Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Devlin.
Hi Kim, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am originally from New York. I worked on Wall Street and worked mainly Corporate jobs. We (my husband and I were living on our boat Orca in Jersey City) and it was a great time in my life but at 35, I felt the need to get out of NYC so we sailed to Boston. That is where I started working for a Business Brokerage, the issue with Boston is that it’s way too cold in the winter so we decided to buy a house in Boston. It was 2006, the internet was not it what it is like today, we called every Realtor imaginable and no one answered the phone, until one did and that is who we used to help us. With her help, we bought a house in Antrim New Hampshire. Literally the middle of nowhere and 20 to 30 minutes to anything metro like. The house looked great from the outside, we were drawn to the curb appeal and the new kitchen. The rest of it was not great, so we spent the next 5 years renovating the house, doing most of it ourselves. Youtube became my best friend. I learned how to tile to drywall. You name it, they have a video. The house was gorgeous when we were finished with it, wide plank flooring, stone hearth, wood stove. It was a home right out of pottery barn. The problem was, the location was not the right one. It was isolating. Every one was very nice and respectful but conversation was always small talk. As a New Yorker, it never felt like a good fit for me. When we first moved to NH, we could have lived anywhere in the southern part of the state, not knowing anything, we depended heavily on our Realtor and I think that is where she failed us. When the reno was done my husband said “why don’t you become a Real Estate agent”. I thought well I do love customer service and I know a lot about houses now, so I did. Since my beautiful house never truly felt like home, I decided I would always focus first on lifestyle and location, so my customers would never have any regret or buyers remorse.
After 5 years of selling homes in NH, I itched to get back on the boat and move somewhere else. Having been to St Augustine before, we sailed south to Florida to spend the winter in Miami but not before stopping in St Aug on the way down. My husband knew I wanted to get back onboard the boat and after spending the winter on her, I think he was ready to. On our way back up to the Northeast, we stopped in St Aug again and sat for lunch at Gaufries and Goods. That is where he said, fine we can sell the house and move back aboard. We were moving to St Augustine. This was 2016.
The house sold in 2 days. I told you we did a great renovation. Then we sailed back down to Florida and made Camachee Cove our home. I got my license in Florida and had to start all over. To get to know the area quickly, I started interviewing business owners (2x) a week and created a blog. I did 100 interviews in one year. It was a lot of work but it expedited my knowledge of the area and helped by making these connections, my business grew.
Fast forward to 2019, and Covid hit. No problem, I love a challenge, so I started doing video in 2019 and by September, my business exploded. I literally didn’t have a day off. I now call it, the year and a half I lost. The good news is, I met the most amazing people, helped them buy homes and now I call them friends, they are part of my community here in St Augustine. I still do Youtube but my business has evolved to working with my now lifelong client/friends and their family and friends and of course I still get to meet new amazing people that find me from youtube. One thing that hasn’t changed is that I always focus on lifestyle and location first when helping homebuyers. My motto is: No home buyers remorse allowed.
I feel my experience, having relocated to new areas a few times has really helped my business grow. I can put myself in my customers shoes. It really helps having gone through it and allows me to help people who are looking to relocate to NE Florida figure out if the area is the right fit for them and if it is, where is the best community or neighborhood that is going to make them feel like they are home. If you’ve never lived anywhere else before, you cannot understand what it is like to adjust to a new place so that is one of the values we add to our customers. We’ve been there!
I am going on 14 years in the business and am still loving what I do everyday.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth roads? I’ve yet to sail one of those. The biggest challenge has been starting over in two completely new markets—first in New Hampshire, then in St. Augustine. Without a built-in sphere of connections, I had to get creative. In New Hampshire, I learned to market myself while juggling my first steps in real estate. When I moved to St. Augustine, I relied on grassroots methods like interviewing local business owners to build rapport and get my name out there. It wasn’t easy, but those challenges sharpened my skills and gave me a deeper appreciation for the journey.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re more than just Realtors—we’re trusted advisors, guides, and neighbors. What sets us apart is our deep connection to the community and our commitment to putting our clients first. Every step of the process is tailored to meet our customers unique needs, lifestyle, and goals.
Relocation is our specialty. We have experienced the challenges of relocating multiple times, so we know how overwhelming it can be to navigate an unfamiliar area. That’s why we focus on getting to know our customers—their priorities, preferences, and dreams—to help them find the perfect fit.
We’re proud of the thriving community we’ve built with people from all over the country. For us, relationships don’t end at the closing table—our customers become part of our lives, and we love staying connected.
We treat our clients like friends and family because, ultimately, that’s what they’ll be when they move here. Our services are completely personalized, whether you’re selling to be closer to loved ones or making Florida your home for the first time. We believe in finding value in the life you want to live and making that part of every home search or sale.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Here’s a fun twist: I sell houses, but my husband and I have lived aboard our sailboat, Orca, for over 25 years. While we split our time between our condo in St. Augustine and Orca in Palm Coast, the boat will always feel most like home. What’s magical about a sailboat is that home isn’t tied to a zip code; it’s wherever she takes us.
That perspective has shaped how I see real estate. A home isn’t just a structure—it’s a feeling. And helping people find that is what I love most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yourkeytostaugustine.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourkeytostaugustine/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourKeyToStAugustine
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staugustinerealestate/
- Twitter: https://x.com/YourKeyToStAug
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@staugustineliving
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kim-devlin-team-st-augustine-realtor-st-augustine-3
Image Credits
The are all my photos. Jenna Alexander and Micheal Roulette did some of the professional photos. Profile pics: Jenna Client appreciation: Michael Roulette The rest are mine
