John Talbot’s Ocean Pines journey began in the summer of 1968 as he was working on a development in Kentucky when he received a pivotal phone call from a former colleague.
“He said, ‘We’re gonna be opening up a project in Ocean City, Maryland. Would you be interested?’”
The prospect of working near the ocean was immediately appealing, Talbot said. “Well, I had been to Ocean City, Maryland, but only as a youngster with my parents and the idea of working near the ocean was very sought after. So my answer to him was, ‘When do you want me to be there?’”
Within days, Talbot was on his way. “This was early July. This was around the 3rd, maybe the 4th of July. So I immediately, with a buddy of mine, we packed up and left Kentucky and headed toward Ocean City. I believe I arrived in OC around the 7th day of July ‘68 and walked up to the house that the company was using to house their agents on the corner of 5th Street and the Boardwalk.”
The official opening day for sales was July 12, 1968.
“We had had a couple of meetings prior to that over in Ocean City to discuss what's going to happen, etc., but the 12th July '68, Friday, was the opening day. I can remember the weather. I can remember who was there. John Howard Burbage was introduced, the mayor of Berlin, and he was one of the first purchasers of a lot in Ocean Pines,” Talbot said, adding clarity to a dispute over who bought the first properties in the Pines. “Ironically, I learned from Ray Coats, Jr., a local attorney, that his dad, Ray Coats Sr., had actually deeded two properties on the 12th day of July '68. Evidently, they had occurred prior to that date because he had to do the paperwork and record them.”
Talbot’s initial employer was Boise Cascade, but they weren’t the first developers.
“If you check into the history, Boise Cascade was not the original developer, or rather, the original company on-site at Ocean Pines. It was a company called US Land Incorporated,” Talbot said. “United States Land Incorporated. We called them US Land. They were based out of Chicago, and they had a group of people that would roam around the country to analyze sites that would be applicable for a development.”
He explained that Ocean Pines ticked a bunch of boxes for them. It was within reasonable driving distance of several metropolitan areas, and near a prominent resort area, Ocean City. They decided it was a good deal and had a subsidiary, Maryland Marine Inc., start the ball rolling. Boise Cascade took over as the actual developer of the community after that.
Early Sales and the Art of Persuasion
The sales team, led by Bill Gibbs, underwent initial training that focused on legal boundaries and effective sales techniques honed by prior experience. He trained the salesmen in real estate rules, being clear about what they could and couldn’t say and promise.
“Our ability to sell was proven by past performance working other areas around the country selling property,” Talbot said. “He contacted people who had been in the business of sales and land sales, to make sure that the crew that he would put together would be proven and experienced.”
A key aspect of the sales approach was quickly qualifying potential buyers.
“Basically, we were told that if anybody was walking and talking and breathing, we could sell them,” Talbot laughed. “Our job was within the course of about 20 minutes to find out via conversation if they are a live prospect or just a looker, someone who is curious, etc. We were told to qualify them.”
Talbot vividly describes the early sales process, which included making sure the people got to visualize themselves in the front yard by visiting the plot he hoped to sell them. The car served as the salesman’s mobile office, where contracts were often negotiated.
He recounts the common scenario of potential buyers wanting to "think it over." Talbot developed a strategy to address this hesitation.
It wasn’t so much not taking “no” for an answer as making the people think through why they weren’t going to buy that day. Oftentimes, he could meet every objection and make the sale.
The early infrastructure of Ocean Pines presented its own challenges. The roads were all dirt, and after a rain, they became muddy. Agents had to be cautious while giving tours, and the company even hired a local gas station owner to tow stuck vehicles. Water trucks were employed to manage the dust.
Building a Life in the Pines: From Company Housing to Waterfront Views
Initially, Talbot resided in company housing on the Ocean City boardwalk with other sales agents. He later rented a condo before making a significant decision in 1972. While showing a lot near the swim and racket club to two women who wanted to “think it over,” Talbot saw an opportunity.
“I turned around after they left. I wrote a contract. I submitted it full price, didn’t ask for a discount to the management, and I became the owner of that lot, which I turned into a had a home built on it.”
His connection to Ocean Pines deepened over the years. In 1975, Boise Cascade divested from land development, leading Talbot and two partners to establish their own real estate company, Steen, Firth, and Talbot. They even purchased Boise Cascade’s remaining lot inventory. Talbot continued his career in real estate, affiliating with several prominent companies before joining Berkshire Hathaway.
His personal life also blossomed in Ocean Pines. He met his wife in 1973 through mutual friends.
“She was from Cambridge, Maryland, and she was contemplating the possibility of coming down and working in this geographic area,” he said. Though they were introduced, their romance didn’t ignite immediately. “The irony of it is we knew each other. We didn’t date for three years. And then, for three years, we dated. And then after that, we got married."
They built a life together, raising two daughters and now enjoying two grandchildren.
The Social Fabric: Then and Now
Talbot fondly remembers the early social scene in Ocean Pines, reminiscing about the camaraderie among the Boise Cascade crew.
“We would have quite a socialization whereby we would hold a lot of parties. We would maybe sneak into the swimming pool after hours.” He contrasts this with the present day, noting, “It was a lot more fun to be working then than it is today. Put it that way.”
The social activities were varied, catering to different interests. Talbot wasn’t into golf or tennis. He describes a vibrant social atmosphere where there was always something to do, whether it was hitting the bars in Ocean City or simply relaxing at home.
Reflecting on his long history with Ocean Pines, Talbot expresses contentment. His journey, from a young salesman navigating muddy roads to a seasoned resident with deep roots in the community, mirrors the very evolution of Ocean Pines itself.