As the rest of America celebrates her birthday, I - as an immigrant to this country celebrates too. Though I am not a US citizen yet, my dreams of someday being able to call myself an American will soon realize (perhaps sometime next year). I really want to share with you this incomplete journey and why some people (like me) would leave their birth country, start over in a foreign culture and what the symbol of freedom means to the rest of the world.
Many of you know that I come from Malaysia - a small country shaped very similar like Florida located on the equator between Thailand and Singapore. Born and bred in Malaysia most of my life, I came over to America to finish college. Something I have always wanted to do since I was a little girl. However, my first three months of my American experience was nothing like I imagined. A 20-year young lady dreamt about a life very much like Beverly Hills 90210, I found myself in Norman, Oklahoma (University of Oklahoma) where I didn't have any cool to write home about.
Most of my friends who are curious would ask, "Why Oklahoma?" and I bet you must wondered that too. Back in Malaysia, I had completed some credit hours in a local junior college. Oklahoma accepted all of my 48 credit hours, so naturally I would go there. Plus, when I compared Oklahoma to Texas to California, Oklahoma was the cheapest at $15,000 per year (I pay International school fees - which is about 3 or 4 times the rate of residents). It was not the coolest experience - with no bikini tops and Mustangs to drive.
Back in my home country, I am a minority (Malaysian of Chinese descent). The Malaysian higher education favors the majority. About 90% of the school entrance quotas are given to the "Malays" - the people of the land. In order to enter medical school, a minority has to score an almost complete score to enter while the Malays could enter with a much less requirement. For some minorities who are not as smart, even if I make it into one of the local universities, I will probably study the 3rd or 4th of my choice - perhaps a History or education major. Who knows. Knowing that, my father - like many of my Malaysian friends, sent me to the US to graduate in the field of my choice.
I found myself driving an old Toyota Tercel that we need to make lots of prayers for before we head anywhere. Towards the end of its life, I wouldn't get it to go more than 20 minutes at a time before the radiator would go up. I would dig up scratch paper from the computer labs to take home to use as my notepad, and I once picked up a mattress from a dumpster to sleep on. I did all these because I understood how hard my family had to save in order to put me through school. Looking back, those were some humble beginnings but they weren't too funny back then.
I graduated with a Civil Engineering degree in 1998. I worked as a Structural Engineering assistant 2 weeks after I graduated. When I graduated, my father didn't speak to me for over 3 months. The original plans were to finish school as soon as possible, then go back home. We are a tight family so the 3 years I spent in Oklahoma was difficult for my family (I was a daddy's girl).
There were several reasons why I didn't go home despite my father's desire for me to do so. 1) The life I slowly built for myself was working out for me. At a small engineering salary, I could stand on my own two feet with no financial help from my family back home. My fiancée and I combined made a good salary. To date, we have never asked for money from back home. We pride ourselves with that. In America, we don't have to be rich in order to have a good life. Sometimes, I only wished my American friends know that. Did you know that if I had gone home, I'd probably have to move back home with my family because rents are very high when compared to my salary? Talking about wages, back then, the starting salary of a fresh graduate is about $1,200 per month? Did you know that a car payment sometimes is as high as $500 - $700 per month? And that's not driving a Meserati or a Bentley? That's just driving our local cars - not much better than a Kia or Hyundai here.
2) The standard of living in America is definitely much affordable here than in Malaysia. Most couples work and send their children to daycares and many send them to overnight daycares from Sunday through Friday. The only time parents see their children is on a Saturday evening. Work hours can be long in Malaysia - from 9am until 8 or 9pm for those who are seeking a career. For them, there is no point in getting their children that late in the night, so many of them leave them with their nannies' homes or at grandparent's homes. Most couples don't see their children except for 1 day a week. I think that thought would make me sick enough but yet, please understand that these families are just trying to make ends meet, build a significant savings for college education so that they can have a "brighter" future - like the road I walked.
3) A Honda Accord cost over $100,000, a BMW 7-series cost over $700,000 and a Lexus RX 330 cost over $350,000. Just mind you, a "normal" typical Malaysian may earn $3,000 - $5,000 per month. Yet, you see these cars all over the city.
4) The quality of life is definitely different. Here in America, family time is important. Back home, when you don't make enough, the last thing you do with your time is spending it with the America.
