Residential & Commercial
ROOFING
Roof Repair
Leaks, Re-Roofing, Shingles Replacement, Roof Coatings, Roof Tear-Offs, Storm Damage Repair
New Roofing
Roof Installation, Metal Roofing, Shingles Roofing, Flat Roofing
GUTTERS
Seamless Rain Gutters, Gutter Installation
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!
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Mobile Chamber of Commerce
Michael Galvin (251) 431-8628 mobilechamber.com
CLEANING - RESIDENTIAL
J. S. Fresh Start Cleaning Services, LLC (251) 654-5650
FENCING SOLUTIONS
Eastern Shore Fence Company (251) 604-3018
FLOORING & DESIGN
Prestigious Flooring and Design LLC
Garrett Scarberry (251) 802-0363 prestigiousflooringand designllc.com
FOUNDATION REPAIR
MDH Foundation Repair
Shannon Reichart (251) 375-0565 108 5th Street, Daphne, AL 36526 mdhfoundationrepair.com/
FOUNDATION REPAIR AND WATERPROOFING
APS Foundation (205) 243-4741 alabamaprofessional.com
HOME INSPECTION
Complete Home Inspections, LLC (251) 510-1809 completehome inspectionsllc.com
Knockout Home Inspections (251) 747-1214 koinspections.com
HOME WARRANTY
Home Warranty Inc. (260) 433-4027 homewarrantyinc.com
HVAC SERVICES
Hembree Heating & Air Conditioning (251) 259-4664 8380 Tanner Williams Road Mobile, AL 36608 hembreeac.com
HVAC/PLUMBING/ ELECTRICIANS
Hansen Super Techs
Brianna Mcadory (251) 850-5322 HansenSuperTechs.com
INSURANCE AGENCY
Goosehead Insurance (251) 999-6931 wigginsflock.com
LENDER
Home Front Lending (251) 509-7791 hflend.com
Movement Mortgage
Richard C Hampton (251) 270-4482
4851 Wharf Parkway Suite D-228 Orange Beach, AL 36561 movement.com/chad. hampton
MOVING/DELIVERY/ STORAGE
All My Sons Moving & Storage
www.allmysons.com/mobile/ index.aspx
PEST SOLUTIONS
E3 Termite & Pest Control
Mike Adams (251) 850-7378 975 W I65 Service Rd N Mobile, AL 36618 E3pest.com
Prewett Pest Control (251) 277-1361 prewettpestcontrol.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Captured By Tyler (706) 599-8194 capturedbytyler.com
REAL ESTATE ORGANIZATIONS
Baldwin Realtors Association (251) 947-3777 baldwinrealtors.com
ROOFING SERVICES
Pelican Roofing And Gutters (251) 725-3375 pelicanroofingal.com
SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Crye Leike
David Stidham (251) 405-2600
229 East 20th Avenue, Suite 1
Gulf Shores, AL 36526 www.alabamabeach vacations.com
SIGNS & GRAPHICS
Fast Signs
Pauline McKean (251) 279-0747
4668 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 fastsigns.com
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
Southern View Media (251) 517-9425 southernviewmedia.com
VIDEO PRODUCTION/ DRONE SERVICES
EyeSky Video & Photo, LLC
Stephen Hinds (317) 727-2919
297 Beall Lane Daphne, AL 36526 eyeskyvp.com
ONE CALL
4 0 + CARRIERS HAP P Y CLIENTS
If you are interested in contributing or nominating Realtors for certain stories, please email us at Robert.orso@RealProducersMag.com
of trying to compare quotes Refer your clients to us to shop the market for the
coverage and rates.
By Kayla Sanders
We want to thank our sponsors of the 2024 Baldwin Realtors Awards Ceremony, Mobile Bay Real Producers and DR Horton. The award nominees and winners are listed below by category. Congratulations to all of our winners!
The Affiliate of the Year award is presented annually by Baldwin REALTORS® to an Affiliate who has been a member of the association for a minimum of 2 years and has been actively involved in Baldwin REALTORS®, contributing their time and energy in supporting the association.
