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NATCHEZ — Murray Land and Homes is moving its company headquarters to Natchez.

Originally opened in Crosby, broker and owner Edna Murray opened a Natchez branch at 328 Main Street early this fall and officially moved headquarters here this month.

 She opened the business Feb. 14, 2019, to provide services in residential, hunting, industrial, commercial and 1031 exchange properties. 

Her husband Travis Murray is a realtor and appraiser with the company. They each have more than 20 years of experience in the industry. The new office is essentially a regional headquarters for a company licensed in Mississippi and Louisiana, Travis said. The improvement of customer service went into their decision to make the move. 

“We could better serve our clients with this location. We really needed a store front,” Travis said. “Our entire business plan is based on our clients. Our MO is customer service. If someone calls, we answer the phone; it’s not some answering machine.”

The historic building provides a grand backdrop for the couple’s decor, which includes deer mounts and alligator hides. All of them were killed by the Murrays who are avid bow hunters. Edna said she has never killed a deer with a gun and Travis loves to hunt using a longbow or recurve bow. 

On one wall is the hide of an alligator caught by the Murrays, its head is in the office window. At the window seals are pieces of wood found on the banks of the Homochitto River near their home in Crosby. Desks are made out of walnut, magnolia and persimmon timber.

“Every house has dirt under it. We are experts in land and enjoy hunting and fishing” Edna said. “We live and breathe it. It’s all we know and we enjoy it. I enjoy getting out on a piece of land and showing clients around… We are different so we wanted to look different.” 

Edna said one of the benefits of owning her own company is they have the freedom to branch out and take on different projects. 

All attention is focused on the client. They understand it takes money to get money so they go the extra mile to advertise and market properties. She keeps a running list of clients and the needs they have so if a parcel of land comes up she can find the right buyer. 

“No client is too big or small,” Travis said.

Their hope is one day pass on the business to their son who is 18 and attends Wilkinson County Christian Academy. Edna said he has already taken his real estate courses. 

Currently, they are finishing up renovations on the space. Everything in the process has gone smoothly, she said. Their fathers worked at the Peroli-Armstrong plant in north Natchez and her dad would not have believed she would own a building on Main Street. 

“We have been very blessed and we are thankful for the support we have,” Edna said. “It was a gamble. When I first told (Travis) I wanted to buy the building he was like ‘what.’ It took a lot of work to renovate but we did it … It has been heaven sent. Everything has fallen into place. It was meant to be.”