VOLUME 6 ISSUE 12 DECEMBER 2009

The Holiday Season is upon us and Thanksgiving marks the beginning of that Season. Thanksgiving is the holiday of gratitude. Sometimes in life, things happen too fast. We barely solve one issue when two new issues surface. We’re feeling great in the morning, but we’re submerged in sadness by nightfall.

Every day we face interruptions, delays, changes, and challenges. We face personality conflicts and disappointments. Often when we’re feeling overwhelmed, we can’t see the lessons in these experiences.

One simple concept can get us through the most stressful of times. It’s called gratitude. We learn to say thank you, for these situations and feelings. Thank you for the way things are. I don’t like this experience, but thank you anyway.

Force gratitude until it becomes habitual. Gratitude helps us stop trying to control outcomes. It is the key that unlocks positive energy in our life. It is the alchemy that turns problems into blessings, and the unexpected into gifts.

Tina

NJMLS is excited to announce that the newly redesigned njmls.com is up and running in Beta form! During this initial test period, the site will run concurrently with our existing public website; in the weeks that follow, the old site will be phased out and replaced with the revamped version. Take a look; we welcome your comments and feedback, so please let us know what you think!

We have implemented a streamlined, simple-to-navigate format that makes njmls.com even easier to use, and we have simultaneously added many new beneficial features and functions.

As a member of the NJMLS, how does the new njmls.com site improve the consumer’s interaction with you? There is increased synergy between XL Paragon and njmls.com; members gain improved consumer interaction only if you use the tools:

• Create or enhance your biography, list your accomplishments, and upload your Agent photo. You’re basically creating an online “business card” for your listings in XLP, as well as an online “Profile” for the public site.

• The Homepage has several new features including a scrolling carousel of Open Houses, an Industry News section, and a Blog.

• A convenient, new Quick Search box allows consumers to search for proper-ties by town or zip code and go directly to results in one simple step, plus have the ability to refine their search directly from the results page.

• Users also have the opportunity to register on the site, enabling them to save listings, create and edit searches, and schedule alerts to let them know when there are modifications on a listing, such as a price change, or when new listings come on that match a saved search.

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From Our Executive Director

Miss ion Sta tement:

“To prov ide cos t ef fec t ive and comprehens ive real

es ta te in format ion us ing the la tes t proven techno logy. ”

NJMLS UNVEILS NEWLY REDESIGNED

PUBLIC WEBSITE….NJMLS.COM

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...continued from page 1 (NJMLS Unveils Newly Redesigned Public Website ….NJMLS.COM)

• When consumers view properties on njmls.com, they are given more robust details directly on the listing page including your Agent Photo, links to your Listings, your Agent Profile, and your Website—for both the listing agent, and now, the co-listing agent, too! These appear directly on the listing page (after you’ve created a profile, as discussed previously). Community Information also appears on this page, with links to finding more details on schools, amenities, and demographics about the town. If the Listing Agent has provided the property address for use on the internet, the location will be plotted on a map.

• The enhanced Photo Gallery makes it easier to scroll through multiple photos with a large viewing window.

• The new site also allows the user to view listings in List View, Photo View, or Map View, or to send a listing via a Text Message.

• New Listings, Open Houses, and Price Changes are highlighted with a special banner.

• A Keyword Search allows the user to search by a word or phrase that might be used in the “Remarks” section of the listing.

• The consumer has the ability to include towns from multiple counties in the same search.

• Distinctions that you designate in XL Paragon, such as the languages you speak, your industry accreditations, and the towns you service all factor into what the public reads about you. This new site allows users to refine their search for an agent that meets their needs.

• Consumers can search for agents by first name or by last name, by the towns serviced, by languages spoken, or by the office name.

• Mobile Application. Consumers will be able to access njmls.com with the use of a web-enabled wireless device. By simply typing njmls.com/m in the address bar of their phone or PDA’s browser, consumers will be able to navigate the NJMLS public site on the go!

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Sub-Area in Listing Maintenance: You now have the option to choose a sub-area in certain counties where towns are further divided into areas that have their own valid mailing addresses. For example, in Morris County, when choosing Hanover Township, you may now choose from the sub-areas of Whippany or Cedar Knolls, making it easier to find listings in those specific areas. You may also modify existing listings to utilize this feature.

Office Logos/Agent Photos: When searching the Member Roster for an office, the office logo now appears in the results; when searching for an agent, the agent photo displays.

History: When selecting the Price Change record, you will now be able to see the "Last LP" and the "Price Changed to" in the pop-up record.

Tax/List Updates: Tax Update Schedules are now available for all 21 counties in New Jersey. New information regarding Realist foreclosure updates has also been added but may not be available for all counties. To find the Tax Updates go to the XLP Toolbar; under the Search option you will see the word Tax. Choose the List Updates option.

Exterior Finish: You now have the option to choose an Exterior Finish for a property when performing a tax search.

Condo Listing Entry: The fields for Unit # and Tax Condo # in the Condo/Coop/Townhouse listing category have been moved to appear in the top section on listing entry, along with the address and block and lot information.

What’s New in XL Paragon?

New in Statistical Reports

You now have the ability, when running a Comparative Statistical Report, to generate an easy-to-read bar graph that compares Active, Under Contract, Expired, Leased, Withdrawn, and Sold information from one year to another.

To access these graphs, go to Toolkit and choose Statistical Reports. Choose the Comparative

report, enter your criteria, and click on Execute.

Atlantic, Bergen (except Carlstadt and East Rutherford), Essex, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union, and Warren Counties now have updated 2009 Tax Rates and Amounts. Camden, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Sussex should be completed shortly.

2009 Tax Rates and Amounts

The $8,000 homebuyer tax credit for first-time buyers has been extended through April 30th of next year, and buyers will have an additional two months, until the end of June, to close. Additionally, the new legislation does the following:

• Increases the income limit for couples to $225,000, a nearly $55,000 increase above the level in existing law.

Makes buyers who already own a home eligible for a reduced credit of up to $6,500, as long as they have lived in their current residence for five of the prior eight years and the home is worth $800,000 or less.

As with the original legislation, this credit is available only for primary residences, not second homes or investment properties. This new version takes effect on December 1, 2009 and is not retroactive.

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended through April 30, 2010

160 Terrace Street

Haworth, New Jersey 07641

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE PAID

PARAMUS NJ

PERMIT NO. 107

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or so the song would have you believe! Well, in fact it is a wonderful time of the year. You may love snuggling around a cozy fire with a glass of wine or sipping a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows while your children bake cookies in the kitchen, but these fun winter activities have one thing in common: they take place indoors and the more time people spend inside, the more likely they are to share each other’s germs. So, what are some ways you can try to prevent yourself from getting sick? Trying even one of these may help:

Eat Superfoods: You’ve heard it before, but there are certain foods you can include in your diet that will help strengthen your immune system. The simplest thing to try is to refrain from eating processed items and instead pack your plate with fresh foods such as whole grains and fresh, colorful produce. Research shows that the more colorful foods that look beautiful on the plate are also the ones that pack the most nutrients, so during these winter months look for kale, spinach, butternut squash, acorn squash, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Think about cooking homemade soups and making your own

veggie or fruit juices—fun and healthy!

Wash Your Hands: Do we need to say more? Sing Happy Birthday (the recommended amount of time you need to do a good job) and lather up! Also, keep in mind that hand sanitizers will get rid of some of the germs on your hands but they contain ethyl alcohol, which can be drying to your skin, so use these only when soap and water aren’t available.

Be Active Even in the Cold Weather: It may take extra effort to drag yourself to the gym at 5am during dark winter mornings, but it is worthwhile in your efforts to stay healthy. What other kind of exercise can you do during the cold winter months? There are activities that you may not think of as traditional exercise, but they do provide a cardio-vascular benefit. Raking leaves, cleaning out the garage, and running around in the snow with your children all count as exercise that is good for your heart and your outlook!

First, we’d like to congratulate the winners of the November Word Search contest. Birgit DeSotle of Coldwell Banker in Franklin Lakes, Eva Maliarakis of Ridgeco Realty North in Englewood Cliffs, and Elaine Mosera of Weichert in Fort Lee have each received a gift card to Dunkin Donuts. Enjoy! This month, we’re trying something a little different. The first three members who answer three of the following five NJMLS Trivia questions correctly will each win a $10.00 Shop Rite gift card. Answers may be submitted to Michele, via email, at mcucci@newjerseymls.com. Winners will be notified by email and announced in the January issue of NJMLS Highlights, along with the correct answers. Good luck!

1. The first listing ever submitted to the NJMLS in 1977 was located in Englewood. What was the original list price?

2. How many original Broker members and how many Sales Associates were there when the NJMLS was founded in 1977?

3. Who was the last member of NJMLS to stop receiving delivery of the “Hot Sheets?”

4. Tina Griffin is the founding member of the NJMLS. What current staff member is also considered one of the “original” staff?

5. What was the original name of the New Jersey Multiple Listing Service?

How to Prevent the Common Cold and Other Ways to Stay Well

Ho-Ho-Ho NJMLS Challenge