REAL estate expert Tiffany Gray has returned to her homeland, and she’s ready to hunt for real estate treasures to win over new clients.

Two years ago she embarked on the journey of opening a real estate brokerage in Jamaica, finally yielding to the gut feeling she had harboured about returning to her homeland for nearly a decade.

“I wouldn’t have it no other way. I wasn’t born in Jamaica, but Jamaica is the place that has accepted me growing up as a child in Port Royal, Kingston, and so I was determined to come back home,” Gray told the Jamaica Observer.

The new real estate brokerage house – T.A.M.G Realty Jamaica — will make Gray’s ninth office since she opened the company’s doors back in 2016. It’s also the first location outside of the United States.

The next stop for T.A.M.G Realty is Africa and the United Kingdom.

Prior to the expansion to Jamaica, T.A.M.G Realty established business in eight states across the US — Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Mississippi.

T.A.M.G Realty Jamaica, which is located on Balmoral Avenue in Kingston, was incorporated in March. The company has been quietly engaging with potential customers but it plans to ramp up its efforts with a more aggressive push, following its official launch next month.

“I’ve had many accomplishments but opening an office in Jamaica feels like my biggest accomplishment because it brought me back home,” Gray said.

T.A.M.G Realty is small in size now with only three agents employed by the firm, including Gray who has more than 21 years of real estate experience under her belt. Nevertheless, the company will have to compete with giants such as ReMax, Keller Williams Jamaica, Century21 Heave-Ho Properties, Coldwell Banker, Millenium Properties and Jamaica Sotheby’s International for business.

“My strategy is to get more into the mid- to upper-class real estate listings but I’m also open to being a guide to individuals who don’t understand how to acquire a property, be it land or a house,” Gray said.

“I’m also working on attracting good talent to the firm and we plan to do that by offering a higher compensation rate, passing on some of the knowledge I have from working in the States, as well as being open to franchise partnerships with seasoned employees, as time passes,” she added.

Gray is entering the real estate space in Jamaica at a time when the market is softening, largely due to high interest rates. But Gray isn’t overly concerned.

“This is the time when those at the higher end of the market will purchase properties because they have a stronger chance to negotiate the price. But if interest rates are lower, you won’t get that discount,” she reasoned.

Jamaica’s real estate market has been steadily growing in recent years. Tourist destinations like Montego Bay and Ocho Rios have seen significant development in both residential and commercial properties. Additionally, areas like Kingston are experiencing a surge in condominiums and luxury homes.

The price of real estate in Jamaica varies depending on factors like location, property type and market trends. In popular tourist areas like Montego Bay and Negril prices tend to be higher, but prices have also been on the rise in Kingston with prices ranging up to $40 million for apartment complexes.

Still, the buyers, including expatriates and retirees looking for second homes or retirement properties, aren’t shying away.

“Jamaica’s landscape is second to none. It’s really a beautiful island that has so much to offer and that’s why it’s important for local residents to get in as soon as they can,” Gray said.

The self-taught entrepreneur will use the next two years to solidify her real estate business in Jamaica. Simultaneously, she will work on developing Dynamic Duo, a business process outsourcing company in which she is a shareholder.

Both Dynamic Duo and T.A.M.G Realty currently share building space on Balmoral Avenue but Gray has plans to acquire land or building within an area designated as a Special Economic Zone.

“The goal is to run both businesses from the property that we will acquire, and later we will develop spaces that we can lease to business owners,” she said.

Apart from her successful real estate business, Gray owns and operates Seventh Automobile Brokerage, a dealership based in Roswell, Georgia. She is also the owner of Tiny Footprints Academy, a daycare that provides an innovative learning environment for children.

In addition to her real estate and daycare ventures, Gray founded Step Into Your Legacy Foundation. This non-profit organization seeks to educate young adults on financial literacy, life skills and provide guidance on securing employment.

Recently, Gray launched Great Rising International with Dr. GeorgetteFraser-Moore, a global tourism business that is aimed at providing unforgettable experiences to travelers from all over the world.