Kristy DeWitz, a former competitive diver turned personal trainer, didn't think she'd end up in real estate.
But toward the end of 2019 and into 2020, DeWitz realized real estate was a good fit for her personality. As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the business world, she and her husband, Nick, jumped into the industry, and found some early success from building a social media following.
DeWitz was a diver at Northern Arizona University before furthering her mark in the fitness industry as a personal trainer. She amassed a large online audience through her demonstrations of "Baby & Me" workouts on Instagram. That backing supported her move to real estate, an industry she felt combined her natural talents and competitive spirit.
"My large social media following helps market homes," said DeWitz. "It's pretty cool how many I've sold through social media and how many clients I've met through that tool as well."
Nick is also a former athlete who played college basketball at Oregon State University before a professional career overseas.
The two work at My Home Group, a local brokerage firm with thousands of Arizona-based agents. In November 2024, My Home Group was acquired by Fathom Holdings Inc., a publicly traded real estate platform.
The DeWitz team is based in Phoenix's East Valley, representing buyers and sellers. Over the last five years, they have completed 488 deals for more than $260 million on the seller side and another 50 deals amounting to more than $50 million on the buyer side, according to Homes.com.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
How did you end up becoming an agent?
It was unexpected that I fell into real estate, but that competitive edge is really what had me fall in love with it. Once I got into real estate, I realized it was such a good fit for my personality. I love to compete and negotiating on behalf of my clients brought that sense of accomplishment back for me. I love to win for our clients.
What is your home like?
My dream was to always have an acre. My husband and I bought an acre of property in 2021, and we had this dream to have a park in our yard where you can play all the sports. We have the sports court for basketball, a putt-putt course for golf and a little area where our kids can play baseball. The back of our house is dedicated to farm life. I've got the chickens back there, a koi pond with fish and my citrus trees. We have a little bit of all the different types of lifestyles happening.
What can you tell me about the market you serve that a newcomer might not know?
There are so many different and creative ways to buy and sell. Finding an agent who has a lot of experience getting creative can save you or make you so much more money than a traditional process. I'm a big advocate of creating ways to put your first house to use while buying your second house.
What are your hobbies?
We're very much lifestyle people and like to try new things — we play pickleball and try all the new restaurants. We like to go to places we haven't been. In June, we went to Havasupai and did a backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon. I love Lake Powell, so if I ever get an excuse to go there, that's one of my favorites. Anywhere on the water, sign me up.