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Barbara Parks
For transportation when I was in the first grade my one brother and I rode a horse to school. My family later moved to a town called Union, Utah which was really out in the country at that time. Now it is a prime area called Fort Union. I get lost now when I visit because it has changed so much. Shopping centers and homes as far as you can see.
After a time my mother and stepfather bought 5 acres of land for $500.00 with payments of $10.00 a month which was hard to make as I remember. What a difference in today's market!
While I was in high school, World War II broke out and two of my brothers went to war and fought overseas. After I graduated, a friend and I visited our brothers who lived in California. Needing money to get back home I worked as a waitress and car-hop at a drive-in called The Clock. I never moved back to Utah, and then returned only for visits. I loved California and still do. Also after meeting my husband in 1947 we made our home in California.
In 1953 when my boys were 2 and 3 years old, my husband and his father opened up a large appliance and repair store then acquired a paint store. I loved working with clients as a decorator, going to their homes to find just the right colors. I also taught people how to paint and wallpaper. I was able to have the customers bring in a color and was able to match it, now machines do that. After 11 years we closed the business due to discount retailers, but before that my husband obtained his real estate license. By this time I also had a lovely baby girl and my boys were now 10 and 11.
I always loved working with people. So in 1966 I also obtained my real estate license. I could choose my own working hours. It was a great choice for raising my children and working at the same time. Since that time I have always enjoyed helping clients buy and sell their homes.
The first board of realtors I joined was the Southeast Board of Realtors and I was active in the board holding different offices. I worked for two different real estate offices in South Gate over the next several years.
During that time many 2 bedroom homes were selling for around $13,000.00. FHA started a program so people could buy homes for a very small down and the price limit started at $17,500.00. Many people were able to buy their first home but it was even hard to qualify people then. The FHA limits then went to $21,500.00 and loan limits have risen thru the years as property has appreciated in value. FHA limits are just changing from $362,750 depending on the county where the property is located. At the present time the current high in Los Angeles County is $729,750.00 and the different counties have different loan limits.
Many changes have happened since I first started selling real estate. The saying is true: "Don't wait to buy real estate, buy real estate and wait." Sometimes the market goes up and then down but it always goes back up in value.
I also worked for my husband at Arrow Realty of California from 1973 to 1978. When interest rates rose to 16% and higher it was hard to qualify buyers so we closed the office. After that I joined the Downey Board of Realtors and I worked in different real estate offices before again working for my husband who opened another office in Downey under the name of Parks Realty. In 1989, I joined the Citrus Valley Board of Realtors and began working at Southland Properties GMAC. The office was sold in March 2005 and the name was changed to Southland Properties. All the same great people still work there plus a few more new agents.
I have seen a lot of changes in real estate and prices are at an all time historic high.
It was impressed on me at an early age that I was always expected to work. I do enjoy selling real estate. It is always such a pleasure to sell people a home of their own or sell to replace with a larger or smaller home. Many clients have also bought investment properties. Many of my clients have become my very best friends.
I was married for 53 years. I sold my home in South Gate after my husband died.
I love living in Glendora. I like to watercolor and china paint, but have not made time to paint lately. I also like to decorate at home. I enjoy my 3 great children and my very special 5 grandchildren. I have enjoyed watching my 3 children grow up. By selling real estate, I was able to be a stay at home Mom sometimes, but at the same time work in what I enjoy doing and still do.
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I was born and raised in the state of Utah, where my mother had the hard task of raising six children alone after my father died. I was born 3 months after my father's death.
There was no help from the government for a widow and her children at that time. It was the start of the depression and it got worse as time went by. A few years later my mother remarried and sold her home on 2 acres for only $500.00. I understand the same property sold in the late 1990's for $1,000,000.00.