Experience matters. So does having the right person beside you.
Real estate decisions become easier when you have good information and someone you trust sitting on your side of the table.
I'm Lois Marris, REALTOR® with Ponte Vedra Club Realty. I've been helping people buy and sell residential real estate since 2005, and today I focus on Ponte Vedra Beach, Ponte Vedra/Nocatee, Jacksonville Beach, Intracoastal West and selected Southeast Jacksonville communities.
Many of the people I work with are established homeowners, repeat buyers, cash buyers, downsizers and clients relocating to Northeast Florida. Some have a straightforward move ahead of them. Others have a property, family circumstance or transaction that requires considerably more thought.
What can you expect when you work with me?
Real estate representation should amount to considerably more than opening doors or putting a property into the MLS. My job is to help you understand the whole picture so you can make good decisions.
That means studying the market, asking questions, noticing details, anticipating potential problems, explaining your options and giving you an honest recommendation when you ask for one.
It also means staying involved. Real estate transactions have a lot of moving parts: inspections, appraisals, associations, title work, insurance, financing, repair issues, deadlines and sometimes unexpected problems. I keep track of the details and continue working through closing.
You should never have to wonder what's happening with your own transaction.
Selling a home takes more than putting it on the market.
Every home competes for a buyer's attention. Before your property is listed, I want to understand the home, the competition, your goals and the buyers most likely to consider it.
Together, we look at what should be repaired, refreshed, rearranged or left alone; how the property should be photographed and presented; how it compares with current alternatives; and where it should be positioned on price.
Once the home is on the market, I keep watching the response. Are buyers scheduling showings? What are they noticing? What objections are we hearing? Has new competition appeared? Are market conditions changing?
Marketing shouldn't stop the day a listing goes live.
Buying? Finding the house is only the beginning.
Most buyers can find homes online. My value begins with helping you evaluate them.
Is the asking price supported by the market? How does the property compare with recent sales? What might affect resale? What does the association cover? Are there restrictions or expenses you should understand? Is a renovation truly adding value?
When we've found the right property, we look at how to structure the offer around price, terms, contingencies, timing and risk.
This is especially important for cash buyers. Cash can make an offer very strong, but it doesn't mean you should overpay or unnecessarily give away protections.
My job isn't to convince you to buy a house. It's to help you decide whether you should buy this house.
“Very thorough on market analysis, identifying potential groups of buyers and constantly changing the description of the property to highlight what is important for the various groups of prospective buyers. Very aggressive on follow-ups with every realtor that showed the property... great constant communication to make it a team effort. I strongly recommend her.”— Oscar Suarez, Google Review
Experience matters most when things don't go according to plan.
I began my real estate career in Rochester, Minnesota, home of Mayo Clinic, where my husband and I built a residential real estate practice together. I earned my own real estate license in 2005.
A few years later, the housing and mortgage markets changed dramatically. Transactions that once seemed routine became complicated. We learned changing short-sale processes, worked with lenders and helped homeowners navigate circumstances they never expected to face.
We stayed in the business, kept learning and kept solving problems.
That experience still influences the way I practice real estate today. I've worked through very different housing markets, changing interest-rate environments, financing problems, inspections, appraisals, difficult negotiations and the many surprises that can appear between the first conversation and closing day.
The market changes. The fundamentals don't.
Know the market. Understand the contract. Communicate clearly. Solve the problem in front of you. And take care of your client.
“We searched areas all around Florida and spoke with numerous agents and Lois was simply great. When we decided on the Jacksonville area she was so well informed and knowledgeable it made it so helpful in our search. We finished our search and then purchased sight unseen because we trusted her so much.”— Garth Gibson, Google Review
Sometimes the real estate is only part of the story.
Not every move happens because someone simply decided it would be fun to buy a different house.
I've helped people sell property after the death of someone they love. I've worked with families dealing with inherited property, probate and difficult family circumstances. I've helped clients make real estate decisions during divorce and other major life transitions.
