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NEW JERSEY EDITION

SUCCESS– These 7 Habits Are the Real Secret to Success What the First Thing You Do After Work SAYS ABOUT YOU TURN OPEN HOUSES Into Destinations FEATURED AGENTS

MOE SANKAR CRISTINA MALER COVER STORY

SAL VENTRE

Top Agent Tips and Questions for CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

NEW JERSEY EDITION

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MOE SANKAR

SAL VENTRE

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CRISTINA MALER

CONTENTS 4) TURN OPEN HOUSES INTO DESTINATIONS 8) SUCCESS–THESE 7 HABITS ARE THE REAL SECRET TO SUCCESS

17) WHAT THE FIRST THING YOU DO AFTER WORK SAYS ABOUT YOU 21) TOP AGENT TIPS AND QUESTIONS FOR CHOOSING YOUR LISTING AGENT

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Turn Open Houses into Destinations People are busy. Even those who are actively looking to buy a house or want to learn about the market for a future purpose have busy schedules.

But with bit of added time, creativity and investment in making open house into destinations, you’ll see greater turnout. And we all know that greater turnout increases the likelihood of offers.

There are several creative ways to hold an open house with a mindset of hospitality and with the goal of providing something of value to each person who attends.

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The neighbors-only open house Some agents embrace the “nosy neighbor” concept as a benefit, not an eye-rolling challenge.

With his client’s permission, Wesley Peters, a Keller Williams broker in the Baltimore Metro Area, often gets the neighbors together before a home hits the market. “We invite other brokers, too, but we include as many neighbors as we can,” he says, explaining that he schedules these events for a Thursday or Friday evening, happy hour-style, rather than midday on a Sunday. They get a better turnout at 5:00 pm than

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midday on a weekend when the neighbors are busy with their lives. In a relaxed setting, conversations flow, neighbors can mingle and catch up, and the buzz begins before the home is listed.

In advance, prepare invitations and hand-deliver them to homes on the streets you and your client agree are best to include. The destination is the event; the value each attendee receives is the social interaction and the removal of any awkwardness over visiting their neighbor’s house.

Your client’s benefit is the buzz.

A turnkey block party any time of year Once a property is listed, some agents take on the role of party planners. Certain streets or neighborhoods, they find, are perfect for lowkey social occasions. In some place, such as neighborhoods with many young families, a bounce-house or games may even ramp up the fun factor. But the idea of a seemingly spontaneous block party during an open house can be easy to pull off, whether you’re serving lemonade and cookies or coffee and pastries. The chance to meet prospective neighbors turns the event into a destination for both buyers and the neighbors; the value comes in buyers’ ability to see how the neighbors interact. Your seller’s benefit is that the grapevine will be filled with happy stories about their home. Tips: By keeping basic supplies in storage, you’ll be ready for a pop-up block party any time. Promote this type of event with targeted social media marketing and fliers or postcards to communities within a short distance of your listing.

Invite other professionals It’s common mortgage lenders to attend open houses. But why not provide even more value to people who attend? Chances are, you have more than a handful of professional partners who welcome an opportunity to join you at your open house. Consider inviting an interior designer, a contractor, a gardener, even a gardener or a painter. Invite them to your broker’s open in advance or give them time to view the property Top Agent Magazine

before the open house begins. Then encourage them to stroll the property during the open house or to sit with you. When visitors ask about needs or concerns they may have about the house – such as loan questions, the cost of improvements or upgrades or even remodeling – you’ll be able to introduce them to an expert on the spot. For that matter, your invited pros don’t even necessarily have to be in home-related businesses!

Prospective buyers always want to know about the community when visiting open houses.

Consider inviting representatives of community

organizations, like youth sports group or owners of mom-and-pop retailers to help your visitors get a feel for the neighborhood or town. For this type of open-house, prepare a flyer or card with your community contacts on it so visitors can leave with resources as well as information.

Open house should be about the buzz. They’re about creating a conversation about your listing and making the home memorable to visitors. By giving people a unique experience they won’t forget, you’ll show your sellers how creative you are in meeting their needs.

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MOE SANKAR Northern New Jersey home buyers and sellers are fortunate to have someone on their side who has loved the art and business of homes throughout his life.