Nathan Lippincott, Owner of Knockout Inspections
Kim Politz, Mortgage Originator with Starling Mortgage Partners Winner - Dan Sloan, Home Inspector with Pillar to Post
The Rising Star award is presented to a member with less than two years’ experience as a REALTOR® who has been actively involved in Baldwin REALTORS®, contributing their time and energy in supporting the association. Criteria is based upon annual production, as well as community involvement.
Blaise Booker, REALTOR with RE/ Max Signature Properties Winner - Stacey Gibbs, REALTOR with Engel & VölkersGulf Shores
Milan Portis, REALTOR with Keller Williams Alabama Gulf Coast - Daphne
Joe Sturgis, REALTOR with Mobile Bay Realty
Katherine White, REALTOR with ARK Real Estate
The Broker Excellence Award is our newest award, presented to a member who has been a Qualifying Broker for a minimum of five consecutive years and has been actively involved in Baldwin REALTORS® and the local communities they serve. Additionally, this member must provide in-office mentoring/training opportunities for their agents. This member has upheld the Code of Ethics with no violation of
Baldwin’s Distinguished REALTOR® Award is presented to a member that has had an active license for at least three consecutive years and has been actively involved in Baldwin REALTORS®, contributing their time and energy in supporting the association. This member has upheld the REALTOR® Code of Ethics and adhered to the Golden Rule. Criteria is based on active production, as well as community involvement.
Jenny Carr, Broker of EXIT Realty Landmark
Jake DeVantier, REALTOR with Local Property
Renee Marshall, REALTOR with EXIT Realty Lyon & Associates
Susan Shallow, Broker of RE/MAX Paradise
Kendall Wahlert, Broker of Water’s Edge Realty
Winner - Tracy Womack, REALTOR with RE/MAX
Signature Properties
them and has had no record of violations by AREC or the REALTOR® Association Professional Standards committee.
Sue Lyon, Broker of EXIT Realty
Lyon & Associates
Rachel Romash-Reese, Broker of Elite Real
Estate Solutions
Winner - Alison Ward, Broker of Mobile Bay Realty
REALTOR® OF THE YEAR AWARD
REALTOR® of the Year is a very honorable title, awarded annually to a member that best demonstrates the REALTOR® spirit. It is based on criteria such as business accomplishments, community service, activities in the local, state and national REALTOR® organizations and adherence to the Golden Rule in all life’s situations.
Winners of Baldwin REALTORS® REALTOR® of the Year awards go on to be nominated to the Alabama Association of REALTORS® in consideration for the state level award.
Francine Carstensen, REALTOR with Elite Real Estate Solutions
Jake DeVantier, REALTOR with Local Property
Hanh Hua, REALTOR with Bellator Real Estate
Kate Irvine, REALTOR with Bellator Real Estate
Lucy Lety, REALTOR with Ashurst & Niemeyer
Renee Marshall, REALTOR with EXIT Realty
Lyon & Associates
Winner - Rachel Romash-Reese, Broker of Elite Real Estate Solutions
Cindy Zebryk, REALTOR with Coldwell Banker
Reehl Properties
BALDWIN REALTORS® LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Lifetime Achievement award is presented to a REALTOR® with at least 25 years of experience with the last 10 or more years serving as an active member of Baldwin REALTORS®. Consideration for this award is based on member board and committee involvement, leadership, outstanding vision, dedication, commitment to Baldwin REALTORS®, and honoring the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
Leonard Kaiser, Broker of Kaiser Sotheby’s International Realty - Gulf Shores
Winner - Tom Stanton, Broker of EXIT Realty Gulf Shores
Ginny Stopa, Broker of NextHome Gulf Coast
By Ron Sivak
One of the October Spotlight Vendor for Mobile Bay Real Producers, Josh Hembree, of Hembree Heating and Air, is a legacy entrepreneur intent on taking the family brand to new heights.
