscontinuedsafely.

Whatayear2021provedto be. With allthat TerrieO’Connor Realtorsaccomplishedlastyear,we’re optimisticabout asafer,healthierand evenmoresuccessful2022

opsided ppl emand rve ontin esinto

BYM TT EW R

Markedbyrecord sales,historicallylowinterestrates,rising pricesandunquenchablebuyerdemand,2021provedto be another record breakingyearfortherealestateindustry. AccordingtotheNationalAssociationofRealtors,existing homesalestoppeda 15-yearhighwithanestimated6million closingsnationwide.InNew Jersey,morethan90,000homes closed, afigureslightlyhigherthanprioryearsales 89, 3 closingsin2020 .InmarketsservedbytheNew JerseyM S NJM S ,homesalessawa doubledigitgrowth up16. over2020 .Despitethe recordnumberofsales,pent-upbuyer demandexacerbatedbythepandemiccontinuedtocause alopsidedsupplydemandcurvetippingwellinthe favorof sellers.

M TD TD N P S S M S P S P P R D M I S N R M I

Formostoftheyear,homesinnorthernNew Jerseysold in record time,averaging 5days a21 dropfrom2020 accordingtotheNJM S.AcrosstheentireGardenState,days onmarketaveragedonly36days,withmosthomesselling wellaboveaskingprice average101.8 oflistpricestatewide withmultiplebackupoffers.Sellers benefitedfromthe overwhelmingdemandthatpushed averagehomesaleprices up1 . statewideto 5 2,5 1.Incountiesnorth,themedian homepricesaw amoremoderateincreaseof8. overthe prioryearto 500,000.Asthepricesskyrocketed,affordability plummeted,makingthedreamof homeownershipvirtually unattainabletomanyfirsttimehomebuyers.

Whilethefranticpacemarkedthe firstthreequartersof 2021,the lastfourmonthsoftheyearexperiencedanobvious slowing.Someoftheslowingwastheresultofnormalreal estatemarketseasonality aphenomenonnotseenduring

R T TD TD S M P DOM M I N S N M S D S

theheightofthe pandemic .Buyerfatiguebegantoset inas thosedesperatetopurchase ahomewereshutoutofnotone but,inmanycases,dozensofopportunities.Undeterredby thechallengingmarketconditions,dedicated TerrieO’Connor Realtorassociates employedcreative andstrategicnegotiation tacticsto wincontracts.Still, severelackofinventoryhadthe greatest impactonthefourthquarter2021salesslowdown. Totalnewlistings,asreportedbythe NJM S,fell-23.2 in 2021 vs the sametime2020,andtotalmonthsofinventory dropped3 .8 to ameager 1.5monthsofsupply

utlook

Expertsagreethatthetightinventorycoupled withstrong buyerdemandshould resultinsimilarhousing markettrends for2022,butata moremoderatepace.Thosebuyersunable tosecurehousingduringthepasttwoyearsofthepandemic willpersistin2022,butthey’llcontinuetobemetwithlimited housingstock,increasinghomepricesandrisinginterest rates.ANational AssociationofRealtors NAR surveyof20 realestateindustryeconomistsandhousingexperts suggests changingmarketconditionsare expectedforthe newyear TheFederalReserve isexpected tomaketwo.25 interest ratehikes,housingpricesarepredictedtoriseby 5. and in ationshouldriseby lowerthan2021ratesof5. Accordingto awrence Yun,ChiefEconomistofNAR,“We’ll seethehousing marketandbroadereconomynormalizenext year.Though forecastedtorise ,in ationwilldecelerate afterheftygainsin2021,whilehome priceincreases arealso expectedtoeasewithanannualappreciationoflessthan 6 .Slowingpricegrowthwillpartlybetheconsequenceof interestratehikesbytheFederalReserve.”

Whilethemarketwillremainpositive,weanticipate

slowergrowthwithcontinuedpositivehome appreciation.Affordabilitywillcontinuetodip asinterestratesrise.Withevery1 increase ininterestrates,affordabilitydrops by9-10 . Forexample,if abuyerisinitially approved for a 500,000homemortgage,wheninterest ratesincreaseby1 ,theirbuyingpowerdrops by 5,000- 50,000to 55,000- 50,000.First timehomebuyerswithlimitedspendingpower willbe mostimpactedbytheratehikes, andin manycasesthey’llbepushedoutofthemarket. Totalbuyerdemandshouldseeminimalslowing fromtheinterestratespikeastherecontinues tobeanestimatedhousingshortageof3millionhomesnationally

Homebuildersfacesupplychainissueson everythingfromlumbertoappliances.Building materialpriceshaveskyrocketed,butcontractors arepassingthosecostsontobuyerswilling to pay.Despitetheincreasedactivity,developers arestill unabletokeepupwiththe overwhelming demandorcomeclosetobackfilling the massive holesleftwhennew constructiondrieduppost 2008housingbust

Despiteinventoryshortages,increasing interestrates,risinghousingpricesand moderatelypacednewconstruction,experts agreethattheunwaveringbuyerdemand shouldcontinuethroughouttheyear. This shouldsetthestageforanotherbanneryear forthe realestatemarketlocallyandacrossthe country.Forsellers,themarketcontinuestobe intheirfavor,making2022theidealtimetolist yourpropertywith TerrieO’ConnorRealtors.

EORELO OMEPR E NDE

Theannualhomepricegrowthinrecentyearswasthemostever seeninits 5year reporting history,farexceedingincomegrowth anderodingaffordability.ThechiefeconomistforCore ogic,Frank Nothaft,predicts atempereddemand leadingtoaslowinginprice growthinthe comingmonths.

REALTOR OM

BetweenApril2020andApril2021,medianhomepricesskyrocketed 1 .2 .Overthemost recent12-monthperiod,thatappreciationrate wasjust8.6 yearoveryear.Whilethis represents amarketsoftening, appreciationcontinuestoexceedtypicalsalaryincreases.

REDD EMA

TheUShousingmarketisunderbuiltby millionhomes.Their calendarforecastpredictshomepriceincreasesof whileJohn BurnsRealEstateConsultingpredicts5.3 .

ANN EMAE

Economistspredictthathomepriceswillslowtoabout growth in2022with5.6millionexistinghomes to besold aslightdecrease from2021 ,buttherewillbea13 increaseinnewhomessales FannieMaepredictsmortgagerateswillinchupto3.5 in2022, a projectionsimilartoexpectationsbyNAReconomists.

ORT NEMA A NE

Fortune recognizesweareinthemiddleofthefive-yearperiod duringwhichthelargestchunkofmillennials born1989-1993 are hittingtheirthirties —theagewhenfirst-time home buyingkicksinto gear.Meanwhile,housingsupplyissimplynon-existent.Stillrecovering fromthe2008housingbust,buildershavebeenoverlyconservative causingfewernewhomesto bebuilttosatisfythisgeneration.

ontin es

BYR BI L SURE

As wealth accumulation escalatesat adramaticpace, consumers will find thatmoneycannotbuy ever ything especiallya swanky house simplyat thesnapoftheirfingers

That realization in year threeofthe COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic comes amidst risingin ation in theUnited States,geopoliticalturmoil along Russia andChina’s borders, continued pressureonavailable primehousing inventor yand fears of abubble.But MarciRossell,chief economistof eading Real EstateCompanies of the World, is notmuchper turbed

“Bubblesrequire that people are buying notbecause they needor want to buy, butbecausethecollective consciousnessbelievesthatpricescan only go up,” Ms.Rossell says.“Idon’t thinkthat’swhereweare

“People maythink they are overpaying, buttheydon’t care,” she says.“They need abiggerhouse with morespace,sotheyare okay withthat.”

In this interview,Ms. Rossell discussestrendsinthe af uentmarket, high-net-wor th consumerbehavior, wealth grow th,impac tofrisinginterest ratesand fears of ahousingmarket bubble.Please readon.

Q. What overalltrendshaveyou seen forthe af uentmarket andthe luxurybuyer?

Oneofthe thingsI have homed in on is thefac tthatglobal wealth increased by nearly 60trillion overthe last two

r M rciRo c i conomi to L din R E t t om ni o t Wor d L din RE

years. So,inthe middle of thebiggest disturbance to theglobal economy thatanyofushave seeninour lifetime, thevalueofwealth,orthesum totalof stocks,bonds, realestateand assets, increased by 28. trillion in 2020 and nearly 30trillionin2021.

WhilehalfofthisgrowthisinEurope andthe U.S.,the otherhalfisspread throughout theglobe.Thattranslates to incredible buying powerinmany marketsworldwide

Q. o youexpectthis trendto continue in and hat ill happento that money?

If youbelievepurchasesand spending aregrounded in howwealthy people are, yes. They gotwealthierin 2020 and even moresoin2021. That is aremarkablestatisticthatweshouldn’t lose sightofinterms of wherethe

world is headed

People want to spendmoneyon luxur yassetslikerealestate, andthe grow th of thoseassets,atthatrateand pace,isunprecedented.

Q. hould e be concernedabout a housingbubble?

No.First,bubblesrequire that people arebuying notbecausethey need or want to buy, butbecausethe collec tive consciousness believes that prices canonlygoup. Idon’t think that’s whereweare

People maythink they are overpaying, buttheydon’t care.They need abiggerhousewith morespace, so they areokaywiththat.

Secondly,abubblerequires alot of leverage.Whenpeople areleveraging toomuch, insolvency problems develop. People arenot leveragedlike they were in 20 05,2006or200 , which createda boomthatturnedintoa bust Those numbersare notherethistime around. People have already made their money.

Q. Whatis theaf uent consumer mindset as e head into year three of thepandemic?

Oneofthe shockers forthe luxur y buyerhas been that, forthe first time in their recentmemor y, maybein their entirelives, theyhave themoney and stillcannot buysomething. This is particularly true of theAmerican consumer

TheU.S.mindset is,ifI have the

ell- eeledconsumersareret in in lifest les, occupations,emplo ersand eo rap ies

checkbook,itdoesnot matter what it costs.If Iwant thatSubzerorefrigerator, Ican getit. If Iwantthathouse in Palm Springs, Ican getit. Because of supply chain issuesand thedemandfor housing, that is notnecessarilythecase. uxur ybuyersdon’t feel in control of their destiny in away that they are accustomed,and to acer tain degree this will continuein 2022

Q. What do youexpectfor the housingmarket?

Prices maynot go up like they did last year,but Idon’t expec tabig decline.

We will continuetohave inventor yissues, partlybecause new homebuilding is notkeeping upwith demand argebuildershave been consolidating foryears,and smaller onesareretiring very quicklyasthat population ages.These challenges are compoundedbysupplychain issues impacting theavailability of building materials.

Q. What aboutthe potentialfor rising interest rates? eep in mindthatjustbecausethe

MARCIROSSELL

FederalReser ve mayraise rateson theshort end, it does notnecessarily translatetoacomparableincrease in thelong-term Idonot thinkthe interest rate pic ture will changedramaticallyover thenex t12 months

Q. What aboutthe luxury vacation homemarket?

Oneofthesurprisingdevelopments of 2020 wastheescalation of

retirements forbabyboomers.

Normally,justlikeyou canpredict births and deaths,you canpredict retirements consistently.

In theU.S., therewere1.3 million retirements more than whatwewould typically expec t. People didn’t want to figureout anew wayofworking. Theyhadthemoney, and thevalue of their house wasup. They thought, “Why don’tIretireearly ” This trend continued in 2021 andislikelyto continuein2022.

Theescalation of second-home purchasesshouldcontinue astherate of retirementincreases.

Q. Anyclosinginsights?

Oneoftheunexpec ted consequencesofthe pandemic is the greatrearrangement of peoplein termsofoccupations, employers or geographies.

Forexample,beforethe pandemic, themillennial generation wasslowly moving outofhigh-densit yareasas they formed familiesandneeded space. Thepandemic heightened that dramatically, and we aresuddenly seeing theimpac tonouter-ring suburbs, wherepricesare escalating.

“ u urybuyers don t feel in control of theirdestiny in away that theyare accustomed andto acertain degree this will continue in .”

—DR

r M rciRo ddr t tt nd t r c ntL din RE nn on r nc

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Whenselling yourhome,youneedglobal exposureinaddition to the strong marketing expertise we deliverlocally.Asanaffiliate of Leading RealEstate Companiesofthe World,® we have the resourcestomarket yourproperty to thehighestpossiblenumberofpotentialbuyers. With150,000talented associatesaroundthe world, we expose yourproperty to buyersonsix continentsensuringmoreeyesonyourproperty.Inaddition, we receive inboundclientsfromotheraffiliatesaroundtheglobewhoareinterestedin purchasing ahome.

Leading RealEstate Companiesofthe World® is apedigreedenotingthe verybestcompanieswho representqualifiedclienteleandwish to do businesswithsimilarfirms.Each yearournetworkis collectively responsible foroveronemilliontransactionson aglobalbasis.

When yourhomeispostedtoour websitelocally, itisimmediately promotedonthe LeadingRE.comwebsite. Itisalsoimmediately connected to the websitesof550ofouraffiliatedrealestate firmsinthe world.

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Asanaffiliate of Leading RealEstate Companiesofthe World,® we have access to thehighestcaliberof realestate professionalsin 70 countries andacrosssix continents. Whenbuyingorsellingpropertyoutsideofour localmarket,our world-classconnectionscanhelpwith realestate needs throughoutour continentand to pointsaroundtheglobe.

