It’s October, so things are getting spooky around here! And you know what is the scariest thing of all? Owning your own brokerage. I’ve been there and done that, and I’ve got no plans to do it again. But for those of you who want to give it a go, I have three tips for you: plan ahead, smile often and keep lots of booze handy. Those same tips work for a lot of other things as well, so maybe I should just consider making it my life mantra? I’m also a big fan of this saying: “Words have no wings but they can fly a thousand miles.” I think that was supposed to be a quote that discourages folks from gossiping, but it does the exact opposite for me!
Speaking of big wigs in the real estate industry, Chicago Agent held their first Who’s Who release party since 2019! The event was held at Cirrus overlooking Lake Michigan with more than 300 attendees. Obviously, anyone who’s anyone in real estate was at the shindig, including Tim Brigham of Union Home Mortgage and industry power couple Joel and Christine Schaub. The hors d’oeuvres were to die for and I can’t think of anything better than an open bar.
We’re heading into fall so that means it’s time to start tossing out the old leaders and start over with some new blood. That’s right, the Illinois Realtors have a new prez! Michael Gobber is taking the reins, and Matt Silver is the new president-elect.
The REALTOR® Association of Fox Valley (RAFV) also recently installed their board of directors for the 2022-2023 term. On Sept. 8, lots of RAFV industry folks gathered at the Q Center in St. Charles for the instillation dinner and ceremony.
The Chicago Association of Realtors is also doing the darn thing as this is the third year in a row that the leadership team is composed of all women. Sarah Ware, of Ware Realty Group, is serving as president, and Drussy Hernandez, of Coldwell Banker Realty, is the new President-elect.
It’s finally October, so let’s get some spooky birthdays going. Elizabeth Ghostly Goodchild and Simon Scary Stein share an Oct. 3 bday, while German Lantern Llanos celebrates on Oct. 4 along with Michael Werewolf Walsh. Sharbel Shocking Shamoon will party on Oct 4 while Nicole Hocus-Pocus Hajdu gets lucky number 7 to herself, and Ryan Disembodied D’Aprile gets more distinguished on the 8th. Toast Jenny Skeleton Sepulveda on the 10th and then the next day raise a different glass to Beth Witchcraft Wexler on the 11th. Josh Jack-o-Lantern Lipton gets a frightening Oct. 13th bday every year while Maria Thrilling Thanasouras and Ryan Warlock Wynia will forever share an Oct. 14 big day. Kevin Screeching Serafin will eat cake on Oct. 16th but Christina Brains Breuer McNamee may prefer cupcakes on Oct. 17. Karen Pentagram Peterson celebrates on Oct. 22, and then Matt Gargoyle Garrison and Emily Sarcophagus Sachs Wong will get lots of gifts on Oct. 23. Amy Darkness Duong Kim and Jon Ghoulish Goldman are birthday twinsies on Oct. 24, just like Stefanie Nightmare Neuman Lavelle and Cathy Stabby Stabb on Oct. 28. Steven Masked Maher and Monique Pitchfork Pierron-Strong are really close to sharing a Halloween bday, but will have to settle for an Oct. 30 shout out instead.