Growing up on a farm in small-town Ransom, Kansas, Kristin Pendergraft could not imagine how the lessons learned growing up would impact her future. “If I did something on a Friday night, my dad knew about it Saturday morning when he went to the coffee shop. From a young age, I learned never to do anything ethically or morally wrong which would make my parents upset or disappointed.” Farm life and those lessons have carried over to her adult life in expected and unexpected ways.
Moving to Tennessee in 2001 for a business opportunity, Kristin exclaims, “It immediately felt like home!” When plans did not work out as expected, Kristin accepted a position as an executive assistant with a large real estate office. Told by her manager, “You are probably the best assistant I’ve ever had, but you are wasting your time. With your exceptional problem-solving skills and love of teaching, you should be a broker/manager, not an assistant.” Kristin quickly earned her real estate license. She became the managing broker for three different large real estate firms, served on local and state realtor boards and continued to actively sell. In 2020, Kristin became the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Encore in Columbia.
Unexpected is your suit-wearing agent showing up to your closing on a motorcycle. Explains Kristin, “I grew up riding dirt bikes. Owning a motorcycle was on my bucket list. I was sick of watching the back of Syd’s [her boyfriend] helmet.” After seven years of taking the back seat, she purchased her Harley three-and-a-half years ago. The couple enjoys taking rides to Guntersville Lake and exploring the countryside on day trips.
Yet those early lessons are still top of her mind. Instead of taking a paycheck as the Broker/Owner, Kristin reinvests her profits into the office to provide the agents with what they need to succeed. “If I can help other agents meet their goals, I'm going to reach my goals. I enjoy helping other people succeed.”
Designated a “Miracle Office” by the Children’s Miracle Network, Kristin and her team of agents have raised over $21,000 in 2022 to support the children’s programs at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. “We are a community-driven team. We actively support several families at Christmas, our local high school sports teams and our local fire department in providing educational materials to schools. We give back to the community at every opportunity.”
When not working, Kristin plays sand volleyball with her son and others. “I played volleyball in college and coached travel teams. It is something fun I do for me.” With her son and daughter living nearby, Kristin counts her blessings. She plans on taking her four granddaughters on a Disney Cruise, visiting her mother and older siblings in Kansas and continuing motorcycle and train rides with Syd.
She is hopeful 2023 will provide her some time to stay home as well. “I am not quite the shoemakers' kids, but I have some projects I'd like to complete in my own home - like painting my kitchen,” she quips. Kristin enjoys working on puzzles and watching anything
Kansas State University, but it is apparent she loves her job. “I love helping buyers and sellers - helping people who never thought they could buy a home or helping someone move on to the next stage of life - I love being part of those moments.”
The lessons of hard work, dedication, and community learned on a farm in her youth have served Kristin well. ReMaxColumbiaTN.com
“If I did something on a Friday night, my dad knew about it Saturday morning when he went to the coffee shop. From a young age, I learned never to do anything ethically or morally wrong which would make my parents upset or disappointed.”