Letusintroduceyou to acarefullyselectedsalesassociate thatwillprovide youwith extraordinaryservice—anywhereyour realestate needstakeyou. Ourglobalnetworkis comprisedofthe verybestrealestatecompanies andthemosttalentedprofessionalsinthe world. Theseassociatesensure personalservicewithaccess to quality realestateconnections. Thislevel ofserviceandqualityisthe reasonwhyameaningfulintroductionismade throughournetwork every15minutes.

ThiselegantandwarmHamptons-style manorisanarchitecturalbeautywithaprime “East-Hill”UpperSaddleRiverlocation. Builtin2006utilizingold-worldstylemaster craftsmanship,thiswood-shakeestateboasts morethan6,600squarefeetofelegantand comfortablelivingspace.Designedtofit today’sdesiredlifestyle,thispropertyprovides luxuriousyetfunctionalspacesforliving, working,learning,entertaining,“gettingaway”andstayinghealthyandfit,allfrom thecomfortofhome

Achef’sdelight, thisspacious kitchenfeaturing customcabinetry, top-of-the-line appliances, a grandcenter islandand awalk-in pantryopens to agracious GreatRoom withextensive architectural detailsand custombuilt-ins.

Takeyournext OOMcall fromthecomfortsofyour homeinadedicatedlibrary homeofficethatenjoys viewsof amanicured, park-likeproperty. Agunite, saltwater,heatedpool witha spaandwaterfall provides asummergetaway inyourownbackyard.

ome th

Proacti eEstatePlannin Pa sOff

BY R LI E R M

DowntonAbbey was ahistoricalT Vdrama releasedon Sept.26, 2010.Itcenters around thearistocraticCrawley family wholiveina Yorkshirecountry estate between 1912 and1926, depic ting thelives of theresidents andtheir domestic staf f.

In thesix th and last series,wesee therise of themiddle classand thedecline of thearistocraticwayoflife as taxes areraised and thecosts of running largeestates increases. Many British aristocraticfamilies wentbankrupt and were forced to sellof ftheir land andpossessionstopayof f theirdebts

Setinthe 1920 s, theCrawleys’ problems seem very quaint,but thelessons of histor yastheyrelatetolarge estatesandwealthyfamilies areoften repeated

Ihave advised many families overseveraldecades and seethesame problems cropping up repeatedly. The traditionalway to owna substantialmansionis forthe eldestchild to inherit boththehouse and thebusiness, such as afarm, andfor theother children to make their ownway in life

Butthisformatisoften resisted by familieswho want to treattheir children fairly.Iffamilies want to keep the mansionfor thechildrentoshare or leaveittoone without thefundstomaintain it,disasterwill ensue

TheJohnsonfamilydecided to leave thehouse to the eldestsonand thesubstantialfarmtothe second.The result wasthatthehouse fell intodisrepairasArnie the eldestson whoinherited thehouse struggled to maintain itwithout sufficientincome to suppor tit.

DowntonAbbey

—CAROLINEGARNHAM

Meanwhilethe second sonArchie,who livedinamodest home, buthad considerable income,lived in comparative comfort and luxur y.

In another case,Uncle Anderson lef tthe mansionand it s possessions in trustfor hisnephew John,the eldest sonwho workedhardall hislifetobuild up significant reser vesto fund themaintenanceand repair of thehouse,whichwas his prideand joy.

Onthedeath of UncleAnderson,John inherited thehouse, buthis wife of many decadesdeclared that shewas not prepared to live in themansion becauseitwasuncomfor table, cold and draught y. Sheissued adivorcepetition

Thedivorce was protractedandmessy,but ultimately thejudgedeclared that thehousewas John’s,eventhough it washeldintrust,sohewas unable to sell it,and the significant fundshehadaccumulatedtopayforthe upkeep of thebuildingand it smaintenanceshould go to hiswife.

P P P W W

Patrick bought an estate in Mexico,whichwas his prideand joy. He andhis wife,Mar y, wouldvisit at ever y opportunit yand whenthechildrenwereyoung,theywould take them therefor long holidayswiththeirfriends

Patrick assumed,likesomanyfoundersoffor tuneswith substantialestates,that“happydays” in Mexico would continue forthe family and so heleft theestatetohis wife Mary and threechildren, Matt,Jenand Damien.

Butbythetime Patrick died,his threechildrenwere marriedwith children of theirownand each hadaver y differentattitude to theMexican estate:one wanted to keep it,one wanted to sell it and one wanted to sell part Mary,Patrick ’s widow, was distraughttosee herfamilyso dividedandit pained herthattheycould notbeartobein thesame room,let alone thesame estate

Then,ofcourse, thereisthe trick ytopic of taxation.

Iwas instructed by Mubarakand hiswife, Jane,toreview theownership of theirthree homesin ondon.Heboughthis Mayfairhome20years agoand it hadgainedinvalueby 6 million

Thesecondhomewas in night sbridge, whichhehad

boughtlastyear, and hadnot gained in value, and thethird was in ensington, whichhewasabouttoacquire.

Itold himthatunder United ingdomtax law, therewas arelieffromcapital gainstax at 28 percentonthe gain on a homethatwas amainoronlyresidence,but this relief was only available forpeople whowereresidents in theU.

Mubarakhad twodaughters livingin ondonandhe was happytotransferthe ownership of ahome to each of his daughters, provided they could notsellthem.

If he gavehisMay fair home to hisdaughter, capitalgains taxwould be payable on thegainasifithad beensold at market value. He could,however,keepitand avoid capital gainstax if he still owneditonhis death.

However,the entire valueoftheproper ty would then be subject to inheritance taxat 0percent. This could be avoided if he then lef tthishome to hiswifeintrust

Af terhis death, thehomecould thenbesold,the proceedstaken of fshoreand thetax avoided, since thereis an exemptionfor gift sbetween spousesand forproper ty gif tedwhichisout side theU. ., if thesettlor was non-U. . domiciledatthetime

Theother twohousescould begiven one to each daughter in trust, so they couldnot sell it.Providedhelived sevenyears,notax would be payable on thecapital valueof theproper ties on hisdeath

Taxplanningisstill possible, it is legaland well-wor th doing, butbecareful:mosttax authoritiesacceptsome planning,but notothers.

Thethird area in whichvaluecanbe hemorrhagedoutof homes is inpaying excessivefeesfor their maintenance and upkeep

It is notunusual to see staf foradministrative personnel charge excessivefees, take backhandersfromcontrac tors, steal, or in otherwaystakeadvantage.

This is wheregood governancecomesin.

Good governanceis themonitoring and review of every professionalinvolved in themanagementofeachasset class througheffec tive contrac ts and regularreporting. Donewell, it cansave millions and lead to considerable peaceofmind.

Caroline GarnhamisCEO of Caroline’s Club andGarnham Family OfficeServices, London.Reach heratcaroline@ garnhamfos.com

“

a lanningisstill ossible itislegalandwellworthdoing but becareful mostta authoritiesacce tsome lanning butnotothers.”

ERRIE S ICKS

Great Homes

ROM

F AN N A E

Majesticallyperchedatthetopof HighviewGate,this elegantchateauwith aEuropean air, harkensback toaneraofopulenceandsplendor.Stepthroughthe frontdoorandbeenrapturedbydramaticarchitectural details,surpassedonlybythebreathtaking 100mile viewsenjoyedfromprivatebalconiesand oor-toceilingwindows.Thedramatic receptionfoyerleadsto a magnificentGreatRoom. Abeautifulcorridor,witha barrel ceiling,leadstothebanquetsizeddining room aswellas aprivatefirst oorguestroom.Setonovertwoacreswith mature,professionallandscaping,thegrounds includea poolandspa,andbacksuptotheHighMountainPark Preserve,consistingof1,260acresofopenspaceoffering morethan11milesofhikingtrails.

A E E

Extraordinary residence custombuiltofgranite stoneand brickdetailing andtothe highestquality andstandards.Elegantfirst oorprimarysuite.Three fireplaces,cherrylibrary, sprawling GreatRoom, banquet-sized dining room, loggiawithtrimmedcolumns Finishedlowerlevelwithnew tumbledmarble oors,new kitchen,updatedfullbath andentertainmentcenter.

PPE

A E E

Elegantandwarm Hamptonsstyle, wood-shakemanor builtin2006.Prime EastHilllocation. Thisarchitecturalbeautyboasts6,600 squarefeeton thefirstandsecond oors.Sixensuitebedrooms, .5 baths,dramaticfront-to-backfoyer,exquisitemouldings, old-worldcrafts-manship and10-footceilingsonthefirst oor. Hugechef’s kitchenwithcenterislandandtop-ofthe-line appliancesopenstoGreat Roomwithbuilt-ins. First oorguestsuite. Newlyfinishedbasementwith media room, kitchenette,andsauna.Gunitesaltwater, heatedpoolwithspaandwaterfall.

F AN N

A E

Mesmerizinglake viewsarejustthe beginningofwhat this stunning,center hallcolonialhasto offer.Enjoying acovetedlocationacrossfromShadow ake,thismove-in-readyhomefeatures amagnificent GreatRoomwithasoaringceilingandfireplace, a gourmetkitchenwithtop-of-the-lineappliances, aquiet and privatelibrary, alight-filledsunroom,aswell as afirst- oorbedroomwithensuitebath.Theprimary suiteincludes ahomeoffice,walk-inclosetsand aspa bathroom. Aspectacularlyfinishedlowerlevelwith theater,billiardroom, kitchenandmore.

A E E

Thisremarkable homeoffers exquisitedetailing andclassic elegance.Beautifully appointed,this colonialmanorsits ontwoprivateacresandfeatures circulardrivewayandgrandentrance. Two-storyentry foyerandbridalstaircase. iving roomwithdual fireplace,banquet-sizeddiningroom.Spectacular two-storyGreatRoomwithfireplaceand views of a secludedyard,oversizedheatedpoolandspa,stone patios,pergola,built-inbarbecue.Gourmetkitchen withstate-of-the-artappliancesandseparatebreakfast roomoverlooksthe peacefulyard.

OMES ROM

E

Welcomehometothisexquisite customcolonial, locatedin Ridgewood’s exclusiveCountryClub section.Thishomewilldelightthe mostdiscerningluxuryhomeowner Beautifullydesignedwithattention todetailinevery room.Theopen oorplanwithatwo-storyGreat Roomoverlooksthespectacular tieredproperty.

F AN N A E

Stunningnewer constructionlocatedin primeMillGatesection of UrbanFarms.Elegantly appointed withextensive millwork,hardwood oors, volumeceilingsand an open oorplanperfectfor entertaining.Highlights includeaspectaculartwostoryfoyerandgorgeous gourmetkitchenwith oversizedisland.

NNE N H

Thelifestyleyou’ve alwaysimagined iswaitingforyou. After awonderful dayatthelake, boating,swimming, relaxingandcatchingupwith friends,you’re nowpoolsidewithachilledglassof wine.ThisexquisiteFrench Normandyestateisready forvacationdreamstobecome areality.Thisluxurious homeisSmokeRiselivingatitsfinestonthemost sought-afterstreetin innelon.The20-footsoaring ceilingsand grandstaircaseare suretoimpresswitha balconyoverlookingthe GreatRoom.

F AN N

A E

Privateparadise settingoffers luxurious entertainment, indoorsand out.Spaciouscustom-built,sixbedroom,5.5bath homenestledon1. acresofbeautifullylandscaped grounds.Fromthegrandbridalstaircasefoyerinto theformalliving spaces,viewsofprivatelushgreen landenticeyoutoindulgeinallthe spoilsofthe highlife.Enjoyhoursof relaxationasyouandguests sip refreshingaperolspritzesunderthe grotto.Take asplashinyoursaltwaterpool,whileothersdrink lemonadeinthe gazebo.

A E E

ThinkCalifornia ranchor Vailski home,asboth capturetheessence ofthishome’s beautyandallure.This contemporaryhomeoffers ,000 squarefeetoflivingspaceontwoacres inoneofSaddleRiver’smostprivate,prestigious neighborhoods.Grandentrywithoversizedplanters, naturallight,outsidestoneworkpairedwithinterior accentwalls,andlargeopen oorplanlendtothe home’sFengShuienergyand ow.Frenchdoorsto privatepatios.Swimmingpoolandhottubwithbuiltin rockformationsandcascadingwaterfalls.

F AN N A E

ualitycraftsmanshipisevidentfrom themomentyouenterthisstunning sixbedroom,6.5bathcustommanor home. Welcomingandwarm,grand andgracious,meticulouslyupdatedand maintained,thishomeisundeniably uniqueintoday’s home market.First ooramenitiesinclude adramaticGreat Room,elegantdiningroom,recently completedPeter Salernokitchenwith awalk-in pantry,abilliards roomand pub, awood-paneledhomeoffice, and a highlydesirablefirst- oorbedroom.

H H

uxurylifestyleawaitsin thisone-of-a-kindHo-Housmanorhome.Inspired byArts CraftsEstates ofEngland,eachdetailof this2008builthomewas thoughtfullyselected,from theantiqueash oorstothe 1 th-centurylimestoneto thecustomCliveChristian kitchen.Designedfor both comfortablelivingand graciousentertaining.

H P

Newconstruction onanoversizedlot

Shortwalktothe beach, restaurants andstores.Chef’s kitchenwithGE Monogram 8” refrigeratorandcommercialgrade stovewithisland.Fivebedrooms possiblesixth bedroom and3.5baths.Amenitiesincludeagas fireplacewithbarn beammantle,three-stopelevator, rooftopdeck,two coveredporcheswithceilingfans, oversizedheatedsaltwaterpoolandoutdoorkitchen Over1,200squarefeetofpaverpatio,paverdriveway andbreezeway,outdoorshowerandfinishedgarage, idealforadditionalentertaining.

