It may have snowed in Amarillo this week, but it’s sunny and in the 60s-70s in the DFW area today.  Make no mistake - it's definitely Spring in Texas.  The flowers are blooming and my seasonal allergies are definitely letting me know!  Spring is a time of renewal, a time to be thankful that things are coming back to life.  As this season moves into full swing in the weeks ahead, here are some things you may be thankful for and ways you can give help others that may be hurting right now.

Health - if you are healthy, be thankful.  There are so many in our midst that have illness as a part of their daily lives.  Of course, some are suffering with Covid-19, but others have afflictions that they have had for much longer than the past few weeks/months of coronavirus.  Be sensitive to the fact that others may not be as fortunate as you….and offer to help if you can.

Family - If your family is healthy and safe, that is a huge blessing.  I know, I know, there are some relatives you really don't want to claim as your own...or you could just be stressed because everyone is home….or that the kids are doing on-line school….but remember family is ALWAYS there for each other. If you know someone who doesn't have family nearby, make sure to check in on them.  They may need help during this time and they don’t have anyone to turn to.  YOU could be their saving grace.  If you know someone who is not as fortunate as you are – maybe their family is fighting for their life right now – reach out with a phone call or text to tell them you are there for them. 

Front-Line Workers – during times like this, during a global pandemic, we should all be thankful for our first responders, our healthcare workers, and even our retail store workers.  They are literally risking their lives by going to work each day to make sure that others are taken care of.  If you know someone who is working in those capacities, say Thank You to them often.

I saw this on social media recently, and I think it’s a good reminder to be thankful and keep things in perspective.

We are all in the same boat. We are NOT all in the same storm.

For some people, it's sprinkling. This is a break. It's a rest. It's a pause. A time to reconnect with family and put priorities in order.

For some, it's a storm. It's scary, maybe even terrifying. It's disruptive and brings with it worry and concern, perhaps some sleepless nights.

For some, it's a Category 5 Hurricane. It's pulling at boards, tearing off the roofs and washing it all out to sea. It's dark and unknown and life changing.

It's not wrong to enjoy the sprinkle or even to quietly endure the storm, because you can. But don't doubt that your neighbor may be in a hurricane and it's very real to them.

Laugh at a meme, but get on your knees for a friend.
Get in someone else's storm and help to calm the winds.
At the end of the day, we are ALL in this together because we are mankind. That very word --"mankind" --- Man and KIND.

Love one another! 💜

I agree.  Love one another.  Stay positive, look for the silver lining, and be a friend to those in need.  We are part of the QuaranTEAM.  We are all in this together.

Check out our Listing of the Week!  This stunning home has a farmhouse style kitchen with the perfect backyard for entertaining.  Would you like to see it from the comfort of your living room?  You can view the 3-D Walk Through Virtual Tour of 1729 Bald Eagle Dr, McKinney, TX.  If you would like to view the home in person, just give us a call at 469-759-3899.

Year Built: 2015

SQ. FT.: 3,461

Stories: 2

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.5 

Garage: 2 car 

School District: McKinney ISD 

We understand that there is a lot to consider when buying a home during a pandemic. We are here to make that process easier for you. Our team is dedicated to serving our clients and their needs. If you have any questions about buying or selling, give us a call! 

It’s spring, and you know what that means. Time to clean. I’m one of those weird people that LOVES to spring clean my house. That is, when I’m in the mood. Spring cleaning looks different for a lot of people, so I’ve put together some tips that I know work for me and a few people I know. 

Make a to-do list. If you live at home with your family, divide and conquer your list! If you live alone- you can still do this. Maybe you divide and conquer over the course of a weekend. Pace yourself. Cleaning is a marathon, not a race. 

Dust it, dust it good! When was the last time you dusted behind your entertainment center? Get your Swiffer dust wand out and dust it good! Don’t forget your ceiling fans. 

Junk drawers- clean out everything! It’s been a while, I know. That’s okay! This is what spring cleaning is good for. You can still have a junk drawer, but maybe you use a desk drawer organizer to keep everything in a neat and tidy place. I mean, where else is your junk going to go? 

