Mostly cloudy early, then sunshine for the afternoon. High 33F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..
Partly cloudy skies. Low 17F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: October 31, 2023 @ 10:32 am
Epic Realty owner and broker Jenn Jansen was named the Iowa Realtor of the Year. The award recognizes her work on behalf of the real estate industry, her contributions to the community, professionalism and dedication.
Epic Realty owner and broker Jenn Jansen was named the Iowa Realtor of the Year. The award recognizes her work on behalf of the real estate industry, her contributions to the community, professionalism and dedication.
SIOUX CENTER—Epic Realty, Inc. owner Jennifer Jansen had a simple but heartfelt message to share after she was named Iowa Realtor of the Year during Thursday’s Iowa Association of Realtors Annual Convention: Thank you.
“I love what I do, and I love doing it here,” Jansen said.
The three-day annual convention in Des Moines served as a time for Iowa’s Realtors to gather, participate in ongoing educational opportunities, work together on committees and socialize with each other.
According to a news release, the Iowa Realtor of the Year award was given to Jansen of Sioux Center in recognition of her commitment to the real estate industry, contributions to the community, professionalism and dedication. Alongside winners from other states, Jansen will be recognized at the National Association of Realtors membership convention taking place in Anaheim, CA, in November.
“Jenn faithfully adheres to the Realtor Code of Ethics and is a staunch advocate for the real estate industry,” said Tonya Vakulskas, president of the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of Realtors. “She brings passion, professionalism and a sense of joy to every organization she serves.”
The news release also highlighted some of the roles she’s served to advocate for the real estate industry, such as her time as leadership as president of the Northwest Iowa Regional Board of Realtors during the challenges of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
“Jenn also serves on multiple state and national committees that engage with legislators to protect homeownership rights. She travels annually to legislative conferences in Des Moines and Washington, D.C., and currently serves as the Realtor organization’s Federal Political Coordinator for Congressman Randy Feenstra,” Vakulskas said.
Those political responsibilities are a snapshot of the work Jansen has done to benefit the real estate industry in N’West Iowa and beyond.
“Being an advocate for the industry is what my biggest motivation is in continuing to be involved in real estate,” she said. “I want to be an advocate for our homeowners and our communities. I was not really a government buff in school by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s been very interesting to learn all this.”
Being named as Iowa Realtor of the Year was a humbling surprise, Jansen said. To her, this award reflects how much this profession and the people she interacts with mean to her.
“This award means so much to me because it is about commitment to the industry,” she said. “It is being involved in legislative issues that protect our communities and our homeowners and our clients. It’s knowing what the market is doing throughout the state and visiting with other Realtors and being engaged and aware of the changing market.”
It’s taken a lot of support from others from all parts of her life to allow her to get this far, from her husband and children to her colleagues.
“Anna (Bousema), my office manager, was my nanny for my kids when I started in real estate. My kids were little, and she was in high school and college, and she nannied for me. All the people who had a hand in me becoming this involved and this engaged, it didn’t happen overnight,” Jansen said. “And locally, I have huge respect for our city leaders and our Chamber of Commerce. They’re phenomenal and give us a platform to do our best.”
Opportunities such as Leadership Sioux Center played a part in that local engagement and personal growth, too. She was a part of the inaugural 2013-14 class. She is also a member of the Sioux Center Health Executive Board and the Ignite Leadership Committee, and she previously has served on the Chamber of Commerce Executive Board.
As she became more involved in her industry, she found more voices telling her to continue.
“They’ve encouraged me to step up and be involved and have pushed me out of my comfort zone. I do not like getting on stage and talking in front of people. That’s not in my comfort zone, but sometimes to grow, you have to be uncomfortable,” she said.
Being a real estate agent comes with a lot of responsibility, Jansen knows, given how monumental a life moment buying or selling a home is in people’s lives.
“There are different moments in life where you’re buying and selling,” she said. “Sometimes they’re happy and exciting moments, sometimes they’re hard moments. But stepping into that relationship with that buyer or seller, meeting them where they are at and listening and understanding, I just want to make sure that I do my job in the most professional manner and most caring way.”
Business: Epic Realty
Broker/owner: Jennifer Jansen
Address: 815 N. Main Ave. Suite 1, Sioux Center
Phone: 712-722-5150
Online: epichomerealty.com
SIOUX CENTER—Three Sioux Center residents are vying for two Sioux Center City Council seats for the upcoming election. Residents will also hav…
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
