Ebby Halliday, known as “the first lady of real estate,” turned 103 on Sunday. Halliday began her selling career at the age of 8 when she sold Cloverine salve to neighboring farmers and later opened a hat shop, Ebby’s Hats, in Dallas, before founding Ebby Halliday, Realtors in 1945.
Now, the real estate firm is the largest in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by both transaction sides and sales volume, according to Real Trends. Nationally, the firm is the 12th largest by sales volume and 15th largest by transaction sides, representing homes worth a combined $4.8 billion in 2012 in 15,915 transaction sides.
Halliday asked that, in lieu of gifts, people support an addiction treatment center, Ebby’s Place at the YWCA.
“It is our duty and privilege as Realtors to get involved, participate in the activities of our cities, and to help build our communities,” she said.
Source: Dallas Business Journal
