Top two teams join Keller Williams Realty

LAKEWOOD RANCH — After eight years with Prudential Palms Realty (now Prudential Lakewood Ranch Realty), the top-producing Jim Soda Group announced it joined Keller Williams Realty and brought another top-producing team — Ian and Julie Cutmore — with it.

“It was a good fit for us,” Jim Soda said of Keller Williams. “The model they use really supports a team system. It’s a great structure for real estate groups to grow.”

And growing is what the Sodas plan to do.

The couple already has made connections with Keller Williams teams in Miami, Ohio and California for referrals and plans to keep expanding its network. The Soda Group also plans to add team members from Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Anna Maria and Bradenton, as well as to form luxury and international departments.

“This is a dynamic move, not only for us but for our buyers and sellers,” Donna Soda said.

Jim added: “We have more leeway. We’re our own umbrella under a major umbrella.”

The Cutmores, whom the Sodas met about six years ago, will bring an international expertise to the Soda Group. Originally from England, the Cutmores have helped international clients relocate to the area throughout their career here.

“They’re as dedicated to the business as we are,” Donna Soda said. “We have the same goals. We want to grow, and we want to grow with people with the same convictions.”

“Every transaction we ever did together was always pleasant,” Jim Soda said.

Together, the Sodas and the Cutmores are responsible for more than $250 million in combined real estate transactions over the past eight years. Trendgraphix reports for the 34202 zip code show they are the No. 1 and No. 2 real estate teams in Lakewood Ranch.

Although they had to climb over boxes, rearrange furniture and keep up with paperwork last week, the Sodas say they stayed productive as they moved into their new Keller Williams office at 6710 Professional Parkway.

The Lakewood Ranch residents said they are excited about their new affiliation. Jim Soda will be a panelist for a session on marketing and branding during Keller Williams’ Family Reunion event in California next month.

The Sodas also plan to hold more seminars for prospective homebuyers, such as one on currency exchange and international purchases, likely sometime in March.

“We’re also planning to do more short sale seminars in the future,” Donna Soda said. “There’s a huge thirst (for that).”

The Sodas said they have been considering changing real estate companies for about the past six months and settled on Keller Williams because it best suited their goals.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Meet the Cutmores
Originally from County Durham in northeastern England, Ian and Julie Cutmore moved to Florida in 2001. After building a home in Lakewood Ranch, the Cutmores soon became involved in real estate, starting initially with Lakewood Ranch Realty.

The couple has received the Five Star Best in Customer Satisfaction Award every year since 2006.

“We just feel as a team we can combine our resources and knowledge,” Ian Cutmore said of the decision to join the Soda Group. “We’ve got over 30 years combined experience together, and we think that’s quite a package to serve our customers better.

“We’re excited,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it. We feel the real estate market, particularly in this area, is doing really well.”

Family business
Jim Soda is a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network, an accredited buyers representative, a certified new home sales professional and a certified luxury home marking specialist.

Donna Soda, who has a background in the stock market, joined her husband in real estate in 2004 and is responsible for The Jim Soda Group’s online marketing, blogging and social media.