If you are a close friend or acquaintance of mine, you have maybe noticed that I have poured my heart and soul into building a life in Northeast Nebraska. It is a region that I truly love. However, real estate was not my first choice of career, even though it turned out to be the best choice. A younger me was devoted to having a career in the ag industry, something that I still long for on occasion. I wanted to have a brood of kids, chickens, and livestock running wild on a section of ground that I would spend days and nights cultivating and harvesting with my husband. I even considered at one point that I could be a horse woman and live on a ranch in western Nebraska if the opportunity presented itself (more details on why that would have been a bad decision in a future post). Having spent over 20 years in the real estate industry, I found myself floundering through 2024 to stay ahead of the market, the technology, and the "noise." I was losing my "why." I needed to get back to the heart of things, and I took to reading and writing to try and work out my mid-career crisis.
It was out of this period of uncertainty that the calling for The Home Place sprang to life. It was like a rejuvenation of my soul when I wrote those words down in a tattered school notebook I had salvaged from last year's post-school bookbag clean out. In fact, it is all I could think about for the last four months. You see, The Home Place represents a place where people first put down roots when the area was settled. It has long been used to describe the base of operations for local farming operations as well as to chronicle where people started out. The realization that I am honoring The Home Place and the century old white farmhouse for which White Farmhouse Realty, LLC is named brings a sense of peace to my troubled mind. But, The Home Place has taken on a double meaning when coupled with the fact that I see White Farmhouse Realty as being The "Home" Place in Northeast Nebraska. This is my center of operations. When people think of real estate, I want them to think of what makes White Farmhouse Realty special. I want them to think of this as the place where they not only feel at home but the place that can help bring them home and plant their roots. It has truly been a re-energizing process.
In the midst of all the chaos, I took to rebuilding the website due to issues with the site platform that were causing me heartburn. This turned into about a six month process largely because I was having a hard time finding my voice when I first started the site build with the incredibly talented owner of Creatively Seeded, Tracee Larson (please look Tracee up if you are in need of branding, web design, and other marketing services https://www.creativelyseeded.com/). I had to step away from things for about 30 days because I needed to regroup, let the ideas simmer, and figure out how to get them out on my terms. Plus, November and December proved to be extremely busy months for real estate sales. Thankfully, I had a patient team who gave me some grace to write...and rewrite...and then rewrite again until we got to the finish line.
Rest assured, as I sit here today, I am in a much better place personally and professionally. I am excited for the new things that 2025 holds for all of us here at White Farmhouse. We have a new member of our sales team, Sarah Larson. Her youth and optimism are bringing a new vibe to the workplace. It is exhilarating to be able to share my professional experiences as well as witness her experiencing all the firsts that I encountered 20 years ago. My respect to Anne Nolte for giving me the same chance back in 2004 as a very green college graduate who wasn't afraid of much except everything all at once. I am having a full circle moment being able to offer that same opportunity to others.
With that, I'll leave you with an oldie, but a goodie. Please take a moment to read about The Home Place that started it all and maybe catch a glimpse as to why farm life will always be a dream I hope attain even though I have a strong attachment to the career that chose me instead:
The White Farmhouse story has been in the making for generations. A two-story white farmhouse sits on a family farm located near the southern edge of Wayne County. That farmhouse is a sanctuary after a long day’s work. It provides safety during summer storms, warmth during winter snows, and security throughout the year. It holds memories of learning to ride bikes, hauling hay, walking beans every 4th of July, baling straw on the hottest day of the year, and caring for something other than just oneself. It is where spring calves have been nursed on the concrete basement floor during late season snow storms, ending with both good and bad outcomes. It is where all of the outbuildings were painted one summer after wrecking a pickup just a mile down the road. It is canning tomatoes in the kitchen and gathering eggs from the henhouse with Mom. It is checking cows and hauling livestock and grain to market with Dad. To this day, it is a place of goals, dreams, and hard work. It still stands as a place of refuge and comfort. That White Farmhouse is about a family, working together, and building a life around a business. It embodies everything for which our company stands. This is real life. This is White Farmhouse Realty, LLC. Welcome Home.
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