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Hey, I’m Jess (or Jessica, just please don’t call me Jessie), thanks for being here! I’m a Realtor, wife to my husband, Rob, mom to a baby girl, and dog mom to Reese the Wheaten Terrier. We call Ankeny home (and I have for most of my life!). I graduated from Ankeny High School, back when there was only one. I attended the University of Iowa (Go Hawks!) where I graduated with degrees in Accounting and Finance. After obtaining my CPA license, I spent a couple of years as an auditor at a public accounting firm in Des Moines before deciding to pursue a career helping people buy and sell (what is typically) their largest asset (their home)!
I love:
Real estate and all things home (obviously!)
Spending time with my family & friends
Trying new foods and drinks, especially if I'm enjoying them on a patio
Traveling, whether it's a long distance trip or a weekend road trip somewhere in the Midwest
Interior design and organization-- gathering ideas and then making them a reality in my own home or suggesting ideas to my clients
Modern Family, Schitt’s Creek, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and some terrible reality TV
My clients know me for my glass of wine with a friend approach – as in working with me feels a lot more like having a glass of wine with a friend than being sold to (I don’t like being sold to, so why would you?!). I walk first time home buyers through the ins and outs of the home buying process and help them make smart real estate decisions while also helping sellers by strategically marketing their homes so that the home sells quickly and they walk away with maximum proceeds.
I’m passionate about educating people about real estate and there is nothing I love more than the friendships that form over contracts and a glass of wine. I treat my clients like friends and want to create an experience that is fun and stress free!
Lastly, my goal is to continue working 100% by referral! In other words, I want to provide you with the best home buying/home selling experience and beyond, so that you will speak highly of me and recommend me to your friends and family!
Hope to chat with you soon!
Jess
Defy Mediocrity + Deliver Extraordinary Experiences
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“This was our second time working with Jess and she made the selling and buying experience as smooth as possible. This was our first time selling a home as well and we leaned on her a lot with the few bumps in the road that occurred. We definitely would not have gotten it done without her, she went above and beyond. Purchasing our new home was a breeze as well. She was familiar with the builder and was extremely helpful through the inspection process, making sure everything was move in ready. We would recommend her to anyone.”
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“Would gladly use Jessica Gilligan as a realtor again! She was extremally professional, transparent, and helpful throughout the whole sales process.”
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“Jess is the best in the business!! As a first time home buyer, Jess made me feel so comfortable every step of the way, and she made sure everything went smoothly from the first day I met with her to closing day! She truly made the whole process a breeze for me. I couldn’t imagine doing this process without her. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone!”
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“I can't put into words how incredible it was to work with Jessica. It was crucial that I work with someone who not only will guide me in a great direction based on my needs, but will teach me and help me understand each step in the process to be an informed and confident buyer. She was so personable and genuine in ALL interactions and helped me build trust so quickly. I'll work with Jessica forever if I can!”
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“Had worked with Jessica in the past as have a couple of family members. Liked working with her before and didn't consider working with anyone else when we decided to sell this property.”
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“Without a doubt Jess is an absolute must for all things real estate! Jess was so incredibly patient with us throughout the entire buying process. We started passively looking for a new home and provided her with very vague wants/needs Despite that, she was incredibly responsive whenever we came up with a house we wanted to see. She would provide listings for us to review, but she never pushed us into attending a showing if we weren't interested. She also never criticized us for having sporadic likes and dislikes. After a few months of not finding what we were looking for, Jess helped us meet with a few builders. She was so knowledgeable about the entire building process, not only advising us in on what to expect, but also in pushing the builders to give us concrete answers and realistic plans. After exploring the building option, we switched back to looking for an already built house. Jess found off-market showings for us and encouraged us to look at houses we didn’t originally consider. She was never pushy or aggressive about us making an offer, but instead she genuinely wanted to ensure we knew about all of the available options. She was a fantastic sounding board when we needed it and always encouraged us to take the time we needed when considering any potential house. Once we finally found a house for us, Jess made the entire purchasing process so incredibly easy. She guided us through the purchase agreement, the inspection process, and flawlessly got us to closing. She gave us the advice we needed whenever we asked. She kept us informed at every step of the way. She went above and beyond to ensure the whole transaction went smoothly. If you want an agent who is patient, knowledgeable, responsive, and an advocate for you, Jess is the one!”
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“We didn’t hesitate for a second when asking Jess to list our house! From the first walk through to handing over our keys, Jess made the process effortless on our end. She was always making sure we knew what to expect and quickly answering any questions. It was clear that Jess did her homework well before she came to our house for an initial walk through. She knew the neighborhood, the comparable homes for sale, and the pros and cons of our house. She gave insightful advice and recommended a price point that we were very happy with. Not only that, but she knew our goal was to sell quickly, and she honored that goal throughout the entire listing and negotiating process. Jess's savvy pricing and marketing efforts provided maximum exposure for our listing. It was no doubt the reason we were able to accept a list offer within 48 hours. When an inspection hiccup came up, Jess handled it professionally and with confidence, ultimately smoothing over the situation with no adverse effects to us. She was there for every step of the process, by offering help for inspection items, providing vendor recommendations, arranging paperwork, and all the behind the scenes items we didn’t even know about! We couldn’t recommend her more for a smooth and rewarding transaction!”
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“Jess helped us buy our first home and it was the perfect experience. We could think of no one better to help us graduate into our next home. She was able to talk us through every step in a way that it eased every worry. She was as determined for us to find the perfect home and sell our first home to the right buyers as we were. We knew we were in good hands! I'll work with no one else if possible, Jess definitely has won clients for life in our family”
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“Jessica Gilligan went above and beyond to help us with our sale both while we were traveling extensively before listing and after leaving town before closing. Jessica's communication and attention to detail is superb, and her communications with prospective buyers agents was seemed outstanding. We highly recommend her.”
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“Jessica Gilligan has been our go-to realtor for a couple of years. She has always been very professional and prompt. The houses we have entrusted her with have varied - from a primary residence to multi-unit investments, to flips, she has not let us down yet! We couldn't be happier with our experience and will be calling her for any future needs. Jess is someone you can trust and goes the extra mile to ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.”
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“Jess was amazing to work with! Incredibly informed and always prompt in communication. Went above and beyond to make sure we found the perfect home for us. Being out of town we needed bigger plan and more advice. Jess kept everything on track, was pro-active and knowledgeable. We would recommend Jess to anyone in search. Truly one of the best in the business!”
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“Jess made buying and selling a home a very smooth process. We appreciated her deep knowledge of the real estate industry and greater Des Moines marketplace. Her detailed and transparent communication helped ease our minds. She was very focused on ensuring we got max value for our home. Additionally, we valued Jess' vast network of top-notch professionals to help all the home buying/selling needs. We would highly recommend Jess to anyone buying or selling a home!”
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“We truly couldn't think of enough great things to say about how our experience was with Jess. She was there for us every step along our journey and helped ensure that we were set up for success. Whether it was the actual home search, or her help and knowledge of the loan process, she helped stream line our experience as much as possible. We felt confident that we were in good hands at all times with her.”
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“Jessica was very on top of everything necessary for a quick, easy sale. Nonetheless, she still was sure to check in to guarantee that everything was being handle properly and to my liking. She was great to work with and made my first home sale as simple as could be!”
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“Jessica Gilligan was a fantastic broker! Jessica was always professional and courteous. She kept us informed of the process and every step of the way thru the process. We had and excepted an offer within 24 hours. She was very willing to meet with us on our schedule and made everything happen right on time. Jessica made the whole process so easy. She was always prepared and answered our questions very timely. The proceeds check was personally delivered right after closing. It was a pleasure working with Jessica and would highly recommend her to my friends.”
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“Jess was great to work with and made the home buying process easy for us, especially as out of state buyers. She was always flexible and able to accommodate our limited availability. Jess became our go-to resource for any questions and was always quick to respond. Throughout the process we appreciated that she gave her professional advice while also keeping our personal priorities in mind. We would absolutely recommend Jess to any friends or family looking to buy or sell!”
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“Jessica was top notch with how she handled the search of homes for me. I was able to reach out to communicate with her frequently and she always replied back to me in a timely manner. Jessica was always able to find appropriate time for me to look at homes of my interest and she did great with information and feedback on the questions I had. I would recommend Jessica to anyone and I was very pleased with how the whole process went and how she handled it! If I am ever in need of another home I will definitely be giving her a call!”
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“With a limited timeline and having to sell and buy a home in this unpredictable market, Jessica helped alleviate the stressors by taking on all of the work and explained the entire process as we went along, which made for a smooth and confident experience!”
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“Jess is great to work with she understood what we desired most about a house and the timeline we were working towards. She has a strong knowledge on the Ankeny market that helped us feel very comfortable in the buying process. Without a doubt we'll use Jess for future buying/selling needs.”
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“Jessica Gilligan Helped us at every turn. Any questions we had she new the answers in real time. I will tell any one that Jess is the go to person when looking for real estate, house or a condo. Can not do any better Jess. We like her!!! Thank you Jess!!”
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“Easily my best decision in selling my home was choosing Jessica to help me. She is very knowledgeable about the housing market, and was very helpful in communicating everything I needed to know. She made sure I was aware that she was there to help and guide me. The market is wild I understand, but she helped me pocket much more than I initially intended. I really don't think it could have been any easier as well. I can't speak highly enough about her professionalism, guidance, and ease of communication. Thank you so much Jessica!”
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“Jess was amazing! From the seller consultation all the way through to closing she took care of everything with great knowledge and professionalism. She made the whole process extremely easy for me and was a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell. She has a wealth of knowledge and is easy going, which was a plus for me in finding a realtor. I will definitely be using her again in the future if the opportunity presents itself. Overall, this was a great experience and loved every second of working with Jess! I couldn’t have asked for a better realtor and selling process. Jess’ assistant was very helpful and great and communication. She dropped my proceeds check off within an hour of closing, which I was not expecting and was appreciated. Everything was such a quick and smooth process! Jess handled it all like a pro and helped walk me through it all and answered all my questions.”
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“We considered going with the broker that we had used previously, but ultimately got glowing recommendations from several friends about working with Jessica. We are glad that we did decide to go with her, because the experience with her was so much better than what we had with the last lady we worked with. Jessica helped us both buy and sell at the same time. She was able to show us several houses that we were interested in, but Jessica helped guide us towards making offers on the ones that we actually had a chance of getting. She gave us her honest opinion on which ones weren't worth what they were asking for it. Once we did get an accepted offer on buying a house, Jessica helped us find a buyer for our house before it even hit the market. She talked us through the pros and cons of accepting the offer without doing more showings, and then stepped back and let us make the decision without any pressure. She helped us navigate the negotiations and got us more than we'd hoped for in the sale. She loves what she does, and genuinely cares about the people she's working with. There was a lot of start and stops in our process that we couldn't control, but she did a fantastic job of checking in often without going overboard. She was always happy to answer our questions or guide us to someone who could answer them better. She was fantastic to work with, and always got back to me extremely quickly. She knows what she's doing, and she does it well.”
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“Jess was so helpful and on the ball with everything we needed done. Our home buying process started in 2020 when we lived in Chicago and we have had a number of realtors since then, and Jess was no doubt the best we’ve had. We would recommend Jess to friends or family in a heartbeat and will absolutely use her again if we are looking to buy another home down the line.”
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“Jess did an awesome job of keeping us informed and updated. She has been there every step of the way and that has been extremely appreciated. Couldn’t be happier!”
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“We had a great experience working with Jessica! As first time home buyers, we were not sure what to expect as we began the home buying process. Jessica was very easy to work with and guided us through the whole process. She helped validate any concerns we had and was always quick to answer our questions. She really got to know us and helped us find the perfect home!”
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“Jessica was an amazing realtor for my Des Moines moving experience! She helped me purchase the property just a few years back and when work moved me again she helped me sell it just as easily. She takes care of the marketing and logistics so I do not need to do anything but sign on a line. I would highly recommend her to anyone shopping for a home or condo in the greater des moines area. She is very knowledgeable and dedicated to her job! Thanks again for everything!”
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“Jessica is such a hard worker and always in touch. I know she will bend over backwards to keep me updated. This was an unusual transaction and Jessica went out of her way to find specific answers from others to better assist me. Thank you! Jessica is a true asset to C21, and I have referred a number of people to her for great reason.”