5) There is no freedom of speech in Malaysia even though we are a democratic country. This is the Malaysian way of controlling peace and in many ways, I can definitely agree with that.
I'm sharing the stories of my home front with you, America to share with you how lucky you are to be in America - for all the great things you have but often taken for granted. I hope as America celebrates her birthday, that you too - will take part in your local fun and activities and remember the stories I have shared with you. Many people in the rest of the world want what you have and hear you are, not realizing what a jewel you have.
No one is perfect - including President Obama and the congress. But I can tell you that if you have to find yourself in another country, you will be glad you are an American. Make your country proud. Stand along with the rest of the immigrants, build a strong front and be the greatest country where the world will look up to.
I constantly see posts about rants about taxes, tea parties here and there, about how banks are stupid in handling short sales, how healthcare socialization is silly, how wrong it was for Bush to send her son to Iraq and how he wrongfully died, how people are just never right.
Edited to Add:
Civil liberities - Enjoy it ALL because you can. I wrote tea parties and lower taxes but I didn't want the rest to misunderstand that I was "targeting" at you if you did all those things. One of the beauties of this great nation is that we can do ALL that and by sharing your opinions in tea parties, in peaceful marches and protests are rights that a Malaysian in her home country would never be able to do. We cannot write or say "bad" things about the country for the sake of keeping peace.
But because I live here, I too can enjoy the Land of the Free with the rest of my American friends. I can go to protests, I can do almost anything an American can, I can work hard and my future is bright.
I'm not talking about politics today but I'm really telling you if you really know what it is like to live in the LAND of the FREE and how you exercise your FREEDOM, you will be more appreciative of what others don't have.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
As America celebrates her birthday, Frisco Texas plans to take part in the auspicious celebration. This marks the 8th Annual Independence Day celebration starting at 4p.m. this Saturday. So, come early and plan a full day of fun and activities for the kids and adults too.
FREE ADMISSION to the Party at the Plaza. Plan for performances by talented Frisco locals at Community Stage that starts the party off at 3:45 p.m. Music continues through the night. Watch for the largest fireworks extravaganza in North Texas at 9:50 p.m. Activities include Children's Expo features jump houses, bungee rides, free face painting and 25-foot rock climbing wall and Hometown Heroes Exhibit which showcase men and women of our Frisco Police and Fire Departments.
Come sample tasty foods of local Frisco restaurants at the Taste of Frisco. They start at 4 p.m.
For soccer enthusiasts, get ready for an awesome soccer game between our local FC Dallas and New York Red Bulls at 8 p.m across the street from Frisco Square, at the Pizza Hut Soccer Park. Tickets start at $5.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
As of July 1 2009 through September 2009, Frisco Texas has mandated new water restrictions in effort to conserve water:
Frisco Texas residents can water their outdoors TWICE a week: Once on trash days and an additional day. Your additional watering schedule day are as follows:
If Your Trash Day Is:
Your Additional Watering Day Is:
Monday
Thursday
Tuesday
Saturday
Wednesday
Saturday
Thursday
Sunday
Friday
Tuesday
Each year, starting Daylight Saving Time through June 30, a twice a week outdoor watering schedule is recommended. It becomes mandatory for the months of July, August and September.
Please do not water between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. and again between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The City of Frisco will disconnect your water service if you do not adhere to the mandatory watering schedule. For the first violation, you will pay a $25 fine. The second violation will set you back $250.
It is recommended that 0.5" of water is needed for our Frisco Texas lawns. If we receive rain of that, then no additional watering is needed. If you are not sure how much rain we received that week, just check out the Frisco Water Wise website.
Recommended Lawn Watering Method:
Most homeowners water their lawn for 30 minutes 2 or 3 times per week in one cycle. Did you know that that is an inefficient way of watering your yard?
The ground is hot during the day and as your sprinkler turns out, the water is dissipated part as evaporation and part into the ground. It only promotes short growth of grass roots at the surface level because that is where most of the water are all the time.
Instead, if you consider breaking up the long one-time cycle into two or three cycles, this is a much more efficient way of establishing a healthy lawn.
In the picture above, the first cycle of 6 minutes "wets" the top soil and the second cycle of 6 minutes takes the water further into the ground since the top layer is already saturated. If you wish, you can set the sprinkler system for another third cycle of 6 minutes to water even more. The roots grow where the water is. If the water is deep in the ground, the roots grow deep also. This promotes a much more established and healthy lawn.
Also, this is a much more efficient way of watering the lawn once a week, rather than in one 30-minute cycle.
Did you know the City of Frisco offers free irrigation check-up for your sprinkler system? In this evaluation, the specialist will share with you important information about your sprinkler system and how to water effectively to maximize the usage of our precious water. Too much water does not necessarily make a healthy lawn. In fact, it's downright wasteful for your bank account and our natural resources.
Did you know the North Texas Municipal Water District supplies water to city of Frisco? Our primary source comes from Lake Lavon located in Lavon - a town east of Frisco. A small source comes from Jim Chapman Lake. In 2009, our current lake capacity is approximately 97%.
Did you know you can anonymously report water violations or emergencies? Call the Public Works at 972-292-5800. Violations are such as excessive waste that creates constant stream of water away from lawn, watering during rain or freezing temperatures, mis-angled sprinkler head watering the roads instead of the yard.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
It is our goal to empower you to become a more educated real estate consumer,
especially in the Frisco TX Home communities. Remember, information is power in real
estate.
Currently, Frisco TX has 1,088 homes available for purchase (up 4 homes
from last week).
90 new homes came on the market the 3rd week of June 2009. Out of these 90
newly listed homes, 1 of them have contracts on them later in the week.
From June 6 (Sunday) through June 13
(Saturday), 35 homes in Frisco TX went into contract.
Down 10% from the previous week.
Current Available Inventory:
The two lowest price home in Frisco Texas (as of June 22) is $58,000 - a
2-bedrooms, 1 1/2-bathrooms, 918 square foot bank-owned REO townhome and a
$85,000, 1-bedroom townhome in Frisco Townhomes (off Preston Road and
Hickory Street near the Frisco Central Fire Station.) These are also the only
two properties less than $100,000 in Frisco Texas.
The most expensive home in Frisco Texas (as of June 16) is a $2.3 million
dollar estate in Lakes of Legacy. It offers 6-bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms,
2 half bathrooms, over 6,000 square feet with top of the line featured upgrades
such as travertine flooring with wood inlays, swimming pool that overlooks the
lake, 800 sq.ft. of patio/ veranda, 2 Juliet balconies, a wine grotto and smart
home features for security and other media features.
There are 75 luxury homes over $1 million in the Frisco TX luxury homes market
inventory right now.
The breakdown of the price ranges are as follows:
Less than $100,000:
Under Contract = NONE
AVAILABLE - 2 Homes
$100,001 - $200,000:
Under Contract = 12 homes; DOM = 37 days
AVAILABLE - 185 Homes DOM = 74 days (Down 1% from last week)
$200,001 - $300,000:
Under Contract = 10 homes; DOM = 84 days
AVAILABLE - 304 Homes DOM = 85 days (Down 1% from last week)
$300,001 - $400,000:
Under Contract = 4 homes; DOM = 160
AVAILABLE - 201 Homes DOM = 90 days (Up 3.5% from last week)
$400,001 - $500,000:
Under Contract = 6 homes; DOM = 146 days
AVAILABLE - 118 Homes DOM = 85 days (Down 4% from last week)
$500,001 - $600,000:
Under Contract = 3 homes; DOM = 134 days
AVAILABLE - 69 Homes DOM = 117 days (No change)
$600,001 - $700,000:
Under Contract = NONE
AVAILABLE - 51 Homes DOM = 116 days (Down 2% from last week)
$700,001 - $800,000:
Under Contract = 1 homes; DOM = 50 days
AVAILABLE - 36 Homes DOM = 130 days (Down 8% from last week)
$800,001 - $900,000:
Under Contract = NONE
AVAILABLE - 28 Homes DOM = 111 days (No change)
$900,001 - $1,000,000:
Under Contract = NONE
AVAILABLE - 21 Homes DOM = 199 days (No change)
Over $1 Million:
Under Contract = NONE
AVAILABLE - 75 Homes DOM = 167 days (Up 1% from last week)
View the days on market these homes went under contract:
Today marks July 1st 2009, which means half of 2009 is completely behind us. It is time to evaluate your business from a hard numbers standpoint to see how much more effort you need to put in in order to achieve your 2009 goals when you set them back on January 1st. If you are there, kudos to you. If you are not there yet, you still have half of 2009 to accomplish it. Remember you can capitalize on the First Time Home Buyer $8,000 Tax Credit for more business until the remaining of this year (by November 30 2009). I want to dive into specific and actual examples today instead of talking about generic. See some examples I posteds.
