Raymond really enjoys being a real estate agent. Whether it’s helping property owners uncover value in their land or home, or working with a buyer to acquire their first property or secure a great investment, these are often life-changing events, and it’s a genuine honor to be a part of them. Today, his business focuses on three sets of clients: (1), Florida landowners and buyers, (2) Tallahassee homeowners and buyers, and (3) Tallahassee small multifamily (2-4 unit) owners and buyers/househackers.
Raymond grew up in rural Marion County, Florida after his family moved there when he was ten years-old. As a teenager, he spent a lot of time with the Boy Scouts, eventually earning the rank of Eagle Scout. It was there Raymond was able to experience the natural heritage we’re so privileged to enjoy here in the Sunshine State. Each month they would go camping in a different place in central Florida – Silver River State Park, the Ocala National Forest, and Anastasia Island to name a few. Raymond's interest in Florida’s land has its roots in these formative experiences.
He graduated from the University of Florida in 2009 and later earned a Masters in Public Administration at Florida State University in 2018. At FSU, he met his amazing wife Sara and they’ve stayed here in Tallahassee – enough of a city without being too far from what makes Florida special. Throughout this time, Raymond worked for advocacy group Progress Florida as their digital director, spending nearly 14 years there – doing everything from websites to email marketing to digital advertising and everything in-between. Raymond's extensive experience in digital marketing prepared him well for the world of real estate.
His real estate journey began in Tallahassee in 2017, with a lot of books, podcasts, and learning. He purchased his first “home”, a 4-unit property near Florida State University’s campus, in 2018. Sara and Raymond moved into one of the units and they rented out the other three. It was a great experience which taught him a lot about real estate, and real estate investing in particular.
It was during his time living in the quad that I began thinking about his next move in real estate. After reading Mark Podolsky’s excellent book, Dirt Rich, Raymond learned about land and land investing. (Cheap) land didn’t require nearly as much up front cash as a typical down payment, was overall simpler than improved properties, and there was generally less competition. He dove in head first, and have now been a part of more than a hundred land transactions across five states. When he started out, Raymond was often looking for a land-focused or investor-friendly agent and usually came up empty or wasn’t too thrilled with the experience.
In 2022, he decided to get his Florida real estate license primarily to help landowners and buyers. In the journey since, he has not only specialized in land throughout Florida, but have found homeowners, buyers, and investors alike have sought him out for help and guidance with their real estate purchases in the Tallahassee area. Raymond has learned and continue to learn a lot, have met a lot of wonderful people along the way, and is grateful for every moment.
When Ryamond is not doing real estate, I love exploring natural and out-of-the-way Florida (and Georgia) with Sara, spending time with family and friends, and trying out yet another history book.
