For three generations, Jayme Nabors and his family have had a special affinity for the land in northwest Florida. Taught to love and respect the unique offerings of the Emerald Coast, Nabors is a true sportsman who enjoys boating, fishing, surfing, diving and exploring every inch of the state’s coastline. When he’s not spending time in the water, he gets a splendid bird’s eye view of the area as a licensed pilot who takes frequent excursions with his family, friends, and clients. Always interested in preserving the area’s natural beauty while also embracing progress and commercial development, it was only fitting that Nabors would pursue real estate as his passion and establish the most successful, fastest growing firm in the Southeast.
With an unsurpassed knowledge of the area, family ties to the community, and an entrepreneurial background, Nabors is recognized by many as one of the most astute commercial real estate minds in the business. A graduate of the University of Florida, he studied wildlife, ecology and conservation and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Following graduation he obtained his real estate license and built up a loyal clientele while focusing on commercial real estate, property management, sales and leasing. In 2005 he decided to start his own firm and partnered with Craig Barrett to launch Nabors-Barrett Investments in Fort Walton Beach. Insiders joke that NBI stands for “Nothing But Increase” as the firm and its clients have experienced unprecedented growth and investment returns despite the often volatile real estate market.
“It’s amazing, but we are blessed because we have never experienced a downturn,” said Nabors. “We started with the simple premise that we would always put the needs of our clients first, and I believe that’s the reason we are celebrating seven great years now. We have refused to get complacent and remain steadfastly committed to offering unparalleled service, expertise, and advice that our clients can depend on. ”
Nabors has an extensive background in business development and has managed commercial real estate and development projects of all sizes. His specialties include brokerage of retail power centers and executive office buildings as well as industrial and large tracts of land. Although the economy has presented investors with some challenges, Nabors believes commercial real estate on the Emerald Coast is fortunate to hinge on military bases and defense contractors in areas such as Fort Walton Beach and a steady retail market in Destin.
“A lot of businesses occupying the office space in Fort Walton are centered around the defense business,” he said. “Destin always thrives on tourism, so the retail market there is fairly good. Overall, I think the outlook will improve once the banks start clearing out inventory and some price corrections take place.”
Currently, NBI Properties has sold and leased countless properties valued in the hundreds of millions and manages more than 1,300 properties. The firm’s impressive client list includes many of the nation’s top retailers, defense contractors and private investors. In 2011, the company added a division named Lifestyle Properties to handle vacation rentals and in 2012 they anticipate launching NBI Residential. As the burgeoning firm lays claim to much of the prime real estate to be found on the Emerald Coast, Nabors says his philosophy is the same as it was seven years ago.
“No matter how you look at it, it’s a relationship business,” he said. “We put in the time and effort to guarantee our relationships with our clients are solid, and lots of times they let us know how much they appreciate it.”