Pleasanton, CA — August 19, 2022 — NextHome is pleased to announce the opening of NextHome Blue Skies in Hickory, North Carolina. The brokerage joins the growing NextHome franchise that currently has 591 active office locations across the country.
NextHome Blue Skies offers clients a real estate experience infused with professionalism and warmth. The brokerage provides a deep understanding of the region, as well as expertise in investment properties, residential buying and selling, and military relocations.
Conveniently located just an hour north of Charlotte, NextHome Blue Skies serves clients throughout Catawba, Caldwell, Burke, Alexander, Iredell, and Lincoln counties.
NextHome Blue Skies is owned by the husband-and-wife, Becky and Derrick Petree. Both Becky and Derrick began their real estate careers almost 20 years ago after moving to Kentucky for Derrick’s military service at Fort Knox. Derrick has been involved in real estate part-time through the years while working other jobs.
Throughout her early career, Becky sold a remarkable volume and worked closely with investors. She also found great personal fulfillment helping military families buy and sell their homes.
When the Great Recession decimated the local housing market, Becky became a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Agent. Her work hiring contractors and making repairs to the homes caught the eye of many investors and Becky gained unique expertise in investor client needs.
Throughout the years, Becky combined her career in real estate with raising and homeschooling three children and supporting her husband’s military and government service career throughout many moves.
Eventually, after Derrick’s retirement from government service, Becky and Derrick wanted to move back to their home state of North Carolina.
“We really hit the ground running here,” Becky said. “My first year, I sold over one million in volume.”
However, the couple wanted access to better technology that they didn’t have to pay for out-of-pocket.
“We considered how we could both elevate the level of professionalism in our area and offer our clients access to great technology,” Becky said. “As we thought this through, we saw one of Derrick’s friends from high school open a NextHome franchise in Mississippi.”
After talking with Bryan Boggs of NextHome Homefront in Mississippi, the Petree’s knew that NextHome was the right franchise fit.
“We were looking for professionalism, and NextHome offered an elevated level of service and marketing,” Becky said. “Opening NextHome Blue Skies has allowed us to set the bar for our area higher. It has also allowed us to pull in remarkably talented agents who are looking for professionalism in their field.”
Today, NextHome Blue Skies is elevating the regional standard for real estate service.
“Each property marketed through NextHome Blue Skies will benefit from professional photography, detailed measurements, and high-quality marketing materials,” Becky said. “In addition, we will work hard through open houses and word of mouth to connect agents with their client’s dream property.”
Becky and Derrick are also committed to giving back to their community.
Becky is passionate about contributing to her local school district’s backpack program from The Corner Table. The program gets non-perishable foods into the teacher’s hands, so that they can discreetly get food into the backpacks of children who might not eat dinner that night.
Another NextHome Blue Skies associate is the president of the local Lions Club, and the brokerage will be partnering with the organization to help locals who can’t afford help with their vision or hearing loss. Becky is a member of the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce.
Finally, both Derrick and Becky are deeply involved in helping disabled veterans locally. Through Derrick’s military service, he became disabled, and he offers a unique compassion for the struggles military families face.
Derrick and Becky are the proud parents of three grown children, Christina, Austin, and Ethan, who are each pursuing degrees at local colleges.
Please join us in congratulating Derrick, Becky, and the entire team at NextHome Blue Skies on the opening of their office in Hickory, North Carolina!
Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.
Each office is an independently owned and operated business.