Agent
Ron Bouknight | Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
Agency Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
Description
Mine is not your typical real estate agent bio. You know, the one that says, “I just love touring houses and helping people find their dream home, and I’m a skilled negotiator, etc.” Most agents have some version of that story. Here’s mine: I became a licensed real estate agent because I was what you might call – frugal. Let me explain. In the early 1980s, in addition to my corporate job in the IT industry, I was a part-time real estate investor. I bought and flipped homes long before HGTV was even a cable channel. I was young, cocky and most dangerous of all – naïve. I would find homes that met my loosely defined criteria, purchase them without the help of a “Buyer’s Agent” (because I thought I would get a better deal), fix them up (by myself) and then sell “By Owner.” If the property did not sell, I would simply put out a “For Rent” sign. During this time, I was moving up the corporate ladder, transitioning from project management to sales support and ended up as the Regional Marketing Director for a Fortune 200 technology company. Just before the tech bubble burst, I founded an internet marketing company shipping products all over the world. Life was good. I attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas every January and made some money while having fun. To put the timing in perspective, this was before Microsoft developed Internet Explorer and my little company had internet sales exceeding Amazon (for a very short time). Internet Explorer and Amazon made it. My little dotcom did not. Fast forward to 2002. I continued technical consulting work, but it occurred to me that if I were to get my real estate license, I could list my houses in the MLS and not have to pay a commission. The road to licensing was eye-opening. I’ve got a degree in Electrical Engineering, so the math requirements were no big deal. I naively thought that the curriculum would consist of how to read a map to get from point A to point B (remember, this was before the widespread use of GPS) and enough financial skills to be able to complete a bank deposit slip for the big commission check. Suffice it to say that the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know,” applies. The knowledge and skills required to become licensed are more extensive than most people would believe. Sure, somehow a few Bozos still make it thru, but it is a profession that I am extremely proud to be part of. In the summer of 2002, I earned my real estate salesperson license and, several years after that, a broker’s license. But something interesting happened along the way. I began helping friends, family and business associates find their perfect home. When they had a home to sell, I was able to tap into my marketing and sales knowledge as well as years of contract negotiation skills from my consultant days. I changed my mind about the “usefulness” of a real estate agent. I realized that the value that a really good, experienced agent brings to the table in a transaction is worth every penny. Not only will a good agent be able to save a buyer or seller money that, in many cases, exceeds the commission, but will artfully navigate them through what has become a complicated and potentially precarious process. And you know what? I liked it. My wife joined me in the business later that year, and together, we were the Rookie Team of the Year for the Entire Country at our previous brokerage. Not too shabby. I’ve got the five-pound glass trophy/paperweight to prove it – somewhere. Side note – we are not working together in real estate any longer but are still happily married. For the next decade, I continued working for several major real estate brokerages in Atlanta, and then in 2013, I joined what I believe to be the finest real estate organization on the planet – Sotheby’s International Realty® and their local affiliate – Atlanta Fine Homes. It was the piece of the puzzle that was missing that now allows me to provide unparalleled service to my clients. At Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, it’s not about a price point. It’s about a level of service that is provided to all properties, whether it’s a $300,000 townhouse in the suburbs or a $12 million mansion in Buckhead. I’m happy to help either way. No bio would not be complete without a few personal “fun facts.” In college, I worked at the radio station as an on-air disc jockey. It was not a paid gig, but I was able to score some great seats to local concerts. Ask me anything about 70’s Classic Rock. Also during that time, I earned my pilot’s license. There were many fun trips, loading up a plane with school buddies and flying to Atlanta, Myrtle Beach or Nashville for the day. I still fly occasionally, but it has become time-consuming and expensive to keep the skills sharp. Sports. I’ve played sports all my life. I was never really, really good at any of them. But I still enjoy golf, tennis and nearly all water sports. I coached a community swim team and lifeguarded during summer breaks while in college. When my kids were growing up, I coached their rec league basketball and travel softball teams. I don’t play as much golf as I would like but I continue to hack away at it. I’m proud to say that if I keep playing like I do now, I will be able to shoot my age when I’m 92. Salt Life. I’ve always loved the water. I grew up on a lake and enjoy sailing and water skiing. I like fishing, but frankly, I don’t have the patience for it. I’ve got my open water Scuba certification and recently added a NITROX endorsement. If you’re into diving, you know what it is. If not, well, it won’t make sense anyway. I once rented a plane, loaded up my scuba gear, and flew down to the Florida Keys during lobster season. I was able to bag the limit every day, but when you do the math factoring in hotel and plane rental, it worked out to be over $100/lb for the lobsters. It’s not really cost-effective, but nothing beats really fresh seafood. Travel. And speaking of salt water, seafood and scuba diving, one of my favorite places in the world is the Turks and Caicos islands. I’m fortunate that my brother Bob owns a place there and will occasionally have an opening in the rental schedule. I’m able to spend a couple of weeks there every year working on various “projects” that are always required with a rental property. In fact, if you are thinking of visiting Turks and Caicos, call me. I’ll share my favorite restaurants and a list of “things to do.” Delta has a direct flight from Atlanta that takes 2 1/2 hours. The Turks & Caicos islands are English-speaking, use the U.S. dollar as currency and have no property tax. And, if you are interested in purchasing a vacation home/rental property there, I’ll be happy to hook you up with an outstanding Sotheby’s International Realty® agent on the island to navigate you through the process. Finally, my wife Barbara and I are enjoying being empty nesters. The youngest child has graduated from college and is working for Morgan Stanley in New York City (yikes!), while her two older sisters still live in Atlanta and are busy working full-time and carting the four grandkids all over town for their many activities. Again, life is good.
-
Agency
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
1125 Sanctuary Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30009 - 30009 Alpharetta
Description
Founded in 2007 by Jenny Pruitt and David Boehmig, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty represents home buyers and sellers, as well as developers and builders in the Atlanta residential real estate arena. We specialize in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Vinings, Brookhaven, Ansley Park, Virginia Highland, Morningside, Decatur, Druid Hills, East Cobb, and North Fulton.
-
COLLECTION€ 652,800304 m² 4 4This stunning four bedroom, four full bath ranch home is just two years old and boasts an open-concept layout flooded with natural light. Featuring exquisite craftsmanship, energy...
Presented by Ron Bouknight | Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