PPE A E E

Spectacularnewly renovated,movein readyarchitect’s homeon.96acres withexpansive windowsofferingall-daynaturalsunlightattheend of aprivatecul-de-sac.Threeluxurylivinglevelsandlarge backyard idealfor apool.Open oorplanwithgranite, tileandhardwood oors.Gourmeteat-inkitchen features alargeislandwithsecond sinkandadditional seating.Family roomwithgas fireplaceandbuilt-in at screenwithsurroundsound. GreatRoomwithwallof windows,largestonedualfuelfireplace,wetbar, window seatsandcigarporchperfectforentertaining.

AH AH

ThisFardaleEstates homeoffersfive bedrooms,five full bathsandtwo half baths,anelevatorto all oorsand more amenitiesthanyoucanimagine.Only15yearsyoung, thisbeautifulhomesits on acul-de-sacofsimilar homeson abuilder’sacre.State-of-the-artkitchen, smarthome,centralvac,intercom,security,sprinklers, three-cargarageand5,300 squarefeetoflivingspace Two-storyGreatRoomwithabalconyand windows lookingouttotheexpansivebackyard.Hugeunfinished basementwithfullbath.Top-of-the-linefeaturesin everyaspectofthisexquisitehome

OMES ROM

AFF

Newconstruction designedbyStudio Taglandandbuilt by apremier ongBeach Islandbuilder.Five bedrooms oneprimarybedroom, onejuniorsuite,possiblesixthbedroom ,3.5baths,gas fireplace,GEMonogramkitchenwith a36”ovenand 8” refrigerator,three-stopelevator,60feetofbulkhead, newly renovatedpilingdock,heatedsaltwaterpool, paverpatioandfencingonanoversizedlot

AH AH

Nestledinthe rolling hillsofRio Vistawith abackdropofthe RamapoMountainsis thisstunningcolonial estateonnearlyone acreofprivatelushgreenlandinMahwah.Your next grandhomeprovidesallthespoilsofthehighlifewhere bothyourlovedonesandguestswillfeelwelcomeasyou share aglassofChardonnay,laughterandconversation.

C FF

Centrallylocatedon abeautiful park-like propertyintheheartof Wyckoffonpicturesque abriskiPond,thisspacioussixbedroomhomeisin move-inconditionandenjoysmanyhigh-endupgrades and updates. Perfectforentertainingandrelaxingat home,thisprivatepropertyfeatures astunningfreeformsaltwaterGunitepoolwithwaterfallandslide, a kitchenette,and acozygasfirepit.

E

Welcometothisclassic Ridgewoodcolonial ononeofthemost desirablestreetsintown. Thisfourbedroom, .5 bathhomehastoo manyfeaturestolist.Oversizedopen kitchenwithahugeisland andtop-endappliancesand a largebreakfast roomsurroundedbywindows.Resort-style backyard featuresfantasticcoveredporch,outdoorkitchen andtop-of-the-lineGunitepoolandspawithwaterfalls andgorgeousplantings.

C FF

Thiscustomhome ononeofthebest streetsintheSicomac sectionoftownis nottobemissed.Perfectfortoday’sbuyer ithasthe combinationofdedicated roomsaswellasthe open oorplanfor everydaylivingandentertaining.Inviting livingroom withtwo-sidedfireplace,Frenchdoorsto theelegantdining room withwetbar,speciallibrary readingnook,privateofficewithacherrycabinet system,and ahomeworkroomforthree.

C FF

With1.3acresof land, this house isfilledwith somanyconvenient features.Thetoneof thehouse issetfrom theverybeginningwiththeoversizedfrontporchand thegorgeous doubledoors.Onceyoustepinsidethe house,youreyesaredrawntoeach partofthehouse withbeautiful archwaysanchoring eachview. The backyardis at,lush andhas alarge, invitingpool.

A E E

Escapetothis secluded, charming andbeautifully remodeledcolonial, surroundedbyparklike grounds.Guaranteedtosatisfythemostdiscerning buyer,thisenchantinghomeoffersawelcomingfront porchwithsunsetviews.Thesun-filledhome features alargeentryfoyer,living dining roomwithfireplace, gourmetkitchenanda magnificentpatioand backyard.

C FF

A E

Gorgeous,privateparklikepropertynestled inthemostdesirable Hillsectionoftown.Abundance ofnaturallight oods thisspacious, recentlyupdated,contemporarystyle centerhallcolonial withanopenlayout. uxuriousfirst oorprimarysuitewithfireplace,spa-likebath,dressing roomandwalk-inclosets. Welcominggrandfoyeropens intotwo-storyGreatRoom withstunningstonefireplace thatleadstothepatioandsceniclevelbackyard

PPE A E E

PrimeEastHill,Upper SaddleRiverlocation on aquiet,residential doublecul-de-sac. Williamsburg stylecolonialoffers desirableone- oorlivingwithfirst oorowner’s suite, threeguestbedroomsandtwobonussecond oor bedrooms.Open oorplanwithstunningdesigner kitchenwithwhiteshakercabinetry,professional appliances,quartzitecountertopsandislandseating

PPE A E E

Positionedon aquiet residentialstreetin oneofBergenCounty’s most-af uenttownswith outstandingschools,thishome offersapproximately , 00squarefeetofluxury.Custom craftsmanshipcombinedwithnumerousmodern amenitiesawaitsyouinthisexquisitelydesignedyoung residence.European-stylearchitecturewithanopen layout.Attentiontodetailisevidentthroughthehouse.

F AN N

A E

Beautifully renovated homelocatedon a sought-afterblock First oorboasts arenovatedeat-inkitchen,custom mouldingsthroughout and astunningGreatRoomwith astone fireplace.French doorsleadtoa largeTrexdeck withawning. argewindowsthatcreate abrightand openspace. owerlevelisfullyfinishedwithatwo-car garage entry.Private,well-maintainedyard.

NNE N H

Spaciousfivebedroom Dutchcolonialhome boastingover6,000 squarefeetoflivingspacesituatedon abeautifully landscapedproperty withanewerheatedin-ground poolandpatio. Abeautifulsunlitfamily roomopensto a gourmetkitchenappointedwithcustomcabinetry,center island, Vikingappliancesandtwo dishwashers. arge, levelbackyard,newerpatioandoversizedgarages.

OMES ROM

NNE N H

Welcometothislight

filledfive bedroom, fullandtwohalfbath, customhomeperchedon 3privateacres.Astunning two-storyentrywithsleekgranite oorsand ateardrop chandelierimpressesvisitorswithafirstglimpseofthe home’sopenconceptdesign.Spaciouskitchen witha largegranite-toppedislandoverlooksthefamily room. Designedforextendedliving.

H H

Thisclassic Ho-Ho- us colonialisconvenient totrainand downtown Ho-Ho- usand Waldwick.This spacioussixbedroom, .5 bathhomehaswell manicuredgroundswithmaturelandscaping,gardens and adetachedtwo-cargarage.Oversizedentryfoyer greetsyourguests.Escapewithagoodbooktothe formalliving roomwithwood-burningfireplaceorthe librarywithbuilt-inbookshelvesandfireplace

A NE

akefrontwith gorgeousstraight-on viewsandallwater activities.Thisfive bedroom,fourfull-bath colonialiseverythingyou’dwanttocomehometo.The ownershavebeautifully renovatedthehomeandthe propertyaboveandbeyondexpectations.Attentionto detailatabuilder’s scale.Propertyhasaprivatedock andboats.Entertainor relaxontheexpandedpaver patiowith afirepitatthewater’sedge.

NNE N H

Spectacularly maintainedcustombuilthome welllocatedinthegatedcommunityofSmokeRise,one ofAmerica’smostprestigiousclubcommunitieswith activitiesand recreationforallages. Ahostoflake activitiesandsportsprogramsaboundsduringthe summermonths,suchassailingregattas,swimming,a well-stockedlakeforfishing,10tenniscourts,andthe SmokeRiseInn restaurantfordiningandspecialevents

what’s cookinginthe

kitchen

ream i wit Stunnin esi nsfrom lric ,Inc.

ENAF

Thishomeownerwanteda cleansleekkitchenwith apop ofcolor.Purpleisherfavoritecolor, sowegavehernew kitchen apizzazzofpurpleon abackdropofsoftgray,and added alittleglaminthemirrorandstonechevronmosaic backsplashtile.

P T R P YPR I E BYULRI I

NE F N AN

Acasual,yetelegantcombinationofsoft antiquewhite cabinetrywithcleanlines, andearthycolorsinthebacksplashand countertopsdefinethislakeviewkitchen. Thetranquilfa adeofthespacebelies theastounding myriadofstorageand functionalitybelowthesurface,givingthe homeownerstheperfect spacetocookand entertain

PPE A E E

ThehomeownerscontractedarchitectBillMartinofWJM Architectsand WoodroConstructiontohelpthemvault a standardheightceilinginthekitchenarea,openupthe space,andmatchit-withrusticbeams -totheadjacent livingspace.Ulrichdesigned andinstalledthe kitchen space withcoolwhiteandgraycabinets,and amistyblue tilebacksplash,that,alongwiththe sleekmetalsofthe slopinghood,contrastnicelywiththerichdark beamsand warmbricktoachieve asoftmodernkitchenambiencewith rusticaccents.

A P NE

Whilewhitekitchens remainaspopularasever, coloris mostdefinitelymakingacomeback Thiskitchen is agreat exampleoftheuse of asubtle“SilverPine”coloronthe perimeterthatmakesa statementincombinationwiththe rough-sawnEuroOakfinishin adarkmatte“Oolong”on theislandandpantry allcabinetryby Wood-Mode.The leathered Belvederequartzitetoponthe islandandthe brushedstainless steel andsatingoldcustomhoodarejust twoofthemanyspecialdesign detailsinthespace.

NSP RAT ON

E

AquintessentialUlrichkitchen,this RidgewoodHeightshomehadthe entire kitchenandadjacentofficespace revamped itnowincludesgourmetcooking functionality, ampleseatingatcounterand table,anexpansive“hidden”walk-inpantry, butler’spantry,and acoffeebar.Coffered ceilingsaddanelegancebefitting theturnof-the-centuryhomeand concealstructural beamsandcolumns.

E PAN A

Withitsbeautifulpeacockbluecabinetcolor,called“AgeanBlue,” thisbutler’s pantry barsitsadjacentto astunningwhitetransitional kitchen. Wereinforcedtheintensityofthecolorinthesmall spaceusingbrightgreenglassmosaictilewithgoldgroutforthe backsplash,and goldprintwallpaperontheceiling.Theswing doorbetweenthe butler’spantryanddining roomwas replaced witha newonefeaturinga cutglassdesignthatechoesthegreen backsplashpattern.The crystalchandelieraddstothefestiveness oftheroom andcrownsthisthe“jewelbox”ofthekitchen.

NSP RAT ON

MEETT E LR TEAM

ou et a er differentle elof experienceandser icew en ou c oose lric ,Inc.for our ome remodelin pro ect.T e lric teamwillcustomi eitsser ices accordin to our reno ationneeds T eseincludefull-ser icepro ect mana ementt atta est e urden ofdecisionsandappointmentsout of our andsso oucan relax and et read toen o ournewspace

Aspartofourw ite lo eser ice, ou’llwor and-in- andwit awardwinnin desi nersw owillpresent t e er estindesi n,ca inetr , oorin , xtures,countertops,tile, andot er productst atput lric ’s expertise,decadesofexperience, andcreati it intoe er room.

To learnmorea out lric ,Inc., locatedinRid ewood, isitulric inc. comor call20 - - 2 0.

e n is eins

SaddleRi er’sGar ettman re ectsonnearl t reedecadesasNational oc e Lea ueCommissioner

BY SEP RIT

Uponenshrinementinto theHockeyHallofFame as a member of it sClass of 2018, NationalHockey eague NH CommissionerGar yBet tman creditedhis family,friends, league staf f, team owners,players andcoaches forbeingpart of a “collectivecollaboration”that made thehonor possible, saying, “Itcelebrateseverything thatour league,our teamsandour players have accomplished.Itreaffirms my commitmenttothe pursuit of evengreaterexcellence, and it reinforcesmypride in whatwe stand forasa league.”

Nearly four years later, Bettman acknowledges theachievement didn’t sinkinthe nightofthe induction, andstillhasn’t.“I’mstill doing what Ido, soit’llprobably be felt morewhenI retire,” he says Bettman, thelongesttenuredcommissionerinthe four majorAmericanteamsport s, will mark 30 yearsinthe role next season, aprofessionaljourney that beganataNew York City lawfirm andcontinuedinthe league of ficeof theNationalBasketballA ssociation.Asearchcommittee selec ted himfromagroup of fivefinalist stobecome the NH ’s newleague leader.Hetook of ficeonFeb.1,1993. “Noone candreamofbeingcommissionerofaprofessional spor ts league withouthaving theirsanit yinquestion,”he jokes. “Manypeople areinterested, butfew people getit.”

Amonghis greatest achievements is expansion, asthe number ofteamsincreased from 2 to 32on hiswatch, includingseveral franchisesinthe southernpar tofthe United States the result of aconcerted ef fort to widenthe league’s footprint.Revenue hasgrown exponentiallywhile theleagueendured threelabor stoppages and thepublic relationsdif ficulties that came withthem.New television

dealshave broughtNH gamesto larger audiences,and rule changes have allowed players morefreedom to showcasetheirskillsonthe ice.

