Great Point Properties and Sanford Real Estate merge
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Two well-established island real estate firms will become one when Sanford Real Estate and Great Point Properties merge into a single business. Edward Sanford, whose company opened in April 2003, said the combined firm will retain the Great Point Properties name and is in the process of buying 1 North Beach St. from George Nyren for its new location. Great Point Properties, which opened in September 2002, is owned by Greg McKechnie and Bill Liddle.

ROB BENCHLEY/The Independent Edward Sanford (center), flanked by Bill Liddle (left) and Greg McKechnie in front of 1 North Beach St. yesterday, the future home of their new firm.

"The three of us felt very strongly that merging the companies would create a better company than two offices standing alone," Sanford said. "We're merging two very good staffs. I like Greg and Bill a lot and respect their experience and opinions. It's just a good fit."

The closing on 1 North Beach St. is expected in early February and Great Point Properties will move into the three older street level business units. One of those units is still being leased to the Brazil Minimart whose owner, Ursula Nazareth, is searching for another location before she must close and move on March 31. The two other units did contain the Chele clothing store and J. Parave hair and beauty services, both of which have vacated those rentals. Nyren constructed a two-unit addition on the building last year. Sanford said if David and Amber Cantella receive approval from the selectmen for a seasonal wine and malt package store license they will open a new store, Epernay, in one of the new units the couple began leasing in December. No commitments have been made for the second new unit. There are also two upstairs apartments.

McKechnie said he and Liddle look forward to officially launching the new venture with Sanford on May 30.

"I used to work with Edward. He and I are good friends and he's got a good mind for management and organization," said McKechnie. "When Bill and I opened the office there were a lot of things we wanted to do, so we wanted to take it to the next level. Bill and I have a great partnership. I feel Edward is only going to contribute to that. [The new location] is high visibility and a short walk to town. We want to keep business in town as much as possible."

Sanford, McKechnie and Liddle will be the company principals with Sanford named as president. Sanford explained that they agreed on the Great Point Properties name because that firm has attained a sort of seniority with its Internet site running longer than his, making it more of a presence in an industry that is becoming more and more Internet-driven.

"We will create a new logo and do a lot of public relations to let people know we are merging, but we decided it would be a mistake to have a new name," said Sanford, adding that the company's Web site will be expanded and the firm will report on local real estate changes and events.

The merger brings together a staff of three administrative employees and 13 real estate agents. On the administrative side, Virna Gonzalez will be marketing director, Laura Fletcher will be rental manager and Julie Gasco will be office manager. Besides Sanford, McKechnie and Liddle, the rest of the company group includes Debbi Deeley Culbertson, Elizabeth Finlay, Michael Getter, Dawn Hill, Wayne Howington, Barbara Joyce, Tracy King, Stuart Reid, Phil Witte and Amanda Tosch.

"It's a fun group of people to work with," said McKechnie.

Beyond their tenure in real estate, all three principals are involved in the community. Sanford has served on the boards of the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce, the steering committee for the Nantucket Comprehensive Plan, the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club and as president of the Nantucket Association of Real Estate Brokers. He spent six years on the Zoning Board of Appeals where he gained valuable knowledge of local zoning and building regulations.

Liddle is on the board of the Nantucket New School, is vice-president of NAREB and also serves on its executive committee.

McKechnie is president of the Nantucket Boys and Girls Club and has served as a board member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Nantucket.

"I'm really excited," Sanford said. "We're all really excited. We're creating a new company and from a service perspective it's going to give us the ability to

serve clients as we want to." I