Realtors and New Projects: Conversation Just Begun, Not Ended

The matter of Plainfield Realtors^® being iced out of sales of the new Senior Center condos came up again at the Council meeting Wednesday evening.

Councilor Carter was correct when she remarked that developers often rely on a single Realtor^® to sell the units, whether stand-alone houses (as at Hovnanian's at Woodland Avenue or Shiloh Court on West 7th), or townhomes (recently on East Front Street and currently on Spooner Avenue).

The difference between the cases I mention above and the Senior Center project is that all the above are PRIVATE development projects, not REDEVELOPMENT projects, which by definition are structured with the City -- both Administration and Council -- as major players in setting the deals' parameters.

That is, unless they relinquish their responsibility for oversight and due diligence.

Which is the question with designating Century 21 Atlantic Realtors^® of Roselle Park as the sole real estate agent for the East Front Street project.

As traditionally structured, local Realtors^® would not be able to collect a commission for bringing clients in to purchase a unit.

And this has some in the real estate community hopping mad -- and if they had known the discussion would come up at Council, you can bet they would have been there.

At least one agent has spoken with Assemblyman Jerry Green, who promised to 'see what he could do,' as I was told.

I don't think he will be able to do anything.

Why?

Because the decision is probably controlled by the Union County Improvement Authority (UCIA), whose commissioners number among their members Sebastian D'Elia, Union County spokesperson, and C21 Atlantic real estate agent.

And who else?

Do you really have to ask?

Our erstwhile friend, Executive Director of the UCIA, the City's redevelopment agency.

Oh, and chairperson of the Union County Dem Committee, in case you forgot.

Charlotte DeFilippo.

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Plainfield Today: "Jerry Green's million-dollar poke in the eye"
CountyWatchers: "What a Coinky - Dinky....."

-- Dan Damon

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