By Carole Hawkins
Out-of-state travelers wheeled their carry-on bags briskly across the marble hallways at Jacksonville International Airport.
More than a few threw a glance toward the glowing white letters against a cornflower background that announced the airport’s new relocation center.
The storefront for Exit Real Estate Gallery is a place where visitors can discover what living in Jacksonville is like and what it costs.
The brokerage celebrated the center’s grand opening in March.
About 25 agents cycle in once per quarter to staff the center.
“It’s floor duty on steroids,” Exit Real Estate Gallery broker Sonny Downey said. “There are 10,000 people per day who come through here. It’s just a matter of finding that one.”
Though the center’s celebration was held in March, it actually opened in December. Since then, the company has learned a few things about airport customers.
Saturdays are the slowest day.
Thursdays, Fridays and Sunday evenings are busy for vacation travelers. Wednesday nights and Thursday mornings are for corporate travelers.
Holidays? It’s feast or famine.
The most interesting thing, Downey said, has been the price point for its home-buying audience — in the $300,000 to $500,000 range.
“Really it makes sense when you think of what it costs to travel,” he said.
One browsing customer was a Washington, D.C. lobbyist in town on business.
“He was saying, ‘How much for oceanfront? $900,000?’” Downey said.
In the Northeast, prices for oceanfront property can reach into the tens of millions.
Exit Real Estate Gallery last year decided to make institutional advertising a focus, partnering with big brands like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sharks and the Armada.
The JIA storefront was one more way for Exit to piggyback its marketing with another company.
Instead of hard-selling homes to relocating corporate executives and military transplants, the office takes a welcome center approach, inviting questions about Jacksonville.
A touch-screen kiosk introduces customers to Northeast Florida’s schools, government, recreation, resale homes and new-home communities.
Downey had heard 60 percent to 70 percent of buyers go to new-home builders without an agent.
“I’ve been wondering, ‘How do I get to them earlier?’ So, I was looking at ways to advertise to them,” he said.
As of the March celebration, the relocation center had barely been open long enough to get through a 90-day closing. But Exit Real Estate Gallery had already closed two home sales off leads from the center.
Prior to JIA’s center, Downey was aware of only one other real estate relocation center in the country.
Since then, he’s has gotten calls from other brokers who want to open one. Airports in San Diego and South Florida already have plans to follow JIA’s example, he said.