Say Hello to Utah and Emily!
Utah is from the St. Paul area, while Emily is from Topeka. The two met at Abilene University, where Emily played volleyball – Utah, football. Now married and living in Kansas City, their family has expanded by one daughter and two dogs. 
“Our first house we didn’t use Ashley, unfortunately,” Utah remarked. “Working with Ashley was a complete night and day difference and showed us that working with a real estate agent can be fun.”
Looking at Ashley’s Instagram account, “I’m not sure how I [found her], but it was a blessing,” Utah commented. “We love the kind of person that she portrayed herself to be…a confident, outgoing, smart individual.” When the couple decided to sell their house in early 2021, they knew there was only one person they could trust. Utah and Emily reached out, Ashley came over, and “it’s history from there.”
Working with Ashley
They decided to take advantage of the hot market and sell their house for “a pretty penny.” Utah, an insurance broker working from home, needed a bigger home office space. This plus their growing family meant they needed more room – it was time to sell their house.
Their goal was to sell the current house and then live in a short-term rental until the market cost subsided. Then Ashley informed them about the interest rates and housing market; “she asked us to be open with our options…we started looking at houses but didn’t seem to have luck for a long time.” The couple placed bids on 4-5 houses but were turned down due to other insanely high over-asking offers. However, Utah and Emily really appreciated Ashely’s dedication to finding them a house. “She let us navigate our own interests and never pushed us…She would have shown us houses for two years if we’d let her.” With Ashley Kendrick on the job, the couple finally found their perfect home.
The House
During the process, Utah and Emily came across a different home that seemed like an ideal fit. “I just loved it,” Emily shared. “My dream house,” Utah noted. Unfortunately, the house went to someone who bid way over asking price.
Meanwhile, a nearby house the couple had previously visited waited patiently. Although the perfect size and in the perfect location for the family, this house was somewhat of a fixer-upper. When the “dream house” was sold, however, the pair decided to visit the fixer-upper a second time. During the second walk through, they took their time, really envisioning their future there and planning what changes they could make to turn the house into their own.
Ashley reached out to her trusted contractors for realistic estimates on what the renovations would cost. “…And we didn’t even ask her to do that!” Emily exclaimed. Ashley put together a creative offer to the seller, “that way we didn’t have to get a construction loan with higher interest rates.” Able to balance the renovation costs with the upfront payments, the couple was set to take on their true dream house.
Located in a welcoming neighborhood, the house is close to where Utah plays pickleball and where Emily goes walking/running. The fenced-in backyard was a must for their two dogs. The yard also features a playground with a treehouse – something their daughter will enjoy when she’s older! Utah and Emily are also excited to be located in a really great school district.
The couple is especially grateful for Ashley’s trustworthy connections as they continue fixing up their new home. From realistic estimates about the renovation work to finding honest dependable contractors, Ashley has walked the couple through every step of the homebuying process. It can be “hard to trust somebody…Ashley really gave us the confidence to buy a house that needs some work and to invest the money into it with the proper people.”
Recommendations
“She’s a great agent, but outside of being an agent, she still wants to be our friend,” Utah observed. “We consider her a friend for life outside of that buyer/agent relationship.” Emily joined in: “She’s the best! I actually have already referred her to a couple of my coworkers that have been interested in selling, and to my brother as well.”
Thanks again to Utah and Emily for sharing their story of working with the Kendricks; we’re so thrilled they’ve successfully found the right home – and we can’t wait to see what they do with it!
Interested in the Kendricks’ marketing and design services? Want to check out more real life testimonials about working with Ashley and Sarah? Or perhaps you’d like to learn more about their love for midcentury modern design. Read all about it here!
