Teresa Mecurio has been the broker/owner of Re/Max 100 Realty, Inc. in St. Augustine for 18 months.
HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN IN REAL ESTATE?
Almost 14 years. She worked in the Re/Max 100 Realty office for five years before she purchased it from the previous owner. Before that she worked for Olde Carriage Realty for eight years.
HOW MANY AGENTS?
“We started with seven and now have 16.”
WHY DID SHE GET INTO REAL ESTATE?
Because she wanted to have children and have a flexible schedule.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She managed three different dry cleaners for 10 years.
HOW DID HER MANAGEMENT SKILLS HELP HER NOW?
“It taught me a lot of things. The most important thing that it taught me is that I can’t expect anyone to do something I haven’t tried first. If you don’t know what you are talking about or doing, you can’t ask your employees to do it.”
INVOLVEMENT IN THE ST. AUGUSTINE/ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS?
Mecurio is the chair of the Education Committee for the board. “It is important for us as Realtors to be involved with the board so that we know and we can help teach those incoming Realtors the semantics of real estate and the proper and ethical way to do it.” Mecurio teaches the Code of Ethics course for the board. “Realtors come in and have no clue of what is right and what is wrong. We need to have a better working environment with everyone involved.” She is also on the board of directors of the Multiple Listing Service.
EDUCATION COMMITTEE?
“We do a tremendous amount of education throughout the board. We typically have about 40-48 hours of continuing education a year that we provide for the members. We actually plan that out strategically to make sure we get the correct number of hours that are needed for continuing education.
“We also do an annual scholarship drive where we give $1,000 to a graduating senior from each of the high schools in St. Johns County.”
WHY TEACH CODE OF ETHICS?
“It’s our bible and Realtors don’t understand it. There are only three professions with a code of ethics: Realtors, lawyers and doctors. There are so many Realtors out there who just don’t care about it.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I really love selling real estate. There is nothing like sitting in a closing with a couple who have never owned a home and you’ve gotten them their first home. You are friends for life with these people because they will never forget what you did for them. I teach them about the mortgage acceleration concept, about how this home is their financial security and how from this point forward they can do so much more with their lives now that they have some financial backing in a home. It’s important that they know that.”
WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING REALTOR IN ST. AUGUSTINE?
“Traffic can be a little horrendous if you are trying to get from one appointment to another in a timely manner. That is the worst part about it. The best part it is you get to meet so many interesting people. I’ve met people from all over and they are just wonderful. They all have the same synopsis that St. Augustine is wonderful, friendly and very helpful. That is an encouraging thought. As long as people love to come, they will continue to come and as long as they are coming we are selling houses, so we are happy.”
HOW’S BUSINESS?
“Business is great. Business is booming and people are still buying houses.”
BIRTHPLACE?
Jacksonville.
WHEN DID SHE MOVE TO ST. AUGUSTINE?
She and her husband bought Hasty Carpet Company in St. Augustine 18 years ago while they still lived in Jacksonville. After four years, they decided they hated the commute, so they relocated to St. Augustine.
NEW OFFICE?
She is building a 15,000 square feet office building on U.S. 1 and moving Re/Max 100 and Hasty Carpet Company into one building. “We will have about 7,800 of rental space and it should be open January 2004”.
FAMILY
She has been married to Dominic III for 18 years. They have one son, Dominic IV, 10.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis