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In the quaint Alaskan town of Seldovia, there is one doctor, one school, one year-round restaurant and one REALTOR®. With a population of only 300 people year round (900 during the summer), and accessibility only by boat or plane, Seldovia would seem like a difficult place to make a living. But not for RE/MAX® agent Jenny Chissus, she’s devoted her efforts exclusively to the people and properties in Seldovia, and thereby managed to handle almost 90% of the local real estate market. You may wonder how Jenny ended up as a REALTOR® in this remote wilderness in the first place…
“It’s funny how sometimes everything you’ve done in your past careers and experiences leads up to the perfect job for you. I worked in International Relations, in the service and sales industry and as a career consultant. When I lived abroad I earned a degree in French while studying in Paris. It was while I was traveling in French Polynesia that I sent a postcard to my high school sweetheart. We had been separated for 12 years before that, and I was living in Hawaii at the time. My future husband then came out to meet me, and soon after, whisked me off to Fairbanks, Alaska – quite a change from Hawaii.”
“When our family was looking to buy a home, I didn’t feel like I received the support or the information I needed to feel confident in the process. Purchasing a home was very intimidating! I always liked to work with people and enjoyed problem solving. Becoming a REALTOR® fed those desires. I wanted to educate my clients, so they wouldn’ t be fearful of the process, and as a result, they would be able to walk through this very exciting and emotional time with confidence! The greatest fear is of the unknown. It was my aim to provide them with answers so whether they were buying or selling, they would know they were making the right decision.”
“I had a great RE/MAX REALTOR® out of Fairbanks. We kept in touch, and he later referred me to iHOUSE®. As I was just starting out, in a relatively remote area, having a website was key. I had looked at a few different website providers, but found iHOUSE had the best solution. As a young REALTOR®, I understood how it was essential that I had a strong presence on the Internet. It was difficult to make that investment, and continue to spend money long before I received my first commission check, but it was essential. My husband was very supportive, and he understood that. In addition to my positive past experience with RE/MAX, another reason I joined RE/MAX was because it has a great reputation for service and sales, and gave me instant credibility with clients.”
“I rely on my website for 70-80% of my business. iHOUSE creates simple and easy-to-use products, and the customer service is always fantastic. People find my website easy to navigate, and attractive with lots of information. I get many compliments, I’m sure that my website is a huge part of my success!”
When Jenny is not working, she spends time with her family. She has two children in grade school and one Senior in high school. On raising children in Seldovia, Jenny loves that it is a safe environment for her children. “They have the opportunity and freedom that most kids growing up in the city don’t have. We want to raise ‘pioneer kids’, full of adventure, spirit and capable of taking charge of their life and futures. On a daily basis we are surrounded with incredible wildlife, we see eagles, bears, sea otters and salmon spawning in the summer. The lifestyle in Seldovia is simple, but we do enjoy being connected to the rest of the world with cell phones, and high speed Internet.”
“One great benefit of being a REALTOR® is that I am able to get to know more people. In a way, I am part of the welcoming committee for the town. I know who is coming and who is going.” Jenny loves to support her community. Her husband, who has been a teacher at the Seldovia K-12 school, has been very involved in the Seldovia Boys and Girls Club. She has a special place in her heart for the organization, as it was where her husband first landed a position as a Director, and ultimately brought their family to Seldovia. She donates a portion of all her sales to support the organization. “Seldovia is a first-class city, and has a doctor, Post Office, volunteer fire department and EMS, two markets and a year round restaurant.”
During the time she is not spending with her family or showing properties via her own landing craft – Jenny dreams about Hawaii, where she misses the sun and wearing flip-flops. What she doesn’t miss is traffic, lines, and crime, and keeping up with the Joneses! Jenny feels her family was able to step back in time when they moved to Seldovia. “Seldovia is a quaint fishing village and so different from many other towns. In Seldovia, everyone knows your name, and the view from every location is natural and beautiful! This is why I have so many buyers excited about this area. THIS is the real Alaska.”
