Ten years ago, when Liz Zipperer returned to her hometown, Nashville was hitting its stride as one of America’s so-called “it cities.” And for someone a couple of years out of college who was beginning her career in real estate, there was no better place to be.
With so much energy and excitement crammed into a tiny space, there was little reason to venture beyond her Gulch-to-Germantown bubble. “I soaked up everything like a sponge,” she says. “Living at Werthan Lofts in Germantown was amazing. Meeting new neighbors all the time and walking to Sounds games was so much fun.”
She worked at the Parks Realty office in The Gulch, which was experiencing a massive development boom, where she had a front row seat to the daily skyline changes.
As much fun as it was being in the middle of the action, in 2016 she accepted a position at Parks new office location in The Hill Center on Charlotte Avenue and felt like she was getting closer to where she needed to be.
“I was working with single-family homebuyers who were looking for something a little farther out,” she says. “Then I got a dog, a dalmatian named Dottie who is the love of my life, and let’s be honest - she needed a yard,” Liz says.
At that time, this native Nashvillian began to feel Bellevue calling her back home.
“Initially I didn’t see myself moving back here because it’s where I grew up and young professionals who’ve been living downtown for years do not move five minutes from their parents’ house,” she says.
But that’s exactly what happened. In November 2020, she visited Stephens Valley off Pasquo Road near Highway 100. While downtown high-rises may be dazzling, they were no match for the lush greenery and charming homes of Stephens Valley. At least not to an authentic Bellevue girl.
She broke ground on her new home in March 2021 and by December, she and Dottie moved in.
Built by DeFatta Custom Homes, Liz’s house is 3,022 square-feet with four bedrooms and 3.5 baths. The Modern French Tudor features two fireplaces, a soaker tub, two closets in the primary bedroom, screened-in porch, plus a turf lawn for Dottie. The purchase price was in the $700s with an appraised value of more than $1 million as of last October. Like the rest of Bellevue, the desirability is underscored by the sharp increase in appreciation.
Liz says, “Some of the attributes that make Bellevue so incredibly popular include One Bellevue Place, which was a more recent catalyst, the Warner Parks, as well as the area’s accessibility, which makes it a hidden gem for downtown commuters.”
Stephens Valley introduced a new element to the area that appeals to a wide range of homebuyers.
“It’s a product that is unlike anything Bellevue has had,” says Liz. “Half of the homes have side yards which is not traditional. I like it because it’s lower maintenance and the developers are offering neighborhood amenities and a Town Center which will incorporate commercial aspects into the neighborhood.”
As a Realtor, Liz has sold homes in several Bellevue-area neighborhoods, including The Colonies, Stephens Valley, Avondale Park, Still Spring Hollow and The Highlands at Stoneridge.
Three years ago, she created a real estate team called LIZ + CO, which is her own entity within Parks Realty, where she partners with colleagues Jordan Scott and Courtney Bryant.
“I have a team-player spirit and love to collaborate,” she says. “By enjoying this industry together, we can provide amazing service and value because there are no one-size-fits-all clients or Realtors®. Clients want to work with people that they have common experiences with.”
And those interested in Bellevue likely will have many common experiences with Liz Zipperer.
