SPECIAL TO OCALA STYLE
When it came time for Larry Ellison to open his own real estate company, Ocala seemed like the logical choice. A University of Florida graduate, Larry’s roots are firmly planted in Ocala soil.
“My grandfather was a farmer,” Larry says. “He lived in this area as far back as 1899.”
After working in the real estate business in south Florida for a number of years, Larry and his wife, Georgia, decided Marion County was the most ideal place to raise their children and begin a company.
That company, Coldwell Banker Ellison Realty, has been successful in Ocala for 31 years. And CEO Larry Ellison credits the success of his company to the agents and executives that surround him on a daily basis.
Gayle Lowry, President of Ellison Realty, Inc. is a case in point. She came aboard with Ellison in 1977 and has been Larry’s right hand for the past 20 years. Gayle is responsible for recruitment and training of new agents, as well as providing continuing education for all agents.
“Our agents go through a great amount of training,” Larry says. “Even after they’ve already received their real estate license from the State of Florida, we still have our own on-site continuing education, which includes all facets of real estate including determining property value, financing, and finding the best mortgage rates.”
Customer service is a number one priority with Ellison, and comments like this one from a note by home sellers Rich and Kathy Noyes are proof that the company philosophy on customer service works.
“Your advice on marketing our house in the initial phase of selling it and their team of associates made this our easiest real estate transaction yet,” they say.
Larry and Judy Davis were also happy with the service they received from Ellison.
“Your professional skills in the real estate business far exceed the norm, Judy says in a letter. “Great teamwork!”
When seeking real estate advice, people tend to migrate to a familiar name. Ellison Realty’s affiliation with Coldwell Banker provides a great deal of market recognition and strength. Out of 3,400 Coldwell Banker offices in the nation, Ellison is ranked number 126 in total sales. Also, nobody in the United States sells more high-end homes than Coldwell Banker.
“Coldwell Banker participates in 50 percent of million-dollar sales in all markets,” Larry explains, “and with our Previews International program [the premier marketing program for luxury and estate homes worth at least $350,000], we’re able to refer clients who are interested in our area from all over the world. The marketing opportunities are endless. Customers know they’ll get quality and consistency when they associate their home with Coldwell Banker.”
And vice versa. If a client is interested in relocating out-of-area, Ellison Realty can assist with that, too.
With three locations and more than 110 sales professionals to assist clients, Ellison’s offerings include residential properties, lakefront homes, horse farms both large and small, and commercial properties. Ellison also lists a variety of homes in adult-only communities. The listings are as diverse and extensive as Marion County itself. And all of their available properties (and all other MLS listings available in Marion County) are viewable on Ellison’s website, ellisonrealty.com.
“The website is just awesome,” Larry says. “It will pull up every home available in Marion County and allow you to enter data to tailor the search to your individual needs.”
Senior Vice President Dale Barron spent 15 months designing and implementing the site and is especially proud of the notification service offered to clients.
“You can register on the site to receive e-mail alerts when homes fitting your chosen characteristics are added to the MLS listings,” Dale says. “Registering is free and you can be updated as often or as little as you like.”
Normally, when an individual thinks of the real estate business, the two main elements that come to mind are buying and selling a home. However, agents do much more.
“You’d be amazed at the services a real estate agent can offer to their clients”, Dale added. “Whether buying or selling homes, looking for reliable information about local builders and lenders, or simply finding out how much mortgage you will qualify for, our agents can walk our clients through the entire process, and will be there before, during and after the transaction.”
There are many options and possibilities available when choosing the perfect neighborhood for your family. Professional agents know every subdivision, including school districts and nearby amenities. They are also completely up-to-date on issues regarding zoning requirements, title searches, home warranties, mortgage rates, and financing requirements.
“We also serve many investors looking for immediate returns from rental income properties, to those wanting more long term, slow growth investments,” Larry added. “We even manage investment property for clients through Ellison Property Management. This includes finding tenants, performing background checks, maintenance of the property, annual inspections, collecting rents and dispersing the net income directly back to the owner.”
According to Dale, real estate is one of the safest, most consistent investments.
“Real estate has been good to me,” Larry says. “I enjoy the one-on-one relationships we create with our customers. It’s such a joy to help people realize their dreams. The process of buying or selling a home is something most families will only do four or five times in their life, and we get to be a part of it.”
Maybe that’s why Larry has stayed in the business for so long. And, after building his company into one of the most successful real estate firms in the state (they were ranked 38th in the state of all real estate agencies by Florida Trend magazine), Larry and Dale are in the process of ensuring Ellison Realty’s continued success for the next 30 years.
“Dale really earned his way into the company,” Larry says. “We both have the same core values and that will allow for our continued success. Dale conducts himself with the same trustworthiness and professionalism that I expect.”
Coldwell Banker Ellison Realty
(352) 732-8350
2226 East Silver Springs Blvd.
SR 200 office
(352) 854-9171
7555 Southwest SR200
Belleview, Lake County office
(352) 245-5102
12301 South Hwy. 441
www.ellisonrealty.com
