March 2023 ~ Jacksonville Real Producers

RISING STARS

Brady & Alyssa Hammond

GIVING BACK Elizabeth Wells

PARTNER SPOTLIGHT LunsPro Inspections

This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted real estate affiliate. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring your magazine. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting the REALTOR® community!

ART

John Beard Collection (904) 860-6690

johnbeardcollection.com

ESTATE SALES

Blue Moon Estate Sales of Jacksonville

Valerie Sprague (904) 477-4871 bluemoonestatesales.com

HOME BUYER

Mac Home Development Inc (904) 887-4015 machomedevelopment.com

HOME WARRANTY

2-10 Home Warranty (904) 652-5931

2-10.com

First American Home Warranty (904) 718-3685

firstamrealestate.com

Old Republic Home Protection (904) 994-6620 ORHP.com

INSPECTIONS

LunsPro Inspections (904) 249-6523

LunsProFlorida.com

River City Home Inspections (904) 654-4732

rivercityinspect.com

INSURANCE AGENCY

Brightway Insurance - The Pihl Agency

Michele Mcilmurray (904) 262-2886

BrightwayJax.com

MORTGAGE / LENDER

Atlantic Trust Mortgage (904) 338-9356

AtlanticTrustMortgage.com

CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC (904) 829-8631

crosscountrymortgage.com/ My-CC-Team

Dan Ribler (904) 575-3290

FiberMortgage.com

First Coast Mortgage (703) 627-1775

FirstCoastMortgage Funding.com

Future Home Loans

Mary Walker (904) 494-6000

future.loans

Gaye E. Jones (Annie Mac) (904) 599-2551

GayeJones.Annie-Mac.com

Heroes First Home Loans (904) 539-3790

heroesfirst.com

Jet Home Loans

(904) 479-7468

JETHL.com

Loan Depot

Tracy Hayes (904) 513-7950

Loandepot.com/branches/ jacksonville-fl

Mortgages By Linda (904) 591-3662 mortgagesbylinda.com/

Movement Mortgage

Carlos Wilcox (904) 253-0940

NEXA Mortgage (904) 614-1146 scottneeley.com

North Florida Mortgage Brokers

Timothy Newman (904) 755-0307

northfloridamortgage brokers.com

MOVING COMPANY

Jaguar Moving (904) 323-6978

JaguarMoving.com

Ocean Movers (904) 269-4430

Oceanmovers.net

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

JoyLights (904) 474-1768 WeBringTheJoy.com

PEST CONTROL SERVICES

Kingfish Pest Control (904) 595-5300 KingfishPest.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Renee Parenteau

Photography (904) 236-5337

ReneeParenteauPhoto.com

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Collage Day School (904) 900-1439 CollageDaySchool.org

REAL ESTATE LAW

Head Moss Fulton & Griffin Law

(904) 278-8200 hmfglaw.com

REAL ESTATE

PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOS

The Listing Edge (904) 994-9176 listingedge.net

REAL ESTATE SCHOOL

Eagles World

Real Estate School (904) 337-1392

eaglesworldrealtyjax.com/ real-estate-school/

ROOFING

Mighty Dog RoofingJacksonville FLA (904) 543-6067 mightydogroofing.com

ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION

South Edge Construction (904) 799-8000 southedgeconstruction.com

SPORTS TEAMS

Jacksonville Jaguars (904) 633-3348

Jaguars.com

TITLE COMPANY

Atlantic Coast Title & Escrow (904) 853-5591 atlanticcoasttitleand escrow.com

Landmark Title (904) 367-2525

LandmarkTitle.com

Milestone Title Services (904) 716-7285

milestonetitlesvcs.com

Omega National Title Agency, LLC (904) 456-0858

Omeganationaltitle.com

Woods, Weidenmiller, Michetti & Rudnick, LLP

Josh Rudnick (239) 325-4070

TITLE SERVICES

Covenant Closing (386) 986-4623 covenantclosing.com

VIDEOGRAPHER Matthew Manyak (404) 310-0792 matthewmanyak.com

HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL?