Wash the kids toys. Do not skip this! Their tiny little fingers are really cute, but can also get very messy. Turn it into something fun your kids can do with you. My sister likes to call it “giving the toys a bath”.

Reward yourself. You’re working hard- and I’m proud of you! When you’re finished cleaning sit on the couch and binge watch your favorite Netflix series, or take a nap. You deserve it. 

During these crazy times, you may be dreaming of owning a home.  If you are dreaming, you can start planning!  These 8 tips can help you get started.  Now is a great time to start working on a plan so that you can buy your first home.

1. Develop a family budget. If you have trouble sticking to a budget, it may be because you are budgeting what you’d like to spend (instead of what you really spend).  Try to use receipts to create a budget for what you actually spent over the last month or two. One advantage of this approach is that it factors in unexpected expenses, such as car repairs, illnesses, etc., as well as predictable costs such as rent.

2. Reduce your debt. Generally speaking, lenders look for a total debt load of no more than 36% to 40% of income. Since this figure includes your mortgage, which typically ranges between 25 percent and 28 percent of income, you need to get the rest of installment debt—car loans, student loans, revolving balances on credit cards—down to between 8 percent and 12% of your total income.

3. Get a handle on expenses. You probably know how much you spend on rent and utilities, but little expenses add up. Try writing down everything you spend for one month. You’ll probably see some great ways to save.

4. Increase your income. It may be necessary to take on a second, part-time job to get your income at a high-enough level to qualify for the home you want.  Talk to your lender about your specific situation and the best approach for your family.

5. Save for a down payment. Although it’s possible to get a mortgage with only 3.5 percent down on an FHA loan or just 3 percent down on a conventional loan, you can usually get a better rate and a lower overall cost if you put down more. Shoot for saving a 20 percent down payment.  (VA Loans and USDA Rural Development Loans have zero-down programs, but you will still incur closing costs when purchasing a home, so make sure you have some money saved up.)

6. Create a house fund. Don’t just plan on saving whatever’s left toward a down payment. Instead decide on a certain amount a month you want to save, then put it away as you pay your monthly bills.

7. Keep your job. While you don’t need to be in the same job forever to qualify, having a job for less than two years may mean you have to pay a higher interest rate - or may even cause you to not be able to qualify for a mortgage.  However, if you were a student and have been on the job less than 2 years there could be an exception.

8. Establish a good credit history. Get a credit card and make payments by the due date. Do the same for all your other bills. Pay off the entire balance promptly. Your credit score will affect the interest rate that you qualify for on your home loan.

Here it is… the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The time to get all the closets in our homes cleaned out! Remember thinking, “I just don’t have time for that”? Well, now you do. 

Organizing does not have to be painful. Actually, quite the opposite. Doing what works best for you to “get in the zone” is key. For me, it’s playing records with all the windows open on a bright weekend morning. Here are a few home-organization projects you can tackle: 

Clean out your closets. You will be so satisfied when you open the linen closet and everything is folded to perfection. Trust me, it’s the best feeling in the world. 

Go through old clothes. You don’t need that old sweater you wore 1,000 times in college. Like Elsa from Frozen once sang, “let it gooo”. I get it. Getting rid of clothes can be hard, but it feels great once you’re done! Organizing your closet when you’re at it can be helpful as well. 

Get your spice cabinet in order. Where is that garlic powder you’re 100% sure you bought just 2 months ago? Oh, it’s there. You just can’t find it! Pull all your spices out of your pantry or cabinet. Wipe down the bottoms of the cabinet in case anything accidentally spilled out. Put everything back in how you’d like for it to be organized. I have all my salts and peppers together, then my herbs, then my spices in order by type. Your spices have never looked so good and organized. 

Oh, and don’t forget your garage. Every person’s garage looks different. You may have tools, a fridge, lawn and garden supplies. Whatever the method to your madness here is, don’t forget to sweep the floors! 

Feeling motivated? Me too! Together we will get through this. We are rooting for you on whatever project you’ve chosen to take on. Remember it’s okay to take it easy every once and awhile. Be kind to yourself and others. You’re doing great.

