Experience Counts

A Place in the Mountains

Realtor Profile: Jim Blalock, Poss Realty

Work has been a part of Jim’s life since he was an 11 year old boy. Born the oldest son of Woodrow and Irene Lovell Blalock, he grew up in Tiger, Georgia. His first job was working at a little country store and later in his teens he worked at the farmer’s co-op (later Reeves Feed and Seed) at the southern end of Main Street in Clayton. After graduation he attended North Georgia Tech in Clarkesville and earned his degree as a Certified Draftsman, a skill he says he still uses occasionally. Jim’s dad sold both real estate and insurance. Jim went to work with his dad selling insurance while working to get his Real Estate license. He became licensed to sell properties in 1969 and earned his Broker’s license in 1971. This year he celebrates 50 years as a licensed real estate broker and 52 years in the business.

“I had a hand in building several houses over the years, from here to yonder,” Jim told me. “I worked alongside my dad till 1992 when I moved to ReMax of Rabun owned by Lorie Thompson at the time. I liked the ReMax principals and did well with them,” he continued. Jim received several awards while working with ReMax. When Ed Poss bought the ReMax franchise, Jim stayed with the company. He recalls that Ed Poss told his agents to set a goal at the beginning of each year. Setting goals was not new to Jim;

he had always set a goal to do better than the year before. When Ed passed away in 2017, Scott Poss returned his father’s company to it’s original name Poss Realty, where Jim remains today.

His reputation is a stellar one and it’s easy to see why. Jim Blalock was taught to work hard, be honest and go the extra mile. “I am about as native as it gets, with my family going back several generations,” he said during our recent interview. Jim married his wife Kathy Long Blalock in 1972 and the couple had two children Erik and Amber. They enjoyed a happy life and family was always important to Jim and Kathy. The Blalock children each graduated from Rabun County High School, just like their parents did, and they each married and started their own families. Erik married Becky Love Blalock and they have a little girl named Kasi Jai and Amber married Adam Brady and they have two boys, Braxton and Brock. Jim and Kathy always claimed Ashley and Will Griffin as part of their family and their little girl Avery. Jim lost his wife, Kathy, to cancer in 2018, a devastating loss after 46 years of marriage. Jim, his kids and grandchildren pulled together and have picked up the pieces and put their lives back together. It’s easy to tell that Jim had rather talk about his children and grandchildren than himself.

“My grandsons Braxton and Brock both play Wildcat Football. Braxton is a hunter. He has a passel of dogs for hunting so I wake up every morning at 5:30 to give the dogs a treat. Brock is our daredevil, always on a motorcycle or four-wheeler. Kasi Jai is wide open! She likes the motorcycle too. She and Avery are ‘Papa’s girls’! I am proud of every one of them and love spending time with them. I take most of them to school every morning and sometimes out for breakfast!” he said with a grin.

I asked Jim about the current Real Estate market, which is termed a “sellers market” due to the low inventory of homes and property for sale. Jim remembers, “When SangamoWeston built a plant here in the late 70s and people moved in, they pretty much wiped the market out then. Homes were hard to come by.” Then Jim talked of the housing boom in 2005 and 2006 and the crash that devastated realtors across the country in 2008. “I would have to say that last year was the biggest year that I’ve ever had,” Jim stated, a sentiment that is shared by most Realtors. Jim went on to say, “I like it ‘cause I never know who is going to walk through the door and who I’ll get to meet. I’ve sold mountain land and homes and lake properties too. Growing up here has helped me because I know the county so well.”

It is rare that Jim isn’t working, but if he has some time off he likes to hunt and fish and spoke of traveling with friends to South Dakota each year for a pheasant hunting trip. He said he really enjoyed those trips. In years past Jim enjoyed golf, saying that for a few years he played three times a week. Jim is a member at Tiger Baptist Church and has been for many years. Jim has one brother, Ted Blalock and one sister Betty Jo Blalock. His kids say that Jim reminds them of his mom, Irene, in a lot of ways! She taught him working hard pays off and to always treat people like he wanted to be treated; the golden rule for sure! He also learned to make a mean pot of green beans from Irene. Once a week he visits with his 91 year old uncle, Fred Lovell, who lives in Batesville with his wife Yvonne. Fred still works every day, a testament to that family work ethic.

Jim has breakfast most mornings at The Rusty Bike Cafe in Clayton where he visits with friends. The table often referred to as “the liar’s table” has been filled with fish tales and hunting stories mixed with a bit of local folklore along the way. When I asked Jim if he thought he would retire some day he said, “I’ll probably just keep going till I can’t go anymore.” Jim is well known, trusted and appreciated by those who know him. We are pleased to recognize such an impressive career.