The Governor signed Executive Order #128 that allows tenants to use their security deposit to pay their monthly rent. Click on the below link to read a short explanation of the Executive Order

REALTORS should understand this Executive Order for their deals that are active listings or pending a closing. Use this as an opportunity to call your property owners and explain the order. It will give you another reason for consumers to understand why they should use a REALTORS

Tenants are allowed to use their security deposit to pay their monthly rent. This is regardless, if the tenant continues to be employed or the tenant is a multi-millionaire.

We have three examples of the Executive Order for when the security deposit account needs to be replenished.

1) If the lease is renewed during Public Health Emergency:
The security deposit account needs to be replenished within 6 months after the Public Health Emergency has been lifted.

2) If the lease is renewed after the Public Health Emergency has been lifted:
The security deposit account needs to be replenished upon signing the new lease.

3) Month to Month tenants:
The account should be replenished on the first month after the Public Health Emergency has been lifted but you may have some that could be practicing law without having a law license claim the tenant has 6 months after the Public Health Emergency.

Please keep in mind that this information is updated every evening and may take up to 24 hours to reflect recent claim activity.

*If your claim status is "filed" and there is a dollar amount in the WBR field, you should certify for benefits according to the posted schedule on myunemployment.nj.gov.

*If your claim status is "filed" and there is a zero in the WBR field, more wage information is needed to process your claim. Please check your Inbox for an email from e-Adjudication or for an appointment for a telephone interview in the mail to request more information.

*If your claim status is "pending", additional information or a claims agent's review is needed to process your claim. Please check your Inbox for an email from e-Adjudication or for an appointment for a telephone interview in the mail to request more information.

*If your claim status is blank, we do not have a claim on record for you at this time. Please visit myunemployment.nj.gov to file a claim.

Members requiring help with Union City Fire Prevention Bureau should email fireprevention@ucnj.com

Electronic Notary Bill SIGNED!!

A notary public would be authorized to perform a notarial act for a remotely located resident if the notary has: personal knowledge of their identity; satisfactory knowledge of the person's identity by oath or affirmation from a credible witness; and uses at least two different types of identity as proof to obtain satisfactory evidence of the person.

The notary public would also be required to make an audio-visual recording of the exchange and verify the remote records, among other security measures.

The bill would take effect immediately and expire upon rescission of Executive Order No. 103 by the Governor, which declared a state of emergency in New Jersey in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorneys, clerks and judges can do this also.

The NJ Department of Labor just released two documents on Independent Contractor Unemployment and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Click here for information on filing for Unemployment

Click here to view Common Questions and Answers about the Federal Cares Act

We have received many calls and emails since we sent out the email yesterday about Unemployment Insurance. We are going to try to clarify some information.

Independent Contractors must complete the traditional unemployment application. You will receive a email or a letter letting you know that they will get back to you within 14 days. Once your claim is processed you will receive a denial letter or email. You will need this denial letter in order to apply for the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

Make sure you answer all the questions on the traditional
unemployment to the best of your knowledge and be honest.
The goal is to get the denial letter/email.

The state is saying that the PUA feature should be available on their website by April 10th. We do not know exactly what the qualifications for salespeople or brokers will be on the PUA application. We only know you need the denial letter.

Click here to apply for Unemployment.

Reminder: The Liberty Board will be hosting a Live Webinar on Monday April 6th at 12pm. Questions have to be submitted in advance in the Members Only section of RMLSNJ.com, MLSGuide.com or Libertyboardofrealtors.com

Like our Facebook and Instagram @libertyboardofrealtors for Coronavirus Updates and Tips for REALTORS, Buyers and Sellers.

Independent Contractors must apply for traditional unemployment benefits before they can apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

Independent Contractors will be denied for the traditional UI, but that denial is a prerequisite for the PUA

We do not know yet what the qualifications for both salespeople and brokers will be. No matter who you are it is best to try, then to ignore this possible benefit.

Click here to apply for Unemployment

Reminder: The Liberty Board will be hosting a Live Webinar on Monday April 6th at 12pm. Questions have to be submitted in advance in the Members Only section of RMLSNJ.com, MLSGuide.com or Libertyboardofrealtors.com

Like our Facebook Page for Coronavirus Updates and Tips for REALTORS, Buyers and Sellers.

Joe Hottendorf, Executive Vice President of the Liberty Board of REALTORS will be hosting a membership Webinar on Monday April 6, 2020 12pm

During this webinar Joe Hottendorf will be answering questions from the membership about the current Health Emergency and the issues REALTORS are dealing with. Members should submit questions in advance by logging into the Members Only section of RMLSNJ.com, MLSguide.com or LibertyBoardofRealtors.com

Click here to join the webinar

Webinar links will also be posted on the Members Only section of RMLSNJ.com, MLSguide.com and LibertyBoardofRealtors.com

We will try to answer as many questions as we can. The webinar will be recorded for all those that can't attend live.

