Mobile Bay Real Producers | May 2024

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ATTORNEY - REAL ESTATE

LD Holt & Associates, LLC

LD Holt (251) 937-4111

7581 Spanish Fort Blvd. Spanish Fort, AL 36527

LDholt.com

BUSINESS NETWORKING

Mobile Chamber of Commerce

Michael Galvin (251) 431-8628 mobilechamber.com

CLEANING - RESIDENTIAL

J. S. Fresh Start Cleaning Services, LLC (251) 654-5650

DRONE VIDEO/ PHOTOGRAPHER

Adobe House

Media Production

Lew Thomas (251) 454-0004

27940 Bay Branch Drive Daphne, AL 36526 adobehousemp.com

FENCING SOLUTIONS

Eastern Shore

Fence Company (251) 604-3018

FLOORING & DESIGN

Prestigious Flooring and Design LLC

Garrett Scarberry (251) 802-0363 prestigiousflooringand designllc.com

FOUNDATION REPAIR

MDH Foundation Repair

Shannon Reichart (251) 375-0565

108 5th Street, Daphne, AL 36526

mdhfoundationrepair.com/

Ox Foundation Repair (815) 703-7727 oxfoundations.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT/ MAINTENANCE

All Inclusive Maintenance (251) 509-4618 aimremodels.com

HOME INSPECTION

Complete Home Inspections, LLC (251) 510-1809 completehome inspectionsllc.com

Knockout Home Inspections (251) 747-1214 knockoutinspections.com

HOME WARRANTY

Home Warranty Inc. (260) 433-4027 homewarrantyinc.com

HVAC SERVICES

Don Hembree Heating & Air (251) 259-4664 hembreeac.com

HVAC/PLUMBING/ ELECTRICIANS

Hansen Super Techs

Brianna Mcadory (251) 850-5322 HansenSuperTechs.com

INSURANCE AGENCY

Goosehead Insurance (251) 999-6931 wigginsflock.com

LENDER Movement Mortgage

Richard C Hampton (251) 270-4482

4851 Wharf Parkway Suite D-228 Orange Beach, AL 36561 movement.com/chad. hampton

MOLD AND ODOR REMEDIATION

Lightspeed Restoration

Jimmie Newton (251) 776-4669

25421 Hwy. 181, Suite 103 Suite 103

Daphne, AL 36526 LightspeedRestoration.com

MOVING/DELIVERY/ STORAGE

All My Sons Moving & Storage www.allmysons.com/mobile/ index.aspx

Motivated Movers (251) 621-0063

28225 N Main Street Daphne, AL 36526 getmotivatedmovers.com

PEST SOLUTIONS

E3 Termite & Pest Control

Mike Adams (251) 850-7378

20040 Hwy 181

Fairhope, AL 36527 E3pest.com

Prewett Pest Control (251) 277-1361 prewettpestcontrol.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Deep South Focus Photography (251) 421-0517

deepsouthfocus.com

REAL ESTATE ORGANIZATIONS

Baldwin Realtors Association (251) 947-3777 baldwinrealtors.com

ROOFING SERVICES

Pelican Roofing And Gutters (251) 725-3375 pelicanroofingal.com

SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Crye Leike

David Stidham (251) 405-2600

229 East 20th Avenue, Suite 1

Gulf Shores, AL 36526 www.alabamabeach vacations.com

SIGNS & GRAPHICS

Fast Signs

Pauline McKean (251) 279-0747

4668 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 fastsigns.com

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Southern View Media (251) 517-9425 southernviewmedia.com

TITLE COMPANY

Celebration Title Group (251) 689-4948 celebrationtitlegroup.com

VIDEO PRODUCTION/

DRONE SERVICES

EyeSky Video & Photo, LLC

Stephen Hinds (317) 727-2919

297 Beall Lane

Daphne, AL 36526 eyeskyvp.com

Lillian Lillian Courtney Courtney

COURTNEY & MORRIS

LLillian Courtney, Mobile Bay Real Producers featured Broker-in-Charge for April is a Qualifying Broker at family-owned Courtney & Morris. Lillian grew up in Mobile and loves spending time on both sides of the Bay.

“The Mobile and Baldwin County area is a dynamic and exciting place to live and work. We have so much to offer from our natural resources in the delta, the port of Mobile, the bay, our beautiful beaches, and the Gulf of Mexico. The combination of our beautiful and diverse surroundings and our long history gives us our own unique culture.” Courtney said.

