New Jersey Realty opens Ocean City office

Written by Ann Richardson Wednesday, January 09, 2013 01:00 am

Submitted / Kevin Redmond, who has worked at Prudential, Fox and Roach and Ocean City Realty, is the owner and operator of the new New Jersey Realty office in Ocean City.

OCEAN CITY — Bucking a trend in recent years as bigger real estate companies have swallowed up their smaller competitors, New Jersey Realty is opening a new office in Ocean City.

New Jersey Realty, with an office in Sea Isle City, will open in a red brick building on the southwest corner of 10th Street and West Avenue this week.

“It’s exciting,” said Drew Fasy, who is the broker of record in the family-owned business.

Celebrating the brokerage’s 30th year, Fasy said the timing was right to open a second office in a neighboring community.

Kevin Redmond, who has worked at Prudential, Fox and Roach and Ocean City Realty, will be the owner and operator of the new, Ocean City office.

“It’s Kevin’s show and Kevin’s business,” Fasy said. “I’m helping him get it off the ground.”

Fasy said he believes that the despite the trend to larger, corporate offices, there is still a need for the niche office, smaller with personal service.

“While the bigger companies have a larger market share, there are still people who like to deal with a family-owned business,” he said. “It’s a lot more personal and I think people like that.”

Redmond agrees.

“A lot of the customers miss the personal service. I think, in this market, there is room for everybody,” he said. “Everybody fights over being number one, but how about we do a good job and take care of the customer?”

Redmond said the new office will feature four agents to start with, but with space for 11 agents, the office will be growing. His wife, Laura, will work in the office in an administrative role.

Fasy said Redmond is a “great guy” and a good friend. The two met while serving on the Mayor’s Council on Physical Fitness several years ago.

“We’re very compatible,” Fasy said. “I look forward to this venture. Kevin is well respected in Ocean City. He’s very dedicated to the business and his customers and he has always wanted to open his own office. He’s going to do very well. He’s honest and dependable and he works hard.

“In a small office it’s all about customer service, caring about the customer and treating folks the way you would want to be treated. We offer an old school approach, focused on the customer.”

Redmond was born in raised in Philadelphia, graduating from Cardinal Dougherty High School. He went into the golf course management business in Chester County and began dabbling in real estate in Ocean City.

“My grandparents always had a home here, at 33rd Street and West Avenue,” he said. “We came down a lot; Ocean City was always our summer spot.”

So when it came time to invest, he hooked up with Realtor Mark Grimes, and began buying and selling properties. When Grimes opened his own office, Ocean City Realty, he asked Redmond to join his team.

“So I began working with Mark Grimes,” he said.

Redmond has three children, Nicholas, a freshman at Drexel University; Kristina, a sophomore at Ocean City High School; and Andrew, a sixth grader at the Ocean City Intermediate School.

Fasy has worked at New Jersey Realty in Sea Isle City since 1998. He began his professional career in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings.  

Opening in a difficult economic climate, Fasy said, is a challenge, but one that the Sea Isle City office has overcome. There have been many changes in the market, he said, but his office has stayed ahead of the curve.

“Technologically, we are presenting what we believe to be the most advanced tools both to our agents and our customers,” he said. “Our website offers rapid access to real estate and tourist related information, as well as other useful resources. We continue to look for new, more efficient and effective ways to be of service to our clients.”

Redmond currently serves as the president of the Ocean City Board of Realtors and was selected Realtor of the Year in 2011. He served on the board of directors since 2006 and on the executive board since 2008. Redmond has also headed the budget and finance committee and the fundraising committee and served on the public relations and strategic planning committees of the board. 

He volunteers for numerous organizations, including OCNJ CARE. He served as treasurer for the Ocean City Hawks Junior Football Association and is involved in assisting other youth sports organizations, including the OCYAA and the Ocean City Department of Recreation as a baseball and basketball coach.