April 2022- Jacksonville Real Producers

ALLISON CHANCE

top producer

By Jennifer Watson

Photos by Renee Parenteau

Anchored Real Estate Group

A Not-So Stressful Move

A September 20, 2020 survey from the New York Post asked 1,000 Americans what they thought the most stressful event in life was. Forty-five percent of the respondents said moving was the most stressful event they’d experienced in the three years prior to the survey.

Moving in and of itself is a challenge, but when you are moving internationally — across the U.S. or to a state you’ve never even visited before — moving becomes a new level of difficulty. Many American military men and women know this stressor all too well, so it helps to use a REALTOR® who personally understands the various obstacles a military family might face as they transition.

As a wife of a naval officer serving at Naval Station Mayport, Allison Chance of Anchored Real Estate Group has made eight moves in the last ten years. None of them were easy, and a couple of them presented challenges she never anticipated.

Best Laid Plans Allison attended the University of Florida, where she expected to make a career in wedding and event planning. As such, she spent her last semester of college completing an internship with a catering company.

“I learned so much about myself, the power of a strong work ethic, and simply working with others,” Allison recalls.

Fate had different plans for her, though. While she and her husband were stationed in Hawaii, Allison decided to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, who is a commercial real estate broker in Miami. With a new baby girl added to her family, a real estate career seemed like the perfect way to combine Allison’s people and organizational skills with her desire to be present with her family.

Anchored Real Estate Group Brandie Kral, Blair Owen, Kelly Nye, and Allison Chance

So, Allison set to work on her real estate license with a baby in one arm and her laptop in the other, and by the time she and her husband returned to Florida in 2015, she was ready to hit the ground running. She went to work right away with a brokerage and enjoyed early success in her new career.

Photo credit: Sarah Kappes Photography

“Out of the uncomfortable comes beautiful things.” However, in 2017, Allison would be thrown a curveball she wasn’t expecting: a move across the country to Northern California so that her husband, Kyle, could complete his master’s degree at the Naval Postgraduate School.

“At the time, I had completely built my real estate business in Jacksonville. We were connected and rooted in the community, and all was well,” Allison says. “Leaving Jacksonville was one of the hardest things. Not only did we move across the country, away from family, but we also left the Florida sunshine for the cold and dreary weather in Northern California.”

Allison found herself not only missing the Vitamin D in Florida but also the comforts of a place she knew as home. She was presented with a choice: continue with real estate or press pause on her career for the time being.

“My goal was always to continue my career in real estate, no matter how tough it was to start over,” says Allison. “I worked tirelessly on obtaining my California license, and meanwhile, I found out I was expecting my second child.”

“There were so many times I wanted to quit. I constantly doubted myself and my ability to be successful in a new market and raise two children,” Allison says.

With the true spirit of a military spouse, Allison found the courage to squash her fears and make the best of the situation in which she found herself.

“My experience in California, and every time we have relocated, has given me strength to never give up,” Allison says. “I learned so much working in a vastly different real estate market, and it has definitely helped me beyond measure in growing my business.”

“I am a big believer that out of the uncomfortable comes beautiful things,” she says.

An Expert in Relocation With Allison’s experience in moving back and forth across the country several times, she is a reliable resource for military families relocating to the Jacksonville area.

“We work with many families who purchase their home sight unseen,” says Allison. “Sometimes a military family can’t physically make a trip to Florida from Japan or Spain, or COVID restrictions make travel complicated… they put all their trust in us, and that is a big responsibility that we do not take lightly.”

Allison often uses technology to “show” homes to families outside the area. She relies on trusted partners, including lenders and home inspectors, who understand the challenges a buyer faces by not physically being in Jacksonville.

“For most of our buyers and sellers, we are truly helping them with an entire life relocation. Finding doctors, babysitters, a new church, groups to get connected with…,” says Allison. “As a military spouse myself, I understand firsthand the struggles and stress that go along with a move. Throw in a few kids and pets, too, and you are exhausted before the first box is packed.”

"I would like to continue to grow my team and continue to inspire women, especially fellow military spouses, to chase their dreams, whether big or small or in the workplace or at home."

Allison and her team at Anchored Real Estate Group are committed to excellence and total satisfaction. Whether the move is big or small, they want their clients to have a pleasant buying or selling experience that is as stress-free as possible. Their mission is: Founded in Excellence. Grounded in Service.

“My hope, as we grow, is that we never lose sight of this,” Allison says. “While we will never be perfect, we do strive for perfection!”

Her expertise and experience are paying off: last year, her team completed 83 transactions for a total of $31.5 million.

Bringing The Family Together Allison founded Anchored Real Estate Group in September 2021, and her children, Charlotte and Hux, along with her husband Kyle, make her real estate business a family affair.

“My family is truly part of my business, and my children love sporting their Anchored Real Estate Group t-shirts and swag, reciting my phone number because they have heard me make a few thousand phone calls and leave lots of messages, and telling everyone that ‘my mom sells houses,’” smiles Allison.

Allison sets an example of hard work and tenacity for her children, but she also works hard to demonstrate a healthy work-life balance.

“Yoga is my happy place,” Allison says. “In a business that is so demanding and stressful, it is truly my way to disconnect, meditate, pray, and get in a workout.”

In addition to unwinding with yoga, Allison and her family enjoy attending church at Eleven22, supporting Gator football in Gainesville, frequenting all of the delicious restaurants Jacksonville has to offer, and spending their weekends at Atlantic Beach Country Club, where they love to golf and let the kids swim and enjoy the Florida sunshine.

Future Plans Allison doesn’t have any plans to slow down on helping individuals and families find their perfect homes in the Jacksonville area. With a heart for relocating military men and women and their families, as well as for those closer to the Jacksonville area, she expects to continue working toward increased professional success while staying present as her children continue to grow.

“I would like to continue to grow my team and continue to inspire women, especially fellow military spouses, to chase their dreams, whether big or small or in the workplace or at home,” says Allison. “I personally struggle with doubting that I am enough or that I am doing enough. Erasing this stigma in my own mind and for other working women, especially moms, is so important to me.”