About the RJ Soens Group
RJ’s team is amazing! We are so impressed that they not only took care of everything during the buying process but continue to be helpful years after our purchase.
–Peter & Karen Appieciafuoco
The best! We would never use anyone else! We were treated like family. It was clear that RJ and his team were interested in “us” not just the sale. We enjoyed staying in touch with our friends at the RJ Soens Group.
–Andrea Bianco Rieti & Donte Rieti
Meet the Team
RJ Soens, III
I have had the privelege of helping people invest and vacation in this special place since 1986 and I’m fortunate to be a part of the fastest growing and most experienced real estate team in the area.
By providing tangibly superior results, enjoyable experiences and someone to count on going forward, I have been able to sell nearly eight times more real estate than competing agents and establish lifelong relationships with clients who often become friends. I hope this website demonstrates how you will benefit from our vast resources, market insights and honest advice which result in highly informed decisions a smooth process and of course the outcome you deserve.
Please allow me to put my decades of knowledge and experience to work for you and let’s get started on what is sure to be a great relationship!
Bill Soens
Bill Soens is a Graduate of William Penn Charter School then attended Villanova University and University of Miami. He boasts a 48 year career as a Realtor/Developer in the Avalon/Stone Harbor market earning many accolades including the Top Producer Award. Until he sold the company in March of 2013, Bill was the President, Co-owner and Broker of Record for Avalon Real Estate Agency since 1986; prior to that, he was a salesperson with Avalon Real Estate Agency.
In his free time, Bill is an avid golfer and a founding partner and developer of the Cape May National Golf Club. Bill is the proud father of David, Scott and Michael Soens and a Grandfather of 5. Bill is a RYT registered yoga instructor through Yoga Alliance; conducts classes on a regular basis and attends periodic yoga seminars and retreats.
Janet Bogorowski
Janet has made a tremendous impact on our team, earning impressive top honors as one of Long & Foster’s highest producing agents in her first year alone. She is well on her way to having another successful year representing our clients. She credits her impact on the island’s market to her desire to go above and beyond for each client she is privileged to work with. Janet’s energy, enthusiasm and keen knack for matching buyers and sellers has quickly made her a valuable asset to our group. Her clients appreciate her attention to detail, knowledge of the market, and unparalleled customer service.
Janet and her husband are 21-year residents of Avalon. After earning a degree in journalism, she began a career in advertising and public relations in New York and Philadelphia as a fashion and travel writer. While raising “four of her favorite people” she worked as a tireless advocate for children, education and other important community issues. She is an avid reader, writer and lover of words, and is known for the daily “Thought for the Day” that makes a daily appearance outside their Avalon home.
Stephanie Cook
Stephanie is a life-long native of Cape May County who considers herself lucky to have grown up at the shore. She graduated from Ocean City High School and Rutgers University summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts. As the team’s Marketing Director and Licensed NJ Realtor, Steph brings over 15 years of assorted business experience including retail, hospitality, fashion, and public sector administration. Other than having an extremely diversified background, Stephanie is a natural artist who has a sharp design eye.
Giovanna D’Alessandro
Giovanna was born into the business of managing residential and commercial properties. When she was in her twenties she purchased a boutique hotel in Wildwood Crest and by her thirties she owned an additional six resort properties in Florida. Licensed and practicing real estate full time in New Jersey since 1999 and in Florida since 2003, and bringing forth an entrepreneurial spirit and business background to the table, it’s clear that Giovanna possesses the fortitude and experience to ensure that your resort home or investment property is in good hands.
In addition to her Broker’s license, Giovanna holds several other professional designations, including Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI), Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource (SFR), Community Association Manager (CAM) and Certified Professional Landlord (CPL).
Giovanna received her Master’s of Engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology and her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Rowan University. Active within her community, Giovanna serves as the Organizational Leader for 4H Cloverbuds in Upper Township, NJ and has been a Group Leader of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team.
Contact her today to learn how you can become a part of her legacy of success!
Susan Gebauer
Sue has been a full-time summer resident, enjoying Avalon and Stone Harbor her entire life. While working for many local businesses, she has developed lifelong friends in the community. After meeting her husband in Avalon, there was no doubt that they would always consider this island home. Sue pursued a 20-year career in education and is now embarking on the next chapter of her professional career as a real estate agent at Long & Foster. She joined the RJ Soens Group in 2014 and looks forward to helping her clients find the perfect vacation rental or fulfill their dream of owning a piece of “Seven Mile Island.”
Thomas Kirsch
A lifelong summer resident, Tom finally moved to the shore full time and joined the RJ Soens Group this past year. Tom brings almost 20 years of diverse and geographic sales experience that ranges from a Fortune 500 company in San Francisco specializing in healthcare technology to a regional South Jersey developer focused on land acquisition and fully approved lots for National builders.
His attention to detail, strong communication skills and passion for technology advancements ensures that our buying and selling clients have a clear vision in maximizing their real estate investments. Tom is a graduate of Fairfield University in CT.
Jonathan Landon
Jonathan Landon is one of the longest serving, experienced, and most energetic real estate professionals on seven mile island. Jonathan grew up on Philadelphia’s Main Line and never missed a summer in Cape May. After attending Ithaca college, Jonathan took the advice of a friend and looked into real estate as a potential career, leading him to join Avalon’s First Eastern Realty in 1976. This happened to be my father’s first job in real estate as well. Jonathan was always a go getter and in 1985 he purchased the existing firm Holiday Realty and began his successful run of nearly 30 years as owner/broker.
