According to Fontaine, “I had no idea what I was getting into, but I had found my passion.” She has never looked back.

“A home is such a huge piece of one’s life,” she said, and being a real estate agent afforded her the opportunity to help people in a way that would make a very big and very positive difference in their lives.

“I have always had the support of my husband,” said Fontaine, and daughter Melissa, the oldest of Fontaine’s twin daughters, was the first of her girls to obtain her real estate license and become a buyer agent. Soon, daughter Crystal also came on board, and that’s how the family team got started.

Fontaine’s Team has grown significantly over the years. After starting out with just family plus one, “We are now 11 agents and eight support staff; we recently hired two more team members,” she said. “From support staff to agents, we work as a true real estate team.”

There are team members who take care of research and others who are responsible for showings and feedback coordination, listings, closings, marketing, lock boxes and signage. Giving everyone a responsibility in the process of each transaction guarantees that every time a customer calls the office they will reach someone who can provide answers to their questions and a helping hand when one is needed. This, explained Fontaine, translates into outstanding customer service.

Although Fontaine is very proud of all her team’s accomplishments, she is perhaps most proud of the recognition that they have recently received from the “Wall Street Journal” and “Real Trends Magazine” in which The Fontaine Family Team was named as one of America’s top 1,000 professional real estate teams. “In Maine,” she added, “we are rated 10th of 1,001 real estate companies.”

Fontaine believes that the root of their success comes from continuing to go the extra mile for the customer. “Even during the bad times, we still did well because our past clients referred us to their family and friends,” she said.

In 2004, the Fontaine Family Team moved its offices to the 336 Center Street location. In September 2013, the Fontaine Family Team will celebrate 30 years in real estate with hors d’ouvres, live music and other festivities.

“We are one of the most successful real estate agencies both nationally and in the state of Maine. Iit’s our clients who have made us successful, and this celebration,” said Fontaine, “is to honor our clients.”

The Fontaine Family Team represents both buyers and sellers for residential and commercial properties in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Oxford, Kennebec, Sagadahoc “and a bit of Franklin” counties. For more information, call Brenda or another member of the Fontaine Family Team at 784-3800.