About Mary Kay
My path to real estate wasn’t a straight line.
That’s probably why I’m so comfortable with yours, whatever shape it’s in. Here’s the short version of a long, winding road to Sioux Falls.
The story
Fourteen years of raising a family, then a little seed.
I spent 14 years as a stay-at-home mom raising my family. Years earlier, when we lived in Illinois, I met my friend Amanda in a moms group when we were both pregnant with our second babies. Eventually Amanda moved to Tucson and became a Realtor, and watching her planted a little seed in the back of my mind.
When my youngest, Livia, started kindergarten, I started thinking about what my next chapter was going to look like. I went to work at CEFCU, and I quickly realized that I had a knack for connecting with people.
I could start out making small talk with someone, learn a little about their life, and before long we’d be talking about a mortgage or home loan, not because I was trying to sell them something, but because I genuinely listened and could recognize an opportunity to help.
Month after month, I was the top salesperson, began training new employees, and was on a three-year path toward opening my own branch.
Then life changed the plan.
In the summer of 2019, my husband was laid off, and by October, our family had packed up and moved to South Dakota.
Suddenly, I had another opportunity to ask myself, “What do I want my next chapter to look like?”
And that little seed Amanda had planted years earlier came back.
I realized that so much of what I loved, and what I was good at, fit naturally into real estate. Talking to people. Listening. Building relationships. Understanding financing. Educating instead of selling. And helping someone make a big decision without ever making them feel pressured.
So I became a Realtor.
My mission
People first. Real estate second. Relationships always.
That’s the whole of how I run my business. If a move isn’t right for you right now, I’ll tell you that too, then I’ll point you to the people and resources that help until it is. My job is to make the big decision smaller, clearer, and yours.
6
Years
90
Homes sold
#18378
SD license
What you get
The things clients mention again and again.
Listening before selling
I genuinely like people, and it shows in how I work. Small talk turns into real talk fast, and that’s where the good stuff comes out.
A financial background
Years working in consumer lending taught me how mortgages, credit, and budgets actually work. You get an agent who speaks that language fluently.
Education without pressure
I’d rather educate than sell, every time. When you understand the process, you don’t need anyone to push you into a decision.
Real life perspective
Stay-at-home mom, corporate employee, relocating family, I’ve been the person on the other side of big life changes. I know how much a patient guide helps.
Why South Dakota
We packed up our life and moved here in six months.
When my family relocated to Sioux Falls in 2019, I lived every part of the experience my clients go through: leaving a home we loved, figuring out a new town, and starting over with a lot of unknowns. That's why I have so much patience for relocating clients, because I've packed that truck, too.
“What do you want your next chapter to look like?”
It’s a question for you as much as it was for me. Whenever you want to talk it through, I’m here.
Start the conversation