Growing up, Lillian attended Julius T. Wright School for Girls, dividing her time between studies, sports, student government, student clubs, and her friends.

Courtney was especially interested in World History, English, and Math. “I liked learning about and understanding different cultures and societies. It leads you to think outside of your small world and helps you to view people and understand their perspectives.” she said.

A Full-Service Experience

is a liberal arts school focusing on teaching critical thinking. While at Vanderbilt, she met people from various parts of the United States.

“There was a great mix of people with diverse backgrounds,” she said.

broker in charge

By Ron Sivak

After graduating high school in 1982, Lillian attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she studied history and business administration. Vanderbilt

After graduating in 1986, Lillian interned in London, England for a solicitor firm as a paralegal. Working daily and learning about the British Justice system, while living in major metropolitan

area, was an eye-opening experience and fueled a love of travel.

When her internship ended, Lillian traveled through Europe. After visiting, Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Morocco, she returned home to Mobile.

Once back in Mobile, she began a banking career with AmSouth Bank. While there she worked in various banking areas, but her favorite was construction lending.

“We worked with local builders and individuals and helped them secure

Photos by Stephen Hinds, Eye Sky Video & Photo

construction loans. This is where my love for real estate began. “Courtney said.

Lillian met her husband Joe Courtney in 1990 and they married in 1992. Joe is a real estate appraiser and broker. He and his siblings, Mary Cane and Frank Courtney, are co-owners of the family company, which was founded by their father in 1974.

In the mid-1990’s, Lillian and Joe began building their family.

Their first son Manning was born in 1994, followed in 1996 by their second son Lyon. In 2002 their youngest child, daughter Celeste, was born. It was at that time when Lillian decided to step away from work to focus on raising her family, returning to the labor market part-time in 2008.

In 2016, Courtney & Morris Real Estate began expanding again.

“Business was growing, and I earned my real estate

vacant land plus some commercial. Today we have 23 agents. We primarily sell residential property, including waterfront, but we’ve expanded into commercial real estate and property management. Courtney & Morris is truly a full-service real estate company. We can help our customers with any of their real estate needs,” she added.

The onset of COVID-19 assisted the company with expanding their social media presentations to the next level of sophistication.

“We really didn’t know back at the onset of covid that making a video and doing a reel would become standard practice in our industry. We started ‘Facebook Fridays’ to showcase our listings, while people were at home. Initially, we were surprised by the number of people who responded to our videos. We had fun, but more importantly, we were able to pivot during a period of unease and change.

The whole exercise emphasized the importance of social media and videos. Today, these are standard practices we use to help our sellers and buyers. Once we showcase the properties, we use our expertise in the area to assist our buyers and sellers.” Courtney said.

She went on to say that, moving into 2024 and beyond with two offices each in both Mobile and Baldwin Counties, the goal is to accentuate their commitment to being a truly full-service real estate firm.

“Our agents have a commitment to serving their clients in every way. One change is the addition of the property management division. Another is the addition of more commercial sales. We now have agents with commercial real estate experience focusing on our commercial portfolio. We are committed to offering a full-service experience to our clients. We will handle everything here locally, covering both sides of Mobile Bay.” Lillian said.

When asked to give advice to those interested in starting or moving to a career in real estate, Lillian offered keen insight.

“I think that if you want to sell real estate you must take ownership of your responsibility to each person that you’re working with, where they want to go and identify their objectives. Ensuring that your goals are aligned with theirs will enable you to find what your clients need. Real estate is a wonderful career and offers ways to connect people and help them meet their goals” she concluded.

For questions or comments regarding this article, contact Lillian at (251) 689-1960 or lillian@ courtneyandmorris.com. Also comment on Facebook at Mobile Bay Real Producers

REALTOR® on the rise

By Dave Danielson

By Stephen Hinds, Eye Sky Video & Photo

FROM VISION TO REALITY

The hopes and dreams you hold in your heart can become real. In addition to taking action, it helps to have a trusted guide who will come alongside you and help you move forward.

That’s the way your clients feel when they call upon you to assist them in reaching their real estate goals.

Brittney Naylor cherishes that role.

As a REALTOR® with Elite Real Estate Solutions, Brittney helps her clients move from vision to reality.

“I love the true happiness of a firsttime homebuyer achieving a goal that some of them thought was so far out of reach,” Brittney says.

“There are a lot of myths that stay out there, including the idea that you have to have 20% down. There is satisfaction in helping them realize they can do this.”

FINDING HER PATH

Brittney was born and raised in Baldwin County. As she came of age, she went to Mississippi State University, where she was a

cheerleader and earned her elementary education degree. She also met her husband, Brad, while she was there.

Brad and Brittney called Mississippi home for about 10 years. In 2020, as they were expecting their first child, Brad got the call for the job he had long had his eye on. Plus, it was a chance to return to the area.

“There was a lot happening all at once, Brittney remembers. COVID-19 was just starting to hit, and our daughter was just 10 days old when we moved back,” she says.

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

Brittney took a year away from work to stay home with their daughter. Then, in January 2021, she was ready to move back into her

IT’S SO REWARDING TO BE WELCOMED BACK INTO THEIR HOME AND THEY SEND ME OTHER REFERRALS.

career. This time, real estate was the focus of her attention.

“At that point, I called our REALTOR® who had sold us our home here. I asked her opinion about me entering the business, and she let me know that she felt I had the personality and local roots to make a success of it,” Brittney remembers.

So in February 2021 Brittney made it official and earned her license.

SIGNS OF SUCCESS

She has kept moving forward day by day. In 2023, she recorded 16 transactions and earned a spot among the top

12% in Baldwin County for units sold. In 2022, she was among the Top 10% with 21 units.

Away from work, Brittney’s world is made complete by her family, including Brad, and their 4-year-old daughter, Adalynn.

In her free time, Brittney and Brad share a love of football in the fall. They also look forward to trips to the beach. One of their favorite destinations to share time is at their condo in Orange Beach.

When it comes to giving back, Brittney likes taking part in her

school and neighborhoods … work your sphere and be consistent.”

With her kind, knowledgeable and helpful approach, Brittney dives in, listens to her clients, understands their journey and then dedicates her energy to making their goals come to fruition.

“I try to make sure I give people the knowledge they need to purchase a home and then continuing to build those relationships,” Brittney says.

“I visit all of my past clients and give them a pie for Thanksgiving. It’s so rewarding to be welcomed back into their home and they send me other referrals. And for them to know that they are my top priority … so they feel they are my only clients.”

brokerage’s non-profit, Elite Gives Back, donating a percentage of each commission. The mission is to help families in need. She takes a lot of pride in being part of an effort last year that awarded two vehicles to two local individuals.

LIFTING OTHERS

Brittney continues to learn and grow. In the meantime, she offers helpful

advice to others looking to make real estate their own careers.

“It’s important to work your sphere. Even if your family or friends don’t buy, they may know others who may be ready to sell or buy. You can be successful through who you know,” Brittney points out. “Also, make sure that you are relevant in the community through kids sporting events,

PAM PAM

STEIN

ROBERTS BROTHERS REALTY

UNSTOPPABLE! UNSTOPPABLE! real producer

By Ron Sivak

Photos By Stephen Hinds, Eye Sky Video & Photo

Mobile Bay Real Producers May Top Agent, Pam Stein, was born and raised in Mobile with five siblings and attended McGill-Toolen high school, graduating from their first merged male and female class.

A well rounded student making good grades, she was also active in sports and illustrated a deep rooted competitive streak early that foreshadowed her future high trajectory in life.

“I loved competing, making the cheerleading team and starting as a 5’2” point guard for the girls basketball team was fun. Nothing came easy; it always felt like I had to work three times harder than everyone else for the same results.” Stein said.

After graduation, Pam promptly enrolled at the University of Alabama where she raised the 1970’s era eyebrows of men by pursuing a business degree.

“I went to Alabama during the Bear Bryant days and we didn’t lose a game. It was great. I was in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and graduated with a degree in business, which women weren’t supposed to do back then. There

was only one other girl I knew in college at the time who wanted a business degree.” Stein said.

“I just liked the challenge. Most women went to college then to study education, find a husband and get married. That was never my modus operandi. I wanted to work, to learn and be the best that I could be in my life and career.” she added.

After college Pam returned home to embark on her grand career and eventually found work as a media buyer.

“Johnny Lewis with Lewis Advertising was looking for somebody to learn how to be a media buyer and hired me to do it. It was not being done in Mobile at the time, and so I taught myself how to buy air time by Neilson ratings, successfully targeting groups of consumers that the product wanted.” Stein said.

“I made friends with national sales representatives and started picking their brains on how to do it. They gave me the information needed to be effective and I used this marketing knowledge later in my real estate career.” she continued.

After briefly moving away for a year and starting a family, Pam returned to the Port City to work as a freelance marketing consultant. Her high-demand self-taught skill sets soon enabled her to start her own small business.

“Back in the 1980’s in Mobile you didn’t see women become vice-presidents or move up the corporate ladder, some men laughed in my face saying that it wasn’t done here. There was definitely a glass ceiling. I don’t like to be told that I can’t do something, however, and the only route that seemed available to be successful as a woman back then was to start my own business.” Stein said.

“I learned how to cut commercials, do print marketing work and that eventually evolved into a full service advertising firm. My parents never let me travel much as a single woman then, so this was my way of meeting people all over the country. It was fantastic.” she continued.

Stein decided to pivot moving into the next decade and considered real estate as an option after becoming disenfranchised with the change in the advertising business landscape. Pam’s sister had opened up a real estate brokerage called Dauphin Realty which was flourishing in the 1990’s.

“My sister opened a real estate brokerage business with investors and had done very well over the years.

When I went to work for her in 1995 (closing my advertising business), I told her that I needed to make a certain amount of money my first year. She said that my goal was impossible, having never been done before by a rookie agent.” Stein said.

Once again, when faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, Stein was unstoppable.

“I used my background from advertising to market myself. Not a lot of realtors were doing this at the time, and one area in particular was the neighborhood, around my new bay house, that provided a lot of business.” Stein said.

At the end of her first year, Pam hit her income goal and also established a new rookie agent sales record benchmark that has lasted over 25 years. After Dauphin Realty was acquired by Roberts Brothers, Pam’s model was incorporated into their training programs for freshly minted agents.

“To this day agents tell me that that they want to copy my work ethic. Unknown to me until recently is that Robert’s Brothers uses my first year record as a teaching tool in their pre-licensing and post-licensing agent courses. That is pretty cool.” Pam said.

Fast forward from her beginnings 29 years ago and Pam has seen many ups and downs in the local real estate industry, but she still retains an ageless energy level of someone just starting out in the business, coupled with the wisdom of a savvy veteran.

She has perpetually remained ranked among rarified air in the upper echelons of Roberts Brothers top leader boards for the entirety of her career, with passions focused primarily on great work versus massive paychecks.

I USED MY BACKGROUND FROM ADVERTISING TO MARKET MYSELF.

Not a lot of realtors were doing this at the time, and one area in particular was the neighborhood, around my new bay house, that provided a lot of business.

Stein thrives on the thrill of helping her clients find the perfect property for their needs, and to help them achieve the uniquely American Dream of home ownership.

“It really is not about the money. It is about the camaraderie and meeting people. It’s like a puzzle, they’re looking for this certain thing and you got to figure out how to find it. It’s just so fun to me.” Pam said.

“If I had any advice to give to those wanting to get into this business it is this; don’t ever give up and don’t ever let anyone say you can’t do something. Listen to your heart and go out to take what is yours. Seize the day.” she concluded.

MOTIVATED MOVERS

MOTIVATED MOVERS

- MARY GAYLOR & WHIT MITCHELL

FULL-SERVICE SUCCESS

When it comes to your clients moving into their next home, their definition of success is based on getting it done on time with quality.

That’s why it means so much to have a partner on your side who can help put it all together.

That’s exactly what clients who work with Motivated Movers experience.

Whit Mitchell is the Owner of the company that has been steadily growing since 2008. Last year the team completed more than 5,000 moves.

INTENTIONAL IMPACT

That kind of success doesn’t happen by accident. It begins with an intentional spirit of support.

“Our focus is on making our company the best place to work. As part of that, we take great pride and take care of our movers,” Whit points out.

By Dave Danielson Photos Provided by Motivated Movers preferred movers

THAT HAS BEEN OUR MANTRA. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT THE PEOPLE WHO CALL ON US TO SEE US AS KNOWLEDGEABLE EXPERTS WHO TRULY CARE ABOUT THEM AND THEIR MOVE GOING WELL.

“As a result, they take care of our customers. We support that by doing what we can to make it easy for our clients to book online, along with providing digital processes.”

Mary Gaylor is Director of Marketing. As she adds, “We treat the movers and customers the way we would want to be treated. We will be there and do what we say we’re going to do and make moving as easy as possible.”

THE HUMAN DIFFERENCE

features around 120 employees, with the core of business stretching across the state of Alabama and nationwide.

