‘SELLING THE DREAM': Blue Marlin Realty Group expands operations, offers clients ‘personalized,' boutique service

As a full-service real estate company, the folks at Blue Marlin Realty Group like to say “you can begin at Blue Marlin and end at Blue Marlin” for all of your real estate needs.

“When you come to Destin we can help you with a vacation rental, then when you find the dream home you’ve always wanted, we are here for you as well. By the time you are done with Blue Marlin, you feel like part of the family,” said Jerry Sullivan, sales associate at BMRG. “We are selling the dream.”

Blue Marlin has been selling prime real estate in Destin, Sandestin, Seaside and Watercolor since 2009 and is now expanding their operations and pursuing opportunities in the long-term and short-term vacation rental market and the commercial real estate market.

“We are looking to be more of a personalized, local boutique type of real estate firm,” Broker Johnathan Hughes told The Log.

Readers of Destin Magazine recently voted Blue Marlin as the best real estate team by honoring them with their reader’s choice award.  When asked about the award, Hughes said it’s all about his team.

“I think a lot of it’s our team atmosphere; it’s not so much like a workplace since we are always having fun and laughing,” Hughes said of the light office demeanor. “Sure, at the end of the day it’s all about making sales, but it’s also about building a group of people that can work together and like being together — that’s what we are doing.”

When he looks at Destin, Hughes said there is a lot to be excited about as both Holiday Isle and the harbor area are going through a point of transition where newer homes are under construction and renovations on existing homes are under way.

While 30A is one of the hotspots for new real estate transactions, the guys at Blue Marlin said a lot more people are going to want boating access and the beachside lifestyle of Holiday Isle and Destin.

“There’s just something unique about it,” Sullivan said. “It’s the history, the heritage and the view that makes this area special — not to mention the shopping, restaurants and the amenities. Match that with people from all over the south, it’s like a melting pot type of atmosphere and people really like that.”

“People are coming down here and making memories they don’t have back home,” the Ohio-native added. “We like to say you can stay for a day, or you can stay for lifetime — more and more people are doing that.”

Looking ahead to 2012, Sullivan said real estate sales are up and even though prices are still depressed from where they once were, prices are stabilizing. He said the large number of foreclosed homes and short sale homes should also help the market, since buyers would have an opportunity to snag some great deals.

Blue Marlin Realty is located at 970 Gulf Shore Drive (in the old Anchors Realty building) and can be reached at 850-837-7800.

Going into a new year, the team at Blue Marlin is excited about what they see in the market and are looking forward to making a bigger footprint for themselves in Destin, while focusing on the needs of their customers and making them happy homeowners.

“I think 2012 is going to be a great year for Destin,” Sullivan said. “Anybody who is willing to work hard, has good integrity and a tremendous work ethic is going to have an opportunity to be successful.”