Carol Burns has been a Realtor with Berry & Co. in Ponte Vedra Beach for two years.
HER HISTORY
When she moved here 20 years ago, Burns worked for the Chamber of Commerce in downtown Jacksonville, managing advertising sales for the Jacksonville Magazine, which it owned at the time. Burns started her real estate career with Watson Realty 17 years ago. She then went to work at The Plantation. She left the real estate business for a while to raise her son. She got back into real estate with Berry & Co. and then decided to open her own retail business, Mineral City, which sold decorative home accessories and gifts before rejoining Berry & Co. two years ago.
She also spent some time in the Big Apple.
“When I lived in New York City, I had a strong retail background with Bloomingdale’s and then I was in the magazine business with New York Magazine selling advertising.”
HOW DOES YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP YOU NOW?
Burns said her experience selling home accessories at Mineral City led her back to real estate. “I have always loved decorating homes and looking at model homes. I also have always been very curious and want to know what is going on in the area.” Her experience with advertising sales helped her deal with all kinds of people. “I sold advertising, selling houses is the same thing but a lot more fun.”
HOW HAS PONTE VEDRA CHANGED?
“I’ve been here for 20 years. I moved here from New York City, which was a big change back then. I’ve really watched this place blossom. J. Turner Butler still had tolls and there was hardly anyone on it when I moved here. The only restaurants in Ponte Vedra Beach were at the clubs. So if you were a member of the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club or Sawgrass, you had restaurants, otherwise, there was no where to eat. It’s really changed and it’s all for the better. On the whole, I’ve just seen Jacksonville blossom so beautifully.”
SPECIALTY?
Country club communities and Old Ponte Vedra Beach.
PONTE VEDRA MARKET?
“The Ponte Vedra market is hot. One place that is hot for the first time in a long time is The Plantation. It used to be a hard sell. If you were a golfer, it was an easy sale, but if you weren’t a golfer it was hard. You would have many things that would stay on the market, but now hardly anything stays on the market. It is a good thing for The Plantation. It means to me that the whole area has really evolved to where it should be. The west side of Ponte Vedra Boulevard has gotten a little pricey. Some of the older homes were selling fast and the prices started going up. I think that will change again in the spring. In the fall, you always see a little slowness.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“The people. They come from all over and I think that is fun.”
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED FROM A
CO-WORKER?
“To immediately write a thank-you note and not make them wait. It is so important that things be acknowledged immediately.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“I think it’s very humbling leaving real estate and coming back. You lose all your clients because they go on to other people, which they should. So, you have to come back and start all over again. You realize what a building business it is and that it isn’t easy. If you can stay with it and stick it out, then it will come back.”
HOMETOWN?
New York.
RESIDES?
Ponte Vedra Beach.
CHURCH?
Our Lady Star of the Sea.
PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENTS?
She is involved in the Republican Women, Northeast Florida Association of Realtors and its Ponte Vedra Council.
PERSONAL SIDE?
She has been married to Ron, who is in the financial services business, for 20 years. She has one daughter, Rebecca, 15. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling overseas, reading and spending time with family. A movie she enjoyed and would recommend is “Something’s Gotta Give.” Her favorite author is David Baldacci. When traveling, she enjoys New York or Paris. When dining out, she likes Café Andiamo.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis