DeNesha Anderson was born and raised in Southern California but moved to Jackson Hole in 1996. DeNesha has been in involved in real estate for over 20 years both in the sales and property management sectors. When not in the office, DeNesha enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors with her husband and planning new adventures. She is also the dear friend of LPC Founder, Melony Huber and we sat down with her to learn more about her career journey and interesting life.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into the business of Real Estate?
I was born and raised in Southern California but I have made Wyoming my home for the past 27 years. I went to ASU where I met my husband of 30 years on my first day of college. We married in 1993 and when we were ready to start a family, we decided to move to my husband’s hometown, Jackson, WY. Both of our kids were born and raised here. They are now 25 and 26, successful in their careers and off living their best lives. I am a very proud mama.
I stumbled upon real estate in 2001. My father-in-law believed “dirt” was the best asset you could own and decided we needed to have a real estate agent in the family. He elected me to get my license. So, I did. I did not finish college so this was an opportunity for me to create a career for myself. I started off as an assistant (to one of my partners), then spent 10 years in property management and the past 9 years in my current position in our partnership. Real estate has offered me the opportunity to meet amazing people and help them. It has also given me an opportunity to help me settle into who I am, be someone who I feel good about and make the people closest to me proud of.
Over the past 22 years in this career, I have learned about most aspects of real estate; buying and selling of residential homes and vacant land, commercial properties, investment opportunities and property management. I currently own Century 21 Jackson Hole with 2 other partners. We have 6 offices in WY, ID and MT. If you had asked me 10 years ago if this was where I would be now, I would have laughed! Who me? No!
I think Melony would agree that our initial friendship started on the softball field way back at Estancia High Schooling 1985. She was center and I was left field. We made a pretty good duo out there. We were 15 and made the varsity squad as sophomores.
What's something our audience would be surprised to learn about you?
When I was 12, I wanted to be the first woman President of the US. I had no concept of politics, but I wanted to run the country. I have no recollection as to why, but I remember being bold and announcing to my family that was what I wanted to do. I am extremely grateful I did not follow that path!
What are your top three memorable moments from your career?
We have had so many wonderful interactions over the years but here are 3 that stand out to me. The first was In 2021, my business partner and I had the good fortune to sell the most expensive home ever sold in WY. Of course selling an expensive home is awesome, but what made this such a memorable experience was working with our buyer. He is a man who had great wealth, but was one of the most humble and gracious people you would ever meet. Never demanding, always appreciative of our efforts. Neither the buyer or seller had any ego or pretense in the process. It could have been a big “thing” to both of them, but was the smoothest, most agreeable transaction we have ever completed.
The second happened at the beginning of this year. A woman needed to sell her mom’s condo in town to pay for her mom’s care as she had advanced dementia. Her mom had moved to the US from New Zealand right before covid and purchased a condo here so she could learn how to ski. (She was 65 and off on a great adventure). When Covid happened she was stuck here, alone for the duration. During this time, the daughter noticed her mom changing and at first chance brought her mom back to New Zealand. After getting her mom settled back home, she contacted us to list and sell the condo. It was a small condo that was on the lower end of the scale here in Jackson. We coordinated everything with her online and over zoom. We were able to get her more than her asking price in 3 days. She was amazed that we would work with someone who was not selling for millions and provide the same level of service. While we strive to provide the same service for all, I felt an extra level of connection with this woman because we had gone through dementia/alzheimers with my father-in-law before he passed. It felt great to be able to help her so she could take care of her mom.
The last was helping a woman realize her lifelong dream of owning a home in Jackson. In 2019 we were contacted by a lovely woman from Texas. She had just received a small inheritance and it was her absolute dream to find a home here. She finally had enough money to “own a home in Jackson Hole." It took a little time, but we found her a cute home in East Jackson that she and her mom could move into. She hugged us so long and hard the day she closed. Her tears of joy were contagious. She calls us from time to time still to say THANK YOU!
Being in real estate is to be in the service of others. It feels great to help people accomplish their dreams and goals of homeownership.
What is your go-to summer style this year?
Dresses are my go-to summer wardrobe. With winter being so long and cold, dresses are not very practical. As soon as the weather warms up, I pull out my dresses. It is my goal to avoid pants if possible for the whole summer. Dresses are a simple, no-brainer easy way to look great all summer. The LPC dresses are the perfect blend of looking pulled together while feeling comfortable. I can throw on the Chelsea dress and some sandals and head out to my office. The Annie Hoodie dress is great to toss on as a warmer layer over a skirt or dress or toss on after yoga and feel presentable. I haven’t gotten my hands on the Melly Sundress yet, but I look forward to adding it into my weekly rotation.
DeNesha wearing the Chelsea Stretch Terry Dress in Carbon Navy
What does sustainability in women's fashion mean to you?
Sustainability to me is all about the quality. Quality of style, quality of materials and quality of craftsmanship. When you buy a piece of clothing that is of quality, it will last longer and you buy less. We have created a culture where articles of clothing are disposable. We have been conditioned to buy cheaper clothing and discard it for the new trends without thinking of the impact to our environment. This has lead to so much waste. There was a time when people purchased quality clothing meant to last. A beautifully crafted dress, a warm wool coat, a tailored suit. Timeless pieces, that taken care of are worth every penny. That is sustainability. Buying fewer pieces of clothing that are better quality to last longer.
Tell us a little bit about your experience modeling with your long-time friend Melony in LPC pieces in the middle of a peony farm.
When Mel asked if I wanted to do a best friend photo shoot, I thought it would be fun and exciting! I wanted to try something new while being her model for the day. I had never really done anything like this, so I was nervous. I loved all of the modeling Melony was doing for both her brand and the product and figured why not. I’ll admit, I was a bit intimidated to be in the photos with her. She is so beautiful and the photographers were excellent in capturing her that I wasn’t sure I would be much of an asset. But in true Mel form, she made it easy. She was so flattering and encouraging. Her photographer, Dimitry Loiseau, makes you feel so beautiful and capable. Not sure I could have done this with anyone else! My 16-year-old dream of being a model came true. It was a fun day from start to finish, even some rain and getting lost in the mud couldn’t dampen our spirits. I am extremely grateful she has allowed me to tag along and be a small part in her adventure.
Melony wearing the Caroline Denim Jumpsuit
