A Message fromPeter F. Huntpage 2
Distinctive Properties Programpage 6
News AroundRegionpage 9
The official newsletter of HUNT Real Estate Corporation December/January 2016 | Issue 77
HUNT Partners with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estateby Dan Mirsky, Director of Marketing
To affirm our standing as the luxury real estate leader in all of
our regions, we are pleased to announce that HUNT Real Es-
tate ERA has partnered with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Es-
tate, a network of the finest residential real estate firms from
around the world. Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate and its
website LuxuryRealEstate.com represent a compendium
of the finest residential real estate firms from around the world.
The organization’s 130,000 professionals in more than 70 coun-
tries collectively sell in excess of $190 billion of real estate an-
nually.
With HUNT’s membership in the Who’s Who network, we
become their only real estate partner representing luxury buyers
and sellers throughout all of Western, Central and Upstate
New York. (We also plan to be affiliated in our Arizona region
soon.)
So how does our membership benefit you?
Beginning the week of February 29th, all HUNT Real Estate
ERA listings priced above $500,000 are now showcased on
LuxuryRealEstate.com - the #1 most highly-trafficked por-
tal for luxury properties on the Internet. This means HUNT
listings will be exposed to more qualified luxury home buyers -
nationally and internationally - than any of our competitors.
Additionally, our Who’s Who membership affords you a num-
ber of personal marketing opportunities, including:
● Use of the Who’s Who & LuxuryRealEstate.com logos
on all of your marketing materials (you can access these from
the Distinctive Properties section of AgentAchieve)
continued on page 6
Where Will Be Your Focus?”
The beginning of the year is the customary time to re-
solve to do things differently or better or simply to better
for oneself. Your company operates on a fiscal year, so I
created my short list of things I hope to see change or
improve back in early November. My first chance to
share them with you was at our recent Awards Celebra-
tions. I don’t expect you were taking notes at those
events. Accordingly, please allow me to share those areas
of our business that will be my focus for the organization
for this fiscal year.
As background, to avoid a random process, areas for our
focus are chosen based on perceived greatest impact.
Here are the four choices and why:
1) Implementation of the Team Concept. In our
research, the most important shift in our industry is from
Agents as “generalists” to Agents as “specialists”. Spe-
cializing is the expression of where Agents are feeling
the greatest job satisfaction. Agents may then choose to
associate with those that compliment their skills, hence
the creation of teams. One Agent may really enjoy the
challenge of securing a listing; another nurturing a
longer term relationship with a buyer prospect; still oth-
ers a supportive administrative role. Each individual
capitalizes on their particular talents and skills. Every-
one—and the clients—benefit. We have begun a Re-
gion-by-Region education and training program, which
will be ongoing. In addition, your Branch Director will
be fully-versed on our Team Policy, the suggested roles
on a highly functioning team, and outlines of our edu-
cation and training sessions. Please take the time to meet
confidentially learn more even if you are now leading
or part of a team.
2) The Right People are in the Right Places. This
follows naturally from the above and is always an area
of focus, but as we grow, build and rebuild various ele-
ments of our organization it is all the more important.
In addition to making our entire Company the most
team-friendly environment for our Agents, we
are creating an all-new HUNT Insurance, which
is now headquartered in our Williamsville Clarence
Branch in the Buffalo Niagara Region—HUNT Insur-
ance will have a physical presence and staffing in all Re-
gions in the current fiscal year. HUNT Commercial
will see new leadership and a growing presence in
all Regions as well. Several Branches will see a signifi-
cant investment and commensurate support staffing to,
among other things, serve our individual Agents and
those functioning as teams. HUNT Mortgage will
continue to grow its human presence, on the heals of
a record year in 2015, to better serve our Agents and
clients and Network Title personnel will be more
visible to serve our attorney clients, our Agents and our
buyers and sellers.
3) Model Branches for our Company and the
Industry. Branch by Branch we will continue to build
our presence in our designated Primary Market Areas,
grow our market share to targeted levels, increase our
per person productivity even after a record year of
growth in 2015, and continue to improve the extent to
which we serve each and every customer and client—a
concept we call “Same Customer Service Level”. We
will build on our current powerful base in each
Branch to create themodel for the industry.
4) Aggressive Marketing of who and what we
are—our Brand. We have an unparalleled 105-year
history, unique “signatures” based on our innovations,
creative marketing, training infrastructure, proprietary
and licensed technology, corporate relationships, and a
philanthropic spirit. Now we have to tell our
“story” in a simple and memorable way. We are
now implementing the most comprehensive mar-
keting plan in our history that we hope you will
draw on to tell your own story and build your
own brand along side ours.
Over the last few weeks, I have asked each of our De-
partment Heads, Core Business Leaders and Regional
General Managers to articulate their areas of focus for
the year so that we hold one another accountable and
measure our progress. I strongly encourage you to cre-
ate your own short list. In addition to goals in terms
of numbers of sales and “volume”, how will you
measure your professional progress? If you
A message from Peter F. Hunt Chairman & CEO
2
would like any help developing your goals and areas of
focus, please seek out a coaching relationship
with your Branch Director—this is among the most
important contributions we can make to your career.
Lastly, please allow me to offer my congratu-
lations once again to all our Award Winners
whom we honored recently. Those moments when
we pause to celebrate these many successes are among
my favorite every year. Please keep this in mind as our
competitors attempt to shake our confidence, as they al-
ways do, with there own stories about us. We should be
flattered that they spend so much time worrying about
what we are planning next or rewriting our history to
suit their own reality. Just remember that we had the
best year in our Company’s history by a wide
margin in 2015, our per Agent productivity grew (by
8%) to its highest level and way beyond our competition,
and HUNT Mortgage and Network Title had their best
years ever—among other record achievements. Please
take pride in what you have combined to pro-
duce and the record number of customers and
clients you have successfully served.
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4
Agents of the Month
Buffalo November DecemberAkron Cheyanne Seelau Adam BurgAmherst Judy Jack Lewis Judy Jack LewisBuffalo Metropolitan Ellen Daly William AbelsEast Aurora Todd Aichinger Rosa McCabeHamburg Lori Pyanowski Melissa WeidnerKenTon Kim Nemeth Stephanie KarvouniarisLancaster David Gierlinger Jeanine KacalaLewiston Barbara Kivi Anne SmithLockport Lou Faery Chari HimmelsbachOrchard Park Bill Smith Geralyn BonillaWest Seneca Dennis Dargavel Janice MrozWheatfield Jennifer Schreckengost Cheryl PolasikWilliamsville-Clarence Michelle Winer Sharone FrisicaroWilliamsville Village Joe Trifilo
RochesterBrighton-Pittsford Richard Testa Larry MagguilliCanandaigua Dawn Marie Kane Sandi Van CampGreece Richard Orczyk Tod MyersPerinton John Denniston John DennistonWebster Alfred Constantino Vince LoCastro
Central & Northern NY/Carthage WatertownCamillus Dave Manzano Sr. The Crocker TeamCazenovia Thomas Tait Thomas TaitChittenango Amy Burnell Cheryl CaryClinton Mindy Bradley and Jim Lenahan Mindy Bradley and Jim LenahanDeWitt Gaetano Belmonte The CNY Key TeamLiverpool Ray Grzenda Brian MacGormanManlius Gaulin Team Judy WinslowOneida Mary Pat Adams Jeanette DenneyWatertown Jill Rosette Jill RosetteCicero MariRae Dopke Shane Tibbitts
Capital DistrictSaratoga Springs Sheila Brumley Donna MartinLoudonville Dan Lesage Ken ChampagneGlens Falls Jen Ball Kelly HayesSlingerlands Jaime Evans Lucy Sokaris
ArizonaTempe Ken Mayer Scottsdale Kevin Cracolici Jacqueline Higgins
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Buffalo JanuaryAkron Marge TuerkAmherst Kelly PoulosBuffalo Metropolitan The Rob Blake TeamEast Aurora Keith CochraneHamburg Carol Lee RubeckKenTon Elizabeth LallyLancaster Barbara HoyLewiston Barbara KiviLockport Dianne ShawOrchard Park Bill SmithWest Seneca Cynthia StachowskiWheatfield Mark LemkeWilliamsville-Clarence Jim HoffmanWilliamsville Village Bonnie Clement
RochesterBrighton-Pittsford Larry MagguilliCanandaigua Sandi Van CampGreece Richard OrczykPerinton James PeckWebster Vince LoCastro
Central & Northern NY/Carthage WatertownCamillus Beth LostyCazenovia Thomas TaitChittenango Robert FreunschtClinton Mindy Bradley and Jim LenahanDeWitt Chip HodgkinsLiverpool Robert JoeckelManlius Gaulin TeamOneida Sharon KimballWatertown Shirley Litz/Deborah ManningCicero Shane Tibbitts
Capital DistrictSaratoga Springs Ray HendersonLoudonville Joe CarusoneGlens Falls Thomas UlrichSlingerlands Mary Stapleton
ArizonaTempe Christine HartmanScottsdale Wendy Tinker
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● Public Relations exposure on the Luxury Real Estate
blog for your high-end properties
● Networking opportunities with other top real estate
professionals at Luxury Real Estate Conferences (4x per
year)
● Ability to purchase a Featured Property spot on the
LuxuryRealEstate.com homepage and email a pre-
mium property announcement to their global database
of 130,000 members
● Print advertising opportunities in Luxury Real Estate
Magazine and other international publications, includ-
ing: The Wall Street Journal (Regional & International
editions), Unique Homes, and duPont Registry
In the coming weeks, you’ll learn much more about this
exciting new partnership and how to leverage it in your
next listing presentation. In the meantime, if you have
any questions or would like to find out how to start uti-
lizing your member benefits, contact the HUNT
Marketing Department.
HUNT Partners with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate cont.by Dan Mirsky, Director of Marketing
Introducing...The HUNT DistinctiveProperties Programby Dan Mirsky, Director of Marketing
From exquisite lakefront properties to ultra-sophisticated city homes to sprawling country estates, the marketing of
a luxury listing can be significantly more involved and demanding than a conventional home - and the sellers of
these special properties expect only the best.
Our recently announced partnership with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate and LuxuryRealEstate.com enables
us to showcase our top properties to a global audience of qualified buyers. To further establish HUNT as the luxury
real estate firm of choice, and you as the preeminent luxury real estate expert in your marketplace, we have developed
the HUNT Distinctive Properties marketing program, exclusively for properties priced above $500,000.
7
When you enroll your listing in the HUNT Distinctive Properties program, you will receive the
following marketing benefits:
DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES MARKETING PLAN
• Customized Seller Select presentation specifically tailored to your client’s property
HUNT DISTINCTIVE PROPERTIES YARD SIGN & NAME RIDER
• Special yard sign designating your property as a member of our exclusive luxury home marketing program
• Custom sign rider with your name
EXCEPTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY*
• This is an agent-paid expense and required for inclusion in the HUNT Distinctive Properties
Program. Contact HUNT Marketing for Approved Photographers.
• Professional photography is required to ensure every aspect of your property shows brilliantly in all marketing -
both online and offline
ENHANCED WEB PRESENCE
• All HUNT Distinctive Properties automatically appear on LuxuryRealEstate.com - The Internet’s #1 search site
for Luxury Properties (starting the week of 2/29/16)
• Exclusive promotion on the Distinctive Properties section of the HUNT website
ONLINE ADVERTISING
• Featured property ad in our HUNT Distinctive Properties Magazine
• Marketing exposure via the HUNT Real Estate social media channels
OPTIONAL ITEMS**
For these unique properties, we suggest you take advantage of the following:
• Staging Consultation
• Aerial Photography
• Distinctive Property brochures and/or postcards from Xpressdocs
• LuxuryRealEstate.com print advertising programs in international publications, including: The Wall Street
Journal (Regional & International editions), Unique Homes, duPont Registry, and Luxury Real Estate Magazine
Even your most discerning clients will be impressed by the exceptional level of attention and exposure in marketing
their unique property through the HUNT Distinctive Properties Program. To have your listing considered
for this program, contact your Branch Director or the HUNT Marketing Department.
* Ad Bank dollars may be used to pay for photography
** Optional Items are an agent-paid expense
8
HUNT Mortgageby Linda Mallia, President of HUNT Mortgage
A Look Ahead
Now that we have had a chance to celebrate our past year’s success with our employees and our
agents, put TRID and a new software implementation in the rear view mirror, we look forward to
another record breaking year.
