About Ellen

In Ellen’s Own Words:

They say you never forget your first love and, in my case, that first love was a house. I distinctly remember as a child the first house I fell in love with was an old Bungalow home right here in Brookside. Ever since then, I’ve continued to be passionate about old homes, loving and learning more about old homes for most of my life.
I’ve been in and around the home industry since my earliest years. Growing up in the small town of Parsons, Kansas, I was happily immersed in the home building business as my family owned a large kitchen cabinet manufacturing company, Grandview Products for over 72 years. Later, life took me to Madison, Wisconsin where I became involved in roofing, worked as a kitchen and bath contractor, and then another home products supplier, Pella Windows.
My experiences growing up working within the housing industry on the contractor side and then on the manufacturing side paired well with my love for old homes and naturally developed my knowledge and skills and prepared me for my current role as Realtor and old house specialist.

When I returned to Kansas City to be closer to my family, I knew exactly where I had to live: In Brookside! After a long renovation of the old house I purchased, it has now truly become my absolute dream home. And through that process I became certain what the next career move was for me. As a Brookside agent, I especially love working with would-be home buyers and sharing my knowledge of old homes with them. I want each and every buyer to know exactly what they are buying (as every old home has such an amazing story to tell), and I also want potential buyers to learn how to get past the skin of the home to also understand that work and commitment will be necessary not only to buy the home, but also to maintain it. For sellers, I always make sure that the homeowners have a comprehensive to-do list to prepare their home for the market. The items on this list will help to ensure that their property presents in the best possible light and appeals to a wide range of potential buyers.

My past home buyer clients tell me that working with me comes with the peace of mind that I will not let buyers make a mistake. Long after the purchase of a dream home, I want to be the first call from my past clients for any house-related question they may have. (In fact, I’ve started my own video series called “I’ve Got a Guy” to help buyers, sellers and homeowners with commonly asked questions, little known facts, and “tricks of the trade” from my ever-growing list of tried and true home repair contractors.)

When I’m not hard at work helping find my clients find just the right house, I enjoy being active in the community.  As a 53-year Girl Scout and lifetime member, I’ve spent many years active with the Girl Scout Council. In fact, you may have spotted my Buick convertible with the license plate “GRLSCT” driving around the neighborhood or with the top down driving in Brookside’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

I also host an annual backyard party for clients and friends every September to share my love of live blues music and my joy in introducing one friend to another. This “little” party is growing every year to the point it has nearly overtaken my backyard – but there is always room for new friends!

I’ll see you around the neighborhood!