Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Parks & Weisberg, Realtors: Louisville Real Estate Blog

Happy Holidays! It’s finally the holiday season which means it’s also the season of families reconnecting. We know quite a bit about family here at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Parks and Weisberg, Realtors^®. Family is an important aspect of our company. Multiple generations of the Parks and Weisberg families have worked here for years and many of our agents are attracted to our company because of our family atmosphere. 

Family tradition is exactly what drew Jamie Pilon to real estate. Ellen Shaikun, a real estate agent with 25 years of experience and Jamie’s mom, had been asking her to join her in the business for nearly 13 years. The timing had never been right for Jamie. She had been busy working in sales for the past 13 years until she decided it was the time for a change.

Pursuing real estate as her second career would allow her to support her family and fulfill her desire to help others. It only took a short time for Jamie to jump into her new career. She immediately began working as an unlicensed assistant for Ellen while she focused on studying for her real estate license. Soon after gaining her license, she established herself as an agent and continues to work with Ellen to learn the tips and tricks of the real estate business. 

Jamie may be newer to the real estate scene than some but her background in sales elevates her and makes her a force to be reckoned...

Kyle Roth is one of these people. A driven innovator who only recently came on to the real estate scene. In only his second year as an agent, he has developed quickly into one of the up and coming agents. How exactly did he get his start in real estate?

“Prior to getting into real estate, I was in the cosmetic industry. I loved the creativity but I wanted something new, different and exciting. I had always wanted to break into real estate but never knew how. I decided to take a chance… and enrolled in real estate classes.”

After working 50 hours a week plus taking real estate classes, he passed with flying colors. The next decision? Finding a broker that worked with him to help him succeed in all ways. 

“There were many reasons I chose Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Parks and Weisberg, Realtors...

In 1947, Major Bill Hendricks observed that many children in his community were going to receive a present, if anything at all, for Christmas. He launched a campaign to collect toys for local children and collected 5000 toys the first year. The first toy ever collected? A handmade doll. The next year saw the Marine Corps adopt Toys for Tots. This move rebranded Toys for Tots as the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program and expanded the program nationwide.

Today Toys for Tots is a widely known and renowned charity with a rich history in helping spread positivity and Christmas spirit. The Toys for Tots program continues to grow and receive support from all kinds of celebrities. Musicians, movie stars and even First Ladies, such as John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Brooke Shields, Andy Griffith and Clint Eastwood, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan and Michelle Obama, promoted the program.

Even in the early days of Toys for Tots, companies participated in any way they could. Some threw massive sponsored events. In 1990, Toys for Tots broke onto the big screen with a three week promotion sponsored by three companies, raising nearly $3 million dollars. Other companies held their doors open as collection sites for Toys for Tots. 

Last year, Toys for Tots raised over $280 million dollars, their second best year, to help children in need. For the 70^th anniversary of the Toys for Tots program, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices...