July 2023 ~ Top Producers Erika Pledger & Yordan Polanco, Slate Real Estate

Erika Pledger and Yordan Polanco, Slate Real Estate

By: Michelle Williamson and Photos by Renee Parenteau

The Dynamic Duo top producers

Slate Real Estate’s Erika Pledger and Yordan Polanco are a unique real estate team. They have 15 years of experience between them, and both are relationship driven. Their drive to build lasting client relationships brought them together and remains the glue that keeps their partnership strong. Yet, the two represent different market segments. Erika is the listing specialist, while Yordan is the team’s buyer professional. Together, this duo serves both sellers and buyers with expertise and care.

“We work well together because of our aligned priorities,” says Erika. “Yordan and I share a lot of the same values in our personal and professional lives. Family and relationships are first. Everything else follows.” When they are together, the veracity of that statement is quickly noticed.

When asked what sets his and Erika’s team apart, Yordan shares, “I truly believe that our genuine care sets us apart. Anyone can search and show a property on MLS. At the end of the day, it is how you care for your clients and go the extra mile that is most important. We pride ourselves on our customer service and the resources we provide. We study every market detail to successfully navigate our clients through difficult scenarios. Whether it is getting creative on a multiple offer situation or dealing with tough negotiations, we work tirelessly for our clients.”

Erika’s and Yordan’s reasons for their client focused approach are different, but both empathize with their clients naturally and work to create lasting relationships that extend beyond the transaction.

ERIKA: THE SELLER’S FRIEND AND GUIDE

On Erika’s position as listing specialist, Yordan says, “The listing side is personalized; it brings a lot of emotions with it. She has a lot of patience and understands the difficulties that go along with selling.”

Erika explains, “As a listing specialist, I’ve realized much of the excitement buyers experience is not a part of the selling process. I might be thrilled about earning someone’s business and getting an incredible new listing, but the daunting task ahead of a seller and the amount of stress and emotion it can cause is something I have learned to embrace. Being their support system, voice of reason, and shoulder to cry on… all of it is why I choose this role every day.”

Erika goes on to add, “It could be a family home or someone who has recently lost a parent—each situation touches my heart, and I’m thankful to be a piece of the puzzle working to create the best outcome. I just focus on taking care of our clients while they’re navigating life changes.”

Much of Erika’s perseverance and empathy when listing a home in stressful or difficult situations can be attributed to her battle with ulcerative colitis, a condition she was diagnosed with as a freshman in college. A flare up left her critically ill and she nearly lost her life. “It turned my world upside down,” Erika says of the experience. She chose to fight hard for her health and everything she wanted, and went on to graduate from Georgia Southern University in 2010.

Now twelve years in remission, the experience is still fresh. “Looking back, I know the only reasons I survived was because of my family and my faith. God had a plan for my life. I may not have seen it then, but I’m so thankful I do now. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for allowing me to live another day. That experience shaped me in more ways than I can count,” she reflects.

We work well together because of OUR ALIGNED PRIORITIES. - Erika

Erika’s real estate experience and knowledge of the transaction process add confidence to her perseverance. After building her first home, Erika left a non-profit to enter real estate. She explains, “I knew in my heart, it was what I wanted.” She started as a transaction coordinator with her now broker and mentor, which more than prepared her to manage contracts and negotiations. “I work hard to know contracts like the back of my hand, so I’m confident in representing clients and providing the best customer service.”

Erika and her husband, Brandon, have been married for 10 years and they have two children. Their son, CJ, is six, and their daughter, Kirby, is 18 months. The family loves spending days at the beach or pool, and they are “always planning trips or visiting family.” Erika shares that “quiet nights at home with family fill her soul.”

YORDAN: THE BUYERS FRIEND AND GUIDE

I understood at a young age that if you put your all into something, it won’t leave any room for excuses or doubts. - YORDAN

Yordan is the team’s buying specialist and like Erika on the selling side, he understands the emotions accompanying buying a new home. “He truly values the importance of helping families find the perfect home and planting roots. That’s something he wasn’t able to do while in the Navy,” Erika shares.

Yordan excels with the buyer side of real estate because, “I think it’s my Navy experience. Having worked with people from all over the world has really helped me understand and relate to different personalities and their needs,” he shares.

Yordan relocated from Virginia Beach to Jacksonville in 2016 where he and his wife, Brionna, purchased their first home. “It was the first time in my Navy career that I was able to settle somewhat close to our families,” he explains.

Yordan immigrated to the United States from Cuba when he was seven and grew up in Key Largo. “My parents immigrated to America in their early thirties, leaving the little they had behind to create a better life for their family. I grew up watching them work extremely hard to provide for my brother and me. We didn’t have a lot, but they made sure we always had enough.”

Yordan says watching his parents shaped him into the hard working, dedicated, and determined man he is today. “I understood at a young age that if you put your all into something, it won’t leave any room for excuses or doubts.” Yordan has carried this mentality with him throughout his life, and he hopes to teach the same to his children.

He knew he was interested in a career in real estate when he and Brionna were planning on buying their first home. “I was deployed at the time and did a lot of studying on the process and was very intrigued,” he says. “I immediately realized there was a lot of misinformation out there when it came to the VA. I knew I would be able to help other military members and friends find a home,” he shares. He wanted to continue building those relationships and others.

Yordan and Brionna have been married for six years and together for sixteen. They have two children, Jaxon (3) and baby Sophia (6 months) who is amazed by everything her big brother does. When he’s not working, Yordan enjoys being present with his family. “I’m excited to be a father, to watch my kids grow and be there through all their milestones. There is nothing I look forward to more every day,” he says.

“I run my business and personal life with the same passion and excitement. At the end of the day, truly being myself, caring for my people, and working my butt off is what I do and what the Pledger and Polanco team is all about. - Yordan”