Moe Sankar, who as early as childhood would watch home-improvement shows, now pursues his love of homes, carpentry and construction through real estate.

While attending a vocational high school, he completed courses and field work in carpentry, plumbing and heating, graduating as the top carpenter in his class of 2005 before studying Business Management at Montclair State University. “I thought I’d open a construction business after college,” says Moe, who earned his B.S. in Business Management and Marketing, followed by a decade of leading teams at Lowe’s Home Improvement and Verizon as a regional trainer across 5 states.

Even during these valuable leadership roles, Moe knew what he always wanted. “All along I had a plan in mind to get into real estate,” says Moe, who made the leap when a previous employer underwent organizational restructuring, freeing him up to pursue his dream. “I took Saturday courses for 10 weeks and immediately passed the exam in 2015.” Sooner after, Moe partnered with his brother, Shadi Sankar, forming The Sankar Group at Modern Realty in Wood-Ridge, NJ. Now, Moe already draws nearly 90% of his clients from referrals.

Moe’s clients and referral partners trust him for his no-nonsense customer service and complete honesty. “I answer questions with brutal honesty, even if that means suggesting we walk away from a deal or a house!” he says. Clients appreciate that Moe doesn’t treat real estate as a sales profession. “I’m not just selling them a house, I’m helping them start a new chapter, with the American Dream of owning their own home,” he says. People appreciate Moe’s skills as a “communication machine” before, during and after transactions. “They like my fast response time and the way I educate them throughout the process,” he says. He stays in touch personally by mail, phone, email and social media. “I don’t mass-email or drip them; these are my clients who became great friends. I see them

when I’m out at restaurants, the grocery store, and on Facebook where we share memories. I’m always here for my clients and share my wide network of contractors, attorneys, lenders, plumbers and others who can take care of their requests.”

Moe connects prospective sellers with his wide range of wellknown professionals. “Before I meet with prospective seller, I send an introductory email outlining things to do before listing their home and preparing it for the market, even if they don’t end up working with me,” explains Moe, who knows that treating others well comes full circle. “I then explain how I showcase homes by marketing them differently than other agents.” Once they’re ready to list, Moe puts the home on the MLS as well as all major real estate and social media sites. He promotes heavily through these channels, using professional photography, walk-through videos and drone photography when warranted. Given this hot market, Moe makes his listings known. “We do mega open-house events with seasonal themes by season and draw traffic with over 20 flags on the front lawn plus catered food and beverages.”

Moe’s visibility and eagerness to help others makes his work easier for both sellers and buyers. “I love helping people, whether finding their dream home or working through the problem-solving parts.”

Through the Bergen County office of Modern Realty, he also frequently works with Veterans, given the office’s nationally known efforts on behalf of Veterans. Additionally, real estate allows Moe to easily incorporate community service into his life. Having grown up in a family of givers, he happily carries on the tradition of his mother, who does anything she can to help people in need. As Chair of the Young Professionals Network of ECBOR, Moe participates in charity events and socials benefiting charities including Boys & Girls Clubs and homeless shelters.

Meanwhile, Moe enjoys a full life as a single young man and a devoted uncle to his toddler nephew. Family, to Moe, is his priority.

While steadily growing his business, he, too, plans to think about settling down one day. “I work a lot,” he says, “I enjoy my work and the opportunities I have to be an example of how to give back to the community, no matter what you do in life.”

To learn more about Moe Sankar, visit thesankargroup.com or Facebook: The Sankar Group, email Moe@SankarGroup.com or call 973.261.3995 www.

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The Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Assoc is proud to congratulate

Moe Sankar

on being featured for the state of New Jersey in Top Agent Magazine!

Peter G. Aziz, Esq. The Law Offices of Peter G. Aziz & Associates LLC. passaic county office 1272 Clifton Ave Clifton, NJ 07012 Suites 1A-4B Office: 973-778-4911 Fax: 201-497-2013 Top Agent Magazine

bergen county office 1 Kinderkamack Road Hackensack, NJ 07601 Suite 104 Office: 201-562-6202 Fax: 201-497-2013 7

Success– These 7 Habits Are the Real Secret to Success What is it that makes some people so successful and others not? Is there a secret recipe one can follow, as easy as baking a cake, which will give them the strength to achieve their ultimate goals and have it all?

The answer is that, in a manner, there is. The trick is in how you think about success and what it means for you. Many people define success as achieving their personal goals, but could this be leading them to look at the world a little too narrowly? The people that are truly successful in every aspect of 8

their lives don’t stop at simply achieving their personal goals. They succeed in many avenues of their life, including their job, relationships, health, and family just to name a few.

It turns out that ultra-successful people tend to have quite a number of things in common. One main skill many seem to possess is high emotional intelligence, or the ability to manage your emotions so that you can stay calm and focused even in high

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stress situations. Luckily, it seems not all of them are simply born with this ability, but have many strategies they use to help them achieve higher emotional intelligence. Here are seven strategies and habits that will help you achieve success in every area of your life.

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BE COMPOSED The first thing successful people always seem to have under control is their composure. Successful people stay calm and composed when the going gets tough and fingers start pointing. They don’t panic. The secret? They understand that in life things are always changing. It doesn’t matter if something is bad at the moment because that will change soon enough. In this topsy turvy life all you can really do is adapt in order to stay happy and remain in control of how you react.

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BE KNOWLEDGEABLE Have you ever noticed how successful people always seem to have such a wide range of knowledge and interests?

Successful people do know more because they are always working to grow and learn. They strive to constantly increase their self-awareness. If a spare moment exists, then they will fill it with some kind of self-education. They do this because they are passionate about learning new things and ways to improve their life.

Ignore the fear of being judged and ask questions, because that is the only way you can learn. Successful people don’t

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fear asking questions. They fear not asking those questions and growing stagnant.

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BE DELIBERATE It is important to think and reason before you come to a decision. Successful people don’t rush. They seek out advice from other, they think of all the aspects, and sleep on their thoughts before finally making their decision. Your gut instinct can be misleading, and lead you to make a rash decision that you will come to regret later.

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BE CERTAIN, AND SPEAK WITH CONVICTION Successful people speak with certainty.

Unless you communicate your ideas with conviction and certainty, then you will have a hard time getting people to listen to them.

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BE POSITIVE Successful people use positive body language when they are talking to other people. Their tone is enthusiastic, they maintain eye contact, leaning in towards the person speaking to show interest.

Successful people use it to draw those other people in. How you say something can be just as if not more important that what you say to people. Positive body language can completely alter how your speech is perceived by others, and helps to keep attention on you and what you are saying.

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BE MEMORABLE BY LEAVING A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION You only have once to make a first impression, and they are incredibly important, as they are closely ties to positive body language. You have around 7 seconds to convince a person to like you after you initially meet them. That is how long it takes them to decide when they meet you. After that a person is simply spending the rest of the conversation justifying that initial reaction they had. You can make sure you make a good first impression by having strong posture, a firm handshake, a warm smile, and open shoulders.

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BE FEARLESS Successful people know that to give in to fear is a choice. They don’t let the fear take over, instead focusing on the rush of euphoria that comes with conquering fears.

All of this adds up to having a high emotional intelligence. What helps you to succeed is the ability to control those whirlwind emotions so you can stay calm and focused on actually succeeding. These habits can help you gain a higher emotional intelligence, but as you probably already know, anything involving dealing with your emotions in a healthy manner takes serious work. So, don’t give up if you fail the first time. You must always try and try again.

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SAL VENTRE Top Agent Magazine

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As an independent agent, Sal Ventre likes wearing all the hats. “I’m not just a Realtor®; I handle the marketing, the customer service, the financial aspects, the communication, and all daily operations.”

SAL VENTRE What do frozen yogurt and residential real estate have in common? Ask Sal Ventre, who explains how the entrepreneurship and drive required to operate a thriving retail business are the same ingredients of real estate success. Sal, who earned his real estate license during the third winter of his yogurt enterprise, discovered quickly that his existing passion for real estate paired nicely with his natural business sense. “I had always been interested in real estate and initially wanted to flip houses,” he said. “I ended up meeting a client the week I got my license who wanted to purchase a home.” Within two weeks of earning his license in the winter of 2012, Sal had a house under contract. “I was hooked.”

