The Leasing Experts, a leader in development marketing, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Howard Hanna Rand Realty, one of the nation’s largest and most respected real estate brands. This collaboration will set a new standard for development marketing, combining The Leasing Experts’ innovative approach with Howard Hanna’s extensive network and national presence.

A Partnership for Growth and Excellence
This partnership represents a bold step forward in The Leasing Experts’ mission to elevate the lease-up process and expand its reach into key markets. By aligning with Howard Hanna, The Leasing Experts gains access to unparalleled resources and market insights, positioning the company for continued growth in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and beyond.

“This partnership is a game-changer,” said David Cortez, Founder of The Leasing Experts. “Partnering with the Howard Hanna development team and collaborating allows us to take this vision to the next level by combining our expertise with the trust and scale of a national brand. Together, we’re setting a new benchmark for the industry.”

Matthew Rand, CEO of Howard Hanna Rand Realty, added, “We are thrilled to partner with The Leasing Experts. Their innovative approach to development marketing perfectly complements our commitment to delivering exceptional service and results to our clients. This collaboration is a tremendous opportunity to enhance the value we bring to developers and property owners, and we look forward to achieving great things together.”

The Leasing Experts Advantage
Known for its focus on high-velocity leasing, data-driven marketing, and performance-driven results, The Leasing Experts brings a proven track record of success, including:

• Over $1 billion in leasing transactions completed.
• Expertise in onboarding new developments and optimizing performance for existing properties.
• Proprietary AI-driven tech and tools that enable developers to position their properties with precision and maximize ROI.

With Howard Hanna’s extensive reach and reputation as a trusted industry leader, this partnership will enable The Leasing Experts to scale its operations and bring its innovative approach to an even broader audience of developers, lenders, and property owners.

Howard Hanna Rand Realty is pleased to announce that the highly acclaimed Gino Bello Homes Team has joined its Scarsdale office. Led by Gino Bello and Gerry Magnarelli, the team brings over two decades of exceptional real estate experience and a proven track record of success in Westchester County.

The Gino Bello Team, recognized as the #1 Real Estate Sales Team in White Plains and Greater White Plains by Houlihan Lawrence in 2023, has successfully closed over 1,600 transactions in the past 20 years. The team operating under the Hanna Luxury brand includes accomplished real estate professionals Daniel Cezimbra, Vincent Caiola, and Georgette Fryburg, supported by Operations Manager Lina Tinelli.

“Joining Howard Hanna Rand Realty represents an exciting new chapter for our team,” said Gino Bello, Team Leader. “Our decision was driven by our commitment to providing the highest level of service to our clients. The company’s innovative technology, marketing resources, and strong leadership align perfectly with our vision for growth while maintaining the personalized attention our clients have come to expect.”

Matt Rand, CEO of Howard Hanna Rand Realty, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “The addition of the Gino Bello Team to our Scarsdale office significantly enhances our presence in Westchester County. Their reputation for integrity, exceptional customer service, and consistent results make them a perfect fit for our organization. We’re thrilled to support their continued success and growth.”

“We are excited to welcome such an industry leader in Westchester and Connecticut”, said JP Endres Scarsdale Office Manager.  “Their proven track record, deep market knowledge, and commitment to client service exemplify the values we champion at Howard Hanna Rand Realty.  Their presence will further strengthen our position as a leading real estate firm in Westchester County and growth of our Hanna Luxury division. I am thrilled to be collaborating with this dynamic team and be apart of their expansion and growth”

The team has been featured as “Face of Westchester Real Estate” by Westchester Magazine from 2019 to 2023 and has received numerous industry accolades, including recognition among America’s Best Real Estate Agents by Real Trends.

As snowflakes dance through the crisp air and landscapes transform into pristine white canvases, winter beckons us to explore its enchanting offerings. From snow-covered trails to warm indoor sanctuaries, our region comes alive with seasonal charm and endless possibilities for adventure.

