Jan Stringer has been a Realtor with ERA Davis and Linn since April. She formerly was the sales manager for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Why real estate?
“Carol Davis and Jim Linn have been dear friends of mine for a long time. I actually met them through the Chamber. They have encouraged me ever since I left the Chamber a number of years ago to come to work and do real estate. I know a lot of people in the industry, generally on the commercial side. I love homes. If I had any talent, I’d be an interior designer, but I don’t have any. This is a wonderful fit for me because I love homes, condominiums, projects and Jacksonville. I earned my license in April and started at ERA Davis & Linn the next day.”
Before real estate?
She was working in business development and most recently worked for political consultant, strategist and pollster Bruce Barcelo of Barcelo and Co. and his clients doing community relations and working on political and issue campaigns. “For instance, I worked on the ‘Vote No on 4’ campaign. The Chamber actually hired me to work on that campaign through Barcelo.”
Her Chamber career
Stringer worked for the Chamber for seven and a half years in the Membership Department. For the last three years, she was vice president of membership. “I oversaw the account managers who were selling memberships. I was responsible for the dues revenues, membership in general and their involvement in the Chamber, customer relations and customer service. I worked with and built relationships with the top investors. I interacted with them at different Chamber events and made sure that they were getting the most out of their Chamber membership for themselves, organization and their employees. That was my role in addition to overseeing all the other things.”
How’s it going?
“I am probably the most fortunate new real estate person in Jacksonville, if not the world. I am grateful and thankful. There were friends who knew that I was pursuing this and they just happen to have a need for my services. I have been most fortunate while I am learning all there is to know about real estate.”
How does she like it?
“I love it. I like the interaction with the people that I’ve known for a long time. I have that ability to network with them and build a different type of relationship with them. It’s much more entrepreneurial than anything I’ve ever done before. I am enjoying it. There is so much to learn!”
How did previous experience help?
Stringer said the fact that she knows so many people in Jacksonville has helped her immensely. “I had the wonderful opportunity to have gotten to know so many of our business leaders. We are blessed truly in Jacksonville. We have one of the top Chambers in the country and, through that, you have the business leadership that is involved in the Chamber because so much of our Chamber is all about economic development and that has everything to do with the market in real estate. It has everything to with political climate, legislation, laws that are coming. All of those things play a very important role in everyone’s business, particularly in real estate because real estate is a big part of Jacksonville. When you have the opportunity to work with those folks for a long time, you get to know them. You learn so much and it helps with marketing and personal growth.”
Marketing?
Stringer said she is just talking to people and spreading the word. “I hit the ground running, so there is a lot of work when you are selling or listing a house. Those are things I have in process.” She is a trustee of the Chamber and is in the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, so those relationships will help as well.
Before the Chamber?
Stringer was with Delta Airlines for 16 years in the Reservations Department in Jacksonville. “During that time I was sent to London to work for three months and came back for six and sent back to London for three months and then came back. The whole experience taught me a lot about customer service. That had a lot to do with the rest of my career and what I placed importance on.”
Best advice?
“I am consistently told to be myself. My best advice that I give is to never give up.”
Key to selling here??
Stringer has found that relationships and knowledge of the industry are very helpful. “It is absolutely a relationship-oriented business. Relationships are very important to me. There are always people, no matter what the economy is doing, that need to buy or sell a home.”
Her area?
Since she lives in the San Marco area, she focuses on that. “We are seeing some movement in that area. What I’ve seen and from other folks in the industry is that sellers are getting realistic that their houses are not worth $2 million anymore. It’s probably worth $1.2 million. Their condominiums are not worth $300,000, but more like $150,000. They are getting very realistic and if they are in a position to sell and have priced it appropriately, people are starting to look at those opportunities. If it’s priced right, it is starting to move.” Stringer said she’s heard this from commercial agents, title agencies, other Realtors, her brokers and attorneys.
-by Michele Gillis