Northside real estate firm ERA Dan Jones & Associates has merged with Watson Realty Corp.
Founded in 1970, Dan Jones & Associates is one of the leading real estate and property management firms in Jacksonville, responsible today for about 800 rental properties and 22 homeowners’ associations in Northeast Florida.
Wendell Davis was elected president of Dan Jones as of July 1 and former president Gene Jones moved into the vice president position.
Gene Jones said the merger would provide more growth opportunities for sales associates and employees at the company started by his father, who died 12 years ago. Jones said he made the decision with his mother, who is still active in the company.
Davis is not looking to appreciably change his role. But, the move will allow him more freedom to focus on the commercial side of the business.
Dan Jones will retain its name for now, but the office will eventually switch to the Watson brand.
The company will relocate from its office at 1403 Dunn Ave. — just five blocks from Watson’s Northside office — to the Duval Station shopping center.
Jones said the company needs a location on the east side of Interstate 95 because that’s where growth is happening.
Duval Station is about 2 miles from the highly successful River City Marketplace and close to new developments along Yellow Bluff and Cedar Point roads.
“It’s probably the second best location on the Northside (after River City),” said Bill Watson Jr., founder and chairman of the board for Watson Realty.
Dan Jones is joining Northeast Florida’s largest real estate firm. Watson owns 51 offices that stretch from Orlando to St. Marys, according to its website.
From his side of the deal, Watson said he felt fortunate.
Dan Jones is “a dominant realty on the Northside,” Watson said, and one that “had something of value to us.”
Watson already runs a property management company, but it has few rental properties on the Northside. Watson has an association property management arm, but it’s still very small. “It’s going to be a significant improvement for us,” Watson said.
The merger joins two of Jacksonville’s oldest real estate firms. Watson opened its first office in 1965. Jones said his father, who started Dan Jones & Associates in 1970, had long admired Watson.
Dan Jones had been a personal friend, Watson said, one who, at 6-feet 5-inches, was larger than life in both stature and personality.
The company’s work ethic and expertise will be “an enhancement to all,” Watson said.
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