Valdosta Board of REALTORS

✨Affiliate Friday Spotlight ✨

This week, we're excited to feature Lexi Smith- Mortgage Specialist 🏡💙

Lexi does more than just mortgages—she helps people create a plan for homeownership. From first-time homebuyers and VA loans to construction loans, down payment assistance, and more, Lexi is dedicated to making the financing process feel simple and helping each buyer find the option that works best for them.

💭 Why she loves serving our community:
"I love serving this community because I get to help people turn homeownership from something that may feel overwhelming or out of reach into an achievable goal. Whether someone is ready to buy now or needs a plan to get there, I love being a resource they can trust throughout the process. It’s also incredibly rewarding to build lasting relationships with local buyers, families, Realtors, and other professionals while helping our community continue to grow."

📍 Did You Know?
Lexi has been serving the mortgage industry for nearly five years, building relationships throughout our community and helping buyers navigate the path to homeownership. Whether a client is ready to purchase today or needs help creating a plan for the future, Lexi is passionate about being a trusted resource every step of the way.

Thank you, Lexi, for your continued partnership with the Valdosta Board of REALTORS® and for the important role you play in helping individuals and families achieve their homeownership goals. We appreciate your dedication to our members and our community!

Connect with Lexi: Lexi Smith- Mortgage Specialist

Congratulations to our own Wendy Cook!

We're excited to celebrate Wendy Cook, who has been named one of the 2026 Georgia REALTOR® of the Year nominees by the Georgia Association of REALTORS®!

This recognition honors REALTORS® who demonstrate outstanding professionalism, leadership, and service to both the industry and their communities. We are incredibly proud to see Wendy representing the Valdosta Board of REALTORS® among this year's outstanding nominees.

Join us in congratulating Wendy as we cheer her on! The 2026 Georgia REALTOR® of the Year will be announced during the Georgia Association of REALTORS® Annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans, August 31–September 4.

Congratulations, Wendy! We wish you the very best!

We’re proud to introduce our REALTOR® of the Year nominees. The 2026 honoree will be announced this September at the Annual Conference & Expo. Stay tuned and make your plans for New Orleans now!

✨Affiliate Friday Spotlight ✨
This week, we're excited to feature Dana Williams, Colony Bank Mortgage Lender! 🏡💙

For more than 20 years, Dana has been helping families achieve the dream of homeownership, including the last 10 years as a member of the Colony Bank Mortgage Team. She is passionate about making the mortgage process as smooth and stress-free as possible, especially for first-time homebuyers. From application to closing—and often sitting right at the closing table with her clients—Dana is there every step of the way.

💭 Why she loves serving our community:
"As a local lender, I'm committed to making the home financing process smooth and stress-free, especially for first-time homebuyers. From application to closing—and often at the closing table myself—I'm with you every step of the way."

📍 Did You Know?
Dana is actively involved throughout our community, serving with the Homebuilders Association, Valdosta and Moultrie Boards of REALTORS®, the Chamber of Commerce, Hahira Community Church, and the Mortgage Bankers Association of Georgia. Most recently, she was invited to serve on the Board of the Georgia Sheriffs' Boys Ranch.

👶 Fun Fact: Dana recently became a grandmother—a title she says she wears just as proudly as "Mortgage Lender!"

Thank you, Dana, for your continued partnership with the Valdosta Board of REALTORS® and for helping so many families throughout South Georgia achieve homeownership. We appreciate your dedication to our members and our community!

A heartfelt thank you to Beautiful Creations by Chanel for allowing us to be a small part of such an incredible mission. 💜

At the Valdosta Board of REALTORS®, we believe strong communities begin with people who care. Whether it’s collecting school supplies, hosting a community blood drive, supporting local initiatives, or volunteering our time, we’re proud to stand alongside organizations that are making a real difference.

We’re honored to support the 18th Annual Tools for School initiative and help local students start the school year with confidence and the supplies they need to succeed.

Thank you, Beautiful Creations by Chanel, for your leadership, your passion, and for making it easy for our members to give back. Together, we’re investing in our community and our future—one child at a time. 💜

We are incredibly grateful for our amazing partnership with the Valdosta Board of Realtors! 💜

Their unwavering commitment to our community has been nothing short of extraordinary. They have raised funds, collected and donated school supplies, organized a community blood drive with a grant opportunity, and continuously invested in the success of our 18th Annual Tools for School initiative.

Because of partners like the Valdosta Board of Realtors, hundreds of children will begin the school year with the tools they need to succeed. Their generosity, leadership, and heart for service remind us that when organizations come together with a shared purpose, lives are changed.

Thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us ensure that every child has the opportunity to start the school year prepared, confident, and ready to learn. We are honored to call you a valued community partner and look forward to continuing to make a lasting impact together.

💜 Together, we are building a stronger community—one child, one backpack, and one act of kindness at a time.

As a new school year begins, the Valdosta Board of REALTORS® wishes all students, teachers, school staff, and families a safe, successful, and exciting year ahead!

Back-to-school season is a reminder that our schools are at the heart of strong communities. We are grateful for the educators who inspire, the parents who support, and the students who work hard every day to build a brighter future.

To everyone heading back to the classroom—have a fantastic school year! Stay safe, be kind, and make this your best year yet.

Happy Back-to-School from the Valdosta Board of REALTORS®! 🍎📚✏️

✨ Affiliate Friday Spotlight ✨

This week, we're excited to feature Joshua "Deck" Deckman with Big Deck Home Inspections! 🏡🔎

After proudly serving more than 20 years in the United States Air Force, Deck transitioned his dedication to excellence into the home inspection industry. As a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, former Fire Marshal, and InterNACHI-Certified Home Inspector, he brings precision, safety, and attention to detail to every inspection. His military experience instilled the discipline and commitment to doing the job right—qualities that now help buyers, sellers, and REALTORS® make informed decisions with confidence.

💭 Why he does what he does:
"Throughout my military career, attention to detail, discipline, and a commitment to doing the job right were non-negotiable—and those values now drive every inspection I conduct."

📍 Did You Know?
Big Deck Home Inspections has been serving the South Georgia community for nearly two years, providing thorough, professional home inspections backed by decades of experience in safety and inspection.

✈️ Fun Fact: Before his military career, Deck grew up overhauling radial engines on WWII aircraft!

Thank you, Deck, for partnering with the Valdosta Board of REALTORS® and for your continued support of our members and the South Georgia community. We appreciate all you do!

Learn more about Big Deck Home Inspections: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575968925989

Today, we celebrate Code of Ethics Day! 🎉

For more than a century, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics has been the cornerstone of our profession. Since 1913, it has guided REALTORS® to serve clients with honesty, integrity, professionalism, and fairness.

At the Valdosta Board of REALTORS®, we’re proud to support members who uphold these principles every day. The Code of Ethics isn’t just a promise to our clients—it’s a commitment to building trust, protecting consumers, and strengthening our communities through ethical, professional service.

Today, we celebrate the values that define our profession and recommit ourselves to putting ethics first in every transaction, every interaction, and every client relationship.

Happy Code of Ethics Day! 🏡💙