It appears that interest rates are going to remain relatively stable and mortgage financing readily
available to qualified buyers. While inventory will remain the wild card, there appears to be no major
obstacles or red flags on the horizon.
Of course, even stable rates can be a different picture than we have seen in the past five years where
it seemed rates did nothing but go down. Stablity could lead to further complacency, but steady in-
creases in rates could push the fence sitters into the market. In either case, multiple offers will likely
remain a challenge for buyers and Realtors alike. While we normally like to introduce a new mort-
gage program each year, we decided that the Pre-Purchase Commitment program remains fully rel-
evant and important in the 2016 market. Last year, we added a $1,000 guarantee to sellers – if our
Pre-Purchase Commitment fell apart (except for reasons outside our control), we would give the seller
a check for $1,000. To date, we’ve never had to make good on that guarantee as we continue to fully
and carefully underwrite all of the Pre-Purchase Commitment loans in our pipeline, resulting in a
buyer that is as close to cash as we can get them without actually handing them a bag of money!
For more information about the Pre-Purchase program, or to have your clients apply, contact your
HUNT Mortgage Consultant.
Kelly Spurlock was promoted to the Branch Direc-
tor position in the HUNT Lancaster Branch on Jan-
uary 18, 2016. Congratulations Kelly!
The Buffalo Metropolitan office was so busy during the holiday season, that we
didn't have our Holiday Party until early February! We all had a great time
celebrating at Foundry Lounge on Elmwood. Here is to another great year in Buf-
falo real estate!
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News Around the Regions
Buffalo/Niagara
Niagara County branches
Lewiston, Lockport and
Wheatfield enjoyed their holiday
season, as well, with many celebra-
tions.
10
Out with the old and in with the New Year! Rochester agents are gearing up forthe spring market. Managers are already hearing reports from agents in the field thatmultiple offers are in full swing! In response to that, the management team has decidedto offer up some additional training to the newer agents who are about to enter their 1stspring market. On the docket are “Field Trips”(idea adopted from the Buffalo Region),review of listing paperwork & presentation skills and strategies on how to navigate yourclient in the multiple offer world.
We have big goals this year and it will take every agent in the region to help us achievethem. We have some new power backing us with the addition of the Hornell and Alfredoffices. Please join us in welcoming our newest members to the region. We are excitedto have you all onboard!
Mark your calendars for our 10th Annual Egg HUNT!Everyone is invited to attend and, of course, we welcomeany volunteers. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March19th at Kings Bend Park in Pittsford. Proceeds from theevent go to the Ronald McDonald Foundation.
Rochester
We are pleased to announce that Mark Phoenix has joined ourteam in the Capital Region as Branch Director of the soon-to-be opened Clifton Park office. He will also be our RegionalTraining Director. Mark’s immediate responsibilities will includeestablishing the new branch office together with assembling a teamof agents that reflect the HUNT Core Values of “Being the best inthe marketplace we serve.”
Mark comes to HUNT with 30 years of practical experience in residential real estate,serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Coldwell Banker Prime Properties.He has expertise in branch management, training, coaching and has experience in im-plementing new initiatives and technology.
Please welcome Mark to our company. He may be reached at 518-496-9313 [email protected]
Capital
We had an amazing time at our West
Seneca Agent Appreciation night!
With 22 of us in attendance we Painted
with a Twist and had a blast. It was an
evening of fun and just enjoying our-
selves while trying something new.
Buffalocont.
News Around the Regions cont.
11
News Around the Regions cont.
Would you love to participate in an active workshop that can actually bring you
leads before you even leave the training room? That is the concept behind
CNY’s new “Incubator” training—a new series of workshops where you will
either come away with leads or gain the tools to acquire leads. Held in the Liv-
erpool training center and led by CNY Regional Training Coordinator, Jeanette
Denney, these workshops are being touted by experienced agents and newbies
alike. It is all about building your business and making you money.
“In a 30-minute session in which we called our COI, I was able to get three ap-
pointments… I intend to go to every one of the workshops! They are invalu-
able,” says Patsy Scala, Associate Broker from our Manlius office.
Agent Peg Schick agrees, “Jeanette is amazing, as are my fellow REALTORS.
Everyone works together sharing their successes.”
