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Flower Mound, TX Real Estate News

By Sherri Elliott
(INTEGRITY TEAM - eXp Realty, LLC)
I have just recently found out about this new company in it's prelaunch stage. It is for savings at Target, Wlamart, AMC, Starbucks, Restaurants, Gas and so much more. I would sing up for this if I had to PAY for a discount- But this is FREE! It appears you can make money from letting others know about this program as well. I do not have all of the details. I would encourage you to research it yourself. There are already over 24,000 signed up to benefit from this. Go take a look. The website is: www.acquirebenefitsgroup.com/sherri     I hope this helps all of us save some money during this down time and high prices.
Comments 5
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
As I enjoyed my last bowl of cereal for the day and conked out for my mid afternoon nap in my high chair I got to thinking about Real Estate blogging and Social networking in general. I have been at it myself in addition to my work for awhile so I know quite a lot about it. I also am a heavy reader of many blogs with topics ranging from core real estate to the day's weather. Some of the topics get pretty far off real estate industry related sometimes but that's ok, as there are only so many days and ways to write about how to do that perfect open house.      In today's technology world we are so well connected particularly in the wireless world with voice, data, video, and text. Think of sending and reading blogs, email, photos, and videos over your cell phone. Yet I read out there in t...
Comments 47
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
I am constantly amazed in Real Estate by all categories of professionals in dealing with clients or their peers, how so many need to vastly improve on effective communication. Some of us out there are INCREDIBLY BAD at it. They need a lesson in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FRIENDLY KIND.         No nothing risque' going on between professional and client here, although that might make for juicier blog material. Just clear and concise effective communication. An effective communicator leads the discussion, asking the appropriate questions and putting the deal together. Sure things can go sideways at times and emotions are ALWAYS involved with negotiations. But the cool heads that prevail get things worked out. The friendly side comes into play in mastering the art of disagreeing or having an ...
Comments 50
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
One thing about a skill set - YOU individually know when you are good at your craft. With all professionals they say perfect practice yields perfect play on the field. There is no more gratifying experience than to know you are one of the best in your field. You know you have reached this point in your work because THE BEST MAKE IT LOOK EASY.         They just flat out get the job done. No hemming and hawing. No maybe it will work. Just pure execution. I would say in Real Estate or whatever profession you find yourself in strive to be one of the best. You will know you are there when people are coming to YOU for the mentoring. They come to YOU with their questions and need for assistance. And like a hot knife slicing through butter you've got the mechanics down and the systems in place....
Comments 27
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
When you wish upon a star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor. Seriously, you see this with buyers of homes all the time. They talk about wishes. The focus needs to be more about dreams. Wishes are very light and fluffy. They are a good beginning point, but the real problem with wishes is they lack vision. Start with a wish but make it into a dream.                 You never heard that famous quotation from Martin Luther King Jr. come up as                  " I Have a Wish! " Dreaming shows action. It shows that there is some plan behind the words. Wishing is still probably not even on paper. It is very passive. It is much easie...
Comments 22
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
With so much "change" going on that I see day in and day out, I wonder if people first off cut themselves some slack and say whatever change they are going through it's ok. And secondly do they realize they can't do everything in life? Not that you can't do "one" or "several" things following your dreams but you can't do "everything." Just a practical point. Wherever you go, whatever you decide to do with your housing, your career, your family life, your individual self think that Transformation Begins With Harnessing Resources. I can think of at least five resources you need to gain control of to properly focus on changing: Time: They only make so much of it and once used up it is gone. Things take longer to do than you think too. Energy: Allocate the amount of energy you need for a pr...
Comments 31
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
In working with buyers and sellers of real estate it is important to discover the underlying motivation for the transaction. Realtors need to play the role of armchair psychologist at times. What is the "real" reason these folks are selling? Why is this buyer taking so long to make a decision? This investor seems to be able to afford whatever he wants yet he is so picky. What is up with that? A key motivator at times can be fear. Another HUGE motivator in life is pleasure in pleasing oneself or pleasing others.       What about money? Money has been a motivator since the beginning of time. Going after something because it is a good deal. Selling now because of a huge windfall of a profit. Not going below a certain price because you will lose money. As an investor you project rental inco...
