Becky Hardy has been a real estate agent with Heritage Realty on Amelia Island in Nassau County for two years.
HOW LONG HAS SHE BEEN
IN REAL ESTATE?
Seventeen years, 14 of those in Nassau County.
HOW DID SHE GET INTO REAL ESTATE?
Her mother had been a real estate agent for almost 30 years. Hardy decided to get into real estate, so she partnered with her mother at Coldwell Banker Roswell in Atlanta.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She worked with her father as a horticultural (lawn products) sales representative.
WHY GET INTO REAL ESTATE?
Hardy is very much a people person. “I love to help people. Real estate is very much a one-on-one business. I have made so many friends from all walks of life.”
SPECIALTY?
Commercial, residential and condominiums. “I do a broad spectrum of all types of real estate.”
NEW VENTURE?
Heritage Realty will be the exclusive listing agent for a new 48-unit gated luxury condominium community, Corona Del Mar, located on Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach. “They will be three stories with garages underneath. People really want to live in a condominium, have a garage and not keep it as a rental, but as more of a permanent home.”
HOMETOWN
She was raised in a small town north of Atlanta, Roswell, which had a population of about 4,000.
FEELS LIKE HOME
Hardy vacationed in Fernandina Beach and fell in love with the small town presence there. She decided to move there in 1988. “Fernandina was just what my heart desired. Roswell had grown to over 6,500 people and it didn’t feel like home anymore. Fernandina Beach was small and very much a place I wanted to call home. I liked the area because it was small, quaint and I felt like it was home for me.”
COMMUNITY SERVICE?
“I’m very much a people person and I love to get out and get involved in the community. I am constantly offering all sorts of community services.” She is very involved in her church, St. Michael’s Catholic Church and her son’s school located at the church. Through her church, she heads a bereavement committee. “I have about 250 women under me and whenever someone dies, this person does cards, this person does food and this person does the funeral. I love being involved.”
FAVORITE KINDS OF CUSTOMERS?
“I like working with buyers who are generally first-time or second-time home buyers because they have more of an appreciation for the Realtor than say someone buying their fifth or sixth home. With first-time home buyers, you do a lot of hand holding and I like that feeling of helping somebody. When you take them to the closing table, their eyes light up and they get their keys and say, ‘This has really happened.’ That is so rewarding. I also like to work with people moving into the area and maybe buying a second home. I like to help people see the benefits of buying and investing.”
ADVICE FOR
NEW AGENTS?
“Be patient and get as much education as possible. Find a slogan or a niche and stay with it.”
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED
OVER THE YEARS?
“It’s humbling for me to say this, but I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut. I bite my tongue and allow people to make decisions on their own instead of trying to make them for them.”
WHAT DOES HARDY LIKE TO DO WHEN NOT WORKING?
She enjoys walking in her neighborhood and mingling with her neighbors. She also enjoys her volunteering and cooking for friends.
WHAT HAS HELPED YOU MOST TO GET YOU WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
“Drive. I have an inner drive that keeps me going.”
FAMILY
She had been married to Brian, who owns Brian Hardy Construction for 11 years. They have one son, Austin, who is eight years old.
FAVORITES
She cites the “Harry Potter” series as her favorite books. Her favorite movie is “Gone With the Wind.” When dining out, she enjoys Down Under in Nassau County. Her favorite place to visit is the mountains.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis