On February 5, 2012 nearly 1,000 people plunged into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  It was a cold sunny day and the crowds started gathering early, all trying to nab the perfect spot to watch their friends, family and perfect strangers strip down and gleefully jump into the ocean.  I was lucky enough to get a front row spot thus being able to shot some videos of the event.

The  Penguin Plunge and the High School Plunge, which took place on the Saturday before the Penguin Plunge,  was able to raise  $688,380 to benefit the Special Olympics New Hampshire!  Great job everyone!

Will I see you there next year?

Video Highlights of The 2012 Penguin Plunge

Reposted from Union Leader

Six weeks may seem like a long time for a job interview, but for people who have found employment through New Hampshire’s Return to Work Initiative, that interview may have been worth every minute.

Last winter, Lisa Eaton suddenly found herself unemployed — she was laid off from her job with a manufacturing company in Manchester. It was during a visit to her local NHWorks office — she went there every day — that she discovered the Return to Work program.

Return to Work matches an unemployed worker with a company that’s looking for help. The worker and the company agree to a no-strings-attached training period of up to 24 hours per week for six weeks. If they qualify for unemployment benefits, the workers can continue to receive that benefit during the training period, which is unpaid by the prospective employer.

“It is my favorite re-employment tool that we have,” said Tara Reardon, commissioner of the Department of Employment Security. “It gives both the job seeker and the employer a chance to see if it’s a good fit. It really works for the business and it really works for the job seekers.”

Since the program was introduced in 2010, 335 people, including Eaton, have found permanent jobs through Return to Work.

We’re Excited To Welcome Brenda Carey To The Verani Family!

A veteran of the real estate and relocation industry for over 28 years, Brenda brings valuable business development and corporate relocation experience to Prudential Verani Realty!

Brenda began her career in relocation at Carlson GMAC Real Estate. There, she worked in all facets of Relocation from REO Properties to Managing the Corporate Home Sale Programs to Internet Leads to later becoming the Director of Relocation for Carlson/Hammond/Kinlin Grover GMAC.

In 2009, Brenda joined William Raveis Relocation-Massachusetts. As the Director of Relocation and Business Development she refined her “hands-on” operational experience in relocation to include:

• Recruitment Assistance
• Policy Development
• Home Sale Programs
• Property Specialist
• Property Management
• Group Moves

Brenda is licensed and holds the CRP certification with Worldwide ERC. She holds a degree from Boston University in Liberal Arts & Political Science and she is also an active supporter of the American Heart Association:

• Chair of Open Your Heart Committee
• Active in the Passion Committee
• Active in the Go Red Committee

Brenda lives in Lynnfield MA and will be based in the Londonderry office. In her free time, she and her husband Bert enjoy spending time with their growing family – two sons, their families which now include four grandsons and two labradoodles!

We’re Excited To Welcome David Costenbader To The Verani Family!

David began his career in real estate as a Business Specialist in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. He is a PGA Golf Professional and has been a Country Club Manager / Membership Director for over twenty years. Knowledgeable with both Florida and New Hampshire Country Club Communities, he has a keen ability to assist buyers and sellers with their real estate needs.

David originally moved from Florida to Nashua, NH in 1993 and in 2004 married his wife Melody and relocated to Stratham, NH. Melody has been doing hair on the seacoast for fifteen years and works at Ciccolini Salon & Day Spa in Greenland, NH. “We both love the coastal shoreline, the quality schools, restaurants and local businesses, but most of all it’s the community that makes it so special.” said David. “The change of seasons and outdoor activities of hiking, skiing, golfing, boating and fishing offers a little something for everyone. The New Hampshire Seacoast is ideally situated between Boston, MA, the White Mountains and the scenic Maine Coastline.”

David’s primary focus will be servicing buyers and sellers in Stratham, Portsmouth, Rye, Exeter, Greenland, North Hampton, Hampton and nearby neighboring towns. He also belongs to the Seacoast Board of Realtors® and the National Association of Realtors.®

”After interviewing with most of the other brand name real estate
companies in the area, I selected Prudential Verani because of their cutting edge technology, training and the professionalism of their agents and managers. Prudential Verani is large enough to provide a wide range of support to our buyers, sellers and agents, yet small enough to care about each one.”

We’re Excited To Welcome Kat Sandholm To The Verani family!

Kat joins Prudential Verani with a lot of ambition and excitement for beginning her new career. She has worked in the veterinary industry for over 16 years, with the last 9 years as a veterinary technician for the Veterinary Emergency Center in Londonderry.