When you attend these workshops, you do not simply listen to a lecture, you
are an active participant, placing cold calls, contacting prospects or working on
your sales skills. Topics range from prospecting FSBOs and Expireds to per-
fecting your listing presentation and creating a strong presence on social media.
Jeanette Denney does not just teach these classes—she has lived the lessons. Be-
sides her role as Training Coordinator, Jeanette is a top-producing agent from
our Oneida office. She has restarted her real estate business three times in com-
pletely different geographical areas and achieved great success using the very
tools she is teaching in these workshops.
It is a safe environment away from distractions to put into action strategies to
increase your business, Jeanette says, “We share a wealth of information and
expertise - and it is fun! We are all learning together.”
Central & Northern NY
Welcome to HUNT!
We would like to welcome the following newly licensed agents from across the company:
Patrick O’Keefe - Scottsdale
Lorraine Kowalski - Amherst
Debra Harrison - Amherst
Kimberly Mankowski - KenTon
Lori Stearns - KenTon
Cyndal Smith - KenTon
Alyssa Karcher - Lancaster
Sandra Ciliberto - Lockport
Joseph Young - Buffalo Metropolitan
Remy Rizzo - Wheatfield
Elonda Isbell - Brighton/Pittsford
Stefanie Baker - Brighton/Pittsford
Christiana Matos - Brighton/Pittsford
Donald Falzarano - Hornell/Alfred
Eric Shaw - Webster
Nikki Henry - Liverpool
Christine Neupert - Manlius
Tammy Startiff - Amherst
Mitchell Lyons - Scottsdale
Gloria Destefanis - Clinton
JeDawn Kennedy - Amherst
Valerie Ferguson - Liverpool
Marc Ruettimann - Metropolitan
Heather Cluckey - KenTon
Deborah Cavanagh - Manlius
JoAnn Jones - Camillus
April Seney - Rensselaer
Eldrie Anderson - Brighton/Pittsford
Robert Suhr - Brighton/Pittsford
Michael Satter - Perinton
Brian Cheverie - Buffalo Metropolitan
Alexander Mintskovsky - Manlius
Jennifer Dowdell - Williamsville/Clarence
William Schimpf - Williamsville/Clarence
Lawrence Mlejnek - Greece
Shana Smolinsky - Dewitt
Viktoriya Khomenko - Scottsdale
Patricia Rossi - Manlius
Erin Wightman - Oneida
We would also like to welcome the following experienced agents fromacross the company:
John Sciuto - Buffalo Metropolitan
Sharon Martin - Wheatfield
Barbara Neri - Wheatfield
Stephen Hiter - Glens Falls
Garry Britton - Brighton/Pittsford
Debra Raup - Brighton/Pittsford
Gloria Bucher - Canandaigua
David Marnell - Dewitt
Seth Homer - Clinton
Bryan Brooks - Brighton/Pittsford
Mark Phoenix - Slingerlands
Albert Stephens - Scottsdale
Relocationby Mary Croglio, Director of Relocation
Excellent Service + Cash Back Rewards = On the House®
A number of our agents have been actively working with our corporate clients providing outstanding service, as well as very attractive cash
back rewards to employees that are members of our On the House program. Since the start of the 2016 fiscal year, On the House employees
have received almost $8,000 in cash back rewards thanks to Beatrice Dunwoodie and a fine group of committed agents. Our agents have
earned almost $42,000 in commissions during this time, as well. Agents assisted employees from Verizon, The Rochester Executive Association,
Ingram Micro, Ryder Truck, The Buffalo Executive Association, Kaleida Health and Univera Healthcare to name few. Barbara Hoy, in par-
ticular, has had a long, productive relationship with the employees at Verizon - and these employees have certainly benefited from Barbara’s
stellar service and the cash back benefit. Paul Heaslip, Gerri Normandin, Stephanie Fiorentino, Bev Gaglio, Jasmine Biggins, Melissa Eye-
ington and Joanne Roberts all participated in the program, closed properties this quarter, and made certain that their customers received
outstanding service and their reward benefits. We have other agents that have helped us develop accounts and we truly appreciate all the
help and dedication bringing this benefit to some of our local businesses. We are looking forward to expanding our footprint in all regions
so companies and our agents can take advantage of this valuable offering.