What to do when something unexpected happens?

Today we celebrated my son's first birthday at the Castlewood Community Pool and I came across something unexpected. My father-in-law asked after the party "So, who were all of those people today? A bunch of your clients?" I chuckled and said "No, they are friends from different places...wait, actually, yes, most of them are!" I realized.

I started going down the list of my friends at the birthday party and realized that many of them were clients first and then the friendships emerged. Of the six women there with their beautiful children, three of them have bought houses using me and two of them have referred me to their friends. And now here we are, going through life's journey together. I can't think of better friends and clients to celebrate with. You never know what kind of friendships will develop from the work we do. I hear from many of my clients that they go through withdrawals after they close and I feel the same way!

So, what do you do when the unexpected happens? I savored the moment and realized how lucky I am!

Got a lot of Hot Air? Highland Village Does!

For only a $5 parking fee, you can enjoy the 23rd Annual Highland Village Lions Club Balloon Festival and Fair.

Bring your friends and family August 20-22 to Copperas Branch Park for a fun time at this Highland Village tradition. Hot air balloons, live bands, fair rides, Navy flight simulator, hamster balls (I'm all over that!), food court, car bash, Boogie Woogie Choo Choo (my daughter's fav!), raffle prizes and more.

This is a great event that highlights the fine businesses and local talent around the North Texas area. Be sure to mark your calendar and enjoy the last hoorah before school starts!

Castlewood Back to School Party

Before you push your kid out the door onto the school bus and then say a collective "Amen" that the whole neighborhood can hear, stop on by the Castlewood community Back to School Party!

Mark your calendars for Friday, August 20 from 6:30-9 pm at the clubhouse. Fun for all to be had with bounce houses, snow cones, hot dogs and swimming. This is always a great opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones to make the first day of school a little easier.

For more information or to volunteer, email Kimberley at kimberleylyons@tx.rr.com

"I've had thousands of hits on Realtor.com but only a few showings. What gives?"

It's something I have heard from a few sellers over the past few years. What are your thoughts on the role of Internet home searching and the correlation to the number of showings on listings? Here are my opinions. What do you think?
1. The Internet serves as a virtual real estate agent. I have actually started using this train of thought in my listing presentation. My team spends so much money on Realtor.com to give the most exposure possible to our clients. With 9 out of 10 people starting their search on the web, buyers are doing the weeding out virtually instead of by visiting the home. I think this is especially true when someone types in that they want a home on a half acre lot. They get excited because the house has everything they are looking for. Granite, hardwood floors, stately trees and a half acre. Then they realize that the house is set back so there's hardly any backyard. So instead of needing to see the home in person, you can eliminate it because you were able to see online that it wouldn't work. Oh well, scratch that off the list, which brings me to my next point.

2. The criteria we set for our clients may not be the same they set for themselves. I can't tell you how many times my clients will send me a home that has them all geeked up about seeing it. Then I am like a needle popping their balloon when they find out the master is on the second floor and not the first floor. The criteria we can search for is much more focused than that on the Internet searches. So, mark that one off too.

3. Looking for homes on the Internet is a HOBBY. There are many people that just love everything real estate. They watch every HGTV, TLC and Discovery Channel show known to man. They are like the MacGyver of remodeling taking used toilet paper rolls and making napkin rings. They constantly check out homes on every website that's out there. Face it. People just love the ins and outs of this business!

That's my two cents. What has your experience been?

Granite? Oil-Rubbed Bronze Fixtures? EEEWWWW!!!

In reading Kathryn Maguire's post about "Wallpaper Woes" it got me thinking about styles and trends.

What I have noticed is that it seems like homes can stand to be cosmetically updated about every 10 years. Think back to the year 2000. Gold or brass shower frames and door knobs were still popular although were on the way out (thankfully!) Silver or pewter was on the rise but a few years later, oil rubbed bronze was definitely the way to go. No one used formica but Corian was a pretty popular choice. They were solid surface after all!

So, here we are...2010. What is it going to be in another five or six years that makes buyers say "This house was totally built in 2008! Look at those distressed cabinets! And granite? Who the heck puts granite in anymore?"

What do you think?

Move-in ready home in Lewisville

If you're looking for a move-in ready home with tons of updates and renovations, this is it!

Enjoy the show and contact me for a private viewing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXmMwFsthUg

Keeping it local

With the constant news of big banks and corporations mishandling our hard-earned funds, the push to keep things local has really resonated with me. When on vacations, we make it a point to not visit franchises but visit the local bakery and shop at the Farmer's Market. We had some wonderful home-grown peaches while visiting Alexandria, VA two years ago which has in turned, inspired my husband to start a garden.

One of my favorite weekly email updates is courtesy of Valerie Preston and FamilyEguide. This is a weekly newsletter that Valerie has complied that updates local residents on the upcoming free or low-cost events in our community. It's been a wonderful resource for our family! The neat thing is that it's all in one place. For example, I was able to scroll through the newsletter and find out week by week all of the different summer camps and Vacation Bible Schools in our area, along with the cost and further contact information. Another great find was all of the local fireworks displays. But it doesn't stop there. Sign up for the FREE newsletter that lands in your inbox every Wednesday!

Another website I recently discovered has been around since October of 2009 and I just signed up for their bi-weekly newsletter. Flower Mound Family highlights businesses, restaurants and churches that are in the Flower Mound and Highland Village neighborhoods. This site has a monthly drawing for gift certificates to local establishments. You can also check out links for beauty, pet care services and activities. I haven't visited this site much but I plan on keeping tabs on it because it is full of fantastic information!