Coldwell Banker Vanguard expands real estate firm

Local real estate company expanding with confidence, despite uncertain times

In the middle of a major pandemic that has some in the real estate industry biting their nails and laying back, one real estate agency is acting bullish. 

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Orange Park-based Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty Inc. not only plans to open a Nocatee office, it recently bought out Mount Dora real estate brokerage Coldwell Banker Camelot, expanding to 10 offices in Northeast and Central Florida. Realtor Kim Sandberg will helm the Nocatee office, opening early next year, while CBVR Controller Jennifer Tossavainen has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer.

Coldwell Banker Vanguard CEO Pete Dalton is taking an aggressive approach to the market for several reasons, chief among them his brokerage’s ability to deliver a plethora of free services to its independent agents, while simultaneously beefing up those offerings based on ideas from the agents themselves.

“When we support the success of our agents every day, it creates a ripple effect of high-quality service that ultimately benefits customers and the entire community,” Dalton said in a news release. “We couldn’t be more excited to be in Central Florida and look forward to helping our agents surpass their goals and those of their customers.”

The Build-out asked Dalton to elaborate on Coldwell Banker Vanguard’s approach.

Why all the free (or nearly free) marketing for agents?

It is a rare person who can work in one field (sales) all day and then in the after-hours be an effective marketer. At the same time, all real estate professionals recognize that they have to stay “top of mind” with their clientele. What CBV determined is that if we provide the marketing, then the agent has the opportunity to be of service to the greatest number of clients.

What does it mean to have an in-house support team?

We provide industry-leading marketing for sellers and agents. When sellers use our copyrighted “Insider View” marketing program … 100 percent of possible purchasers will be aware of their property. This is a tremendous relief for home sellers who need to know their home is properly marketed. From the agent’s standpoint, we provide an industry-leading program that makes them very competitive in securing business. Also, our “Client Connect” program puts the agent in front of their clients between 4 and 10 times a month at no cost.

What are some marketing programs or tactics based on agent ideas? 

Our “Market Maker” program enables agents to reach prospective customers with information that is valuable to the customer, and at little to no cost to the agent. Our “Just Listed Premier” program … is highly effective at communicating with a target audience. And the “I Brought the Buyer” program lets our agents contact a specific audience. Each of these programs targets a specific audience, and each came from an idea one of our agents had.

Why expansion and acquisition now, during COVID-19?

Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty is in a different position than most agencies. We are using our technology and marketing expertise to provide services other agencies simply can’t. We have an experienced team of design and social and digital marketing experts that we combine with an in-house photography department to provide better answers for sellers and agents. There are almost 10,000 real estate agents in the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors; we are interested in only 500 of the best and feel our program will become even more important to them if the market loses momentum.

We expect market share gains due to more productive agents, and more agents to propel our business into the foreseeable future.

© Del Webb
Now under construction, a new amenity center at Del Webb’s eTown will be anchored by The Gallery, a 13,000-square-foot facility with gathering rooms, fitness center, tavern, resort-style pool, event lawn, recreation courts and a community vegetable garden.

In other news:

● Work has started on a major new amenity center at the Del Webb eTown community located off Interstate 295 and Florida 9B in Southeast Jacksonville, with an opening slated for fall 2021.

Anchored by The Gallery, a 13,000-square-foot multi-building clubhouse, the center will feature social rooms for gatherings, a fitness center with TechnoGym equipment, and a tavern for happy hours and sporting events, according to a news release.

A resort-style pool; event lawn for live music; areas to play croquet, bocce ball, pickleball or tennis; and a community vegetable garden will also be available.

“Residents will enjoy the intimacy of a private complex that caters to their social and wellness interests,” said Clint Ball, North Florida Division President of Del Webb parent company PulteGroup, in the release. “We have created inviting indoor and outdoor areas for homeowners to meet up with old friends and mingle with new ones.”

ETown is a master-planned community by Parc Group that emphasizes technology, sustainability and convenience for modern living. The gated Del Webb eTown portion at 11246 Town View Drive in Jacksonville has about 100 homes already sold, as well as an initial amenity center with a full-time lifestyle director on site. There are 14 single-family floor plans from 1,343 square feet to 3,361 square feet offered, with prices starting in the mid-$200s. In-person, phone or virtual appointments are available to tour six model homes. 

For more information, visit DelWebb.com/etown.

© Amy Ploss-Samson
Rothenberg

© Amy Ploss-Samson
Hill

● Sodl & Ingram Miriam Hill and Beth Rothenberg have joined the downtown Jacksonville office of Sodl & Ingram PLLC, a law firm specializing in commercial real estate, investment, financing and development.

Regarding the expansion of the firm since its 2019 launch, co-founder Andrew M. Sodl said in a news release that with a strong commercial real estate market in Northeast Florida,

“We continue to see opportunities for our clients across the spectrum of commercial real estate, including medical development, single-family residential development and light industrial. Welcoming Miriam and Beth to our team brings added depth to the services we can provide to clients in need of environmental and transactional counsel, particularly in real estate development.”

Hill is a corporate and real estate attorney who advises clients on transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, purchase and sale agreements, corporate governance and public and private financing transactions. Rothenberg is a real estate attorney who focuses on environmental, health and safety law. She has extensive experience in regulatory compliance issues and in managing due diligence in complex real estate and corporate transactions.

“Andy and I are delighted to be able to work with Beth and Miriam, and are thankful to be able to grow in these challenging times,” co-founder Thomas O. Ingram said in the release.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Betting on the bull: Coldwell Banker Vanguard expands real estate firm