JACKSONVILLE
C O N N E C T I N G .
E L E VAT I N G .
I N S P I R I N G .
TOP PRODUCERS
ERIC & KATIE
HINOJOS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT AmeriSpec RISING STAR Chris Moore GIVING BACK Rich Possert Jr.
NOVEMBER 2021
LO SPOTLIGHT: Andrew Burkhart NMLS#2008119
Why I Love Working at fiber After spending 10 years in the restaurant industry, managing everything from casual dining to fine dining, I was looking for a new challenge. I joined fiber.mortgage in 2020 because I saw something in this company that I had rarely seen before: a passion for providing an exceptional experience for their customers. At fiber.mortgage, our mission is clear: to amaze more customers than last month. As a technology-driven company, we leverage our proprietary software to close loans quickly and efficiently. That speed and efficiency means lower rates, faster closings, and happier homebuyers. Probably the best thing about fiber.mortgage, is we treat each of our customers like family. On Google alone, we have over 100 five-star reviews. Our customers love us, and our realtors love us because we make them look like rockstars. About Me: After joining the Navy at 19 and working on submarines, I spent a little over 10 years working in the restaurant industry, managing everything from casual restaurants all the way up to fine dining. When I met my amazing wife in 2012, we both decided that we wanted to build a better future for ourselves and for our future family. Almost 10 years later we have four incredible children (all boys), and my wife has just completed her master’s degree in clinical mental health on top of running a very successful Etsy business. She’s very crafty that one. When I’m not taking care of my many awesome customers and realtors, I enjoy spending time with my awesome little family. Whether we’re out hiking, at the beach, shopping, or just exploring Jacksonville, it’s never a dull moment!
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2 • November 2021
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 3
MEET THE JACKSONVILLE REAL PRODUCERS TEAM
TAB LE OF
Kristin and Brian Lunsford
CONTENTS 12 Launch Party
24 Rising Star: Chris Moore
18
Renee Parenteau
Photographer
Katie Cremean
Photographer
Ad Strategist
Owners/Publishers
22
Partner Spotlight: The AmeriSpec Northeast Florida Difference
Salute our Veterans
28
34
Top Producers: Eric & Katie Hinojos
Megan Murray
Michele Jerrell
Operations Manager
Jennifer Watson Writer
Michelle Williamson Writer
Zach Cohen
Brandon Jerrell
Writer
Writer
If you are interested in contributing or nominations REALTORS® for certain stories, please email us at kristin.lunsford@realproducersmag.com.
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Giving Back: Rich Possert Jr.
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WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT: • Our Office - First Class closing experience for first-class transactions. If you are interested in nominating people for certain stories, please email us at Kristin.Lunsford@RealProducersMag.com and/or Brian.Lunsford@RealProducersMag.com.
• Wine Program - An elevated customer
DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of The N2 Company d/b/a Real Producers but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the Jacksonville Real Producers magazine are not endorsed or recommended by The N2 Company or the publisher. Therefore, neither The N2 Company nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies.
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 5
PREFERRED PARTNERS
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!
CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS Collins Builders (904) 575-0400 CollinsBuilders.net HOME WARRANTY 2-10 Home Warranty (904) 652-5931 2-10.com Old Republic Home Protection Angela Wilson (904) 994-6620 www.ORHP.com Old Republic Home Protection (904) 994-6620 ORHP.com INSPECTIONS AmeriSpec Inspection Services (904) 448-5016 amerispec.com/locations/fl/ jacksonville LunsPro Inspections (904) 249-6523 LunsProFlorida.com MORTGAGE / LENDER CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC (904) 829-8631 crosscountrymortgage.com/ My-CC-Team
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Dan Ribler (904) 575-3290 FiberMortgage.com MORTGAGE LENDER Atlantic Trust Mortgage (904) 338-9356 AtlanticTrustMortgage.com First Coast Mortgage (703) 627-1775 FirstCoastMortgage Funding.com Greg Harris (904) 347-6480 www.hamiltonhome loans.com MOVING COMPANY Jaguar Moving (904) 323-6978 JaguarMoving.com PEST CONTROL SERVICES Kingfish Pest Control (904) 595-5300 KingfishPest.com PHOTOGRAPHY Megan Murray Photography (904) 710-5819
PRIVATE SCHOOLS Collage Day School (904) 900-1439 CollageDaySchool.org REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS Summit Properties International FL LLC (980) 253-5661 REAL ESTATE LAW Head Moss Fulton & Griffin Law (904) 278-8200 hmfglaw.com
North Florida Title Company (901) 517-4645 NFTC.biz RTR Title (833) 787-8485 rtrtitle.com TITLE SERVICES Covenant Closing Laura Geremia (386) 986-4623 covenantclosing.com VIDEOGRAPHER TC Productions (603) 205-0553
SPORTS TEAMS Jacksonville Jaguars (904) 633-3348 Jaguars.com STAGING & HOME DESIGN Simply Dwell (904) 524-9835 simplydwell.com TITLE COMPANY Landmark Title (904) 998-9733 LandmarkTitle.com
Renee Parenteau Photography (904) 236-5337 ReneeParenteauPhoto.com
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 7
REAL ESTATE & BUSINESS LAW
Our Law Firm And Its Success Is Built On Relationships
pub note By Brian Lunsford
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Serving the greater Jacksonville area + Duval, St. Johns, Clay, & Nassau counties 1530 Business Center Drive #4 | Fleming Island, FL 32003
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9 0 4 - 2 7 8 - 8 2 0 0 • h m f g l a w. c o m
ALI
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Excitement is in the air
Here we are in the thick of the holiday season with leaves rustling, delicious foods abound and classic movies readily available to consume--and the big one--the excitement of Christmas right around the corner. There’s a million reasons to be thankful and happy right now. So why are so many people from across all walks of life and locations not fully enjoying this celebratory close to another year? Quite possibly due to a lack of gratitude. Ungrateful “Get off my lawn!” attitudes
We have probably all been exposed to the short-tempered older person yelling about their political views they get from cable news shows, the angry teenager doing angry teenager-type things, the “woe is me” middle-aged person complaining on social media, cynical people, whiny people, rude people--you get the point.
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It seems that those of us living here in Florida have even less of a reason to be discontented. After all, we get to make snowmen out of beach sand while the majority of the country freezes during the holidays. Or as Kenny Chesney sums up the lifestyle in one of his upbeat Christmas songs when he gets to:
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Learning Gratitude from Abe Lincoln, JFK, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles
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Unfortunately though, no matter where we go on Planet Earth, we will find unattractive attitudes lacking any sort of gratitude. Granted, inevitable difficult seasons of our lives can lead to a less than admirable demeanor, but we do not have to let it harden us, especially toward others. realproducersmag.com
Practicing gratitude leads to happiness, even in Hollywood
In the classic “Thanksgiving movie,” Planes, Trains and Automobiles, John Candy played the part of a goodhearted shower curtain ring salesman. Steve Martin’s character was a temperamental and insensitive marketing executive. Martin was relentlessly mean-spirited toward Candy throughout much of the film. John Candy’s character eventually said to him in an emotional scene, “You wanna hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I could be a cold-hearted cynic like you, but I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings. I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. ‘Cause I’m the real article. What you see is what you get.” Later in the movie, Steve Martin’s character finds out that John Candy’s character will be alone for the holiday because his wife had actually died years earlier, so he remorsefully invited Candy to join his family for Thanksgiving dinner. Martin’s eventual realization to be grateful for his new friend led to a warm Hollywood ending that underscored the importance of having a kind, thankful heart, even when things do not seem to be going our way.
A grateful nation
Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy recognized that even during difficult times, there is so much to be grateful for. So much, in fact, both presidents urged all Americans to join them in gratitude. An excerpt from President Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863: “The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God.” He went on to invite the citizens of the United States to celebrate “a day of Thanksgiving” on the last Thursday of each November.
