by David Chapman
Staff Writer
One look at George Linville and you know he is an animated and patriotic man. With his trademark red jacket and American flag neckties, he’s been a staple of the Northeast Florida real estate industry for over 50 years.
One look at the walls of George Linville’s office and you can see just how involved he’s been: gold and silver plaques, crests, pictures of smiling people from past and present, so many awards and memories that there is little space left.
From plaques honoring Linville as honorary citizen of numerous places to his “Realtor of the Year” award on the mantel, there aren’t many awards you won’t find.
He can’t recall how many he’s actually received, though.
“I really don’t know,” he said. “But probably more than I deserve.”
The awards just scratch the surface of what defines the longtime Northeast Florida real estate stalwart. He’s equally proud of what he has accomplished in his civic duties over the years and said the greatest award he’s been given doesn’t come with a plaque or ceremony.
“I’m an American citizen,” he said. “There’s no greater honor.”
Early years
Linville was born in 1929 and raised in Live Oak into a family that was active in real estate.
His grandfather owned a theatre and several properties there while his father owned properties in Florida and Texas.
“I guess you can say I have real estate in my genes,” said Linville.
His Jacksonville roots started with real estate. His mother took the insurance money from his father’s death and invested in a four unit Riverside apartment complex.
In 1950, at age 21, he followed in his family’s footsteps and became involved in real estate and another endeavor — marriage.
He and Jo Ann made a pact that would help them throughout the rest of their lives.
“We made a deal,” said Linville. “I promised her I would take care of bringing in the income if she would raise the children. We both liked that and we’ve been blessed ever since.”
Today, they have three children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.
His children, Mary Jo, Gentry and George, all helped around the office when they were younger, he said, and Linville keeps passing on the real estate genes: two of his grandchildren, Christian Linville Corbett and John Dichler, are involved in real estate, as is his son, George, a commercial real estate investor in Charlotte.
“He told me recently he had the best year he’s ever had,” said Linville.
Real estate history
Linville says the longtime secret to his success has come from the day-in, day-out enjoyment of what he does.
“You’re not going to believe me,” he prefaced, “but I have never had an unhappy workday. I’m being honest. I just love the real estate profession.”
He credits his happiness of the profession to three main things:
First, the lack of inventory needed — listings are the inventory.
Second, he is paid for performance instead of resting on his laurels.
Finally, he helps people solve problems, not just real estate problems. And that’s something that he truly enjoys, he said.
He started George M. Linville Corporation in 1963 and it served as a full scale office with 20 full-time employees.
He’s solved a lot of problems, real estate and otherwise, over the years and has proof. In a back corner room in his office there are numerous old metal filing cabinets filled with every transaction he has done.
Much like the awards on his walls, Linville said he has no idea how many he has accumulated in his career but ventures that there are “thousands and thousands.”
He can fondly recall his first transaction ever as a 22-year-old newcomer who sold a home in Jacksonville’s Northside.
“In the beginning my biggest problem was that at 21, I looked too young to be taken seriously by older people,” he said, then joked. “Now, it’s just the opposite.”
In 1968, he along with brothers John and Henry Rogers, helped establish Jacksonville’s Multiple Listing Service, providing the way for the multifaceted and convenient system Realtors use today.
Also in 1968, Linville was awarded the J.E. Churchwell Education Award for his work in real estate education.
That was just the beginning.
Without hesitation, Linville will tell you 1976 was by far his busiest year.
Besides Linville’s normal duties on the job, he took part in countless industry boards and was a large part of Jacksonville’s bicentennial celebration of 1976.
His efforts carried over to the next year and did not go unnoticed, as Linville was named “Realtor of the Year” by the Jacksonville Board of Realtors (now Northeast Florida Association of Realtors) in 1977.
In the early 1980s, he helped pioneer the Graduate Realtor Institute program in the Virgin Islands. Between teaching courses and getting the program in order, he was still working away back home and it actually led to one of the more unique plaques on his wall.
“The Creative Contract award,” he said as he pointed to it. “I was in the Virgin Islands teaching courses and during the breaks I’d be on the phone to Jacksonville to find out the particulars on a deal I was handling. It took a little time and effort but it got through.”
In 1986, he served as president of the Florida Association of Realtors and said the time he spent serving on a state level was rewarding.
“My favorite part,” he said, “was visiting the different associations, speaking with them, synergizing with them and realizing all the great talents they possessed. I really do consider them all family.”
Linville has always been a staunch civic supporter and was involved with his community as early as 12.
He never wanted to run for office and his reason is one you wouldn’t hear from any brash politician.
“To be honest,” he said, “I’ve always found someone more qualified than me.”
Behind The Scenes
But that never stopped his support.
He has been a fixture with the Realtors Political Action Committee, helping raise money to support candidates who support the real estate industry.
The one thing Linville does have in common with politicians is his ability at public speaking. He honed the skill when he joined Toastmasters in the late 50s.
“It was a huge gift,” he said. “And it helped me in my career in many ways.”
The gift kept on giving and helped Linville in his profession and during his many speaking engagements that came years later.
He has traveled locally and nationally to teach seminars on everything from ethics to marketing, listings and closings. He’s keynoted state associations and even gave a presentation to thousands at a National Association of Realtors convention.
Even with the training and the experience under his belt, he still feels the nerves before stepping out before an audience.
“I always feel it,” said Linville. “When you stop feeling butterflies, that means it’s time to quit.”
He also uses the art of public speaking to perform as an auctioneer for local schools and charity events. In fact, he’s a big fan of auctions.
If you look away from the walls of his office, you’ll see stacks, piles, hangings and treasures he has plucked from one of any number of auctions he’s attended.
Cowboy hats, feathered headdresses, ornamental mirrors, crystal, figurines, it’s a bounty of assorted collectibles that take up room after room of his office. Each piece is special to him.
“Each and every piece has a story behind it,” he said and noted that he is fond of Indian pieces.
His local contributions range far more than as an auctioneer, though.
Over the course of his varied civic-dutied life, he has been a director of the Jacksonville Council of U.S. Navy League, director of Brewster Hospital (now Shands), a task force member for the Sheriff’s Office to aid in cultural change and as a member of the Citizens Schools Action Committee during some of Jacksonville’s tumultuous years in the 1960s.
“It was an honor to be a part of it all,” he said. “It’s all a constant learning experience. If you’re not learning, you’re not doing something right.”
Linville has always encouraged Realtors and young people to become involved in the community as a civic duty, to help Jacksonville become succeed in the future.
“I was and am very, very active,” he said.
Slowing down
Linville does remain active but he’s had to slow down.
During Fathers Day weekend in 1989, Linville had a massive heart attack that doctors didn’t think he would survive. Six bypasses, an assortment of medical devices in his chest and a couple months of rest later, Linville said he defied the odds and was back into action, albeit at a lesser role.
Ironically, the same year as his heart attack, Linville received the “Realtor of the Year” award from the Florida Association of Realtors.
“I think they wanted to give it to me before I died,” he said with a laugh.
Shortly after that, he decided to start phasing out of his many roles and through attrition, his staff of 20 at George M. Linville Corporation in time became just one — him.
He helped many of them find better jobs with other corporations and is proud of the fact that he remains friends with them all. The growing and learning experience, he said, was vital.
Today he maintains rental properties and investments and couldn’t be happier.
“I have just enough properties to keep me busy,” he said.
It’s a far cry from the workload of his younger days but he plans on staying the profession he has loved all his life... until the end of his life.
“I am going to be doing this until I cash it in and the roll is called up yonder,” he said.
Over the course of his career, Linville made numerous friends and didn’t want to name them for fear of leaving people out, yet he did note a few.
“Walter Williams is one of my main heroes,” he said. “Bill Watson, Beverly Garvin, John and Henry Rogers — I’ve made so many that I could sit here and list them for hours.”
How those countless friends and peers remember him and his impact on the industry is something he hopes is done with fondness and spirit.
“As someone who cared, was involved and personally mentored those who were seeking growth,” he said. “Having been given a wonderful family. My goal was and is always to become a better man.”