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LAH at the Beach b y L i e s e l S c h m i d t
I n a tourist destination like the Emerald Coast, it’s little wonder that there’s always demand for rental homes and no shortage of interest in buying or selling property. And while Realtors may not be in short supply, the ones who truly listen and know their clients’ needs are the ones who stand out from the rest and truly reach success. For Charley Criswell of LAH Real Estate, it is steadfast dedication to his clients and a high standard of personal attention that gives him an edge and makes him great at what he does—and the location doesn’t hurt. How long have you been in real estate, and what made you want to become a Realtor? Charley Criswell: I became the sales manager in December 2018 and will be the qualifying broker in March 2021. I wanted to become a Realtor because of the opportunities that our market has to offer. Sharing local knowledge and our way of life is rewarding when I’m helping individuals and families realize their dream of owning property in our beach community. When I had the opportunity to work with LAH Real Estate, I knew it was the right time for me to become a Realtor. What do you love most about your work? CC: My favorite thing about my job is helping our agents build their careers. We have a great team that creates a supportive and positive environment in our office, and I feel blessed to be able to work with all of them.
LAH office
marketing department. In addition, we also have a relocation department that is dedicated to helping business professionals with their move to the beach. All of our brokers practice the same simple philosophy: Our clients are the agents. This culture was established back in 1992 and has provided a guideline for all of our expansion over the years. How has the market changed since COVID? CC: COVID-19 initially slowed our market down for a couple of months; but when the short-term rentals were opened back up, the activity increased dramatically. In fact, short-term rentals and real estate sales have been at record numbers since the pandemic. The only thing that has slowed the market activity is the lack of inventory compared to before all of this started. How have you changed your practices over the past months? (i.e. marketing, meetings, showings, etc.) CC: This pandemic has presented some challenges, but our company has adapted exceptionally well. Our meetings and training sessions have, for the most part, gone virtual with a Zoom platform, but we haven’t skipped a beat. If anything, I think it has brought us closer together. Why do you think people are buying, even in the midst of a pandemic? CC: COVID-19 has affected all of us in some way or another, but the biggest difference I have seen is the ability to be mobile. I have had several folks from big cities that are now able to work and even educate their kids from home. This transition of lifestyle combined
Charley Criswell with best pal Snoop
Photos by Steve Magnum
with the low mortgage rates we have seen this year has kept real estate activity at an all time high.
How has financing been altered since the pandemic?” CC: The biggest difference has been the lack of funding for Jumbo Loans. A lot of investors have pulled out since the beginning of the pandemic, so it has been a slow climb back. You can still find Jumbo Loans offered through some financial institutions, but it is rare to get approved for one without at least 20 percent down. Where are you seeing most of the buyers coming from? CC: The majority of buyers are coming from the big cities in the south. We see the most from Nashville, Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, Dallas, and Houston. The Emerald Coast is certainly not a secret anymore. LAH Real Estate is located at 3648 West County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. For more information, call (850) 517-9898 or visit www. florida.lahrealestate.com.
What makes LAH stand out from its competitors?
CC: LAH stands out from our competition in several ways. The biggest difference is that our office is part of a compa- ny that is based in Birmingham, Alabama. We have offices in Mountain Brook, Homewood, Crestline, Hoover, and here on 30-A. In addition, our corporate office in Moun- tain Brook has our own commercial division. We have a network of professional agents throughout these offices that make up our LAH family. With over 200 agents com- bined, LAH has sold over $400 million of real estate each of the last two years.
What has made the company most successful?
CC: LAH has been prosperous because of the people that make up our organization. Our leadership team provides the agents with all of the resources needed to have success, including extensive training and our own
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