From Caring Hands to Real Estate Confidence: Krisanne Colby on The Lofty Lender
In the latest episode of The Lofty Lender, I sat down with the passionate and hardworking Krisanne Colby, a Des Moines-based real estate expert with a unique journey from physical therapy to helping clients find their dream homes.
Krisanne, originally from a small Iowa town, brings a deep-rooted work ethic to everything she does—something she credits to her upbringing on a crop farm where mornings and evenings began with chores. After earning her master’s degree in physical therapy from Des Moines University, she spent over 20 years in the field, 12 of which were in clinical management. But a longtime interest in real estate, sparked during her college nanny days and strengthened through connections with local builders, eventually led her to a career change in 2013.
Why the Switch?
As Krisanne puts it, both careers are about caring for people. Her tagline—“Caring hands to move you”—says it all. Whether it was helping patients recover or guiding clients through a home purchase, her mission is the same: build relationships, offer support, and make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Building Trust Through Relationships
We talked about how her physical therapy background gave her a unique advantage—being able to listen closely, learn clients’ stories, and stay connected even after the “transaction” ends. She emphasized that most of her real estate clients become friends, and she’s proud of that personal touch.
And don’t worry—she doesn’t believe in friend discounts. But she does believe in being someone her clients can call and catch up with anytime.
Small Town Values, Big City Impact
Krisanne’s small-town values of honesty, loyalty, and integrity shine through her work. She still carries those lessons from the farm—hard work, taking care of people, and staying grounded.
When she’s not selling homes, Krisanne is likely biking Des Moines’ trail systems, lifting weights at Lifetime Fitness, or enjoying a good margarita at local spots like Simon’s or the East Village. She’s an outdoor enthusiast and self-proclaimed foodie who has even tackled the epic 70-mile BACooN Ride!
The HOW Program: Empowering Women Through Homeownership
We also dove into an important topic—Krisanne’s involvement with the Homeownership for Women (HOW) program, a four-week educational series hosted by the Sarah Hopkins Real Estate Team. With single women making up 20% of 2024’s homebuyers, this initiative empowers women with knowledge, tools, and confidence to own their homes.
The sessions cover everything from financing options and avoiding money pits to understanding the full contract-to-close journey and maintaining a home’s equity. Krisanne’s commitment to educating and uplifting others shines in every part of her work.
Quick Picks & Personal Touches
To keep it fun, we closed with a rapid-fire “Quick Pick” round—where Krisanne revealed her love for mountain getaways, Mexican food, audiobooks (currently Where the Crawdads Sing), and her desire to live in Italy for a year. And if she could have any superpower? Being everywhere at once—very on-brand for a dedicated real estate professional.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
Ready to hear the full conversation? Tune in to The Lofty Lender wherever you download your favorite podcasts. Just search The Lofty Lender with #TallMoneyMan and don’t forget to subscribe for more authentic, inspiring interviews.
Thanks again to Krisanne Colby for sharing her journey—and reminding us all that whether it’s healing bodies or helping with big life moves, it’s the heart behind the hustle that makes the difference.
