Monthly Member Profile: Shannon Diiorio

Editor’s note: The Monthly Member Profile is a feature that puts a spotlight on one of PAR’s 33,000 members. Do you have an interesting story to tell? We encourage you to submit your information online.

Realtor®: Shannon Diiorio
Company: Coldwell Banker Preferred, Media
Years in real estate: 15 years
Specialty: Associate broker, suburban residential real estate
Local association: Suburban West Realtors® Association
Designations: Accredited Buyer Representative, e-PRO

How did you get started in the real estate business?
My stepdad was in the business and I was looking for a change. Something with a little more flexibility and a little bit more conducive to raising a family. I had been in the restaurant business previously, which was pretty demanding of your time especially working evenings and weekends. I decided to give it a shot and the rest is history.

What do you attribute your success in the field to?
I attribute my success to having the patience, persistence and follow through.

What do you think is the biggest challenge for Realtors®?
My biggest challenge as a Realtor® is time management. Managing your time in a way that you are working on your business, not always in your business, is not easy. You really have to budget your time to avoid the roller coasters.

What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to the start of your career?
If I could go back in time and give myself a bit of advice, I’d tell myself to become more involved in my local association. I really didn’t even know what benefits the association had to offer early in my career. I didn’t understand where my dues were going, but once I started to get more involved, I saw what really goes on at the local association. They offer helpful tools and services for all members. Just getting to talk to other people outside of your office and gaining different perspectives is useful. I wish I had done that much sooner.

Why do you love being a Realtor®?
I love being a Realtor® for the flexibility and diversity in your day to day activities. As an independent contractor, you can mold your work schedule to meet your personal needs. Your income is a direct reflection of the work you put in.

What’s your favorite work story?
My husband and I helped an Army veteran purchase his first home after renting for 40 years. it was a big deal for him and an honor for us to be able to be part of that.

What are you most proud of in your career?
I am most proud of the connections and relationships I’ve built. When people refer me to their kids or their parents, that’s amazing. You want to take care of your kids and your parents and you only refer them to the best, so I really feel like that’s the ultimate compliment.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?
When I was in high school, I played bass guitar in a rock band. I was 16 and going out to clubs playing until all hours of the night. Unfortunately, I think I failed algebra II twice because I would catch up on sleep during that class.

What is your favorite PAR memory?
When I attended the Standard Forms Feedback Panel and suggested a change that I thought should be on one of the forms. I looked around the room and I saw some heads nodding in agreement. People actually came up to me afterwards and said, “You’re right, they should that change. It makes sense.” It’s a great feeling to be part of that process.

What do you do when you’re not selling real estate?
When I’m not selling real estate, you can usually find me at a rock concert with my family. My 18-year-old has probably seen about 65 bands already and my 10-year-old got to experience Van Halen in utero.