Comments 59
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
It seems lately with watching the oncoming Presidential election campaigning hitting a fever pitch, the daily roller coaster ride we are all taking with the financial markets and for those of us here writing and reading about a still tough housing market, that we need glimpses of hope. Solutions. Being positive. Knowing that we are still on track despite difficulties. I am BIG into images to represent things. One of our strongest coping skills is the ability to tie into our support system of great friends, acquaintances and family. Like the giant KC-135 Stratotanker, the flying gas station for military planes to refuel midflight, we need to know who and where the people are in our life who refuel us. The good ones are ALWAYS there for us. So imagine ace aviator that you are, you are sta...
Comments 29
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
In today's stress filled daily lives with financial and housing problems instead of offering some additional positive spin, today I thought I would add some practical thoughts. DO YOU KEEP YOUR TANK ALWAYS HALF FULL? This is really a bit of common sense but I wanted to raise the awareness in this area lest you overlooked it. It has to do with the topic of reserves. Examples, when going to the grocery store buy MORE than you need, to stop wasterful trips back and forth. With your personal energy, allocate personal time for rejuvenation, meditation, and sleep. It will give you more go when you would normally be flailing. Have cash reserves, build a 6 to 12 month "cash" reserve fund. All these take the edge off. But MOST IMPORTANT build that security net in the Relationships department. Bu...
Comments 22
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
In the movie Bucket List with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, who are both dying with terminal illnesses they list all the things they want to do in their life before they "kick the bucket." As a writer, Realtor, and a person, if you've read me over time, you know I stand out like a sore thumb in doing my own thing. I almost never write Localism posts, because, well because they are not my thing. I tried to hide that I had a birthday Saturday, but darn if I didn't have many friends here that found out anyway. No big Jason Crouch barbeques for me. It's not who I am. But as far as Localism I do like "fun" events. In the Texas area I have over 25 years of fun things I have attended and this year's visit to the Great State Fair of Texas I observed smiles everywhere. From old people to th...
Comments 21
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
One thing to be aware of if you are represented as a buyer or seller in real estate by an agent is to find one that will go to bat for you. One who works hard in the negotiation phase of the transaction. And as an agent one must ask themselves,           Are You Mule Headed? Every deal is a little different. Stubborness is the opposite of being open minded and creative. Coming up with new ideas, looking at a problem from a new angle, bouncing the situation off others for additional input all mean you are a flexible negotiator. Remind all parties you want to get this deal done. Stubborness extends to not wanting to rework business plans when necessary. Don't be a mule. Be open to change. Change happens in life, ready or not.
Comments 34
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
Our financial markets continue to get pummeled of late. I hate to keep sounding pollyannaish but life is more than about money. Sure money is important for stability in our lives. But so are people. I just see the world so different than most. Some starving kid in Africa who might have a smile on his face today has no care in the world or even knows what the Dow Jones Industrial Average is. So just pause for a little while with housing woes, with financial market troubles, etc. Think about people. Those in your family. Those around you. Those in the world. If you are looking for happiness. Look into the eyes of other people. There is plenty of happiness to go around if we will just share of ourselves. Share what little or what abundant happiness YOU have with others. It goes a long way ...
Comments 43
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
In the news media related to housing and the financial markets some have told me to NOT watch the evening news. Usually I'm too busy with MANY other things to watch much TV but I sampled it for the first ten minutes the other night and concluded        WE DON'T NEED NO MORE STINKIN' PROBLEMS !!! If you recall the Etch a Sketch from many years ago, problems may be thought of as horizontal and vertical lines all over the screen. This toy from 1960 was the first laptop if you will. So simple. But for my highly intellectual little kid self, I could NEVER get those curved lines to come out right like the pictures on the box. Something was rigged. So our problems that come in waves seemingly every day now need one thing the Etch a Sketch was famous for. When it got to be a big MESS you shook ...
Comments 54
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
We're off to see the Wizard... Telescopes and Microscopes and Focus, Oh My... In the deluge of never ending bad news in the business marketplace, how is a buyer or a seller, a Realtor or a Stager, a Loan Officer or Title Company Officer, supposed to make heads or tails of business OR life for that matter? As they say in the game of football when your team has started off the season 0-6 and you still have dreams for the Super Bowl, the brilliant coach will come out with something like, "We've got to get back to the fundamentals. We've got to get back to the basics." Most often when we get off course, and feel adrift, we lose sight of the very tools we've had all along with us. Namely a telescope and a microscope. OK, so you weren't too much into that Astronomy or Biology thing in high sc...