One hundred years later, President John F. Kennedy added to that sentiment just prior to Thanksgiving 1963: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
As you reflect on your blessings this Thanksgiving, we wish you good times full of family, food, football, and gratitude! Brian and Kristin Lunsford Publishers Jacksonville Real Producers
Jacksonville Real Producers • 9
10 • November 2021
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 11
LAUNCH PARTY
12 • November 2021
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14 • November 2021
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 15
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! PLATINUM
GOLD
SUPPORTING
16 • November 2021
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 17
By Michelle Williamson Photos By Megan Murray
partner spotlight
AmeriSpec THE
Northeast Florida
DIFFERENCE After graduating from the University of Florida, Charles Gifford, owner and president of AmeriSpec of Northeast Florida, began a 13-year career in the Marines as an artillery officer and fire support coordinator. Then returning home to Florida, he began working for a local builder and moonlighting in the afternoons providing home inspections. Once his home inspection client base grew, Charles opened AmeriSpec. That was 29 years ago. Charles is just as committed to quality inspections now as he was when he started moonlighting all those years ago. AmeriSpec’s quality inspections are well-respected in Jacksonville and surrounding areas, an achievement Charles partially credits to his military training, which, he says helped shape his company’s approach. “What military discipline brings to the table,” he says, “is that you’re always consistent, you always look at things the same way, but remain flexible, and you always treat people the same way regardless of their background.” Then, laughing, he says, “That causes some friction sometimes.” Charles trains his team of inspectors to follow AmeriSpec’s protocol during every inspection. The AmeriSpec Way
While AmeriSpec’s quality inspection services are comprehensive, Charles
18 • November 2021
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says what distinguishes the company from others in Jacksonville is “the clarity and simplicity” of their inspection reporting and style. “Our reports are probably a third the length of a typical home inspection report,” he continues. The reason for their brevity, says Charles, is that AmeriSpec doesn’t include “puffery, disclaimers, or other language” to hide behind. Instead, inspectors focus on reports that are “clear, concise, and provide guidance to our customer and our customer’s REALTOR®.”
minor issues which includes a rating system which adds to clarity. AmeriSpec’s reports are—by design—usually less than 15 pages long, so it’s easy to interpret most and least important issues. That’s what I think our roles are,” says Charles. “Not to overwhelm people.”
Real estate agents have approached Charles about the “length and breadth of inspections” they’re seeing elsewhere today. Some home inspections can be 75 to 100 pages long. “There’s no way someone can interpret [inspection] findings when they’re the length of a book,” says Charles. “We provide a summary of major and
That doesn’t happen at AmeriSpec, but their report brevity doesn’t mean inspections aren’t thorough. Charles is the past president (2019) of the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI), the writers of the National Home Inspectors Exam (NHIE), where he currently serves as EBPHI’s marketing committee chair.
Charles believes lengthy reporting is happening today because it’s easy to become an inspector now and “inspectors are allowing their inspection software to drive their business rather than experience and protocol.”
Jacksonville Real Producers • 19
What military discipline brings to the table is that you’re always consistent, you always look at things the same way, but remain flexible, and you always treat people the same way regardless of their background.
“With our vast experience in the industry and professionalism,” says Charles, “we can work together to help home buyers, sellers, and other real estate investors to make a knowledgeable decision about their properties.” AmeriSpec on the Horizon
When you ask Charles about AmeriSpec’s future, he says they’re focused on growth. “The struggle with small business is that your business can be all-consuming and leaves no time to participate in other things that are important. This is where I am trying to find clarity on now.” Charles hopes to focus more on community soon. “I know others in my business who give back on a regular basis. The only way we’ve been able to do that is through donations. We try to give periodically to City Rescue Mission and, in the past, have participated in Susan B. Komen’s annual October drive to raise funds for breast cancer research.” For the past couple of years, Charles has been focused on growing AmeriSpec. “The business becomes a whirlwind, and you lose focus on other important things you want to do,” he says. Now Charles wants customers to know that he’s working to step back from his technician role to focus on growth and community. He wants his customers to know they’re receiving the same quality inspections from any of his five inspectors. “I’m telling my clients,” he says, “don’t call and ask for Charles. Call and ask for any of my guys.” With AmerSpec’s training approach, all AmeriSpec inspectors are providing customers the same quality inspection expertise and thorough, concise reporting.
