Kathleen “Kalli” Ziegler loves to say “I wasn’t born in Fayetteville, but I got here as fast as I could.” Kalli’s husband Drew served in the Army, and that is how the Florida native found her way to this city which she soon began to consider home. 

She and Drew have lived at their current residence since 1991, and the space is more than just a home or an office, it is an extension of the Zieglers and the company they keep. 

“I tend to be very, very creative, and in real estate, I’ve had clients say, ‘Kalli, I want to do some renovation. Can you come over and give me some ideas?’ That’s not my field of expertise, but it's my field of having fun,” shared Ziegler. 

Ziegler’s home and office is a space curated with a lot of intention and attention to detail. 

From custom renovations to hand-crafted art pieces gifted to her by past clients, 323 Colinwood Dr. is a hub for human connection. 

When she was first getting back into the professional world as a young mother, Ziegler knew she wanted a career that was flexible. 

“I told my husband, I have to have a flexible career, a career [where] I can do what the children need. I can participate in their lives,” shared Ziegler. “I’m very much a competitor. I want to succeed. I had the drive to succeed, but not at the expense of my children or my marriage.”

Ziegler’s prioritization of work/life balance has served her well. 

Ziegler joined the John Koenig Prudential Real Estate firm in 1992 and quickly became one of its top agents. She was Koenig’s Agent of the Year in 1995, and she was selected by Prudential’s national office for their Leading Edge Society. 

Then in 1999, Ziegler launched her own property management business. In 2005, she converted it to Kalli Ziegler Properties, a full-service real estate company. As a business owner and boss, Ziegler was able to grant her small team of employees the flexibility necessary for them to be present in their children’s lives just as she had sought to do in her early career days. 

Ziegler is a Certified Residential Specialist, an Accredited Buyers Representative and a graduate of the Realtors Institute. After high school she attended Florida State University where she majored in hospitality. Later, Ziegler went back to school, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Methodist University in 2001. 

Throughout her career, what has set Ziegler apart from other real estate professionals is her integrity. When she works with a client, Ziegler leaves no stone unturned. 

Ziegler and her clients are careful to “do their homework” which involves considering all details big and small. They look at the crime rates for the neighborhood a home is in, consider if the home is on a steep incline or below grade, check utility rates and look for major and minor defects in the property such as cracks in the foundation or spots on the ceiling. 

Discovery of these flaws is important to Ziegler, and if the owners aren’t willing to bring a property up to her standards, she won’t sell it. 

“How many agents do you know that are going to avoid selling a big house and say ‘I can’t do this.’ So I’ve lost listings over calling out defects in a house. I have lost a sale because we look up crime trends and statistics, but that’s okay,” shared Ziegler. 

Ziegler’s commendable character strengthens her business. Clients may at times be frustrated with her thoroughness, but ultimately they recognize the value in what she is doing for them. 

“...because of that, I get a lot of referrals, personal referrals. I don’t even have to seek them anymore,” remarked Ziegler. 

ZIEGLER HAS RECEIVED MANY ACCOLADES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE AND HER CAREER, A FEW OF WHICH INCLUDE: 

• In 2009 she received North Carolina’s Old North State Award. This is the second highest award given in the state of North Carolina. It is awarded for “dedication and service beyond expectation.”
• In 2010 she received the Fayetteville Chamber’s Athena International Award. The Athena Award honors a person who has demonstrated the greatest support for the goals of professional women.
• In 2012 she received the NC Association of Realtors Ben Ball Community Service Award. This award recognizes a realtor for their continuous contributions to the betterment of their communities through outstanding public service.
• In 2013 she received the Methodist University Alumni of the Year Award. This award recognizes an alumnus that has made an impact on their community through business success and volunteer and financial contributions.

She’s also participated in many community activities as a board member or volunteer. Some of the organizations she has served are the Fayetteville Police Foundation, Kiwanis Club, the Chamber of Commerce, Village Baptist Church Military Ministry, Methodist University Legal Studies Program and more. 

Ziegler is an example of a self-assured woman who knows what she wants and what she is capable of and refuses to settle for less. She carries her success with humility and grace and aims to educate others to help them succeed in real estate as well.

Educating others is very important to Ziegler, and being the daughter of a Navy man and the wife of an Army man she was passionate about helping soldiers and their families on their homebuying journey. She would go on base and teach military personnel about real estate. “I went and taught classes on the ins and outs of real estate from the military perspective,” explained Ziegler. Whether it was through classes or in speaking with her clients, Ziegler always made the time to share what she had learned with others. 

In 2022, Ziegler retired from fulltime real estate, but she continues to serve select friends and clients on a part-time basis. The Zieglers are big fans of travel, and with her decreased workload the pair have been able to complete bucket list trips like an excursion to Antarctica in 2023. 

However, even while adventuring on Earth’s southernmost continent, Ziegler shared she still found herself selling a home. “We took the trip to Antarctica, and I had a listing here in Fayetteville. With modern connectivity we’re in contact everywhere we go in the world. I sold a house from Antarctica,” shared Ziegler. 

Back in Fayetteville when Ziegler isn’t out in the community offering her time and talents, her doors are open for the community to come to her. The Zieglers are known for their parties. Kalli puts her hospitality degree to good use in creating a warm and inviting atmosphere and catering the events herself. Especially with Fayetteville’s proximity to Fort Bragg and being a military family themselves, Kalli and her husband enjoy being a constant in this community and welcoming guests to share in their home.