I've also worked with older homeowners considering whether it is time to leave a longtime home, as well as families helping parents work through that decision.
Situations like these require real estate knowledge, but they also require patience, good communication and respect for the fact that a property decision may be only one part of something much bigger.
Sometimes the most useful thing I can do is slow the problem down, explain the available choices and help make the next step manageable.
“Sometimes business relies primarily on expertise, knowledge and experience. But sometimes you also need a high dose of empathy, patience, communication and understanding. Lois is able to bring both. She helped my father through the sale of a home during a very stressful, emotional time, and she was the right person for the job.”— Scott Stolze, Google Review
Choosing the right area matters just as much as choosing the right house.
I understand relocation from both sides because I've done it myself. After years of real estate in Minnesota, my family moved to Northeast Florida. Our own longstanding relationship with Mayo Clinic was one of the reasons Jacksonville made sense for us.
Today I help buyers understand not only individual properties, but the meaningful differences between communities in and around Ponte Vedra Beach and Southeast Jacksonville.
Beach access, proximity to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, golf and club communities, boating, newer versus established neighborhoods, condominium or HOA structure, gated communities, 55+ options and location within a particular neighborhood can all affect daily life and future resale.
If you're relocating here, you shouldn't have to figure all of that out from listing descriptions and Google Maps.
I want to help you understand what living here is actually like—and then help you decide where you fit.
More than 20 years of experience, applied personally to your move.
I am based in Ponte Vedra Beach and work primarily in Ponte Vedra Beach, Ponte Vedra/Nocatee, Jacksonville Beach, Intracoastal West and selected Southeast Jacksonville communities.
My work includes single-family homes, condominiums, gated communities, golf communities, active-adult communities and properties that don't fit neatly into a template.
I have completed specialized training through the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and in real estate services for senior clients.
Credentials matter. But after more than two decades in this business, I've learned that some of the most useful real estate knowledge doesn't come from a course.
It comes from years of showings, inspections, negotiations, market changes, difficult conversations, solved problems and transactions that teach you what to look for the next time.
Questions buyers and sellers often want answered.
How long has Lois Marris been in real estate?
Lois Marris has worked in residential real estate since 2005, bringing more than 20 years of experience to buyers and sellers in Northeast Florida.
What areas does Lois Marris serve?
Lois focuses on Ponte Vedra Beach and a defined Northeast Florida corridor that includes Ponte Vedra/Nocatee, Jacksonville Beach, Intracoastal West and selected Southeast Jacksonville communities.
Does Lois work with cash buyers?
Yes. Cash can strengthen an offer, but cash buyers still benefit from market analysis, property evaluation, careful contract terms, inspections, title review and thoughtful negotiation.
Does Lois personally stay involved in the transaction?
Yes. Lois's approach is hands-on and personal, from the early planning and property evaluation through negotiation, inspections, association requirements, title work and closing.
Can Lois help before I'm ready to sell?
Yes—and earlier is often better. A conversation before renovations or major repairs can help determine what may improve the sale and what may not be worth the expense.
Can Lois help someone relocating near Mayo Clinic Jacksonville?
Yes. Lois works with buyers evaluating Intracoastal West, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach and other communities that can provide practical access to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville.
Real estate is my profession. It's not my entire personality.
Outside of real estate, I'm happiest spending time with family, walking the beach or working on my latest painting.
I'm naturally curious, which probably explains both the art and the way I approach real estate. I like understanding how things work, researching questions and figuring out why something isn't working when it should.
I've also never been particularly interested in being the loudest agent in the room.
I'd rather be the one my clients trust enough to call when the decision really matters.
You don't have to be ready to move to have a conversation.
Maybe you're wondering what your home could realistically sell for. Maybe you're thinking about downsizing, relocating to Northeast Florida, buying before you sell, paying cash for your next home or simply trying to decide whether this is the right time to make a move.
Tell me what you're trying to figure out. We'll start there.
Lois Marris, REALTOR® · Ponte Vedra Club Realty · (904) 373-8033