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Six months later, Sal sold his entire frozen yogurt business. He has been selling real estate full-time ever since, covering Monmouth and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, with a new goal to break into the Spring Lake area, where he now lives. “I am an independent agent, but I recently hired a full-time assistant who helps with client relations in addition to being a buyer’s agent,” says Sal, a Re/Max professional.

For now, independence is just how he likes it. “I like wearing all the hats. Real estate is a business and I treat it like that,” he says. “I’m not just a Realtor®; I handle the marketing, the customer service, the financial aspects, the communication, and all daily operations.”

This approach suits Sal and his entrepreneurial inclinations. “People feel comfortable working with me,” he says. “After hundreds Top Agent Magazine

of transactions, I’ve seen almost every situation and I have a good way of dealing with problems.” He prides himself on taking the extra time to explain details to people. “Some agents forget to take time to do this, because real estate is what they do every day, but I like explaining every single detail about the process and essentially holding the client’s hand from beginning to end.” Sal also makes himself available to his clients 24/7. Responding to client requests as quickly as possible is something he makes a top priority.

“I pride myself on professional presentation; of myself and of the product,” he says. “I treat Top Agent Magazine

every client and home the same way, whether it’s a $200,000 house or a multi-million-dollar house.” As an entrepreneur, he knows you have to spend money to make money. Every listing of his receives platinum treatment including pre-listing consultations and staging prior to professional photography, brochures and heavy marketing online, including a strong social media presence. “I have a great eye for knowing how a room needs to present itself,” he says. “I use the best professional photographer in the business.” Because he knows most people shop and prescreen on the internet, he produces high-quality images, as well as supplemental, four-page, full-gloss color bro13 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

chures for every home. “We often do twilight and drone photos and sometimes even videos; we leave no stone unturned when it comes to presentation and marketing.”

Marketing is Sal’s bread and butter. The skills and tools he uses to sell his clients have helped him develop a great reputation; about 75% of his business currently comes from referrals.

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Sal also enjoys the personal connections he makes with clients, meeting new people every day and staying involved in the communities he serves. “My company is consistently involved with different charities and fundraisers,” says Sal, who plans to start his own non-profit in the near future as his business grows. Meanwhile, he does as much as possible to mentor other emerging professionals.

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“I pride myself on professional presentation; of myself and of the product. I treat every client and home the same way, whether it’s a $200,000 house or a multi-million-dollar house.”

“My dream is to grow a team of agents under me. I enjoy teaching, mentoring and motivating others,” says Sal. He will do so by building on changes he implemented in 2015 that ensure the highest customer satisfaction Top Agent Magazine

possible and that guarantee clients’ interests come first. “I want my business to continue helping the community and to become even more of a local staple. I want people to see I’m always in their corner.”

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To learn more about Sal Ventre, visit salventre.com or on Facebook email sventre@remax.net or call 732 - 232 - 6005 www.

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What the First Thing You Do After Work Says About You We all have our routines. From that morning cup of coffee to a jog at the gym, it’s common to establish touchstones for our daily lives.

But have you ever considered what these habits tell us about ourselves? Our actions reveal much about our motivations and emotional life, so taking a second look at your first move at the end of the day can be telling.

With that in mind, see how you fare when it comes to post-workday habits...

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Break a Sweat After a long day of work, is your first instinct to strap on your sneakers and take off on a run? Do you stop off at the local yoga studio for an extended stretch? Maybe you head to the weight room to pump some iron. Whatever your exercise pick, if you’re inclined to sweat it out at the end of a long day, you’re likely a routine-oriented profes-

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sional who internalizes work-related stress. Of course, you’ve chosen a healthy release for all that pent-up tension, and you’ve discovered the power of endorphins. Once work hours are over, not everyone finds the motivation to stay active. This means you’re driven by routine, conscious of your emotional and physical health, and prefer to leave your cares at the gym, rather than bring them into your home oasis. However, it’s important to give your body a rest now and again, as recuperation time is not only beneficial for physical health, but can help prevent burnout for the long haul.

Flexibility is a skill, and one just as important to cultivate as rigid commitment. If you find yourself out of sorts if you miss just one day of working out, you might want to pay some attention to your routines and motivations, and rebalance your commitments and fitness routine accordingly.

