After experiencing a record-breaking year with over $336M in sold and pending volume, Beau Blankenship, owner of the Blankenship Group, feels incredibly grateful and blessed for all the opportunities he's been given.
Post-college, Blankenship was a professional running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although it was short-lived, it was an experience that has helped shape the rest of his life.
The drive to win and have faced his challenges head-on is the reason why he owns a real estate brokerage, Engel & Völkers 30-A beaches, and Blankenship Group in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
How did you get started in real estate?
Beau Blankenship: I've always had a passion for real estate. But I didn't pursue it until after I stopped playing football. Once I was let go from the Jaguars, I re-discovered my passion for real estate and joined a small boutique brokerage. After working there for a few years, I was itching to do more, so I started looking to expand my horizons. In 2017, I acquired the Engel & Völkers franchise in Northwest Florida, and the rest is history.
What makes the Blankenship Group different?
Beau Blankenship: We deal with beautiful, luxury homes up and down the Northwest Florida coastline. Our minds are blown that we get the opportunity to represent these homes. Think stunning architecture and never-ending beach views.
What makes us different is that as a group, we share a passion for our area, a.ka. "The South's best-kept secret." We're all for our clients and work hard to help them find their dream homes. We want to help people wake up in awe every morning, or we want to help people find their investment property or second home. We hold three core values: efficiency, compatibility, and transparency. These values are the key to our success and have directly helped us be in the county's top 1% of sales.
Do you think the global pandemic had anything to do with the rise in Florida's market?
Beau Blankenship: I think it forced people to rethink their current living arrangements. Many people started working from home for the first time in their lives. So with less pressure to be at the same desk in the same office all day long, people started looking for better offices.
What predictions are you making about the real estate market in 2021?
Beau Blankenship: This past year, we saw an increase in people relocating to housing markets outside high-traffic cities. It was obvious in my market in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. I anticipate this trend continuing through 2021 unless there's a change to the capital gains tax and 1031 regulations. As millennials start having children and need more space, they will become the market's dominating force. Home sales are trending up with an increase of 7% nationwide, and our local market up over 20%.
Just for fun. What are your favorite hobbies?
Beau Blankenship: Spending time with my wife Meredith and our two boys (Knox and Hardy). I also love playing golf and going to the beach.
