Urban Prairie was founded by South Dakota native Kara Dirkson. From asset-level fine art to residential real estate, she has been a credentialed appraiser writing USPAP-compliant reports for over 12 years, making the change to real estate in 2020. Her day-to-day work is fueled by a fascination with the appraisal process, a knack for complex research, an eye for construction and design, and a willingness to "get her hands dirty" doing home improvement projects and restoring historic homes over the years.      

          She holds a Certified Residential credential in South Dakota (CR1498). She also earned a master's degree from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a bachelor's degree from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. In past lives, Kara was a high school teacher and a non-profit leader; when she isn't appraising you'll find her putting sweat equity into her own property, planning her next travel adventure, listening to her favorite music, volunteering on community boards, and spending time with her family.

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