Round-the-Clock Hustle If you’re the type to bring work home with you, you aren’t alone. While your motivation to work nonstop is admirable, it’s also important to make the mental transition from workplace to home, establishing the time to hustle and the time to relax. Just like those that hit the gym without fail after a long day, sometimes you’ll need to practice saying no. If your work life is indistinguishable from your personal life, it’ll be hard to catch a break and recharge.

This means burnout, frayed nerves, and missed details will soon be on the horizon. Of course, round-the-clock hustle is a strength, too. You’re passionate about your work, care deeply about doing things right, and failure is not an option.

Just make sure that you establish some foundational boundaries so that you maintain an 18

appropriate, healthy balance between your time at work and your time at home with the loved ones and hobbies you cherish. If making way for downtime isn’t easy, try penciling it in the way you would a work engagement. Dinner with a friend, a date night with a significant other, or a solo movie fest can be readily added to your calendar, and thus built in to your regimented schedule.

Turn to Food If your first instinct after work is to eat, it can say a few different things about your routine.

Perhaps you’ve been so on-the-go all the day that you haven’t had time for lunch. In this case, you might need to regiment your schedule with more purpose aimed towards downtime and self-care; food is fuel, after all. If you head home and gorge after an average day, you may be turning to food as a way to relieve stress.

In this case, you may need to reassess some of your post-work habits and find a healthier balance and outlet for your tension. Taking a walk, grabbing fresh ingredients for dinner, hitting the gym, or decompressing by catching up with a friend or a good book—all are healthier, more balanced ways of executing the transition from the office to the home. Pay attention to your consumption post-work. Determine how hungry or satiated you really are before making a grab for the nearest sustenance.

People decompress in all different ways after getting home from the office, but always remember that routines are telling. Don’t take your daily actions and impulses for granted. Examine the root behind your well-worn practices, and you may detect nuances at play beneath the surface that can you help you recalibrate for the better.

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CRISTINA MALER Top Agent Magazine

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CRISTINA MALER Helping. That’s what real estate is all about, as REALTOR® Cristina Maler discovered during her first transaction. At the time, she was only helping a friend; she wasn’t even a licensed agent yet. But in helping, she unearthed not only her passion for real estate but her gift for innovation in real estate. “I was working full-time as a travel agent and offered to help a friend who wanted to buy a house,” explains Cristina, an agent with Re/Max Select in New Jersey’s Essex, Hudson, Union and Bergen counties. “It was a multi-family house and my friend needed tenants to rent the apartments to, so I offered to help him. I did an open house, I advertised and I got him the tenants in less than two weeks!” During that process, other agents tried persuading her to join real estate, saying she obviously had a natural gift for it. “I started part-time in early 2016 and was full time that September.”

In her first full year, 2017, she helped almost 28 families with the sale or purchase of their home. Given her dedication and strong work ethic to the people she serves, Cristina quickly began receiving the bulk of her business from referrals. “People like my energy and honesty,” she says. “I ask them questions, engage them and get to know them. Some of them even refer people to me while we’re still working together to help them buy or sell a home!”

Cristina finds that her eagerness to meet others’ needs comes in particularly useful for people whose listings have expired. “A lot of new agents work mostly with buyers, but I started with a lot of expired listings,” she explains. “I know those clients need extra care and they want to see new strategies to sell their home.” She loves watching how her energy and creativity gives them a positive outlook on the process ahead of them.

To sell these and other listings, Cristina takes advantage of her strong market knowledge, starting with research to determine ideal pricing. “I make sure I price the house strategically,” she says. “Before listing, I work with a professional stager and a professional photographer; the home is very well prepared.”

She then ensures broad online exposure through resources available to her with Re/Max, as well as a strong social media presence and flyer distribution to neighborhoods. “I also network and I often have a buyer for the house even before we bring it on the market!”

The reward of all this hard work is the happiness of her clients, says Cristina. “There are a lot of emotions involved and it can be like a roller coaster for my customers, but in the end, when I do a final walk-through and I see them smiling with tears of happiness, that’s the most rewarding thing. I want to repeat it again and again and again.” Her clients’ happiness is what motivates Cristina, whose business is growing at a rapid pace, to devote herself fully to her work, both personally and professionally. “I don’t take many days off, but I really don’t want to!” she says, noting that she does love reading and cycling to recharge personally. “I love what I do and I’m always available to my clients.”

