by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty defused any negative vibes about the real estate market in Northeast Florida when they received one of the state’s top awards at Coldwell Banker’s annual conference in February.
Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty earned the top company award for being the number one in revenue in Florida. The award is for independently owned and operated affiliated companies in the Coldwell Banker system.
The award was presented in front of thousands of their peers at the Coldwell Banker International Business Conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando. Coldwell Banker’s sales associates, brokers, managers and employees were in attendance.
This is the first time Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty has received this award.
Monica Hentschel, chief operating officer for Coldwell Banker Walter Williams Realty, said the award means several things to the company.
“Despite what the national media has reported on about the downturn of the market, this certainly shows that Northeast Florida did not suffer some of the downturn that other markets have been facing,” she said.
Hentschel added that she thinks Northeast Florida did well because “we have a port, we are military town and we are located on the coast.”
“Those things have a real positive benefit for Jacksonville,” she said. “This award represents that the market is not that bad here and it shows we have a strong city.”
Hentschel also gives credit to their 250 agents.
“What a great team we have. Everyone worked hard and did a great job,” she said. “They knew they had to work hard even when we had some what of a downturn in the market.
“Our team has a strong commitment to being number one in customer service.”
Hentschel, who has lived in Jacksonville her whole life, said it is a great place to raise a family.
“There are so many job opportunities and the port and the military, I think have really helped keep the city resilient.”
So far this year, Hentschel said the market has been bouncing back.
“Our sales this year in the first half of 2008 are way up from this time last year,” she said. “People keep forgetting that it is a fabulous time to buy and the prices are where they should be.”