Barbara Park grew up in Evanston, Illinois, where she lived a brisk 2 miles from Lake Michigan, so she’s always preferred lakes to oceans. These days, she operates on Tellico Lake and in the Tellico Village community.
Barbara’s father worked as the corporate treasurer for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in Chicago. She recalls her father telling her about the association’s code of ethics and the reason for its existence: to protect consumers. Growing older brought new experiences, such as buying and selling her personal home several times — an experience that reeled her back to real estate.
In 2007, her daughter left for college, and her husband worked long weekends, so Barbara had extra time on her hands. In 2008, she worked in Atlanta for the CDC and got involved part-time with a local, independent real estate brokerage.
She prides herself on providing exceptional service that exceeds client expectations. From research to marketing, helping buyers and sellers find the best price possible for what they’re looking for is critical. Still, her favorite part is advising and educating with the best information to help clients make intelligent decisions. Loyalty to her clients is paramount, and her focus is to make their purchase or sale a positive experience.
As a child, if the day was warm enough, she knew it meant a trip to the beach — riding the waves and watching the sailboats. Her favorite memory of the lake was taking bike rides around the shore. When she married her husband, they would take family vacations in northern Wisconsin on Lake Owen, where they would ski, tube, and take late-night boat cruises to gaze upon the stars.
These days she doesn’t ski or tube as much but enjoys afternoon rides and cocktail cruises, or she can be found in a quiet cove of Tellico Lake lounging in the cool waters. Thankfully, her family lives close to the lake. Their daughter, who lives in Chattanooga, visits home often, where she enjoys paddleboarding and boating.
When she’s not on the water, Barbara can be found cooking, gardening, golfing, or pickling her favorite vegetables.