100 Things to Love About Gainesville- Week 2

Nothing is more important to Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Realtors than our community. Our business IS our community. Although our Sales Associates come from many different backgrounds and many different walks of life, our company is a family that is just a small part of this community we love! With inspiration from The Village Journal, we would like to share with you reasons why we love Gainesville. Please check back weekly for more things to love.

6. The Alachua County Library District. The District recently received the National Medal, the highest national honor for libraries and museums. Visit your library today to learn for about the diverse services and programs available across the county for every age.

7. #3 City for Investors. Gainesville was one of the top 5 cities for investors in 2011 by Inman News. Investors have accounted for a greater bulk of real estate transactions in recent months and are expected to outnumber traditional homebuyers three to one in the next two years, according to a study by Move Inc.

8. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens has been identified as "Best of Attractions Gainesville Florida", by UpTake.com. UpTake.com awards are based on a careful analysis of customer reviews and expert ratings from across the web collected from over 5000 different websites and millions of customer opinions. Great site for weddings, photo shoots or just for stroll through the gardens.

9. Union Street Farmers Market in downtown Gainesville. This year round market held every Wednesday, was named on the "10 Amazing Local Farmers Markets" list, Livability.com, Sept. 2010.

10. Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park. Just short drive to Cross Creek, this park is the living history of Majorie Rawlings, who was honored as a First Floridian by Governor Charlie Crist in March 2009. Walk back in time where Rawlings lived and worked.

100 Things to Love About Gainesville

Nothing is more important to Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Realtors than our community. Our business IS our community. Although our Sales Associates come from many different backgrounds and many different walks of life, our company is a family that is just a small part of this community we love! We would like to share this article from The Village Journal, a list of 100 Things to Love About Gainesville. Please check back weekly for more reasons why we love Gainesville.

100 Things to Love About Gainesville
TheVillageJournal.com, Vol. 8 No. 1, By Dante Lima

Whether you’re a Gainesville Native, new to town or just a longtime resident, you know there is a lot to love about this little North Central Florida community. With that in mind, we compiled 100 things that make Gainesville the town we love.

In no particular order...

1. Gainesville ranked #1 place to live in 2007 by the New York Times.

2. The University of Florida. Of course the chant rings true: It’s great to be a Florida Gator.

3. The Hippodrome State Theater. Not only does “The Hipp” make downtown Gainesville more beautiful, but it’s also the setting for award-winning theater.

4. The weather. Gainesville just like any other city in Florida can get pretty hot, but the fall and winter can be truly gorgeous and just cold enough to make you feel like you’re somewhere else.

5. SHORT COMMUTE. Gainesville ranks number 1 in the best commute times in Florida. More than 86% of commuters in Gainesville spend less than 30 minutes in traffic daily. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau says nationally Gainesville ranks 19 out over 250 major cities in shortest traffic time. What's not to love about that?

Jeff Dautel Joins Our Team!

We’re very pleased to announce that Jeff Dautel has re-joined our sales team. Many of us remember Jeff well from the may years he worked from our old Newberry Road office. After a brief break from real estate sales, he recently began working in the industry again, and re-joined our team this week. Jeff will be a great contributor at our Springhill office. We're excited to have Jeff back on our team.

Company Recognizes Top Producing Sales Associates

Our company is incredibly grateful for the tremendous contributions made by our sales associates throughout 2011. We are proud of our dynamic team of highly-talented and focused experts who provide the very best customer service in our market. Please click HERE to see how our most productive team members performed in one of the most challenging years in the history of our industry. Remarkable accomplishments, remarkable people!

Whether you are looking to buy or sell, understanding local market conditions is important. Call one of our Realtors for a personalized and confidential consultation to discover how the Gainesville Real Estate market effects you. Quick Links: Gainesville Real Estate, Gainesville Homes For Sale, Gainesville, FL Real Estate, Gainesville Foreclosures, Gainesville Short Sales, Gainesville Realty, Gainesville Commercial Real Estate, Gainesville Houses for Rent.

Beau Beery Comments on the Gainesville Retail Market

Beau Beery, President of Coldwell Banker Commercial M.M. Parrish Realtors in Gainesville share his perspective on the state of the local retail market. To see Beau's comments, click HERE for the Gainesville Sun story.

Whether you are looking to buy or sell, understanding local market conditions is important. Call one of our Realtors for a personalized and confidential consultation to discover how the Gainesville Real Estate market effects you. Quick Links: Gainesville Real Estate, Gainesville Homes For Sale, Gainesville, FL Real Estate, Gainesville Foreclosures, Gainesville Short Sales, Gainesville Realty, Gainesville Commercial Real Estate, Gainesville Houses for Rent.

Laura Boudreaux joins our Team!

We are pleased to welcome Laura Boudreaux to our sales team. Laura comes from a background in leadership development and business management, and previously owned a recruiting & staffing company. She values relationships and community and enjoys opportunities to serve others often. Most importantly, she is a wife, mother of 2 teens, and loves spending time with her family. Her hometown is Aiken, SC, but she has lived all over the southeast. Laura and her family moved to Gainesville 2 years ago, and have decided they will settle here because it’s GATOR country! We're glad to have her with us.

7 Bankers Discuss Current Market Conditions and Share Perspective on the Future

Cameron and Cameron Finish 2011 as the Top Sales Team in Gainesville and Alachua County!

J. Parrish, President of Coldwell Banker M. M. Parrish Realtors, today announced that Ralph and Bonnie Cameron ended 2011 as the top residential sales team for closed residential sales volume in Gainesville and Alachua County. Totaling over $18 million in sales, this dynamic duo topped the residential sales charts for the Gainesville Alachua County Association of Realtors. Nobody closed more residential volume in 2011. Says Parrish, “It’s remarkable to witness the incredible, collective synergy of this highly talented husband and wife sales team. It’s no surprise to me that Bonnie and Ralph finished the year at the very top of the residential production charts for the entire MLS. Nobody works harder to bring value and results for their customers.“ Parrish goes on to say, “Bonnie and Ralph’s enthusiasm for the business, for helping people, for solving complex real estate issues, is contagious. You just want to be around them all the time and I think that is one of the major factors in their success. It’s hard to teach likeability.”

Ralph and Bonnie have been business partners since marrying in 1986. They have three grown children, Tonya, Paul and LaVonne and are proud grandparents of thirteen beautiful grandchildren. They truly believe there is no richer life than being bound together by love of family. Says Bonnie, “Having a large loving family of our own makes helping other families find their dream that much more fun. Our clients have become extensions of our own family and those members grow every year.”

Ralph and Bonnie have been very active in their community and have served or chaired many committees on the local and state level. They were the Founders/Organizers of the largest and longest Veterans Day Motorcycle Parade in the USA, Bikers on Parade for the USA. Says Ralph, “This event was started because of September 11th to honor our veterans, law enforcement and fire rescue personnel who put their lives on the line for us each and every day. A total of $510,000 was donated to the local Red Cross and local Veteran organizations in the nine year period of the event. Freedom isn’t Free!”

Says Parrish, “As impressive as the numbers are, they have no limit. They have tremendous drive and determination and I can tell you they are hungry to achieve the next level.”

Ralph and Bonnie’s awards and recognition are impressive:

Awards/Designations...Ralph

Began Real Estate Career, 1977
ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI, Senior Vice President, Realtor
Degree in Building Construction
Certified Residential Contractor, 1979
Leadership Gainesville IX Graduate, 1982
President of Gainesville Board of Realtors, 1986
REALTOR of the Year, 1987
Past Presidents award, 1988
District Vice President, Florida Association of REALTORS, 1988
1990 Realtor Most Active in Politics, Florida Association of Realtors
Co-owner, Cameron & Cameron Mortgage, 2001 to 2009
Founder/Organizer, Bikers on Parade for the USA™, 2001-2009
Equator Platinum Certified REO and Short Sale agent, 2011
Multimillion dollar producer since 1979

Awards/Designations...Bonnie

Began Real Estate Career, 1979
ABR, CRB, CRS, GRI, Senior Vice President, Realtor
REALTOR-Associate of the Year, 1980
Builder-Associate of the Year, 1984
Certified Residential Contractor, 1985
Leadership Gainesville XII Graduate, 1985
Chairman of Crime-Trac, 1986
President of Gainesville Builders Association, 1988 (First Woman President)
President of Gainesville Board of Realtors, 1990
Black Belt in Karate, 2005
Co-owner, Cameron & Cameron Mortgage, 2001 to 2009
Founder/Organizer, Bikers on Parade for the USA™, 2001-2009
Licensed Loan Originator NMLS 370384 Florida LO 7473
Equator Platinum Certified REO and Short Sale agent, 2011
Multimillion dollar producer since 1981

Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish Welcomes Annette Armstrong to Our Team!

Annette began her real estate career after working more than 20 years in the medical field. She is originally from Lakeland, and takes pride in being a 4th generation Floridian. She moved to Gainesville in 1981 to attend the University of Florida in pursuit of a degree in Physical Therapy. After marrying, she changed her plans and earned a degree in nursing. Annette has a witty sense of humor and is quick to make you smile. Annette is married with 3 children. She and her husband are very active with their family and community. Over the years she has worn many hats. She homeschooled for 2 years, worked as a school nurse, Hospice nurse, Rehab nurse and OR nurse. She also volunteers as a band parent, youth leader in her church, committee member of Boy Scout Troop 432, and soccer mom.

For her real estate customers, Annette applies the wisdom and skills she has learned from years of experience working in the medical field. Her commitment is evident in her enthusiasm and dedication to her work. She is eager to deliver results and always goes ‘the extra mile’ for her customers. When you first meet Annette, she will tell you that her job is to ”make the process enjoyable” and “we are going to have fun”.

Annette will be a great contributor to our future success. We welcome her to the team!



Whether you are looking to buy or sell, understanding local market conditions is important. Call one of our Realtors for a personalized and confidential consultation to discover how the Gainesville Real Estate market effects you. Quick Links: Gainesville Real Estate, Gainesville Homes For Sale, Gainesville, FL Real Estate, Gainesville Foreclosures, Gainesville Short Sales, Gainesville Realty, Gainesville Commercial Real Estate, Gainesville Houses for Rent.

We Welcome Perry Pursell to the Team!

Beau Beery, President of Coldwell Banker M. M. Parrish’s Commercial Division, today announced that Perry Pursell would be joining the commercial team. Say’s Beery, "Since October 18 when Todd Rainsberger and I joined forces with J Parrish and Susan Parrish at Coldwell, we targeted a very small number of commercial realtors we wanted on our team. We felt that if we could get even one to join the group it would be huge. A month ago Rick Cain joined us and now to add Perry, who’s a giant in the commercial world, we are ecstatic."

Perry Pursell is a veteran commercial real estate professional. Serving the Gainesville market since 1986, Perry has a wide range of commercial expertise including retail, office, industrial, land, and management. Most recently as a RE/MAX agent he was recognized as a Hall of Fame Agent (over one million dollars in commissions) and a Platinum Producer. "As important as his accomplishments," says Beery, "Is the tremendous respect Perry has earned in the industry. He is a total professional with a fun personality and someone who will be pleasure to work with on a daily basis."

For Perry, "I’ve had a successful career running my own show and have enjoyed every minute of it. That being said, I am a big fan of being part of a strong team, especially one that’s composed of the top talent in the area with a vision for the future that is nothing but exciting. It’s like that saying, ‘The whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. Being part of the culture of success that Beau and Todd are creating will make me a better Realtor. My goal is that my contributions will only make the whole team stronger. In the end our clients will reap the benefits."

Some of Perry’s major transactions include the lease and sale of the Veterans Administration (VA) Project Honor, a 20,000+ square foot office building on Hawthorne Road, the VA Pain Clinic on NW 98th Street, the sale of the former Winn Dixie Plaza to Alachua County for The Alachua County Sheriff’s office, the new Sinmat location in the Northwest Industrial Park, the warehouse location for Exactech in the Northwood Industrial Park, the sale of the former Campus USA Delta Operations Center to Trade PMR, and countless other sales and leases. Earlier this month he was also awarded the 2011 "Innovative Marketing Award" by his fellow commercial Realtors.

Perry believes that part of the reason for his success is that he’s an active community member. He’s the incoming president of the Downtown Rotary Club, a past director for three years of the Gainesville Alachua County Association of Realtors (GACAR). He’s the Current and past Chairman of the Commercial Investment Committee for GACAR. Additionally, he is a long standing member of the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and a contributor to the Momentum 2015 program of the Council for Economic Outreach.

Perry is especially proud of his two children Paul and Sara. Paul is a resident of Gainesville and works at Haile Plantation Animal Hospital. Sara is a graduate of the Florida International University School of Business Honors Program and currently resides in Brisbane, Australia. Originally from Crystal Lake, Illinois Perry loves to travel and came to Gainesville after living in the Florida Keys. He says it’s no accident that he’s an avid fisherman.

Say’s Beery, "Everybody loves Perry Pursell and we’re very honored to have him on our commercial team."