Jackie West

By John Shivers

When Harry Norman, REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain associate broker Jackie West first got her license to sell real estate in 1979, it was a different era. “Those were exciting times,” she says. “It was before computers, before fax machines, and we had to use carbon paper, because there were no copy machines.” Contracts were often singlepage documents.

Fast forward to 2021, and while the level of technology in the business and marketing arena doesn’t even resemble those early years, for Jackie one thing hasn’t changed. The pleasure of helping to connect sellers with buyers and those same buyers with their dream properties is still just as satisfying now as it was 42 years ago. “You have to love what you do,” she says, reflecting on the many properties she’s represented down through the years. “Otherwise, it shows, and you won’t be authentic to your clients.”

“I get excited,” she says, “when I get a referral from my old clients and customers. I love helping buyers find that little bit of heaven.”

When Jackie first got into the Rabun real estate market, lake houses could be had for $60,000 and lots were $20,000 or less. Today those same lake homes can sell for a hundred times more than in the late 1970s, and land prices have appreciated accordingly. Today, Jackie wrestles with several factors that seem to impact the real estate industry across the country.

“It’s a tough time today. Our inventory is the lowest I’ve seen it in my career.” She goes on to explain that a balanced real estate market is one that has a good inventory, low interest rates and a good economy. “The recession was long and hard on this industry, and before it ended, some REALTORS and builders and developers got out of the business.” For those who hung in there, it was a different landscape when the country finally emerged battered but not beaten. “It was,” Jackie notes, “the first time Rabun County property values dropped, and this was one of the toughest real estate markets around.”

Based on her years of experience, Jackie believes the current seller’s market will likely continue for a few more years. Eventually, however, interest rates will rise, and a market correction will result. She doesn’t believe the impact will reach the extremes of the 2007 correction. dreams in one of the best places on earth. When asked how she approaches that task, Jackie is quick to respond. “Listen closely to your buyers and sellers, know your market, take every opportunity to educate yourself, practice professionalism, have the right resources, and above all, be honest.”

Against those precepts, Jackie West has built her career and her reputation since coming to Rabun County full time in 1976. Prior to that, she and her family lived in Atlanta, where she managed a 32-lane bowling alley, assisted by her husband, Hal, and children. When time allowed, they would retreat to a family-owned cabin on Seed Lake. Over time, they became so enamored with the Rabun experience, they purchased their own cabin in 1973.

After three years, as their stays became longer than just a weekend, Hal and Jackie decided in 1976 to permanently relocate. They pulled daughter, Sandi, out of high school and transplanted her to Rabun County High School for her last two years, purchased the Lake Rabun Grocery Store, and settled in to make new lives for themselves. At the time, they had a son working in Atlanta, another son about to start college, and another daughter in college.

In between running the store, which was a family operation just as the bowling alley had been, Hal began to put the real estate license he’d gotten in Atlanta to good use. And in 1979, with his blessing and encouragement, Jackie took classes and passed the state exam.

“I thought he wanted me to help him in his business,” Jackie confesses, with her trademark laugh. “But when I finished, he told me I needed to go to work for someone else for the

experience.” She explains that her husband believed she would refuse to listen to him. So she went to work for Century 21, and several years later, in 1988, she got her broker’s license.

In between, she and Hal opened their own agency, assisted by Sandi, who ran the office and kept everybody straight. In 1986 they affiliated with the Coldwell Banker brand. Following Hal’s death in 1991, she became managing broker. In 1998, the late Ed Poss purchased the business and Jackie and Sandi worked for him, until 2007, when the Harry Norman franchise came to Clayton. She’s been at home there ever since. Jackie was one of the founding members of the Rabun County Board of Realtors, and served as president in 1992. In 1992 and 1997 she was recognized as local REALTOR of the Year.

In those early days, Rabun County real estate was seasonal. Thanksgiving to late April was a time to recover, plan, and gear up for another season. Autumn was the busiest time, and many days Jackie practically lived behind the wheel of her fourdoor Lincoln, only to return to the office to find more anxious buyer wanna-be’s waiting.

“I loved showing property,” Jackie said, and leaves little doubt if she had it to do over that she would make any changes. There’s just something unique about knowing you’re where you’re supposed to be, and for Jackie, it’s in Rabun County.