our business: REALTORS
Real Estate
Rockstars
SEPTEMBER 2015
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
Real estate visionaries are really at the heart of it all.
Behind every grand city and each quaint town is a handful of impressive real estate transactions,
and behind every great real estate deal is a visionary real estate agent. The father of Texas, Stephen F.
Austin, was, in truth, a forward-thinking realtor.
If not for another forward-thinking realtor, Weatherford would have lost Chandor Gardens years
ago. Chandor is one of Parker County’s greatest treasures, but it’s still here thanks to the tireless
efforts of Jamie Bodiford of Century 21 Judge Fite. She took time out of her always-hectic schedule
to bring each city council member, one-by-one, to Chandor Gardens, just weeks after planes hit the
twin towers. She convinced them that Weatherford needed a place of peace and tranquility. Without
her, no doubt, the end of West Lee Street would just be four cookie cutter homes, three bedrooms,
two baths and no imagination.
Bodiford is also known for her talent in finding the perfect historic home for any history-loving
family.
Bodiford also saved the boyhood home of Jim Wright, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Largely because of her efforts, the home was preserved. The house, a lovely example of
Victorian-era architecture, was saved from being razed to make way for a parking lot. Not only did
she save the house, she saved the City of Weatherford hundreds of thousands of dollars that would
have been spent to build a new office building for the city, while saving a national treasure.
“Jamie saved Chandor and didn’t make a penny off of the transaction,” famed Parker County
realtor Jim Duncan said. “She caught a lot of flack for it too, but the citizens and the tax payers of
Weatherford were the winners in that deal.”
Speaking of Jim Duncan, in a transaction recently inked, the real estate legend marketed the vintage 1885 First Financial building on Weatherford’s Historic Square to Parker County, which will use
it as offices. More importantly, the county will no doubt be a spectacular custodian of the landmark
(read more about this story on page 20).
Excellent realtors don’t focus only on Parker County’s seat. There is a reason why Parker County is
noted for its gloriously beautiful homes, vintage, new or somewhere in-between. Realtors like Becky
Hanley-Sharp make a science out of matching people with the best home for their lifestyle.
Next time you enjoy a sweet-as-candy watermelon, a flavorful peach or a good juicy tenderloin,
think about the farmers and ranchers who worked endless hours to produce that food. Better yet,
think about the realtor who matched that farmer or rancher up with their property. The guys at Clark
Real Estate including, Tim Clark, Stephen Reich, Jake Link and Greg Trout are a few local masters to
name of farm and ranch real estate as well as commercial.
So, next time you drive through Parker County and marvel at the beauty and prosperity, think
about the realtors who made it all happen.
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