For starters, read about my Fill-In-The-Blank Business Plan for 2009. If you don't have one, who is to say that it is too late to have a SIMPLE plan out? It can be as simple as writing notes and numbers on your yellow pad. Remember, this is for your focus. It is NOT to impress anyone with it, so it doesn't have to be colored and typed out that you spent precious time working on the "presentation". No one to impress but you. If you have one, take it out. Let's begin.
1. Write/ Get out all your transactions. (I hope you have been keeping track of this at least on an Excel spreadsheet). Total the number of transactions, add the total real estate value, add total commission. However, I typically like to track by number of transactions instead of real estate value and commission. If you read Katerina Gasset's post about Who Else Wants To List Luxury Homes For Sale?, you may also want to see how you can improve your numbers from the real estate value standpoint.
2. Compare and allocate them to your niches and sources of business such as first-time home buyers, "move-up" buyers, sellers, relocations, seniors, short sales, foreclosures, sales from Sphere, sales from Internet Marketing, sales from blogs etc.
So, based on my business volume:
36% came from my SOI
9% came from referrals of people who don't know me (not from my SOI)
55% came from Internet prospects When I broke this 55% down into further analysis: - 84% came from a combination of my blogging activities and website SEO efforts. - 16% came from my IDX solution. I am debating about PPC campaigns. So, this will be something for me to think about the rest of 2009.
Some questions to ponder:
Are you happy with your business transactional sources now?
What can you do to improve it?
Should you hire a coach, go for a class?
Is your business expense in correspondence with your paychecks?
Learning from LOST BUSINESS are important. List down on paper (so you could see it for yourself) as to why you "lost" the business. Do better for the remaining half of 2009. Some of lost business came from:
No Phone Call follow up after IDX sign up
Poor communication followup once a name and voice has been established.
Not a strong expired letter to begin with
No consistency in expired letter campaign
Sellers are not ready to sell after pricing/ market evaluation
Sellers' goals do not match agent's. Hence, referrals (still a source of business)
As you list your areas of improvements, change your schedule, your day, your thinking if you want to do better.
Cheat Sheet For The Self-Beaters: As someone who needs to constantly give myself grace and a pat on my back for a job well done, I too need to list the things I am good at to show myself how far I've come:
Great communication and great updates of client's transactional progress.
Pick up phone calls, hardly go into voicemails.
Take care of "issues" almost immediately, or within 2 hours.
Worked hard on building new website (IDX signups and personal kudos emails show effort)
Google Page 1 placement for many, many keywords (this is not an easy achievement). It takes time and effort and most of all, it shows it takes long-term commitment.
I'm crazily balancing between time at work and time for family. (Biggest hug for biggest improvement)
Back on 12/31/08, I said I planned to make fireworks in 2009. I already did. Half of my business in 2009 (to date) has already surpassed all of my business in 2008. I am rocking my world and the best part of it is that my husband and my son are supporting me, being my best cheerleaders in my 2009 finishing line.
I hope this post will encourage you to sit and think about your 2009. I promise that it will be one productive thing you did for yourself today if you didn't get anything done at all. Promise yourself you will do this.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
You will stay where you are at five years from today except for the books you read and the people you meet. Dave Ramsey said it so well. I also experienced it so evidently in my life.
Reading is such an important skillset in life and we often neglect to stimulate our intellect because we don't have time. "Not enough time"..... Before you know it, you are a year older and half of June 2009 just passed you by. Like working on your business, reading is like instilling wisdom in your life. It should be the fiber of your very existence.
Here are some books that made a difference in my life:
"You are not what you drive". That is what I think of when someone pulls up in a Mercedes Benz or a fancy red Corvette next to me in a stop light. How many of those are leases? How many of those are money they cannot afford? Then, there is this middle-aged mans, perhaps in his mid-40s who drives a 1990 Buick. Not the sharpest car on the road, but I know he earns at least $200,000 a year selling new homes.
