Get Local and Global Exposure with
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty ®
p. 10
Have a Tasty New Year p.14 Pantone’s Color of the Year p.20
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about the cover
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This month’s cover was shot on site at a listing with Jennifer Conrad of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty®. See related article on page 10. Cover photo by Image Gallery. For more information visit www.imagegalleryphotography.com. Graphic design by Kristi Johnston.
Get Local and Global Exposure with
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty ®
p. 10
Have a Tasty New Year p.14 Pantone’s Color of the Year p.20
gastonalive.com
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Gaston Alive! Magazine is published monthly in the Gaston County, NC area by ARA Marketing Solutions, LLC. All editorial contained within is the property of the publisher and cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. The publisher accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the writers or advertisers. 2014 ARA Marketing Solutions, LLC. To be part of our team, or to submit art, photo or story ideas, please email us at: info@gastonalive.com PO Box 550422 Gastonia, NC 28055 www.gastonalive.com 704-864-4090
Advertising Info: 704.860.4090
INTERNATIONAL REALTY FIRM WITH LOCAL TIES
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our staff CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS IMAGE GALLERY SALES SONJA FORRESTER PROJECT MANAGER KARLA LANCASTER
DESIGN KRISTI JOHNSTON KELLIE WEED CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAM L. GOODE TAMMY TAYLOR ASHLEIGH EASTERLING KARLA LANCASTER GA 01.15
PUBLISHER PAM L. GOODE
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Artfully Uniting Extraordinary People with Extraordinary
Homes
PREMIER SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY® By Jennifer Conrad
GA!: Tell us about the history of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty®. Jennifer: The Sotheby’s auction house has been
uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. The name is synonymous with the marketing of the world’s most valuable and desirable possessions, so in 1976 they saw the opportunity to sell not only what was inside the house, but the homes themselves and founded Sotheby’s International Realty®. In 2010, a company merge created Premier Sotheby’s International Realty®. The SouthPark office opened in December 2013 and has had a record inaugural year.
GA!: How is Premier Sotheby’s tied to our local community?
Jennifer: I am proud to be working with several native Gastonians – Jennifer Williams Barbin, Brian Michaels, Charlie Williams and our esteemed Chief Operating Officer, Finley Hair. Finley has more than 35 years of executive leadership experience in the real estate industry. He joined Premier after nearly 10 years as regional vice president for the Sotheby’s International Realty®. I am the first agent to join who resides in Gaston County and my focus is on the Gastonia, Belmont and Lake Wylie markets.
GA!: Can you give us some information about your personal background? Jennifer: My passion for real estate started at a very young age learning the commercial
development business from my father, Jim Martin. He developed Eastridge Mall and later expanded his business to develop shopping centers in Texas and along the East Coast. While working with him provided great experience, during my time at UNC Charlotte I began working for a national homebuilder and found that the residential side of real estate would be my lifelong passion. After college, I trained for four years under a Top-Ten producing REALTOR® in Atlanta and then relocated back to Gastonia so I could focus on my hometown.
GA!: What made you decide to go to work with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty®?
Jennifer: When I was looking for a company to align myself with, I saw that Premier Sotheby’s International Realty® provided some powerful differentiators. I am pleased to offer my customers a new choice that can deliver all of the traditional local marketing options while simultaneously providing the distinctive advantage of global exposure.
GA!: What are some of the company’s big offerings?
Jennifer: First and foremost, we are devoted to providing exceptional service to each customer we serve. Every property is unique and should be treated as such. Premier Sotheby’s International Realty® offers exclusive marketing, advertising and referral services designed to attract wellqualified buyers to our firm’s property listings. • Professional photographer commissioned for each home. • Property listings are marketed on our global website and local websites. • We partner with and distribute properties to the most significant media companies and real estate focused websites in the world. • We provide targeted exposure to those searching for a home based on a specific lifestyle. • We boast more than 14,000 sales associates in approximately 750 offices and 52 countries.
GA!: Are there any misconceptions regarding Sotheby’s as a brand? Jennifer: Yes. Because Sotheby’s heritage is so prestigious, many people feel that a home must be at a certain price point to be considered as a Sotheby’s listing. This is simply not true. Our standards are based on quality at any price point and this is what sets us apart from other luxury real estate firms.
704.737.4689 jennifer.conrad@sothebysrealty.com jenniferconrad.premiersothebysrealty.com Photographs were taken at 3757 Tea Olive Drive, Gastonia, NC 28056. Offered for $325,000. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.
