Meet Laura
For more than 22 years, Laura Lynne Kennedy Van Rensburg has successfully listed and sold in the luxury home market. She began her career in the St. Louis County market in her home state of Missouri working at the prestigious boutique-realty company of Janet McAfee in Ladue, MO. Laura's longing for an island lifestyle took her to the Florida Keys where she resumed her career at Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty. She soon gained the respect and attention of the largest real estate broker in the Keys, Brian Schmitt of Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Company, who asked her to manage two of his five offices, one in Key Largo, the other in Islamorada. Throughout her time in the Keys, Laura became President of the Florida Keys Board of REALTORS®; received a Humanitarian of the Year Award, and earned her most coveted title, REALTOR® OF THE YEAR in 2014, an award earned by the recognition of her colleagues in the business. She eventually transitioned out of real estate management and after returning to her beloved sales position, Laura found frequent success as top lister and top salesperson month after month. She remained at Coldwell Banker Schmitt for eight more years. That is, until she fell in love with international architectural and lifestyle photographer, Andre Van Rensburg. Shortly thereafter, the two were married, maintained employment and membership at the private Ocean Reef Club® in North Key Largo, Florida. Behind those exclusive gates of the club, Laura sold real estate for Watson Luxury Properties at Ocean Reef@ and in only three short years climbed her way up the real estate professional rankings from the ‘new kid on the block’ to respected, successful REALTOR® selling over $14 million in 2023. After years of island living (and dodging hurricanes), The Van Rensburg’s decided mountain living might be a refreshing change of scenery, so off to North Carolina, they went! Intending to retire after more than two decades in the business, Laura says “real estate gets in your blood, so it's in my DNA, so-to-speak.” Not one to sit around, she was compelled to tackle the fourth real estate market of her career in the mountains. She found a great place to plant her feet and hung her shingle at Coldwell Banker High Country in Hiawassee, GA. Laura hopes to not only make the high country of Northeastern Georgia and Western North Carolina her home, but yours, too!
Laura and Andre reside in Hayesville, North Carolina with their pets-two Siamese cats and a Standard Poodle. They enjoy taking the latter on three-to-four mile daily walks around the idyllic mountain terrain of Shooting Creek. Getting involved in their community has been exciting as they have been exploring the numerous scenic driving routes of Northeastern Georgia and Western North Carolina. They frequently join in planned outings with their automobile club-the Appalachian Region Porsche Club. However, some of their most favorite excursions are spent boating on their pontoon boat upon Lake Chatuge where, so far, they have enjoyed three seasons of spectacular weather. The Van Rensburg’s regularly attend church at Hayesville Presbyterian where they are members as well.
Laura holds an active broker-associate Realtor® license in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.