20 • November 2021
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At Home with The Giffords
There’s more to Charles than work. He and his wife, Juana, have been married almost forty years, and he is the father of two sons, Kyle and Nick. Both sons remain Jacksonville residents. His oldest son, Kyle, is a pipe foreman for a national company, and his youngest son, Nick, is a police officer. He and Juana love to travel and, preCovid, they took several trips a year, two smaller and one major trip each year. Their most memorable trip was
in 2019. “We went to Europe,” says Charles. “We flew into Amsterdam then went to Bruges, Belgium.” (Charles believes Bruges should be on everybody’s bucket list.) Then they flew to Paris, then to London where they “watched the Jaguars get their butts kicked before flying home.” Charles has grown AmeriSpec into a respected inspection company with a team of well-trained inspectors and office staff ready to serve Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville Real Producers • 21
Salute our
VETERANS
Matt Wilkinson, RE/ MAX Unlimited, was First Lieutenant with the Florida National Guard.
Nicholas Gifford, son of Charles Gifford, with AmeriSpec Inspection Services.
Danny Fontaine with his brother, Tiger Cruise, in 2013, onboard USS Vicksburg, sailing in the Atlantic from Norfolk, Virginia to Mayport, Florida. Danny retired as Chief Petty Officer.
Brit O’Donoghue, Landmark Title, with her son Nick. Nick graduated from Parris Island in December and will be stationed in Japan.
Ant Stroud with Navy to Navy Homes.
Wil Ingram with Atlantic Trust Mortgage. Wil ended his Navy career as a Lieutenant.
Lara Yehl and Joy Doyle with Hover Girl Properties.
Mario Gonzalez, with his family at his retirement ceremony.
Airman Duncan Yehl with Lara Yehl of Hover Girl Properties.
Glen and Joy Doyle, Hover Girl Properties, with their whole family. They are a third-generation Navy family.
Kyle Chance, Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, with wife Allison Chance (Anchored Real Estate Group) and their children Charlotte and Hux. They have been stationed in Hawaii, California, and Florida. Blake Bonham with Navy to Navy Homes.
Akime Deering with Navy to Navy Homes.
Kelley Pierce, with her husband Lt. Colonel Stephen Pierce. Stephen is an F-15 fighter pilot here in Jacksonville with the Air National Guard.
Claudia Hilbert with her sons John Hilbert, in his third year at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and Michael Hilbert. Congressman Rutherford here in Jax provided John’s appointment. Senior Master Sergeant Sherri Nelson. Apr 2010, Sherri’s promotion ceremony with General Balskus and her husband Kerry Nelson.
Mary Henton, Navy to Navy Homes, with her husband.
22 • November 2021
Katie Hinojos with Navy to Navy Homes.
Bobbi Brennan, Hover Girl Properties, with her husband Neil Brennan.
Joanna Bradford, Navy to Navy Homes, with her husband.
Eric Hinojos with Navy to Navy Homes.
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Navy to Navy Homes broker and owner, Mario Gonzalez with his wife Shelly.
Jacksonville Real Producers • 23
CHRIS MOORE
Dedication and Determination
24 • November 2021
how to deal with people from all walks of life.” Another lesson he learned from the Marines is the value of free time. “I don’t like sleeping,” he explains. “You are always so busy in the Marines. It’s always hurrying up and waiting and moving around doing stuff so you really appreciate free time.” While he recognizes the worth of his free time, he takes great pride in his drive to keep working. “I think that is from my mom. I am from a single-parent household and was used to seeing my mom get up every day for work. All I knew is that you just do work.” Coming off the Marines, he earned a bachelor’s in computer science where he met his wife. During that time, one of his Japanese friends asked him to come work with his father at his manufacturing company in Japan. After college, he and his wife moved to Japan where they started a family before moving to Jacksonville. From W2 to Helping You
Chris has lived and worked in Jacksonville for nearly 20 years, spending the first 15 of those years as an Operations Manager for the same Japanese manufacturing company on the northside of Jacksonville. “I was really tired of the daily grind and it was time to make a change from my W2 job,” he says. “There is a Japanese word called ‘Kaizen,’ which means continuous improvement. So once you get out of W2 life, it is nothing but Kaizen — you just keep improving yourself.”
rising star
This was the mindset that led Chris towards his current career. However, he accredits his REALTOR® neighbor, Roberto Paredes, for his exposure to real estate. “Meeting him changed my whole life,” he attests. “I
By Brandon Jerrell Photos By Megan Murray
No matter the complication, Chris Moore will be there.
There is a Japanese word called ‘KAIZEN,’ which means CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. So once you get out of W2 life, it is nothing but Kaizen — YOU JUST KEEP IMPROVING YOURSELF.
Roots of Determination
This is the dedication Chris Moore gives to both his clients and his partners. As this month’s Rising Star and REALTOR® with Momentum Realty, he will work to lift you up.
Chris was raised in Seattle, Washington. “When I was in high school, I told myself I wanted to be an international business person,” he states. However, he did not have the money to go to college. This is what led him to join the Marines so that he could use the GI Bill to pay for his education.
“The goal is just to help people out no matter what. It’s to do whatever I can and to provide value to my clients as well as the people I partner with.”
Although those four years of military service were the toughest of his life, he also calls them some of the best. He notes that the biggest skill he took from the Marines is that “it teaches you
didn’t know anything about real estate. I didn’t know anything about doing it as a job or anything. Meeting him totally changed everything.” “My neighbor always had a smile and was friendly so I asked him what he did, and he told me real estate. So I decided to jump in.” Power of Dedication
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Chris is living the dream life he always wanted: wife, three kids, two dogs, and the white picket fence!
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Chris is here to contribute to others. “I want to give people the experience I did not have when I bought my house. I want people to know that no matter what there is someone there to help them out with whatever.”
Jacksonville Real Producers • 25
STRESS-FREE, COST-EFFECTIVE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
The drive to help and raise those he meets is Chris’ most powerful attribute. “I had a guy whose grandfather passed away,” he recounts. “The stuff in the house that was important to him he wanted, but he was out of town. So we found old family photos, his dog tags, and wanted him to have all these things to keep the memory for his family and grandparents.” This kind of devotion is not limited to his clients either. “I have a yard guy, cleaning guy. I give business to anyone I can to help others out. Help everyone to be profitable, live the life they want, and do the job they enjoy doing.”
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His favorite way to spend his time is to keep working. “I’m a technology nerd. I love cars. I love Porsches and now I am more into SUVs, Land Cruisers.” When he has the time, he loves to drive somewhere to take pictures or create videos. But he does concede, “There is always something to do. That is the hard part when you are self-employed.” However, he relates this back to Kaizen: “There is always something that you can do to keep improving yourself and business.”
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He also admits that — despite his great enjoyment in meeting people — working with others can be stressful. However, it is always worth it in the end. “It’s fun. It’s a fun job.”
An Icon of Achievement
As Chris recognizes, family is the main motive behind the major goal. Chris treasures the moments he gets with his wife, three children, and two dogs. He especially wants his kids to be able to live their best lives. “I just want to make sure my kids don’t have to work as hard as I have to work.” Chris worked hard before becoming a REALTOR® but reached the limits of that work. “Where I am today, I never would have imagined. Four years ago, I would have still been in the office, and
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be happy it is Friday because I would be free for the weekend. I’d just do the daily grind but I plateaued. When you plateau, there is nowhere else to go so your motivation goes down. So now that I am doing real estate and on my own, there is no plateau. You just keep increasing your skill level. There is always continuous improvement.” “You want that experience to be when they [home buyers] walk in the door that they are happy with the decision that they made.” Congratulations to Chris Moore, this month’s Rising Star, who dedicates himself to those he meets every day.
