Surnames like Roth and Schram are steeped deep in Papillion history, and at the same time, they are loving members of Leanne Sotak’s family. Sotak, a veteran sales agent for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Ambassador Real Estate, is a longtime resident of Papillion and proud of it.
“I’m the fourth generation on my mother’s side to graduate from Papillion High School,” she said.
With familial roots deep in the community, as well as many family-owned acres of Sarpy County farmland where once stood big farmhouses that were home to Sotak’s grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, Sotak said she and her husband, Mike, knew, without a doubt, that Papillion was the best place to raise their own family.
“I love our tag line: It feels like home,“ Sotak said. “We have such a warm, welcoming community.” Citing the beauty of Papillion’s annual Winter Wonderland, “It feels like a Hallmark movie,” she said. The summer’s always successful Papillion Days, and other annual events such as the downtown’s Sip and Walk, have become so popular that other communities are taking notice and developing similar events.
In addition to local events, Sotak said Papillion offers everything, from doctors, dentists and childcare to great schools, walking trails and lakeside recreation areas. “We really do have it all right here,” she said. “The SumTur Amphitheater is first-rate, Veterans Park is beautiful, and Werner Park is so fun.”
In her role as a sales agent, Sotak has the opportunity to work closely with families looking to make Papillion their home. “It's important to research the neighborhoods in Papillion. Think about your family’s needs. Do you have kids in school? What activities are they involved in? Those are just a couple questions for a family to consider,” she said. “And talk to a sales agent who will give you an honest opinion about which neighborhoods have the most to offer you and your family.” Sotak said trust is especially important for out-of-town buyers such as military members being relocated to nearby Offutt Air Force Base. “Oftentimes, they are buying a home sight unseen, so it's important that they trust you to help them find that perfect home.”
Sotak said she couldn't be happier living and working in Papillion, and she loves volunteering for local organizations. “I am very lucky to be embraced by my community," she said. “We have deep roots in Papillion, so it’s important to give back to this wonderful community that has given so much to us.”
“I am very lucky to be embraced by my community. We have deep roots in Papillion, so it’s important to give back to this wonderful community that has given so much to us.”
