ALTON - After years in the restaurant business, Sarah Parish is taking the next step of her life toward real estate. Parish still serves as the co-owner of Gentelin's on Broadway but has taken a step away from the day-to-day operations of the business. While still keeping books and making executive decisions, Parish is now opting for a more flexible schedule with the real estate market through Tarrant and Harman Real Estate and Auction Company.

"Real estate has always been an interest to me," she said. "I have always been one to look at listings, whether I'm planning on moving or not. I grew up in a family with people into construction. My grandfather started Jun Construction. Four of my five brothers flip houses. It's always been an interest to me. In your 40s, when you want a new career, you find out what interests you."

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Parish said she could not work a regular job with a set schedule. She said she enjoys waking up every day without knowing where the job may take her. Real estate offers her that flexibility as well as more time with her kids.

"I'm looking forward to using my customer service skills to help people through the home buying and selling process. Homes are usually the biggest transactions of a person's life, financially and emotionally. I know I have the patience to work through emotionally charged situations and I am confident in my ability to handle whatever comes my way. After experiencing life as an entrepreneur, I'm also interested in helping investors find properties to purchase and I will be there to assist when the time has to sell off those investments."

Parish said she began working for Tarrant and Harman immediately after passing the state examination at the beginning of April.

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"I had previously owned and operated Gentelin's on Broadway since 2006 and it was becoming harder to resist the pull over to start in a different industry," she said. "While I still have an ownership interest in the restaurant, I have given up my management position and with it the time I spent getting to interact with guests. That's the part I miss the most. I knew moving forward from the restaurant I have personally always loved the home-buying process, along with the roller coaster ride it entails.

"Travis Tarrant and Mark Harman started the company in 2010 with a vision to offer a diversified approach to marketing residential, commercial, agricultural and recreational properties. Since then, the business has quickly grown to a 50-person broker team with over $50 million in annual sales. The company prides itself on being honest and trustworthy in the real estate market. They have a deep knowledge of land values as well as a top of the line marketing plan."

Parish said Tarrant and Harman has provided her with a mentoring program while under the watchful care of experienced real estate broker Rhonda Willman.

"Rhonda is giving me the education you don't get in real estate classes and is there to prevent me from making mistakes that could cost a client. I am surrounded by a supportive and encouraging team that I can reach out to for support. Travis Tarrant goes above and beyond to recognize his employees' hard work and contributions to his business. We're all together at T & H."

Anyone wishing to reach Parish for their real estate needs can call her or text her at (618) 444-5664, find her business page on Facebook, and email her at sparish@tarantandharmon.com.

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