Joyce Roberts has been the owner/broker of Americom Realty in Orange Park for six years. She owned another real estate company, Mincom Realty for four years but couldn’t get a trademark on Mincom Realty to eventually sell franchises, so she changed the name to Americom. Before owning her own company, she worked for Vanguard/Better Homes and Gardens for two years.
WHY OPEN OWN COMPANY?
Roberts said she didn’t like part of her paycheck going to someone else and wanted to be in business for herself.
THE NAME AMERICOM?
“I liked the name because of the of ‘American’ and because it puts me further up in the Yellow Pages. It also gives the appearance of a national company, even though it’s not.”
WHAT MADE HER GO INTO REAL ESTATE?
“I was for the most part a stay-at-home mom and my kids were getting to the age where they were in school so I could do something, but I still wanted to be flexible. It was something that gave me the flexibility to be there for my children if they needed me, but also the potential for income.” Roberts moved here from Canada in 1993 and worked part-time at a owned by her then-husband and brother-in-law’s Moore Homes. She enjoyed the process of homebuilding which lead her to a career in real estate.
SPECIALITY?
She sells new homes and resales. “I still work with Moore Homes as a sales agent if they build a speculative home and need to list it.”
HOW DID HER EXPERIENCE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY HELP HER IN REAL ESTATE?
“It gave me the background knowledge of how houses are built including the time frame and problems they can run into. I have a good understanding of that field, so if I am working with someone buying new construction, I can relate to it a little bit more.”
HOW MANY AGENTS DOES SHE HAVE?
Two agents who hang their license with her. “I’m very selective and I don’t hire new agents because I don’t have the time to train them.” Roberts does not have a physical office; she works from her home.
AREA SHE CONCENTRATES ON?
Orange Park and Jacksonville.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE ORANGE PARK AREA?
“A lot of new construction and sales. In Argyle and OakLeaf Plantation, the prices are skyrocketing as much as they are everywhere else. The average price in this area is about $200,000.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“The flexibility. If I want to go out of town for a few days, I don’t have to check with someone to do it.”
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
“Time management is very important. When people are first getting into real estate, they tend to become at the disposal of their clients because they want to make that next sale. In a lot of ways they discount themselves, their own time and family in exchange. You have to schedule time for work and time for home. If someone calls during your home time, you should tell them you are sorry, but you are already booked. I know a lot of people don’t do that when they are getting started in real estate and then they get divorced.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A NEW AGENT?
Roberts said new agents should make use of the classes offered by the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors even if they don’t need the continuing education credits. “They should take as many classes as they can, especially the Multiple Listing Service class. The classes are free and very interesting.”
TIPS FOR LOAN OFFICERS?
“If they think there is a problem, it doesn’t help the real estate agent to be prepared for the problem if they don’t know it exists. It’s a matter of full disclosure. Let the Realtor know what is going on. Unfortunately, some loan officers tend to over-promise and under-deliver. Don’t do that. They need to under-promise and over-deliver.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
Since Roberts has been on the MLS committee for education, she has found that many people do not take the MLS class. “You can sit there trying to write reports or doing something in the MLS system and end up wasting hours and hours of your time. If you took one class it would help you out immensely.” Roberts teaches the MLS orientation class for NEFAR. “The class not only teaches you how to use the computer system, but it can help you stay out of trouble. There are things that you can enter into the MLS that you can be fined for.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Roberts is a member of NEFAR and its Southwest Council. She is a past chair of the Southwest Council. She is also involved in the Clay County Chamber of Commerce and its lead group, First Coast Networking. She also has her mortgage broker’s license.
CHURCH
Trinity Baptist.
PERSONAL SIDE?
Roberts is married to Scott, a computer network engineer who has his own company, T & R Communications. Together they have six children. A book she recently read and would recommend is “How to Raise Your Salary,” by Napoleon Hill. “It is an excellent book.” When relaxing at home, she enjoys tuning into “CSI” and “24.” She is taking her first cruise next month, but said her favorite place to be is anywhere with a warm climate. When dining out, she said her favorite place is wherever there is no line.
- by Michele Newbern Gillis