Advantage Properties is a professional brokerage serving buyers and sellers in Northeast Alabama and the Gulf Coast; comprised of a close group of talented realtors, led by broker and owner Sydney Gunter. Gunter discussed her business in an interview below.
How did Advantage Properties begin?
I began my full-time career in residential real estate in 2001 as a REALTOR® and became a licensed broker in 2005.
Originally from Gadsden, I began my real estate career with ReMax Choice Properties in the Nashville area, where I am still actively licensed. I acquired extensive training in residential real estate, finance and mortgage calculations, construction knowledge, customer service skills, and competition studies within the Nashville market. I have been awarded year after year for sales in units and volume and have achieved the Lifetime Award of Excellence and Multi-Million Dollar Producer, qualifying me to mentor and lead others. I love the challenge of overcoming everyday challenges, selling undeveloped dirt, giving slower selling properties a “makeover,” and ultimately finding solutions for my clients. My credentials include the following very distinguished designations: CRS, ABR, GRI, ePRO, GREEN, SFR, CDPE, RCS-D, AHWD
In 2010 I reconnected with an old high school classmate, Randy Gunter, and it didn’t take long for us to realize that love was in the air and marriage was in our future. In 2013, I packed up and moved back to Gadsden, ready to take on the challenge of a new real estate market. After having worked in such a much larger and aggressive market, and with much prayer and consideration, it was decided to bring those same skills and level of professionalism here and with that I opened my own brokerage and voila! Advantage Properties was born.
Describe Advantage Properties’ mission.
Integrity, dedication and an unrelenting desire for customer satisfaction are the cornerstones of our business. These qualities aren’t just a mission statement – they are the core values that our agents live by each day.
What differentiates Advantage Properties from other real estate companies?
With unrivaled experience and market knowledge, along with our constant updating of marketing, training and technology trends, we strive to offer the very best in service to our clients.
What services do Advantage Properties offer clients?
Whether someone is selling their home, relocating to the area, planning to build their dream home or looking for commercial real estate, our services can be customized to fit the needs of every situation and every individual . That’s our commitment – and your advantage.
What neighborhoods do you service?
We serve all of Northeast Alabama and the Gulf Coast, specializing in the Gadsden, Attalla, Rainbow City, Southside, Glencoe and Hokes Bluff, as well as the adjacent counties of Marshall, St. Clair and Cherokee.
Describe your realtors and what they bring to the business.
Each member of the talented and experienced team at Advantage Properties is committed to delivering the highest quality expertise and distinctive residential and commercial real estate services.
How did you become involved with real estate initially?
I went to church with a couple of agents who went out on their own to open their real estate company. They hired me to come in and answer the phone for them over lunch. I worked one hour a day then. That became two and then four. After three years of running the office, I decided I wanted to get my license and join the fun!
What do you enjoy the most about your profession?
Real estate transactions are likely the largest financial investment a person will ever make. It is very satisfying to know you have helped someone and made a difference in their life! Most of the buyers and sellers I have worked with I originally met as strangers but they have usually resulted in lifelong friendships. Their smiles and “thank you’s,” at the closing table are cherished treasures.
Do you have any client testimonials that stand out in your mind?
I have hundreds of testimonials that have been sent to me. Several “stand out” – mostly because of unusual circumstances – but this one probably more than any other because it was such a tough transaction to get to the closing table during a tough market:
“Sydney is always willing to go the extra mile. She once crawled under my house to take pictures of a dry crawlspace for our buyer. She has come to my house as late as 10 p.m. to deliver an offer and write a counter. She has called around town trying to help me find a needle in a haystack replacement window for a VA loan. She is a friend to my unfriendly chihuahua. She knows the local market well and her experience shows. She’s always willing to answer any questions and thoroughly explain anything I was unclear on (and I had a lot of questions!). One of the most valuable assets Sydney will pass on to you is her network of professionals that she works with. I am the type that really does my homework when it comes to finding the right lender, the right insurer, the right mover, etc…and her people were without question the best of the best. That alone is going to save my family many thousands of dollars in the years to come. Sydney lives with a smile in her heart and it shows on her face. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sydney in a “bad mood.” She’s a good Christian woman who will include your family in her prayers and her faith shows through in her character. I’ve seen her keep her cool when others around her – myself included – were not. If there is a problem, she gets to work finding a solution. Our deal almost fell apart due to difficulties our buyers were having with their lender, and she was more help toward solving that problem than the buyers’ own agent was! Our deal would most likely have fallen through if Sydney had not aggressively worked at finding out what needed to be done to please all parties involved. Most of all, Sydney has a heart of gold, and if nothing else, you will have a friend for life!”
What have you learned throughout the years working in this field?
Real estate is very hard work. It takes tough skin. From the outside looking in, folks form the opinion that it is easy money – that’s one reason there are so many full-time people who try to do it on the side. It is very difficult job to do successfully and professionally part time.
Is there a message you’d like to send to the community regarding Advantage Properties?
Advantage Properties was founded with a commitment to create a positive work environment that provides unparalleled support to its agents and their clients. Our commitment is to create a team tradition of integrity, dependability and excellence while providing exceptional real estate services.
We invite you to stay in touch with us so that we can keep you updated on the latest real estate activities in your community and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to assisting you with all of your real estate needs!
Submitted by Sydney Gunter