Between the two of them, Joseph “Jay” and Francesca Matassa can apply more than half a century of profes- sional experience to luxury real estate. The faces behind Matassa Real Estate, the husband-and-wife duo fervently believe in the power of collaboration – both in their in own home and in helping others find theirs. “As a husband and wife team (and throughout our relationship), we’ve always proven to achieve more when working together than apart,” noted Jay Matassa. “We met 27 years ago and immediately began a personal and professional relationship. From initial endeavors in event promotions to our full-service real estate and lending business, we have excelled at helping others find success and happiness.”

As Matassa recalls, it was fate and timing that brought the two together. Both were steering separate careers: Francesca was in media, while Jay managed international teams as an executive in the finance and technology sectors. “We both have always had an interest in real estate and its value toward long-term financial success. We love the architecture, the style, and the economics. We love learning the intimate details of the craftsmanship and products used in home construction and design.”

Matassa explained one pillar of their success is a divide-and- conquer mentality. He, a licensed realtor and mortgage loan originator in both New York and New Jersey, handles sales in New York, while his wife tackles sales in New Jersey. Jay is in the process of obtaining his New Jersey Real Estate Broker’s license so that they can build upon the success of their first few years in business. “We have been building our team such that a founda- tion of ethics and professionalism underlie everything we do,” he said. “As we grow, year over year, we always build upon this foundation. It ensures that we are always moving forward and leaving behind positive change in this industry.”

This growth, they noted, will improve the skillset they already have within their team, allowing them to offer more to their clients in the long run and bring more agents to their team. Building and training a first-class team is vital to the success of clients, they explained. “We are told over and over that our clients never expected their agent to be as knowledgeable, professional, and responsible as our agents are.”

But building any new business won’t evade the occasional obstacle. “The biggest challenge we face is educating and building consumer confidence in the public. We spend as much time studying the market, economy, and building/style trends as we do working directly with our clients. This ensures that, as a team, we and our clients are navigating the market strategically and efficiently.” Technology is also a vital tool, giving the Matassas the ability to communicate instantly and openly with their clients. “There is not a single client that is not being actively engaged with to ensure we know their evolving needs and interest in properties they see. We present clients the properties most likely to not only fit their needs, but more importantly, ones that they can successfully obtain.”