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“She did awesome, as she did when we were first introduced to her in our first home purchase in 2018! Was a little more stressful selling a house to be able to get into another one but Jess made it way less stressful. Even with having her little one during the last week of us closing she still kept in touch and made sure things were moving smoothly, and Keeps everyone on the same page. She goes above and beyond to make things easier for her clients! Definitely cares about about what she does and it shows!”
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“Jessica was competent, kind, helpful and considerate. l loved her energy. I was 100% satisfied.”
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“We had a very smooth transaction and building experience. We were very appreciative of Jessica’s help and guidance along the way!”
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“Jessica was easy to work with and extremely knowledgeable about the market. She knows ways to craft competitive offers that can help set you apart in multiple offer situations. Jessica was always available to answer my questions and got answers back timely.”
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“Jess recently helped us buy and sell. This was our second time working with Jess purchasing a home, but our first time selling a home. Trying to buy a home in this market was crazy. Jess was patient with us as we worked to find the right home, as we wanted this to be our forever home. Once we found our "FOREVER" home, we listed our house. Working with Jess, our house sold the first weekend on the market, with multiple offers. Jess was always there to answer our questions, no matter how small or big they were. It seems like nothing is happening at times, but she is working hard in the background, trying to help you buy a house or sell your home. You will not go wrong with Jess on your real estate needs.”
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“Jessica was awesome to work with and made the process easy for us. Her prompt communication helped us made decisions quickly and get our house sold. She was always checking in to see how things were going and if we had any questions. A lot of our friends have used Jessica and I highly recommend her for your home.”
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“My Husband and I were nervous to begin our first home buying journey but Jessica Gilligan made everything so simple for us. Her availability, patience and positivity were truly appreciated. We would absolutely recommend her to family and friends as well as request to work with her again in the future.”
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“Jessica was more than amazing! She always was available to answer questions and she made us feel more at ease when making big decisions. Jessica was so kind and made the process more accessible.”
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“When choosing a real estate agent, I primarily considered the advice of people I trust. Jessica Gilligan came recommended by my brother (who worked with her previously is very happy with his house) and I knew that she was very familiar with the Ankeny area. I am glad that I followed his advice, because Jessica was all-around excellent. Jessica communicated in a clear and timely fashion throughout the entire home-buying process. As a first time home buyer, I relied a lot on her experience and the advice she shared. Additionally, she did a great job researching properties I was interested in. I always had the information/documentation I needed to make informed decisions throughout the process. Most importantly, when I found a home that I loved, she helped me form a winning offer without going outside of my price range. Following Jessica's advice, I was able to purchase the home I wanted, in a tough market, and while competing against another (higher) offer. Needless to say, I will certainly be recommending her to friends and family in the future.”
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“Jessica was a great realtor and did a wonderful job listening to what I was looking for. She was proactive in communicating with me and the builders and I felt in the loop every step of the way. She was clearly an advocate for me during the whole process, and would recommend her to anyone and everyone interested in finding their perfect home! Thank you, Jessica! :)”
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“Jessica came recommended from a close friend of mine. She exceeded all expectations. I will send anyone looking to buy or sell to her. As a first time home buyer, I asked a lot of questions. Jessica answered every one of them or she found an answer for me promptly. With a stressful experience such as this, communication is key. Jessica would respond to texts, phone calls, and emails, promptly and with the answers I was looking for. Jessica made this experience fun, she didn't make me feel like I didn't know what I was doing, and she didn't push me or try to sway me on anything. The advice was knowledgeable and genuine. Thank you again Jessica!!!”
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“Jessica Gilligan was a consummate professional and went above and beyond in a very busy market to make sure we were taken care of. She helped smooth things out in a very stressful time for us, and resolved any concern we had quickly.”
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“Jess made everything super easy for us - especially considering we were living in Milwaukee at the time and Covid was going on. She was willing to give us virtual tours and chat with us on any questions or interests we had. She was able to get us into multiple houses before they even were on the market. Jess did a great job and we loved working with her! Jess was great! We can’t stress that enough. She knew exactly what our style was and was able to help guide us to find potential options for us. She also guided us as first time home buyers - which was very comforting. It was invaluable having her on our side since we really didn’t know what to ask/expect at times. Her experience and ability to step in and give us an experienced opinion was very comforting. She also knew how to work with the builders of the new build we landed on to ensure we were not being taken advantage of ever. There isn’t much more we can say! It was super easy and fun to work with Jess. She’s the best! I had grown up with Jess (went to the same high school) and knew how friendly and hard working she was. It made selecting her very easy because I knew she would treat us well and she would understand our preferences/style. You can tell how hard Jess works to make her clients feel comfortable throughout the entire home buying process. She made the entire process stress free for us - and that was the best feeling ever.”
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“Jess has been helping with our new home build since August 2020. I’m almost sad to be moved in and not need to see her every week (almost”
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“Jessica was INCREDIBLE for our home selling experience. She gave us so many tips when it came to listing our home that would get it sold fast- and it did!! When it came time to review offers, she made the entire process completely painless and EASY by creating a document for us that compared each off and how they differed so we could pick the BEST one for us. She kept us informed of what was going on in the background and sent reminders of all the things we needed to do before closing day, so again- making the entire process so easy for us!”
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“Jessica was INCREDIBLE for our home buying experience. She listened to our needs (which were really hard to find!) and did her best to scour the state for the things we wished to have in our home. Whenever we wanted to look at a home, she got us there as quick as she could no matter how far away it was. When it came time to purchase, she made the entire process completely painless and EASY. She kept us informed of what was going on in the background and sent reminders of all the things we needed to do before closing day.”
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“Jessica came highly recommended by a friend who had worked with her previously on her own real estate transaction. After contacting Jessica about selling our home, she began working on it right away. She made the sale of our home so easy, by providing checklists and keeping in close touch with us to make sure we were all on the same page from beginning to end. Courteous, professional, pro-active, knowledgeable, and approachable. We had a great experience with Jessica!”
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“Unsure if you really NEED a realtor to buy new construction? Trust me, you do and you need Jessica. Her advocacy, honest opinions, and thorough communication made me feel much more confident in purchasing a new home. Jess is incredibly kind and patient. She never makes you feel like your question is silly or unimportant. Buying a home is exciting but also stressful! Jess keeping everything on track, filling in the gaps when I was struggling, and ensuring the builder provided a quality home kept me sane and excited throughout the process. I recommend her to everyone looking to buy a home!”
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“I’m so glad Jessica helped me sell my home. It was a tough situation because there weren’t many comps available but she got my multiple offers in the first day! Her advice was critical and she was always thoughtful of my specific situation. Jess went above and beyond to help me get my house on the market and sold quickly. I’d recommend her to anyone looking to buy/sell a home - especially others like me who aren’t experienced with this.”
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“Jessica came highly recommended from a good friend, so we knew we had to reach out to her to get things started. Jessica was quick to act when we described what we were looking for, and provided us with multiple options and helpful information. Anytime we had questions during our purchase process, she got the answers we needed. She was extremely easy to work with, quick to respond, worked hard, and always with a smile. We would recommend Jessica to anyone!”
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“Jessica came highly recommended from 3 couples I know in the area that also used her as a realtor. She answered any questions I had as a first time home buyer and some I didn’t know I had. Her contacts within the industry gave us the inside track to a house that wasn’t quite on the market yet so we were able to act fast in this crazy market. Overall very smooth sailing and I would highly recommend her services!”
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“A close friend who is also a realtor recommended a few agents in the area. One meeting with Jessica Gilligan was all we needed to choose the agent for us! As first time home buyers with no experience we were worried about making a competitive and smart purchase in this market. Jess walked us through every step and made us feel at ease in the middle of all of the craziness. She gave us the best advice and helped us be confident enough to submit a strong offer and then helped us understand every step of the whirlwind of actually negotiating, understanding the inspection, and finishing the purchase. I don't know if we could have bought our house without her! I have nothing negative to say about Jess. She was exactly what we needed during the most stressful purchase of our lives so far. She took us through every single step from searching for exactly what we wanted to purchasing our perfect home. She made us feel at ease and I'm going to recommend her to everyone I know!”
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© 2022 CENTURY 21 LLC. & Signature resources inc.
Signature Resources, Inc. fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. All agents are licensed to sell real estate in the state of Iowa. 1620 SW Magazine Rd, Ankeny, IA 50023
