Real estate is all about relationships. Athens, Georgia-based real estate powerhouse, Jennifer Westmoreland, can most certainly attest to that. Her business is dependent on the connections she’s made with local developers and builders, as well as clients, agents and colleagues over the last 25 years. One of these connection was respected industry veteran Charlie Upchurch III, president, owner and broker of Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty. Upchurch had known Westmoreland for years, and had always been impressed with her professionalism, integrity and ability to simply “get the job done.” The feeling was mutual for Westmoreland. When Upchurch reached out to her with an exclusive invitation to attend the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program certification course in Indianapolis this past August, she accepted.
“I went there to learn more,” she recalls. “I was struck by the weight of what the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program offers agents. Even with something as simple as picking up the Global Luxury box of marketing materials, you feel the substance of the brand all the way through, from piece to piece. It was far superior to anything I’d seen. I was also impressed by the company’s investment in all of the resources and educational tools that help agents better understand the modern-day luxury buyer — who they are, where they are coming from and what they are looking for in a home or lifestyle. What I witnessed in Indianapolis was a totally different level of service, all aimed to help us serve our clients better.”
On September 26, 2018, Jennifer Westmoreland and Associates (JWA) made it official: the team was joining Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty and the elite Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program. Upchurch was thrilled.
“I’ve always admired Jennifer Westmoreland and the way she conducts her real estate business,” he says. “She exemplifies what you would expect out of a real estate professional. The fact that she’s elected to join us, it further validates that Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty is always striving to provide the highest quality work environment for agents, which produces superior service for our clients.”
Adds Craig Hogan, vice president of luxury for Coldwell Banker® Real Estate LLC, who led the Indianapolis certification course attended by Westmoreland: “Jennifer and her team are the caliber of real estate professionals that continue to be attracted to our program. She is known for her attention to detail, attentive service, honesty and enduring desire to elevate her business — whether it’s through education or the latest technology. We are extremely excited to welcome JWA to the Global Luxury family.”
Between the local support offered by Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty and the global resources offered by the Global Luxury program, it is clear that Westmoreland can bring her business to an even higher standard of excellence. Not that she needs it — JWA is already considered one of the top selling real estate teams in the Southeastern United States. Last year, the team recorded $27 million in annual sales volume and has already closed $25 million in sales this year to date (through August). Considering the fact that the average residential sale in Athens is about $250,000 and there are only two agents on her team — herself and buyer’s agent, Brandon McEachern — their sales record speaks volumes about their depth and reach in the growing Athens market.
In Athens, the starting price threshold for luxury is $500,000. Best known as the home of University of Georgia and birthplace of alternative rock, Athens is celebrated for its antebellum architecture and historic downtown, which boasts eclectic boutiques, nationally acclaimed restaurants, entertainment venues and more. While the town frequently makes Forbes’ “Best Places to Retire” list because of its low cost of living, housing demand is primarily being driven by the schools found in the region. Since Athens is located only 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, there is a high population of commuters — although that is beginning to change.
“We are beginning to see some people coming from North Carolina, thanks to growth in the healthcare industry and the university system,” says Westmoreland who specializes in new construction, interior design and staging for her clients.
That’s why she is particularly excited to integrate the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury platform into her business model. She now adds a robust network of 92,000 Coldwell Banker agents across 47 countries and territories to her existing database of local Athens agents, providing her with an even deeper well of connections to draw on for her clients. The strong digital presence of ColdwellBankerLuxury.com and its reach across the country and the world) is another element that will help her cast a wider marketing net. Real estate is about relationships, after all.
