NEPA Management

The Pocono Record Features BHG Wilkins & Associates Celebrating 25 Years in Business!

twilkins — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:55:50 +0000

25 YEARS OF HIGHS AND LOWS IN POCONO REAL ESTATE

Tom Wilkins has seen — and been in the middle of — it all

Click Here for direct access to printed feature.
Published: Sunday, February 10, 2013

By Wayne Witkowski
Pocono Record Business Editor
February 10, 2013

Tom Wilkins, in his 25 years running a real estate office, remembers the first house he bought — a country cottage in Swiftwater — and the first house he sold in the West End to a New Yorker moving to the area.

“We got it on paper on a Monday and closed the following Friday, a three-page contract,” he said of the sale. “Nowadays, contracts typically are 22 pages. Liability is the biggest thing.”

From there, the market went from prospective buyers who had vacationed here ” and then it changed to ‘my cousin who lives here’ and that’s when it became a true bedroom community. They came here for affordability.”

The primary boom was for six years in the early 2000s, “a helluva run. You couldn’t get the buyers fast enough.”

Champagne days

After breaking out on his own from the early years of four years working in Phyllis Rubin’s Coldwell Banker offices, Wilkins in June of 1988 staffed three people in his first office on Fork Street in Mount Pocono and since then has been through the champagne days of the booming homebuilding market where he said 270 homes would be under contract at a time compared to a low of 45 homes bouncing back up to the 90s in today’s market.

The Wilkins organization, with Wilkins as president and CEO and includes Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates, NEPA Management Associates that began 20 years ago, Wilkins & Associates—Property Management, Pennsylvania First Settlement Services and Wilkins & Associates Commercial Brokers, went from 14 offices at the peak to three in Bushkill, Mount Pocono and Stroudsburg. He remembers getting a “baptism of fire” opening his first office during an economic downturn that was nothing like this one.

“There were days (this time) where I didn’t know if we’d open for a week,” Wilkins said recently at his Park Avenue office in Stroudsburg. “In the early years, we came up with different ideas to bring in business. No one was doing rentals back then and we did them. We got into property management early in my career and others didn’t. I just kept thinking out of the box. Those were the beginnings of this organization that we have today.”

While the economy slowly creeps out of the vicious economic downturn, Wilkins said the foreclosures in data from the Pocono Mountain Association of Realtors that peaked at 35 percent “are about 22 or 23 percent” but it is worsening again on the latest data. This time, it’s not the subprime loans and unemployment driving foreclosures but families falling behind because the wage-earners are underemployed and commuters with slow salary growth are crushed by rising gas prices.

Low prices will stay awhile

Foreclosures have always been around, Wilkins said, but until they’re at a manageably lower level, home prices will continue to stay to the recent low of $127,000 average per home sold, which is affected by townhouses and fixer-uppers.

“That’s a very accurate number, a definite number down from $147,000 a year ago,” Wilkins said. “Prices are lower because the Poconos has always sold affordability. We got homebuyers who are nurses, police officers, the blue collar guy and gal. We didn’t get the Hamptons crowd, the Sea Isle City crowd.

“That’s why we’re a little different in the price lines from other areas. But it’s the proximity. The closer you are to New Jersey, the more it is worth versus a house at a place like White Haven that might sell for $80,000.”

Wilkins said he hears homeowners’ frustration over low property values that prevents them from selling to move to a better home and there’s not much he can do. “I give them compassion and understanding,” he said.

Although Wilkins said the market has stabilized at rock bottom and it’s still a buyer’s market “but it’s turning a corner, the first big step.” Although some real estate sales data looks better, Wilkins said numbers are skewed.

“In the Poconos we’ve been 10 to 25 percent ahead of a year ago in closings and that’s phenomenal,” Wilkins said. “However, the pricing was off (lowered) as low as 45 percent in 2012, which also means lower commissions. We have a good third and fourth quarter here so then by the end of those months, pricing dropped down to 14 to 15 percent different from a year ago.”

Not a ‘flip’ market

And secondary homes are not the hot items they’ve been touted, said Wilkins, who said they make up only 10 to 12 percent of the homes sold by his agency, which Wilkins wants to improve in 2013.

Some people are taking homes cheap as an investment to fix up and then ride out the recession so the sale value appreciates. For now, they’re not the best investment for people who want to “flip” homes, to buy them as a residence and eventually sell them at a profit to buy a bigger home or at a better location.

With the depressed market, that’s not happening right now.

In fact, homebuying may take an even bigger hit because he said he is following discussion on Capitol Hill to remove the interest deduction on mortgages for homeowners. “That would affect any home sale,” Wilkins said.

For now, the real estate industry has gotten away from the glitz, the eye-catching visuals. “There’s not as much flash and dash, but straightforward and clean and pressed and available to them in a form that they can understand and use easily,” Wilkins said. “That’s the change in the market.”

