Prudential Realtor Cummings Finds Residential Real Estate Good Match for Her Abilities

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.

Now, 15 years later, Cummings is one of the top producing realtors for the Prudential Network Realty Office in Atlantic Beach, and throughout the company. She was top in sales, listings and transactions last year – records she’s on track to match or exceed this year.

"I love the marketing and communications aspects of the job, and meeting all kinds of people, so I really enjoy working as a realtor," 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."

In addition to serving as a buyer’s agent for single-family homes, condos and townhomes, she works on behalf of sellers as well. Cummings represents the developers of Las Olas, a 10-unit condominium project under construction in Jacksonville Beach, developers HCM Construction and Cronk Duch Partners, which are constructing The Abacos at Salt Run, an 85-acre residential development along Salt Run Harbor in St. Augustine, and she is also the listing agent for the Fourth & Ninth Street Townhome Development – a six-unit complex in Jacksonville Beach.

"It’s fun to work on a variety of projects," she said. "Also, my previous work in the advertising field prepared me for a real estate career in many ways."

Cummings put her college degree to use immediately in the advertising field, working in television commercial sales for the Fox Network Television Affiliate Station in Pensacola, Florida for several years. After she married, her husband Andrew was transferred to Jacksonville, where she took a job with Cox Radio selling commercial advertising.

"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.

"Prudential provides a strong base of in-depth training to all its employees, 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 is not tolerated by the company, which creates a much better working environment in Prudential offices."

While Cummings and other successful realtors, along with residential sellers, have benefited from the appreciation in home values in 2004 and 2005, she says today’s sellers will need more patience in the residential market as we continue through the year.

"It’s not like it was before, when you could put a sign in the yard and list your property on the Multiple Listing Service and expect it to sell right away," she said. "Homes are staying on the market longer now, which means it’s even more important to engage a realtor to help you market and sell a property." Cummings says the Jacksonville area still has a great residential market.

"From all perspectives, as an investor or buyer, you don’t want too much appreciation over too long a period because that’s when you set up for a big fall in the market as prices escalate too far," she said. "You really want what is happening now – a slight slow down in appreciation and a stabilization in values, which keeps home prices more reasonable so people can still afford to live here."

Regardless of what the market holds, Cummings says that the changing residential environment keeps it interesting – and she gets the most joy of the job when she matches up the buyer and seller to make the sale.

"I get just as excited as they do," she said. "There’s nothing more fun than putting the buyer with the right home, or helping a seller find the right buyer for their property."

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)