February 2008

You've recently met Matt Orr, my unlicensed assistant.  Now I'd like to introduce Susan O'Halloran, who has been a REALTOR for around 14 years.  She was with Coldwell Banker of Tinley Park and I finally talked her into joining me in my prior independent brokerage where we all were for 8 years.  She moved with us to HomeSmart Realty Group last year.

Sue and I met in 6th grade and have been friends ever since.  Sue took some time off of selling real estate when she was part-owner of a popular downtown restaurant/lounge called T. J. Costello's (named after her Dad).  She then purchased a long-standing restaurant lounge in Orland Park called Paddy B's and sold the business last year.

She finally teamed up with me, joining The Judy Orr Team of HomeSmart

I wouldn't have remembered, but last Valentine's Day was also snowy and cold.  I looked up my last Valentine's Day in Chicago Suburbs post to see what I wrote about.  Can't remember what I did, though.

My husband asked me to think about where I wanted to go on Valentine's Day.  Not one regular restaurant popped up in my mind (only visions of waiting an hour to get seated no matter where we went).  I hate waiting in restaurants.

Then I thought about the places I really love.  Places my friends would not accompany me to (well, they did once for my birthday and complained loud and clear).  I love Polish buffets.  My first choice was Bobaks in Chicago but I gave a second choice of The Batory Buffet, a Chicago Ridge restaurant located at 10135 S. Harlem

As I mentioned in the post about 2008 Chicago Suburbs Real Estate market predictions, I had my best year ever in 2007.  For years I've been toying with the idea of hiring an assistant to help me with day-to-day chores and paperwork.  However, I have a bad time delegating.

I wasn't sure how to work it out as I work mainly from my home office.  Do I hire someone to work at their home or would they go into my Orland Park office?  There were so many decisions.

I have asked two of my children to work for me but they never committed to it.  Finally, I got my 24 year old son Matt to be my unlicensed assistant.  He's working mainly on mailings right now and hopefully he'll help with appointments and more.

The funny thing is, I was 8 1/2 months pregnant