“I’m the third generation of Hembree Heating & Air Conditioning. My grandfather started the business in 1969. As a small company, he and my grandmother would work out of their house. My grandfather would run the service calls and handle the air conditioning work.”Josh said.
“He did it for 15 years, but unfortunately suffered a debilitating back injury. Because of that my dad, who was just 16 years old at the time, dropped out of Mary Montgomery High School and started working in the business.” he added.
Hembree’s father expanded the business from a one-man operation to a stable office of 5 employees moving into the 1990’s when his son, Josh, was born.
“I was born at Spring Hill Hospital in Mobile, a local boy through and through, only moving away for a little while before coming back home.” Hembree said.
Josh spent his childhood years at Faith Academy before his parents decided to have him and his siblings home-schooled, with early evidence of his family’s entrepreneurial DNA emerging as at 15 when he started teaching guitar (learning to play at 9 years old).
“I’m a passionate guitarist, love playing and love people. When I was around 15 years old, I had a need to get my first job, but didn’t want to just go out and work somewhere making minimum wage, so I combined my skills of playing guitar with my love of people and started teaching guitar lessons.” Josh said.
Naming his first venture Hembree School of Music, he soon expanded classes by hiring instructors to teach
violin, voice, drums and piano with a total of 60 students through high school and into his early years of college at the University of Mobile. Josh eventually shut down his company to follow other passions that required 100% of his focus.
“I went to The University of Mobile on an academic scholarship, because I had my music business going and was majoring in political science with a minor in business. My end goal was to become an attorney and wanted to do everything I could to prepare myself for a career in law. I also initially met my wife Kala there. We dated a couple of times but didn’t connect until later to eventually marry.” Hembree said.
Josh ended up choosing Jones School of Law (now Faulkner Law) in Montgomery and after law school passed the bar, on his first attempt, and immediately landed a job out at a local firm in Montgomery.
I’m a big believer that healthy things grow. We embrace growth, but are not chasing it. Instead, we are chasing after constantly improving our customer service experience.
His life took a turn down the path it is on today when his father started talking about retirement.
“My father initially discouraged me from taking over the family business and wanted me to go off and do ‘better things’ in his opinion. That propelled me onto a path of following something that had always been close to my heart, practicing law.” Josh said.
“A couple years into working in the legal world, my dad announced that he was ready to retire and was contemplating selling the family company. At the time we had planted roots but, through a lot of thought and prayer, my wife and I knew the right decision was to move back home to take over the family business as third-generation owners. I had to sell my dad on the idea, but he finally agreed that it was the right decision.” he continued.
2018 was a pivotal year, with his daughter Eva being born as well as moving back down to the Gulf Coast to learn the ropes of running the family business. Josh also desired to understand operations from the ground up; not asking, expecting nor receiving any preferential treatment from his parents.
“When coming back home to work, I wanted to start at the bottom and needed to learn a whole new industry. Although I had grown up around the profession, it had never been my career and there was so much to learn. I worked as a maintenance technician, running my own calls along with about seven other employees for two years.” Josh said.
Hembree eventually moved indoors to work as a customer service representative while learning internal office operations.
“I wanted to learn about what it takes to run a heating and air company. What were we good at? What were we not good at? How could we improve the
customer experience and our offerings?” Josh said.
What he did in a relatively short amount of time was transformative.
“In 2020 we rebranded the logo, our truck wraps, modernized our
marketing, updated our website, systemized how to go to market to consistently deliver positive results to our customers and became aggressive at wanting to do all we could make ourselves a household name with a reputation of quality over quantity” Hembree said.
Covid19 didn’t slow the freshly invigorated family business in the least.
“It was a blessing in disguise. People were staying at home and customers were thinking about air purification and our sales skyrocketed.” Josh said.
Fast forward to today and Hembree
Heating & Air Conditioning has the feel of a cutting-edge company with 56 years of family history behind it and now boasting a staff of 35 employees, fully serving both Baldwin and Mobile Counties. Josh’s growing family also expanded with the birth of his son Brenton in 2021.
“I’m a big believer that healthy things grow. We embrace growth, but are not chasing it. Instead, we are chasing after constantly improving our customer service experience.”
