Happy Birthday, Ebby!

(DALLAS, TX March 6, 2014) Happy Birthday to Ebby Halliday, who turns 103 on Sunday, March 9.

Affectionately known near and far as the First Lady of Real Estate, Ebby Halliday arrived in Dallas on a train from Omaha, Nebraska, in 1938. Ebby had transferred to the city to take charge of the W.A. Green store's millinery department. She brought with her sales and people skills Ebby had nurtured since age 8, when she started selling Cloverine salve to neighboring farmers.

Following her employment with W.A. Green, she opened Ebby's Hats in what today is known as Uptown. Her career in real estate began after a client brought a message from her husband, "If Ebby can sell you those crazy hats, maybe she can sell my crazy houses." The gentleman had built several insulated-cement "spec" homes and was in need of a salesperson.

Ebby knew to sell the homes she would have to be creative. She decided to furnish each with carpet, draperies, a couch, armchair and coffee table to allow buyers to visualize the potential of their new home.

"This was a successful approach and I sold all of his cement homes," Ebby says. "Did I know at the time I was ‘staging' properties? No. I was doing what I needed to do to get the homes sold. That's when I changed my product from hats to houses."

And, the rest, as they say, is history. In 2013, the Ebby Halliday Companies participated in more than 19,500 property transactions with more than $6.4 billion in sales. But for Ebby, her life's work has always been about more than selling houses. Building community and serving society are pillars of her work ethic and her namesake company's mission: serve the client, serve the community, and serve the industry.

Sharing her ideas, growing her business and encouraging her co-workers to get involved and improve their lives by improving the lives of those around them have always been close to her heart.

"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 says.

Ebby Halliday has lived an extraordinary life that includes her rise from humble beginnings to become one of America's most-admired entrepreneurs. Her philanthropy in her hometown of choice and beyond is legendary. In 2005, she received the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which honors the achievements of outstanding Americans who have succeeded in spite of adversity.

Today the YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas announced Ebby's Place, which will house the YW Women's Center. The building is a testament to a life of extraordinary integrity and a focus on empowering women.

"In lieu of birthday gifts this year, I encourage the public to support Ebby's Place at the YWCA," Ebby says. "Your support will positively impact lives in our community for many years to come."

To learn more about the YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas, visit ywcadallas.org.