AW Spotlight
Risë and Sean Siegrist, the Preferred Realtors® of Wycliffe and Beyond
By Krista Martinelli
If you have never ventured into Wycliffe Golf and Country Club, just west of 441 on Lake Worth Road, you would be amazed at the gorgeous facilities, enriching events, and amazing camaraderie that you see within the gates of this 1,045-home community. I had the chance to talk with the preferred Realtors® of Wycliffe, Risë Siegrist and her son Sean Siegrist, about what makes Wycliffe so special. They also shared their experiences as realtors working in some of the other nearby communities as well.
The Wycliffe Clubhouse is a hub of activities, offering resort-style living with so many things to do every day of the year. This exquisite 80,000 square-foot facility keeps everything connected under one roof, including a tennis center with 16 har tru tennis courts, two 18-hole golf courses, a relaxing spa, a fitness studio which offers 36 different classes, upscale and casual dining facilities, card rooms equipped with 24/7 snacks, resort style pool and locker rooms and more.
“Most importantly, there’s a whole mentality in this community of people being nice to each other. The employees are always trying to do new things to make it a more pleasant experience too,” says Risë. She feels strongly about ethics in business and in the first few minutes of our interview mentions how important the Golden Rule is in doing real estate transactions. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It’s so simple!” Clients clearly appreciate Risë’s ethics and efforts; she has been listed in the Top 15 for Re/Max sales in Florida from 2009 to 2012, as well as winning many other awards for her outstanding results at work.
“One of the main misconceptions is that Wycliffe is a 55-and-older community,” says Risë. “Actually anyone can live here and we are zoned for A-rated schools.”
There are so many excellent professionals within Wycliffe to learn from and benefit from.
When it comes to golf, Wycliffe is proud to have Lynn Stebbins, a member of the LPGA since 1995, when she joined Wycliffe and became a class A member of the organization since 2002. Lynn became the golf director of Wycliffe in 2003. In 2011, Lynn won the esteemed “LPGA Southeast Section Club Professional of the Year” Award. In 2011, Lynn won the esteemed “LPGA Southeast Section Club Professional of the Year” Award. LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals are certified as golf instructors, coaches and business managers through a comprehensive curriculum designed to meets the needs of the golfing public.
Wycliffe is privileged to have a National Champion, Kam Kuchta, as its Tennis Director. Kam has been the Director of Tennis at Wycliffe since 2006. Kam’s most recent win was in March 2012 where he won the 2012 National Clay Court Championship for the Men’s 35 Singles. Kam also won the Men’s 40 Doubles Championship at this tournament. His numerous other championships include the 2011 National Clay Court Championship Men’s 40 Singles, third place in the 2011 USPTA National Men’s 35 Clay Court Doubles, the 2010 USPTA Men’s 35 Singles #1 Player Rating, the 2010 USPTA National Clay Court Championship Men’s 40 Singles, the 2010 USPTA Florida State Championship Men’s 40 Singles and the 2008 USPTA Men’s 35 Singles #1 Player Rating.
“They are the best at what they do,” explains Sean Siegrist, “yet they are still down-to-Earth when it comes to teaching.”
Recently Risë, along with head golf pro Lynn Stebbins, traveled to the Westchester Golf Show in White Plains to exhibit what Wycliffe Golf and Country Club has to offer. As 90% of new home owners in Wycliffe are re-locating from the Northeast and many of them are serious about having fun playing golf, this was a great avenue for reaching out to a New York audience.
She thinks outside of the box when it comes to marketing; that’s
why the Board of Directors at Wycliffe selected Risë to be their preferred Wycliffe realtor over two years ago. “They liked the video that I wanted to make, showcasing the best of Wycliffe,” she explains. “I wanted aerial views of the golf course – I wanted to land a helicopter on the driving range and do a few things that had not been done before.” Check out the official Wycliffe video, which can also be seen at www.RiseAtWycliffe.com.
These days the Siegrist family works an efficient team with Risë focused on the sellers, Sean focused on the buyers, Risë’s husband Gene working with mortgages and Sean’s wife Jennifer doing administrative work and implementing new systems.
What makes the Siegrist team so successful? “People say it’s luck, but I say hard work makes for good luck,” says Risë, who definitely works more than a 40-hour work week. Risë and Sean work hard for their clients, and they are (almost) always working.
Having an excellent referral program helps a great deal too. When a Wycliffe resident refers a new buyer, they get a $1,000 credit to use at Wycliffe. Although she is quite possibly the busiest person at Wycliffe, Risë is a big fan of the hand-written “thank you” note. “If someone gives you a personal referral, you need to stop right there and write a hand-written thank you note,” she says.
They also have a special “Fly and Buy” program for buyers. If a new buyer reaches a contract within 90 days of their trip, Risë and Sean will pay up to $1500 for travel expenses related to the purchase of the new home.
While the majority of their clients are looking to buy or sell within Wycliffe, Risë and Sean have also become quite well-versed in other nearby communities – like the Valencias, Villagio, Bellagio, Buena Vida and others. See “Communities” on their website for a full listing of additional communities they specialize in.
“The best thing about helping people buy and sell their homes is the satisfaction of a job well-done,” says Risë. Clients rave about the professionalism and the results that they get, when they work with Risë and Sean. See their “Testimonials” page for a few other examples of clients who shared their appreciation.
Risë Siegrist also likes to stay involved and give back to her local community. She is very active, as the President of the Wycliffe Chapter of Hadassah, an organization she has been a member of since the age of 13. Hadassah puts on a lot of events, including fashion shows, educational lectures and programs. Thanks to Risë’s efforts and leadership, Wycliffe Hadassah has a new Bulletin and 2 new Communication VP’s. The Siegrists are also sponsors of Wycliffe Charities, a very effective charity organization which gives back to approximately 15 non-profits in our local community. This year Wycliffe Charities will donate over $100,000 to local charities with $70,000 being raised during this year’s Wycliffe Charities Golf Tournament, their keynote event. Risë and Sean are sponsors of the ever-popular Wycliffe Stiffs stickball league, and Sean plays on the league. “The Wycliffe Stiffs are a great group of guys ranging from their 50s to 90s, and they really help each other on and off the field,” says Sean. (See related video about the Wycliffe Stiffs). Risë has sponsored the “Play for Pink” tennis breakfast for several years, which raises money for breast cancer research.
The Siegrists work well together as a family, and it’s unusual to have a family unit of four able to work so closely together. “We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” says Sean, who works well with his wife Jennifer, mother Risë and father Gene. Sean and Jennifer have a five-year-old daughter. And Risë has another son Jared, who enjoys his job as a math instructor in Jupiter. Risë’s stepmother Marjorie Viener is the ballroom dance instructor at Wycliffe. “My family keeps me from getting too bogged down in work. They have a great sense of humor,” says Risë.
Risë and Sean work out of the modernized Re/Max office, which is located just outside of the Mall at Wellington Green, in a strip mall of stores which includes Saito’s Japanese Restaurant, UltraCleaners and Cold Stone Creamery. Instead of the old model of a real estate office, this office is set up as a coffee bar with open spaces and wireless access. Clients love it!
If you’re curious about Wycliffe or any of the other nearby communities in our area, just call Risë or Sean any day of the week! They are always ready to serve you. Check out their website – www.RiseatWycliffe.com and Facebook page, “Wycliffe Golf and Country Club Homes.”
Risë and Sean Siegrist, Re/Max Realtors®
Preferred Wycliffe Realtors
Visit www.RiseatWycliffe.com
Risë Siegrist – 561-889-6873
Sean Siegrist – 561-568-3284