Smed & Associates Realty transitions to Keller Williams Premier Realty


Recently, Dan Hughes, Team Leader for Keller Williams Premier Realty, was in Waukon to meet with team members. On that day, Mary Dreckman closed her first real estate transaction as a Keller Williams Premier Realty agent. Pictured above, left to right, are Dan Hughes, Barb Smed and Mary Dreckman.

Smed & Associates Realty was established five years ago in the Waukon area, with Barb Smed as owner/broker. In December, 2014, the Smed & Associates Realty team made the move to Keller Williams Premier Realty, opening a northeast Iowa office. While the entire team has transitioned to Keller Williams Realty, the staff, location, hours, phone and fax numbers all remain the same.
According to Smed, “This was a very strategic decision.  At the core of this move is my firm belief that we are better able to serve our clients through the technology and systems offered through Keller Williams Realty. I was in discussion with KW representatives for six months before making the commitment to join their agency. I wanted to make very sure that both our clients and each sales associate would benefit from the move.”
One example of the technological edge is the fact that listings through Keller Williams Realty are posted to 350 real estate sites. There is also a strong network among Keller Williams Realty agents, which is another great resource for buyers and sellers.
Keller Williams Realty is an international real estate company. Initially opened in Austin, TX, Keller Williams Realty offices are established throughout the country. With over 100,000 sales associates, it is the largest real estate company in the United States by agent count.
The new northeast Iowa office opened by Smed and her staff is part of the Rochester, MN market center. The Rochester Market Center provides real estate services in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which complements Smed’s broker licenses.
According to Smed, “You will find the same hometown team to help with your real estate needs as you did when we were Smed & Associates.  As always, we are passionate about serving our clients with professionalism and efficiency.”
Staff members at the new office include the following:
Barb Smed, Broker is licensed in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin and has been serving real estate clients since 2007, when she started as an associate with Ewing Real Estate. She earned her broker license in 2009 and ran a branch office for A Perfect House Realty. In November 2009, with Vicki Evanson as Broker Associate, she opened for business as Northeast Iowa Realty. The business name was changed a few years later to Smed & Associates Realty. Barb and her husband, Rod, raised their five children in Waukon. They like spending time with family, friends and their granddaughter.
Dave Mellick, Associate Broker is licensed in Iowa and brings to his real estate career years of expertise in land and agriculture through employment with USDA-NRCS and farming. He has background in surveying and conservation management and serves as the office "go-to" resource regarding land questions. He is involved in Prison Ministry, Mexico Missions Trips, and doing things with family and friends.
Steve Weighner, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa and works with buyers and sellers. He is an avid outdoorsman and has helped several clients find the perfect property so that they can also enjoy the natural beauty that northeast Iowa has to offer. Steve and his wife, Brooke, live in Harpers Ferry, with their five children. He is also active on the Harpers Ferry Fire Department.
Marv Boldt, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa, and he and his wife, Nancy, live in Traer. Marv provides auction and insurance services, in addition to real estate. Licensed for almost 12 years, he volunteers on the fire department and is very active in the Traer community. He is well known for using his auctioneering skills at charitable auctions.
Mary Dreckman, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa and in her second year of real estate. She and her husband, Rich, live in Waukon and spend as much time as possible at their cabin in Harpers Ferry, where she is active in the Harpers Ferry Auxiliary. They have two children, Kyle and Chelsey. Her niche is river property, specifically in the Harpers Ferry, Lansing and New Albin areas.
Barb Thies, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa and has been licensed just over a year. She comes with a background in marketing and intends to continue focusing on helping clients buy and/or sell residential property in 2015. Barb and her husband, Kim, live in Waukon, and have two children, Alex and Carter.
Steph Liddiard, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa and Minnesota and is focusing on establishing herself with a strong real estate base in the SE Minnesota and NE Iowa areas. She and her husband, Ron, live in Waukon with their active family.  Steph has strong roots in southeast Minnesota, as she owns and operates a beauty salon and craft shop in Mabel, MN.
Kelly Meyer, Sales Associate is licensed in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota and has been working in real estate and serving clients since 2007. Previous to getting into real estate, she worked as a legal assistant for a law firm and has also worked in the banking field. Kelly, her husband, Tim, and their family live in Caledonia, MN. Kelly enjoys watching her children's sporting events, camping and spending time with family.
Danette Jones has served as the Office Manager for the past three years, working with the staff to help clients throughout the entire buying/selling process and keeping the many aspects of a busy office working well together to provide a positive experience for the clients and agents. Danette, her husband, Dwight, and four children live in Waukon. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, supporting her kids at school and sporting events, coaching, spending time on the river, and playing adult league sports.
Abby Christensen, Office Assistant is a senior at Waukon High School. She has a strong interest in the real estate field and assists with the technology associated with entering listings to be marketed online.
See the advertisement on this same page in this week’s issue of The Standard for contact information for the Keller Williams Premier Realty Northeast Iowa team.