It takes a long time — as much as six months in this region — to sell a house that even is right priced because of the competitive foreclosure bargains.

Educated homebuyers

Homebuyers who come in have been better prepared poking around the Internet. “They’re more educated then ever,” said Wilkins, who said that they can check the tax rates and what homes are for sale in that area and those comparative sales prices and other readily available information. “That really came along over the last four or five years. We’re not strictly selling homes but providing them information to make their decision.”

The real estate workforce has gotten younger as home investors are not looking for the experienced agents but the savvy ones who can navigate through the various online programs to accelerate the deal. “Seven or eight years ago my staff told me I had to learn online or get out of the way,” he said.

But nothing beats the traditional home tour, said Wilkins. Homebuyers still want to see if there is curb appeal, to see if the house “speaks” to them. They want to check out the neighborhood. That hasn’t changed over the last 25 years.

And neither has having office space. It may be smaller nowadays, in what he calls “coffee shops” as Realtors are outside more with more mobile technology but still needing a place to go to talk business and go through contracts in a setting under today’s trends.

“It’s like a little Starbucks where the agent comes in with a laptop and not in a conference room but a living room setting in a 500-square-foot office space that might be in an insurance office or a bank building,” Wilkins said. “You might have 20 agents but they’re not all there working but are working sometimes out of their house. We’re anxious to kick off this new type expansion.”

He said there also are plans to further develop the management division which offers a wide array of accounting, rental, property owner and townhome or condo management services as well as time-share, community management and conversion into Lehigh Valley’s Allentown vicinity and also into the Scranton, Wilkes-Barre area.

Currently, Wilkins is partners with Ron Parasole. general partner and owner of Parasole Property Management & Associates in Scranton, who handle primarily residential investment properties throughout the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area.

Tom Wilkins from 1988. Home off Route 314 in Swiftwater.

“Celebrating 25 Years in Business!” BHG Wilkins & Assocs 1988-2013

twilkins — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:40:26 +0000

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates

“Celebrating 25 Years in Business!” 1988-2013 in the Poconos Pennsylvania. Interview features Thomas R. Wilkins, President/CEO and Christine Scrofano-Wilkins, Exec VP/General Manager.The video is filmed at the Wilkins Corporate office at 404 Park Ave Stroudsburg. The interview is conducted by Connie Roberts of George Roberts Productions (GeorgeTV)

Top Pocono Realtors Join Better Homes and Gardens Wilkins & Associates

twilkins — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:40:53 +0000

Stroudsburg – Christine A. Scrofano-Wilkins, Senior V. P. proudly announced the hiring of Sharon Lightfoot-Wade, Realtor; Charlotte Ashworth, Realtor and Gene Meisenhelder, Realtor. All three will work from the Stroudsburg office.

Lightfoot-Wade, a full-time Realtor for the past 25 years, had, in early August, the pleasure of traveling to Parsippany, NJ for a personalized tour of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate corporate office. Lightfoot-Wade had worked for other franchise brokers before, but the Better Homes and Gardens online platform was a major attraction to her. Lightfoot-Wade provides online marketing for buyers and sellers throughout the Pocono Mountains region.

Ashworth, formerly of Realty World, had been with the Wilkins Company previously when they were not affiliated with the BHG brand. Ashworth, who along with Lightfoot-Wade, accompanied Thomas R. Wilkins and Tommy Wilkins to Corporate Headquarters, echoed the same excitement. “The online tools available in the Greenhouse are simply head and shoulders above any other franchised Realtor. When coupled with the Wilkins’ family’s ability to market Pocono real estate, it was simply the only decision I could make.” said Ashworth. Ashworth has been licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over 15 years and had lived in Texas prior to moving to the Poconos.

Meisenhelder, a former full-time Realtor with the Wilkins organization, is a lifetime resident of the Pocono Mountains. He resides in Stroudsburg with his wife and two children. A graduate from ESU with a degree in Economics, Meisenhelder practiced real estate between 2004 and 2006. Meisenhelder won a number of awards including Rookie of the Year in 2004. With the downturn in the market, he was not in real estate but instead had a corporate manager’s position between 2009 and 2012. Seeing the Pocono real estate market improving, he is excited to again be with the Wilkins organization.

Scrofano-Wilkins said, “Gene was with me during our days in the Milford area and I we predict a tremendous amount of success for him as he comes back into the business. Meisenhelder is computer savvy and along with myself and another top agent, will visit the Corporate office in Parsippany and learn more about the brand and the many online tools offered.”

Lightfoot-Wade and Meisenhelder were recruited by Christine Scrofano-Wilkins. Ashworth was recruited by Dot Ifill, Realtor in the Bushkill office.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates operate three retail offices throughout the Pocono Mountains and is a proud member of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate franchise. All offices are open 7 days a week and you can visit them online at www.willkins1.com or please “Like” their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BHGWilkins.

Scrofano-Wilkins Promoted to General Manager of Better Homes and Gardens Wilkins & Associates

twilkins — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:31:31 +0000

Christine A Scrofano Wilkins Sr VP Gen Mgr

Stroudsburg – At the August Supervisors meeting, Thomas R. Wilkins, President and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates, as well as other Wilkins entities, announced with great pleasure that Christine A. Scrofano-Wilkins would immediately assume the title of Executive Vice President/General Manager.

Scrofano-Wilkins in her capacity as General Manager, will continue with day to day operations of the Real Estate company as a whole and will concentrate on adding new salespersons to the company, expanding the Independent Family of Home Buying Services, assist in the marketing and provide assistance to the Managers–Patricia Blank-Toombs, Vice President/Sales Manager and Dennis Mooney, Vice President/Associate Broker, Sales Manager.

Patricia Blank-Toombs will be responsible for the Mount Pocono office and Dennis Mooney will be responsible for the day to day operations of the Park Avenue and Bushkill offices. Scrofano-Wilkins will be responsible for overseeing all of the offices.

Scrofano-Wilkins has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate for 11 years. Prior to that, she worked at Penn Mountain Realty where she ran the Vacation Rental Department, Rental Department and Sales Department.

Scrofano-Wilkins was nominated as one of the Top 25 Women in Business–Northeast Pennsylvania, 2012 and has won numerous awards as a Salesperson and Associate Broker in the Wilkins organization. Currently, she is a member of the Stroud Township Planning Commission and member of the Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs.

Nittany Court Engages Services with Wilkins & Associates Property Management

twilkins — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:14:06 +0000

Mount Pocono - Nittany Court hired Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT to provide finance and bookkeeping services for their community located in the Borough of Mount Pocono.

The Association consists of 24 townhomes and is primarily owner occupied. The Community was developed in the mid-1990s by Richard Mears and subsequently sold by Robert Nahudil. Wilkins & Associates was the listing and selling Broker. Thomas R. Wilkins marketed the project as one of the first projects in which a Broker was a “partner”.

While not providing full property management services, Wilkins & Associates is contracted by the Board to collect the dues, late fees, interest charges and assessments, deposit that money into the bank, record the transaction to the proper owner and reconcile that income. Wilkins then reports the income and expense to the Board of Directors and Treasurer on a monthly basis.

Said Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO, “In the old days the volunteer position of Treasurer was not hard to fill, but in today’s market place, no one wants to spend the amount of time that it takes to provide financial services to the Association nor do they want the responsibility or liability of handling any sort of money. We do it for a living which is why we have a sincere interest in providing these type bookkeeping and accounting services.”

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is an off-shoot of NEPA Management Associates also owned by Wilkins. WA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT oversees close to 30 associations including POAs, townhome communities and condo associations throughout the Pocono Mountains and handles a number of rental units which consist of single family homes, townhomes and condominiums. In addition to management, Wilkins is also responsible for short-term rentals which are broken down into vacation or weekend rentals, weekly summer vacation rentals, seasonal and corporate accounts. All of the bookkeeping and property management takes place at the 304 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg office, 2nd floor.

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is open 7 days a week with Accounting available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you would like a free quote and see a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation for your Association, please feel free to either call or email twilkins@wilkins1.com. The telephone number is (570) 421-5409.

Hickory Run Forest Chooses Wilkins & Associates Property Management for New Services

twilkins — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:06:49 +0000

Jim Thorpe – Hickory Run Land and Homeowners Association, Inc. hired Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT to provide finance and bookkeeping services for their community located off Route 903 just outside Jim Thorpe.

The Association consists of approximately 700 homes and lots. The community has a lake and clubhouse.

Per the Management Agreement with the Association Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT collects the dues, late fees, interest charges and assessments, deposit and reconcile that income and report the income to the Board of Directors and Treasurer on a monthly basis.

Said Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO, “Hickory Run Forest has had the pleasure of having the same treasurer for about 20 years. This is something that is highly unusual in any type of association and finally (kiddingly) he will be forced into retirement. The primary advantage of having a company like us provide the bookkeeping services is that even if there is a change within our office, it does not affect the Association. Also, our costs for finance and bookkeeping services are very reasonable.”

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is an off-shoot of NEPA Management Associates also owned by Wilkins. WA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT oversees close to 30 Associations throughout the Pocono Mountains and handles a number of rental units which consist of single family homes, townhomes and condominiums. In addition to that type management, they are also responsible for short-term rentals which are broken down into vacation or weekend rentals, weekly summer vacation rentals, seasonal and corporate accounts. All of the bookkeeping and property management takes place at the 304 Park Avenue, Stroudsburg office.

