Carol Tunis has been a Realtor with Premier Properties Realty Group in St. Augustine for five years. She sells primarily in St. Johns and Flagler counties.
WHERE WAS SHE BEFORE THERE?
Century 21 A1A Realty for three years.
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
She owned an Irish sports bar, Danny O’Shea’s, and a hair salon in Atlanta.
HOW DID SHE GET STARTED IN REAL ESTATE?
She had wanted to get into real estate for a long time and knew that she couldn’t run a bar and a hair salon forever, so she decided it was time.
“I just wanted to do something that made me feel like I wasn’t working anymore and it’s been everything I’ve ever wanted. I honest to God don’t feel like I am working. I love it.”
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE?
As many know bartenders and hairdressers are the next best thing to a paid therapist in many cases. So, through her experience running a bar and doing hair Tunis learned a very important quality - listening. “It really made me in tune with what people wanted.”
NEAT WEB SITE
If you want to close your eyes and get away for awhile, visit Tunis’ Web site, www.staugustineandbeachproperties.com. Her site has a wonderful sound bite of seagulls and waves pounding the shore. “I have a passion for the ocean. I never learned how to swim. I totally respect the water, but I don’t want to go in it. It’s a spiritual thing with me with the nature and the power of the ocean. That’s why I came to St. Augustine and I wanted it to be a part of my Web site.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“First of all, I love decorating so I love to go see the houses. Even before I got into real estate, if I had nothing to do on the weekend I’d go to model open houses.”
PET PEEVES?
Tunis said her pet peeve is when another agent calls her and questions her pricing of a property. A pet peeve of hers is when she takes a customer out, finds what they want and then the customer goes out on their own to buy the property.
BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
“Be honest, be fair and have a good time.”
ADVICE FOR A NEW AGENT?
“Farm your areas and stay in contact with your past customers.”
MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB?
Tunis said finding the right home in someone’s price range when it just doesn’t exist. “That is frustrating to me. Our house pricing here is still high. A lot of people can’t buy what they want for what they can afford.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“You must do a lot of follow-up with everyone involved in the transaction. Finding a house and getting under contract is just the beginning.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
She is a member of both the St. Augustine/St. Johns County and Flagler County boards of realtors.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis