Brenda Harris has been a site agent with Rosewood Homes in River Hills Reserve in Fleming Island Plantation for a year.
WHAT DID SHE DO BEFORE
ROSEWOOD HOMES?
She had her own interior decorating company for 10 years. It was originally located in the Northeast and she moved here four years ago. “Prior to that, I had been a site agent in a very upscale golf community for five years.”
WHY GO INTO REAL ESTATE?
“I had a background in real estate, so I just sort of assessed if I wanted to pursue that here or continue in interior decorating. I decided to jump back into real estate.”
WHY DO SITE SALES?
“I love the whole construction process. It’s creative and kind of feeds into the creative part of my personality. A lot of time, meeting with the homeowner and developing the relationships you do, you really can have input into the home and I really enjoy that.”
WHY ROSEWOOD?
She said she chose Rosewood Homes because it is a small company that does more customized homes. “It’s a lot more detailed and that is enjoyable.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I love it. I love every aspect of it. I love the people and forming relationships. Most of my customers actually become friends. I love the whole construction, design and creative aspect of real estate, which is part of being a site agent. I really like the energy in Jacksonville right now with so much growth. It is a really exciting time to be in real estate, kind of like the gold rush in California.”
THE FLEMING ISLAND AREA?
“I basically live in Fleming Island myself and I just cannot believe that everything that is in place right here now took place in the last five years. It’s just been mind boggling how quickly the construction has been on Fleming Island. It is a great lifestyle.”
ADVICE FOR A NEW SITE AGENT?
“I really find that if you approach people the way you would want to be approached if you were sitting in their seat, that at the end of the day you really do your customer justice. Sometimes that means going the extra mile, being honest when things might have a little glitch in them and really treating them in a way you would want to be treated.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
Harris said she is continually learning new things in the construction process because things change constantly to keep up with the trends. “There are always new things that they are bringing to the homes including appliance trends, building trends and decorating trades. It’s fun from that advantage to see what is new in the market place and be able to implement some of these new things. You are constantly growing and learning.”
RIVER HILLS RESERVE?
Harris said they have 99 home sites in River Hills Reserve. Prices range from the low $400,000 to high $600,000’s. “We get everything from families to empty nesters. We have a lot of people who have relocated to the area that are building here.”
COLLEGE DEGREE
Harris has a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the College of New Jersey.
CREATIVE SIDE?
Harris has taken her creative talent of singing and channeled it into interior design and now site sales. “Real estate and interior design are really bedfellows. The creative part of my brain really has dictated my life. I still sing at church and at weddings.”
RESIDES
Fleming Island Plantation.
HOMETOWN?
San Antonio, Tex.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and its Southwest Council. She also attends the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s Sales and Marketing Council.
PERSONAL SIDE?
She is married to Jack, a certified public accountant, who still has his practice in Pennsylvania. “His whole practice is in Pennsylvania, but he lives here full time. With the phone, computer and easy commute, he can service his customers and live here full-time.”
Between them, they have eight children. When she is not working, she enjoys exercising, golfing, biking, cooking, entertaining and hanging out with her dog, Chloe. A movie she would recommend is “The Notebook”. Since she loved the movie so much, she now is a huge Nicholas Sparks fan. When dining out, she enjoys Bistro Aix and bb’s. Her favorite place to visit is Italy.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis