New father and son co-owners of Suncastle Properties implement new processes to expedite growth

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About a year and a half after purchasing Suncastle Properties, father and son duo Mark and Matt Odekirk are confident the new processes they’ve recently implemented have helped grow the business, and now they’re seeking more properties to continue that growth.

“On an annualized basis, we were about 65 percent booked and occupied,” Odekirk said. “Since we’ve now started partnering with Airbnb, we’re seeing that ticking up in excess of 70 percent. The biggest thing we’re looking at now is, we do need more properties.”

The Ponte Vedra Beach-based business is a full-service real estate company with nine employees primarily focused on property management, vacation rentals and long-term rentals. The Odekirks acquired the company in March 2017 from Sue Ogden. Mark previously worked for 38 years in the environmental services industry, and his son, Matt, worked in sales for a plastic manufacturer and in the homebuilding and real estate industry.

Since acquiring the business, Mark said a primary initiative for the company has been to adapt to the changes in the vacation rental and property management industry, which he said has mostly moved online. As a result, Suncastle Properties has partnered with Airbnb and other online travel agents to increase the exposure of its properties. On a similar note, Mark said the company has worked to improve its search engine optimization. The business, Matt said, has also implemented a screening process to ensure prospective tenants are the right fit for the owner and the company.

Other procedures the company has implemented, Matt said, include inspections, guest processes for check-ins/check-outs, cleaning processes, maintenance programs and more.

“We try to take all the stress and anxiety away from the owner,” Mark explained. “They’re looking for passive income off of their investments.”

A testament to the company’s success with these new processes was seen during THE PLAYERS Championship in May 2018, when the company rented out over 20 homes in Ponte Vedra. By going in and completing the inspections prior to the tenants’ stay, Mark said they didn’t receive a single call about any problems.

“The processes we’ve put in place have really enhanced the guest experience,” Mark said. “That’s really what our primary focus is, to make sure the guest comes in, has a flawless experience with the property, help them with other experiences of the area that they then refer us to their friends and families. (That) creates recurring revenue for the owner and enhances their return on investment.”

Now with these processes in place, Suncastle Properties is looking to continue to grow.  The business currently has over 80 properties stretching from Jacksonville Beach to St. Augustine, ranging in style and price from single family homes with five to six bedrooms to condominiums and townhomes. The Odekirks said if they are lacking in one area, it’s oceanfront rentals.

“That’s an area that we’re really trying to focus on,” Mark said. “It’s amazing the number of people we turn away each and every month who are looking for oceanfront rentals.”

For more information on Suncastle Properties, visit https://www.suncastleproperties.com/.