For all of the technology and nuts and bolts of the business, Whit says it all begins with the all-important human element.

“All of the technology and systems don’t matter if the team that shows up doesn’t care for the clients,” Whit points out. “So we make sure that we take care of our team members.”

True fulfillment for Whit comes when he hears that the team helped their clients reduce their stress level.

“Hearing that positive feedback is the most rewarding thing. That feedback from the customers means that the guys are really happy doing what they are doing,” Whit says.

“They are working very hard. It’s fantastic having a group of high-quality, service-oriented people who work well together.”

MOVING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

Today, the Motivated Movers team

Whether it’s a local move, a move across the country, or helping businesses move, Motivated Movers has you covered.

“For us it’s about delivering a blend of accountability and trust that our REALTOR® partners can put in us. We strive for a high level of service and care, coupled with dependability,” Whit says.

As he looks to the future, Whit is eager to continue growing the business as it makes sense for those they serve.

As he says, “We would love to continue to grow. But no growth is worth sacrificing quality and service. That has been our mantra. At the end of the day, we want the people who call on us to see us as knowledgeable experts who truly care about them and their move going well.”

CONTACT MOTIVATED MOVERS TODAY!

WEBSITE: WWW.GETMOTIVATEDMOVERS.COM

PHONE: 251-621-0063

EMAIL: HELLO@GETMOTIVATEDMOVERS.COM

By Ron Sivak

Caring For The Community Baldwin

Realtors Foundation

The slow-rolling devastation from Hurricane Sally to the lower Alabama area in 2020 prompted immediate action from local association Baldwin REALTORS® leadership. Spearheaded by Sheila Dodson, CEO at the time, they aimed to swiftly formulate a plan that would aid the devastated homeowners of Baldwin County in recovering faster.

The results were immediate and, in some cases, miraculous.

What initially began as aid to mitigate a short-term emergency, soon morphed into a newly formed non-profit foundation under the guidance of Baldwin REALTORS® Association. A sizable grant of $300,000 was obtained from the National Association of REALTORS® and distributed to the community.

The foundation has now enhanced its menu of offerings to continue serving those in need in Baldwin County, with vetting provided by local members of Baldwin REALTORS®. For homeowners today, money received through the foundation can be used to help with mortgage payments. For renters, the program can help with rent or a security deposit for a new lease.

Here is the story of the foundation’s creation and evolution from two significant perspectives: Leanne Murray, Baldwin REALTORS® CFO and Anita Elisar, current Baldwin REALTORS® Foundation President.

LEANNE MURRAY, CFO, BALDWIN REALTORS® ASSOCIATION

Leanne Murray serves as the Executive Director of the Baldwin REALTORS® Foundation, and CFO of the Baldwin REALTORS® Association. “Baldwin REALTORS® Association serves over 3,000 REALTORS® in Baldwin County. We provide our members with the

MLS (Multiple Listing Service), Lockbox service, other technology tools, education, and opportunities to network through committees and events. As the local charter to the National Association of REALTORS®, we also ensure our members adhere to the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. Our office in Robertsdale is a central county location with two large ballrooms that can host classes and events and more meeting rooms for our Boards and committees.” Murray said.

Leanne has been working for Baldwin REALTORS® for nearly five years and has an excellent working relationship with all members, maintaining a good interface between staff and REALTOR® partners.

“After the hurricane, we thought ‘What do we do now?’ The foundation then transitioned to helping those that have dealt with a natural disaster, an illness, a death in the family, or anything of that nature. However, we do limit the funds to dwelling expenses, to keep in line with our mission as a REALTOR® organization.” she added.

The foundation’s Board of Directors is made up of 10 REALTOR® volunteers. “These are the people who are out there every day. They see and feel the needs of our communities. In fact, any applicant that comes through the foundation must be sponsored or referred by a REALTOR® and the process works well. We have received such good feedback from those that we have helped and are truly making a difference in people’s lives.” Murray said.

“I am not a real estate agent myself, but I work with them every day. They are the friendliest and most generous group of people you will ever meet. That’s why they’ve chosen the career path they are on. Their whole purpose is to help people along the incredible journey of buying or selling a home. Anyone who has done this knows that it is typically not a smooth ride. These people that volunteer to serve on our Board of Directors, their hearts are in it. They love helping others,” she added.

Leanne went on to say that, coming up in 2024, the foundation is starting a grant to promote homeownership in Baldwin County. It is designed for first-time homebuyers and will be awarded after closing. The amount will be $1,000 for non-military or $1,500 for those with military affiliations.