Josh concluded.
By Ron Sivak
Mobile Bay Real Producers Top Agent for October, Jessica Mott, is a homegrown product of the area. She was born in Providence Hospital, grew up in West Mobile and attended high school at Mary G Montgomery.
“I was active in a couple of different clubs, but primarily Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), getting into public speaking and winning several awards.” Mott said.
“Somehow, I wasn’t afraid to speak in public. Our teacher would give us a subject matter and I usually wound up among the top three in most competitions.” she added.
Jessica also developed a relentless work ethic at a young age, typically working multiple jobs after school and on weekends.
“At any given time I was working two to three jobs, and would coordinate my schedule around school. Sometimes I would go into one job, work for a couple hours and move on to another, after school and on the weekends. I was able to buy my own car and pay all of my expenses while taking care of my grandfather, who I lived with back then.” Mott said.
After graduation, Mott soon became certified as a medical assistant and considered attending nursing school at South Alabama, but paused to fully evaluate her path moving into young adulthood.
“I was going to go to school for nursing, but something just held me back. Luckily I didn’t, because at
this point in my life there’s no way I could handle the sight of blood anymore.” Jessica said.
A family referral found Mott instead employed for a locally owned start-up that soon morphed into a regional player in the industrial filter industry. Over the next decade she blossomed into a key executive, wearing many hats and honing savvy business skills that serve her well today.
“Starting out as a customer service representative answering phones, I was approached about another internal opportunity and moved into marketing our products via third party sites like Amazon and eBay, partnering with our IT department.” Jessica said.
“Eventually I wound up working with human resources, customer service and accounting; doing everything from writing job descriptions, customer service, and structuring sales within a fast growing company. After ten years, I was the highest ranking employee outside of the plant manager and owners. It was a real world, hands-on graduate level education in innovation and entrepreneurship” she added.
Jessica initially turned towards the career she follows today while in the process of moving to Baldwin County.
“My daughter Paige was born in 2007 and we were living in Mobile County at the time. We wanted to move to Daphne in 2012 in large part because of having her to attend school there. Rachel RomashReese, the owner of Elite Real Estate in Daphne was our Realtor, and we formed a connection during that time.” Jessica said.
“Although I had a wonderful job at the company I was working for, there was something missing. I felt an itch to evolve, loved the home buying process and could envision myself showing homes as a career. I decided to give it a shot, enrolled in night classes, passed my test on the first attempt and immediately hung my license with the Elite in 2014 while still working my day job.” she continued.
Mott’s employers were aware of her real estate ambitions and encouraged her pursue them as long as they didn’t interfere with company duties.
“The owners were like family and knew exactly what I was doing. They wanted to keep me for as long as possible and so let me work on real estate on the clock after finishing my daily tasks.” Mott said.
With an unstoppable drive forged in youth, Jessica juggled jobs for two years before transitioning into a full-time role with Elite. She was a top producer from the very beginning. In Mott’s second year, working part-time in real estate, she generated almost twice as much income as her full-time primary salary. This achievement made her feel comfortable enough to take a leap of faith into giving up her main job.
The most important factor for me is the client and taking care of their best interests. I wake up every single day to work, and do whatever it takes to get the job done.
Always wanting to learn and expand her expertise, Jessica picked up her Associate Broker’s license in 2017, merely a year after going fulltime. Not long after, she managed an office in Foley for Elite as a Qualifying Broker, with 15 agents under her purview.
“We were doing great and I loved training, but ultimately felt that it was taking away from caring for my clients directly. That’s where my heart is; going through the transaction from
better experience for my clients, then it’s satisfying. Education really goes a long way as a Realtor.” Mott said.
To date, Jessica remains perpetually entrenched among the top 1% of the Baldwin MLS producers, and dominates Elite Real Estate’s leader board consistently, although she typically can’t provide current metrics if questioned.
“I create goals at the beginning of every year, but generally do not keep up with numbers daily. I’m unaware of how many houses have been sold until looking at my white board at the end of the month. The most important factor for me is the client and taking care of their best interests. I wake up every single day to work, and do whatever it takes to get the job done.” she concluded.
For questions or comments about this article, contact Jessica at (251) 517-0488 or jessica_eliterealestate@yahoo.com
start to finish and making it a happy process. I eventually decided to go back to Daphne as an agent, which also was my main target area.” Mott said.
Not slowing down, Jessica currently has six real estate certifications under her belt with the goal of adding one more per year, and a new protégé in her daughter who wants to follow in her footsteps in real estate.
“If I can learn one thing that will improve me as a Realtor or make it a
Performing Licensed and Certified Residential Inspections in Mobile and Baldwin County for Over 20 Years
Plumbing Systems & Appliances | Electrical Systems | HVAC Systems Foundation & Crawl Space (as accessible) | Roo ng & Attic (as accessible)
Windows/ Doors | Installed Kitchen Appliances | Fireplace/ Chimney | Pools Garage/ Workshops | Exterior Siding | Deck/ Patio | Topography/ Drainage
Goosehead Insurance is Mobile Bay Real Producer’s Spotlight Vendor for October, and they recently celebrated their four year anniversary serving Mobile and Baldwin counties.
To date, her office is ranked as the top agency in the state and third in her region (AL, TN, GA, WV), specializing in tailor made solutions to meet coverage needs with 40 toprated carriers.
Additionally, her agency’s growth has exceeded 60% annually, with almost $5 million in premium written. A recent move to a new 1,500-square-foot office this year, located at 6721 Grelot Road in Mobile, is indicative of their eye-popping expansion.
“Our success is a testament to our dedicated team and the strong relationships we’ve built within the real estate industry. Our goal is to deliver exceptional service to every client with professionalism and care. Culture is important. We strive to create a workplace where our team looks forward to coming in each day.” Tessa said Wiggins attributes her office’s unparalleled success to the character of the people she hires.
“I am incredibly grateful for my amazing team who share my dedication. Together, we are excited for the future and ready to continue our journey of growth and excellence in the insurance industry.” Tessa said.
In that vein, here are the stories behind the dream team Tessa has assembled to accelerate Goosehead into their next level of market dominance.
“I was born in Columbus, Ohio, and moved to Northern Michigan around the age of four to grow up in northern Michigan, up in the pinky area of the state if you look on the map.” Hall said to open his interview.
Denny attended Bellaire High School and was a four sport athlete, with basketball being his favorite. A well rounded student, he also excelled in academics and put together an impressive transcript to earn easy acceptance into Michigan State University.
“It was a great four years there. In addition to school, I was active in a fraternity and played on the women’s basketball scout team. If MSU played Ohio State that week, they would give us a packet of player breakdowns and the scouting report. We’d run offensive sets, defensive sets, and just try to prep them for the game and play at a high level.” he said.
Hall’s first job after graduation was in Chicago for a multinational third-party freight company, working in a very fast paced, sales role which prepared him well for a successful career in insurance. The migration to Mobile was precipitated by his fiancé accepting a coaching position with the USA women’s volleyball team.
A LinkedIn recruiter connected Hall to Goosehead, and he felt an instant connection to the local outfit owned by Wiggins.
By Ron Sivak
“The way she runs the operation and the culture here was very attractive to me and now, two years later, I’ve been ranked among the best agents in the state based on sales. It was a great decision
“I was raised in Fairhope and went to Fairhope High School, finishing in 2018.” Moss said.
Active in cheerleading while growing up, Moss showed her competitive and leadership traits early on as a team captain in both in middle and high school. She also excelled academically while active in FBLA and Key Club.
After graduation, Taylor went on to pursue a marketing degree at the University of Alabama while enjoying a well-rounded university life.
“I was in Kappa Delta, loved it and knew for a very long time that I wanted to attend Alabama due to my parents and sibling going there.” Moss said.
With onset of COVID in college, and classes moving to an online format, Taylor decided to come back home to study as well as initiate her professional career.