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kingfishpest.com Jacksonville Real Producers • 27
NAVY TO NAVY HOMES
By Zach Cohen Photos By Renee Parenteau
top producers
HANDS TO SERVE
|
Five years ago, Eric and Katie Hinojos packed up their belongings to begin their lives anew. The couple was just closing out their time as active duty military members — Eric after 12 years and Katie after four. Both Eric and Katie were ready for changes in 2016. They got married that year, moved to Jacksonville, and launched new careers in real estate. It was a leap of faith, but one that both were prepared for.
ERIC & KATIE
HINOJOS 28 • November 2021
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ERIC HINOJOS: REAL ESTATE ROOTS
Since Eric was a kid, his father had advised him to get involved in real estate investing.
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HEARTS TO LOVE “When I was in middle school, our family bought our first home. Ten years after my parents purchased the home, they sold it and made $100,000. My dad told me there was nothing like investing in real estate. That thought never left me,” Eric reflects. In college, Eric picked up Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and the book further engaged his interest in real estate investing. Professionally, however, Eric chose not to pursue real estate immediately. Instead, he was commissioned in the Navy. Eric had always been interested in aviation growing up, and he was a helicopter pilot during his time in the Navy.
Jacksonville Real Producers • 29
Yet, the thought of getting involved in real estate never subsided.
[ K AT I E A N D I ] M E T I N THE NAVY AND HAVE A LW AY S E N J O Y E D WORKING TOGETHER. I T E L L P E O P L E T H AT WE DON’T KNOW A N Y T H I N G D I F F E R E N T; W E ’ V E A LW AY S WORKED TOGETHER.
“As I was transitioning out of the military, I wanted to fulfill my goal of becoming a real estate investor,” Eric explains. “So I thought the best way to learn real estate, the ins and outs of the industry, was to become a REALTOR®.” Eric contacted Mario Gonzalez, broker/owner of Navy to Navy Homes, and asked him if he’d give some pointers. He invited Eric and Katie to join his team, and the rest, as they say, is history. As a real estate agent, Katie continues to draw on the values she learned growing up in New York and in the Navy. Her relationship to her Christian faith also carries her forward.
“[Katie and I] met in the Navy and have always enjoyed working together. I tell people that we don’t know anything different; we’ve always worked together. It’s more natural for us to be working together on a project or business than individually.”
“At the end of the day, I’m just a small-town girl who enjoys the simple things,” she smiles. “I take commitments seriously and truly try to live by the word of God.”
Katie grew up in a small town in upstate New York. She remembers a childhood filled with the charm of a historic village complete with acres of farmland and orchards. “My childhood was simple, full of love, and included a positive outlook for what I could accomplish,” Katie reflects. Katie attended Penn State University and then commissioned in the Navy through the university’s NROTC program. “The Navy took me on various excursions at home and abroad. I made lasting friendships and memories and couldn’t be more thankful for the experience,” Katie says. 30 • November 2021
“Our primary hero pillar is our military community,” Eric says. “Katie and I are both Navy veterans, and we understand the nuances with military life, moving, relocating, PCSing, military pay, military lingo — all contributing to our customers feeling comfortable talking in their vernacular.” Although they’ve been in the business for just five years, Eric and Katie have already impacted their community positively. Looking ahead, their goal is to continue to be advocates for veterans and military members, invest in their families, and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy every moment. “[The future holds] a life full of kindness and love with my family,” Eric says. “We will continue our goal of building our real estate portfolio all while helping those in our hero community achieve their goals of homeownership or wealth-building through real estate.”
In real estate, Eric enjoys the gifts of serving his community, as well as the blessings that come with working with his wife, Katie.
THE ROAD HOME: KATIE HINOJOS
heroes (military, medical professionals, educators, and first responders) money back after closing.
At home, Eric and Katie have two young children; Addison is three and Oliver is one. When Eric and Katie aren’t working, they can almost always be found together with their family. “We absolutely love being together,” Eric beams. “It doesn’t matter where we’re at; we love to be right next to each other. Sometimes we joke that we have all of this space in the house, and we choose to be in the same ten square feet with each other.” The Hinojos family enjoys cooking (and eating), family walks, visiting new places, reading out loud, dancing to music, and playing board games. GIVING THANKS
Eric and Katie are grateful to have had the opportunity to serve their country, and it is now their passion to serve their brothers and sisters in the military, ensuring that they receive the highest level of service. Eric and Katie also partner with Homes for Heroes, a nationwide program that gives @realproducers
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 31
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RICHJR.
SACRIFICING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ALWAYS
POSSERT
giving back
“I know the pain that so many of our veterans go through when they leave the service,” Rich says. “I’ve had similar experiences, and I know how vital it is for them to have advocates and a voice with our elected officials. I felt this was a way for me to give back to my brothers and sisters who have served and are still serving.”
By Jennifer Watson
VFW SERVICE OFFERS PRICELESS REWARDS
After serving 23 years in the United States Navy, Northeast Florida REALTOR® Rich Possert Jr. knows a thing or two about what it means to sacrifice for others.
Rich’s uncle, a Vietnam War veteran, encouraged Rich to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in 2009 when the organization was looking for youth to add to their ranks. Rich was eligible to join and has passionately supported the organization ever since.
In 1994, fresh out of high school in Northeastern Ohio, Rich swore into the U.S. Navy where he started his service as a Fire Controlman specializing in missile, gun, and radar systems on guided missile cruisers and destroyers. His time in the Navy took him around the globe, quite literally, to Japan, Virginia, California, Illinois, Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Middle East. His experience in operations around the world serving with thousands of other service members both stateside and abroad helped him develop a strong work ethic and developed his dynamic leadership skills. Now a veteran himself after retiring in 2017, he learned firsthand about the struggles our military veterans often face when they leave the service, and he has made it his personal mission to help those who served our country in any way he can.
“It means so much to be able to do my part to help veterans,” Rich says. “To be able to help one veteran with filing a claim for disability, to help another with the installation of a wheelchair ramp, or paying a bill for a veteran who has fallen on hard times. These rewards are tangible, and the reward from it is hard to put into words—it’s priceless.” Rich serves as the Membership Director for the VFW Dept. of Florida, the Surgeon for VFW FL District 6, an All-American Past Post Commander at the Greater Beaches VFW Post 3270 in Jacksonville Beach, and as the 1st Vice Chairman of the Veterans Council of Duval County. In these positions, he has been able to “communicate and advocate on behalf of our veterans and military in front of our lawmakers at the national, state, and local levels.”
To be able to help one veteran with filing a claim for disability, to help another with the installation of a wheelchair ramp, or paying a bill for a veteran who has fallen on hard times. These rewards are tangible, and the reward from it is hard to put into words
—IT’S PRICELESS.
34 • November 2021
@realproducers
“Ensuring veterans’ and service members’ rights are fought for is vital to our national security,” Rich says. “We have so many who have made that sacrifice, who signed their name to put their life in danger for their country, their planet, and their brothers and sistersin-arms—we owe that to them.”
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Through the VFW, Rich and his peers have also given back to the community in a variety of ways: they have awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to students who have written patriotic essays; they’ve rewarded first responders for their heroism in the line of duty; they have adopted the USS Thomas Hudner, DDG-116, a ship based in Mayport, FL; and they have hosted several military family readiness groups while their family members are deployed. These are just a few of the ways he has given back to the approximately 150,000 veterans in the Northeast Florida area. He plans to continue giving back to these heroes for as long as he can. LIFE AFTER MILITARY SERVICE
When Rich retired from the U.S. Navy in 2017 as a chief petty officer, he found that most of the jobs available in his specialty area were outside of the Jacksonville area where he and his wife Kristy and their daughters had built a solid foundation. They decided they didn’t want to leave, so Rich reached out to his mother, Debbie Martin, a top-producing REALTOR® in The Villages, FL. She and other highly experienced agents mentored him as he began his career in real estate, and he values their mentorship and does what he can to mentor those agents new to the business as well.
