In Chattanooga’s historic Ferger Place neighborhood, a stately American Foursquare-style home brims with character: a coal chute turned spice rack, a butler’s bell discreetly hidden beneath a dining room rug and a double-brick facade that has withstood more than a century of Tennessee weather.
The home’s architectural details call to mind an earlier time, but its listing in today’s competitive market underscores a very modern truth: Realtor India Cox knows how to tell a home’s story and how to stand beside her clients as they navigate the life-changing decisions that come with buying or selling a home.
Cox, a seasoned Realtor with Horizon Sotheby’s International Realty, has built her business not on glitzy advertisements or digital lead generation but on word-of-mouth referrals and encounters that feel more like destiny than chance.
She met homeowners Jennifer Jewett and Daniel McKinzey during one such serendipitous moment. As Cox was showing a different house at the end of the street, the couple happened to walk by. Finding the home intriguing, they struck up a conversation with Cox and asked for a peek inside.
“That was in 2017,” Cox recalls, smiling. “But it started a relationship that’s grown into multiple transactions and now the opportunity to help them list this amazing home.”
The listing – 125 Eveningside Drive – is no ordinary property. Built in 1913, the home blends preserved period features with updated conveniences. The original butler’s pantry has been reimagined but not replaced. A parlor has been converted into a home office. The porte-cochere that once welcomed horse-drawn carriages now shelters an electric motorcycle.
And then there are the less-expected details, like a fireplace that required a specialty coal-gas conversion only available from a vendor in Boston.
For Cox, details like these aren’t obstacles; they’re assets.
“This home isn’t a cookie-cutter listing, and I don’t treat it like one,” she says. “I don’t treat any of my clients like that. Every buyer and seller has a different set of priorities, and every home has a different voice. My job is to amplify that voice.”
Jennifer and Daniel say Cox’s commitment to understanding both them and their property sets her apart from other agents.
“We’ve worked with several Realtors over the years, but India is by far the best,” Jennifer says. “She’s not driven by the sale. There were houses I was ready to make an offer on, and she said, ‘Jen, I think this is going to cost you more than it’s worth.’ That level of honesty is rare.”
Cox has been licensed since 2013, starting her career with Prudential Realty Center, which later became Berkshire Hathaway. She remained through that transition before momentarily joining another local firm. Now aligned with Sotheby’s, Cox says the global brokerage fits her evolving brand.
“Sotheby’s is known for luxury, but it’s really about service,” she explains. “That kind of concierge-level attention should be available at any price point. What matters most is the level of care.”
That ethos has paid off. Despite never purchasing online leads or joining a team, Cox has built a thriving, independent real estate business in Chattanooga. Her portfolio includes investment properties, personal homes and historic listings like the one in Ferger Place.
“She just gets it,” Jennifer says. “She knows what makes an investment viable and what makes a house feel like home.”
The Ferger Place property, now on the market, has already drawn interest thanks to Cox’s nuanced approach to marketing. Rather than rely solely on standard MLS listings and generic descriptions, she’s crafted messaging that highlights the home’s unique blend of period charm and modern comfort.
“I think the right buyer is someone who appreciates character – someone who wants to be close to downtown but still have that sense of community and privacy,” Cox says. “This neighborhood offers that.”
Ferger Place is one of Chattanooga’s hidden gems, a horseshoe-shaped enclave originally designed by brothers Fred and Herman Ferger as a retreat from the city’s industrial bustle. Today, volunteers maintain a neighborhood park. There’s no formal HOA, just a small yearly donation for those who wish to contribute.
“It really feels like Mayberry,” Jennifer says. “We have chili cookoffs, home brew contests and Halloween parties for the kids. One of our neighbors bakes us cookies every Sunday.”
Cox agrees. “What Ferger offers is that sense of small-town closeness within a city that’s growing fast. Chattanooga used to be a mid-size city; now we’re seeing global brands like Sotheby’s move in, which tells you where the market is headed. But neighborhoods like this still feel intimate. People are investing in these homes not just financially but also emotionally. They’re loving them back to life.”
That sense of connection extends to how Cox runs her business. She’s excelled without ever outsourcing her lead generation, relying instead on presence and personability: she meets potential clients at estate sales, neighborhood events, and even while dropping off her children at school. One client was a police officer working security at an estate sale. Another was a crossing guard who learned Cox was a Realtor after overhearing her mention a closing.
“Being open to connection is a big part of this business,” Cox says. “Some of my most meaningful client relationships started with [a simple] hello.”
That same appreciation for authenticity is evident in 125 Eveningside Drive. Jennifer and Daniel refinished the residence with attention to detail, restoring painted-over fireplaces and uncovering original woodwork. The kitchen has been updated, but the butler’s pantry remains. The original coal chute is still visible, now cleverly repurposed.
The home’s story, however, is about more than aesthetics. It’s about community. Daniel, a retired special operations veteran, and Jennifer, an occupational therapist with a love for antiques, found in Ferger Place a sense of connection they hadn’t experienced elsewhere.
“This neighborhood is like a bubble,” Jennifer says. “Kids still ride bikes. Neighbors help each other. It’s peaceful.”
Cox hopes the next buyer will value that spirit. Her marketing plan, she says, isn’t focused on just the features of the home but also the community around it.
“This is a unique enclave, but it’s not exclusive,” she says. “It’s diverse in background, profession and age. People come here not just for the homes but [also] for the community.”
That neighborly spirit carries into Cox’s work with clients. As Jennifer and Daniel prepare to downsize – hoping to split time between Chattanooga and Montana to be closer to family – they say Cox has been instrumental in easing the transition.
“She’s part of our story now,” Jennifer says. “She’s helping us to end this chapter on the right note.”
As for Cox, she sees every listing as a new narrative waiting to be told – each with its own cast of characters, plot and conclusion.
“Every home has a story,” she says. “My job is to help tell it.”