Who is Slate Real Estate?

Slate Real Estate
45 Durbin Pavilion Dr #101,
St Johns, FL 32259
www.slate.realestate

photos by Ann Rains Photography
Cover Photo & photo at Ember & Iron by Shamie Barrett.

​Cole & Laura

Buying and Selling homes in St. Johns with a passion for family, character & community is the philosophy behind Slate Real Estate, and it begins with this dynamic young power couple.

St. Johns native and real estate Broker Cole Slate, along with his wife and business partner Laura, love living and serving clients in the St. Johns community. Their company, Slate Real Estate, opened its doors in 2020 with the new office in the Durbin Park Town Center coming a year later in August 2021. It is a boutique-sized firm with a hyper-community focus that strives to deliver a concierge quality experience.

What makes Slate Real Estate truly special is the team’s relatability. “We live here! Our businesses are here, our homes are here, and our business is all word of mouth and referrals. Same with our marketing, our influence, our following, and our relationships,” explained Cole. “Our work is a reflection of our love for the community and the appreciation we show. We are assisting our referrals, friends, and family with what we have lived. It’s so easy to speak with someone who is interested in our area due to the school district because that is why my parents and I moved here in 1998. The ability to relate goes on and on with all of our agents.”

Cole has lived in 32259 since he was eleven years old when his parents moved here for the school district. He went to Switzerland Point Middle School and graduated from Bartram Trail High School, leaving the area only briefly to attend The University of Florida in Gainesville.

Before he got into real estate, Cole was first an Economic Development Consultant for his father’s business, Strategic Systems. That only lasted a few months before he became a mortgage lender, and then an Exceptional Student Education Paraprofessional at Liberty Pines Academy for the 2011- 2012 school year. Cole was also the Head Coach of LPA’s middle school girls basketball team, as well as an Assistant Coach for the Creekside High School Boys basketball team. He always loved meeting new people and networking, so a transition to a career in real estate was a perfect fit for his charismatic personality.

Laura is also a North Florida native, having grown up in Mandarin and attended The Bolles School. She later earned her Hospitality degree at Auburn University and soon became a real estate agent.  The couple first met at a brokerage versus brokerage kickball tournament.

Slate Real Estate has a philosophy based on the three pillars of family, character, and community. Those three priorities are a guiding force in everything they do, from how they run the business, to how they choose which agents will fit as partners.

The new office reflects this with its light, bright decor and open floor plan reminiscent of a comfortable coffee shop, where agents are free to come and go as needed, as well as host clients and events. Slate Real Estate truly is a big work family.
 
“Everyone has each other’s backs and I feel as though our customers can see that as well. Of course, we have an awesome Sales Team, but we also have a different specialist for every situation on our Support Team as well. Laura and I don’t compete with our agents, which means we don’t sell. We do our best to focus on coaching, training, educating, and supporting our Sales Team in an effort to reach their potential, by using methods I have created over the past nine years.”

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The famous Slate Real Estate Truck

As a company, Slate Real Estate’s sense of community is strong and genuine. They believe in giving back and go beyond in their efforts, hosting annual events such as Teacher Appreciation, First Responder Appreciation, and even Crossing Guard Appreciation.  Cole and Laura also continue to be involved with the nonprofit organization Best Buddies, which promotes Social Inclusion for people with intellectual and development disabilities.

It is these thoughtful gestures that come naturally to the couple and a quality that sets them apart. Their spirit of giving has meant a lot to the community, especially during the pandemic. During the first week of May in 2020, Slate Real Estate teamed up with five locally owned St. Johns area restaurants and covered meals for school district employees, first responders, and front-line workers, assisting in over $20,000 in meals and business that week.
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Opening a new business in the middle of a pandemic definitely has its challenges; but Laura and Cole remain optimistic about the future as Northeast Florida, particularly St. Johns, remains one of the most in-demand areas to buy real estate in the country.

The Foodies

In their free time Laura and Cole appreciate the best life has to offer in St. Johns. Within their community of RiverTown, they enjoy tennis (Laura) and basketball (Cole) as well as spending time with their sweet dog Fenway.  Cole and Laura are big foodies who love dining out at local restaurants, especially in northern St. Johns. Laura is a level one sommelier who studied in California and France to receive the title. (Please check out their recommendations for the best local restaurants in this issue!)

​The Team

Seventeen hand-picked agents and support staff give Slate Real Estate its edge.

Christine Hall
“Knowing the culture that Cole wanted to create, I was excited for the chance to join him in this new venture. The emphasis on family-first and the pursuit of excellence in all things real estate is something that really resonates with me. We call ourselves the firm-fam and it couldn’t be closer to the truth!”


Jamie McLaughlin 
“Slate Real Estate’s devotion to the community, family, and friends is what makes us stand out above all other brokerages. We truly are a family, and all the agents are willing to help out in a moment’s notice. At Slate Real Estate, we focus on forming relationships first and foremost with our clients. Working with your friends doesn’t feel like work. Being able to assist people with one of their biggest financial decisions where clients become lifelong friends is the most rewarding part.”


Nikki-Lyn Holm 
“I have always admired 2-3 agents as I was growing my business, and Cole Slate was at the top of the list.  Whenever I wanted to pick his brain or needed advice, he was there.  Still is.  SRE’s desire to grow the community and support small biz aligns with my soul.  Relationship building is really one of my core strengths and possibly what sets me apart from other agents.  I love connecting people: whether it is with friendships, businesses, or even finding/building their dream homes. I just LOVE putting the pieces of “people puzzles” together. We all have to find the right fit for us.”