My real name is Robert but everyone calls me Opey.  As the story goes, I was born in 1966 when “The Andy Griffith Show” was at its peak and my big sister decided I looked more like an “Opey” than a “Bobby” and the name stuck.

I am a big fan of Life in all its glorious facets.  There is just so much to learn and do.  When I was a child, my mother once asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I answered, “Everything”.  My father was a pilot in the Air Force and he encouraged me to fly.  I got my private pilot’s license in my teens then went on to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where I graduated in 1989 with a degree in aviation business.  I went to work for McDonnell Douglas as an international business representative for a couple of years until I realized that I wasn’t cut out to be a corporate yuppie.  So I packed my bags and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a childhood dream of being a professional musician.  For the next 6 years I worked as a sound engineer and studio musician and got to tour the country with my band as the opening act for 80’s pop star Adam Ant.

In my early 30’s I moved to the beautiful Emerald Coast and traded in my guitar for a computer and started a software company.  I sold the company in 2004 and took some time off to build a house and write a book about my brother Randy, who has Down Syndrome.  The book, titled “It’s All About Love”, was published in 2007. (Warning: here comes a shameless plug) It can be purchased at BooksAMillion.com and Amazon.com.

While writing the book, I became intrigued with the Real Estate market along this gorgeous Emerald Coast.  I got my initial license and I loved it so much that I went on to get my Broker and Instructor licenses.  There’s just something about this place that gets into your soul and warms you from within.  I’m very passionate about sharing this warmth with others whether I’m teaching it to new agents or helping people buy or sell here.

I married my soul mate Angela in 1998 and we were blessed with a son Jackson in 2002.  We love entertaining guests in our home, going to the beach and sharing this wonderful life with our family and friends.

I first met Karen Smith when she was a student in one of my broker classes.  I remember thinking that her passion for real estate and tireless work ethic combined with her untamed optimism and love of life were going to make her an amazing broker.  She has a very special quality that makes others feel good when they are in her presence.  Like chocolate chip cookies when they are warm and fresh from the oven, you just can’t turn away.  So when she contacted me about coming to work for her at Beachy Beach, I jumped at the chance.  She was recently voted “Broker of the Year” by the Bay County Association of Realtors.  The student has become the teacher.

If you are considering buying or selling real estate along the Emerald Coast, then I assure you, there is no better brokerage than Beachy Beach Real Estate!