PHOTO: Laura St. Clair, Owner/Broker, along with Don St. Clair, husband/realtor at Weiss Lake Realty, Joshua St. Clair, son, Keisha Fennell Cline, realtor at Weiss Lake Realty, City of Centre Mayor Mark Mansfield, Alabama Rep. Ginny Shaver, and the outpour of community supporters to help celebrate the ribbon-cutting Wednesday, October 12.
CENTRE - A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 12 to celebrate Laura St. Clair's new ownership of Weiss Lake Realty. Weiss Lake Realty is located at 200 East Main Street, Centre.
Theresa Hulgan, executive director of Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, welcomed those in attendance at the ribbon cutting. "Thank you all for coming out today, It is such an exciting day for Laura and our community. She has been with us for many, many years, but we are just excited to celebrate Laura today."
Interim Pastor, Larry Garrad from Tates Chapel Baptist Church opened the celebration with a passage from Colossians 3:23-24 and prayer blessing Realtor Laura St. Clair's new business venture. Interim Pastor Garrad told those in attendance that of all the scriptures he felt that Colossians 3:23-24 described, (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV - 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.), described Realtor Laura St. Clair and her family.
"Laura and Don want to serve the community here and also, they want to serve all of Centre and Cherokee County as Christians and people that love the Lord," said Interim Pastor Garrad.
When Mrs. St. Clair was asked why she finally wanted to step out and have a business of her own versus working with a partner or for someone like she has at Weiss Lake Realty all these years, she simply said, "it was God's timing."
St. Clair has been in the real estate business for 28 years, and when asked if there is anything she plans to do that she hasn't already been doing in the past 28 years? St. Clair replied, "No, just going to continue relying on God. He has always provided all these years, and everything is His anyway."
Weiss Lake Realty opened in 1987 under Morgan Smith - Owner /Broker on Cedar Bluff Road across from the old hospital, which is now Cherokee County Health and Rehabilitation Center, then in 1989 Sherian Brashier purchased as Owner/ Broker and Weiss Lake Realty moved over on the Chesnut Bypass and around 2001-2002 Weiss Lake Realty moved to their current location, 200 East Main Street, Centre.
St. Clair shared her thoughts on what she thought it takes to be successful in the real estate business. "Well, my idea and a lot of other people's ideas are going to be different, said St. Clair. "My idea is trusting in God, and you have to be a people person, somebody that really cares about people. And Cherokee County is home. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."
"I have a wonderful family, and a mighty God, and I am a simple person. Cherokee County is home and I have seen a lot of changes and we are only getting better. I just hope we never lost that small-town feeling and when people come here, they know it is home.", said St. Clair.
St. Clair said real estate has changed a lot over the years. "We are seeing that right now, with a very slim market. We used to be able to show ten to fifteen houses a day to a buyer but now we are doing good to show them three in the category they want."
Second-home people are not as strong as they were. We have a lot of people that are wanting to move here to call it home and retire here verse just a second home. Homes are going quickly, and yes interest rates may change some things, but people have to have a home.", said St. Clair.
For more information, you can go to Laura St. Clair's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/weisslakerealtor or on her website at www.laurasellsweisslake.com.
You can also reach Laura by calling 256-927-2220, 256-484-7777, or just stopping by the office at 200 East Main Street, Centre.
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