Save 10% first before you do anything else with your money. My grandfather-in-law saves/ invests 50% of his income. We are not there yet, but working towards that lofty goal.
How I wished I found this book upon college graduation. My husband and I - two young professionals made very good income. But we lost some savings in the stock market in the early 2000s. We managed to do okay but we could have been better had we had our hands on this book. I am an engineer. I like instructions and I follow instructions well. Ramsey teaches about handling money according to Baby Steps (priorities). This will change your financial world.
This book talks about applying Christian principles in your Christian business. From how to handle debt, hire employees and treat vendors and be a leader. It is very inspiring and more people should run their business with these honorable principles.
Two important perspectives that the character "Jones" imparted on my views: Mountains and valleys. They are not what we normally think to strive for. Mountains are merely temporary rest stops for us to park our visions on the next lookout while it is in the valleys that we grow. Also, people who worry and fear too much should use that as creative imaginations instead of paralyzing them in their "state". Non-worrierer are dumb people. They dont use their creative juices to explore, hence there is no fear.
Carl Sewell is a well-known luxury car dealership here in the greater Dallas metroplex. He shares ideas on how to turn one-time buyers to lifetime customers. He is also not the cheapest place in town and his customers know that. But they seem to go back again and again.
This book will change your life about personal responsibility. Instead of constantly griping about the problem, think of ways how you could "question" yourself to help be a solution.
This book talks about how people want to show affection/ love - by the way they treat others. Showing love can be with quality time, deeds & favors, physical touch, words of affirmation and receiving gifts. I'm definitely a Words of Affirmation type of girl. This book taught me how to observe how others want to be treated. I use this in my real estate business everyday.
My husband and I were led to become a Christ-follower in part because of this book. My husband attended a bible study with a bunch of co-workers at work. His attitude towards me changed and I could feel it was a different kind of love that I've never felt before. I had to read this book that changed him so radically. In the process, I did too.
The Bible
By far, this is the most profound and life changing book I have ever read. If you want life's instruction, this one is for you. If you want a life forever changed, this one is for you. If you want more out of your life, this one is for you.
I truly believe that I'm a more intelligent and wise person today for all the books I read.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
People constantly talk about a BALANCED LIFE. I read enough about it on blogs here on Active Rain and my husband himself, is a firm believer of a balanced lifestyle. Did you know that the focus of achieving this "state" bugs the crap out of me??? The more I think about it and try to strive for it, the more I realized it can't be achieve.
You must first know where I am coming from. So, don't get upset yet.
I am an over-achiever, highly-efficient and super-productive. I have a bull dog attitude and I wont take No for an answer. If there is one word my friends would describe me, PRODUCTIVE is what they think about. Not because I am that, but because that's what they constantly hear me tweet about. Everything that I do, I give it MY ALL. If there is one thing I know I didn't get done that day, I couldn't go to bed that night. That includes knowing that there are food waste in the sink. (I have a little obsessive compulsive personality) and my kitchen not tucked away as it should.
So, this is what I came into conclusion with: A Balanced Life is a Life of Mediocrity. (Please dont hit me). It is a life that you strive to achieve a little bit of that, a little bit of this is something that spreaded too thin in my books. Some family time, some business life, some personal all rolled into our everyday schedule. This is also the very reason that I quit my full-time job to continue my quest of becoming a Realtor(R). I was working 2 jobs for 4.5 years and towards the end of my corporate career, I realized that no one was getting the BEST of me: not my corporate job and not my clients.
I could still consider working 2 jobs a BALANCED LIFE? Why not? I had a consistent paycheck coming in every 2 weeks and a good commission check once a while. That's definitely a definition of balance especially in my pocket book.
Realistically, I'm not sure if someone can achieve the BALANCED LIFE. No one really gets the best of you. I mean, the real BEST. If you really want to be a mother, you really can't work - at least in the early years of child nurturing. If you really want to be the best REALTOR(R), then perhaps being single is good.
