Courtney vandendaele

about
ME

Hey there, new friend. I am so happy you have landed here. I am Courtney Vandendaele. Pronounced Van-den-dayl, but that silly little extra "e" seems to throw everyone off.

I am a real estate agent in Kansas City, as well as the founder of The Persnickety Co., an online lifestyle shop. I believe in standing out, doing things differently than the status quo, and helping make people's lives better in the process of it all. Read a snippet of my story below.

My Story

Fashion has always been a part of my life. As an introverted and introspective person, I learned early on that the clothing choices I made for the day greatly affected how I felt and moved throughout my day. I believed in the power of fashion so much that I went on to get a Fashion Merchandising degree from the University of Missouri.

After college, I was a manager for the Abercrombie/Hollister Company, where I spent most of my time as the visual manager. Despite their *questionable* recruitment tactics during those days, I absolutely loved setting up the visuals and learned so much about business management and customer service.

When my daughter was born, I decided to stay at home with her. While at home for 8 years raising my two littles, I discovered my passion for interiors. I realized that I was not only good at decorating, but as I began making changes to my home, my mindset also began to shift. I put two and two together pretty quickly and realized that our homes, like fashion, also have a huge impact on how we feel and move throughout our days.

My Why

I received my real estate license in 2018 while preparing for my youngest to go to school. After about a year, my ambitious self decided to open a home goods store to use in conjunction with my real estate business. I opened my doors in December 2019, a mere 3 months before the world as we knew it collapsed. For 4 years, I was constantly spinning my wheels to try to make it work during unprecedented times (I know, we are all tired of that word), but ultimately I succumbed to the burnout and I decided to close my doors.

While operating that first store, however, I had signed up for a high-level business course. During my very first meeting with my coach, she asked me what my "why" is. I never really understood how to figure out my "why" before then, so I told her it was to make money so that I could help with the finances and retire my husband. She said, "That's sweet, but really, why do you feel so passionately about this business?" After a long, awkward pause, the word vomit suddenly spewed out: "Because it all matters. Our homes, what we choose to wear, it all matters. I want all women to know how amazing it feels when we decide to show up every day for ourselves. I want them to know how much of an impact our surroundings have on our self-worth and confidence." She just smiled and said, "That's it." She knew all along, she just needed me to figure it out for myself. And since that time, I have never viewed any of my endeavors as just making money for my family, but my mission to help others in my own "Courtney" way.

My Real Estate Method

I have never been one to just blend in and blindly do what everyone else is doing, and real estate is no exception. After all my years of observing other agents, I have noticed some trends. Some have been operating their businesses the exact same since before the dawn of the internet, never growing nor innovating, while others definitely give off the tacky used car salesman vibe. I can see how off-putting this is to a lot of people. The truth is, though, that a good real estate agent earns every penny of their service fee. 

My method is actually very simple, but one that a lot of agents don't do as well as they should, and that is: prep work. I have found that when we take the time to prepare your home for sale and create impactful marketing on top, the rest of the transaction runs fairly smoothly. Of course, there are no guarantees in real estate, but when we can prepare and market your home in a way that speaks to buyers' emotions, it makes the sale a whole lot easier, leaving all involved parties happy and excited at the end of the transaction.

What is involved in prep work? So glad you asked! Click the button below to read about my listing services and strategies.

listings

other

RANDOM

facts

I am a middle-aged mom of two (girl and boy), which means I have also begun my sourdough journey. I love it and wish I had more time to dedicate to it.

Speaking of middle-aged mom hobbies, have you tried a weighted vest? I am obsessed with mine.

I also have a pretty cool hubby, and a Frenchie named Louie. You will probably meet at least one of them if you spend enough time with me.

I am a native Kansas Citian, but cannot stand country music.

I try to make healthy choices most of the time, but I am also a foodie and never turn down a chance to get brunch or dinner out. Yes, even if I did actually remember to thaw out the chicken.

I love to spend time in nature and get a lot of inspiration from it. Pretty much every creative endeavor of mine will include earth tones, blues, and greens because of their peaceful effect. Sometimes I throw in a pop of pink to spice it up.

I am a type A business woman and need structure and perfection when it comes to work, but am a total type B mom and thrive in a little chaotic fun at home.

I am a traveler, not a vacationer. When I am somewhere new, I MUST be out exploring and having adventures. I want to live like the locals and eat all the delicious food while simultaneously visiting all the touristy spots.

what I'm known as

tastemaker

weekend indulgence

brunch

KNOWN TO SPLURGE ON

vacations

MY FAVORITE
PLACE TO HOLIDAY

mountains

ALWAYS ORDER ME

truffle fries

ENTIRELY UNDERRATED

aloe vera

Shall We Begin?

I can't wait to meet you! Click below to schedule our first meeting.

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