“Looking back, it was one of the best decisions our family ever made.”

For Naida Avdic, the Cedar Valley isn’t simply where she grew up. It’s where her family’s American story began.

Born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Naida was just four years old when her family immigrated to the United States. They lived briefly in Chicago, but it wasn’t long before a visit to Waterloo changed the course of their lives.

“My family initially settled in Chicago and lived there for a few months before my father visited Waterloo for the first time,” Naida said. “He immediately fell in love with the community and decided this was where he wanted to raise my brother and me. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions our family ever made.”

That decision gave Naida the opportunity to grow up in a community that would continue shaping her long after childhood. While many people leave the place where they were raised in search of opportunity, she found that the Cedar Valley already offered the life she was looking for.

“The Cedar Valley has always had the perfect balance for me,” she said. “It has the welcoming feel of a small town where people genuinely care about one another, while still offering enough opportunities, activities, and growth to keep life exciting. It’s a place where you can build a career, raise a family, and make a meaningful impact.”

As she’s watched the Cedar Valley evolve, Naida has become even more appreciative of the community she calls home. Continued investment in local businesses, public spaces, and neighborhoods – along with the region’s growing diversity and vibrant festivals – has only strengthened her love for the Cedar Valley region.

“Watching the Cedar Valley grow over the years has been inspiring,” Naida said, “I’m grateful to be part of a community that continues to grow while staying true to its values.”

That spirit of growth is something she notices every day.

“The Cedar Valley continually surprises me with how much people care about making it a better place,” she said. “Whether it’s new businesses opening, community projects, local events, or residents stepping up to support one another, there always seems to be another example of people working together to improve our community.”

For Naida, that sense of community extends beyond where she lives, it’s also reflected in how she chooses to spend her time. In addition to her work at Oakridge Real Estate, she stays involved by volunteering with organizations including the Iowa Board of Realtors and the Iowa Bosnian Cultural Association, helping organize the annual IBosnaFest in Waterloo. Through those experiences, she’s found opportunities to reinvest herself into the communities that impacted her.

“What I appreciate most is that our community embraces people with different interests and backgrounds,” Naida said, “and when something doesn’t exist yet, people come together to make it happen.”

Outside of volunteering and work, it’s often the everyday experiences that remind her why she’s grateful to call the Cedar Valley home. She loves spending time in the downtown districts, Cattle Congress, Lost Island, and local farmers markets – even stopping for fresh sweet corn from roadside trucks. 

Even when she travels and experiences other places, her sense of belonging is rooted here in the Cedar Valley.

“Honestly, it’s the people that truly make the Cedar Valley feel like home,” Naida said. “No matter how much I travel throughout the United States or internationally, there’s always a sense of comfort and peace when I return. Even my children now recognize that feeling, and seeing them experience the same sense of belonging means everything to me.”

For Naida, choosing to stay has never been about staying still. It’s about continuing to invest in the place that invested in her family from the very beginning.

“I’ve chosen to stay because this community has given so much to me and my family,” she said. “It has provided opportunities to grow professionally, raise my children in a supportive environment, and build lifelong friendships. I want to continue giving back and helping make the Cedar Valley an even better place for future generations.”

“I live the Valley because it’s where opportunity meets community. It’s where people genuinely care about one another, families can put down roots, and together we continue building a place we’re proud to call home.”

— Naida Avdic,  Realtor | Transaction Coordinator | Oakridge Real Estate