Home Sales Are On The Rise!

The recent uptick in residential real estate sales reflects some of the predictions made by Jack Conway CEO Carol Bulman in a year-end speech to the Norfolk County Home Builders Association.

“We can feel a new customer confidence at our company,” she said. “Our January sales were up a surprising 25 percent over last year with February appearing to follow suit.”

Bulman said in her talk to the builder’s group at Benjamins in Taunton that, “As rough as the last few years have been for builders, I think we are about to see better days.”

The upturn at 34 Conway sales offices covers a large area of Eastern Massachusetts from Swampscott to Cape Cod. “The size of our sales area gives us a good vantage point to view the entire southeastern part of the state,” she said.

Builder Charles Magri of the Norfolk County Group agreed that homebuilders in his area have suffered from lack of sales dating back to 2006, which is almost six years ago.

Bulman cited an increase of customer confidence, historically low interest rates, lower priced homes and a new demand caused by higher rents as reasons for the upsurge.

“But one month does not make a boom-time,” she added. “We are watching our sales trends very closely and only hope that the good news continues.”

South Shore homes for sale are going fast! View our recently sold listings, or to learn more, contact a Jack Conway agent in your town today!

Brigadier General Thomas J. Sellars (center) was honored by Chairman Jack Conway and CEO Carol Bulman at the 25th annual Conway Country convention

Brigadier General Thomas J. Sellars, newly retired Commander of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, was honored as the Conway Country 2011 Citizen of the Year at Jack Conway Realtor’s annual convention held last week at the Quincy Marriott Hotel. The General accepted his award on behalf of the 6,400 troops he had led in Iraq, Afghanistan, and here in the Commonwealth. He then switched roles and unexpectedly presented Chairman Jack Conway with the Department of the Army’s “Commander’s Award for Public Service.”

“I’m honored to be recognized by a company that has given back so much to the community and has helped generations of Massachusetts citizens to become homeowners,” said Sellars. “There is a difference between a business and an institution. An institution has its own personality – its own history, and it serves all of us. The Jack Conway institution is something I’m proud to be a part of, and if a man is known by the company he keeps, then I’m feeling pretty good today.”

U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel James Sahady, who accompanied Sellars to the ceremony, presented the Commander’s Award to Jack Conway as CEO Carol Bulman and hundreds of Conway Country associates rose to their feet waving a sea of American flags hailing both their founder and their citizen of the year.

A Brockton native and graduate of the Stoughton Public Schools, Brig. Gen. Tom Sellars and his wife Nancy live in Randolph. He retired from his 37-year career in the Massachusetts National Guard in September shortly before the last U.S. soldier returned from the war.

To learn more about our community involvement and the many fine South Shore homes for sale we represent, contact Jack Conway & Co. today.

Conway's Swampscott Team at the Lynn Chamber of Commerce

Jack Conway, Realtor’s Swampscott Office recently hosted a booth at the Lynn Chamber of Commerce’s Home, Garden and Health Show. The event, which took place at Swampscott High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., drew hundreds of visitors to view the wares of vendors ranging from cosmetic dentists to mortgage lenders, along with cooking demonstrations, guest lectures and a keynote speech by Dr. Sheldon Sevinor, a celebrated plastic surgeon.

“The home show was a great chance for my agents to get out and talk real estate with potential buyers and sellers and other members of the community,” said Conway-Swampscott Manager Tim Knowlton. “We were the only Realtors there, and we came away with many new friends and several new customers.”

Hosting the Conway booth during the day-long event were Swampscott sales associates Lisa Scourtas, Amanda Brawley, Paul Ferraro, Teresa Flaherty, Sue Garcelon, Barbara Kennedy-White, Glenn Kessler, Ronnie Northrop, and Sue Sinrich, as well as loan specialist Chris Curran of New England Mortgage Partners, the financial arm of Jack Conway, Realtor.

For all of your real estate needs, contact Conway-Swampscott at 781-584-4757 or email Swampscott@jackconway.com.

Get Your Real Estate License With Us!

If you have ever thought about obtaining your real estate license, now is the time to get the education you need to pass the state exam. The Conway School of Real Estate pre-licensing course will prepare you for the test in only five weeks, with the added convenience of classes held on Saturdays.

The next course begins on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the Conway Training Center in Norwell, 137 Washington St. (Rte. 53). The 40 hours of instruction will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the next four Saturdays, concluding on Feb. 4. Tuition is $375, which includes textbooks, sample exams, and all materials.

The course will be taught by attorney Jay Chaisson, Jack Conway’s corporate counsel, who has decades of experience in the real estate industry. Taking the course with Conway does not obligate you to join the company, but students of the Conway School of Real Estate have the opportunity to receive career advice from the company’s sales managers.

Completing the 40 hours of learning qualifies students to take the Massachusetts state licensing examination. Your success is guaranteed! Conway students may retake the course at no charge if they do not pass the exam on their first attempt, as long as the test is taken within 45 days of completing the course.