“I interned for an insurance agency in Birmingham, and when a family friend connected me to the owner of a captive insurance agency to interview, I received an offer to work there. It was a natural fit.” Mott said.
LinkedIn was the connection that initially introduced Taylor to Tessa and facilitated the transition to a non-captive insurance agency.
“I was not looking for a job change at the time, but when I met with Tessa it immediately felt like a move I needed to make.” Taylor said.
“This position encourages you to network and market. We are a team and there’s a sense of friendly competition. The culture continuously motivates you to excel and I love it here.”
The newest member of the Goosehead team, Olivia grew up in Panama City and is enjoying her first foray in the working world as a recent college graduate.
Built from the same cloth as her comrades, Whittle’s background growing up indicates a bright future for her in insurance.
Olivia was a wellrounded student while attending high school, balanc ing good grades and sports excel lence. After graduation, she was recruited to play women’s volleyball at the next level to shine even more.
“I attended Gulf Coast State College and in my first year there we made school history by being the first team to reach national competition. During my final year there, I was tournament MVP.” Olivia said.
“Playing on a team sport taught me how to relate to different people. Discipline and time management is also ingrained, having to wake up at 4:30, practice for hours, attend class, study and then work a job. The culture created by Tessa at Goosehead is a great fit and I am learning something new every day. I want to be the best insurance agent possible.” she concluded.
Ally Odam’s path to becoming a successful REALTOR® with Elite Real Estate Solutions in Daphne actually got its start for Ally in another profession altogether.
As she came of age, she put her passion for helping others to work in the classroom, as a teacher.
A New Career Path
Ally’s fascination with homes began long before she ever considered a career in real estate.
“I’ve always enjoyed looking at homes,” she shares.
Her academic journey was initially focused on education. Ally earned her bachelor’s degree in education, followed by two master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction, and educational leadership. For a decade, she devoted herself to teaching, a role she found deeply fulfilling but which also left her craving a new challenge.
into a new neighborhood where homes were struggling to sell. As her family strolled through the area and observed the construction, Ally’s enthusiasm grew.
“I would welcome visitors to the neighborhood and offer them suggestions,” she recounts.
Her genuine interest and informal guidance soon caught the attention of her husband, Jeff, who encouraged her to pursue a real estate license. Within a week of obtaining her license, Ally had her first house under contract, marking the beginning of a promising new chapter.
Making the Transition Balancing teaching and real estate proved challenging in the initial years. Ally would spend her days in the classroom and her evenings showing homes. Despite the difficulty, she was determined to make the transition work.
In 2020, while juggling her teaching career with her burgeoning interest in real estate, Ally decided to take a leap of faith. Her family had recently moved
“The first couple of years were tough,” she admits.
However, the effort paid off. Ally found that she could support the education sector in new ways, such as organizing breakfasts for teachers and supporting local schools, while also thriving in her real estate career.
Ally’s experience as both an educator and a REALTOR® uniquely positions her to assist clients. Her teaching background honed her skills in communication, patience, and problem-solving—qualities that seamlessly translate to real estate.
“I love helping people realize they can afford a home and achieve the dream of homeownership,” she explains.
Ally particularly enjoys working with first-time buyers, helping them
A key to Ally’s success has been her focus on local connections. After moving from California in 2019, she initially had to build her network from scratch. Her strategy? Specialize in her immediate neighborhood.
“Pick a specialty and focus on one area to help that grow,” she advises.
Ally’s involvement in her community extends to organizing events like an annual Easter Egg Hunt and a Santa appearance, which not only fosters neighborhood spirit but also solidifies her reputation as a dedicated local professional.
Her participation in BNI, a networking group in Daphne, has further bolstered her connections.
“We have a great group you can depend on,” Ally says.
improve their credit and navigate the path from renting to owning a home.
Away from work, Ally treasures time with her family, including her husband, Jeff, and their children— Hayden, Avery and Kayne.
They play a central role in her drive and satisfaction. The flexibility of her real estate career allows her to engage more actively in family life, including attending her eldest son’s swim meets and enjoying boating trips during the summer.
