MEET A MOM – JACKIE BOHDAN
Real Estate Agent with Your Town Realty, Landlord, and Investor
Where are you originally from, and how long have you lived in Pittsburgh?
Originally from Europe, I have been living in Pittsburgh for the last 18 years. Love this city as my own!
How many kids do you have and what are their ages?
I have two children. Adam is 2 and Abigail is 6. They are best friends and my sidekicks!
What do you love about living in Pittsburgh?
What’s not to love? Pittsburgh is great for families – with its four beautiful seasons, parks, outdoors, topography, affordability and plethora of cultural activities!
What’s your favorite restaurant and/or place to shop in Pittsburgh?
It is hard to name just a few – Apteka for vegetarian and Eastern European, Slippery Mermaid for sushi, The Abbey for a night out, Bridges and Bourbon for fancy cocktails. I can go on! As for local businesses – I like to shop our local museums’ gift shops for unique Pittsburgh related gifts – Heinz History Center, Phipps, Botanic Garden, and Carnegie Natural History Museums all have great selections.
Tell us about your business.
I am a real estate agent with a local brokerage called, Your Town Realty, a landlord, and an investor with over ten years of experience. My husband and I started investing while still in college – we put all of our savings into a major fixer upper and did all the work ourselves late at nights and on weekends between school and day jobs. Not without a lot of trial and error, but it worked out, and we have since repeated the process several times. I’ve grown so passionate about real estate that I quit my engineering job and decided to focus completely on it full time. I am also bilingual, so it helps when working with first time home buyers who might not have strong language skills to understand the process.
What do you love about your job?
I love the dynamic of this industry and the satisfaction of being able to help families achieve their real estate dreams-whether it’s selling, buying or investing and the friendships that we make along the way. It is so rewarding.
What is your favorite thing to do with your children and/or family?
When not working 24/7, you can find me growing all kinds of fruits and veggies in our suburban backyard garden, traveling, camping, attending local festivals, concerts- anything really, we never sit still!
How do you juggle work and motherhood?
It’s a constant uphill battle, I am not gonna lie. With a husband who is an OTR truck driver and is rarely home, and no family in Pittsburgh, I find myself having to rely on my circle of wonderful mom friends and neighbors. I am not afraid to ask for help, and always happy to return the favor. Fortunately, my job is pretty flexible too. I am able to bring my kids with me or set my own hours. It helps! I also try to involve my kids as much as possible doing house chores, helping in the garden, and taking care of each other.
How has the Pittsburgh community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
People in Pittsburgh are just so welcoming, supportive, and genuinely friendly. Being a foreigner, it can be hard to fit in. Because Pittsburgh is so ethnically diverse, I get nothing but genuine interest towards me and my culture and learn so much about others at the same time.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from another mom?
Don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone’s situation is unique, and there is no universal way to parent. Do what’s right for you and your family.
Want to learn more or get in touch with Jackie?