Like the Liberty Board on Facebook and Instagram @libertyboardofrealtors We will be posting Coronavirus Updates and tips for REALTORS, Buyers and Sellers

We are all waiting to hear from NAR to explain to us how we will qualify for the SBA Loan/Grant program and the unemployment insurance for our salespeople.

I contacted a few accountants and the most common answer I received was DO NOT GO ON THE SBA web site to apply. Instead, wait for Friday and contact your bank. We have been told the program brokers will want is the PPP program and it only works through the bank, even though it's overseen by the SBA.

The SBA loan APP is a tedious and a slower process. The PPP process is minimal paperwork and fast (THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS). Every accountant I spoke to advised it is best to deal DIRECTLY with the bank, not the SBA APP or Web Site. Also be prepared with copies of your expenses. including salaries, lease agreement(s), mortgage information, utilities, office supplies, internet cost, plus anything you can think of.

I took the initiative not to wait until Friday and called our bank. They told me they do not have any information yet but took my name and number and promised to call me once they begin accepting applications. All news reports indicate you will receive the check within days. Congress most likely did not budget enough money for this program to be used by all small companies in America. “So, the early bird will get the worm”

Who knows if what I did was correct while waiting for NAR’s report, but I felt it best to pass on this information to our Brokers.

At this time, Realtors® who have opted to apply for unemployment should not apply until New Jersey makes specific Pandemic Unemployment Assistance available. We will notify members when the application is live on the NJ Department of Labor's website.

You and your salespeople should continue to follow President Trump’s Coronavirus Advisory Task Force guidelines to be safe not just for you but for all those that you love!

Always remember, WE ARE AMERICANS, WE WIN EVERY CHALLENGE!

The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance issued Bulletin 20-09, concerning allowing virtual classroom for many courses and testing including those for new salespeople and broker-salespeople only during the State of Emergency Authorized by Executive Order 103.

For more information click here

BROKERS: Effective immediately and until further notice, all notices, inquiries, and correspondence, must be submitted electronically by email, to the appropriate contacts listed below, rather than by courier, overnight, mail or fax.

All submissions and inquiries should be directed by e-mail to relic@dobi.nj.gov with copy to: Gwendolyn Cobb, Supervisor of Licensing and Education, 609-292-7272 or 609-940-7373 Gwendolyn.Cobb@dobi.nj.gov

Yesterday Governor Murphy clarified information regarding Real Estate offices and what is permitted during the Coronavirus Health Emergency.

OPEN HOUSES ARE PROHIBITED!

Brokers can open their offices, but are required to follow the social distance guidelines that are set in place by the CDC and the State of New Jersey. You are also required to allow your agents and staff to work from home if possible.

Showings are permitted on a one-on-one basis

Reminder: If a listing can not be shown because of the National Emergency, it can remain Active but it is a requirement to indicate such in both the Advertising and Brokers Remarks. Check with other MLS to see how they are handling this during the National Emergency.

The Trump Corovavirus aid package includes allowing REALTORS to apply for unemployment and owners of small companies to apply for a loan that could turn into a grant if the small company owner meets certain requirements.

What we don’t know is the details of these two programs.

It will be first come first serve for the $380 billion made available. We suggest brokers who own their company be prepared to make sure your application is accepted in the first round of the funding available. We don’t know what paperwork will be needed to approve the application, but we do know it is a government program. They may ask for copies of your lease, telephone bills, employee payroll, etc.

We are aware that many of our members have questions about the Coronavirus Bill that was signed by President Trump. As soon as we have a breakdown of what exactly this relief bill includes and how our members will be able to access these benefits we will email the membership.

Click here to view the National Association of REALTORS website which outlines some of the major provisions of this bill.

Continue to check the Liberty website and our Facebook Pages for updates.

For those REALTORS that need approval for a rental or sale from a municipality please click on the link below to view a statement made by the Division of Fire Safety Bureau of Fire Code Enforcement in the Department of Community Affairs

Click here to view the Fire Bureau Letter

If you are having trouble with municipal Certificate of Occupancy and Fire Inspections or title and deeds on the county level, please email news@njrealtor.com

During the Coronavirus Pandemic, the RMLS Paragon system is allowing members to add links to their Virtual Tours in the Advertising Remarks.

