Vanessa Schmidt
Vanessa Schmidt didn’t enter real estate to follow the standard path—she entered to raise it. Raised in Lawrence’s Sunset Hills neighborhood, she grew up watching her Filipino grandparents purchase and pay off their home despite language and financial barriers. That experience rooted a belief she still carries: real estate is more than paperwork and property lines—it’s legacy, access, and opportunity.
Lawrence’s international heartbeat also shaped her perspective. Each year, her family welcomed university students from around the world into their home, many of whom remain chosen family to this day. That early influence instilled in Vanessa a deep respect for cultural diversity, belonging, and the idea that home is as much about people as it is about place.
With more than a decade in the customer service industry before becoming a licensed Real Estate Broker, Vanessa developed a leadership style grounded in integrity, direct communication, and meaningful connection. Guided by Brené Brown’s words—“Integrity is choosing courage over comfort”—she built a reputation for clarity, advocacy, and doing things the right way, even when it isn’t the easy way. She truly believes that we can only begin to thrive once we decide to connect with others authentically.
Today, she brings that foundation into her expanding commercial real estate practice, while continuing to serve first-time homebuyers and new construction clients who want more than a transaction—they want a trusted advisor who will guide, advocate, and negotiate with intention and tenacity.
A Kansas Realtors® Right Track Academy Graduate, Vanessa also holds the National Association of Realtors® At Home with Diversity and Real Estate Negotiation Expert certifications and serves as a Director with the Lawrence Board of Realtors®. Her active involvement in Lawrence Board of Realtors® and Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors® committees reflect her commitment to elevating industry standards, promoting equity, and strengthening the professional community she serves.
Her philosophy is simple but unwavering: real estate should feel informed, empowered, and human. Whether working with a growing business, a first-time buyer, or a client ready to build their next chapter, Vanessa approaches every relationship with the long game in mind—clear guidance, genuine connection, and decisions made confidently, not rushed.