Going forward, Bettmanhopes to connect with fansthroughbothnew mediaand technology in digitalspaces as wellastraditional media. He also wishes to enhancethe fanexperience at NH arenas.“Ibelievethe in-person experienceatNH gamesisthe best in spor ts,” he says.“Iwant to make surethe gameis competitive andenter taining andmakesureour athletes have achancetoshine.”

Thein-person experiencehas been hindered by theoutbreakofCOVID19,whichhas impacted thepastthree NH seasons.The 2019-2020season wassuspendedindefinitely in March 2020 and resumed inAugustwith expanded StanleyCup playof fs heldin twocentralized “hubcities”inToronto andEdmonton, with no spec tators and only essential staf f present. The2020-2021 seasonwas reduced from 82 to 56 gameswith mostly noat tendance, and cross-border travel restrictions intoCanadaforcedtemporary realignmentas theleagueput allseven Canadian teamsintoone division. Thecurrent seasonhas proceededasnormallyas possible, Bettmansays, though morethan100 gameshave been postponed duetorapid spread of theOmicron variant

“COVID was notsomething anyofuscould have expec ted,” says Bettman. “Our first priority hasalwaysbeen thehealth and safety of ourplayers,staff and fans.” He continues, “It’sthe thirdyear, soit’s no longer anovelt y. The novelt yisthe ways in whichithas impacted uswiththepeaks andvalleysofthevariants.We’re always focused on thelong term butare dealing withtherealities of theshort term.We always have to be exible and have options. Thecooperation of theNationalHockey eague Players’A ssociationand the

ability of our32teams to adjust has been great.”

Bettman’shomelifehas provided anicebalance to theups anddowns of hishigh-profilejob.Heand hiswife Shelli movedtoSaddleRiver 25 years ago, finding peaceand quietthathas been helpfulin stressfultimes.The Bettmans raisedthreechildren allof whomaremarried and remaininNor th Jersey and nowenjoy spending time withtheirseven grandchildren

Of hismove to SaddleRiver, Bettmanrecalls,“We were in Rockland

County,N.Y.,atthetime,and wanted moreproper ty,alargerhomeand moreanonymity.” He continues, “ ivingin SaddleRiver makesyou feel like you’re in thecountry,but the accessibility to ever ything in New York City hasmadeitideal.”

He includes Albert’s inHo-Hous, Baumgar t’sCaf inRidgewood, Andrea’s in Waldwick and Savini Restaurant ounge in Allendale amonghisfavoritelocalplaces to dine Bettmanhas guided theNH throughseveral changes since being

elec tedcommissioner, butone thing hasremained aconstant forhim fromdayone the thrill he gets from presenting theStanley Cupannually to theleague’schampion. He says of the oldestexistingtrophytobeawarded to aprofessional spor ts franchise in NorthAmerica,“It is thetoughest trophy to winand themosticonic.The StanleyCup hascharisma. Being that close to it and seeingthe rawemotion as people react to itisthemost rewardingpar tofmyjob.”

NOTA LERES DENTS

MEETTHE E N N EEN F N E E N

BYBR EPERR Y

Shedecoratedthree homesfor thelate President andMrs. Richard Nixon, worked interiordesignmagic on theset of “The RealHousewives of New York City” while graciouslyde ec ting some just-forthe-cameras con ict and designed alibrary to hold10,000 books foraclientwho later revealedheonlyreadona indle

Butamong acclaimed interior designer BarbaraOstrom’smostcreative accomplishments arelikelythe roomsshe’s decorated within more than 60 showhouses

From the ips BayBoysand GirlsClub DecoratorShowhousetothe Saddle RiverShowhouse and theHampton Holiday Housetothe MansioninMay DesignerShowhouse andmore she’sdone them all, multiple times.

ThelateinteriordesignerMario Buat ta,nicknamed“ThePrinceof Chint z,”dubbed Ostrom “The ueen of theShowhouse,” agraciousnod to thebeaut yandbreadthofher work

“Cur tain Up : Thir ty Yearsof Spec tacularShowhouse Rooms,”a coffee table book of herworkspanning 30 years, captures herprocess from crumbling room to showhouse stunner In thebook,whichisavailable on Amazon,Buattapraised Ostrom’s imaginative,over-the-topstyle,as seeninarange of polished yetplay ful details. Fromantiquebirdcages to wildly colorfulhand-paintedceilings, Ostrom’s signatureistheunexpec ted, irreverent,irresistible touchthat elevatesand enlivens aroom.

Although shedoesn’t have aspecific showhouse room sheprefers to decorate, shedoesliketodoa room that’s seenearly on ashowhouse tour “I’vedone hometheaters, libraries, kitchens,basements,you nameit, butthe roomstowardthe frontofthe house and thestand-alone spaces like greenhousesand poolhousesare especiallyexciting. Ever yshowhouse of fers theoppor tunity to fullyunleash my creativity,” shesays.

Af tera showhouse hiatus brought on by thepandemic, Ostrom didjust that last December,creating astunning vignet teforHoliday HouseNYC.She partneredwith WaterfordCrystal to designa Christmas tablescape featuring amix of antiquefurnishings andcontemporar ytouches.A Christmastreebedeckedwith bright redribbons andWater ford crystal ornaments re ected herloveofcolor and classicalelements

ike thelives of otherroyals, Ostrom’s life seemed destinedalmost

i mm r

onc in n trom dd d o t ttic or nd int dit ri t n in o inc iti ont nort id o t o o it t din n i t

from thestart.Atthe ageof18, on atriptothe FrickMuseum in New York City with hergrandmother,she wandered intothe wronglec ture and,happily,discoveredthe world of interiordesign. Sheknewthen andthere what shewantedtodo with herlife. Herfather, however, hadother ideas,including“Radcliffe College,Cambridge,Mass. , a Harvard-educatedhusband,ahouse in Greenwich,” sherecalls.Undeterred, sheapplied to andput herself through theNew York School of InteriorDesign

At theend of herfirst year,she landed asummer job by winning a contest with awell-knownNew York City decoratorwhose client sincluded Greekshippingmagnatesand Texas oilt ycoons.“ ittle didI know,she couldn’t keep an assistantformore than twoweeks,”Ostromlaughs. Still, sherose to thechallenge and that summer “we ew by privatejet to visit aclientinGreece and,fromthere, traveledtoParis.She wouldn’ttell me whichclientwewerethere to see but, as itturned out, it wastheDuke and DuchessofWindsor ” Ostrom continued to workthereforeight years,juggling herundergraduate studiesand subsequent coursework fora master’s degree from Prat twith “themost incredible designproject s. ”

From there, shejoinedan architecturaldesignfirm andspent 10 yearstravelingalloverEurope andthe United States working on interior designproject sfor hotels, stores,and othercommercialspaces “Unfor tunately,Ididn’tsee my husbandver ymuch. When he gave me an ultimatum stay marriedtomy joborstaymarried to him Igave six months’noticeand we movedtoNew Jersey,” shesays.

Notsurprisingly,Ostromhardly missed abeat. “I star tedgiving programs at NewcomersClubs in thearea andbegan gettingsome smalljobs, then larger ones. By 198 , she’dopened adesignstudioon themez zanine levelofthe Sheraton Crossroads in Mahwah,a spaceshe continues to operate, along with satelliteof fices in New York City and theHamptons. Over theyears,her client list expanded to includeahost of luminaries,including New Jersey Senator Gerald Cardinale,New Jersey Governor JamesFlorio, Def Jam Records founderRussell Simmons, Nick Rhodes of DuranDuran,and former New York GiantMichael Strahan.

As herclientlistgrew, sodid invitationstoparticipate in showhouses, includingone especiallyfor tuitous ips Bay Showhouse in New York City .“It was my first showhouseand Tricia Nixon walked throughand lovedthe room,so sheaskedif Iwould considerdecorating her parent s’ townhouse onEast 65th Street,” sherecalls.Sobegan along friendshipthat spannedmore than 15 years and included twosubsequent residences,the late President andMrs. Richard Nixon’sSaddleRiver homeand, later, atownhouse at Bear’s Nest in Park Ridge

Evenherdad, whocouldn’thave imagined that hisyoung daughter would be one dayasked to decorate thehomeofthe 3 th President of the United States,camearound. “Hewas ahugefan,” shesmiles.

T

mi roomint m ton

T i i m roomin Y t t t n nn room trom m d it n oticc rdroom nd ro tin m o n r c nd i tint ntir room it oo c ndmo d dEn i n in T r i n n n r Iti room r on o to in

W t ni c t ndin r tt nd B r ri int cond n r tiono n r W tr nt ro r tion t ni t i or in rint rd rin t d

omplimentsoft e ef

Palate-pleasin eateries a edeep rootsinNort erse nei or oods

BY SEP RIT

Ifyou’replanning amovetonorthern NewJersey,don’t forgettopack yourappetite. nownforitsbeautiful neighborhoods,eliteschoolsystems andproximitytoNewYorkCity,the areaisalsohometo arobustrestaurant scenethatoffers avarietyofculinaryand cultural experiences

Withinthatlandscapeareaselectfew establishmentssodeeply rootedintheir

communitiestheybecomesynonymous withthem notjusta placetoenjoy foodanddrinks,buttocelebrate, mournandmarklife’smilestones.One suchplaceisthe A inAllendale,openedin1935by MikeandMaude“Mom”Connellyas a neighborhoodtavernintheold Allendale Hotel. Yankeeslegend BabeRuthwas afrequentvisitor intheearlydays,and

SantaClaus hasbeenknowntostopin foradrinkwithpatronsatthebar during thetown’s annualholidayfestivities.

After relocatingtoitspresentsiteon WestAllendale Avenuein19 8,the basicmenuexpandedto includepizza, andthe trendtoward moderatedrinking andmorewholesomefoodcontinued intothe19 0s, prompting amajor renovation.“Formanyyears,foodwas

siblingstotakecareofthecommunityandthe communitywilltakecareofyou.”

—CHRISKUNISCH,OWNER,ALLENDALEBAR &GRILL,MAHWAHBAR &GRILL

anafterthought,”saysfourth-generation ownerChris unisch.“Bythe19 0s,a shotand abeerwasn’tcutting it.Fish, pasta,saladsandsteakwereaddedto themenu nolongerjustburgers.”

Thetransitioninto afamilyeatery continuedin1992,whenthe unisch familyacquiredthe M , formerly ageneralstoreandginmill, andtransformeditinto afamily-friendly destination completewithanoutdoor patio.

“Mymomanddadalwaystaught meandmysiblingstotakecareofthe communityandthe communitywill takecare ofyou,” says unisch.“Our neighborhoodpubandtavernhas

evolvedinto arestaurant,butthewarm neighborhoodfeelwillneverchange.”

Thecommitmenttoservingthe communityhasn’tchangedeither. nown forhergenerosity,“Mom”Connelly providedmealstopassengerstraveling onthefreighttrainsthatpassedthrough Allendaleintheearlydaysofthetavern andinvited residentsinfor afreecorned beefandcabbagedinnereverySt. Patrick’s Day.

Nowadays,Allendale Bar Grill andMahwah Bar Grillsupportlocal educationassociations,sportsteams andBoyScouts,andrarelyturndown requeststhatcome theirway forraf es orotherfundraisers.

Whilethemenuhasexpanded,an oldfavoritehasdisplayedstayingpower amongpatrons,says unisch.“OurHotel PubBurger,withcheddaraleandbacon, is asignature item,”hesays.“Icanstill hearmyfathersaying, Thisbusiness wasbuilton agoodburger ’”Afavorite cocktail,headds,is evin’sCoffee, featuringGrandMarnier,Tia Maria,dark rum,coffee andwhippedcream.

Aself-proclaimed“smalltownguy,” unischsaysheisproudoftherootshis familyhasinAllendale.“It’sagreatplace toraise afamily,”hesays.“My kidsare fifth-generationAllendale,andthereare onlya handfuloffamiliesaroundthatcan saytheyarefifth generation.”

“Mymomanddadalwaystaughtmeandmy

A E E NN

Allendale’s neighboringtownofSaddle Riverisalsohometoanhistoricdining establishment,the S R .As earlyas18 0,The Innwasoperatingas asawmillandbasketweavingfactory, asSaddle Riverwasoncethebiggest producersofstrawberriesinthearea.

“Theywouldweavebaskets hereand collectthe strawberriesfromall over SaddleRiverandsendthemonthetrain toalldifferentlocations,” saysJamie nott,SaddleRiverInnowner. “It usedto becalledtheStrawberryBarn.”

Partofthe WilliamPackardEstate nowknownasBarnstableCourt,the SaddleRiverInnwasestablishedin 1981byHansandImeldaEgg,whoset a standardinfinedining.“Itwasthefirst real finedining restaurantinsuburbanNew Jersey,withwhitegloveservice,caviarand lobsters,”says nott.“Itwasthehighest end restaurantwithin50miles.”

nott,whopurchasedthebusinessin 2013andservesasitschef,sayshe’sdone hisbesttokeepthetraditionalive.“You can’tduplicatethebarnandthefeeling youget,”hesays.“Everythingishandcut, thewoodinside,thehighceilings,the factthatwe’resittingon ariver.”

Hekeptthe charmofthe darkwood 19th-centurybarnthathousesthe restaurantbutbrighteneditup.Healso removedtheold chairs,oldwallpaper, dry owersandwindowtreatments, andputhisownspinonthemenu, highlightedby anewdessertmenuthat hasbeena bighitwithpatrons

The“new”SaddleRiverInnis afine dining,contemporaryFrench restaurant. nottusesonlyprime dry-agedbeef, thefreshestseafoodandlocalorganic producewheneverpossible.Themenu changestwiceseasonallyand utilizes ingredientsatthe peakof theirfreshness.