The Wonder of Winter

Winter is a season of warmth and wonder, where snow-covered landscapes inspire adventure and cozy nights invite relaxation. Whether you’re sipping hot cocoa by a crackling fire or enjoying a brisk outdoor event, winter offers moments to cherish. Let’s make the most of it together!

Warm Up with Our Featured Recipe: Spiced Apple Cider

Before we explore the winter wonderland awaiting you, let’s start with a comforting drink to warm your soul. This classic spiced apple cider recipe is perfect for warming up after a day of winter activities.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups apple cider
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 whole star anise
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot
2. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Strain spices and serve warm
4. For an extra touch, garnish with a cinnamon stick or orange slice

Regional Winter Activities Guide

New York

Orange County

Embrace outdoor adventures at Bear Mountain Ice Rink, where skating beneath the open sky creates magical winter memories. For thrill-seekers, Mount Peter offers exhilarating snow tubing, while Storm King State Park and Goosepond Mountain State Park provide serene winter hiking and snowshoeing opportunities.

Putnam County

Fahnestock State Park becomes a winter paradise, offering both challenging hikes and peaceful snowshoe tours. Ice fishing enthusiasts can test their skills at Canopus Lake, where the frozen waters promise a unique outdoor experience.

Rockland County

Winter doesn’t stop the vibrant community spirit at Nyack Winter Farmers Market. The Palisades Center Ice Rink provides indoor skating fun, while Rockland Lake State Park offers peaceful winter bird watching opportunities.

Westchester County

Ward Pound Ridge Reservation transforms into a winter sports haven, perfect for cross-country skiing and stargazing. Art enthusiasts can explore winter exhibits at Katonah Museum of Art, while families enjoy sledding at Croton Gorge Park. Don’t miss the fascinating maple sugaring tours at Muscoot Farm.

Bronx County

The Bronx Zoo offers unique winter wildlife observation opportunities, while the iconic Yankee Stadium transforms into an ice skating destination. Warm up with delicious traditional Italian fare during Arthur Avenue Winter Food Tours.

Ulster County

Experience world-class skiing and snowboarding at Belleayre Mountain, or immerse yourself in culture during Woodstock’s winter art walks. Mohonk Preserve’s guided snowshoe tours offer intimate experiences with nature.

New Jersey

Bergen County

Discover the beauty of winter walks in Palisades Interstate Park, or perfect your skating skills at Winter Wonderland in Paramus.

Essex County

Turtle Back Zoo’s winter animal encounters offer unique wildlife experiences, while South Mountain Reservation provides scenic winter trails.

Morris County

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge reveals its winter charm through hiking trails, while Loantaka Brook Reservation welcomes cross-country skiing enthusiasts.

Passaic County

Step back in time with Lambert Castle winter tours, or explore the snow-covered trails of Garrett Mountain.

Connecticut

Fairfield County

Devil’s Den Preserve offers peaceful winter hiking, while adventurous souls can try winter kayaking on the Saugatuck River. Stamford Museum & Nature Center provides educational winter programs for all ages.

We wanted to explain to you the issues that have developed with the new compensation systems in real estate transactions. Because of a recent litigation settlement by the National Association of REALTORS, all brokers have had to make some changes in the way that we structure compensation for services to our clients.

First, though, we wanted to tell you what has NOT changed.  At Howard Hanna, we have always prided ourselves on providing all our clients — whether they are buyers, sellers, tenants, or landlords – with true fiduciary representation of their best interests.  What does that mean?

• We always act in your best interests to get you the most favorable deal possible.
• We are always loyal to you over anyone else in a transaction.
• We keep all your private information confidential.
• We fully disclose anything we know about your deal to you.
• We obey you when you direct or instruct us.
• We keep careful accounts of any monies you entrust to us.

None of this is changing. We have always acted in your best interests, and we will always do so.

So what is changing?  Simply put, what’s changing is how we get paid for our services. Traditionally, listing brokers signed agreements with sellers providing that the seller would pay the broker a commission when and if the house sold, usually a percentage of the selling price.  Then, to market the home to the rest of the local brokerage industry, the listing brokers would make an “offer of compensation” to agents representing buyers, offering to split that commission with the buyer agents if they successfully helped sell the home.  The commission would then normally be paid out of the proceeds of the sale – the buyer and the buyer’s lender would give the seller the purchase price for the home, and the seller would take the commission out of those proceeds and pay both the listing broker and the buyer’s broker.

But the system had some problems that have now been addressed.  One problem was that the National Association of REALTORS, through the local MLS, mandated that sellers make an offer of compensation to buyer agents. The sellers didn’t have a choice.  They had to offer something.  Conversely, buyers had limited choices as well, because they never had a direct opportunity to negotiate the commission for their buyer’s agent.  The “offer of compensation” to buyer agents was decided by the seller and the listing broker in their contract, before anyone even knew who the buyer would be.  Maybe the buyer didn’t want to pay their buyer agent as much as the seller was offering – they didn ‘t have that choice.

Indeed, buyers sometimes misunderstood that the services they received from their buyer’s agent – fiduciary advice and confidentiality, screening properties, scheduling and guiding showings, negotiating the deal, and managing the transaction through the closing – they misunderstood that all those services were free, since they didn’t have to pay “out-of-pocket” for them. But they still paid for those services; they just paid them through the seller out of the proceeds of the sale.

That’s part of what those lawsuits were about – giving buyers and sellers more choices and more clarity about their compensation arrangements with their agents.  And that’s what the settlement now provides.  Accordingly, starting this summer, you’re going to have some new choices to make, whether you’re a buyer or a seller. If you’re a buyer, you can decide how you wish to compensate your buyer agent.  And if you’re a seller, you can decide whether you’re going to make an offer of compensation to buyer’s agents – and how much to offer.

So what should you think about when making those choices?

For Buyers

If you’re a buyer, you should think your options for paying your buyer’s agent.  The one benefit of the old system was that the commissions were all paid out of the proceeds of the sale.  Buyers paid compensation to their buyer’s agent, but they almost never had to come “out of pocket.”.  Instead, they essentially got to finance that commission over 30 years through their mortgage.  They paid the seller the purchase price, and the seller took part of that purchase price and paid the agents.  Now, with the system changing, you need to understand the options in front of you.

So what do you need to know now?

First, you will need to sign a representation agreement with your buyer’s agent.  Under the settlement, the agreement is now a legal requirement, because we now need to confirm the terms of our representation of your interests.  In that agreement, we’ll disclose our legal obligations to you, and the limits of our representation, and you’ll be able to negotiate the compensation terms directly with your agent.  After all,  your agent still deserves to get paid for the services they’re providing to you even if the seller isn’t making an unconditional offer of compensation.

Second, you should be aware that you don’t necessarily have to come out of pocket to pay your agent.  We realize that most buyers take on a lot of financial obligations when they purchase a home, and might have difficulty paying that buyer agent compensation directly.  But your agent will use every effort to structure your deal so that you can pay that compensation out of the proceeds of the deal, rather than coming out of pocket.

We can do that in one of two ways:

1. We believe many sellers are going to continue to make offers of compensation to buyer’s agents. Even though the offer is no longer required, most sellers understand how tough it is for buyers to come out of pocket for the buyer side compensation, and they’ll offer a concession to take that obligation off your hands.  It’s no different than if they offered to pay some points toward reducing your mortgage rate, or if they threw in furniture, or any other concession – the seller is allowed to offer you attractive terms for buying the home.  And picking up the cost of your buyer’s agent is a very attractive term.

2. If the seller is not offering compensation, we can still shift your obligation to the seller in the offer to purchase. We just need to make your offer conditional on the seller paying your buyer agent’s compensation. For example, an offer of $500,000 where you have a 3% (as an example) buyer agent compensation obligation would become an offer of roughly $515,000, with the seller rebating $15,000 back to you as a concession to pay your buyer’s agent.  It’s the same offer, just structured to allow you to roll the commission into the purchase price and finance it with your loan – rather than come out of pocket.  Indeed, these “conditional offers” are likely to become common practice in the industry, to prevent situations where buyers refuse to consider homes that don’t make offers of compensation because they don’t want to have to come out of pocket to pay their agent.

