NYC Real Estate Experts Share Intel on Getting Deals Done During a Pandemic

NEW YORK, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, Inc. (HGAR) and OneKey(TM) MLS have teamed up with TitleVest to offer complimentary webinars on real estate transaction best practices to help agents and brokers navigate the changing landscape during the COVID-19 crisis.

Hundreds of industry professionals tuned in April 30 for the launch of "Getting the Deal Done in NYC: Real Estate Transaction Best Practices During a Pandemic," which was hosted by Richard Haggerty, CEO of HGAR and president of OneKey(TM) MLS, the new regional multiple listing service for New York.

"Our industry is facing myriad challenges posed by the pandemic, but deals are happening - we had 131 new listings submitted in just the last 24 hours," said Haggerty. "That's why we put together this series, to share with our colleagues the latest developments to help get those deals done - safely and efficiently."

The hour-long session focused on pre-closing strategies for renegotiations, due diligence, title searches and digital-document transfers.

"We're starting to see more and more contracts being signed and all of this increased activity presents tremendous opportunities," said Brian D. Tormey, NTP, president of TitleVest, a leading New York City-based provider of title insurance and related real estate services. "We're here today to explore what we should be doing now to set ourselves up for success as we navigate forward."

Tormey moderated the in-depth panel discussion, which featured real estate attorney Bruce M. Cohen, founding partner of Cohen and Frankel in New York City, and Jim Brune, founder of BoardPackager, an online platform for real estate transactions that enables qualifying parties to digitally disseminate and receive diligence and process applications, payments and transfers.

"We're feeling the pulse and we're going to see more listings coming up. There's a real opportunity for your clients right now to get into the ballgame," said Cohen. "Get your due diligence done ahead of time, with pre-approvals and so forth, so you can hit the ground running post- COVID-19."

In the second part of the series on May 7, Cohen and Brune shared intel on closing real estate transactions, from remote notarizations and appointing a power of attorney, to getting signed contracts and "virtual" vs. "table" closings.

"The pandemic has hastened the move to digital and agents need to leverage that technology," said Brune. "Once the executive order is lifted, there will be resistance to fully staff building management and other offices. We have these digital platforms in place now to be prepared for what's next."

The third part of "Getting the Deal Done" is scheduled for May 14 and will feature a panel of top producers in New York City discussing strategies for conducting deals during the pandemic and preparing for the road to recovery. The series is part of the "Be Your Best" webinar program created by HGAR and OneKey(TM) MLS, to assist Realtors and agents during the COVID-19 pandemic. To sign up, visit https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_35xWy4BTRGqQh-6DQWLMWg.

About OneKey(TM) MLS
OneKey(TM) MLS has 44,000-plus subscribers and serves Manhattan, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Orange, Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. It was formed in 2018, following the merger of the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service and the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island.

About Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors
The Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors® (http://www.hgar.com) is a not-for-profit trade association representing more than 13,000 real estate professionals in Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange counties. It is the second-largest Realtor association in New York, and one of the largest in the U.S.

About TitleVest
Founded in 2000, TitleVest (http://www.titlevest.com) is a leading New York City-based title insurance agency and member of the First American family of companies, offering a full range of title insurance and related services for real estate property purchase and refinance transactions. TitleVest has earned the New York Law Journal's "Best Title Agency" award for seven consecutive years. TitleVest has offices in Manhattan and Westchester, and engages in transactions upstate, downstate and throughout the U.S.

SOURCE The Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®