As a real estate broker, church member, mother of seven children and grandmother to eight, Denise O’Connor is a busy woman. Denise began her career in real estate 16 years ago and has been an agent at CENTURY 21 Alliance Group for 11 of those years.
Denise became a Realtor when her job was phased out at the bank after 23 years in the financial sector. As an employee of the collection department at the bank, Denise prepared real estate-owned properties for sale and had worked with Realtors indirectly. The move to real estate was an obvious transition for her.
“Before I worked with people who were losing their homes and now I’m working with people who are buying for the first time, downsizing and upgrading,” Denise said. She was able to continue using her financial and business acumen—as well as her people, organizational and time management skills—to meet her clients’ diverse real estate needs and it is her relationship with her clients that is most important to her.
“What I like most about my job is definitely the people,” Denise expressed. “I’m part of their life for a short term and seeing the changes in their life because a home was sold or purchased is a very rewarding experience.”
Recently Denise was awarded with a Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award for her dedication to quality service. The annual award is based on results from the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Survey (QSS), which is e-mailed to consumers immediately after the purchase or sale of a home through a CENTURY 21 System office. An agent must receive an average survey score of at least 95 percent or better for 2 consecutive years to earn this award.
In addition to her work as a Realtor, Denise also volunteers her time at Granger Community Church in La Porte. She is the check-in coordinator for Sunday school classes. Previously, Denise has been a Sunday school teacher for preschoolers and delivered sermons on DVDs to people who were homebound.
Denise also volunteered her time weekly at a local pregnancy center for three years. She counseled newly pregnant women, helped them find prenatal care, suggested baby care classes offered by the center and helped them with material needs—such as clothing, diapers, formula, etc. Denise enjoyed helping the women of the community.
“The most rewarding thing about that work was holding the newborn babies of the mothers I had counseled,” she said.
Denise has a total of seven children and eight grandchildren. Two of her sons have even followed in her financial footsteps. Her son Eric Jaso is a Mortgage Loan Originator at MainSource Bank in Hobart, Ind. and her son Christopher Jaso is a Real Estate Transaction Specialist at Sterling Group in Mishawaka, Ind.
Denise has lived in Northwest Indiana for 37 years. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and hiking.
CONTACT
Denise O’Connor
(219) 210-9148
theoconnorteam.do@gmail.com