When we started putting together the Y’allternative Market, we wanted it to be more than just a place to shop.
We wanted it to be a place where people could meet people, discover local businesses, have conversations, find something unexpected and maybe even learn something that could help them in their everyday lives.
And that's exactly why I'm excited to introduce you to Gina Schnathorst of Abens Realty in Webster City.
Because, as I told Gina when we sat down for a little video chat:
Gina is putting the HOME in homemade!
Gina is a realtor serving the Webster City and surrounding area, and she's also a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). While she works with buyers and sellers in all kinds of real estate situations, she's developing a particular passion for helping people “rightsize” their homes and their lives.
And if you're wondering what “rightsize” means, don't worry, you're not the only one!
As Gina explained, it's not necessarily about going down.
It's about finding a home that's right for you.
When Is It Time to Rightsize?
Think about the house you've lived in for 20, 30, or even more years.
Over that amount of time, things accumulate.
A room becomes the room where you put things you don't know what else to do with. Closets get fuller. Basements fill up. Maybe there's an entire bedroom that hasn't actually been used as a bedroom in years.
And then there's the five-bedroom house you're heating and maintaining when you're really only using two bedrooms.
Gina understands that.
And she understands that getting rid of those things isn't always as simple as saying, “Well, just throw it away.”
Because stuff has memories attached to it.
Gina has personal experience with this, too. She's helped her own mom through the process, as well as helping her best friend's mom move from Clarion into independent living.
She knows that making a move can be an emotional roller coaster... not just a real estate transaction.
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“I really want to make a business out of it,” Gina explained, “not only helping you sell your home, but helping you find something else that is the right size and at the same time maybe giving some advice as to what to do with all these things and all this stuff.”
And honestly, I think that's something a lot of us can relate to.
It's Not Just About the House
One thing I really enjoyed about my conversation with Gina was that she doesn't look at this as simply selling someone a house.
It's about figuring out what somebody actually wants their next chapter to look like.
Maybe you've raised your kids and you're an empty nester.
Maybe the yard has become more work than you want.
Maybe you're tired of paying to heat and maintain rooms you don't use.
Maybe you've been thinking about moving closer to family.
Maybe you want to leave the small town you've always lived in and finally go experience something different.
Or maybe you're not ready at all, but you've started wondering if you might be someday.
Gina's philosophy is pretty simple:
Let's just have a conversation.
There doesn't have to be a commitment attached to it.
You might be ready tomorrow.
You might be ready five years from now.
Or you might discover that you're perfectly happy where you are.
And that's okay, too.
A Little Personal Experience Goes a Long Way
Gina's interest in helping people through this stage of life isn't just professional.
She's lived a very different relationship with “stuff” herself.
As an only child, Gina grew up with a mom who was a professional student, and the two of them moved frequently.
With every move, they accumulated a little less.
That experience shaped the way Gina looks at possessions today.
She's much more interested in experiences than things.
And she's seen firsthand what can happen when someone finally lets go of the clutter and the responsibility that comes with a larger home.
Her mom now lives in a townhome, and Gina says her mom considers it one of the best things she ever did.
Not Sure If You're Ready?
This is one of the things I'm particularly excited about for our market.
Gina will have a free “readiness” worksheet at her table that can help you think about where you are in your own journey.
Maybe you've been thinking about moving.
Maybe your spouse keeps bringing it up.
Maybe you're the adult child wondering whether your parents are ready.
Or maybe you're simply standing in the middle of your giant yard wondering why you're still mowing all of it.
The worksheet can help you start thinking about whether you might be ready to rightsize.
And there's absolutely no pressure attached.
As Gina says:
“Let's just have a conversation.”
A Local Realtor With Local Knowledge
Gina works out of Webster City and has strong familiarity with the communities surrounding us.
She spent part of her real estate career working in the Des Moines, Ankeny and Ames areas before returning to this part of Iowa, so she understands that the real estate landscape can look very different depending on where you're looking.
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She's familiar with Hamilton County, Wright County and the surrounding rural communities, and she knows that sometimes the next move isn't just from one house to another.
It might mean moving from a rural property into town.
It might mean moving closer to family.
It might mean moving to a larger community.
Or it might mean finding a home that simply fits the life you're living now.
And Then There's the YouTube Channel…
Gina is also building a YouTube channel called Real Estate with Gina, where she's sharing educational information and talking about some of these very topics.
And I have to say, after talking with her, I can see why she chose the tagline she did.
At the end of our conversation, Gina said:
“Let's just have a conversation.”
That really does seem to sum up her approach.
Real estate can feel intimidating. Moving can feel overwhelming. And the idea of getting rid of decades worth of belongings can feel downright emotional.
But sometimes the first step doesn't have to be a decision.
Sometimes it can just be a conversation.
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| Check our conversation HERE! |
Come Meet Gina at the Y’allternative Market!
We're excited to have Gina joining us on Saturday, October 10, and I think she's going to be a really interesting person to stop and chat with.
Whether you're actively thinking about buying or selling, wondering about your options, curious about the local housing market, thinking about downsizing (or rightsizing) or you're just not sure what your next chapter might look like, stop by and say hello.
You don't have to be ready to move.
You don't have to have a plan.
You don't even have to know what questions to ask.
Just have a conversation.
And if you happen to have a question about real estate, homes in the area, or what your options might look like, Gina would be happy to talk with you.
Because that's what this market is all about: local people, local businesses, and real conversations.
Meet Gina
Gina Schnathorst
Realtor | Abens Realty
Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
YouTube: Real Estate with Gina
Facebook: Gina Schnathorst Real Estate & Marketing
Stop by her table at the Y’allternative Market on October 10 and grab her free rightsizing readiness worksheet!
Need to Contact Gina?
Phone: 515-227-2008
Email: rewithgina@gmail.com
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