Opportunity Knocks When You Let Go

Owning four businesses, having two active children, maintaining a home, rental properties, traveling, and having time for ourselves, Brian and I are often asked: “How do you do it all?”

The answer is: “We don’t!”

I used to have the mentality that you had to do everything yourself, but eventually realized that is not necessary or practical to get to where you want to go in life.

One of the ways Brian and I are able to do a lot of things is because of the people we choose to surround ourselves with in our businesses. We are incredibly grateful to now have a team of leaders who help run our companies. We found that not only does this allow more time freedom for us, but it also gives us the opportunity to focus on the bigger picture ahead–both professionally and personally. We quickly figured out that by empowering (letting go) and supporting (cheering on) these leaders within our businesses, they are often better

than us at their respective roles and more passionate about them. So it’s a win-win for everyone.

I did have to have a mindset shift though to get to this point. I used to think, “Why would I pay someone to do something I can do myself?” Then I remembered an economics class I took in college and the lesson on ‘opportunity cost’. Everything has a price, whether it be a dollar amount or your time. More money can be made, but once time is gone, it is gone for good.

Having young children at home, our number one priority is their well-being. We don’t miss their school events, sports games, or dance recitals. These days are fleeting, so we are willing to make other sacrifices in order to be present for them. To maximize our personal quality time, we will sacrifice money in exchange for time. For instance, we outsource things like laundry, lawn, and housekeeping to “get back” time. Rather than losing precious time grocery shopping, we have them delivered and instead use that hour working with

By Kristin Lunsford

the kids on their homework or throwing the ball outside. We get up early for our workouts so that important exercise time won’t pull us away from our kids or team members during the day. This looks different for each family, but the concept is the same.

Brian is thrilled that I’m there now with this concept as he’s been convinced for years that true success is time freedom, which inevitably opens up the door for the next exciting thing to happen. There is no honor in compromising your family and/or your own health for work. We have always encouraged our team members to not miss the important (big and little) moments in life. Our work will always be there when we get back.

To find joy and avoid regret, it’s critical to take the time (right now) to evaluate what is important to you at this time in your life and figure out ways to make those things a priority by pivoting or offloading certain time-consuming tasks at home and work. Not only will clarity emerge, but so will opportunity.

Linda Garcia

FL NMLS: #387192

Down payment assistance program up to $25,000

First-time home buyers only

Eligible for community service workers such as law enforcement o cers, firefighters, educators, healthcare professionals, childcare employees, and active military or veterans.

8833 Perimeter Park Blvd Suite 403

Jacksonville, FL 32216

(904) 591-3662

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#JRDB, Inc NMLS: #1057426 #TeamMBL

Photo: Members of the LunsPro Inspections and Kingfish Pest Control leadership teams.

LUNSFORD LUNSFORD

INSPECTIONS

By Zachary Cohen

Brian and Kristin Lunsford have built a suite of companies in and around the real estate business: LunsPro Inspections, Kingfish Pest Control, Jacksonville Real Producers, and their newest company, JoyLights.

One of these high-performing businesses is LunsPro Inspections, which has built a reputation for best-in-class service and high-touch customer care. As the years go on, the company culture continues to grow stronger.

“More than a workplace or team, we’re becoming a family. Our people are becoming our family,” Kristin says proudly.

In recent years, Brian and Kristin have led with the motto Bring the Joy. This approach is more than a marketing ploy; it’s something Brian, Kristin, and the LunsPro Inspections team live by.

“We focus on bringing joy to everyone. We are constantly asking, ‘Are we bringing the joy?’ That’s the lens we look through. We use it as a mantra, live by it, and adhere to it,” Brian says.

In the inspection business, bringing joy doesn’t always look pretty. Sometimes it means scrambling to come through for a trusted partner with a last-minute request. Sometimes it means talking a client through a difficult situation. Regardless, the LunsPro Inspections team remains committed to being there for their customers and REALTOR® partners — with a smile.

Q&A with Owners Brian and Kristin Lunsford

Jacksonville Real Producers: What do you see happening in the real estate market now?

