Realtor® Mary Anne Windes: Broker, Problem Solver, Community Force
DESTIN, Fla. — It’s not unusual to find Mary Anne Windes on the docks before sunrise, walking past charter boats she manages, greeting captains by name. But don’t let the early hour fool you – by midmorning, she’s likely at a listing appointment, managing her restaurant property, answering questions about paid parking enforcement, or walking into a political fundraiser.
“I get up at 4:15 every morning, and I go until the work is done,” she says. “Sometimes that’s nine at night. Sometimes it’s later.”
That energy, focus, and ability to jump in wherever needed define how Windes approaches real estate and life. As broker-owner of Real Estate Professionals of Destin, she’s been a force in her local market for over three decades, equally adept at high-dollar commercial development and residential deals that “pay the bills between the big ones.”
Windes got into real estate thanks to a family friend and mentor, one whose advice she still carries. “He said, ‘Baby doll, you need to get into real estate. You’d be great at it,” she recalls. “I told him, ‘No, sir, I’ve got a degree in accounting and I’m going to be a CPA.’ But he looked at me and said, ‘You could make more money in real estate, and the potential is limitless.’”
She took his advice. It turns out, he was right.
Now, decades later, Windes is a well-known name throughout Destin for her real estate expertise and unwavering community presence. She’s served as president of the local Realtor® association, the Destin Chamber of Commerce, and even chaired the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority – appointed by then-Florida Governor Jeb Bush. She’s led the Destin Fishing Rodeo and currently manages a 37-boat marina operation and waterfront property, including a popular restaurant.
When she’s not leading deals or local initiatives, she’s stepping in behind the scenes, whether it’s replenishing a fund she privately created to help any student in need at Destin Elementary or offering life advice to young men working the docks. “I tell them, ‘Who will you be when you grow up?’” she says. “I’m always trying to get people to make better decisions. I butt in.”
That same instinct to step in and make things happen shows up in her real estate work. She recalls a recent transaction that stalled when a buyer’s lender couldn’t get in touch with the homeowners’ association (HOA). “They’d been spinning their wheels for weeks. As soon as I found out the issue, I had everyone on a conference call by the end of the day. Problem solved.”
Windes considers that hands-on, fix-the-problem mindset her “superpower.” Her organizational systems are airtight – “I’ve got checklists for everything” – and she never lets details slip through the cracks.
Now a Florida Realtors® Board-Certified Professional, Windes sees the endorsement as a career-defining achievement. “When I read the qualifications, I thought, ‘They wrote this for me,’” she says. “It wasn’t easy. But I knew I had the experience and commitment to earn it.”
The recognition matters, but what motivates her runs deeper. “I like to make a difference. I like to help,” she says. “I’m the one who ends up in the kitchen at the party doing dishes instead of sipping cocktails. That’s just who I am.”
And for the people of Destin, whether they’re buying property, running a business, or just trying to find their way, that’s who they want in their corner.
Florida Realtors® is The Voice for Real Estate® in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research, and legislative representation to 238,000 members in 50 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Newsroom website is available at floridarealtors.org/newsroom.