With more than 39 years of real estate experience, Debbie Benoit, broker and owner of Plantation Properties, said she is committed to working with her clients until everyone has keys and checks in hand.
In January, Benoit opened an office in Picayune. Her other office is located on Pontchartrain Drive in Slidell.
Her real estate career began in the late 1970s, when she met, Tom, her husband.
“He was an agent and he was showing a house to my parents,” Benoit said. “He was really flirty and cute. He tricked me with his big fancy car and flirty talk.”
Benoit’s heart wasn’t the only thing Tom influenced that day, he also sparked her desire to become a real estate agent. In 1977, she obtained her license.
“I love homes and love decorating,” she said. “For 10 years, I was a certified kitchen designer. I love the creativity of it and helping people take their homes from an ugly duckling to the most beautiful swan on the lake,”
Prior to putting their home on the market, Benoit encourages her clients to make improvements based on current trends or updating it enough to get the “wow” factor from prospective buyers, she said.
As a broker, Benoit manages the day-to-day office operations and agents, who are basically independent contractors, all under the umbrella of the Real Estate Commission, an organization whose goal is to protect the public.
Benoit also added that many real estate agents are heavily involved on the political end of homeownership. Next week, Benoit will convene with others agents at the capital in Jackson.
“We just finished getting a bill passed to protect homeowners from trespassers,” she said. “We like to fight for our homeowners. We speak to our senators and representatives. When it’s election time, we support the politicians that support homeowners.”
Most of their leads come from the Internet nowadays, Benoit said. Leads are people who are looking for a particular home and realtor and those looking to sell.
About 95 percent of Benoit’s clients looking to buy a home are coming from outside of Pearl River County, she said.
“They love the character and charm of our small community,” Benoit said. “They are looking for safety, schools, family activities, medical care and stores. They want to feel safe in their homes.”
Including Benoit, there are five agents at Plantation Properties ready to assist homeowners. They include Renee Adams, Paula Borne, Penny Stettinius and Krystal Rivet.
Plantation Properties is located at 621 Goodyear Boulevard and business hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends by appointment.
Contact staff at 601-916-4306.