Lori Bembry Weldon
Lori Bembry Weldon is a native of the Red Hills Region and was raised in Madison County Florida at Pettis Springs Farm.
Her family farm is located near Honey Lake Plantation on the banks of the historic Aucilla River. Growing up, her family grew timber, row cropped, and raised cattle which has given Lori a broad spectrum of knowledge on different aspects of land resources and management.
Lori Bembry Weldon - "Preserving the Legacy Begins With Stewardship"- SEE ALL PROPERTIES
Lori's ties to this area run deep. From childhood, she has had a passion for land and a love of the outdoors. Her Dad has actively farmed their nine-hundred-acre property for the last forty years and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives for two consecutive terms from 2008-2012. He proudly served District 7, which encompasses a portion of the Red Hills Region, as well as many other rural counties outside that region
While staying home to raise her four children, she played an integral part developing two different companies with her then husband and business partner. Their professional and college sports ties gave them a great opportunity to establish a Sports Marketing Company. Cade Sports Marketing was founded in 2001. The company focused on organizing and hosting corporate weekends to the Super Bowl and other popular sporting events.
In 2009, they started Advanced Drying Systems, an emergency water mitigation company where Lori was part owner and executed the business sales, marketing and payroll departments.
Lori is captivated by the outdoors and is an avid bird hunter. Quail, duck, dove and turkey hunting are some of her favorite pastimes in the Red Hills Region. She enjoys traveling and Argentina has become one of her favorite destinations to hunt duck, dove and perdiz. She also has a passion for riding and owns Tennessee Walkers and a Missouri Fox-trotter.
Lori lives in Thomasville, Ga and is a lifetime member of the NRA. She enjoys bird hunting, shooting clays and is a National Member of G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Really Into Shooting). She is a National Member of Safari Club International and also a member of the North Florida Chapter of Safari Club International. She is a member of Quail Forever and the local Farm Bureaus in the surrounding counties where she resides.
Lori is a member of Tall Timbers Research and Land Conservancy and has a passion and appreciation for the preservation and conservation of land here in our region.
Lori has her Broker's Real Estate License for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee and joined Jon Kohler & Associates in 2017. She is a hometown girl and knows the Red Hills Region well. With her background in both Sales and Marketing, she is a natural fit for Jon Kohler & Associates. Lori is a great addition to our team and is enthusiastic about the opportunity to return to her roots and pursue her passion of being outdoors and working with land.
Client Testimonials Reel: Client Testimonials ~ Lori Bembry Weldon
Understanding Our Brand: Preserving the Legacy
To View Available Properties Click Below:
Camelot Farms Equestrian Estate - Coastal South Carolina
Quail Creek Plantation
Suwannee River Place
Swift Creek Island - Recently Sold
Eagle Island - Recently Sold
Black Island
Taylor Farms - Recently Sold
Red Rooster Farms - Recently Sold
Oak Hill Farms
Big Petit Gauke Island
Little Petit Gauke Island
Owl and Moon - Recently Sold
Ellis Acre - Recently Sold
Oak Ridge Farms - Under Contract
Vintage - Taylor Crossing Historical Tobacco Warehouse/ Venue
Little Eagle Island -Private Island in the Golden Isles of Coastal Georgia
Black Island Waterfront Woodlands
Fenway Equestrian Farm - Recently Sold
Social Storm Property
Long Pine Farms - UNDER CONTRACT
Solitude Waterfront Escape
Lori Bembry Weldon - "Preserving the Legacy Begins With Stewardship"- SEE ALL PROPERTIES
Testimonials
"Lori has been working with me for the past few years as I've been searching for the best small land assets to satisfy my commitment to the preservation of history and tradition." – Owner, Heirloom Landmarks LLC
"One of the things that has kept me coming back to Lori is that she not only understands my love of our traditions, my desire to preserve them, and my deep respect for the storied past; she shares them." – Owner, Heirloom Landmarks LLC
"Our second transaction was purchasing a family farm. Lori spent countless days and hours showing us many different properties. She was fair and worked hard for us during our negotiation process. We couldn't have been happier with both, our sell and our purchase. Lori is such a honest, hard worker and is genuinely excited for the families she works with. Not only is she our realtor, we now call her our friend." - Terry and Nicki West, New landowner of B & C Creekside / West Family Hunting Camp
"Lori added so much to our team in selling our equestrian facility, Camelot Farms. She put together a creative marketing plan which attracted many qualified potential buyers. She was always quick to respond to questions from potential buyers and readily available to us as owners. She was there to hold our hands on an unusual property's sell and I highly recommend her services to anyone buying or selling property in South Carolina." - Anne Kennedy, Landowner, Camelot Farms Equestrian Estate
"Lori was our Realtor when we decided to move across country. She was always available and resourceful with our needs from providing video walkthroughs, meeting us when we came to town and meeting inspectors and other resources during the escrow process. Lori's communication was top notch, she was very quick to respond to questions, concerns and she always relayed information in real time, so we never had to worry about what was going on. Lori knows land and real estate and does her best to ensure her clients have all the information they need to make informed decisions." - Dave and Maya Textor, New Landowner, Long Pine Farms
"Lori stepped up for me and delivered on a second property closing which was quite unique and required special creative marketing to find the perfect buyer. She found a new land steward for an old tobacco barn/warehouse (Circa 1940) I owned in Attapulgus, Georgia. I was so relieved to pass the baton to someone who will restore and preserve its' historical heritage. She is so attentive and easy to work with and her advertising was so spot on." – Rayner Taylor, Landowner/Seller, Taylor's Crossing Tobacco Warehouse
"Lori is fantastic at what she does, her creative marketing skills and knowledge of land are second to none which ensure she attracts qualified buyers who are willing to pay top dollar for her clients. Her people skills are incredible and she is just easy to work with as far as handling all of the details of putting the deal together to reach closing. She is always very responsive and communicates extremely well throughout the entire process. She was able to bring a buyer to the table that paid full asking price for my property and I could not be more pleased with the entire experience of working with her as a seller. I would give her a 5-star rating and will most definitely use her services again to buy and sell any land in the future." - Stephen Demott, Landowner, Oak Ridge Farm
"I had great success in 2022 with Lori selling my small farm in Cairo, Georgia, she put together a great advertising package capturing all areas of the property and even included arial shots. We have referred her on several occasions and look forward to using her again if the need arises." – Dan Dunlop, Landowner, Oak Hill Farms
"My experience working with Lori Weldon was first class, from the introduction to the closing table. My property was Eagle Island, an 150-acre private island and lodge accessible by boat only. Prior to the listing, Lori researched the market, had an appraisal conducted, completed a valuation, initiated a marketing strategy, and hired a TV Film Crew to produce a marketing piece that aired on LandLeader TV- RFD-TV. This show did a wonderful job of introducing the viewers to the surrounding rivers, marsh, wildlife boating and recreational sporting activities. Only then, did the listing become activated and the parade of qualified clients never stopped." - Andy Hill, Landowner, Eagle Island
"We had the pleasure of working with Lori on two separate occasions, as a seller and a buyer. We listed our beach home with her and she assured me she would sell it and she did. To date, it is the highest priced home to sell on Saint George Island, Florida." - Terry and Nicki West, Landowner, Solitude
"Heirloom buildings capture so much of the past, and Lori has that sixth sense of all that a building holds in its silent presence. Working with her is productive, focused, and always fun! I count her as a friend." – Owner, Heirloom Landmarks LLC
"Lori helped me turn the page in a very difficult chapter in my life!" "She did an amazing job selling my 40-acre equestrian estate in Thomasville, Georgia." – Rayner Taylor, Landowner/Seller, Taylor Farms
"Lori also sold my husband's farm, Oak Hill Farm in Cairo, Ga! She goes above and beyond any other broker I've ever worked with!" – Rayner Taylor, Seller's Wife Regarding Husband's property, Oak Hill Farm