For more information, or to register online, visit our Careers page or call Marie Battles, 781-871-0080, ext. 342.

Jack Conway & Co. is celebrating its 55th anniversary, with 42 sales offices from the North Shore to Boston, Cape Cod and the South Coast. We represent buyers and sellers of South Shore homes for sale, Cape Cod real estate, and other properties up and down the Massachusetts coast. The company also operates New England Mortgage Partners, a joint venture with Wells Fargo that provides a full range of financing options to buyers. Contact Jack Conway today to learn more!

Julie Simmons with Jack Conway

A banquet hall filled with orange and gold balloons, cornucopias, fall flowers and stacks of food for the hungry was the setting for Jack Conway, Realtor’s annual Thanksgiving Award Breakfasts held at the Plymouth Radisson Hotel. More than 400 Conway sales associates from Boston to Cape Cod, the South Coast and the North Shore attended the event at which  agents were honored for “team spirit and congeniality.” The winners received gift checks to purchase a Thanksgiving turkey, and all attendees brought non-perishable food items to contribute to the Charity Guild of Brockton.

“We have a lot of functions in our company that recognize agents for top production,” said Conway CEO Carol Bulman. “But this ceremony honors our associates for the intangible qualities of kindness, good humor and camaraderie. These individuals are true winners because they help and support their colleagues and their communities all year long.”

The local recipient of the Conway Thanksgiving Award from the Dorchester office was Anne O’Brien, who was recognized for her volunteer work on behalf of the Franklin Park Zoo and for being a “consistently positive influence in her office.” Also honored at the breakfast was Conway-Dorchester Manager Julie Simmons who received a special Conway Country Community Service Award for her contributions and support of her Dorchester community during the past year. Simmons serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the First Parish Church in Dorchester, one of the oldest churches in the city of Boston, and has been actively involved in raising funds for a massive renovation of the Circa 1631 building.

The Annual Thanksgiving breakfasts have been a tradition in Conway Country for more than 30 years, and with all of the great homes for sale in Plymouth MA that Jack Conway represents, the location is a natural choice. “We gather here in America’s hometown every November for our celebration,” said Chairman Jack Conway, who delivered the opening greeting to the group. “It’s where our country’s first Thanksgiving took place, and it reminds us to thank God for the many wonderful things we have in our lives.”

To find out more about our community involvement or our South Shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today!

Lorraine Fricker (center) receives her turkey award

A head table adorned with orange and gold balloons, cornucopias, fall flowers and stacks of food for the hungry was the centerpiece for Jack Conway Realtor’s annual Thanksgiving Award Breakfasts held at the Plymouth Radisson Hotel.

More than 400 Conway sales associates from Boston to Cape Cod, the South Coast and the North Shore attended the event at which agents were honored for “team spirit and congeniality.” The winners received gift checks to purchase a Thanksgiving turkey, and all attendees brought non-perishable food items to contribute to the Charity Guild of Brockton.

“We have a lot of functions in our company that recognize agents for top production,” said Conway CEO Carol Bulman. “But this ceremony honors our associates for the intangible qualities of kindness, good humor and camaraderie. These individuals are true winners because they help and support their colleagues and their communities all year long.”

Local recipients of the Conway Thanksgiving Awards were: Michele Vena of Abington for her “unfailingly kind and courteous manner and upbeat attitude;” Pat Sunnerberg of Cohasset for her “boundless energy and attention to detail;” Peggy Parfumorse of Hanover for her “creative effort to foster warmth and good cheer in her office;” Karin Doonan of Hingham for “being a positive influence on her coworkers;” Mike Rotman of Marshfield for his “cheerful and optimistic attitude;” Linda Thistle of Norwell for her “eagerness to step forward with a helping hand;” Barbara Cox of Scituate for being a “great team player and willing to help new agents;” Vicki Infusino of Weymouth for “being quite indispensable to her colleagues and office,” and Lorraine Fricker of Conway Headquarters in Norwell for “winning the hearts of all who know her.”

The Annual Thanksgiving breakfasts have been a tradition in Conway Country for more than 30 years. “We gather here in America’s hometown every November for our celebration,” said Chairman Jack Conway who delivered the opening greeting to the group. “It’s where our country’s first Thanksgiving took place, and it reminds us to thank God for the many wonderful things we have in our lives.” to find out more about homes for sale in Plymouth MA or other south shore homes for sale, contact Jack Conway today.

Photo: Conway HQ staffer Lorraine Fricker (center) receives her turkey award from the Conway Turkey, and CEO Carol Bulman.

Barbecue chicken, potato salad and corn on the cob were on the menu for Sunday dinner at the Salvation Army Kitchen in New Bedford on October 16th. The food was cooked and served by a number of Jack Conway Realtors on the Greater New Bedford Association of Realtors’ (GRNBAR) Community Service and Donations Committee. The group’s goal was to prepare and serve full course meals to the homeless in the downtown New Bedford Area.

