Meet Your Instructors
Steve Wagner
Managing Broker / Instructor
Steve has been actively involved in all facets of Real Estate since 1989 which includes: residential, land, commercial, Real Estate instructor and managing broker.
Steve has also been a very active board member in the Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors (NAMAR), which is the second largest REALTOR@ association in GA. In addition to serving as the 2018 NAMAR Treasurer he was also elected as the 2019 NAMAR President. Steve also regularly attends the monthly GAR contract revision meetings where he participates in helping what will be added or changed in the coming year’s revised contracts.
Jamie Mertz
COO, Broker, School Director
Jamie Mertz, COO\Broker, has been with Virtual Properties for numerous years and is now a part of our Broker team. Jamie received her B.S. in Finance from the University of South Florida and has been a licensed agent since 1998 and a licensed broker since 2006. She is a Phoenix Award Winner, a Lifetime Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Club, a Communities 100 recipient (three years in a row), and a Re/Max Platinum Club Award recipient.
Sandra Herring
Managing Broker / Instructor
Managing Broker and Instructor for Virtual Properties Realty. Sandra has been part of our Broker Team for many years. She first became involved in the real estate industry in 1985 as a licensed full time Realtor before joining Virtual Properties Realty. She is also a member of the Million Dollar Club and will sit on the Board of Directors for NAMAR in 2019. Experienced in homebuilding and remodeling. She also taught for 12 years and education is a passion for hers.
As an agent, Sandra worked with both Buyers and Sellers as well as investors, HUD homes and other foreclosures. Her background in these areas is extremely beneficial in helping other agents become more successful and educating their clients.
As a native of Metro Atlanta, her knowledge of the area makes it easy to communicate and educate agents and their clients on the benefits of living in Metro Atlanta. Her unique background and experience make her ideally suited to provide expert advice to all of her agents. In her spare time she loves spending time with her Family, Riding her horse, time on the lake boating and traveling.
Elaine Carpenter
Managing Broker / Instructor
Managing Broker/Instructor is in our Corporate Office in Duluth. She is a long time REALTOR® and has been a licensed broker since 2007. Prior to joining Virtual Properties Realty she was the Assistant Team Leader/Managing Broker for Keller Williams Lanier Partners and was also responsible for education as an Instructor/Mentor and developing classes for new agents. Prior to her tenure at KW, she was with RE/MAX International in several of their franchise offices. Elaine developed and wrote the “Jumpstart” program for new agents and those who need a “refresher” in one or more of the 13 classes. The class is certified for post-license education credit and continuing education credit. She teaches classes in GAR Contracts and License Law for the Hall County Board of REALTORS® where she is also a member of the Board of Directors and Education Chair. She has an extensive 25 year background in Human Resources Management and Business Management.
Mike Collard
Managing Broker / Instructor
Mike has experienced over 35 years of Direct Sales, Sales Training and Sales Management Success. Mike helped lead a Fortune 500 Company grow to one of the largest in its industry as Salesman, Sales Manager, National Sales Trainer and National Sales Manager. As a realtor he attained the rank of top 1% in the nation in Sales and Commissions earning Hall of Fame recognition and Life Time membership in the Million Dollar Club during his over 20 year Real Estate Sales Career. Mike has been a National Trainer with MLC and his students attained some of the highest results and increases during his time at MLC. He recently helped triple the size and production of a leading Sales organization by serving as their Sales Manager, Recruiter and Sales Trainer over a 8 year period.
Mike joined VPR in 2006 and started the Certified Sales Training School to offer CE credits to the agents at VPR. Mike is committed to helping other Realtors maximize their production and succeed.
Mike Beernink
Instructor / REALTOR
*Million Dollar Club Phoenix Award Winner 13 Years in the Million Dollar Club! *Mike’s Accuracy Rate of Estimating Seller’s Net Proceeds at Closing is Over 99%! *Mike has closed nearly 600 Sides since June 2001! *Mike is a 5-Time Quality Service Award Winner! *Mike Works with Both Homesellers and Home Buyers! *Life Member Million Dollar Club *6-Time Company Realtor of the Year *2002 Floyd Wickman Courses Top Producer *Mike teaches real estate marketing for his entire company *Bachelor of Arts in Education 1991 *Cum Laude (3.72 GPA) Honors Graduate Hamline University St. Paul, MN *Before Real Estate, Mike taught in the Gwinnett County School System for 10 Years. He knows the Schools Exceptionally Well! *Mike has Over 120 References Available Upon Request That Attest to His Professionalism, Outstanding Service, and Fantastic Negotiating Skills!
Bobby Armes
Associate Attorney / Instructor
Bobby Armes joined O’Kelley & Sorohan as an Associate Attorney in 2010. He is responsible for Closing Residential Real Estate Transactions in English and Spanish. Bobby coordinates closings with the Real Estate Agents, Lenders, Title Insurance Company, reviews and clears title, issues title insurance policies, reviews contracts, closes purchase and refinance transactions, and advises clients on residential real estate matters. He has been the Attorney in Charge of the Short Sale Department since November 2012 and oversees a staff of 4 paralegals and legal assistants. He has 29 years of Legal, Real Estate, Financial, Business Development, and Management expertise.