“I love learning and in real estate, you’re always learning something new,” Ally says. “The unknown is something that drives me.”
Reflecting on her journey, Ally underscores the importance of persistence and putting others first. Her clients appreciate her dedication and thoroughness.
“They realize that I put other people first and am constantly working to ensure everything is correct,” she says. Ally’s persistence and client-focused approach have earned her a reputation for reliability and excellence in real estate.
For questions or comments about this article, contact Ally at (951) 403-3075 or homes4ally@gmail.com
I love learning and in real estate, you’re always learning something new. The unknown is something that drives me.
By
With four decades of hard-earned experience in the real estate industry, Susan Shallow is the epitome of a dynamic, no-nonsense broker who thrives on the challenges and rewards of her profession.
As the co-owner and qualifying broker of RE/MAX Paradise in Orange Beach, Alabama, Susan also shows no signs of slowing down and doesn’t understand why retirement would be on anyone’s radar.
“I truly enjoy every aspect of what I do — it’s a labor of love, and I plan to work until I no longer can,” Susan asserts.
From The Army To Timeshares Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio,
Susan’s early adult life started with a life-changing stint in the Army. After attending college, she served as an operating room technician for two years. Her military experience not only toughened her resolve but also exposed her to diverse perspectives.
“The Army was a pivotal place in shaping my personality; it opened my eyes to the world and gave me steel in my spine and confidence,” Susan affirms. After her time in the Army, Susan took a position marketing timeshares in what was then the sleepy town of Gulf Shores.
“I got started in real estate through marketing those timeshares, and I met my husband Bob while doing so — exactly 10 days into selling Orange Beach,” she recalls with a smile.
Bob, a former dairy farmer with a natural sales ability, quickly became her partner in both business and life. Together, they recognized the
potential of general real estate in a beautiful region that was just beginning to wake up.
“When I started selling in 1984, there was one restaurant in Gulf Shores that stayed open past 8 p.m. Everything else closed down; it was a sleepy place … and Orange Beach wasn’t even really on the map yet,” Susan chuckles.
Building a Powerhouse In 2004, after years of success owning RE/MAX Gulf Shores and RE/MAX Orange Beach, Susan and Bob decided to embark on a new venture. They sold their previous brokerages and started RE/MAX Paradise, envisioning a boutique office for a change of pace. The timing wasn’ ideal, as the Shallows also weathered Hurricane Ivan that same year, watching it unfold from their 14th-floor condo. But they persisted and eventually changed their minds on the idea of ‘boutique.’
“We took a few agents with us when we started RE/MAX Paradise … but after 10 years, we were bored stiff. We missed doing large projects, so we started building the office back up again,” she shares.
With Susan at the helm, RE/MAX Paradise has grown into a formidable brokerage with plenty of real estate superstars. With 47 agents under her supervision, the office boasted a total volume of over $500 million across 807 transactions last year alone. This year, they’re projected to exceed those totals, while the accolades speak for themselves: Bob has personally been the #1 agent in Baldwin County for multiple years and the highest-ranked RE/MAX agent in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi since 2008. RE/MAX Paradise has also been recognized as the #1 office in Baldwin County in both 2021 and 2023.
But Susan is quick to acknowledge that her and her husband’s success is a team effort.
“We hired Sunnie Sullivan, our assistant, 29 years ago, and she has been absolutely marvelous! We can’t do what we do without her,” Susan remarks. “She is loyal to the bone and part of our family.”
Susan is a firm believer in hard work and maintaining a positive environment at all times. Her and Bob’s zero-tolerance policy for negativity is well-known in the office. Susan recalls an incident where an agent was complaining about his phone ringing too much and was escorted out the door and asked not to return for two weeks.
“I work my tail off, and I concentrate on my clients and agents to have the best experience when they are with us,” she states. “If you’re having a bad day, we will kick you out of the office and tell you to go on vacation — we don’t want negativity in our office,
it’s a supportive environment and a positive refuge.”