Conway-Padanaram agent Nona Sbordone, and Mattapoisett agent Joanne Mecke help serve food the homeless in New Bedford.

“We conduct food drives and cook the dinners ourselves,” said Nona Sbordone, a Conway-Padanaram agent who recently obtained a $500 grant from her local Shaws Supermarket to benefit the cause. “We usually serve a meal to about 300 people – some individuals and some families. I’ve been doing this for about two years, and I would never give it up. They are so grateful for our help.”

Sbordone and her manager Brenda Simmons serve on the GRNBAR committee with fellow Conway agents Laurie Wilkie, manager of Conway-Dartmouth, and Conway-Mattapoisett agents Mary McCann, Sue Haley, Joanne Mecke and Paula Tosca. “Everyone pitches in and cooks the meals, and we all participate in the food drives to collect canned goods and non-perishable items,” said Simmons. “Nona is particularly involved in finding new locations for us to set up our drives, and she was instrumental in securing the recent grant from Shaws. She is a ‘can-do’ person in the truest sense of the word.”

Anne Arruda, executive assistant at GRNBAR, was happy to forward the $500 check from the Dartmouth Supermarket to the Salvation Army for its food pantry. “I know Nona helped make it happen by talking with the Shaws upper management about our committee,” said Arruda. “We thank her so much for her hard work on behalf of the homeless.”

 Click here to read more stories about Conway’s involvement in the communities we serve.

The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon starting and ending at the Jack Conway Lakeville Office at 10 Main Street (Rte. 105). Runners will travel the scenic country roads of Middleboro and Lakeville before arriving back at the Conway Country finish line. Prizes will be awarded to the first place male and female overall winners as well as winners in specific age groups.

“We’re hoping to have more than 400 runners and a large group of local sponsors involved in the race,” said Denis Lilla, Conway Regional VP and manager of the Lakeville office. “Our Chairman Jack Conway has always been a strong advocate for the homeless and we wanted our race to benefit that cause.”

Conway House was established in 1996 and named in honor of Jack Conway and his wife Patricia in recognition of their lifetime of charitable works. It is operated today by Father Bill’s & MainSpring and provides food, clothing, and counseling to 12 homeless families.

Conway-Lakeville Realtor Bob Joyal is chairman of the Conway Country Road Race Committee, which includes fellow agents Jack Walters, Hugh Harp, Lilla, and Phil Scorgie. “We are asking local businesses to help support our event and add to the funds we can raise for Conway House,” said Joyal. “Sponsorships are available in amounts of $50 to $1,000, each offering marketing opportunities for the sponsor. The registration fee for runners is $20 before Sept. 29, $25 after that date. We’re hoping to make this a community-wide event. Rain or shine, it’s going to be a great day.”

For full details on the Conway Country Road Race click here or call the Conway-Lakeville office at 508-946-2290.

The courses are open to all of the state’s licensed real estate agents – whether active or inactive – and will help satisfy the state’s continuing-education requirements for license renewal.

The evening classes were added to the schedule in response to feedback from Realtors who said that other commitments often prevent them from enrolling in daytime programs, and represent Conway’s commitment to flexibility in meeting the needs of agents in the field.

The evening courses, to be held from 6-8 p.m., will include “Selling Historic Homes” on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at the Norwell Learning Center, 137 Washington St., and “Zoning and Building Codes” on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the Lakeville Learning Center, 10 Main St.

Daytime courses will be from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and include “Zoning & Building Codes” on Tuesday, Aug. 2 in Norwell and “Selling Historic Homes” on Thursday, Aug. 11 in Lakeville.

The cost for each course is $20. To register, visit click here or call 781-871-0080, ext. 342 for more information.

“We were so excited to be a part of this, and proud to be a sponsor,” said Conway Regional Manager Peter Ruffini. “It was a chance to learn and hear from some really knowledgeable and innovative people in the industry.”

The concept for RE BarCamp came from a technology BarCamp event held in San Francisco. Wikipedia defines a barcamp as: an international network of user generated conferences — open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants. Every session is not planned out in advance. Nobody is paid to deliver a session. Anybody can deliver a session and attendees are strongly encouraged to participate.

Long thought of as a forward-thinking company, Conway has positioned itself as a leader in technology with a successfully redesigned wesbite that possesses cutting edge tools for agents and the brokerage. The REBar Camp Boston was a chance to learn more about social media and other ways for the company to engage with customers.

“We heard from some of the best and brightest local people in social media, SEO strategy and online customer service,” said Al Becker, Conway’s director of marketing. “It was important to be there, and be familiar with these strategies.”

Learn how Conway’s advanced technology and experienced real estate agents can help you – contact an agent today to help with all your real estate needs!