Matthew De Fede

Matthew De Fede has deep roots in Nutley, and now, as a real estate broker, he is helping people build their own roots in this close-knit and friendly town. De Fede, who has been in real estate for a decade, opened up Realty Executives Elite Homes, located on Bloomfield Avenue in Nutley, in 2014, and he has been going nonstop ever since. Although De Fede has lived in Nutley on and off for years, he said that he and his wife finally made the decision to stay here permanently in order to raise their family and open their business. "My family originally was from Newark," De Fede told the Nutley Journal. "My mother grew up in Nutley and was here her whole life, as did my wife. I lived in town on and off through the years, but I always came back. My wife and I have roots here and we decided this was where we wanted to raise our family and grow our business. I think Nutley has a lot to offer growing families and new home buyers, and that is the reason we decided to open our office here." De Fede started out as an investor in the early '90s while he was working in New York City as an art director for a startup company and, while working in the city during the dot-com boom, he said that one of his friends convinced him to start investing the money he was making in real estate. "And that is where I began," De Fede said. "I slowly made real estate my full-time business, and became a licensed agent back in 2004. I eventually decided to merge my two loves -- real estate and marketing." De Fede said that although owning a business requires long hours and little time off, he loves what he does. "It's not easy," De Fede said of running the business. "My wife and I basically work seven days a week. We have not taken a vacation since we have opened. My obsession is our office and our business, and there are a lot of late nights and no weekends off, but I love what I do and I would not have it any other way." According to De Fede, the people are part of the reason why he loves the work. "The people in town are some of the nicest people you could meet," he said. "It really is a very close- knit town with a great sense of community." De Fede said although Realtors seem to come a dime a dozen, he is confident that his company has already set itself apart from the pack. "The competition is very fierce and you can shake a stick and hit a Realtor," said De Fede. "Everyone knows someone. The difference is the attention to detail and the marketing we do, and that is where I feel we don't have any competition." De Fede, who handles everything from first-time buyers to investors, said the real estate market in Nutley is on the upswing. "The Nutley market is strong," he said. "We have recovered from the 2008 market crash rather well and homes are appreciating. Being only 10 miles from New York City also helps our marketplace." According to De Fede, 70 percent of his clients hail from NYC and surrounding boroughs. Buyers should pick an agent and stick with them, said De Fede. He also warns clients to steer clear of certain well known real estate sites, which he said disseminate inaccurate information to home buyers and sellers. De Fede offers specific advice to buyers. "Get pre-approved before you start house hunting," De Fede advises. As for those selling their homes, De Fede recommends that sellers choose a broker with a solid online presence. "The way to sell a home today and reach the most people is mobile and online," De Fede said. "If you don't list your home with a brokerage that understands digital marketing, you are going to be at a disadvantage in the market place." One of the challenges in the real estate business, said De Fede, is the client's expectations. "Some clients either think they are paying too much for a home, or accepting too little without actually understanding the marketplace and what is going on at a particular time," he said. "It is our job as professionals to explain and show them what the trends are. We do this every day, whereas the average person only buys or sells a home one to two times during their lives." De Fede credits his success to a particular "secret sauce." "Our in-house creative department, which no one has, and our online presence are the best in New Jersey.