Leanna Klaus measures success by looking back at how far she’s come. Now a Flathead Valley realtor, Leanna has one word to describe the career she’s built: thankful.
Leanna is not only thankful for the life she’s built but also for the women who came before her, the women who will come after her and the women she gets to meet through work today.
“Don’t let fear stop you,” says Leanna, responsible for expanding Live in Montana Real Estate in the Northwest part of the state.
Leanna and her family are the force behind the expansion of Live in Montana Real Estate - Flathead, a branch of the already established Live in Montana Real Estate based out of central Montana. It’s a career she’s recently delved into, rooted in a passion for homes, for families and for real estate in general.
Prior to moving West, Leanna grew up in Illinois, graduating from Illinois State University with a degree in elementary education and a piano teaching certificate. She was always interested in teaching from an early age, she says, and was drawn to learning in any form.
After marrying her husband in 1991, Leanna chose to stay home to homeschool their five children and teach them music. It paid off, she laughs, reminiscing on the many nights the family would play together, Leanna on the piano and her daughter on the fiddle, among other instruments.
The family spent 20 years in Sanders County, with their fair share of buying and selling homes over the years. Real estate was always a love of Leanna's, she says, but the timing never seemed right to dedicate her career to it.
When Leanna and her husband decided to sell their ranch on the Rocky Mountain Front and move to the valley a few years ago to be closer to their kids, her gusto for real estate found a purpose. They found a broker named Lynn Kenyon, with Live in Montana Real Estate, who blew Leanna away. Her energy, professionalism and knowledge were endearing, Leanna says, and she asked Kenyon to be her mentor.
“I’ve been waiting for that direction that [Lynn] helped give me,” Leanna says. “I had all these ideas circling around in my head and it’s finally being put together.”
Leanna loves that real estate empowers her and other women to put themselves and their families first when it comes to looking for a home. For her, she says, it’s all about the seasons and timing of life. She chose to put her family first and it paid off, she says. When she works with women who are buying or selling, she is able to relate to them well, she says, by understanding what one may look for in a home.
Even better, Leanna says, she’s embarking on her realty journey in the Flathead alongside family members. Her husband is a master plumber and a Montana state inspector; her son-in-law, a fifth-generation Montanan, has an extensive background in construction. Together, they are building a home base in Kalispell, which will feature a barn for the group to operate out of.
“I just want to expand this company here in the valley. I think the team I've put together is full of so much different knowledge... It goes beyond an average agent,” she says. “We’re bringing a lot of knowledge to the table and what we have to offer is spectacular.”
Moving forward, Leanna is excited to build out this new sector of Live in Montana Real Estate, all the while encouraging others to take the risk, follow their passions and live with thanks.
I think the team I've put together is full of so much different knowledge... It goes beyond an average agent.