Trista Mefford has joined our team as a new Realtor®, and we sat down with her to get to know her a little better. Here’s what she had to say:
What is your name and where are you from?
My name is Trista Mefford and I’m from Clinton Iowa
Tell us a little bit about your family.
I am married to Phil Mefford who works at Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics, he makes and works with patients who have prosthetic limbs. I have two children, Callan is 12 and Macy is 9. I have a sister and brother and my mom who now all live in Ankeny as well.
Where’d you go to school and where have you lived throughout your life?
I went to the University of Northern Iowa and was the first person in my family to graduate from a 4 year college. I got my BA in elementary education. I got my Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Western Illinois. My husbands field of work required that he do 2 residences so we lived in Minneapolis for 2 years and Iowa City for a year before settling in Davenport Iowa for 4 years. We moved to Ankeny in 2007 because my husband is from Ankeny, but also because we knew that the schools were excellent and that it was/is a great community to raise a family.
Do you have any pets?
We have a dog named Penelope. She is a Boston Terrier that we adopted from the ARL. We had just lost our boxer who was 11 years old and my kids were devastated. We didn’t want a puppy so we chose to adopt from the shelter. Penny has been wonderful for our family, we say that not only did we rescue her but she rescued us from our grief. She’s our lucky Penny!
Other than being a busy Realtor®, how do you spend your free time?
Some of my hobbies are reading and running. I have run 5 marathons and 15+ half marathons and other races. I read so much that a few times I have a read a book twice and didn’t know it until half way through!
What did you do before real estate?
Before becoming a realtor i was a teacher for 15 years. I taught special education for 8 years and second grade for 7 years.
What is your favorite neighborhood in Des Moines?
I don’t really have a favorite neighborhood. But I am really excited to see the growth that is happening in Des Moines and the metro. Having lived in Minneapolis and Chicago, I love the buzz and opportunity a city provides, and the coziness and at home feeling of the suburbs.
What areas will you serve?
I will serve Ankeny and Des Moines and surrounding communities.
Why are you passionate about being a Realtor®?
As a Realtor®, my goal is to make sure that buying a home is a pleasant experience. I’ll never forget how excited my husband and I were when we walked into our first home and realized that is was OURS! My grandma is a realtor and I always thought that if I wasn’t a teacher, then that’s what I would want to do. I want future clients to know that as a former teacher I am patient and a good listener. I will work to ensure that my clients get the house they want, the house that feels like home to them. I will dedicate my time to them as I did to all of my students!
Why did you choose CENTURY 21 Signature Real Estate?
I chose C21® because from the moment I stepped in the office I could feel the positive energy. The people that I talked to were encouraging and supportive. Coming from the teaching world, where so much of the work is in a team atmosphere, I worried that as a realtor that i would be on my own. But that is not true about working at C21®! I have never felt so welcomed and embraced as I do here. The support and training that i have received has been above and beyond anything that I expected. At C21® there is training and support for every aspect of becoming a successful business owner. I am still new at this, but I have no doubt that C21® is the best place for me to be!
Hear what Trista had to say in our video interview:
