Realtor Christine Lifka, 50, said she had wanted to work in real estate industry since she was a teenager, but was “steered away” from the field.
But, last year she decided to pursue that dream, earned her license and since January, has been helping families in and around Jefferson County move into the next chapter of their lives, said Lifka, who works at Keller Williams and has lived in the Arnold-Imperial area for more than 40 years.
“It’s a great community,” she said. “It’s pretty nice to be able to talk (with clients) about the nice things of Arnold and Imperial.”
As of Oct. 16, there were 577 homes on the market in Jefferson County, which Lifka said equates to about a two-and-half month supply.
Homes are currently on the market for about 32 day, a 14 percent increase from the same time last year, said Lifka of Imperial.
“It’s not like it was two years ago when everything was selling overnight,” she said.
Though she’s based in Jefferson County, Lifka said she’ll work anywhere within the St. Louis area.
She said buying or selling a home can be a “nerve-wracking” experience, so she enjoys bringing “peace” to the process.
While real estate is a “hard industry,” she is thankful she made the jump.
“I have found that I have the opportunity to help people and serve people in one of the biggest purchases (of their life),” Lifka said.
Lifka has partnered with the Fox C-6 School District to collect items for Thanksgiving blessing baskets to be distributed to those in need. Those who would like to donate to the cause may drop off items from 5-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, at the Fox C-6 Service Center, 849 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold.