Cummings’ "Back to Basics" Approach Keeps Her Among Top Realtors in Challenging Market

April 25, 2007 - The shift from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market has been a challenge for realtors throughout the First Coast, but Broker Associate Michelle Cummings of Prudential Network Realty has continued to prosper. Working out of Prudential’s Atlantic Beach Office, Cummings was one of its top producers in sales, listings and transactions for the last two years and is on track to stay on that list in 2007.

She attributes her success to her work ethic and getting ‘back to basics’ when the market began to change early last summer.

"Like any job, it comes down to consistency and setting your personal goals and objectives for the year and doing those things you need to do everyday to get there," Cummings said. "When faced with a downturn within the industry you work in, some have a tendency to scale back their marketing and advertising when it is just the time you need it most. But I increased marketing throughout last year, and I still do the basics like walking flyers, knocking on doors and the networking it takes to be successful in market conditions like these."

Cummings said that when she started with Prudential, the market was fairly "balanced" between buyers and sellers before the residential market got "red hot." What amazed her was how quickly things changed last year.

"For about two years, you barely got the sign outside the property and it was sold," she said. "Then the market seemed to change overnight."

Along with sticking to her work plan and continuing her marketing efforts, Cummings said staying with her "niche" and maintaining a balance within the properties she sells have also helped her maintain high sales throughout the last year.

Her currently listings range from a $1.05 million property in Ponte Vedra, a spec home constructed by Arthur Rutenberg Homes in the Ponte Vedra East Subdivision, to a $350,000 beach cottage on Strickland Road in Neptune Beach.

Cummings focuses on single-family homes and condos and having a good mix of properties, including this 1,898-square-foot beach cottage on Strickland Road in Neptune Beach priced at $350,000. She says listing a wide range of homes gives her the flexibility to find the right home for the buyer and at the same time generate sales while working with the higher valued properties.

In addition to serving as a listing agent for single-family homes, condos and townhomes, she works on behalf of developers such as Cranewoods Development that is building The Abacos at Salt Run, an 85-acre residential development along Salt Run Harbor in St. Augustine that offers a mix of townhomes, condos and single-family homes.

"I’m really focused on single-family homes and condos, and having a good mix of properties I’m listing gives me the flexibility to find the right home for the buyer and at the same time generate sales while I’m working with the higher valued properties, which typically take longer to sell in the market," she said.

When she graduated from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri with a degree in public relations and organizational communications, Michelle Cummings says selling real estate was the farthest from her mind when it came to her career path. But those skill sets have been put to good use as a realtor.

"I love the marketing and communications aspects of the job, and meeting all kinds of people," Cummings said. "I also like the variety of the job. Every day is different and offers a unique set of challenges. Each real estate transaction is different, the motivation of each buyer and seller is unique, and, of course, the residential market itself is always changing."

When she graduated, she worked for a few years in television and radio advertising before deciding on a real estate career.

"I assessed my strengths, began looking outside the field of advertising and came to the conclusion that selling real estate had a lot of the elements I was looking for in a career," she said. "I was basically working as an independent contractor in the ad business, and that’s the way real estate offices are operated. Also, I’m a very structured person, and you need that when you are working in this business."

Reviewing all the real estate companies, Cummings decided on Prudential Network Realty.

In addition to serving as a listing agent for single-family homes, like this $579,900 home on Crusselle Drive in the Crusselle Cove Subdivision in Mandarin, Prudential’s Michelle Cummings also works on behalf of developers such as Cranewoods Development, which is building The Abacos at Salt Run – an 85-acre residential development along Salt Run Harbor in St. Augustine that offers a mix of townhomes, condos and single-family homes.

"Prudential provides a strong base of in-depth training to all its agents, which lasts anywhere from three to six months," she said. "Even though you already have your real estate license, you have to complete at least six transactions to graduate from the program and join a Prudential office."

Cummings, who completed her six transactions within two months, was also impressed with the professionalism of the company.

"Selling real estate, by its very nature, is a very competitive business," Cummings said. "While there is a healthy competition within our office, anything beyond that isn’t tolerated by the company, which creates a much better working environment in our offices."

As for real estate advice for today’s market, Cummings recommends that sellers need to have their home "turn-key ready" if they want to get it sold sooner than later.

"There is still a lot of inventory out there, so you’ve got to have a sharp looking home ready to sell to compete in this type of market," she said. "But sales activity is increasing. I’ve received more calls recently than I have in previous months. And this is the time of year when families begin thinking of the next school year and where they want to live, or downsizing at the other end of the spectrum, so we’ll enjoy a seasonal pick-up in activity."

Cummings adds that people looking for a good investment would do well to look at residential real estate now.

"This is still a great place to invest," she said. "There are some great deals in this buyers market and they won’t be around for long."

For more information, contact Michelle Cummings at Prudential Network Realty/Atlantic, 904-241-2417, or michelle.cummings@prudentialnetworkrealty.com

Media Contact: Ron Whittington (904-563-0402)