SCROFANO NAMED TOP 25 WOMEN IN BUSINESS BY THE NE PA BUSINESS JOURNAL

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates
304 Park Ave., Stroudsburg, PA 18360
March 23, 2012

Contact: Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO
Phone: 570-421-8950
Direct: 570-466-4022
Fax: 570-421-8476
Email: twilkins@wilkins1.com

SCROFANO NAMED TOP 25 WOMEN IN BUSINESS BY THE NE PA BUSINESS JOURNAL

Stroudsburg – Scrofano, a Sr. Vice Pres with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates was named one of the TOP 25 Women in Business in Northeast PA for 2012. Scrofano has been with the Wilkins organization for 10 years when she started as a Rental Agent. Today, Scrofano assists in day to day operations of the Real Estate Department and promotion of the company’s overall health through modern media of the personal, professional, individual and company achievements among other Senior Management responsibilities.

Said Scrofano, after being selected as recipient, “It’s important for all women to balance their personal and family life along with their professional careers. Family is my priority. I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have my son. No matter what you do in life, especially success in your business doesn’t mean the same unless you have a family to share and grow with.” she explained.

Scrofano is a member of numerous civic and professional committees including various committees at the Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS® (PMAR), several of which she Chaired, an alternate member of the Stroud Township Zoning Board, graduate of Leadership Pike, Charter member and past President of Delaware Valley Kiwanis Club of which she is also a founding member and recently organized the Locks of Love Valentine Edition fundraiser to donate hair, including her own.

In 2010, Scrofano decided to enter the political arena as a candidate for Stroud Township Supervisor and won the Republican nomination for Supervisor in the primary, being known as the “first woman in Stroud to run for Stroud Supervisor”. While unsuccessful in the general election, by a small margin, Scrofano established herself as an elect-able woman in and with the Monroe County Republican Party.

Scrofano contributes her success in the real estate field to her three mentors. The first, Charles A. Polillo, Sr. instilled in her the same work ethic that she has today. Barbara Samet, a well known community leader and former owner of Pocono Real Estate Academy, showed Scrofano her strength as a woman in the business world. The third is her husband and business partner, Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates. Said Scrofano, “Tom believes in me which gives me the courage and confidence to go out and work harder to reach my full potential, personally and as a team.”

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates operate three retail offices in the Pocono Mountains. The Company is 25 years old and in addition to real estate, the Wilkins organization has sister companies, NEPA Management and Wilkins & Associates–PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, Wilkins & Associates Commercial Brokers and Pennsylvania First Settlement Services.

Some good news on the horizon

Some good news for the new year.

Fewer Monroe County homes sold during the first quarter of 2010 were in foreclosure compared with last year. And sales of non-foreclosed homes grew.

That’s a reversal of a trend seen in all of last year.

The change was dramatic. While 42 percent of all first quarter 2009 home sales were foreclosures, that number dropped to 29 percent this year. The unit figures fell from 125 in 2009 to 85 in 2010.

The picture was almost as rosy in Pike County, which saw foreclosure sales drop as a percent of total sales, from 24 percent in the first quarter of 2009 to 22 percent in 2010.
read the full story…

2010 GREATER POCONO HOME SHOW

Saturday April 17 10am – 5pm and Sunday April 18th 11am – 4pm at the Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony  check out the Pocono Builder’s Association website for more information

Thomas Wilkins of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Assocsiates in Stroudsburg, PA – The Real Estate Business Model of 2010

All of us with successful businesses know that the first key to success is having a strong business plan that shows a clear direction for the company.  Even in today’s market that still holds true.  As my good friend Bruce says, “Businesses are designed to have a profit; anything short of that just isn’t a business plan.”

With that being the case, the business model that every business is using today, whether you’re Angelo, the drycleaner, Billy, the landscaper and whether your business is big or small, is the survival model.  The name of the game is to cut and cut and cut until there’s a profit.  There is nothing complex about it.

While the “cut mentality” is good for the short-term, it’s not a business plan that anyone uses to grow their business, which is what I intend to do after the initial shock of our consolidation is complete.  I’ve lived through the cut model, now it’s time to develop a model around the business we do and how we’re going to grow market share and profits again.

The “new” business model won’t have all the frills that the old business model had and there are a couple of key components that it will have that just simply make sense.  I’d like to share with you today some of those “new” components that we’ve adopted into our overall “new” business plan.

First and foremost, part of our new business plan is to use more independent contractors and adjust several of our (now) employee schedules enabling them to have (1) more and expanded flexible hours; (2) a workspace which includes working from their home or other flex-space; (3) working only part time for us because they can do more in less time when working outside the office and (4) me voluntarily accepting these changes as an employer.  Jessica is a prime example in Stroudsburg.  What this has done is successfully thwart more layoffs or the need to replace key employees.  Instead, it has made our Management Team actually stronger than ever.  I don’t see the person in the office next to me, but I know they are there by the use of Skype, Instant Messaging and email.

For our valued hourly employee, the shortening of the office workweek was the second biggest item that worked for both management and our valued employees.  We were careful not to cut too much, but still maintain the workflow that was required.  We found that all of our employees were receptive to a new reduced work schedule understanding the economy that we all work in.  I compliment Rose for spearheading our cutbacks.

At Pennsylvania First Settlement Services our sister company, we release our title agents work schedules a month in advance and let them know what we anticipate will come in for business; like Billy, one of the most prominent landscapers in the Buck Hill and Skytop areas says, “When I have a job, I bring in the help.  When the job is over, we wait to hire them back for the next job.”  I think this technique is known as “growing” personnel slower than the revenue.  We adapted that same idea in our professional work place and it worked.  Craig watches the orders weekly now in the slow season and can adjust hours weekly if need be.

Another important thing that worked for us is cross training.  We found that when an employee was cross training it taught them to help in parts of the company where we didn’t realize they had a talent or that the talent was there and we never put it to use.  It was a win/win pilot program and Doreen, our Receptionist, is a great example of how it works.

On another note, the biggest commodity we have in a real estate company is listings and sales.  We are starting to promote a summer stimulus package which includes our co-broking transactions and giving the other broker a larger share of the commission; unheard of in our industry.  We hope that this will produce more sales and (while our intention is always to sell in-house as opposed to co-broking) it creates camaraderie outside of the office and enables us to capture a larger percentage of that valued species…the buyer and who knows, maybe Dennis, our Recruiter, can hire the listing Agent.

Having our listings for the summer season and re-listing or extending those that expire during beginning part of the season, was another big move that the company made as a whole.  We certainly have gotten the lion’s share of inventory going into the summer time, which is our busiest time–July, August and September.  Dominick takes credit for this idea.

No one likes to pay commission, but the reality is in the real estate business that’s how we make our money.  We successfully have moved the majority of our commissions to between 6% and 7%.  In the past, fees were working their way down to 5% and we’re pleased to say that we have a good amount of inventory and also at a good price, which excites other agents who want to work for our company.

Ahhh the internet!  No broker has incorporated the internet better than Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates through (1) our corporate office in Parsippany where Sherry Chris and her team are the leaders in internet advertising; (2) The Real Estate Book online advertising which just produces a whole lot of leads for us and (3) Lead Router, a customized routing system for buyers that helps us as brokers, organize those buyers by agent and the type of real estate they want to buy.  Everyone asks me did I do the right thing by franchising and I tell him or her Lead Router is well worth the franchise fee.  Toni handles all our Relos along with her Supervisor, Jessica.  They will let you know about Relos and how CARTUS, our exclusive Relo company with BHG works.

Moreover, let’s not forget Wells Fargo.  Our Managers now review each pre-qualified buyer that calls our office or interfaces with us interested in buying a home.  You would be surprised at the number of pre-quals that they’ve done which in some cases were simply going un-attended, but not any more!  Sonia, one of their Loan Officers, is the best!

Well thanks for allowing me the time to tell you a few of our “trade secrets”.  Overall, I couldn’t be where I am today without the great Managers, Department Heads and Staff that I have working around me; some of whom you’ve met today.

Much success to all

Thomas R Wilkins is CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Wilkins and Assocs. He founded the company in 1988 and at its height had 14 offices total. While still maintaining  a 15% market share and still the largest franchise office in Northeastern PA,  he has successfully consolidated his offices to two (2) with 90+ fulltime realtors. In addition to the real estate company, he is CEO of NEPA Management Assocs. and Gen. Partner of Pennsylvania First Settlement Services and a commercial Realtor at Wilkins & Associates Commercial Brokers.

Nab a real estate deal – while you still can

(Money Magazine) — If you’ve been holding off on a real estate purchase, glimmers of a turnaround in the housing market may have you wondering if it’s finally time to make your move.

While home prices remain low, they’re no longer free-falling in most markets. Mortgages are historically cheap. And the sweet tax credit that was offered to new buyers last year has been extended to April 30 and expanded to include current homeowners too.

But for all the motivation to act quickly, buying right now is not a no-brainer. In some areas home prices may fall further. If you own a house now, it may take longer than you expect to sell it, and you may walk away with less cash than you thought.

read the full story…

Monroe County jobless rate drops

Monroe County’s unemployment rate went back down in January, the first time the county’s jobless rate dropped since July.

The county cut its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 9.4 percent, down from 9.8 percent the previous month, according to statistics released Monday from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

read more…

SKILLMAN HONORED BY BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS CORPORATE

Parsippany – Kathy Skilllman, Realtor® of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates has been ranked #4 in the Top 10 Wikiteers for 2009.  This announcement was made from Wendy Forsythe, VP Network Services office at Corporate Headquarters in Parsippany, NJ.

The Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Sales Wiki is an interactive, online encyclopedia of sales tips, dialogs and helpful hints to help real estate agents strengthen their skills and close more business.  It also acts as an internal and intra-ternal networking tool for all Better Homes and Gardens Realtors® coast to coast.

In 2009 Realtors®, Managers and Owners alike, across the system contributed to the Wiki sharing their tips and dialogs with others.  Skillman, of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates North Pocono office contributed this tip: “Presenting an Offer in Person” which won her the #4 spot in the Top 10 Wiki contributors for 2009.

The #1 spot was won by Gary Nobile of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Ventura Barnett located in San Jose, California.  Nobile is a frequent contributor to the Wiki.  His entry, Closing a Buyer at a Showing won him high honors in the top ten.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates operate five (5) offices throughout northeast Pennsylvania.  All offices are open 7 days a week.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates

304 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg, PA 18360

Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO

Phone:       570-421-8950

Direct:      570-466-4022

Fax:       570-421-4514

Email:      thomas.wilkins@bhgrealestate.com

BROKELMAN NAMED LIFETIME MEMBER OF WHO’S WHO

Lifetime inclusion in Cambridge Who’s Who is an honor bestowed by The Cambridge Who’s Who selection committee based on accomplishment, professional achievement, leadership and service. The mission of Cambridge Who’s Who is to ensure that Cambridge members receive recognition, support and credibility to advance their careers.

During the last 3 decades, Brockelman has been a real estate sales professional, associate broker and broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Phyllis Rubin Real Estate, an eight office agency that she built into a powerhouse in the Pocono Mountains area.

As a broker/owner, she strategically managed unprecedented growth increased the REALTOR agent staff from 35 agents to 80 agents average with 100 at peek periods and expanding company gross commission income from $1 million to $9 million annually; a 75 % increase from time of purchase. In 2007, after 15 years as owner, Brockelman sold her franchise at its peak.

Today, Brockelman runs Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way, LLC., a popular agency committed to innovating the real estate marketplace in the Poconos by applying the Platinum Rule (of treating clients as they wish to be treated) to all transactions and offering customized solutions for every client. In 2009, she was named among the top 10 area business women in the Pocono Business Journal’s recent “Women in Business 2009.”

Vickie M. Brockelman, GRI, Epro
Broker/Owner RB#066680
Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way, LLC
26 C Pocono Blvd.
Mt. Pocono, PA
570-839-0411 (office number)
570-839-0415 (fax number)
570-972-0141 (direct line)

Learn more about Vickie Brockelman

CONFESSIONS OF A REAL ESTATE JUNKIE/THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME

It’s that time of year again. The holidays are upon us and we are flooded with sensory experiences, like no other time of year. From the sound of holiday songs, to the smell of baked cookies, the taste of eggnog and finally the visual presentation of cards arriving daily from family and friends. You can’t help but think back to years past. To when you were a child, to the home you grew up in and the people that mattered most to you.  READ MORE…

COMMONWEALTH REAL ESTATE YOUR WAY, Realtors Celebrate 2009 Triumphs in Style

COMMONWEALTH REAL ESTATE YOUR WAY, LLC, NAMES SPIRIT WINNER AND TOP SALES PERFORMERS

Mt. Pocono, Pa., — (December 28, 2009) – Several agents of Commonwealth Real Estate Your Way, LLC., were honored for their successes and achievements in 2009 during the company’s end of year celebration.