As Kat cultivates her real estate career she will slowly step back as a veterinary technician to fully immerse herself into real estate. “Working in the Emergency Center, you must be ready for anything. The only thing constant is that every shift is different. I believe my ability to adapt to whatever walks in the door will be an asset in my new career as a Realtor.®” Kat is a member of NAR & GSSBR and will serve the Londonderry area.

Kat and her husband Tom had three children; Michael, Tee and Mary. As a family they are very proud to be active within the community – especially with the Jimmy Fund. In 1995, they lost their son Michael to cancer at the age of 8. After receiving chemotherapy and other benefits from the Jimmy Fund, they now support, contribute to and are advocates for the Jimmy Fund with the hope that there will be a cure someday soon!

They are also very involved in the Rockingham County 4H, with a special interest in the horse program. Several years ago Kat organized the Buckin Buddies 4H club. Her daughters, Tee and Mary, now run the club. During the Holidays they actively participate in the Salvation Army Adopt A Family and Angel Tree Programs as well.

“The reason I chose Prudential Verani was the interaction I saw between the people working here. When I was interviewing, I narrowed it down to two prospects – Verani and another company. The other company had a lot of similar offerings, but the choice became clear when I saw Prudential Verani Associates interacting and enjoying each other’s company. They really seemed happy to be working together. After that, my final interview with the other prospect felt cold. That’s when I thought Verani has the people I want to work with.” said Kat.

We’re Excited To Welcome Cheryl Cummings To The Verani Family!

Cheryl is new to the real estate profession, however she does have experience with buying and selling through auctions. She also brings with her a world of experience in customer relations and hospitality from Pennichuck Water Works, The Sheraton Hotel & The Four Seasons Hotel.

“Real estate was just a given due to my extensive experience with helping others. Not only do I enjoy buying and selling myself, I also love the matchmaking aspect of finding the perfect home for the right person. Plus, I wanted to evolve into a career where I worked for myself!” said Cheryl.

As a Nashua Associate, Cheryl looks forward to working with Fine Homes and eventually learning more about the Commercial end of real estate! She will be covering the towns of Hudson, Nashua, Litchfield and Londonderry. She is a member of the Granite State South Board of Realtors® and BNI Networking Group of Nashua.

Currently residing in Hudson, Cheryl is a near-graduate from Rivier College’s MBA program for Business Administration. With nearly a 4.0 GPA and just 3 classes to go, she is thrilled to use all that she has learned and apply it towards the Prudential Verani mission!

Cheryl has 2 very important little men in her life; Patrick (7) & Christian (6.) These little guys keep her very busy with hockey, t-ball and spending time traveling all over New England to the beaches, mountains and more! When she’s not busy with the kids, she enjoys catching up with friends and family!

“I chose to work for Prudential Verani because Tina Hagen, my Managing Broker, is an absolute inspiration. Upon meeting her, I felt that I was “home” and would be well taken care of, supported and eager to participate in all of our success! Prudential Verani is very team oriented and fun – I’m so happy I’m starting off an exciting career in the right place!” said Cheryl.

We’re Excited To Welcome Walter Beede To The Verani Family!

Formerly of Prudential Consoli in Haverhill MA, we are delighted that Walter has joined the Prudential Verani Salem Regional Office! As an experienced sales professional licensed in MA & NH, Walter will be assisting customers throughout Northern Mass and Southern NH. He is also a member of the North Shore Association of Realtors.®

Walter’s passion is working with 1st time home buyers. He has a reputation for going above and beyond with his customers and always providing a satisfying experience. “I consider my clients as my teammates and I refuse to let my team down.” said Walter.

Prior to entering the real estate industry, he sold commercial electrical equipment in Boston. When the construction market slowed down, Walter decided to enter a field where he was his own boss creating his own future. “Real estate was a field I always wanted to be involved in.” said Walter. “Plus it feels good helping people with a major life transition. In my previous career I was just another sales guy, here I play an important role in helping people achieve their dream of home ownership.”

Living in Hudson NH, Walter travels with his “sales dog” Teddy, a lab/german shepherd mix, who is usually in the back seat when he visits properties. When he’s not at work, Walter enjoys surfing, mountain biking, hiking, fishing & snowboarding – and most likely you’ll find Teddy by his side! With fitness being a major focus in Walter’s life, he’s also very involved with Crossfit Nashua, a club that practices an exercise program of constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movements.

“I came to Verani because I saw more Verani for sale signs than any other agency and I wanted to be a part of that! During a fishing tournament up north, I saw Verani signs all around the lake – I thought my ultimate real estate goal would be to sell homes right from my boat.” said Walter.

