A native of Atlanta and a graduate of the University of Georgia, I moved to New York to become an actress.  I starred for seven years on ABC’s “One Life to Live” with Tommy Lee Jones, and then headed to California to star on “General Hospital”.  I also worked on several movies, including “Revenge of the Stepford Wives” with Don Johnson.  I left Hollywood and bought a ranch near Telluride, Colorado, and opened Renaissance Real Estate as broker/owner.  In part through attracting several of my show business friends to the area, my company became one of the top grossing agencies in S. W. Colorado.  I later moved back to Atlanta and was an Associate Broker for the Country Club of the South and St. Marlo developments.  Several years ago I came to Destin for a weekend and fell in love with the Emerald Coast.  My imagination, diverse career and real estate experience enables me to relate especially well to people.

AWARDS

1997: Sales Agent of the Year for Keller Williams in Destin

#1 Agent/Broker in Telluride, Co. for 4 years.

My goal is to make you feel comfortable and confident throughout the entire selling and buying process.  Let me assist you.

TESTIMONIALS

"My husband and I have recently bought and sold several properties, from Destin to Panama City, through Jo Ann Benard of La Florida Coastal Properties. Working with Jo Ann as our agent has been a very pleasant and successful experience. She is a trustworthy, knowledgeable and hard-working professional. Jo Ann Benard just sold three of our condominiums, two at Grand Dunes/South tower and one at Grand Villas/ Hidden Dunes.  We are very pleased to recommend her to anyone." — Sherry and Richard Rula

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Jo Ann Benard. Upon making the decision to list our home, my wife and I interviewed several agents on 30A. Of those we interviewed, Jo Ann was the only agent that in addition to providing a CMA made valuable recommendations resulting in the sale of our home at a price greater than we anticipated. We highly recommend Jo Ann as a real estate professional. She is knowledgeable, personable, professional and a pleasure to work with in buying or selling along 30A. We were so pleased with her service we asked Jo Ann to assist us in the selection and purchase of our new permanent residence at the beach. — Tommy May

A business relationship started in 2008 when we bought a house Jo Ann had listed. Her role as realtor quickly coalesced into a role as good friend. Over the years she continued to be helpful in all areas of real estate, taxes, insurance, service people and even introduced us to activities and people in the area. It was without hesitation that I choose her in 2016 as my realtor when I decided to sell my home. She saved me money and time with her patience, expertise and experience during the navigation and seemingly endless processes, procedures and paperwork involved in the sale of my house. Her motto is "at your service" and she has consistently lived up to her motto over the years. I would definitely recommend her and will depend on her again as I start to look for my next home. — Arlene P White