ANITA ELISAR, PRESIDENT, BALDWIN REALTORS® FOUNDATION

“I am originally from New Orleans and came down to Orange Beach twenty-four years ago with my husband, a former Army pilot. I just recently celebrated my 30th year as a licensed REALTOR®,” Elisar said.

“The draw to Orange Beach was from living here in 1986 and working as a bartender for Flora-Bama, earning enough money for my last year of college at LSU. I fell in love with the area and knew that I would eventually come back permanently one day.” she added.

Elisar originally started her real estate career in Texas due to her husband being stationed in the military. “I have always done every level of real estate,” Elisar said. Her experience ranges from condos, single-family, and multi-family units, to land and commercial properties.

Anita is now a firmly entrenched member of the South Baldwin County community. “I have been on the Baldwin REALTORS® Foundation Board since the beginning of 2022 and was elected president of the Foundation for 2023 and again in 2024. The way I became involved was as a result of Hurricane Sally, because of a large grant that was given to the Baldwin REALTORS® Association for disaster relief.” she said.

Anita was also one of those recipients.

“I think there are a lot of people that can identify being in a career field for so long, and just doing the grind, working 60-70 hours a week. Working weekends. Working nights. Being 100% commission based and just doing it for so long,” Elisar said.

“In a time of extreme stress, with heavy damage to my home, suddenly there was this total surprise support from an organization that I had been a part of for so long. This foundation reinforced the career field that I chose, that it was an association here for its members and its community. It reinforced that that being a REALTOR® is more than just having a job, but that it really is a group of people that care about our community.” she concluded.

Baldwin County residents can apply for aid at www.baldwinreatlors.com/foundation. Donations can be made via Venmo with this QR code.

Surrender Yourself broker in charge & real producer

Mobile Bay Real Producers May Broker in Charge, Angelo DePaola, grew up on Dauphin Island. “My dad worked for the FDA and he’s actually one of their most widely published scientists.” Angelo said.

DePaola attended Theodore High School and, by his own account, made average grades but was well rounded by actively participating in organized high school sports (basketball) while also an avid outdoorsman, competitively fishing with his family.

“There was a point when I was a kid that we were fishing 100-plus days a year, fishing commercially and competitively. We won lots of tournaments, picking up boats and cash prizes along the way.” DePaola said.

Angelo carries the lessons he learned through fishing to this day. Those lessons include patience, attention to detail, experimentation and a supremely keen awareness to know when to throw all the other rules out (temporarily) in deference to split second decisiveness.

Photos by Kayley Robinson, Deep South Focus Photography By Ron Sivak

That move gave me the time to take up business coaching and improve our structure and processes.

“Sometimes when the fish start biting, the ability to react quickly makes all the difference.” DePaolo said.

After graduating high school, Angelo moved on to the University of Alabama to pursue a double major in Political Science and Communications. After graduation, he returned to start his professional career and one of his early jobs was working at Clear Channel Radio; known today as iHeartMedia.

“I learned about cold-calling and prospecting. What was also good about that job was being able to see behind the curtain on the inner workings of different businesses. There is where I also met my wife, April” Angelo said.

Later in his career, Depaolo worked for a company called Aerial Access Equipment where he learned about the power relationships.

“While I was in the boat sales business, I got to know a client, Gene Torrence, and he became a mentor to me. Gene was the owner of Aerial Access Equipment, and he thought I’d be good in equipment rental and sales. That job really taught me the power of relationships. We’d find the people that made rental decisions, get to know them and find out what they like to do. Aerial Access had a large budget for entertaining clients, which allowed us to spend time with them outside of

work and get to build a stronger working bond based on friendship.”

It was at this job in 2013 where another pivotal moment happened for Angelo that put him on his path today in real estate. Based on the advice of a good friend, DePaola decided to get his real estate license. Around this same time frame he met and soon became good friends with the late Mobile attorney Bennett Long

“Aerial Access Equipment had a sport fishing boat and I ran the boat for them and took some of our clients fishing. Bennett’s family owned Orange Beach Marina. We eventually became great friends and later on, business partners” Angelo said.

Soon after, Angelo found himself working at Bennett’s new real estate office, Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty as a freshly minted realtor. That same year, he started the FloraBama Fishing Rodeo with another long time friend, John McInnis, one of the co-owners of the iconic FloraBama lounge.

