Cultivating a real estate business that has thrived through the years, Jacki Thornburg is using her success to make a difference. A seasoned broker and the driving force behind EXIT Realty Heart Properties in Mississippi, she serves with exceptional dedication, compassion, and commitment.

 

Jacki graduated from the University of Toledo with degrees in Economics and Communication before getting hired by a prominent bank in Michigan. She worked as an apprentice in the mortgage department, which is where she was introduced to the industry and developed her skills that would serve her well later in the future. “I started shipping then processing, closing, underwriting,” she comments, “then moved on to managing all of it.”

 

However, when Jacki’s father became ill, she made a career pivot. Taking a loan officer position for more flexibility in her schedule, she also obtained her Real Estate License; working in both fields for that time period.

 

“I was looking for something a bit different because showing homes in Michigan in the winter is not that fun,” Jacki remarks on the events that led to her moving to her now-home of Mississippi. 

 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, from 2007-2008, Jacki worked for a company that helped investors buy pre-construction properties in the Gulf Coast. A year after that, she was sent to Mississippi for a temporary 2-month assignment, not knowing anyone in the area other than her mortgage lender friend, Kevin Meador. Her Broker at the time offered her the job of sitting at a model home, which she “happily agreed to”. 

 

Soon enough, Jacki began to sell several residential homes and, when changes happened at her company, she made the ultimate decision to turn that 2-month trip into a permanent transfer. “ . . . my boss in Michigan decided to pull out of business in Mississippi,” Jacki explains of the shift, “but I had already fallen in love with the area and the industry.”

 

Following, Jacki got her Broker’s License and launched Heart Properties. “I named my company Heart Properties in tribute to my father who passed away from heart disease,” she states. Eleven years later, she chose to partner with EXIT Realty due to its family culture, advanced technology,  and the ability to gain financial security through passive and residuals income, which is unique in real estate today. 

 

Passionate about business and people, Jacki fights for her clients, and they remember that drive, even years down the road. She recalls how one client recently posted on Facebook about the home that Jacki helped her buy 14 years ago. “For this deal, I had to drive to Jackson and back at the last minute to pick up a deed so that she could close before a grant program expired at the end of the business day,” she reminisces how she went above and beyond to make this transaction possible, which has had a lasting impact on this client’s life.

 

Years in the mortgage industry has resulted in Jacki being proficient in solving problems for clients and her agents alike. She makes herself available, always answering her phone, and applying her extensive knowledge and wisdom to coach her brokerage. “It is very important to me that our office prioritizes education and making sure that all agents are properly trained,” she says, “we have an outstanding onboarding course to introduce agents to our office and an agent training program that is fully accessible online and goes over the real details of our day-to-day.”

 

Jacki is proud of the culture she has established with her team of agents at EXIT Realty Heart Properties, calling it a “happy, collaborative office”. This year, the team won numerous production awards this year at the EXIT of Alabama/Mississippi Regional Awards, and two specialty awards, the Transformational Growth Award (this was especially gratifying because the award is best on increase in Agent Count up 86% from 2021), increase in Sales Volume (up 76% from 2021), increase in number of Closed transactions (up 71% from 2021) and Broker Net Income (up 19% from 2021) and the Community Ambassador Award, which is based on our impact to our local community and community service events.

 

Jacki also loves to collaborate and learn, serving as a Director for the Gulf Coast Association of REALTORS® and being a member of the LMAR (Leadership Mississippi Association of REALTORS®) class this year, which allows her to travel across the state and “meet other amazing leaders in the industry”.

 

Having established a strong, successful business, Jacki uses this platform to raise funds and awareness for The United MSD Foundation (curemsd.org); which is the global nonprofit organization that her friend–whose daughter was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder–founded. Thankfully, a cure for MSD has been discovered and they are currently raising money to fund the clinical trials. Over the course of a couple years and through the program, the Spirit of EXIT, Jacki’s office has raised over $20k for the foundation.

 

Jacki enjoys life with her husband of 8 years, Mike, who has 2 kids and a 7-year-old granddaughter that Jacki adores. The couple loves visiting family, friends and boating trips to Horn Island; being out in the sun, drinking beer and wine, and playing a game of golf.

 

A genuinely happy person, Jacki is cultivating a legacy of positivity and volunteerism, also participating in Ocean Springs Rotary Club since 2016 and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Coaching and teaching her team and being committed to excellence, she demonstrates what a true leader is, all while making an impact in her beloved new home of Mississippi.

For comments or questions about this article, contact Jacki at (228) 385-9229 or jacki@heartproperties.net