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Point B Realty 10 Year Anniversary On Martha's Vineyard

A Decade Of Building Connections On Martha's Vineyard

By Karla Araujo, Martha's Vineyard Times -- A decade can fly by, especially on the wings of passion and purpose. In just ten years, Wendy Harman, founder of Point B Realty, has built her independent boutique agency into one of the top Martha's Vineyard real estate firms for overall property sales and vacation rentals.

 

And while some companies would be content to celebrate their decade-long accomplishments, Point B is instead launching a reimagined vacation rental service this summer.

 

Never complacent, Wendy and her growing staff of 21 agents and client service specialists combine their sales, marketing, and technology expertise to offer buyers, sellers, landlords, and renters, innovative ideas and uniquely personalized service. That, along with a sincere commitment to raising and contributing funds to some of the most critical causes on Martha's Vineyard, keeps the professionals at Point B hard at work.

 

Owners Wendy Harman, center, and Win Baker, left, go over design choices for the new office with Keith Musinski, design architect. Photo: Gabrielle Mannino

Founder/Principal Broker Wendy Harman, left, with Managing Director Guinevere Cramer, center, Win Baker, Vice President, right.

Breaking News: Point B Vacation Experiences

Starting out as a three-agent brokerage in April 2009, Wendy created a vacation rental service to complement the company's business goals. Today, she and her team of agents have built Point B into a leader on Martha's Vineyard.

 

And brand new this summer: Point B Rental + Vacation Experiences. Located next door to the firm's sales and corporate offices in downtown Edgartown's Nevin Square, the new Vacation Experiences store is unlike any other vacation rental service on the Vineyard.

 

First, it's a place to check-in and pick up rental home keys. Then, Point B's "experience experts" are available to help create classic, one-of-a-kind excursions and curated experiences.

 

"People aren't just booking rental houses anymore," Win Baker, Point B Vice President, Business Operations, explains. "They want authentic experiences. Using our knowledge and personal connections, we'll put together outings, events, and adventures they couldn't create on their own."

 

Wendy and her husband Win are working closely with Keith Musinski, principal at Equilibrium, an architectural and interior design firm. His job: to create an extraordinary new space at 29 Winter Street that complements the one he designed just three years ago that serves as Point B's sales and corporate offices.

 

"Fresh, hip, and modern." That's how Keith characterizes the new Vacation Experiences space. Both Island residents and visitors will find ample opportunity to enjoy it as Wendy and Guinevere Cramer, Point B's Managing Director and overseer of events and "experiences," plan to host a busy schedule of evening wine tastings, trunk shows, and other engaging events throughout the season.

 

Keith shares Wendy and Win's fresh vision of Vineyard-inspired space. "I call it the "Vineyard Left Turn,'" Keith says. "It's more unexpected, more modern. Think clean lines and sophisticated seaside colors."

 

According to Wendy, guests will enjoy Vacation Experiences' "lounge-y feel, a cool place they can relax and explore curated options, catch up on emails, store their luggage, sip a chilled beverage." Comfortable, flexible seating and music will provide the backdrop to a unique new environment, a "thank you to clients," as Wendy puts it, and a welcome to newcomers.

 

Residents and visitors are invited to stop by and check out the new line of Vacation Experiences' unique custom t-shirts and other Vineyard-centric merchandise.

 

Point B`s Original MV Zip Code T-Shirts. Photo: WPB3 Digital

Commitment From The Top

Wendy brings expertise in business, marketing, sales, and brand management to the helm of Point B. When you add her love for the Island and insistence on the highest level of personal service, it's no surprise that the company has achieved success. Point B Realty has been voted "Best Real Estate Company On Martha's Vineyard" for the last five years, has closed over $600 million in property sales and $75 million in vacation rental bookings - and Wendy has continued to be ranked as one of the top-performing brokers on the Island.

 

But numbers only tell part of the story. When clients work with a Point B Realty agent, they enjoy the added depth and benefit of an entire team of experts that handles the marketing, technology, customer service, and transaction management.

Point B Global Reach

While Point B remains an independent, boutique firm created on Martha's Vineyard, it now enjoys significant global reach and international networking through two key alliances. Point B is the only island firm to be selected as a member of the Board of Regents for Who's Who In Luxury Real Estate, as well as Leverage Global Partners.

 

Both groups host widely viewed websites, and also provide an exclusive network of the world's top brokers. The web exposure and personal broker connections have already played key roles in a number of Point B transactions. Who's Who In Luxury Real Estate maintains the largest luxury real estate portal in the world, and has just launched a special destination site for Martha's Vineyard that exclusively delivers Point B Realty sales and vacation rental listings to its global audience.

High tech -- High touch

Point B's emphasis on cutting-edge technology makes the buying, selling, and renting process more efficient and transparent. Interactive, hands-on real estate apps and cloud-based paperless transaction management make real estate transactions easier and more engaging. Utilizing HD video, architectural and 3-D photography, virtual reality tours, voice recognition and artificial intelligence, Facebook and social media, blogging, as well as email, and more traditional forms of marketing, clients benefit from the company's investment in the smartest tools available today.

 

Agents Sheylah Jordan and Katie Dawson, sales front desk. Photo: Gabrielle Mannino

The Point B difference: combining high tech efficiency with a company culture that emphasizes personal service.

A Passion For People And Place

Wendy came to the Island as a vacationer from Seattle in the summer of 1992. She felt a deep connection to the Vineyard - the people she met and the beauty of the landscape - she simply couldn't shake.

 

"Before I came here I never went to the same place twice," she explains. "But I kept returning, making new friends, and discovering more about the Island to love."

 

As Point B Realty has grown, so has its dedication to helping those in need. In 2011, Wendy and her husband created the Martha's Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite, an annual fundraising event during Christmas in Edgartown that has raised $171,000 over the past eight years to benefit the Martha's Vineyard Boys and Girls Club and its vital after-school food program. The entire Point B Team is directly involved in volunteering and raising funds for other nonprofits that serve island residents and families, housing, the environment, and sustainability throughout the year.

 

Point B is a business. But it's a business that's passionate about the people and well-being of the Island.

A Look Ahead

"As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we feel so humbled and grateful that we've created a business where we get to work with so many wonderful people, in such a magical place," Wendy says. "So many start as clients and end up as friends. It's the best job in the world!"

 

The Point B Team invites all its clients, colleagues, and friends to stop by - either office this summer -- and join the 10-year anniversary celebration.

 

The new Rental Experiences store is located at 29 Winter Street, in Edgartown's Nevin Square. It is next door to Point B's Sales and Corporate office at 19 Winter Street.