We’re Excited To Welcome Diane Day To The Verani Family!

Diane joins us with over 10 years of experience, 7+ years as the Owner Operator of Diane Day Realty in Henniker NH. Her extensive knowledge of the Henniker area and surrounding counties of Belknap, Cheshire, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Sullivan and Grafton will be an asset to the Concord Regional Office & Associates.

Specializing in REO, Diane ensures that the process of buying a REO property is handled effectively and quickly for her customers. Coming from a customer service & retail background, Diane has developed a great “quality service” attitude that gives her the ability to truly listen and define her customers’ needs and wants.

Diane is an active member of the Capitol Region Board of Realtors,® National Association of Realtors,® New Hampshire Association of Realtors® and Northern New England Real Estate Network.® She has a BSBA from Southern New Hampshire University and an AS in Accounting from Hesser College.

Diane’s family has resided in Henniker for the past 10 years. In fact, her move there was her FIRST real estate transaction and she has been in real estate ever since! “Mr. Tracy Bragg,” her significant other of 12 years, works for Anderson Equipment as a Product Support Rep. And she also has two beautiful daughters, Alyson 23 and Alyssa 21.

In her spare time Diane enjoys walking Benjamin, her 2 year old Jack Russell / Cairn mix, down the road to visit the farm animals. Although he’s the smallest of them all – weighing in at 7.5 pounds – he barks like he’s the big chief! Diane also enjoys the challenge of shopping for the “best sale price!”

Welcome Diane!

In March of 2011, New Hampshire rolled out a new program to not only improve the marketable skills of the state’s unemployed, but to increase their chances of finding a new job. Part of a three-step plan introduced by Governor John Lynch, The Return to Work Program allows people to continue collecting unemployment while receiving up to 24 hours a week training from a potential employer.

Prudential Verani Realty’s very own Lisa Eaton, now a Londonderry Customer Account Manager, was one of those unemployed individuals who learned about this program from the NH Employment Services and saw an opportunity.

“Presenting my participation in the program seemed like it would be intriguing to my job prospects, since I would appear to be a low-risk candidate, already vetted by the State,” Lisa said. “The job-seeker takes all the initiative in this program in finding opportunities, yet through the program, the State provides a great incentive to employers to provide training. It is win-win.”

“It started with a letter from Lisa who introduced herself and showed interest in working for our company. We set up the interview and really liked what she had to say and thought she may be a great fit for our needs,” said Ruth Palitka, Controller. “For the first six weeks we had her in the office doing orientation and familiarizing herself with our company and how we do business, and the State continued to pay her unemployment wages. She was very diligent with her duties so we put together a job description for a Customer Account Manager position and timeline to fulfill her training.”

And Lisa has met our expectations! She has since passed the NH Real Estate License exam and has been working as a Customer Account Manager in Londonderry ever since!

“Verani was willing to take a chance on me and I am so glad the State allowed them to benefit through the Return to Work Program,” Lisa said. “This has been an amazing opportunity for me. The work program helped me get my foot in the door and I could not be happier that I took advantage of it.”

Are you a real estate licensee, an agent, or a Professional Business Owner (PBO)?  What’s the difference?

A licensee is someone who casually sells a house or two a year.  The industry is full of part time licensees.  Not here at Prudential Verani.  We hire only full time real estate agents; people who actively stay trained and regularly pursue the business and often sell 20 or more houses per year!

However, there is another level to this business that many in the industry only dream of obtaining, but just don’t know how.  Recently, Deb Gallant, VP of Sales and me, John MacGilvary, Regional Manager for Prudential Verani Londonderry, were certified by Buffini and Company to mentor agents through its new Peak Producer program. This program is designed to skyrocket production and take business to a new level, transforming each agent into a PBO.  A PBO is an agent who has the habits, attitude, skills, and mindset of a business person; an agent who meets the relational and transactional needs of their clients versus just the transactional; an agent who focuses on a long-term relationship rather than short term income; an agent whose focus is to create an advocate rather than cashing a check.

“Our goal is to create a whole team of Peak Producers”, said Deb Gallant. ”We will take our first group of 30 agents through the 12 week program beginning on January 16th.”

If you or someone you know practices real estate and would truly benefit taking their business to the next level, contact me (John MacGilvary) direct 603-845-2201 or email john.macgilvary@verani.com.

You may also want to view our career website to understand all the benefits of becoming a Prudential Verani agent.

Take your business to the next level today!