Oldfather Group adds three to growing coastal real estate team
The Oldfather Group of Ocean Atlantic Sotheby’s International Realty, with offices in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach, announced the addition of Nick LaPointe, Lauren Clements and Erika Smith to its continuously growing team of coastal real estate professionals. All three have come on board in recent months, and provided a new level of expertise and professionalism to one of the coastal region’s largest and busiest real estate firms.
"We're always excited for extraordinary people to join us at the Oldfather Group. We're delighted Nick, Lauren and Erika have joined us in serving our clients as our reach grows here in the coastal region," said Dustin Oldfather, the company's chief executive. "They’re going to make a difference for our clients in the weeks, months and years to come."
Clements comes to the Oldfather Group after a career at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, N.J., and several years in the manufacturing sector. She said both experiences have prepared her for a career helping clients buy or sell homes at the Delaware and Maryland beaches. Adopting and firmly believing in the mantra of Improve, Adapt, Overcome, Clements brings her strong negotiating and problem-solving skills to the Oldfather Group, where she’s already become a key member of the team.
“At first, the thought of joining a group didn’t appeal to me, but after meeting them and seeing how supportive they are of each other, it really made sense to me as an agent to have a team that can back me up,” said Clements. “And the more I learn, the more I love every aspect of real estate.”
Some of her favorite things to do in coastal Delaware include watching movies at the historic Clayton Theatre in Dagsboro, kayaking at Trap Pond State Park and attending many of the region’s family-friendly local festivals.
Focusing primarily on the Ocean City, Md. market, LaPointe is working closely with the Oldfather Group’s coastal Maryland sales team and comes to the company after a career in the financial industry. He believes the Ocean City market is ripe with opportunities for investors, which he plans on exploring by working with clients who are interested in Maryland’s top resort destination.
“I really believe this area has great opportunities for investment properties, especially this time of year,” he said. “And I really feel like this is the best place for me to start my real estate career, with the many resources the company contributes to agent success.”
Due to his past work experiences, LaPointe believes his communication skills and financial experience will be strong assets to lean on in his growing real estate career.
The Oldfather Group also welcomes Smith to the team as transaction coordinator.
Focusing mainly on client relations and contract ratification, the native of Hershey, Pa., comes to the Oldfather Group after a career as a program developer for Auburn University. Building on that experience, she’s already become a valuable asset to the company’s client care team.
“The Oldfather Group provided a wonderful opportunity for me to be involved in the real estate business without having to get my license, which really appealed to me,” said Smith. “I love the process of how we do things here as a team, and that I get to meet and help a lot of different people achieve their dream of owning a home at the beach.”
Like many who have moved to coastal Delaware, Smith visited the region while growing up in Pennsylvania. She and her husband got engaged at the beach, and now both refer to the area as their “happy place.”
The Oldfather Group was founded in 2004 and specializes in real estate sales throughout coastal Delaware, including Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island, as well as the coastal Maryland towns of Ocean City and Berlin, and now northern New Castle County.