Those virtual tours posted in Advertising Remarks may not contain any personal or company information, nor can link names or the websites they forward to include the company or agent's name.

Virtual Tours that are used in the Brokers Remarks can have the company information because that is not made public or syndicated to other websites.

Reminder: Photos are not allowed to have copyright, watermarks, trademarks, logos or links to other websites printed on them.

The first violation of this temporary rule for virtual tours or the photo rules will be suspension of loading listings or making changes to your listings until the health emergency is over. If you made a mistake and loaded unauthorized photo(s) or video(s) please remove them ASAP.

Once this health emergency is over, we will return to not allowing virtual tours or links in the advertising remarks and we will ask our members to remove the ones they added during this time

The State Association (NJ REALTORS) is attempting to get clarification on what restrictions will be placed on REALTORS.

We advise all members to continue to adhere to the CDC and Government Recommendations to keep yourself and the people around you safe and healthy.

We have set up a special section on the Liberty Board website with all the latest information. You can also like us on FaceBook.

We will continue to keep our membership updated as needed.

Letter to the Governor's Office

During this National Emergency REALTORS should keep their buyers and sellers interested in the importance of owning real estate. We have some tips and changes in our rules during this period. Read each of the subjects below but most important keep safe and healthy

Changes to Rules

1. If a listing can not be shown because of the National Emergency, it can remain Active but it is a requirement to indicate such in both the Advertising and Brokers Remarks.
2. Try to have your sellers sign a Change of Status to extend the listings.
3. Don't be concerned with Days on the Market. Consumers will take into consideration that properties are not being shown during this National Emergency

Tips

1. Have your sellers take videos of their property. Forward those videos to you so that you can upload them into the RMLS Paragon System. All Virtual Tours are shown on MLSGuide.com.
2. This is a good opportunity for you to invite your buyers to sign up for HomeSnap. Remind your buyers that HomeSnap shows 99.9% of our listings, as does MLSGuide.com. Other websites have much less.
3. Listing Fees are charged for only listings located in Hudson County excluding East Newark, Harrison and Kearny. All other counties are FREE.
4. MetroCommercialMLS.com displays all our Commercial/Industrial/Business listings posted on RMLS Paragon System.

With the Coronavirus Health Emergency many owners are not allowing showings. Those listings should be changed from ACTIVE to TOM (Temporary of the market). See below Tips for TOM.

1. When a listing cannot be shown for 5 or more days, members are required to change the status to Temporarily off the Market (TOM). When a listing status is returned to ACTIVE the days on the market are not counted while the status is TOM on Paragon. Note: Most web sites will use listing date to count days on the market.
2. Enter information that the membership needs to know in the Broker’s Remarks.
3. We suggest that before changing the listing to TOM, have the seller sign a Change of Status.
4. While the listing is TOM no one can show the property including the agents in the listing office.
5. The client should be advised when a listing is marked as TOM it will no longer syndicate to websites, this includes MLSGuide.com, IDX websites, REALTOR.COM, Zillow; etc.
6. When the property can be shown members should change the listing status to ACTIVE. We suggest you have the owner sign a change of status and ask to extend the expiration date. Don’t forget to change the Internet feature on Paragon to YES.

Until further notice the HCMLS and Liberty Board of REALTORS offices will be closed.

All communications to our office should be directed by phone or email. If a member needs to purchase or exchange a lock box or any other product that needs to be picked up call the number below. Staff will make sure our members receive the services they need.

MLS: 201-867-1874
Liberty Board: 201-867-4415

We are aware that some members have raised concerns about how to deal with consumers and growing concern over the Corona Virus.

REALTORS should be mindful of their obligations under the Fair Housing Act and be sure not to discriminate against any particular segment of the population.

Frequently asked Question and Answers

Q: Can I ask a consumer if they have recently traveled or have any respiratory illness?
A. Yes, you many ask consumers, but to avoid potential fair housing issues, be sure to ask ALL consumers the same questions based on current information from public health authorities.

Q: Can I refuse to drive consumers to see homes?
A. Yes, but the best way would be to stop driving ALL consumers.

Q: Should I still hold open houses?
A. You should discuss this with the property owner. If you decide to hold open houses and are going to disinfect surfaces before and after, make sure that you are using items that have been approved by the property owner.

Q: As a Designated Broker, what should I do?
A. Designated Brokers should use their best judgment. You may want to consider postponing any in-person meetings or events. In addition, Brokers should have a virtual working plan in place for both salespeople and employees in case you are forced to temporarily close your office.

Everyone should review the FAQ published by the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html and any other health information published by local agencies.

Both the Liberty Board and the RMLS have a plan in place should we need to close our office.