Brian: It’s still early in 2023 and there are some positive indicators out there, but just like the rest of the country, our area experienced a decline in home sales last year, but fortunately for LunsPro, we grew in 2022. Back in 2008, it was a terrible situation for many people, but we picked up market share. I’m confident that with the team we have

in place, we’ll do the same thing this year and beyond–regardless of how good or bad the market performs. That’s because of the leadership we have in place, the strong foundation we have built, and we’ve been through it before. When we see a market shift possibly happening, we double down on fundamentals — picking up the phone, continuing to do the right thing, taking care of our clients, and going above and beyond for our partners. In other words, we will withstand a potential storm alongside our REALTOR® partners and work together to come out on the other side even stronger.”

Jacksonville Real Producers: Update us on the company. What’s changed? What’s new?

Brian: The biggest difference is that our culture continues to get stronger and stronger. Michelle Foster is our talented vice president and she leads the LunsPro team on a daily basis.

Kristin: Michelle came on with LunsPro in operations, and we saw the potential in her. She was promoted to Vice President shortly thereafter. She’s a person that just gets it done. She doesn’t stress or overanalyze. She figures out ways to get things accomplished, and she does it with a breath of fresh air. It’s very positive, and the team reacts well to her leadership, taking on the same personality.

Jacksonville Real Producers: What are you most excited about in the business?

Brian: My biggest goal when interacting with our team, and Kristin’s as well, is we are encouragers. We are here to support the team in everything they do. When problems or questions come up, we’re there as a resource if needed, and our role now is to cheer them on, to support them in their work. We are grateful we have a strong leadership

Michelle Foster, Vice President of LunsPro Inspections.

team at LunsPro so Kristin and I can focus on the bigger picture. That allows us to look ahead. What’s next? What’s the next market? What’s the next company? We started a new company last year called JoyLights, a seasonal and permanent lighting company that we felt there was a need for in this area. Without our LunsPro leadership team, this exciting new upstart would not exist right now. (Find JoyLights at WeBringTheJoy.com.)

Jacksonville Real Producers: What’s working in the business?

Kristin: Building relationships with agents. Agents want to know their partners and vendors, so we’re taking time to build relationships so agents know

they can reach out to us. We have a family of companies that are tied together, serving the real estate community.

Jacksonville Real Producers: So you also own Kingfish Pest Control, a partner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and you just started JoyLights. Can you tell us about the new company?

Brian: The idea for JoyLights was born a little over a year ago. Our family hired another company to put up seasonal Christmas lights for us in 2021. When we pulled into our driveway and saw our home lit up for the first time, it brought such joy to us, especially our two children. That planted the seed. It fit our vision of “bringing joy”, and we saw

MAKING OTHER PEOPLE’S DREAMS COME TRUE IS MY

FOCUS,

FOCUS,

AND THESE COMPANIES ALLOW US TO DO THAT.

it as an opportunity to provide a great service and also give team members from our other companies another option to create more income, particularly during the holidays. From there, our leaders — in particular, Michelle — ran with it, added new ideas, and turned it into a reality.

Jacksonville Real Producers: Tell us about your family.

Kristin: The kids are very active — Jake, our tenyear-old son and Abby, our eight-year-old daughter. Our son being ten, he’s closer to college than birth. We’re already past the halfway point. Time goes by fast. We prefer experiences and traveling over material items.

Brian: Sports rule our household. We especially enjoy football season, and we want to hit all 50 states with our kids before they graduate high school. We’ve visited around half so far.

Jacksonville Real Producers: What does the future hold?

Brian: Professionally, for our companies to be the vehicle for our team members to get to where they want to go in life, while being fulfilled and having fun along the way. If our businesses can serve as a platform to help others both inside and outside of our companies lead a great life, we’ll have done our job.

Kristin: Making other people’s dreams come true is my focus, and these companies allow us to do that.

For more information, visit LunsProFlorida.com.

EDUCATION TO REAL ESTATE

rising stars

By Lorelei Ball

They eventually found some vocational common ground and brought their comple mentary skillsets together as part of the Hammond Family Group–one of the top real estate teams in the area for Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty. Brady, a certi fied luxury specialist, is the team’s lead residential agent, while Alyssa serves as their dedicated staging consultant (Brady’s parents, Tommy and Nancy, specialize in commercial and land). Their family is routinely recognized as one of the top producers for Coldwell Banker Vanguard, which is of no surprise when you look at their productivity–over $29 million in sold volume this past year alone.