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13 amber’s 20 Gaston tChof Business: Hear ss Person Busine e Year! Of Th
Meg Farmer e-Pro, Real Estate Broker, SFR and Realtor ®
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Misty Waters! WATERFRONT with dock & INDOOR pool! Outdoor living areas! High tech! $1,275,000
Cathy Hill Realtor ® and Broker
Armstrong Cir.! Updated kitch.& BA! $365,000
NEW RENOVATIONS! Waterfront! kitchens! $350,000 Armstrong Cir.!2Updated kitch. & BA! $365,000
Belmont! 4BR+5th/bonus! Beautiful and open! $304,900 Waterfront!2 kitchens! $350,000
Hardwoods!Flex space!Kendrick Rd area! $269,900 Spacious, wood floors! Glenmoor! Updated! 4BR+Bonus! $350,000 Vaulted &bright, spacious! Large, level $265,000 yard! $345,000
Open & spacious in Belmont! $241,000 Belmont! 4BR+5th/bonus! Beautiful and open! $314,900
much space! Neighborhood pool! $210,000 Vaulted areas! Hardwoods! Sunroom! $239,000 SoLow plan! Large master suite! $200,000 Maintenance with bonus space! Master on main! $279,900 Open Open & grand! Large yard! $315,000 Spacious, bright, wood floors! $265,000
Walk to DT Belmont! N’hood pool! $199,900
Open & Vaulted!Shop/Garage! 0.7 acres! $189,900
Updated! Fresh! Spacious! $244,900
Open & spacious in Belmont! $241,000
Open living area! Large yard! $180,000 Walk to DT Belmont! N’hood pool! $215,000
Downsizing? Rare Gastonia patio home! $169,900 Vaulted! Lovely kitchen! 2 living areas! $168,500 Brick ranch on 3+ acres with shop! $155,000
Open plan! Large master suite! $200,000
So close to DT Mt Holly! Basement! $140,000
Charming! Beautiful lot! Hardwood floors! $155,000
Pottery Barn feeling! Beautiful throughout! $189,900
Open living area! Large yard! $180,000
Vaulted great room! Lovely, level yard! $109,900 Beautiful bungalow in Mount Holly! $69,900
So close to DT Mt Holly! Basement! $140,000
Close to town!Great home! $75,000
Great ranch!Tons of space in & out! $170,000 Open plan! Large master suite! $200,000
Charming! Beautiful lot! Hardwood floors! $155,000
Great ranch!Tons of space in & out! $174,500
Belmont Abbey area investment! House & 6 apartments! $475,000
Beautiful bungalow in Mount Holly! $69,900
This year marks the 6th year of the “Dancing with the Future Stars” annual fundraiser to support the Boys and Girls Club of Gaston County. This year, the event will be held on March 14th at the Gaston Country Club. This fundraising event pairs local “celebrity” residents with professional dancers to compete for charity. Anna Furr, Finance Director of the Gaston Boys and Girls Club says, “Last year the event raised over $300,000 and after expenses netted $250,000.” ALL money that
did you know By Pam L. Goode
was raised through sponsorships and donations goes directly to the LOCAL Boys and Girls Club of Gaston County. Memberships have increased 126% over the past 6 years. Proceeds from this worthy cause enabled the organization to charter a Teen Center in Gastonia and increased membership in West Gastonia and Bessemer City from 700 to 1,400. “The increase in club membership is not possible without this event.” The after school and summer programs for youth ages 6-18 promote academic success and healthy lifestyles, along with good character and citizenship. It reaches many children from Title 1 schools and gives them the opportunity to learn, play, and socialize in a supervised environment.
Hwy 85
McAdenville Rd
Hwy 74- Wilkinson Blvd
Hwy 7- Belmont/ Mt. Holly Rd
Robert Russell Rd
For more information on this event you can visit their website at www.bgcgreatergaston.org. You can see the local community celebrities participating in this event by raising money through donations and ticket sales. I was able to catch up with one local dancer, Gastonia City Police Sergeant Gary Johnson, to ask him about his upcoming dancing debut and what his volunteer work in support of The Boys and Girls Club means to him. Gary says, “I believe in what the Boys and Girls club is doing. I wanted to be able to help an organization that is working for the kids of Gaston County. I have been in police work for 26 years and have seen how important it is to children to know someone is there to believe in them. They feel as if they are important when they have someone care about them. If I am having a bad day, I can just go to the Boys and Girl Club and see the smiling faces that make everything seem all right. It is an honor to be helping with this great cause.”
Do you have something new in the community you want everyone to know? Send your article to info@gastonalive.com, and you may be chosen to be featured in an issue of Gaston Alive!
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