Look Who is New in Town!

Mary Luster is the new real estate gal in town. She has joined Royal Shell Real Estate at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club as a Broker Associate. That makes sellers and potential homeowners very lucky, because she comes to us with more than 28 years of experience in the luxury real estate market, as well as with extensive knowledge in property management and investment ownership. But it’s Mary’s story that we know will encourage you to work with her and seek her out at Marion County events.

From Buying a Home to Selling Many Properties

Born on an Air Force base in North Carolina, Mary was adopted at the ripe old age of three days old. Her newfound, Realtor® parents brought her to Orlando where she ultimately earned a full-time job in the corporate offices of Red Lobster Seafood Restaurants. After working in the test kitchen, marketing and new business, she purchased her first home at the age of 22, opening the door to a three-decade career in real estate.

Mary owned and operated boutique-style real estate offices and apartment buildings, developing a passion for making the buying and selling process of real estate as simple as possible. What’s even better, as a result, she shares Royal Shell Real Estate’s 2018 goal for:

• Increasing resale listings by 400%
• Increasing new home, condo and villa sales by 200%
• Increasing executive rental sales by 50%
• Increasing the number of custom homes by 250% (design and build)

Basically, what we’re trying to say is, we are just as fortunate to capitalize on Mary’s skillset as you are.

Community Commitment

Mary’s involvement in the community goes far beyond real estate. Since she arrived in Ocala in August 2017, she has immersed herself in Ocala Marion County CEP, Stirrups ‘n Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, and Rotary Club of Ocala.

And if you are a future community member with children, you are in for a treat, as Mary has a way with youngsters. Not only does she have step-grandchildren of her own, but she has been actively involved with building playgrounds, as well as volunteering at local public and private schools. Just ask her son and daughter who attend nearby University of Florida and Florida State University. Just don’t ask her how the Florida Gator-Noles debate is going.

Mary and More

But Mary is not the only new hire at Royal Shell Real Estate at Golden Ocala. There’s also a Realtor®, Blake Hunter — a five-year, second-generation real estate professional for award-winning, multimillion dollar properties. These credentials more than prepare him for our high-end residences, not to mention he, like Mary, is extremely passionate about luxury and equestrian lifestyles. The owner of two quarter horses and a lifetime equine industry connoisseur, Blake can get inside the minds of equestrian buyers to determine what they are looking for in any given property.

Just what makes us so sure? Well, he worked as a Realtor® for Sellstate Next Generation Realty right here in Horse Country for over three years, specializing in equestrian and luxury properties, as well as acreage. This earned him several prestigious honors — 2015 Rookie of the Year and Top Professional, 2016 Top Professional, and 2017 Outstanding Achiever. Blake often refers to TORCHx to make real estate connections and take his real estate skills into the digital marketing era, equipped with lead generation strategies and automated customer relationship management.

And wouldn’t you know, Blake spends his leisure time outdoors, golfing, horseback riding and attending equestrian competitions. Even his favorite movie is “8 Seconds,” a story about a cowboy turned rising professional bull rider (cue the aha moment regarding Blake’s preparedness for real estate life at Golden Ocala).

Three’s Company

You may not have found another Realtor®, Cynthia Kerr, in the Weekly Gazette yet, but we’ve got the very latest on this 17-year realty veteran right here. Blake’s mother and a native of Sumter County, Golden Ocala’s neighbor, she worked as a Realtor® for four companies in Ocala, Palm Coast and the State of Georgia — Take Action Properties, Century 21 in the Mountains, Pegasus Realty Ocala and Century 21 Ocala.

From competitive market pricing, to title research arrangements, to minute-by-minute real estate marketing, to premises evaluations, to new construction plans, to mortgage options evaluations, to start-to-finish negotiations and transactions, Cynthia can answer any question you have about the buying-selling process — or, at the very least, conduct the necessary research on your behalf. She has also taken data processing classes at Lake Sumter Community College, which also helps every real estate client’s cause, as much of what she does includes appraising properties to determine loan values.

A fun fact — prior to launching a career in real estate, she was a legal secretary/clinical administrative assistant. So, not only is Cynthia driven by productive results, but she has impressive organizational skills — ideal for keeping clientele on the right track to success. Want to start a casual conversation with her? Just ask her about nights out at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa; her vacations to the Keys, Jupiter, Jamaica and Los Cabos; and the undying love she pledges to Adam Levine, Nora Jones and Little Big Town.

But to pick the brains of Mary, Cynthia and/or Blake regarding everything you REALLY want to know, call (352) 369-6969. They look forward to telling you about the exquisite homes and offerings at Golden Ocala, as well as making this community your home — or your home away from home!

P.S. – Right now, Mary is showing Foxhounds (3332 NW 79^th Avenue Road), and Cynthia and Blake are working on a few farms, a buildable lot, two commercial properties and a home in a nearby golf course community. Check them out!