by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
The Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council is gearing up for a new year and a new chair.
Bob Ransom, a consultant with Davidson Realty in World Golf Village, wants to bring the group to an even higher level, one that may win them the national recognition they have been wanting for years.
“I’ve got a good team, that’s what it’s all about,” said Ransom. “This is a group of people that really don’t need a lot of leadership. They are just very energetic people and they will get the job done. All I have to do is be there and guide them when necessary and perhaps help them set some goals.”
One of the things Ransom would like to do is to help the group reach a point where they get national recognition, like the national SMC award.
“We haven’t quite gotten there,” he said. “It’s kind of silent goal for me that we make that extra effort and push this year to reach some of those goals that we have fallen short on.”
Ransom said he has pushed for many years to see more Realtor participation in SMC.
“In many ways that has increased,” he said. “The reason we have such a huge membership base is that a lot of it is Realtor members who have joined over the last three years. I’d like to see that continue. That is what SMC was originally founded for was to bring the Realtor community together with the builder community.”
Ranson sees a great value in Realtors getting to know site agents and builders.
“It is an important role, particularly with a brand new real estate agent right out of school,” he said. “They don’t have a clue where they might do their first sale or first business. I’ve often spoke at different meetings to encourage new salespeople to get to know the site agents in and around where you are going to be selling because they will make your first sale for you. They will take over the prospect somewhat and guide them through the emotion of buying a first house. I know that works. Maybe some of them will hear the message one of these days.”
Ransom feels the members of SMC need to get out among the general real estate agents and have functions that Realtors want to come to and participate in.
“That’s the underlying thing,” he said. “A sense of belonging has to be created. We have to work through those processes, I guess.”
As with any new chair, they need to get into the organization and see what needs to be done.
“I don’t believe in walking in with a big broom and starting to sweep until you know where the dust is,” he said. “When anyone takes on a new role, they don’t want to come in and start saying, ‘Do this do that’ until they know what the whole situation is.”
Ransom got involved in SMC about 15 years ago. He has taken on some committees and various roles within the organization over the years.
“I guess people seem to think I had some benefits that SMC could use,” he said. “One of the things that I have had the most challenge with is that I oversaw the budget for the last four years. We’ve brought the SMC to a very profitable operation. I don’t meet that so much in dollars, but that we are able to fund our programs and ourselves. We’ve been able to contribute to scholarship funds and we’ve been able to do things with other charities as well. You can’t do that unless you have good solid finances. If you don’t have a good financial base, then you can’t make many of your programs work.”
Ransom said that they would be focusing more on educational aspects of their programs with educational speakers and seminars.
A big change that will occur this year is that the SMC is now moving its meeting place to the University Center at University of North Florida instead of the Southpoint Marriott.
“That came about because of the pretty stiff price increase at the Marriott,” said Ransom. “We were trying to keep our budget in line with what the people can afford to pay. I’ve attended a number of meetings there (UNF) and it seems to be an excellent place.”
Ransom has recently decided to retire from the position as vice president of residential sales at World Golf Village and take on more of a consultant role.
“I just felt that it was a good time in life to sit back and see what else is going on,” he said. “I’ll give a lot more attention to the job at SMC then perhaps I could have done while still working.”
Ransom is not sure of his future plans, but they may include either site or general sales.
“I’ll actually do some of both but I’m not committed to doing that at this time,” he said.
Though he’s not sure where he is going, he will stay in the real estate field somewhere.
“Oh, absolutely, it’s been my life,” he said.
Ransom is succeding Linda Mathis of North Florida Builders.
“She is a very dynamic leader and following in her footsteps will be one of my bigger challenges because she has great knowledge of the sales role and she has been able to use that to be able to push people to perhaps reach greater expectations,” he said.
Ransom has been preparing for this role for 30 years. He has always been in leadership positions in the real estate industry so taking over SMC will be a natural transition for him.
“Linda is a role model on all accounts for anyone to follow in her footsteps,” she said.
Ransom worked as an aircraft mechanic for the federal government for many years. He retired in 1974 and joined Watson Realty as a general real estate agent. He only sold for about three months and quickly moved into management. Over his 28 years with Watson Realty, he also worked in the corporate office as regional manager for eight years.
Before he retired from Watson, he was the sales manager at the Ponte Vedra Beach office. When he retired, he joined Davidson Realty as the vice president of residential sales.
Ransom said the World Golf Village is a growing community with about 550 homes.
“It will continue to grow,” he said. “Last year was a very dynamic year for it. It started out perhaps a little slow, but the tide turned. As we have seen so many times in the market place, it’s just a matter of the wind. I think the wind time has come to World Golf Village. There are a lot of lots out here that will be developed in time. All together, when this is fully completed, there will be about 7,000 homes. Prices range from $135,000 to over a million.”
His many years of experience have given him a good feel for what the agents in the industry need to be successful.
“I think have a good feeling for what the agents need in the industry to be successful,” he said. “And what efforts they need to make as well. It’s a two way street, if you will. Success comes to those who prepare themselves.”
Ransom has been married to Mickey for 30 years and they live in World Golf Village. He is currently building a new house in Royal Pines which should be ready in February. They have two children, Robby and Laura and five grandchildren.