REAL ESTATE ROMANCE

Brady and Alyssa met a few years into their education careers and quickly hit it off. So quickly in fact that on just their third date, Alyssa agreed to join Brady on a house-hunting mission to find his first-ever home purchase. The winner was a 1962, 4 bedroom/3 bathroom property that went on to become their “starter home” when they got married about a year later. Little did they know this early date would be “semi-prophetic” as they went on to own, renovate, and successfully flip several properties before finally making the transition to lead the residential side of the Hammond Family Group.

Along with their real estate careers, the pair now have two children, daughter Emery (4) and son Caleb (1), whom they enjoy spoiling with regular trips to local beaches, the zoo, and Disney World. Brady also still enjoys being involved with sports as he continues to coach as an assistant for the Ponte Vedra High School varsity basketball team.

The theory

“opposites attract” rings true when it comes to the interests of Brady Hammond and his wife, Alyssa. Though they share many foundational similarities, their hobbies and interests are about as opposite as they come. This was especially evident in their prior careers in education when Brady was an athletic director and varsity basketball coach while Alyssa taught high school English and directed theater.

WHY REAL ESTATE?

What Brady and Alyssa enjoy most about working in real estate is it allows them to impact people’s lives in a positive and meaningful way. They love providing people with quality information and working strategically to help them reach their goals. Whether it’s “winning” a dream home, successfully selling a current home, or simply advising on the ever-changing market, informing others as they make such life-changing decisions and simultaneously developing friendships along the way is extremely fulfilling.

They say what sets them apart is their “energy, work ethic, and competitiveness,” which comes from their unique backgrounds in athletics and competitive arts, respectively. Their drive to be the best and go beyond expectations is a big reason they’ve become “rising stars” within the industry.

Brady and Alyssa have accomplished a tremendous amount thus far in real estate and have no plans of slowing down as they continue to pursue all the potential their future holds–including hosting a new television show called “Property Tours of Northeast Florida.” The show will highlight and feature the extraordinary homes, neighborhoods, and overall real estate market that is Northeast Florida and is set to air locally on ABC later this year…stay tuned!

The Hammond Family Group. Alyssa and Brady enjoy working with Brady’s parents, Tommy and Nancy.

Alyssa and Brady have two children, daughter Emery (4) and son Caleb (1).

HELEN KIZER

STEPPING OUT FROM THE SHADOWS

By Zachary Cohen

top producer

Before the financial crisis, Helen Kizer built a successful career in the mortgage industry. She worked her way up the ladder steadily, with her role growing from processing to managing a production team to managing a funding team. Just before the housing market crashed, she left the mortgage industry and, to her surprise, became a cake decorator. But the real estate business would eventually call her back.

In 2012, Helen’s husband, Carl, changed careers and got his real estate license. Helen joined him as his assistant shortly after.

“He asked me to come in and be his administrator, which is what I’m really passionate about and what my background was. After learning more, writing offers, getting a feel of what people were looking for in a home, scheduling appointments, and building a property management portfolio, I decided I could [sell real estate, too].”

Photography By Renee Parenteau

Helen was licensed in 2015. For the next four years, she worked as Carl’s right-hand woman, managing the back end of the business while he was the public-facing figure.

STEPPING OUT FROM THE SHADOWS

In 2019, Carl had a heart attack and spent a week on life support. He was told he wouldn’t live but was able to fight through his health scare. He was

While Carl was able to escape the worst-case scenario following his heart attack, he wasn’t able to return to the real estate business. Helen, who had spent her entire career in the background, was thrust into the spotlight.

“I’ve always been in the background in anything I’ve done. I’ve been a hard worker but never the person out in front. My husband was the face of

I CAME OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND INTO THE LIGHT.

I ONLY SEE THE LIGHT AND HOW BRIGHT AND GENEROUS IT IS NOW, AND I WANT TO SPREAD IT EVERYWHERE I GO.

comfortable with,” Helen reflects.

“When he had this unexpected heart attack, I became the face of our business. If Carl felt he could beat his heart attack, I decided I was going to move from the shadows and continue what we started in real estate and see what happens.”

“I came out of the shadows and into the light. I only see the light and how bright and generous it is now, and I want to spread it everywhere I go.”

PART OF THE FAMILY

Over the past three years, Helen has proven she’s more than capable of being in the limelight. As a solo agent with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Lifestyles Realty, she closed an impressive 48 transactions for over $15 million in 2022. Better yet, she’s continuing the legacy she and Carl started together.

Helen has fallen in love with being the face of the business, taking the opportunity to do what she loves most — developing and nurturing relationships. She considers her clients part of her family, and she becomes part of their families, too. Helen has attended countless graduations, weddings, and other events for clients. She keeps in touch with past clients regularly, whether checking in with a note card or doing in-person pop-bys. Sometimes, she’ll bring home-baked treats, and the pop-by becomes more of a pop-and-stay. For Helen, that’s the most rewarding part of the business.

“Everybody I meet comes into my real estate family. I care about them. That’s what makes this work special,” Helen beams. “I love meeting people. I love making people laugh, smile and feel loved. I love what I do.”

LIVING IN GRATITUDE

“I am most grateful that I have three great kids who are responsible, kind, educated adults. I’ve always taught them you can be whatever you want to be but be good people. And they are. I’m most proud of that.”

Elizabeth WELLS Kindness in Action

giving back

By Michelle Williamson

Of the myriad reasons people choose to give to others—family tradition, faith, a tugging heart—one of the most compelling is the desire to help others escape a dark place they themselves once existed. Elizabeth Wells, advisor with Engel and Völkers First Coast - The McIntosh Group Real Estate, is one of these givers. She extends a hand each week to juveniles incarcerated in Jacksonville’s Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) through her work with The VERB Kind, a mentoring program that reaches the youth inside the walls of juvenile detention centers and gives them a second chance through mentoring, education and connecting them with community resources. Her helping hand comes with an authenticity found in walking a similar road as those young people she now hopes to

“All these kids are lovable,” Elizabeth says. “They are loved by someone… even those who committed the worst crimes. Their crime was only a moment in time, not who they are as a person.”

Hope and inspiration with a dose of truth—tough love—is what Elizabeth offers incarcerated teens during her visits each week in downtown Jacksonville. She is a current mentor with The VERB Kind and is now starting to work with Daniel Kids, the non-profit’s youth residential program available to at-risk teens. Residential programs, like Daniel Kids, help at-risk and previously incarcerated juveniles continue to build successful futures by changing course, a process that takes time.

“I once heard, ‘If not me, then who? So why not me?’” Elizabeth says of why she gives back. “Giving back means giving hope for a better future.” She’s certainly reaching her giving back goal, which is to “make a small difference in someone’s life. That’s all we can hope for.”

Elizabeth’s heart for giving back emerges from first-hand experience. She herself grew up in Section 8 housing. “My childhood wasn’t easy,” she shares. “I endured some real trauma that eventually led to low self-esteem and bad decision-making. My parents were strong, though, and they practiced tough love,” she reflects on her teen years. She married at 18 and had a child, Melanie. After the couple got into trouble partying, the State of California threatened to take Melanie away if they did not stay sober. Instead of trying to change course, her then husband left, and they divorced. “I think he knew he couldn’t stay clean,” she shares. Elizabeth, though, was determined to keep Melanie. “Halloween, October 31, 1984, is my clean anniversary,” she says of the long-ago date she still remembers.

Her path forward was tough. Elizabeth had to use all the state assistance available to her to take care of herself and Melanie. “I had to walk to my job at a local department store,” she reflects on the struggle involved in managing the responsibilities that accompany parenting and independence. At 20, she met her now husband, Gregg, who was in the military. After the two married, Gregg adopted Melanie, and they had a child together, Cassandra.

TOUGH LOVE

“We always told our children if they got into trouble, they would have to suffer the consequences,” says Elizabeth. She and Gregg agreed early on that they would practice tough love, if necessary, with their children. While Melanie, “was an adult her whole life, an old soul,” Elizabeth shares, Cassandra struggled with depression as a teen. Then in college, although Elizabeth and Gregg provided all the help available, Cassandra self-medicated.

Eventually, Cassandra stole her parents’ credit cards and took jewelry from her

mother and sold it. “We turned her in,” Elizabeth says. “We told our kids from the beginning if they decided to take the wrong path, they would suffer the consequences.” After arraignment, Cassandra and her friends decided to rent a computer then try and pawn it. After that incident, Cassandra was sentenced to complete a state-mandated program to help her get back on track. “She wasn’t ‘working’ the program,” shares Elizabeth, and I kept warning her.” After failing to complete all the steps to the program, Cassandra found herself in jail, not juvenile detention, because she was 19 and considered an adult.

Today, now decades later, “Cassandra is doing amazing these days,” Elizabeth says of her youngest daughter. Elizabeth and Gregg are looking forward to Cassandra moving to Jacksonville soon. Melanie and her husband Ryan, and Elizabeth’s grandchildren, Lily (17), Liam (16) and Logan (11) are still in San Diego and doing well.

ELIZABETH’S “WHY”

These memories are the roots of Elizabeth’s “why”. She volunteers with The VERB Kind today because, “I know what it’s like to have the odds stacked against you. I know that a moment in time doesn’t define you. I know that only I could make the decision to fight for myself, but it took the support of family, therapy, mentor programs and more to make me successful. I made the decision, but I certainly couldn’t do it alone. That’s why I mentor these kids every Monday in juvenile detention. The event that landed them in detention does not have to define them.”

THE WELLS FAMILY NOW

Elizabeth is a relatively new Jacksonville resident and REALTOR®. She and Gregg moved from Bahrain in the Middle East to Jacksonville in 2020 about three years ago when Gregg received a job offer from the Department of Defense. Elizabeth received her real estate license a year later, in 2021, after a career in marketing and advertising. Elizabeth says she looks forward to continuing to build her roots and career here in Northeast Florida.

If you are interested in mentoring youth and making a positive impact, “consider coming to jail with me,” invites Elizabeth. Reach out at (904) 432-5749 or TheVerbKind.com. Elizabeth welcomes your participation.

Elizabeth and her husband, Gregg. Elizabeth is a proud mom of two daughters.

Elizabeth is an advisor for ENGEL & VÖLKERS FIRST COAST with the McIntosh Group.

Leighann Triplett Paul Wagner

What is your favorite place to go for Spring Break and why?

MISSY BALESTRA

Engel & Völkers

First Coast

We love vacationing at the beach on Amelia Island. The beaches are beautiful, and we love the small-town atmosphere.

DAWN NIERMAN

Florida Life Realty

The Keys- Marathon is my favorite. The weather is nice, not as hot as it gets later in the summer and my out-of-state family also meets me there. Sun, sand, and nice weather- can’t beat it!

TERRI BENNETT

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners

Summer Haven, Florida is a great place to go for spring break because it offers a wide variety of activities and is the perfect place to relax which is what I enjoy most at spring break. Set at the Mantanzas Inlet, the beautiful beaches stretch on forever. This secret spot is a windsurfer and surfer heaven, you’ll never be bored participating or watching. The weather is usually sunny and warm, making it a great spot to relax and soak up some sunshine or go for long walks. There are also plenty of fun things to do outdoors, like kayaking, fishing, and hiking. If you must get out for some nightlife, you are just a short ride to St Augustine. But I prefer to hang back with the friendly locals. As soon as I hit the Mantanzas Bridge I can feel my cares drop away and the magic of Summer Haven takes over. This is why Summer Haven is the perfect place for me at spring break or any time of year.

Although I love the beaches and cruises, my favorite place for Spring Break has been the Colorado Mountains. Living in Florida as long as I have, the mountains in the winter are unbelievable. The peacefulness and beauty are unmatched.

LISA PRUITT

Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Lifestyles Realty

While most people spring break at the beach, I head to the mountains in Elijay, Georgia to retreat. I grew up on Cocoa Beach and worked at Ron Jons. After many spring breaks on the beach, it was time to change it up.

HEIDI LYNCH

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty

My favorite spring break escape, okay actually my favorite escape whenever possible, is Key West. It’s a true escape. Driveable, great food and drinks, fun bars and live music, beaches, boating, totally relaxing in a ‘let your hair down’ way to escape from the crazy REALTOR® life.

NOEL MILLER

Fluid Realty

My favorite place to go is Hood River, Oregon! We love snowboarding on Mt Hood at Mt Hood Meadows resort. And the town of Hood River is a hidden gem. Great food, shopping, kite boarding, and gorgeous hiking in the spring. It’s located on the Columbia Gorge on the border of Oregon and Washington and is in what’s considered the high desert - so no crazy rain like they get in Portland. We actually lived there for 4 years in the 90’s and have friends we consider family to visit. Highly recommend it - avoid the Colorado crowds- and the snow terrain is unmatched!

CHERYA CAVANAUGH

Keller Williams Atlantic Partners

Our family’s favorite is spring skiing out West and it’s AMAZING for Spring Break!

CRYSTAL DUCKWORTH

Crystal Clear Realty

My favorite place to go for spring break is Michigan because I get to visit my family. Family is everything!

DEBBIE TUFTS

Engel & Völkers Jacksonville

My favorite Spring Break place to go......Anyplace that is warm and I can be with my family!!

FRED CONLEY

Keller Willaims First Coast Realty Disney’s Fort WildernessI know I know it doesn’t sound that relaxing and glorious. However the time they’re with the whole family and carefree time schedule makes it perfect for us. I get to watch my kids see the magic of Disney in a non-typical fashion. We take our RV down and enjoy the resort and mix in park time. Also, weather makes it near perfect!

ROBERTA GJELOSHAJ & ALEKS PERVAZA

ONE Sotheby’s International Realty

We love to travel to different areas of Spain in Spring time. Love the culture, the history, the food, and beautiful architecture.

LAURA JOY GRAHAM

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty

Over spring break, we love to escape to a beach house with our 3 children. It gives us time to unplug, relax, soak up the vitamin D, and make memories together.

CICI ANDERSON

Marsh Landing Country Club Realty

Isla Mujeres Mexico - Charming little island right off the coast of Cancun 15 min ferry ride easy to get to from Florida and you feel like you’re in a different world. Everyone gets around by golf cart. Just a very family-friendly atmosphere with very nice people. Voted top 10 beaches in the world the last several years. Great restaurants, great people, and great water activities including snorkeling with the whale sharks. We have been going there for over 12 years. My husband has been going there for over 40 years. We owned a condo there for seven years but just sold it last year.

JOY WILLIAMS

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside

Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa Palm Coast, Florida, is the ideal destination for a fun and exciting spring break. From the moment you arrive, you will be surrounded by natural beauty, from the rolling dunes to the pristine white sand beaches. Home to two championship golf courses, a variety of on-site dining options, and an array of beachside activities, including multiple pools, a lazy river, and a water slide, the resort entertains your entire family. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or an active adventure, Hammock Beach has something for everyone. We love spending our spring break here!

ALLISON CHANCE

Anchored Real Estate Group Disney Cruise! Fun for the whole family! No one has to cook or clean either!

PAUL WAGNER Milestone Title Services

TOBIN BOSSOLA

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty

Manasota Key is our favorite beach vacation. It’s about 40 minutes south of Sarasota. We go because the Key has some of the best shark’s toothing beaches in the USA!

Slate Real Estate

My favorite place to go for Spring Break is Key West, Florida. I have so many memories going there with my family during childhood and friends during college on Spring Break. There’s so much to do! Beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets, water sports, great food, and fun nightlife.

ANDREW MICHAEL

eXp Realty

We love Blue Ridge GA. It’s a short drive and there is always stuff to do. Riding an old train, shopping, hiking, or just hanging around the cabin.

ROBIN ABRAHAM

Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners

The Florida Keys; fishing, beautiful water, fresh seafood, and all-around island vibes.