For Susan, what’s most fulfilling about her work is watching other agents grow and succeed. She’s seen firsthand how a supportive and positive environ ment can help people thrive.
Her advice to new agents is simple but powerful: “Get your advice from those who are succeeding in whatever you are attempting to succeed in. So much of our success is between our ears.”
Outside the brokerage, Susan enjoys spending time on the family farm, where she and Bob care for a menag erie of animals, including 34 pigs, 27 cows, three peacocks, and countless turkeys. The couple have one daugh ter, Karly, who is 44 and a commer cial real estate agent in New Jersey. They’re also proud grandparents to two granddaughters, Olivia (12) and Madeline (15). Their pets, Milli the 5-year-old Norwich Terrier and two Bengal cats, Purrvis and LB, add plenty of liveliness to their home.
“You’ll find me feeding the animals on weekends,” Susan says with fondness. “I also love to cook when I have the time. We have some of the best access to Berkshire pork and Wagyu beef we raise ourselves.”
Amanda Spears – Bellator Realty, Spanish Fort
“I would like to extend my thanks to the Mobile Bay Real Producers team and their advertisers for their unwavering support. Their dedication to showcasing our area’s top producing agents, hosting networking events, and providing FREE publicity through their publication and social media is greatly appreciated!”
“I LOVE the Mobile Bay Real Producers community! From the social events to the meaningful articles composed in the magazine to the rich social media content, the quality of the brand is evident in every facet. I’m very thankful for this publication dedicated to Realtors and the real estate sector.”
Erick Haffner = Realty Executives, Gulf Shores
“Real Producers Magazine is an excellent platform for fostering connections with fellow agents and brokers, offering invaluable industry knowledge. Furthermore, it serves as an exceptional source for locating licensed vendors catering to the diverse, everyday needs within the real estate profession.”
Tracy Womack – RE/MAX Signature Properties, Mobile
“Mobile Bay Real Producers Magazine is a big supporter of the Real Estate industry in general. They work hard to make sure the public knows who the Real Estate agents are that are well connected, knowledgeable & giving back to the communities we live in. They also do a great job of connecting their readers with high quality resources from anything such as attorneys to heating and air companies. I always love to read the magazine every month!”
Stan Szapiel – Caribe Realty Inc., Orange Beach
“I cannot express how impressed I have been with the article I was featured in for Mobile Bay Real Producers. As the on-site Broker for Caribe Resort / Caribe Realty in Orange Beach, Alabama, this article has not only had an impact to our local market, but several of my clients from around the country called to congratulate me. Many of the guests that visit our resort come back every year and I have come to know them over the course of my employment. This article was greatly embraced by some of our long- term guests and clients who have purchased property from me. To this day I keep a copy or two in the sales office which gives me instant credibility to the buyers and sellers of Caribe Resort condominiums. I must say, not only did I get an ego boost, but my clients could not congratulate me more on such a fine article.”
Many thanks to the team at Mobile Bay Real Producers!
Pam Stein – Roberts Brothers Realty, Fairhope
“The magazine got me a lot of recognition and great reviews from my friends and clients. I felt like it was very classy, and the article was well written. Thanks for this great opportunity”.
Victor Howard – Ridings Realty, Mobile
I am Victor Howard, a passionate and dedicated Realtor with Ridings Realty, LLC, with almost three years of industry experience. I would like to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to Mobile Bay Real Producers magazine for their unwavering support and commitment to promoting real estate professionals. Their team has been a delight to work with, showcasing utmost professionalism, organization, and a hands-on approach. I was honored to be featured in their March 2023 issue as a rising star, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my enthusiasm for real estate with others. Thank you Mobile Bay Real Producers for all that you do!
Kayla Sanders, Marketing & Communications Director, Baldwin Realtors “Baldwin REALTORS® is thankful for the partnership we have with Mobile Bay Real Producers. As our affiliate members, they have sponsored several of our REALTOR® networking opportunities throughout the year. And we know they are working hard to spread a good word about the value of our members to the communities they serve.”
