Sandpiper has been part of the island for a long time. I started here in 1997, and in 2011, Lesley and I took ownership of the agency — a decision we've never second-guessed. Winning Best of the Vineyard means a great deal to us, and we want to take a moment to say so plainly.

This award belongs to our team. Real estate is a business where the work is often invisible to the people not doing it — the early mornings, the late calls, the patience required when a deal gets complicated — at times, the pressure and stress weigh heavily. Our agents and staff show up for all of it, consistently, year after year. Some of them have been with us for a long time. That kind of loyalty isn't something you can manufacture, and we don't take it for granted, even when the pace of the day doesn't leave much room to say so out loud.

To our clients, thank you for trusting us with something as consequential as buying or selling property on Martha's Vineyard. And to the community — thank you for this recognition.