It seems that his military training and experiences actually made real estate the perfect career for him to pursue. “I’ve found that the military provides a REALTOR® with a solid foundation for success,” Rich says. “You’re taught how to communicate effectively, how
Jacksonville Real Producers • 35
I’VE FOUND THAT THE MILITARY PROVIDES A REALTOR® WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS. to prepare for and react to stressful and time-sensitive situations while keeping a level head, and how to work with thousands of different personalities and professions that work in concert with your mission, in order to accomplish that mission.” Since Rich started The Golden Anchor Team with Keller Williams Jacksonville Realty, he has been among the highest-producing agents at the brokerage level as well as the regional level, and he has been awarded both Brokerage and Regional
Rookie of the Year awards. He was joined in business by his wife Kristy who has over 20 years of experience in the HVAC industry. Together, they pride themselves on providing a family tradition of service to their clients. With a nod to his Navy days, Rich chose to name The Golden Anchor Team as such to signify specific business characteristics to his customers. “An anchor keeps a ship safely in harbor in rough seas. A ship is kept in place in that harbor, not by the weight of that anchor, but the weight of the chain that connects it to its ship,” Rich says. “Gold is a color representing excellence and achievement. We will be there for our customers through potentially heavy seas, and we will work with our chain of support to ensure that we see your transaction through closing and beyond.” CHOOSING TO LEAVE A LEGACY
In February 2019, Rich’s father, Rich Sr., passed away, and that was a defining moment in his life. He reflected on the areas in his life in which he could grow and improve, and he decided to use the loss of his father to inspire his future. “I realized that day that I needed to work on myself. I need to live a life that minimizes regrets and maximizes the impact I can make on my family, friends, and our community. I felt the need to leave a legacy,” Rich says. “My father’s passing inspired me to live every day making a positive impact on everyone around me, and I feel blessed to be able to do that in my job as a REALTOR® and a leader in the veteran community.” 36 • November 2021
FLORIDA LIFE BEYOND BUSINESS
Rich certainly keeps a busy schedule of commitments, but his family is his top priority. He and Kristy and their daughters, Baylee and Reyanne, enjoy going to the beach or hanging out by the pool together, and they all adore their pug named Hank who goes by “Bubba.” Rich also loves golfing, watching Cleveland and Jacksonville sports teams, cheering for his favorite NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney, and attending Jacksonville Icemen hockey games. He is also a huge railroad fanatic and almost took a job as a conductor for Norfolk Southern before choosing to pursue real estate.
Videos of perfectly staged homes using slow pans to fluffy music blend in with every other real estate video.
Do something different.
“As a kid in Northeast Ohio’s Rust Belt, we had trains that would pass through our town. Even now, when I’m driving around for real estate purposes, I love seeing trains at crossings throughout our area,” Rich says. “I will even sometimes take pictures or videos of them, especially if the livery (the paint job of the engine) is rare or custom.” NO SLOWING DOWN
As Rich continues to work toward leaving a legacy of improving the lives of others, he has a few more goals in mind that he’d like to achieve along the way. One goal is to make The Golden Anchor Team “a team of veterans, active-duty military service members, spouses, and children who work with mostly military and veteran customers and their families.” Along those same lines and in conjunction with his service through the VFW, he wants to continue to make a difference in veterans’ lives as much as he can.
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“I wouldn’t rule out running for a political office,” Rich says. “I feel that there are not enough veterans in our elected bodies at the local, state, and federal levels. I want to help change that.” @realproducers
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Jacksonville Real Producers • 37
SUPPORTING OUR HEROES! Giving Back To All Who Keep Us Safe A portion of our closing fee is donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation on any transaction involving military or first responders. Just let us know and post on social media with #RTRrespects!
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