About the Author:

Taylor Redfearn joins our team with 5 years of multi-family property management experience. Her attention to detail and event planning skills are a perfect fit for our client-appreciation parties.  Her can-do attitude, and passion to help others makes her a great Client Care Coordinator. In her spare time, she enjoys tending to her garden and listening to music. 

We don’t always have the energy to clean out every closet, paint a bedroom, or do lawn work. While I’ve been sheltering-in-place I have found that I really enjoy creating mood boards. This has been allowing me to organize my thoughts on where I want to take the design of our home. You can do this for your whole house, a nursery if you’re expecting a baby, your living room, organization systems… this list literally can go on forever.

Our guest room is really just a “mixed-use” space. It’s not much of a guest room, but more a tv room with my office in the corner. I have been wanting to redo this room for quite some time. One day I was exploring through furniture stores online and I just got overwhelmed. I couldn’t put all these different pieces of furniture and decor in my head together. The best solution I found was to take photos of these items and put them together on a mood board. Now, you can do this in a number of ways. I use the website Canva.com. You can print the images out and tape them on a piece of paper, or you can even copy and paste the images into a Word Document. The point is to get all your thoughts on one space so you can visually put together your new design for your room. Pinterest is also a really great resource for this kind of project! 

I’ve started mood boards for all the rooms in our house. With the help of my boyfriend we are starting to layout our specific taste and what we think will work best for us. This is a fun project to do just to pass the time or a great starting point for when you get serious about redesigning your home. 

Happy designing! 

About the Author:

Taylor Redfearn joins our team with 5 years of multi-family property management experience. Her attention to detail and event planning skills are a perfect fit for our client-appreciation parties.  Her can-do attitude, and passion to help others makes her a great Client Care Coordinator. In her spare time, she enjoys tending to her garden and listening to music.

Check out our Listing of the Week!  This awesome home is situated on 1 acre with a view of the lake.  Would you like to see it from the comfort of your living room?  You can view the 3-D Walk Through Virtual Tour of 4060 Wincrest Drive.  If you would like to view the home in person, just give us a call at 469-759-3899.

STUNNING! This beautiful custom home on 1-acre with views of multiple private lakes was thoughtfully constructed with quality in mind. Relax and enjoy luxurious country living just minutes from city conveniences. Enjoy the sunset with a peaceful lake view. Home incl: custom cabinetry, travertine & hardwood floors, plantation shutters, study, craft room w. built-ins & gift wrap station, mudroom, butler pantry, wine station, Wi-Fi Smart double convection oven, island kitchen, media room w.theater seating, master suite w.sitting area, radiant barrier, ample storage, 3 car garage with additional 1 car garage, PLUS 51-piers at construction, 2 tankless water heaters, mosquito mister, Phantom screen shades.

Year Built: 2006

SQ. FT.: 3,686

Stories: 1

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.5 

Garage: 4 car 

School District: Rockwall ISD 

I don't know who needs to see this today, but during these crazy days it could be YOU.  When my kids were young, I always told them "make good choices."  They heard that from me all of the time and now I am saying that to you too. 

Positivity is a choice.  

Stay positive - even today (or maybe even more today than usual)

Easter and Passover are here! Just because you can’t go on your egg hunt or family seder dinner, doesn’t mean you should skip out on your traditional meals. I recommend getting the correct portions you’ll need to make those familiar spring holiday meals for yourself and your family. You can also try hosting a Zoom holiday celebration! While you may not want to chomp down on your food on video, you might try hosting a Zoom call with your family before or after your meal.

How to set up Zoom on your computer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsy2Ph6kSf8&list=PLKpRxBfeD1kEM_I1lId3N_Xl77fKDzSXe&index=1

How to join a Zoom call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIkCmbvAHQQ&list=PLKpRxBfeD1kEM_I1lId3N_Xl77fKDzSXe&index=2

How to set up a Zoom call: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhZW3iyXV9U&list=PLKpRxBfeD1kEM_I1lId3N_Xl77fKDzSXe&index=3