Third, we want to warn you about foregoing a buyer’s agent and purchasing directly from the listing agent.  We know that some of our clients are going to consider doing this, because they think they might save some money.  That’s your choice, but just realize what you’re giving up.  When you have a buyer’s agent, particularly with Howard Hanna, you get a fiduciary representative who is legally required to look out for your best interests, to get you the best possible terms on your deal, to give you the best possible experience.  These are the same types of fiduciary duties that you get from attorneys.

Just remember that if you go directly to the listing agents on a property, you’re going to be totally unrepresented.  No one is working for you. Listing agents are fiduciaries of the seller. They’re legally required to get the best possible deal for their seller, not for you.  That’s their job.  You might be thinking that you’re saving money not hiring a buyer’s agent, but you never know how much a great agent could save you through negotiating the purchase price, handling problems with the inspection, overcoming transactional delays, and managing all the other complicated aspects of home purchases.

That’s why we really recommend that you hire a buyer’s agent when you’re purchasing a home.  If you don’t have a buyer’s agent, then buying a house is like buying a car.  Think about it:

• First, when you buy a car, you don’t have someone who can take you to see everything on the market. Instead, you have to go from dealer to dealer, all by yourself, without anyone to help you screen and sort your preferences.

• Second, when you’re negotiating the price of the car, you get zero information about what similar cars have sold for. You’re flying blind. But when you buy a home, your agent can get you all the information on any recent relevant sales in the market, so you can prepare the right offer.

• Finally, at every dealership, you don’t get someone who’s your fiduciary to represent you. Far from it — you’re working directly with someone whose job it is to make the best possible deal for their boss.  And you’re not their boss!

Yes, you can work on your own.  But why would you do that to yourself?

For Sellers

If you’re a seller, you can decide whether you’re going to make an offer of compensation to buyer’s agents – and how much to offer. You don’t have to offer anything if you don’t want to.  But as we discuss earlier in relation to buyer options, you might find that making an concession to buyers to cover the costs of their buyer agents will be an attractive feature.  If you don’t pay the buyer agent’s compensation out of the proceeds of the sale, then that buyer will have to come out of pocket to pay their agent, which might be difficult for buyers who are already stretching to come up with a down payment, lender’s fees, and other closing costs.

That’s why you should strongly consider making an offer of compensation.  It’s just an attractive feature you might offer a buyer to incentivize them to make an offer, similar to concessions like paying for some closing costs, paying down a mortgage so they can get a better rate, throwing in furniture, and things like that.

Indeed, even if you don’t make an offer of compensation, you might find that buyers will present offers that are contingent on you covering their obligation to pay their buyer’s agent.  For example, if you’re not making an offer of compensation, a buyer who has a buyer agreement requiring them to pay their buyer agent 3% (as an example) might be willing to pay $500,000 for your home, but they’ll structure their offer so that it’s roughly for $515,000, with a condition that you pay that 3% or make a $15,000 concession to them in the purchase price.  It’s the same offer, just structured to allow them to roll the commission into the purchase price and finance it with their loan – rather than come out of pocket.  Indeed, these “conditional offers” are likely to become common practice in the industry, to ensure that buyers who don’t want to come out of pocket to pay their agents will still consider listings that do not make offers of compensation.

Conclusion

Finally, two last thoughts we wanted to share.  First, we want you to know all commissions, whether on the list side or the buy side, are fully negotiable.  They’re not set by state law, or by the industry. You are free to negotiate them with either your listing or your buyer agent.

Second, we want you to know that all our agents are always going to provide you with fiduciary representation, looking out for your best interests and working to get you your best deal possible. You deserve nothing less, so don’t accept anything less.

We hope you found this explainer helpful. If you have any further questions, you should ask your Howard Hanna agent, or get in touch with us at our corporate headquarters.  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you on your purchase, or sale, of your home.