"Lori is a broker I will always highly recommend to anyone selling or buying Georgia property or for any of the other 5 states she is licensed as well! We just listed a home in Sorrento, Fl and Lori has been so helpful in that process as well" – Rayner Taylor and Dan Dunlop, Landowner, Tayler Farms & Taylor's Crossing Tobbaco Warehouse
"Lori also listed another private island I owned here in McIntosh County/ Darien, Ga. Queens Island is a 78-acre undeveloped private island with direct frontage on the Atlantic Ocean. It is located just off the Intracoastal Waterway near Doboy Sound and Sapelo Island; in close proximity to the state protected bird sanctuary Wolf Island and the Sapelo Island, National Estuarine Research Reserve Center. She knew immediately that our buyer would need to be someone who places a high value on land preservation and conservation. Lori holds those same values personally and immediately tapped into a buyer pool of previous clients and contacts and found the perfect buyer who acquired Queens Island as a conservation play to protect its beautiful tidal marshes and beach frontage for future generations. I was personally impressed to experience her genuine desire to protect Coastal Georgia with its unique barrier islands and massive salt marsh eco-systems." - Andy Hill, Landowner, Queens Island
"I honestly can't remember when I first met Lori Weldon, but it was certainly fortuitous for me and my family. Nearing retirement and overloaded with real estate, I needed a professional realtor. Several of the properties in coastal Georgia were unique and were certainly difficult to market. Lori accepted the challenge and did a remarkable job. One of the properties was a small island off the coast of Savannah (Little Petit Gauke Island) and another was a (Red Rooster Farms) a 400-acre tract in Glynn County. Definitely five stars!" – Dr. James Gowen, Landowner, Sea Island, Ga
"Lori's passion for the outdoors, boating, fishing, family and friends creates the perfect connection between her and her clients with the same interests." - Andy Hill, Landowner, Eagle Island
"Working with Lori Weldon was an exceptional experience. Her extensive knowledge of the real estate market, proactive marketing strategies and excellent negotiation skills led to a quick and competitive sale of our home. Lori's dedication to her clients, demeanor and responsiveness made us feel valued throughout the entire process. I highly recommend Lori as a top-notch realtor/broker. She goes above and beyond to deliver outstanding results for her clients."- Hinton Davis Family, Landowner, Little Eagle Island
"Lori is the consummate professional. She is always prompt in communicating with her clients no matter the time of day. She is extremely accommodating in allowing you to do your due diligence and even if she has conflicts concerning walk-throughs, she makes sure that one of her colleagues can provide assistance. We highly recommend Lori to anyone looking for assistance with their real estate needs."- Scott and Ashley Simmons, New Landowner of Little Eagle Island
"We count Lori as our friend as we have listed property with her in the past. We invited her to tour our new property last week to put together a marketing plan and listing agreement. Although she just had her knee replaced 3 weeks prior, she happily met me on site with her walking cane and drone to get an idea of all of the improvements to value our place. Lori has a great network of clients and buyers as well as a strong presence and following on social media. We reviewed her valuation and set the offering price and before she could even shoot the official marketing video, she brought us a cash buyer. Lori drew up the contract and we are now under contract thanks to her amazing top notch services. If you need to sell a property fairly quickly, I would highly recommend enlisting her services. She is well connected locally and has a great network of previous clients and buyers. We are so proud of Lori and look forward to working with her on more properties in the future." - Robin Norman and Vicky Brown, Landowner, Willow Pond Lane
Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.
Prior to joining Jon Kohler & Associates, Walter Hatchett served for 30 years as a land manager to several of the south’s most esteemed properties, including Rock Creek. As a former property manager himself, and a consistently ranked “Top Sales Producer” nationwide and achieved “APEX Top 20 Land Broker” multiple times, Walter has a keen eye for the best in habitat management.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.