In our modern society persistence is lauded, but stopping a pursuit, and saying ENOUGH when you are done, not so viewed as heroic. So today's topic,When It's OK To Give Up.Think of the opposite first, Churchil saying NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER to the Nazi invasion of England. Crippled Apollo 13 trying to return to Earth, with Failure is Not An Option. Sir Edmund Hillary is GOING to get to the top of Everest. Some things, stopping is just not going to happen.But many non-spectacular endeavors you have to lose the battle perhaps and later win the war. Too much time, energy, money, emotional capital put into something. You go hamster wheel and insanity is doing the same thing over and over and it is not working.A tough nut to crack.So in real estate, your dream home in the market is outside y... 03/15/2016

What is interesting working social media, whether it be blogs, Facebook, Google Plus, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube commenting, etc. some people get upset with what they see or read and respond negatively. It can turn into a loud voice where they write lots of paragraphs back, or write about it everywhere, or worst in a public forum head toward personal attacks with name calling and berating someone. The ultimate in a LOUD voice.You see this a lot with politics or religion discussions.Passion for your position is one thing, and I think all that is good. But too often the LOUD voice especially when putting down the original person's idea or opinion, transcends directly into DISRESPECT. And, when we hit that point the free exchange of ideas in a civil manner is lost.The only remedy as the r... 03/14/2016

I have caught myself in many business and personal situations saying to myself,"Life Will Surprise You Sometimes"There are two categories of these surprises, bad ones and good ones. I try not to dwell on the bad ones too long, someone dying suddenly, disappointment, not meeting expectations, things taking longer to do or costing more, heartache. But there can be a silver lining with them and a blessing in disguise or even Karma effect if you follow them a little further.The good surprises on the other hand, business or personal, just seem to be a pure joy. A client who sticks in your life long term, someone you never thought would be a friend being the most loyal to you. A helping hand that came out of nowhere. Someone sticking up for you. A simple someone asking how you are doing? Anim... 03/12/2016

Flower Mound homes sold rose 24% this month, with 308 houses sold in December 2015. Houses sold year-to-date increased 5% relative to the same period last year, with 4,577 houses sold so far this year. Year-to-date new listings are at 5,982 overall, which is a 5% surge from last year. New houses listed this December in Flower Mound went up 11%, with 263 homes listed this month. Year-to-date, listed houses under contract have reached 4,909 in all, which is a 7% rise from a year ago. Flower Mound current listings under contract reached 273 houses this month, a 22% increase from a month ago. So far this year, housing sales climbed 11% compared to the same month last year, the average sales price being $311,888. This December, the average home sales price was approximately $346,322, which i... 03/09/2016

I have written in the past about the importance of Disconnect Zones or periods in the day where you"unplug" from your phone but what about asking,      Tool or Toy?Today's powerful phone IS a computer more than a phone and if you are on it all the time HOW do you get anything ELSE done?I think you should do more than put the notification just to vibrate.You should put it AWAY from you from time to time, even in the business day. Away from a pocket or purse, perhaps in a drawer or another room.The smartphone should have YOU in control, a tool predominantly for functions, email, text, voice, apps BUT occasionally a toy, fun on social media or games or family photo taking etc. WHERE the toy gets you in trouble is inordinate amount of time with distraction or wasting time. Looking at Facebo... 03/07/2016

 This Tree stands tall and proud on the corner of Eaton and Timber CreekBetween Lamar Middle School and Timber Creek Elementary March came in like a lamb with refreshing blue skies and an abundance of blossoms from Bradford Pear Trees in Flower Mound, Texas. Mother Nature was kind today in Dallas Metro North. Trees are an important part of the culture in any community. They change the environment during the growing seasons. Spring blossoms are an awaking! Listening to TWEETS from birds hidden amongst the tree branches without cell phones is sheer delight! One of the greatest joys in life is when spring awakens your senses. From naked twigs to blossoms - it doesn't get any better than that during seasonal transitions!  People and trees have a passion for beauty and perfection! There are ... 03/01/2016

In our regular world and also the real estate world, don't believe everything you read. It brings to mind the thought to be a better critical thinker in all things you read, hear, and even see. Is it fact or opinion, real or an illusion, clarity or trickery? Especially all you may read on the INTERNET. I do not know what it is with the "printed" word but we seem to think it must be truth if it is in solid print before our eyes.Cozy home? Really? You show up and it is a dump.Large lot? Yes maybe for this cramped town of houses on top of each other.Country feel? Not a cow for 40 miles.Think of our general life. Politics. High integrity? Yes, until they get in office and no one in their office will return your phone call. Been in the business 20 years. Yes, as a side job. With critical thi... 02/29/2016

©by Patricia Feager 2/28/2016 As March 1st and Spring Weather nears, it is good to know the EYES of Texas are upon us! While driving around Flower Mound, I was lucky enough to see my first SKYWARN® Vehicle and the driver was very, very friendly!   Once I got home, I found the website at www.skywarn.org  and was surprised to learn Storm Spotters are volunteers! It's a National Weather Organization. Now I know, we ALL owe our lives to these brave individuals who are rarely spoken of and many of us know nothing about, expect they put their lives at risk to warn everyone else of imminent danger due to severe weather conditions. From the website I learned ---- Most people have memories or experienced flash flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, or severe weather storms; yet how many stop to think,... 02/28/2016

 February 26, 2016 Flower Mound has a new restaurant called Verf's Grill & Tavern located at 2221 Justin Road on the corner of Morris Road. I really, really liked the ambiance and the food tasted delicious. It was a very interesting experience. The Mural on the wall has a date from 1928 and the light fixtures are something I have never seen before. Plus, you can turn the valve of your own individual lights on or off. I just had to try turning the valve on and off while I was waiting, but it didn't take long to get a Watermelon Margaretta and my food. Juan, the Waiter was very kind and he didn't rush me. He was helpful and his communication skills were excellent! See the three little children in the mural located on the bottom center, that's where I sat!   These were the lights I turned ... 02/25/2016

