An Exclusive Interview With Tarra Secrest

Apartment Community living is soon to be available at Summit Pointe. Helix, Summit Pointe’s first lifestyle community, is scheduled for completion in Summer 2020. Excitement is building around what this development is bringing to Chesapeake, VA!

How long have you been working in Residential Real Estate Leasing?

I started with Drucker + Falk in 2005, so close to 15 years! My first job was leasing the 356 apartments that were under construction at The Cosmopolitan in Virginia Beach, VA. Since then, I’ve exclusively worked with developers on their new apartments and lifestyle communities, becoming the specialist in this area for Drucker + Falk.

What got you interested in new apartment development?

I thrive on the chaos and fun of development and love that I learn something new and do something different every day. Usually, Property Managers are not directly involved in the construction of these communities, but at Drucker + Falk we typically get involved right at the beginning. The benefit to developers is we share our knowledge of the market and lessons learned, enabling developers to create communities that fill a niche in the market. And once the construction and lease up is complete, I am proud to look back and know that I was a part of the team that builds communities where people live and thrive.

What are some interesting projects that you have worked on?

There are so many, it is hard to say, because in reality all of the communities I have been involved with are all special. But if I had to pick one, I think that it would be The Cosmopolitan in Virginia Beach, VA. This was my introduction to leasing, as I was the primary leasing agent with Drucker + Falk.

The community was under construction at the time and we were leasing luxury apartment homes in a high-rise building. This had not been done in our region for a long time. We had to educate the community as to what high-end, high-service apartment living would be, and with the help of our fantastic team, including our doorman Henry, we shifted the public perception of the word “apartment” to be synonymous with a high-end living community.

Tell us about the Marketing Professional of the Year award you received.

What an honor to be recognized for the work that I do and am so passionate about. Being honored with this award was such a pleasant surprise. I thank my colleague in Richmond who nominated me.

Being involved in apartment-related organizations is important in order for me to continue to learn and grow in my profession. I have been very involved with the Hampton Roads Apartment Council for years, starting as the Chair of Events and Education and now serving as the Chair of the Advisory Committee. I strive to manage residential communities professionally and to share my marketing knowledge with and mentor others.

What will life be like in the living communities at Summit Pointe?

If I could sum it up, I would say that living at Summit Pointe will be an innovative, next-level experience. The residents of Helix, our first community, will truly be the pioneers of Summit Pointe. They will act as the community’s spokespeople and will help set the stage for their apartments’ design and functionality.

What advantages are there to living in an urban lifestyle community?

Being a part of a living community as it emerges and grows is such a fun experience. It allows you first-hand access to so many exclusive benefits, events, and amenities. You get to be “in-the-know plus” about everything that is going on in the development as it happens.

One of the greatest things about living in a place like Summit Pointe is that you get to help build the community. We strive to help residents feel welcome and value their feedback on new developments and operations within the community. This, combined with our resident appreciation programs, will really help people feel special when they are living at Summit Pointe.

Can you tell us about the community events coming to Summit Pointe?

Some aspirational events include:

• Touch-A-Truck events – local organizations and businesses gather a fleet of work vehicles to teach families about how these vehicles operate.
• Pet adoption events – these benefit non-profit organizations for pets and animals in the region.
• Craft beer tastings – local breweries set up tents where residents can sample various craft beers.
• Locals-Only festivals – a selection of local vendors gather to promote their food, drinks, arts and crafts, music, and charities.
• Car shows – locals gather to show off their cars, from antique vehicles to luxury sports cars.
• Holiday events – family-friendly events around the holidays that benefit charities in the region.
• Family concert and movie nights – locals gather at Summit Pointe for live music or screenings of family movies.

Many of these events will feature vendors and guests from the Coastal Virginia region and will help raise funds for local charities.

When will these events start happening?

We will start planning small business events in the spring of 2020, with more to come as the community grows!

How can people in Coastal Virginia get updates related to the events?

The Summit Pointe website and social media pages will be the place to get updates about events. In addition, email blasts will help keep locals informed about everything coming up in the community.

For residents of the apartment communities at Summit Pointe, we will be releasing an app that will have an event feed including reminders, providing you everything you will need to stay in-the-know about life at Summit Pointe.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about the Summit Pointe lifestyle experience?

There is nothing else like Summit Pointe in Chesapeake. It is truly the first of its kind when it comes to a living community with full-scale amenities, where residents can live, work, shop, dine and play all in one urban setting.

Now is the time to lease your new living space in the Helix apartment community! We invite you to be among the first to experience upscale living in Hampton Roads’ newest urban lifestyle community. Multifamily apartments are available for lease now along Belaire Avenue. Contact the Drucker + Falk team today for more information.