InTucker Magazine

Business Boom – November 2019

Tucker is undoubtedly one of the fastest-rising business destinations in the Metro Atlanta area.  Each month, the ‘Business Boom’ by our Community & Economic Development Director John McHenry, will seek to show different examples of how Tucker’s business scene is flourishing.

We talk so often about new people and new businesses coming to Tucker. There’s a lot to love about our little city, but to make that move, often the buyer needs the assistance of a skilled and knowledgeable real estate agent. Fortunately, we have an abundance of those here in Tucker.

In September, Smoke Rise Agents opened a new office at Heritage Place Office Park at 4500 Hugh Howell Road. The team, owned by Soltys, Inc., recently affiliated with PalmerHouse Properties, a brokerage with over 2,000 agents and 81 teams. The Smoke Rise Agents team features a dozen agents and four more on the support staff. They are continuing to expand their residential practice in Tucker, Smoke Rise, Decatur, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville, Lawrenceville and Stone Mountain.

“We have agent specialists in each of these geographic areas so that buyers and sellers are getting the best possible service,” said Smoke Rise Agents team leader and Tucker City Councilmember Pat Soltys. “We’re a tech-savvy, customer-oriented practice with 150 closed sides last year.”

The Mayor and other City Councilmembers helped cut the ribbon at the new Heritage Place location on September 26. At the ceremony, Mayor Auman noted, “Pat and her team have chosen to move to Tucker and it’s a business in the business of moving people to Tucker.”

There has also been the move of Georgian Home Realty to 5180 Lavista Road from their Main Street location. The charming former home is owned by local REALTOR Crayton Lankford.

“It’s a great location for a real estate office because there are over 20,000 vehicles a day to see them, while still centrally located for the Tucker market,” Lankford shared.

As if there wasn’t enough happening on the Tucker real estate scene, we’re excited to see that one of our very own local agents, Bob Espy, has won the prestigious Georgia 2019 REALTOR® of the Year.

“We are so proud to have Bob Espy as our REALTOR® of the Year,” said Chris Jiles, 2019 President of the Georgia REALTORS®. “Bob is a hard-working man who has committed himself to not only the real estate industry, but to his community as well. He is more than deserving of this honor.”

Bob manages Espy Real Estate & Development Center located in the Smoke Rise community, a firm that he started in 2016. He is an active and engaged member of the Tucker community and has donated countless hours to the Tucker Business Association and Tucker Civic Association, as well as playing a prominent role in the success of Tucker Day.

“I could not think of a better place to do business than the City of Tucker!” Bob said. “This has always been home to me. Cityhood has seen Tucker become a major player in the Atlanta market not only for residential, but commercial and industrial real estate as well. I am very optimistic to the see the next chapter in Tucker’s future.”

As Tucker continues to grow, it is important that we realize the important contributions of these and other real estate professionals working in the Tucker community.