“This will be the rodeo’s eleventh year. It has been a great way for me to meet lots of people in the

community that share my passion for fishing.” he said.

2016 was another pivotal year for DePaola, picking up his broker’s license and assuming partial ownership of the brokerage.

“That year Bennett’s partner wanted to pursue a different opportunity, so I got my broker’s license and bought her share of the business. It was a lot tougher challenge than I had anticipated, but we eventually were able to increase revenues and profitability,” Angelo said.

“In 2017, a friend came down to show us a new brokerage model. It was at that time we realized that there was a better brokerage option for our agents, and in 2018 we dissolved Coldwell Banker Seaside and made the switch to eXp Realty.”

“That move gave me the time to take up business coaching and improve our structure and processes,” DePaola said.

In 2018 Angelo also rebranded as The Coastal Connection at eXp Realty. Located in Orange Beach, the company combines a cutting

Find a good mentor and surrender yourself to their directives.

Iron sharpens iron, so implement that guidance.

edge business model with timetested relationship building and marketing practices.

“We use a relationship-focused model to structure our company business framework, and it is different from traditional structures used in the area. My wife functions as the CFO and COO. What I am good at is fostering relationships, negotiating and market knowledge with an expertise in waterfront properties and their nuances. I also function as the CEO.

We have a full-time transaction coordinator with 30-plus years of experience, a full-time listing coordinator who runs my schedule and an in-house marketing coordinator. We have specialists in each position to ensure a dedicated focus to each part of the transaction,” DePaola said.

Fast forward to today, and his company has produced eye-popping numbers over its six years in existence. In 2024 the firm is tracking $60 million in sales volume, with Angelo as the

sole agent, surpassing a benchmark of $57 million seen a few years prior.

When asked for advice to provide those possibly inspired by his story of growth and innovation as a lifelong learner, DePaola offered keen insight.

“Find a good mentor and surrender yourself to their directives. Iron sharpens iron, so implement that guidance. Its cliché, but you really are the net sum of the people you associate with.” he concluded.

FAQ

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Welcome to Real Producers! Some of you may be wondering what this publication is all about, which is why we have created this FAQ page. Here, we will answer the most commonly asked questions from around the country regarding our program. My door is always open to discuss anything regarding this community — this publication is 100% designed to be your voice!

Q: WHO RECEIVES THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The top 300 agents in the Mobile Bay Area. We pulled the MLS numbers (by volume) from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021, in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. We cut the list off at number 300, and the distribution was born. For this year’s list, the minimum production level for our group is $7 million in 2021. The list will reset at the end of 2022 for next year and will continue to update annually.

Q: WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR BEING FEATURED IN THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The process is simple. Every feature you see has first been nominated. You can nominate REALTORS®, agents, affiliates, brokers, owners, or even yourself. Office leaders can also nominate real estate agents. We will consider anyone you bring to our attention because we don’t know everyone’s story, and we need your help to learn more.

A nomination currently looks like this: Email us at robert.orso@realproducersmag.com with the subject line “Nomination: (Name of Nominee)” and explain why you are nominating the individual. Maybe the person has an amazing story that we need to tell, or perhaps someone overcame extreme obstacles, is an exceptional leader, has the best customer service, or gives back to the community in a big way. The next step is an interview with us to ensure a good fit, and then we put the wheels in motion for our writer to conduct an interview and for our photographer to schedule a photo shoot.

Q: WHAT IS THE COST TO FEATURE A REALTOR®, AGENT, OR TEAM ?

A: Zero, zilch, zippo, nada, nil. The feature costs nothing, my friends, so nominate away! We are not a pay-to-play model. We share real stories of Real Producers.

Q: WHO ARE THE PREFERRED PARTNERS?

A: Anyone listed as a preferred partner in the front of the magazine is a part of this community and will have an ad in every issue of the magazine, attend our quarterly events, and be a part of our online community. We don’t just find these businesses off the street, nor do we work with all businesses that approach us. One or many of you have recommended every preferred partner you see in this publication. We won’t even meet with a business that you have not vetted and stamped for approval, in a sense. Our goal is to create a powerhouse network for the REALTORS® and agents in the area and for the best affiliates so we can grow stronger together.

Q: HOW CAN I RECOMMEND A PREFERRED PARTNER?

A: If you have a recommendation for a local business that works with top real estate agents, please let us know. Send an email to robert.orso@realproducersmag.com.