“ThefoodismodernFrench, vegetable-focusedbutlight,”says nott. “Sauces areveryimportant, as Iuse a lotofacidinmycooking.There’san undertoneofsome Asian avorsand ingredientsaswell.” ndo n r mi nott to t i o n inont m n tt i toricS

T rri onnor R tor r c nt c r t d it om o it to oci t o r nc t P n c r r d n c ti c Mic M tonti ict r d o rt rom t

CAFÉPANACHE

MichaelMatonti,whoonceworkedat theSaddleRiverInnunderitsfirstchef andowner,was recentlynamedexecutive chefatanother localdininglandmark, theaward-winning P in Ramsey,whichopeneditsdoorsin1985.

It’s acareercomefullcirclefor Matonti,whoknockedonthedoorof Caf Panachein199 attheageof2 afterdecidingtopursue acareerinthe restaurantindustry.“Iwantedtowork atthebest restaurantIcouldfind,”he recalls.“IgrewupinMahwahandknew thereputationofCaf Panache.Iknew itwasthe one.Itwasclosetomyhouse too,whichdidn’thurt.”

Hebecame aprot g ofthe restaurant’s belovedfounder, evin ohler,whopassedawayinearly 2021.Matontispentthenextyear workinghiswayupthestationsatCaf PanachebeforeenrollingattheFrench CulinaryInstituteinManhattan now theInternationalCulinaryCenter .His careerpathled himtoseveralkitchens, includingtheMad atGourmetin Oradell,RiverCityGrilleinIrvington,

NY,andthe River ValeCountryClub. Healwaysconferredwith ohlerbefore acceptingany jobsandappliedlessons helearnedatCaf Panache.

“Firstandforemost,have respect forthe ingredientsandthe people whoproducethoseingredients the farmers,” he says.“It’swhereeverything startswithcooking.Thefarmersfeed us.”Hecontinues,“Everythingthat comesinto my restaurantistopnotchor wesenditback. evinwas aheadofhis timewiththenewfarm-to-tabletrend. Hewasdoingit30yearsago.”

ohleralsostressedtheimportance ofeliminatingwaste,whichledtothe creationofthe restaurant’s signature dish,the filetmignonravioli. ohlerwas lookingfor awaytoutilizethemeathe’d endupthrowingoutwhilebutchering filetmignon.Onedayhemade a Bourguignonsaucewiththe meat, seasonedwith Parmesancheeseand alittletruf eoil,anddecidedto make ravioliwithit.Itwas abighitandhas remainedonthe menusince1990.“Most would’vejustthrownthat meataway,” saysMatonti.“That washisgenius.”

ohler’s childrencontinuetooperate Caf Panache,andMatontishares theirgoalofhonoring evin’s legacy. “I’mnottryingtofillhisshoes that’s impossible,”hesays,“butwecankeep hismemoryalive.Ihopethatiswhat we’reachieving.”

Theeffortsoftheentirestaff,headds, areneededtomeetthehighstandards setatCaf Panache. “Attimesyousee yourco-workers morethanyourfamily,” hesays.“Thepeopleyouworkwith andaround,fromtoptobottom,are important.Inthisindustrythere’sno distinctionbetweenthefrontofthehouse andthebackofthehouse it’sone houseandeverythinghastobegreat.”

Re ectingonhis ownpathbackto Caf Panache,Matontisays,“Thejourneyis the mostimportantthing.Youcan’tcome outofculinaryschoolandsay, I’m a chef.’ Youhavetoimmerseyourselfinit.”

Hecontinues,“Ifyougetintothis businessbecauseyoulikecooking,five yearsfromnowyou’llhatecooking.But ifyoulovecooking,you’llalwaysloveit. Youhavetohave acertain passionand respectforit.”

a int e addle armsande uestriancenters uildonarea’sric orse ac ridin istor

BY SEP RIT

AnnMarie Snyder knew rightawaythathorsesweregoing to be abig part of herdaughterAudrey’slife. “I couldtell from thefirst lesson wewere going to be in deep,” shejokes, “soIlearned ever ything Icould.” ongtimeresidents of Ridgewood,sheandherhusband, Gary Schulze, surveyed NorthJerseyfor alargerproper ty thatcouldaccommodatehorses. “Weassumed we had to move faraway,”Snyder recalls. “Thereare some horse proper ties in thearea,but they didn’t thrill us.Wefound somevacant land in SaddleRiver and realizedwecould star t from scratch.”

project earlierthisyear. “Ittook longer than expec ted, but theresults aretotally worthit,”she says Oneofthe first orders of businesswhendeveloping the proper ty was to includethe plan of alandscapearchitect, per Saddle Riverborough regulations. “I wonderedifany landscapearchitect sspecializedinequestrian facilities,” she recalls. “I Googleditand foundt wo companiesthatdid,and one Deborah CerboneA ssociates happenedtobein FarHills,NJ.”

Thefamilywenttoworkwith DeborahCerbone Associates to plan thelayoutofthe facility and allplantings,and worked closelywith B DBuildersin ancasterCount y, Pa., to design theequestrian aspec ts of thefarm, whichinclude a12-stall barn,a1 5’x185’ outdoorriding arena, an 80’x 20 0’ indoor riding arena, around pen and 12 paddocks.

Gary star tedhis vegetablefarm, part of Communit y Suppor tedAgriculture CSA , in thespringof2016. The farm’s customerspre-payfora shareoftheproducethe farm will grow that year,allowing thefarmtohireworkers, buyseedsandpreparethe land forthe growingseason. Throughout theseason, each member of theCSA picksup produceonanassignedday of theweek. uantitiesand varietieschange weekly as dif ferent vegetablescome into season. To learnmore, emailinfo patriot farmnj.com

Thefamilyfarmwouldn’tbecompleteof course,withouta name.The couple foundinspiration from their yearslivingin Ridgewood and working on thecommit teefor thevillage’s annual Four th of Julycelebration.“Beingapar tofthat commit teewas very impor tant to us,” says Snyder.“Someone on thecommittee called us truepatriot s’ because we were so committed to it.”

Thus,the name Patriot Farm was born

The19-acre SaddleRiver proper ty,whichhas alonghistory of beingutilizedfor agricultural purposes,was purchased by thecouplein 2015.Their goal was to bring to life amore personalplan:anewhome fortheir family,anequestrian facility forAudreyand avegetable farm forGar y. Theprocess was alonghaul, butSnyder was excited to complete the

Oneofthe things that excitesSnyderthemost is the opportunit ytoboard horses on theproper ty.“Working on ahorse farm hasbeen my dream,”she says.“Thereare not many places inBergen to boardhorses, so people have to drivefar away to do it.Now people canspendmoretime withtheirhorses, whichiswhatweall love.”

Giventhe borough’sdeeppastoralroots,itisnosurprise that Patriot Farm isoneofseveral farmsandequestrian centersinand aroundSaddle River. owerCross Farm, ownedand operated by izHofer since 199 ,islocated at thesiteofanoldSaddle Riverstandardbredracingfarmthat included aquarter-mileracetrack.These days,Hofer works thefarmwith helpfromher daughter,boardinghorsesand of fering trainingtoaspiringriders. Theproper ty includes indoorandoutdoorarenasplus12stalls, and maybe reached at lc farm9 aol.com.Onweekends,Hofersays she enjoys at tendinghorseshowsandhunter paces “Being around thehorsesisenoughforme,” says Hofer, whohas ownedthemformost of herlife, “but it’s also nice to seethekidslearn anddowellwhentheyshow.”

ocatedonthe statelinebetween Rockland County,NY, andBergenCount y, Saddle RiverEquestrian’s 0 -stall horse riding facility of fers year-round lessons, training,boarding, andsalesandleasesofhunter, jumper andequitation

horses. Thecenterwelcomes riders of alllevelsand ages and maintains acommitmenttohelping them reach theirgoals whethertheyare to simplyfeelcomfortable whileridingand handling horses or to competeatthe top horse shows.

SaddleRiver Equestrian of fers asummer riding program, whichrunsfromTuesday-Friday, 9a.m.to1p.m., foreight weeksduringthemonths of July and August.Ridersrange from first-timebeginnerstoadvance campers. Formore information,visitsaddleriverequestrian.com summer-camp.

Family ownedand operated since 20 08,WinterHaven Equestrian Centeris locatedon3.2 acresinOakland.Per it swebsite,the centeroffershorse boarding, an indoor riding arena, aone-acresandoutdoorgrandprix riding arena, lessonsfromthe beginners to advanced,fulland half leases,sales and training,andhorseshowing. Formore information,ortoset up an appointmenttotourthe facilit y, call 201- 6 - 230

Lo r ro rm S dd Ri r

l l e es s a in o o en

ArtistCarol nPalmerEm odies t eEssenceof ran Sinatrain

erLatestSculpture

BYMELISS RIE EL P T SBYMELISS RIE ELP T R P Y

FrankSinatraParkinHoboken wasbustingattheseamsonDec. 12,2021,asseeminglyeveryone wastherefortheunveilingof SaddleRiverResidentCarolyn Palmer’ssculptureofFrankSinatra. DawnDonaghy organizedlimo servicefor SaddleRiverfriendsto surprisePalmerwithanoutpouring ofcommunitysupport,andmany residentsalsoattendedthe starstuddedcocktail receptionat ulu oungeat WHotelfollowingthe unveiling.

The packedunveilingwasfilled withlocalandnational reportersandfilmcrews,Hoboken residents,FrankSinatrafans,localdignitariesandentertainers. SaturdayNight ivealumJoePiscopowasthe perfect emceefortheevent andseemedathomeinJerseywiththe midtownManhattanskylinetohisback.TheHobokenPolice andFireDepartmentshadtheirHonorGuardsinfulldress standingatattentionbehindthe podium. FamedNew York TenorChristopherMacchioledthe crowdinthePledgeof Allegiance,followedbyanabsolutelystunning renditionof TheNationalAnthemwithhissilkyvoicethatresonatedover thepark

HobokenMayorRaviS.Bhallaand3rdWardCouncilman MichaelRussowereonhandto welcomeeveryoneand talkaboutthebeautiful—and long-awaited— sculpture ofHoboken’snative son.With aFrankSinatraPark,off FrankSinatraDrive,withaSinatrasoccerfield, aSinatra amphitheatre,and aBlueEyesRestaurant,MayorBhallanoted that,“It’s abouttimewededicated astatuetoour beloved FrankSinatra.”

ItwastheCityofHobokenthatcommissionedthe work

fromworld-renownedsculptorPalmer afterseeinghercollectionoffour larger-than-lifebronzebustsofPopes atSt.Patrick’sCathedralinNewYork City.Palmerisknownformakingher bustslife-like,lively,andembodying thespirit andcharacterofhersubjects. Otherfamousworksofhersinclude FranklinandEleanorRooseveltatthe FDRPresidential ibrary andMuseum inHydePark, alife-sizebronze ucille Ballstatuefor ucy’shometownparkin Celeron,NY,OrvilleandWilber Wright sculpturesforthe Sanford Orlando Airport,anda bronzesculptureof ThomasJeffersonfortheJeffersonCenterinSyracuse,NY. FrankSinatra’sdaughter Tina wasinvolvedintheprocess, discussingideaswithPalmerandapprovingdesigns.Shewas helpfulinprovidingdetailstomakethesculptureasaccurate aspossible,includinglettingherborrowthefamilycrest ring Frankalwaysworeonhispinkyfinger,sothatitcould beaddedtothelikeness. Tinawasthrilled tobepartofthe celebrationandthankedthetownand allofthesponsors forbeingsupportive,lovingherdad,andbeingdedicated tokeepinghismemoryalive. Withherhandonherheart, shelookedheavenlyasshe recognizedthatthe dayofthe dedication,Dec.12,washerfather’sbirthdayandthathe would have been106 yearsold.Afterbeingpresentedwitha plaquefromTVanchorRitaCrosby, Tinaturnedherattention backtoPalmer,thankingherforcapturingherdadso perfectly.“CarolynPalmer,”she said.”Wehavetodoa statue ofyou.Youareamazing ”

Theloud applauseshowedconsensusfromthecrowdof over1,000people.Palmeraddressedeveryoneandtalked aboutwhatanhonoritwastohavethiscommission.The

workonthe sculpturebeganin2019, andthe pandemicgaveherplentyoftimetospend beingimmersedinallthingsFrankSinatra, watchinghismoviesandlisteningtohissongs asshedrewandsculpted.“Iknew Iwantedto includealamppostinthe sculpture,”shesays. “Frank’sfavoritecolorwasorange —hethought itwas ahappycolor.Iputinanorangebulbthat glows2 . Youcansee itonovercastdaysand intheevenings.”

AlthoughFrankwasknownforhaving a cigaretteinonehandand ahighballglassin theother,Palmerdecidedtodo a“healthier” versionofFrankandforgotheseitemsinfavor ofhimleaningagainstthelamppostandjauntily tippinghishat.Frankisknownfor saying“angles areattitudes”andindeedhislikenessisallabout theangleswithsomethingdifferentto seefrom everyside.HefacesouttowardsHobokenwith theNew YorkCityskylineashisbackdrop.Thisis fitting ashelovedNew York. Youcanjustabout hearhimsinging“NewYork,New York”asyou gazeatthe sculpture.

TheFrankSinatraSchoolofthe ArtsinHoboken lentfourofitstalentedstudentstoperformat theceremony,singing“ComeFlywithMe”and “FlyMetothe Moon.”Asa perfectendingto theceremony,everyone stoodandsang“Happy Birthday”toFrank.After theunveilingofthe statue,agroupoffansdid arepriseraisingtheir armsand singingtothelegend.

PalmerwasborninChester,NY, andattended BurkeCatholicHighSchoolinGoshen.Not

encouragedtopursue thearts,shetookvery fewartclassesinhighschoolorcollege.She beganherhighereducationatWellsCollege andthentransferredtoNazarethCollegeafter atransformativesummer spentinEurope Havingtheopportunitytoseefamousworksof artatmuseumsandgalleriesall overEurope wasinspirational.“Iwasespeciallydrawntothe FrenchsculptorsJean-BaptisteCarpeauxand Jean-AntoineHoudonforthe lifelike quality oftheirwork,”shesays.“Iam aself-taught sculptor.Sculptingis apartofme;itfoundme. Istudytheperson Iamsculptingandtryto capture theperson’sessenceandmakeitpart ofthesculpture.” Hergreatestcompliments arewhen someonetellsthemhowlife-likeher sculpturesareorhow theyfeelthelikenessis lookingdirectlyatthem.

Withherhomeand studioinSaddleRiver, Palmer is readytotacklenewprojects.Checkout Palmer’sworkatwww.palmersculptures.com.

oc i mor t n o tt nd d t n i in o t r n Sin tr t t in o o n om di n o Pi co o mc d t nt ndSin tr d t rTin ict r d it c tor ro n P m r ro id dd t i tom t c t r cc r t o i

WoodmontPropertiesdevelops adiversemixofrealestate

Portfolioincludesworld-class residential,commercialandmixed-useproperties

BYLESLIEPERLMUTTER

WoodmontProper ties was founded in 1963 by Donald Witmondt,and since then,ithas continuouslyset the standardinrealestatedevelopment Nowa second-generation familyownedrealestatedevelopment company,Woodmont hasestablished atrack recordofsuccess in real estate developmentbyadhering to atradition of integrit yand placing ahighvalueon long-termrelationships

Underthe leadership ofEric Witmondt, thechief executiveofficer, the company hasgrown exponentiallyby expanding therange, sale and locations of development. Consequently, Woodmontisnow one of theleading regional realestatedevelopers withadiverseport folio of both residentialand commercial proper ties

Thecompany hasgrown to over 185teammembers and hasbecome oneofthe region’s most active developers. As aself-described “multidisciplined,vertically integrated” real estate company,Woodmont Proper ties hasthe internalresources to developaproper ty from rawland throughcompletionand financial success. Woodmontiscomprised of specialist sinacquisitions, entitlements, engineering, construction, legal, finance,sales, leasing, marketing and proper ty management. Witmondt

explains:“By controlling theentire process,weare able to have a commitmenttoexcellencewhich allowsustodeliver asuperior communit ytomarket. We’reled by adynamic groupofhighlyskilled executives andan ex traordinary staf f of professional teammembers,all of whomarefully commit tedtothe thorough and ef fectivecompletion and managementofour development andbuildingproject s.”Hefur ther notes, “Because Woodmontcontinues to manage,maintainand lease our proper ties af terconstruction, we have moreaccountability andresponsibility thanmost developers; ourgoodwill and reputation is of paramount importance to us.”

Woodmont Proper ties has been at theforefront of the movementtowardlifestyleoriented luxur yapartment communities. Eachawardwinning rental communit y is strategicallylocated and carefullyconstructed withthebest amenitiesandsuperiorarchitectural details. Thecompany is in theprocess of completing aluxur yapartment complexwith 120units directly across from theAmerican DreamMall.

Sinceit sinception,Woodmont Proper ties hasdeveloped and invested in adiverse mixofrealestate throughout New Jersey,New York and Pennsylvania. Today, thecompany’s ex tensivepor tfolio comprises worldclassresidential,commercial and mixed-use proper ties.Inadditionto luxury apar tments and luxury homes,

Woodmontisinvolvedinluxur y seniorhousing,industrial proper ties, of ficeand retail proper ties,and the hospitalit yand recreation business. Recognizingthe changing landscapein countr yclubmembership, Woodmont hasacquiredand is repositioning countr yclubs forgolf, banquet facilities and parcel redevelopment.

OneofWoodmont’slatestproject s is theFairwaysatEdgewood in River Vale,New Jersey.Built in conjunction with Toll Brothers,the Fair ways at Edgewood is anew community of luxury residenceslocated adjacent to theworld-class Edgewood Countr yClub, includinggolfclub anddining optionswith membership opportunities.

Thecompany isconsistently recognizedfor it screativit yin designing best-in-classluxur yhomes and luxur yapartmentcommunities —atestament to thecompany’s commitmenttoexcellence. In thepast twoyears,Woodmonthas received 50 awards,including theSmart Grow th AwardfromNew Jersey Futurefor WoodmontMetro at Metuchen Station. Forthe last sevenyears,Woodmont hasalso been honoredwiththe “Communit yofthe Year”award from industry associations.

Whilethecompanyhas experienced tremendous grow th —inemployees, in volume of businessand in variety of developments —thecompany remains true to it sroots andits corevalues.Itis still afamilyowned andled company, whichtakes greatpride in and stands by it swork.

EricWitmondt

e n laveat ontvaleis a at ral Wonder namiccommunit maximi esall er enCount astooffer

BYLESLIEPERLMUTTER

TheEnclaveatMontvaleisa 28 -homecommunit y, consisting of 20 high-end luxury townhomes and eight single-familycustomhomes.Thecommunit y, setona beautifullywooded 19-acresiteinMontvale, is lushly landscaped andis ahighlydesired neighborhood within a town celebrated forits topschools andamenities

Thecommunit yfeaturesagrandentryway,gatehouse, andgazebo. Thehomes var yinsizefrom3, 00 to ,50 0 square feet.All homesoffer two-cargarages,state-of-thear tappliances,alarmsystems,fullbasements,andan open oor plan;somemodelsoffer afirst- oorprimary suiteand a vaultedsunroom

WiththeEnclaveatMontvale,Woodmont Proper ties has designed adynamic communit ywhichisper fectly situated to both amplif ythe naturalresources surrounding it and maximize access to allthatBergenCount yhas to of fer. Worldclass shopping is availablenearby at renowned malls such as TheShops at Riversideand West field Garden

StatePlaza,aswellasupscale boutiques and unique shops liningpic turesque downtownsinvillages such as Ridgewood, West wood,and Englewood.NearbyisTice’sCorner Marketplace, builtupon theformersiteofTiceFarm, alocal landmark,whichwas afarmand roadside stand founded in 18 08.Today, Tice’s Corner of fers amix of fashion, home furnishings, technology and food. ocal resident salso ock to ShoppesatDePiero’s and ifetime Fitness, both locatedin Montvale

With stateparks,county parks, andneighborhood playgrounds, Bergen County of fers outdoor activitiestoall whoseekthem. Thereare milesofhikingtrails, and cycling clubsabound. Venueslikethe Bergen PACinEnglewood at trac ttop entertainers forthose desiring cultural diversions. Thearea also provides easy access to New York City,via car, train, orbus, whichmakes commuting abreezeand enables resident storegularly enjoythe cit y.

As with alloftheir proper ties,Woodmont’s commitmentto excellence createda luxur ycommunit ythatisonlyincreasing in desirability and value.

emandforspa io s residen esin ea tif l lo ales illnotlet p

Creati eapproac es, ettermar etin outreac ,smarteruseoftec andemp asisonsp ereofin uencewill elp realestate ro ers

BYMI EY L M

Expec ttosee demand continuing to outstrip supply in theluxur yend of therealestatemarketworldwide, ex tendingatrend from mid-2019 asthe COVID-19 pandemic kicked of fone of themostspec tacularbullrunsinthe primeresidential businessworldwide What thismeansisthatrealestate brokersand agents will have to keep at it to winlistingsina highly competitive environment.

More creative approaches, better marketingoutreach,smarter useof technologyand anemphasis on the sphereofin uencewill help in listings acquisition as potentialhome-sellers weighoptions betweendif ferent agents,brokeragesand networks.

Marketswithbeaches, mountains, lakes, skislopesand oceanswill continuetoper form well. Butsome maybecome avic timoftheirown successwith resort andsecond-home locationsturning into co-primary or main residences

Flexible working conditionshave led to severalaf uent consumers making warmer,low-tax,second-homestates such as Floridaand Texas their primar y residence,thuslocking up real estate forafar longerperiodoftime.

Beyond NorthAmerica, af uent consumers equallyseeking safety from thepandemic andnot tied too deeply to offices willcontinue to seeksecondorco-primary homes in less denselypopulated townsclose to majorurban centers

Warmer-climate countries such as Spain, Italyand Greece will retain theirallure,aswill aMiddleEastern financial hubsuchasDubai that is fast liberalizing, withcitizenship available andanewly adoptedWestern work week and Saturday-Sundayoff.

That said,expec tinventory of highendhomestobetightacross key markets. New developments cannot keep pacewiththedemand, and,in anycase,takeuptothree yearstoturn from dirt to move-inresidences.

Another keydriverforcontinued demand forhomesnewand old is demographic Millennials consumersborn between 1981 and 1996,per thePew Research Center are nowhit ting their keybuying stride.Onthe otherhand, theoldestbabyboomer turned 5 in 2021,withthis groupnow right-sizing to smallerresidencesand warmerclimates

in turn will raise thecostofborrowing andrefinancing.The U.S. Fedwill raise interestrates at leastthree timesin 2022 to curb in ation,whichreached almost percentin2021.

With repeated interest-rate increases, proper ty owners maythink it oppor tune to list proper ties that they held on to during theheightofthe pandemic

Anothermeasure to curb growing in ation is theU.S.Fed’s decision to pull backonbuying bondsfromthe market, amounting to 120 billiona monththroughout 2021.Thatinjec tion ofliquidit yinthe market mayhave workedtokeepthe U.S. economy hummingalongduringthe pandemic, butnow it hasled to fears that in ation couldderailany progress made

ong stor yshort,homeownersand investorsmay thinkthe peakis past andstart listing their proper ties on themarket. So that maybring back some balanceinthe demand-supply situation

What mayhelpwiththelistings crunchisthe rise in interestrates,which

As acorollary,expec tthetimeon market to also increase forluxur y proper ties in keylocationsashousing inventor ygrows if theFed taper and higher interest ratestakeeffec tas intended. Expec taskingpricestohold, however.

Vicissitudes ininternational tradewill

Mic m ni t Yor d r id nto L r Port o ioInt rn tion

continuetohave adominoeffec ton luxur yrealestate.

We will continuetosee adisruption in theglobal supply chain. abor shor tagesatpor ts,highercosts of shipping containers, lack of shipmovementdatafromChina,and generally ballooning prices of materials such as lumber,stone,accessories andfittings will plague therealestate industry at allpricepoints.

Addtothose supply chainissuesthe potentialfor geopolitical surprises.

M

Anymove from Chinatoinvade TaiwanorRussiatosendtroopsinto Ukrainemay destabilize thefinancial

marketsand shutdown shipping lanes andair travelifEuropeand theUnited States retaliatewith military initiatives andeconomic sanctions.

TheCOVID-19pandemic will continuetocause concernand further lockdownsifthe caseload rises dramaticallyglobally.Thiswillobviously againimpac tcross-bordertraveland transactions,aswellasthe ability of severalsec tors such as hospitalit y, traveland retail to return to some semblance of normalc y.

In 2022,weexpec tthehome to continuetobeatthe centerofthe consumer’s life.Flexible working conditions areheretostayfor thenex t threeyears or so

Thelongerweworkfromhomeand

maintainhigh produc tivit yrates,the harderitbecomesfor corporationsand employers to justif y 0hours in asterile of ficesetting and long commutesother than forculture andcollaboration. So,t wo to threedaysper weekon a staggered, hot-desking schedule may eventually becomeourcommon future

Bottom line,barring wars,terrorism andadeadlierturninthe COVID-19 pandemic,the realestateindustr y, especiallythe luxur yend of it,will chug along in 2022 as long as agents are agileinwinning listingsinamarketlow on old and newhousingstock

Af uentconsumers will still insist on qualit yspace, modern amenities andthatold staple of luxur yhomes location,location,location

“ he longer we work from home andmaintainhigh roducti ity rates the harder it becomes forem loyers to ustify hours in asterile o ce settingand long commutesother than forculture and collaboration”

—MICKE ALAMKHAN

rin in reamsto ife

Award-winnin arc itectRo ertZampolin createsuni uespacesfor isclients

BY Y E

Rober t ampolinwas one of those kids whoalways knew what they wanted to be.You mightsay itwasthe summer trips to visitfamily inItalywithit sarchitectural grandeurorhis early exposure to construction watching and laterhelping hisfather, atileand terraz zo contrac tor. Whatever the case maybe, hispassion forbeaut yand fine craf tsmanship wascemented atan early ageonlytobecomplementedbyhis fascination fordrawing

Fast forwardto1985,the yearheopened hisown award-winning architecture firminWestwood, that today employssixtalented architec ts includinghis twosons. True visionaries, thearchitect staketheir client s’ ideas, wish list s, personal st ylepreferences and tastes andtransform them intoanoriginalstruc ture that isper fect forthe waythe family lives. “Weare in tune to thingsasspecificaswho turnsoff thelight switch at bedtime and thedesireddistancefromthe

bathroom to abedroom,” says ampolin,a graduate of New JerseyInstitute of Technology,Schoolof Architecture andDesign

“These smalldetails make a house ahome.”

ampolin A ssociates specializesina broad spec trum of design includingresidential, commercial,industrial and international project swith afocus on luxur ycustombuiltresidential homes, townhousesand apar tments.Homes from 3,000 square feet to 2 ,0 00 square feet in prominentnor thernNew Jersey communitieslikeAlpine, Franklin akes,SaddleRiverand Wood-Ridge showcasethefirm’s talent andbreathtaking artistr y.

As thefirm grew, ampolinbegan to winjobsout side of New Jersey andrealizedthe benefitofgettingcer tified in otherstates. Nowlicensedinstatesacrossthecountr y includingNew York,Californiaand evenFlorida,astate that hasnotoriously been resistanttoawardingprofessional

s a rm wearegratefultobeabletosu ort ourcommunitiesandcontinueourlife swork tobringdreamstolifeforfamiliesduring thesedi culttimes.”

—ROBER AM OLIN

licensestonon-residents,the firm continuestowin notable project s nationwide.Hefindsone of the greatest benefits of hisworkisin meetingincrediblepeople clients and colleagues who have made apositive, lastingimpression.“Oneofthose people forsureisTerrieO’Connor,” notes ampolin. “Our paths crossed at SaddleRiver Grand,one ofmy proudest accomplishments and theplace where Terrie callshome. Sheis abig forceand abrightspirit.” Every at tached grand manorhomeatSaddleRiver Grand, one of ampolin A ssociatesmany New Jerseyaward-winning project s, is customized forits buyerandconceived with luxur yinmind. Wright Placeat Wesmont Station in Wood-Ridge is

another career highlightfor ampolin Associates.Named201 “Communit y of theYear” by theNew JerseyBuilders Association,the luxury townhomes appeal to buyers whovaluespacious layout sand thoughtful design. ike most businessesrelatingto real estate design, constructionand sales, COVID hashad abig impact on ampolin A ssociates.Whenthe pandemic first hitand therewas alot of uncertaint y, thephoneswerequietfor thefirm.But with quarantine inplace anda newfocus on thehome,alackof work is theleast of their issues. “With theexodusfromNew York City to the suburbs of nor thernNew Jersey,we have beenbusierthanever. As afirm, wearegratefultobeabletosuppor t ourcommunitiesand continue ourlife’swork to bring dreams to life forfamiliesduring these difficult times,”continues ampolin

Always looking to the future and making sense of therole of architecture post-pandemic,heis more in tune than ever to thewaysthatpeople live andmovethrough their space. “Thir ty yearsago, people wanted defined wallsand hallways,” he explains.“Today,

rt nd i n m o in

it’s allaboutopen oor plansand the absence of walls.”Formal dining rooms areathing of thepas t. Entertaining andday-to-day family living ismuch more functional withoutclosed doors andwalls.But like mostthings, there is ahappymedium as people come to realize that some wall spaceisnecessary to display ar torhanga TV.And for ampolin,it’sall aboutworking closely withclients to create adetaileddesign of theirdesiredconceptandbring it to reality

“

Ro

ipProvides ompetitive dvanta eto ome ers

TerrieO’ConnorRealtorsaddsmort a e an in ser ices

BYTERRIE R BR ERPRESI E T

Afull-service realestatebrokerage,TerrieO’Connor Realtors will addhomemor tgagelending to it sextensive list of servicesin2022. Whilecashbuyershave become more prevalent,homemor tgagelending remains an essential part of thehomebuying process formanyofour customers. Selectingjust therightpartnerwas keyinlaunching a successful lendingventure

Terrie O’Connor Realtors hasjoinedforceswith Partners United Financial, C NM S 1508619 ,amulti-stateventure jointly ownedbynationallenderNewrez, C NM S 3013 andagroup of innovativerealestateand homebuilding companies. As part of ournational network of independently ownedbrokerages, eading Real EstateCompanies of the World, Terrie O’Connor Realtors was invitedtoexpand Partners United FinancialintoNew Jersey eading our localoperation,NoreenGratzel NM S 69 53 0 will ser ve as ourmarketmanager and will be based in our Ramsey corporateoffice.Noreenis amor tgage industry veteranwith morethan35years of experience who hashelped thousandsofhomeownersoverher career and bringsanamazingser vice mindset.She will lead ourteam of mor tgagebankers to ensurethatallof ourclients have access to an ex tensivearray of lending produc ts “I’m excitedtobring this mortgage partnershiptothe nor thernNew Jersey marketplace. Over my career,Iknow howanintegratedsolution canhelpclients in ahighly competitivesellers’market. We bringprovenstrategieson helping homebuyers make thewinning of feronthehomes of their dreams andensureasmooth financing experience,” says Grat zel.

Partners United boasts awidearrayof produc ts and programs to meetlending needsofthe marketplace includinga variety of jumbomor tgageprograms,a dedicatedcondo project approvalplat form andsomeunique programs forself-employedcustomers.

“Whenselecting alendingpartner, it is impor tant to have both localleadershipwhounderstands themarkets we ser ve andapar tner whoisskilled with complexfinancialscenarios,

as we ser ve awiderange of client sthroughoutnor thern New Jersey andsouthernNew York counties.Bringing Partners United Financialtothe marketplacechecksallof thoseboxes,”saysTerrieO’Connor,BrokerPresident,Terrie O’Connor Realtors.

Despiterising mor tgagerates,the forecast for 2022 is another strong year in housing. TheFederal Reser ve hastaken acouple of actionsthatwill have implicationsforconsumers inallaspec ts of borrowing. With astrongeconomy, we expec ttosee continuedprice grow th and significant competition forpeoplelooking to purchase ahome

“ everaging our FastTrackPre-Approval programisa game changerfor homebuyers.Manylenders of fera pre-qualificationor even apre-approval,but we take it one step furtherand fullyunder writethe entire loanfile before aproper ty is identified.Then,whenthe per fect homeisfound,our client scan writeaver ystrongoffer thatcompeteswith cash buyers.All of thefinancing reviews have been completed except theappraisal,”saysGratzel

We’relooking forwardtoastrong2022. Theaddition of mor tgagelending to ourservice of feringswill helpour client ssecurethehomes of their dreams andensurea smoother,moreenjoyablehomebuying experience

Theyears of experience these twocompaniesgivetoushereat NorthernNJTitleis priceless andhelpsus provide topofthe lineservices to our clientele. Theseservicesareputintoaction by ourstaffof in-houseprocessors, closersand realestate professionals.They willsee to itthat yourtransactions areexpertlyhandledandthat expectationsaremet andexceeded.If youeverneedanythingfromus beyond aclosing, we areone phonecalloremail away!

ean arle

Accomplis eda entearnscompan ’s Top ro erSalesAssociate onorfor202

BYLESLIEPERLMUTTER

Sean Farleyhasachieved tophonorsasthe 2021 TopBrokerSales AssociateofTerrieO’Connor Realtors;inthe past year, he hassuccessfullyclosed 62 transactions resultingin 29.6millionofsalesvolume. Whilethisisthe secondtime he hasachieved the company-wide honor, foreight years running he has been theTop Broker SalesA ssociateofthe Ramsey of fice. In addition,hehas beenrecognized by theNJ Realtors Circle of Excellence Awardfor multiple years,previously achieving theBronze, Silver and Gold levels,and this year, thePlatinum level. In addition,hehas been recognized by ergen agazine as aTop Real EstateAgent, Elite evel,and haswon aBestof Bergen awardfrom agazine

Farley’s success is,inpar t, aresult of hisemploymentbackgroundand hisskill in helping client snavigate change.Hegraduated collegewith a bachelor’s degree in musiceducation and then traveledfor ayearwithUp with People,anon-profitorganization that involves travel, theper forming ar ts andvolunteering to teachyoung adults how to create change in communitieswith varying needs. Throughout hisensuing salescareer, he hasbeen focused onhelping others.A sDirec torofCommunit y RelationsatSunriseSenior iving,hehelpedseniors andtheir family membersmakelife-altering changes andcreate new living environments.Inthatrole, he assisted familiesmakingcomplicated decisions and was valued forhis ability to negotiate various

“ oucan tbetooemotionalinthisbusiness.

taycalmand resentsolutions becausenine timesoutof thereis asolution.”

—SEAN ARLE

family dynamic s; he credits that experiencewith hisrenownedskill in helping client smakea myriad of choices today. He hasalso managed the expec tationsofcorporateclients and thepublicwiththeir recruitmentand employmentneeds

According to Farley,tobestser vehis client s, he hastodetermine:1.What does that person need ; 2. Whyisit impor tant to them ; and 3.Howcan I help getthemwhattheyneed Hestill volunteerswith seniors;heisactivein the nights of Columbus andis integrally involved in theVialof ifecampaign. He also volunteersinthe church and throughhis localBoardof Realtors

AlifelongBergenCount yresident, Farley grew up in Upper Saddle River. Forthe last 16 years, he has livedinWaldwickwith hiswife. He iscontinuously impressedwiththe small-town atmosphereofWaldwick. He delights in hisown neighborhood, whichisfriendly, welcoming and collaborative.Onweekends,heenjoys hiking at Ramapo Reservationand exploring themanyfine dining options availablenearby

He still incorporates musicinto hislife. Although he hadabrief stintincommunit ytheatre and of fof f-Broadway,thesedays theselfdescribed “BingCrosbybaritone” singsinlocal churches andperforms at weddings andfuneralsuponrequest He is always honoredtobea part of someone’s lifeevent

He hasdedicated hiscareerto serving thepublicand hisclients with theirrealestateneeds. Whetherby

W nT rri onnorR tor To Bro rS oci t S n r i n t in i c i nt c i t irr t t o o c no t n ndt Bin ro riton ind t micro on t oc c rc ndot r oci nt

assisting sellersinlisting their home, guiding buyers withtheirfirst home purchase,supportingseniors withtheir next stepsinlifeorhelping client s navigate thechallenges of ashor t sale or foreclosure, hislifeexperience haspreparedhim forthe real estate process.Heprides himselfonbeing with hisclient s“ever ystepofthe way. ”

Farley hasenjoyed manyyearsof friendship withtheO’Connor family andhas developedrelationships within thecommunitiessurrounding his homeinWaldwick. He thrives on the excitementand fulfillmentthathome ownership brings to hisclients,and he feelshonored by thelong-term relationships he cultivates. Hispersonal experiencewith home ownership andhis commitmenttohisprofession providethe drivefor excellence in what he does ever yday

“I am goingtohelpmakethe

transactionhappen,evenifitmeans having toughconversationswith client s,”hesays. “You can’tbetoo emotionalinthisbusiness. Stay calm andpresentsolutions,because nine times outof10, thereisasolution.”

When thepandemichit,heknew therewould still be aneedfor real estate services, andhe developeda marketing campaign to keep client s both engagedand safe during COVID Whilemanyrealestateprofessionals feltthemarketwas at thepeakwhen thepandemichit, theresulting market hasdefiedall expec tations. With a decreased home inventor yresultingin a frenziedmarket, Farley hasmanaged to maintain acalm and rational approach, achieving thebestresults forhis client s. Hisexper tise and ethoshaveearned himthe respec tandadmiration of his client s, fellow realestateprofessionals andthe greatercommunit y.

m Mo nt in

a a

Towns ip asmoreopenspace t anan ot ermunicipalit

nownasBergenCounty’sParkland,Mahwahhas moreopenspacethanany other municipalityinthecounty.Thetowncoversmorethan26squaremilesalong theRamapoMountainsandRamapoRiverandcontainsnearly5,000acresofstate andcountyparkland.Mahwahboastsamixtureofhistorichomes,Cape Cods, townhouses,condominiumsand million-dollarmansions.

Thetownshipisrichwithhistory,featuringlandmarkslikethe three-storyCrocker Mansion,builtin1901forthesonofrailroadtycoonCharlesCrocker,andthe MahwahAssemblyplant,whereFordMotorCompanybuiltover six millioncars between1955and1980.

AnactivecommunitypowersMahwah. Townwideeventsareheldyear-round andmanyvolunteergroupsand clubsareattheheartofthetown’s “feel-good” approachtolifeinNewJersey.PublicschoolsinMahwahincludeBetsyRoss ElementarySchoolfor grades 3, enapeMeadowsElementarySchoolforgrades pre 3,George WashingtonElementaryforgrades 3,Joyce ilmerSchoolfor grades 5,RamapoRidgeMiddleSchoolforgrades6 8,andMahwahHighSchool forgrades9 12.

Thetownshipishometothevocational school incoln TechnicalInstitute,the privateYoungWorldDaySchool,andRamapoCollegeofNewJersey, ahighly-rated publicliberalartshighereducation institute.

Boasting110milesofroadway, includingstretchesofInterstate28 andRoute1 , Mahwahisacar-friendlytownship.Mahwah residentscanenjoypublictransportation courtesyofthe NewJersey Transitrailservice,runningfromMahwahstationall the waytoHoboken Terminal andNewark.The Short ineBusprovidesservicetothe PortAuthorityBus Terminal inManhattan.

HEFAC

Mahwahisborderedbythe municipalitiesofAllendale, Franklin akes,Oakland,Ramsey, UpperSaddleRiverand Wyckoff inBergenCounty;Ringwoodin PassaicCounty;andAirmont, Hillburn,RamapoandSuffernin RocklandCounty,NY.Established in19 ,thename“Mahwah”is derivedfromthe enapelanguage word“mawewi”whichmeans “MeetingPlace”or“PlaceWhere PathsMeet.”

ele ratin as ollea esand riends

Omicroninterruptedmuc oft eplanned olida cele rations, uteac TerrieO’ConnorRealtors of ce at eredinsmaller roupstocele rateallt atwasaccomplis edin202 . rom a ousepart forSaddleRi er,toanu l sweaterpart inAllendale,to amountaintoppart fort eGatewa Group,t ecele rationscontinuedsafel .

nd nt mi nd ri nd donn d t r ort ir nn U S t r o id P rt int t ird oor rt room tt nd B r ri nd

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Toc r t t o id nd ortt ir oc comm nit t inn on nt n o d no c d cor tin rt i co ctin n r dto nd i t ort M rin or To orTot ro r m c nn d ood ndnon ri ort oc ood ntr

t nc nd it nt o id i t c n r n o d t W c o o c oci t nd t

BY Y E

Whetheryouliveinanurban cityapartmentor aquiet suburban dwelling, ahomeis apersonal havenand aplacetofeeljoyand buildmemories. Devotedtoreal estateforthepast 0 years, Terrie O’Connorhelpspeoplefindthat safeplace

Noteveryoneisfortunate though tohave aplacetocall home.Recognizingthe parallels, Terriesteppeduptoextend herenergyandpassionto CovenantHouse,helpingNew Jersey’syouthwho have suffered fromabuse,abandonment, homelessnessandhumantraffickingtobuild alifethatisgood andmeaningful.

“AgoodCEOcaninspire otherstosucceed,butwhat setsTerrieapartisherinnateabilityas aleadertoinspire thosearoundhertobebetterpeopleandtomaketheworld abetter place,”saysJim White,executivedirector,who startedCovenantHouseNew Jerseyintheearly90s.“Weare blessedtohaveherinourworld.”Whitebeganhislife’s work at CovenantHouseNew Yorkasanentrylevelyouth advisor andhasdevotedhimselfto helpingyoungpeople incrisis

overcometheircircumstancesand moveforwardtoa futureandlife thatisgood.

CovenantHousenowhasbeds thatget185homelesskids offthe streets.Ithasalsobeen namedas thestate’s provider forthosewho experiencehumantrafficking.Its missionissimple: We don’t just savekids,weinvestintheirfutures Servingyouthsages18to22 thecrossroadfrom adolescence toadulthood CovenantHouse supportsanyonefacingpoverty, violenceandalonenessduringthese pivotalyears.CovenantHousegets themoffthe streets,to residential crisiscenters,thentotransitional livinghomes,andontoindependentliving.RobertJ. Williams Bobby ,whohasserved onCovenant’s boardfor19years,13 asChairman,notes,“WhatattractedmetoCovenantHouse isthepurededication ofthe boardand ourleadership.Our guidingprincipleis,andhasalwaysbeen,whatisbestforour kids.Fromthere,wesetour goals,developthebudget and extraordinarythingshappen.”

Withherusualgusto, Terriesigneduptoparticipatein CovenantHouse’s ExecutiveSleepOut, ayearlyfundraising initiativewhere participantssleepoutsidetoexperience

thedevastationfacingNewJersey’s homelessyouth.Onenighteveryfall, Terrieandmembersofherteamget toshare inthestoriesandexperiences ofCovenant’s youthandmeetthe organization’slovingstaff.People whosepathswouldmostlikelynot cross,spendthenightunderthe stars inthechillof aNovembernightwhere aclear messageissenttothese New Jerseyyouththattheyare notalone. Since201 , Terrieand 3ofherstaff haveraisedapproximately 200,000to movethe missionforwardinsupportof CovenantHousekids.

“CovenantHousehasopenedour eyestotheproblemsofhomelessness andhowbusinessescanpartnerto changethe livesofneglectedkids,” saysSarahDrennan, TerrieO’Connor Realtorsexecutivevicepresident. “Injustonenight, Imetthemost heartwarmingyoungpeople. idswho comefrombrokenhomes,abusive relationshipsandexposure todrugs andalcohol.Bysheerluck,theyfound theirwaytoCovenantHousewhere they receivetraining,educationand, aboveall,love.”Drennanwasespecially touchedbythepersonalstoriesofgrit andtheinherenttalentsofmanyof Covenant’s youth

Andnoteven aglobalpandemic couldstopthem.Thisyear,instead ofthevirtual protocol,Terrie’sgroup knewthere wassomethingtobesaid aboutdoingSleepOuttogether.They metatthecorporateofficetowatch theimpactfulprogramandworkshop video,andtheneachparticipant took acardboardbox supplied by RidgewoodMovers andmadetheir bedoutside.

“With80 ofourfundingcoming fromprivatedonors,ourkidsneed peoplelike Terrie.Shetakesreal tangibleactionsandhasthishuge heart,”addsJanetteScrozzo,Covenant HouseNewJerseydevelopment director.Raphael’s ifeHousein Elizabeth,anarmofCovenantHouse, providesasafehavenfor pregnant

Pict r d rom t tt B S o r orR Li o r S nBro n odiMonro t rin R mo i n L n ion Mi n r T rri onnor i nW rm n r n r idm n ro Wi i m M M do n ndM tt onnor rontro i on no o ndric on

youngwomenfacinghomelessness throughtheirMotherand Babies Program.ThispastNovember,Terrie held ababyshowerto makesurethe momshadwhatthey neededwhenthey camehomefrom the hospital. Agesture thatmadeanindelibleprintonthe lives ofwomenwhomayneverhavebeen shownkindnessandgoodwill.

ThesupportoftheCovenantHouse NewJerseycommunityiscriticalto providingcustomizedcaretotransition youthtobeindependent,contributing membersoftheircommunities.To learnmoreabouttheimportantwork ofCovenantHouseand waysyoucan help,visitcovenanthousenj.org.

o r T rri onnor nd t onnor Smi c o i tt o n nt o r S t nd t t T rri i ict r d it Yor i nt r nnin c S onB r o r d c irm no t nt

o e endar amesin eal state

In Oc tober 2021,Terrie O’Connor Realtors,a leadingindependent real estate brokerage, expanded intosouthern-central Bergen Count ybyacquiring Real ivingGateway in HasbrouckHeights

Morethan38years ago, Martin and Mary Ellen Cour tney launched The GatewayGroup on the BoulevardinHasbrouck Height s. By providing exceptionalclient serviceandat tractingtoptalent, TheGateway Groupbecamethe marketleader,ser ving HasbrouckHeights andthesurrounding communities of Wood Ridge,SaddleBrook,RochelleParkand odi, among others.Gateway at tributedits longevit yand market

dominancetohardwork, highlytrainedsales professionals, superior technology and strategic marketing tools,making the companyanideal matchfor afamilycompany knownfor it shallmark client service

“Gateway is dedicatedto delivering success,forour client s, forour agents and forour communities,”says Mary Ellen.

This landmark company joinedthe Terrie O’Connor Realtors family of companieslast yearand hasbecome Terrie O’Connor Realtors-The Gateway Group. Mary EllenCourtney, Broker Manager, will continue to lead theofficeandits morethan30out standing sales associates.

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AR IALLIS O ORGANI A IONSSU OR EDB ERRIEO CONNORREAL ORS,I SS A ANDAGEN S

Real news inrea ltime.

P P P

SALESASSOCIA E W CKO

Aseasonedrealestateprofessional, Pattideliversexceptionalclientservice. Shemanageseverytransactionwiththe utmost dedicationand professionalism. Recognizingthateveryclient’s situation isunique,sheiscommittedtofindinga solutiontofiteverybudget andlifestyle.

Each year, the top 10 agents inthe

Eachyear,thetop10agentsinthe companybyproduction dollarsales

volume ,alongwithallofthetop office agents,areinvitedtoserveontheTerrie O’ConnorRealtorsPresident’s Circle. TerrieandMatthewO’Connorarepleased tointroducethefollowingagents tothe2021President’s Circle.

C

SALESASSOCIA E HEGA EWA GROU

Tomisknownforhishonestand collaborativeapproach, expertise inthemarket,exceptional communication andnegotiation skills,andexcellent practicaladvice Inaddition,heworksdiligently100 ofthetimetoexceedhisclients’ expectations

C

SALESASSOCIA E ALLENDALE

Salprideshimselfonoutworkinghis competitionandfollowingthroughon hispromises.Salbelievesintegrity, trust,marketknowledge,strong negotiationskills,andaccessibility arekeytocreatingtheidealcustomer experience.Hisclientsarehis top priority.

A

SALESASSOCIA E ALLENDALE

icensedsince2006, indaspecializes inbothresidential andcommercial salesandleasing. indaworkswith developersand investors. indaisa savvysalesandmarketingpro dedicatedtosellingpropertiesquickly, forthehighestprice,andwiththe least amountofinconvenienceto herclients

SALESASSOCIA E RAMSE

Annhasbeen arealestateinvestor formanyyearsandhasalsobeen involvedinthebuildingprocesswith newconstruction. Annhashelped clientsbuyandsellnumerousNew YorkandNew Jerseyproperties:from townhousestosmallhomestodream homes andevenland.

F

BROKERASSOCIA E RAMSE

Seanthrivesontheexcitementand fulfillmentthathomeownership providesandfeelshonoredtoserve hisclients by sellingtheirhomesor findingthemaplacetohangtheir coats.Hestrivestocultivatelong-term relationshipsandprovidesexcellent customerservice.

FSALESASSOCIA E RIDGEWOOD

JanisFuhrmanbelievesthatthetwo keyfactorsinmarketing ahome arepriceandcondition.Itisvital intoday’smarkettoprice ahouse properlyandshe helpssellersget theirhomeintopconditionto receive topdollar.Janiswrotethebookon Ridgewood realestate.

A

SALESASSOCIA E U ERSADDLERI ER

Anne bringsanincredible35 yearsof realestateexperience. As alifelong BergenCountyresident,sheisvery familiarwiththe areaandbrings this knowledgetoher roleasan agent.Thisaffordsherclients atrue advantageinmarketingtheirhomeor selecting aneighborhood.

C

SALESASSOCIA E W CKO Terryhasbeen aresidentofthe Shadow akeClub,Franklin akes, forover22years. Terryis atwo-term Presidentofthe Shadow akeClub andcontinuestoserveontheBoard of Trustees. Terryenjoyssharingher enthusiasmandexperiencewithboth sellersandpurchasersofrealestate

P

SALESASSOCIA E KINNELON

Barbara iswellknownforher dedicationand highstandardsin thereal estateindustry.Shehas consistentlybeena top-producing agent.Hervastexperienceand commitmenttoeachofthose transactionshasmadehera highly requestedagent.

P

SALESASSOCIA E SADDLE RI ER

athy,withover30yearsinthefield, hasconsistentlybeena topproducing agent.Shehasextensiveexperience withrelocation andhasbeendescribed asknowledgeable,persistent,andan excellentnegotiatorwithboundless energyand enthusiasm.Herknowledge andexperienceissecondtonone.

H

SALESASSOCIA E RAMSE

Wendyhasbeen aBergenCounty residentformorethan 30years.Armed withstrongmarketingskillsand a creativeartbackground, Wendyhas greatclient-buildingskillsthatleadto long-term relationshipsandhelpherto offerfreshperspectivesonthepotential housing needsfor her manyclients

C

BROKERASSOCIA E ALLENDALE

icensedsincetheage of18, atyhas beenapartofTerrieO’ConnorRealtors sinceitsinception.Previously ateacher inUpperSaddleRiver, aty sold real estatepart-timeand overthe summer. Onceshedecidedtoworkinrealestate fulltime,she’scontinuouslybeena top producerandanaward-winningagent.

SALESASSOCIA E W CKO

Jeff provideshissellerswithexpert marketingandadvertising plansthat producestrongoffers.His“hands on”approachensureshisbuyersare representedeverystepofthe way.Jeff believesinofferinghonest adviceand attributeshissuccesstothecountless referralsofhismanysatisfiedclients

eet r op

TerrieO’ConnorRealtorsisproudtoannounce t e top202 sales associatesforeac ofitsnineof celocations,itstopteam, t e commercial roupanditstop ro erassociatecompan -wide.

F

BR ER SS I TE

A C

62 Transactionsand 29.5millioninsalesvolume

TopAgentRamseyOffice10yearsrunning,20122021

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub,Above 25 million

C

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentTheGatewayGroup, HasbrouckHeightsOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner, Gold evel

2021NewJerseyRealtors CircleofExcellence Award Winner,Platinum evel

2022FiveStarProfessional Award

2021 TopRealEstateAgent-Elite,Bergen Magazine

C

S LES SS I TE

TopResidentialAgent,AllendaleOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

2022FiveStarProfessional

A

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentAllendaleOffice

TopCommercialAgentCompany-wide

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

S LE SS I TE

YRE LEST TES LESPERS

TopAgentNew YorkOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

entsfor

T

F

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentRidgewoodOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 5m- 10m

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner, Bronze evel

2022FiveStarProfessional Award

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentWyckoffOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, Above 25million

2021 TopRealEstateAgent,Bergen Magazine

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner, Platinum evel

P

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentSaddleRiverOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021 TopRealEstateAgent,Bergen Magazine

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

E

A

S LES SS I TE

TopAgentUpperSaddleRiverOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2021 TopRealEstateAgent,Bergen Magazine

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

P

S LES SS I TE

TopAgent innelonOffice

2021President’sCircle

2021Multi-MillionDollarSalesClub, 10m- 20m

2022FiveStarProfessional

2021 TopRealEstateAgent,Morris Essex Magazine

2021NewJerseyRealtors Circleof Excellence Award Winner,Gold evel

S LES SS I TES

AllendaleOffice

TopTeamCompany-wide

2021 TopRealEstateAgents,Bergen Magazine