Merritt Carlton has been a real estate agent with Prudential Chaplin Williams Realty in Fernandina Beach for a little over a year after retiring from a position as a senior executive in the financial services industry.
HOW DID YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP IN REAL ESTATE?
“It helped a lot. Thirty years of being a manager, supervisor and executive helps you with your interpersonal skills, dealing with people and negotiating contracts.”
WON ROOKIE
OF YEAR AWARD?
Carlton won the Rookie of the Year award from the Amelia Island/Nassau County Board of Realtors at age 63. “It was a very nice experience and I’m proud of it.”
WHY DID HE GET
INTO REAL ESTATE?
Carlton retired to Amelia Island from Connecticut. “After a couple years of tennis, fishing and golfing, I got involved in several charitable organizations including mentoring and Habitat for Humanity. I found that was fulfilling and I still had some extra time, so I decided to start on a second career in real estate.”
HOW DID HE
WIN THE AWARD?
“My wife had been in real estate in Connecticut for a number of years, so I had a good mentor. Basically, I just joined a very good agency that spent a lot of money on marketing and advertising. It was a good base of operations to get me started. I got into it because I really like people. I wanted to start a new career and I thought it was a great opportunity to meet people, work with them, sell them some real estate and make some money along the way. My success has really been due to the fact that I do like people and that I’m not driven by financial needs.”
WHAT DOES HE
LIKE BEST ABOUT
REAL ESTATE?
Carlton said meeting and working with people. He also enjoys the flexibility and looking at houses. The flexibility allows him to continue his mentoring of students at a local high school and his work with Habitat for Humanity.
SPECIALITY?
Resort communities, but he has sold all over the island. “I’ve sold to young as well as retired people.”
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE NASSAU COUNTY AREA?
“There is this tremendous growth in Nassau County on and off the island. The growth is now expanding northward off the island now, where they have platted 10,000 lots to be built on over the next 10 years. It gives a lot of opportunity for real estate. The island is just beginning to be discovered and although the values seem relatively expensive to most of us, but with people comparing us to St. Simons Island and South Florida, Amelia Island looks like a pretty good deal to most people.”
PET PEEVES?
Carlton said the biggest adjustment he faced going into real estate is that coming from a management background, where people did what he said to do, was that in real estate that is not always the case. “You’re not in control the same way, you have to work with people.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“Just listen to people and try not to impose your own tastes and biases.”
ADVICE FOR
NEW REALTOR?
Carlton said to work hard, follow through and you must enjoy working with people.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
He is a member of the Amelia Island/Nassau County Board of Realtors. “I think it is important to be involved in the board. In my first year I have really benefited from the educational opportunities they offer. That’s been helpful.”
HOME
Summer Beach.
COLLEGE DEGREE?
Carlton has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and art from Dickinson College.
PERSONAL SIDE?
Carlton has been married to Christina for 36 years and they have two children, Heather and Lance. When Carlton is not working, he enjoys boating, kayaking and fishing. His favorite book is “Angel of Repose” by Wallace Stegner. A favorite getaway spot is Europe. When dining out, he enjoys Le Clos in Fernandina Beach. ‘They have the best country French cooking that is available in the South.’”
- by Michele Newbern Gillis