Seaside real estate experts Jacky Barker and Donna Spiers have both worked in Seaside since the town’s earliest days. Photo by Lori Leath Smith
Long-time Realtors help families invest in the Town of Seaside By Pratt Farmer
Whether this is your first visit to Seaside or your hundredth, many can’t quite put their finger on what it is that makes this town so special. Maybe it’s the quiet pace, the soft, gentle gulf breezes or simply the chance to relax with family and friends. Perhaps it is the distinctive architecture, or the unique collection of shops, restaurants and entertainment activities that draw so many to return, year after year.
Some of these guests and visitors have purchased homes in Seaside to provide a place to decompress from the pressures of life. Jacky Barker and Donna Spiers, Seaside’s resident real estate experts, have been their experienced and knowledgeable guides for more than 34 years, selling over 575 homes in the town.
For Spiers, it all started in January of 1983 with the sale of a lot on Tupelo Street for $25,000. Today, the home on that property (Under the Tuscan Sun) still sets the stage for people to enjoy all the town and surroundings have to offer. A year later, Barker sold two lots on Savannah Street to the same owner. From those humble beginnings (and remarkably low prices), “the rest is history.” Barker and Spiers have become recognized experts in everything Seaside. And their partnership has been forged through years of experience in Seaside. They have been intimately involved in literally the entire history of the town, and are able to weave this depth of knowledge into the needs and desires of today’s Seaside sellers and purchasers in a way that transcends “selling real estate.”
“We began by selling Seaside’s founders Robert and Daryl Davis’ vision — a vision unlike any real estate development anywhere at the time. We had a set of plans, some elevations and drawings for home designs and our simplistic belief that we were going to be part of a new movement in resort real estate. There was nothing we could refer to when talking about what Seaside was to become,” says Spiers.
“This community was the first of its kind, a new town, with dolomite streets, simple cottages with front porches to invite neighbors to chat, the beginnings of a vibrant town center and, of course, a pristine beachfront that spoke to everyone,” says Barker.
Few communities anywhere are fortunate enough have a Barker and Spiers. Except for the founders, Robert and Daryl Davis, they have been associated with the town longer than any Seaside employees.
Even fewer communities have professionals with a passion and depth of understanding of the nuances and subtleties of living in this special place. Because of these talents and the fact that they both specialize in the sale of Seaside real estate only, the great majority of Seaside owners and prospective buyers consult Barker and Spiers for all of their Seaside real estate transactions. Many homeowners who were once buyers return to list their present home and purchase another one in Seaside. Hundreds of transactions over the decades have resulted in a continually-growing network of Seaside owners, prospects and merchants that are more like “friends and family” than just business relationships.
Seaside is unique for certain, but then so are Barker and Spiers. They know Seaside and its surrounding market inside and out, and will always bring history, experience and passion to those who are considering making Seaside a new part of their life.
Visit the website seasidefl.com/properties or call 1-866-891-4600