In real estate sometimes the service a client gets from an agent who represents them is nothing short of BAD. Not to besmirch or single out any individual in particular but this comes from a variety of reasons: the barrier to the industry education and experience wise is too low laziness, and poor work habits of some not staying up to date with ongoing education besides what is mandatory not practicing their craft not networking with other REALTORS and associates in the industry not learning from the feedback given by past clients Overall beyond a modicum of integrity, some agents work habits, communication and presentation ability, interaction with other agents, and just plain advice given to clients with one of their biggest financial transactions in their life is just plain, BAD.The ... 02/24/2016

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I used to say for men at least, the most highly stressful day of the year for them on relationships or lack thereof. But I have since gone back to my third grade roots and WE ALL should celebrate ALL our friendships, mild love, deep love relationships we have with everyone in our human existence.In third grade we cut up little Valentine's and passed them out to all our classmates. One year, the teacher made the boys walk across the classroom and kiss their favorite girl. That was embarrassing for everyone. But just keep your eyes open for little love gestures from Mom's baking cookies to friends helping out to words of encouragement from people in our lives. Love is REALLY all around us working its magic. Don't stress out over what you have or don't have ... 02/13/2016

I have always said in a real estate transaction, there are four main parties, buyer, buyer agent, seller, seller agent. True, there are ALL the other parties, lenders, inspectors, appraisers, settlement companies, stagers, etc. but these four are like the oarsmen in a boat.It has fascinated me ALWAYS when one of the four is rowing COUNTER to the rest and all hell breaks loose, even one of those "agents".It is imperative on the part of at least ONE of the agents to get everyone rowing together to move forward with synchronization to accomplish the goal of a completed successful transaction.Keep your eye out for the the one or more in the boat not rowing "together" and prod them to get with the program.Something that looks so easy at the outset can end up with a "stalled" boat in the wate... 01/31/2016

With the current spate of winter weather hitting various parts of the country and the warnings that we are all gonna die, I thought, well not all of us. It is funny watching approaching snow storms, and the grocery store shelves being emptied of milk and bread. Panic drives behavior crazy at times, even if preparation is a good thing.It made me think of great real estate agents are calm, cool, and collected, and keep going about their day solving problems that pop up between buyers, sellers, other agents, and third parties. Thriving amidst the chaos.Look for this in your agent where they can defuse the emotion, come up with a plan to accomplish the result, and keep moving the ball forward.A good problem solver is a good agent. 01/22/2016

Happy New Year everyone. Sorry I have not written too much of late, doing that recharge with friends and family over the holidays. Thinking of achieving those goals for the next 12 months, HERE is a tip:Starve your distractions. Feed your focus.It really is a sorting into those two buckets. What you want and what is far less important. Add emphasis to one, subtract energy from the other.That is all.Do not make your achieving harder than that. TO YOUR GREATNESS and those around you in the new year!! 01/08/2016

Nowhere in the series of holidays during the year do you see the FRENZY that comes about with Christmas and New Year's. The purchase of gifts alone could be almost be looked at as "forced buying" pushed by all the merchants. I used to feel with decorating and traveling and spending money when I at least hit December 26th, the real peace on earth and sanity restored was that point in time.I had always heard that if you have NO EXPECTATIONS you will have no disappointment. Expectations at the holidays time for family or the way things should be no question can stress us out to the point of wanting to pull your hair out. The expectations thinking is really a learning tool to practice going with the flow, letting go, not being so hard on yourself and others.I really think to have the most e... 12/18/2015

I start this blog post with the image of a snake RATTLING before it bites you. Why? You have been warned. The next step is up to you. Run, would be some good advice.Similarly with clients their rattle is this, "What would you do if you were me?" The bite if you do the wrong thing is a future lawsuit.NEVER MAKE YOUR CLIENT DECISIONS FOR THEM.It violates your fiduciary responsibility to hold their interest higher than your own. List pros and cons. Offer several companies to have them look at for a solution. It is likely their biggest purchase or sale in their lives. It is their money. DO NOT assume your brain is their brain.Let the client do their OWN due diligence.Believe it or not the transaction does have an element of pain in it.If you are going to be SO NICE and make this as painless... 12/10/2015

Another year, another Thanksgiving holiday upon us. Too often we just categorize BLESSINGS around the dinner table as if other things are not to be thankful for too. I have noticed throughout time life is constantly made up of gains and losses. We think of a new birth as good, a physical impediment as bad. The job promotion good, the job loss bad. This is not necessarily true that all gains are good and all losses are bad. Often there are silver linings and blessings in disguise in losses. Sometimes gains come with horrific tradeoffs like you make more money but you lose time with your loved ones. I think MANY events CAN be a blessing or a great LESSON with hindsight. Work for contentment and that you have ENOUGH in the realm of abundance, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. Be thankful for LIFE each ... 11/26/2015

I know in our solemn and somber times we have days when we feel we just want to turn off the TV news or not check into the Internet AT ALL. I have an observation, that truly at least 90% of the people all around the world are decent and actually very good people. And we share our tears, our heartaches, and especially our laughter as common experiences with them of all languages. So a little musical break in honor of all those good people to lighten the mood and to lift our spirits to carry on. Maybe what the doctor ordered. The best medicine.  11/14/2015

Who says dogs can't make you laugh daily in countless ways? Certainly not me of course. I have always loved these creations where they mix the human in with the dog whether at the dinner table with the plate and knife and forks or this one. Everyone loves music right? 11/05/2015

10/19/2015