Comments 24
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
The world has been tough lately in business and on Wall Street and in government. You could search for answers or try to optimize your website but You Make Your Way Through Life not with Google but with Goggles. It takes courage. Michael Phelps, eight time Olympic gold medal winner dove into the water on one of his races. His goggles slipped off his eyes. He couldn't see where he was going to turn. This is about courage when things go bad. This was the Olympics for God sakes. Michael knew EXACTLY how many strokes were for each lap at his highly conditioned pace. He took the splash of the water in stride. He did not panic. The hell with Google. It is all about the goggles. First acknowledge that it is crappy, life is unfair. Second, suck it up and start swimming like hell. You trained fo...
Comments 42
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
With the recent days of turmoil in the financial markets, viewing the levels of greed on Wall Street, and trying to figure out what this all means to our fragile economy and the housing market, it is easy to get disillusioned by the actions of others. Many are not leaders. Many do not set good examples. Many have selfish tendencies. But the inherent nature of man is to be good. We do need to find leaders not managers that lead us in positive directions, caring for others, and the welfare of society. The examples seen of late do not show our best side. Individually, I've always believed we ALL have so much further to go to hit our full potential.                           WE ALL NEED TO UNLEASH THE INNER GREATNESS WITHIN US. Look around to nature to take a cue. From tiny seed do gloriou...
Comments 24
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
I don't know how many times in recent days with the bank and lending institution bailout or rescue plan, whatever you wanted to call it, how often the masses in the public said whatever we do, we can't reward the "fat cats" or give them huge executive parting gifts in terms of bonuses for ruining companies and lives. While that may be entirely true the vindictiveness of the thought reminded me that there are many people out there who are so money bound they just turn plain "mean" over time. We don't need more fat cats or mean people for sure. What we need are Karate Bears.            KARATE BEARS KILL WITH KINDNESS. In the martial art of Karate, there is much discipline and control of what you are trying to do. Think of inside your karate outfit is a loveable bear. Within resides the "p...
Comments 31
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
I have always had the strength of seeing the big picture in things and also just love visual images to illustrate a point. Many buying homes and cars nowadays are facing the credit tightness which until we work our way through the impasse will be a difficulty. But do you remember those symbols in the newspaper on the front page for the weather? Or the annoying guy on the nightly news before you go to bed with the TV weather report with the five or 14 day weather outlook? Sunny days, rainy days, cloudy or mostly cloudy days. The point is on the tough days, just know you are going to have days like that. Some days, if we could we ought to just not get out of bed and pull the covers over our head. Hey but that's life. Before you know it, it will be sunny again, or cloudy, or thunde...
Comments 40
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
Do you know this woman? She has been missing from our lives for two months now. Good Morning Active Rain Veterans on Active Rain KNOW Arina Hanciulescu out of Las Vegas. After a brief respite away from the Rain she is BACK!! For newbies, I encourage you to read her current blog and IMMEDIATELY subscribe to her posts. If you want to read smart material from real estate to technology to family ties to opinions about the world stay in touch with this kind woman. She will tip toe back into the rain, but please make her welcome by reading and commenting on her CONSISTENTLY. I have known her for quite some time. Take my recommendation on this one. You will find NO ONE in the Rain with as much love in her heart as ARINA !!!
Comments 43
By Gary Woltal, Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth
(Keller Williams Realty)
I wrote a post a long time ago that the sky was not falling with the problems in the housing market. In the feeble attempts to iron out the current "bailout" bill for banks and lending institutions I think I need to go back to my well grounded self and serve up the reminder that THE SUN ALWAYS RISES. Think that you are hiking early in the morning near this lake by these mountains. The brilliance of the sunrise makes the still lake reflect the peaks into the water.   Do not let the talking heads of the day add to your anxiety. Note nature. It does not worry. Worry does not add a single hour or single day more to your life. Take yourself to a place of calm. Everything will work out just fine. Even using words like "crisis" are bad leadership words. It gets to be a snowball effect with the...
Comments 67