In late 2013, Jonathan decided to simplify his business life and focus on his passion, helping people by and sell real estate in Cape May County which he knows and loves so well. This led to the sale of the property which housed Holiday Realty and his decision to join our group. Boy are we glad he did! By leveraging the team’s resources and support along with his enormous talent and contact base, Jonathan has emerged as one of Long & Foster coastal region’s leading producers and completed the two largest transactions of his career. On joining the group, Jonathan says “I’m really happy, this is a great situation for both me and my family”. We are equally happy to have Jonathan as a colleague!
Barbara Mehl
Barbara Mehl has been a year-round resident of Cape May County since 1992 after summering in Stone Harbor for decades. Family history in Stone Harbor since 1939 has given Barbara expertise of the diversity of locations and communities here on the Seven Mile Island. Barbara and her husband, Steve, raised their family on both the island of Stone Harbor as well as the mainland of Cape May Court House.
Barbara has been actively involved in a wide-range of affiliations including; community, church, school and private club events in Cape May County for 25 years. Being an active member of both Middle Township Chamber of Commerce as well as Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce, gives Barbara a strong pulse on history, current changes and future opportunities to both year-round and summer residents of Cape May County.
Barbara previously came from a background of retail sales and management in Stone Harbor for over 15 years. Intrigued with the Real Estate Market on Seven Mile Island, Barbara obtained her Real Estate License in 2008. With her diverse background, Barbara has been able to serve her clients with both listings and sales throughout all of Cape May and Atlantic Counties.
In 2014 Barbara became a Sales Representative with Long & Foster. This transition has given Barbara the ability of offering her clients much more diversity. “Coming on board with Long & Foster, and specifically The RJ Soens Team, allows me, as a Realtor, the professionalism and presence on the Jersey Shore to better serve my clients!” says Barbara.
Whether it is the first-time home buyer, an investment opportunity, or a summer vacation home; Barbara knows the Seven Mile Island, Barbara knows the Beach and the Bay, and Barbara knows the Mainland…Barbara is ready to help you navigate throughout Cape May County today!
Marilyn O’Donoghue
Marilyn has been involved in real estate from a young age. Her parents were licensed realtors in the Atlantic City area and focused on investment and rental properties. She grew up in Margate and is a graduate of Holy Spirit High School and Villanova University. Marilyn has owned property in Avalon since 1998 and has been an active real estate agent since 2006.
Marilyn was named the top first year agent in production for Long & Foster 2014. She owns a home staging company and provides sellers the direction to achieve a memorable first impression. Buyers appreciate the insight she can provide regarding the hidden potential of a property. Marilyn understands the importance of social media in the marketplace and has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hubdin, Foursquare, Yelp, and LinkedIn.
Joan Staszak
Joan Staszak obtained her NJ real estate license in 1988 and has worked in the business or related fields ever since. Joan joined RJ Soens Group in 1993 and has handled all aspects of the real estate business with a commitment and passion which has earned her the respect and admiration of her peers and colleagues both in the agency and island wide.
Joan’s tireless efforts helping me and my clients and willingness to jump into any needed situation make her essential to our success. Joan’s current focus is marketing, client communication, and much of the group’s administrative needs.
Mimi Szegda
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Mimi spent her childhood summers “down the shore” vacationing at her family’s Avalon and Ocean City beach houses. A graduate of St. Basil Academy, she earned a degree in Marketing and Business Administration from LaSalle University. Upon graduation, she spent “one last summer” at the shore – but fell in love with the lifestyle and has never looked back!
Now a year ’rounder for over 15 years, Mimi has gained a keen knowledge of the entire Jersey shore area. She began her real estate career in 2004 at MM Real Estate as a licensed assistant to Mark Marroletti, focusing on vacation rentals. An avid yoga practitioner, Mimi met her teacher and mentor, Bill Soens, the long-time broker of Avalon Real Estate, on the mat. As a co-owner of Stone Harbor staple Marabella’s Family Restaurant, she has honed her friendly and outgoing personality into a killer set of people skills and learned the meaning of hard work and dedication. With her background in customer service, marketing and her obvious love of the island, a career selling real estate at the shore seemed the perfect fit!
Mimi is a member of the SH and Avalon Chambers of Commerce as well as a member of the SH Women’s Civic Club and a Bishop McHugh mom. She loves the beach, traveling and spending time with her family and friends. Mimi is excited to bring her positive energy and enthusiasm to the RJ Soens Group at Long & Foster. Let her help you find your dream home at the beach!
Christine Tumelty
Christine (Chris) Tumelty, a welcomed addition to our sales team last year, made an impressive mark on our sales volume. Chris’ expertise centers on her extensive experience in establishing, developing, and maintaining customer relationships in conjunction with her real estate market and advertising knowledge.
Chris adds an abundance of energy and enthusiasm to our team as well as a strong foundation in sales, marketing, and technology. This skill set allows her to creatively assist our clients with unique marketing strategies for their properties. Chris provides a combination of “old school sales techniques” coupled with advanced aggressive internet marketing campaigns to provide our clients with the perfect “audience” to market their home. Her people skills, negotiating expertise, responsiveness, and attention to detail ensure a smooth and hassle-free process from beginning to end.
Annmarie Ulissi
Lifelong Cape May County native Annmarie Ulissi graduated from Rowan University with a B.A. in Health & Exercise Science and a teaching certification for grades K-12. While a full time student, Annmarie also held a full time managerial positon resulting ten years of management experience.
After pursuing teaching she became interested in real estate and obtained her real estate license in 2012. Annmarie has been assisting clients secure vacation homes on Seven Mile Island since then and cherishes the relationships she has developed with renters and property owners.
Annmarie’s wide-range of experience in customer-client care along with her strong background in technology is a welcome addition to our group which she joined in spring 2015. Her focus will be servicing rentals, client communication, administration, and marketing for Jonathan Landon and RJ Soens. We are fortunate to have her!