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is open 7 days a week with the Accounting office open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you would like a free quote and to see a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation for your Association, please feel free to either call or email twilkins@wilkins1.com. The telephone number is (570) 421-5409.

Wilkins & Associates (NEPA) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Offers Direct Deposit

twilkins — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 02:49:22 +0000

Stroudsburg – Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT announced that effective June 1, 2012, they are offering direct deposit for their Management accounts. The service is called Money Manager GPS by Citizens Bank and they have been working with the Wilkins organization to bring this service to their clients.

What this means is rather than sending the monthly rent check to owners via the mail, or having staff manually fill out deposit slips, this new source of banking will actually deposit the rent money received into an owner’s account and that money is available immediately.

Said Rosemarie Lobe-Waller, CFO, “Over the years Wilkins & Associates has always been a leader in the Property Management business, and this type of direct banking is no exception to our rule. While we’re starting only with our landlords, this service will be expanded to our association business whereby an owner will be able to pay their Association dues and automatically have it credited to their account.”

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, formerly NEPA Management Associates, handles 21+ property owner associations, condo complexes and town-home communities throughout the Poconos. Within the next two months, all Management accounts will be transferred to their new and updated software system purchased by WA PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. With the new expanded software, owners will be able to view their accounts; pay online and Wilkins receive payment online and credit the money to their account.

Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO said, “We are advancing our services to meet the demands of our customers and clients. A simple advancement like Money Manager GPS not only raises the bar of expectation for our customers and clients, it forces our competition to try and equal what our customers and clients now already have. Secondly, it’s a huge savings in labor when you compare online to hundreds of deposits we make on behalf of landlords and such on a monthly basis.” Wilkins further stated, “We have been moving towards more a la carte bookkeeping and fiscal management as opposed to property owner services because it’s cost effective for Association members. We have a full charged accounting department that is ready for the growth I expect in the near future. We are expecting our Management business to increase over 24% to 35% in the next few years.”

Wilkins & Associates PROPERTY MANAGEMENT is located at 304 Park Avenue in Stroudsburg. They handle Management accounts throughout Northeast Pennsylvania and are in the process of participating in a joint venture with Parasole Properties located in the Scranton area. Future plans also include expanding into the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton market.

Accounting offices are open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parasole and Wilkins Organization partner to open Better Homes and Gardens and Parasole Properties MANAGEMENT & Assocs in Scranton PA

twilkins — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:12:13 +0000

RON PARASOLE Property Mgr

Scranton

- Ron Parasole has joined the Wilkins organization as a Realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates. Within a set period of time, Parasole will open his own business under the name Parasole Property Management & Assoc.’s (PPMA) of which Thomas R. Wilkins will serve as Broker of Record for the newly formed property management group.

Parasole, who has worked with Wilkins prior, has been a licensed Realtor since 2002. Earlier this year, Parasole, with the assistance of Wilkins began managing income producing properties in and around the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area. It was then that they decided Parasole would open his own management company under the direction and licensing of Wilkins.

Said Thomas R. Wilkins, CEO, “Ron simply loves property management. We have been in the Scranton area before with property management, and to have Ron handle the valley for us is really a slam dunk.” In addition to that, by being licensed, he is able to buy and sell for our investors’ portfolios which simply brings an added benefit to the management company.”

In addition to becoming a member of the Pocono Mountains Association of REALTORS®, Parasole will also become a member of the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre MLS systems.

Parasole, who learned maintenance as well as master carpentry from his father, is also an accomplished custom glass and mirror contractor and is responsible for the designer glass in a number of commercial buildings in and around the New York City area. Always wanting to own his own business, and with his expertise in the maintenance area and his leadership type personality, becoming General Partner of the proposed management company was a natural.

Said Parasole, “I love what I do and now I’m doing what I love. With the assistance of Wilkins who’s been in the business for over 25 years, and with today’s software, it makes it a great partnership to get the business off the ground. I tell everyone that customer services is something I am very used to and will certainly set the bar higher than anyone would expect–that’s just something my family has always been proud of.”

The new company is scheduled to open within the next several months. In the interim time, Management accounts are being taken by calling the Pocono branch at (570) 421-5409 or Parasole direct at (570) 903-8969.

Get to Know Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and thier Agents Better

twilkins — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:22:57 +0000

James Martin Top Rental Agent for BHG - Get to know him better

As you know, Better Homes and Gardens is a part of the Wilkins Organization and NEPA is proud to introduce you to the Agents, Managers and Employees of one of the largest and certainly a Leader in on line marketing as well as customer satisfaction.

Get to Know James Martin Realtor Click Here

SCROFANO SEN VP WITH THE WILKINS ORGANIZATION NAMED TOP 25 WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2012

twilkins — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:18:06 +0000

Scranton – Scrofano, a Sr. Vice Pres with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates in the Poconos, 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.