DeWitt-Jones Realty celebrates growth over 40-plus years
MILO — When Donna Jones became the new owner of the realty company where she had worked for the past decade, she was nervous because she badly wanted to succeed and carry on the legacy of the business.
She thought to herself, “Oh my God, can I do it? Can I live up to that standard?” she said, calling Ellen DeWitt, the original owner, for advice over the years.
In April 2021, DeWitt-Jones Realty celebrated 10 years under Jones’ leadership, which solidified the answer to her questions. But the business has been a mainstay in the Milo community for more than 40 years.
DeWitt-Jones Realty on Park Street in Milo.
Jones took over in 2011, when Ellen DeWitt and her husband, Edwin, were looking to slow down and eventually retire. DeWitt keeps in touch with Jones and the real estate team she has grown.
DeWitt-Jones Realty, which buys and sells properties in Piscataquis and Penobscot counties, has a team of five agents: Jones, Michael Grinnell, Anne Bailey, Jim Pike and Kayla Haefele.
The company specializes in homes, camps, lakefront cottages and land, along with commercial, investment and recreational properties, according to its website.
Anne Bailey, a broker at DeWitt-Jones Realty, works at the office in Milo on Jan. 18.
Although Jones has had to keep up with the evolving real estate market over the years, she kept the name DeWitt — and tacked on a hyphen, plus Jones — to stay true to the business’ history and branding. It was also a way to keep a familiar name in the community.
It used to be called Ellen DeWitt Real Estate and initially opened at another location in Milo, Jones said. The current location at 52 Park St. has better exposure, she noted.
“I’m very pleased with the growth,” she said, reflecting on the milestone. “It’s way over my expectations. There have been changes in the market. People now come in and they know what they’re looking for because everything is on the internet. … Before, you sat down and looked through a book of listings.”
A bulletin board displays sold properties at the DeWitt-Jones Realty office in Milo.
Last year, agents were exceptionally busy due to Maine’s hot pandemic housing market. The company’s inventory is low like many other real estate agencies in the area, Jones said, noting that land and waterfront properties were particularly successful.
“A lot of it was out-of-state people,” she said. “Some people had to take their listings down because they couldn’t find a place to move to.”
Many people are interested in buying properties in the rural communities of central Maine because they see it as a chance to get away from the “hustle and bustle” of busier places, Jones said. Although seeing more out-of-state people was new during the pandemic, the DeWitt-Jones team has worked with a mix of clients, including people from other states, young couples, families and the elderly.
Jones enjoys her job because there’s never a dull moment. She sees guiding her clients through the real estate process as a major responsibility. Sometimes clients face difficulties, but it’s the agent’s job to make it a positive experience, she said.
“When you find a house that’s a perfect fit or when you sell somebody’s house and help them relocate, it’s very heart-warming. … ‘Follow our lead,’ I tell people,” she said. “It’s a good feeling to get through the closing table.”