Kansas City Realtor and Former Firefighter Paramedic, Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North
I am McKenna Holdshoe, a Realtor with Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North, licensed in Missouri. I am a lifelong Kansas City local, and I bring real community knowledge and a genuine passion for helping people find the right place to call home.
I am proud to be part of Nelson Home Group, Kansas City’s highest-rated real estate team on Google. Whether you are buying your first home, growing into a bigger space, or making a move for your family, my job is to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible, with a transaction coordinator, in-house marketing, and a team leader who is a licensed mortgage originator behind every one of my deals.
A Little More About Me
Before real estate I was a firefighter paramedic. That work taught me to stay calm under pressure, problem-solve quickly, and always put people first. Those are not skills you pick up in a classroom. I carried them into some of the hardest situations imaginable, and I bring them into every real estate transaction to make sure my clients feel supported from start to finish. A house falling out of contract or an appraisal coming in short is a bad day. It is not an emergency, and I know the difference.
I am also a mom, so I understand firsthand how much it matters to find a space that truly fits your life. That is not something I just say. It is something I think about with every client I work with.
What I Specialize In
So far my business has been first-time buyers and the families around them: people buying their first home with FHA financing and down payment assistance, and sellers in the small Northland towns north of the metro. Here is what that looks like in practice.
First-Time Buyers and Down Payment Assistance
Two of my first three closings were first-time buyers, and all three closed on FHA financing. In Maysville, Missouri, I helped a couple go from “can we even afford this?” to a real, written pre-approval with down payment assistance, then saw the house the afternoon it came available, wrote the offer that evening, and had them under contract the next morning. The home appraised over the purchase price and they got money back at closing. Read how a first home with down payment assistance in Missouri came together.
Every first purchase starts in the same place for me: the numbers. What you can actually afford, what the loan program will cover, and what you need to bring to closing, before we tour anything. Our team’s mortgage side has a first-time buyer and down payment assistance specialist, and our first-time buyer guide is the right place to start reading.
Small-Town Northland Sellers and Buyers
My 2026 closings are in Lawson, Liberty and Maysville, a mix of buyers and a listing, and the pattern in those smaller markets is the same: the right house shows up and there is no time to overthink it. Knowing the Northland towns and being ready to move the same day is how my clients win there. If you are still deciding where in the metro fits your family, our Living In series covers the communities one by one.
Why Clients Work With Me
Calm under pressure, a plan built on the numbers, and a team that makes the process smooth. Here is the track record so far, where I work, and the questions I get asked most.
My Track Record So Far
I closed my first transaction with Nelson Home Group in July 2026. Through September I have closed 3 homes and nearly $900,000 in volume, with one more under contract in Independence.
Where I Work
My closings this year are in Lawson, Liberty and Maysville, with work pending in Independence, and I work throughout Kansas City and the Northland, including Kearney, Excelsior Springs and Smithville. Here is the full list of communities we serve.
Common Questions
Can I buy a first home with down payment assistance in Missouri?
Yes. I have closed it. The key is getting a real pre-approval that includes the assistance program before you fall in love with a house, so your offer is ready the day the right one shows up.
Do you work with FHA buyers?
Yes. All three of my closings this year were FHA loans. A clean FHA offer with the right terms competes fine when the numbers are done ahead of time.
What did being a firefighter paramedic teach you about real estate?
That most problems have a next step, and that people need someone calm in the room who will tell them what it is. Deadlines, inspections and appraisals all have answers. My job is to know them before you need them.
What is the first step?
A conversation about your budget, your timeline, and what your family actually needs, then a lender conversation with our mortgage team so the offer we write is one that closes.
Credentials and Recognition
- Realtor: Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North, the highest-rated real estate team on Google in the Kansas City metro
- Licensed in Missouri: MO 2025047404
- 2026 production: 3 homes closed and nearly $900,000 in volume through September, with 1 more under contract
- Before real estate: firefighter paramedic
- Local: lifelong Kansas City resident
If you are buying your first home or making a move for your family anywhere in Kansas City or the Northland, I would like to be the agent who stays calm and gets it done. Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North is an Equal Housing Opportunity brokerage. I am licensed in Missouri.
McKenna Holdshoe is the most helpful agent I've come across in a very long time.
McKenna, was a fantastic realtor, she was very accommodating and very patient. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone!
McKenna Holdshoe was very kind and knowledgable. She took the time to answer all of our questions. Took us to many showings and helped us find our forever home! I would highly recommend!