Luxury Real Estate Firm Opens New Office In FL Expansion

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — As it continues to expand across Florida’s Gulf Coast, luxury real estate firm, Michael Saunders & Company, has opened its first office in St. Petersburg.

The Sarasota-based company teamed up with a top local realtor, Jennifer Thayer, to make the move into Sunshine City.

Founded 49 years ago, the company has a network of 18 full-service sales offices, and more than 600 agents and 150 support team members across the Gulf Coast.

• City-Wide Agent of the Year (2022-2024) from Rate My Agent
• Best Realtor in Tampa Bay (2020) in Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay” awards
• Top 500 Real Producers Agent (2019-2024)
• Top 1 percent of agents in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County and Florida according to the Stellar MLS

Thayer’s enjoyed a varied career — from promoting wellness products to designing yachts and model homes, from venture capital to Wall Street — that has “always been characterized by fearless creativity and a knack for sales,” the company said.

“Real estate really sparks me,” Thayer said.

The Miami native is an honors graduate in interior design from the University of Florida’s College of Architecture. She credits her education and family legacy in construction for making her “home obsessed.”

She earned her real estate license in Florida in 2005, and immediately made her mark as the on-site agent for Signature Place in downtown St. Petersburg, recording $30 million in sales in her first six months. She later played a leading role in closing out pre-construction sales of the ONE St. Petersburg condo complex.

Thayer is excited about her new role and the resources that come with it.

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“Michael Saunders & Company is opening up a world of tools that I don’t have access to currently that will elevate my brand,” she said. “Now, I have the resources, the support, the luxury connections and the referral network like nothing that I’ve had before.”

Five of Thayer’s six-member group from Keller Williams are joining her in the move.

"Jennifer Thayer embodies the very spirit of our company — professionalism with heart, and service with purpose,” Saunders said. “Her approach aligns seamlessly with our core values of integrity and excellence. She not only brings deep knowledge of the St. Petersburg market, but also a genuine commitment to the people she serves. Jennifer’s care for her clients and for the community reflects exactly what we value most, and we are proud to welcome her as part of our growing team.”

Thayer first experienced Michael Saunders & Company’s “high standards, depth of expertise and signature service, when she connected buyers to the Residences at 400 Central in St. Petersburg, where the company is the exclusive sales and marketing representative, the company said.

She has been the top referring agent during presales for the tallest tower on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Construction is being completed at the 46-story luxury building, which fills a two-acre, full city block, and the first closings begin in September.

“As we deepen our presence in St. Petersburg, Jennifer adds the experience, market insight and entrepreneurial drive that enhance our ability to deliver on nearly 50 years of real estate expertise,” Drayton Saunders, company president, said. “Her reputation, enduring relationships and results-driven mindset are key to providing the level of service that defines us.”