“I want my business to grow more and more,” she adds, noting that one day she expects to have her own office. “I love sharing my knowledge and passion not only with buyers and sellers but also with the agents that join the real estate industry. I just started building my own team in my Re/Max office and then in five or six years I will have my own office.” She emphasizes, however, that while growth is exciting and promising, she will always uphold her 100% commitment to give her clients all of her knowledge and energy as they achieve their goals. She wants people to be satisfied, knowing they had a good experience with her and were well taken care of. “I give my heart to my clients to help them get to where they want to go. I will always go above and beyond for my customers,” says Cristina.

To learn more about Cristina Maler, https://www.facebook.com/cristinna.maler visit cmaler.remax-nj.com; cristina.wesellnewjersey.com or go to Facebook, email cristinam.realestate@gmail.com or call 201.748.9691 www.

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Top Agent Tips and Questions for Choosing Your Listing Agent Now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s time to select the professional to help you market your property. Before meeting with agents, however, consider Top Agent Magazine’s tips for preparing yourself. Frist, ask yourself what kind of relationship you’d like to have with your listing agent. Are you seeking a casual, personable relationship and the latest marketing tools or are you interested in a more formal, traditional relationship and approach to marketing techniques? Next, populate your list of agents by attending open houses and asking for recommendations from recent buyers and sellers.

Finally, schedule your meetings at your home, where you’ll be able to gauge the chemistry between you and each agent.

During your meetings, expect any Top Agent to ask you several questions, but also consider discussing the following: Top Agent Magazine

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Will you please describe your sales experience and local network?

Ask your Top Agent to describe recent listings and sales of homes comparable to your own. Ask about the sellers’ priorities, the original list price, market time and number of offers. Top Agents will also describe how well they are connected with other REALTORS® in the region as well as their contacts with relocation companies, local corporations and chambers of commerce.

Be sure to ask about each agent’s knowledge of how your market has changed over time and what has influenced change.

You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’ opinions.

How will you market the property? Each

Top Agent has a unique set of online or local marketing tools at his or her disposal. Some use lead-generation applications and nearly ever luxury agent take advantage of video. Even video marketing tools vary from agent-to-agent, however.

You’ll get to decide if you prefer an agent with higher-end video production and 3D Matterport tours or an agent with more intimate techniques featuring walk-and-talk style video tours.

What factors influence your list-price recommendation? Before an-

swering this question, most Top Agents will have several questions for you, including whether you’re more focused on a faster sale or a higher list price.

They’ll also educate you on how best to balance both market time and list price relative to sales histories your area.

Now that you’ve seen the home, what repairs or improvements do you recommend before listing? You’ll learn a lot by listening to agents’

opinions on your home’s sale potential with or without some improvements.

Most Top Agents will also recommend a full professional inspection prior to listing to avoid surprises during buyer inspection.

How will you help with staging? Some Top Agents will pay for part or

all of the staging costs. At a minimum, however, a Top Agent will have a staging professional or two in their partner network. While they’re at it, they may provide referrals for carpet cleaning, painting, gardening and other minor finishing touches.

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What attributes of the property will you want to highlight? Each Top

Agent will have a somewhat different answer to this question, but that’s a good thing! Even if you have your own ideas about your home’s greatest attributes, you’ll glean insight into the current market by considering different agents’ opinions. In learning their views, you may even change your mind about your home’s most marketable features!

What is your approach to Open Houses? How many agent-only Open

Houses will your Top Agent want to host? How many truly Open Houses?

Some Top Agents may even reveal a “swankier” approach to the Open House – such as an evening cocktail party or by-invitation “open” hours to which buyers visit along with the agent representing them.

Who will be our primary point(s) of contact from your office? This

important question will help you understand the scope of your agent’s practice. You’ll get to see if your agent runs a robust team with many hands on deck or if he or she works by close, one-on-one contact with each client.

Either approach is wonderful; you get to decide what suits you.

Now, let’s list!

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