I really gave this a long thought before I posted this strong opinion of mine. I could almost imagine all the anger it may create. No worries, I still am a mother, a wife and a Realtor(R) juggling 3 hats all at the same time. But on some days, I really wonder if a Balanced Life a life of mediocrity because you are not allowed to be the best at what you do. You have to hold back. You can't work 16 hours a day because you have family to care for. You can't answer your phone (or don't want to) because you try to achieve this balance in life between work and family.
But all these recent blogs about achieving a Balanced Lifestyle really cant make me help but wonder. I try to achieve this balance but sometimes can't help but to wonder.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
The world continues to mourn Michael Jackson's death. Me included as I have been watching documentaries about him. I know more about him in this past 4 days since his passing that I ever did his entire 3 decades of singing career. I'm blogging this just for a Sunday evening non-serious discussion and not as a disrespect to Michael Jackson. So, don't take it so seriously.
When I first heard about Michael Jackson's death, I was sitting on the couch watching TV with my son. My husband told me about it. It was by then 1 hour after his death was made public.
The first thing that went through my mind was that it's a conspiracy plot by Michael Jackson. Perhaps it's another way for him to either disappear from the face of the earth, or a way for him to run away from his debtors. What he couldn't do this past few years before his passing, he did in 24 hours after his passing: to revive his singing career. His records were the top 15 albums sold on Amazon and he was the only thing that the news media was splashing even until today. At the same time, his UK concert were suppose to profit him more than twice the amount of debt he carry ($400 million).
I was prepared in my heart to hear "surprising" news the next day that he was not dead and very well alive in a beautiful beach somewhere on earth.
So, at the same, perhaps it's not another conspiracy. Maybe he is really dead.
I'm not those trying to fool myself type of fan. I dont even consider myself a fan although I loved many of Michael Jackson's chart topping songs. My favorite is Heal the World... I sincerely believe that Michael Jackson is a good person and has a good heart (although that has nothing to do with his disturbing behaviors).
So, want to add to this Sunday evening post about nothing?
Marriages have been a very subject on my heart lately. I see people separate and hear stories of families falling apart. I can't help but to feel burdened even though I may not fully understand the full extent of the pain. As I learn more about marriages, I came to some starling perspective. I hope I can share some experiences and how it may relate to our real estate business.
Little did I realize that I lived in a fairy tale world about relationships and marriages in my teenage and early 20s. I believed that LOVE is all you need. "Love concurs all" and "so as long as I have LOVE". As I grow in observing marriages, I quickly realized that LOVE itself is not self-sustainable in a marriage. Though I know the marriage vows, "For richer or for poorer" and "in sickness and in health", most people actually mean for "richer" and in "health". Open your minds that "riches and in best health" do not necessarily apply to world finances and physical well-being only, but they could mean richness and fullness in life.
My "young" definition of COMMITMENT was rather "shallow". In my younger days, commitment simply mean two people committing to one another and loving each other for the rest of their lives. However, I experienced a renewed commitment level - "It's not ABOUT me". Loving someone would mean doing something that I may not necessarily agree with or want but I go above and beyond putting someone else's preferences and priorities above mine.
This is a very long way to say that a Marriage cannot only be about LOVE. It is the basis for the relationship but more than that, it is a LIFETIME COMMITMENT of serving the other person's needs above oneself. So, how does this relate to our real estate business?
Like anything worth having (a marriage or a business), once you are in business (or married), you have signed up for the long-term commitment for richer or for poorer, for sickness and in health. It is putting the needs of others (clients) above your own. In order to have a successful business (or marriage), here are some important guidelines to remember:
Check your heart Is it in the right place? Is it about you or is it not about you? (In your marriage and your business)
Guard your heart Make sure you have your priorities in the right order. (Applies to your marriage and your business)
Invest your heart Give and give it your all. Don't hold back. Don't go down a day knowing you didn't do your best. The more you give, the more you will receive.
Read the powerful lyrics and sink it to heart:
I begin my week here on Active Rain with my God First posts, written every Sunday once a week. My promise to you is that the messages I share will be day-to-day related, often times related to real estate. If these topics are important to you also, I'd love for you to subscribe to my blog.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
Willow Pond Frisco is made the FEATURED NEIGHBORHOOD of Frisco-TX-Homes.com for the summer 2009.
The home values in Willow Pond are exceptionally attractive for the features and prime Frisco TX real estate location it offers. You can expect homes to be in the high $200K - low $300K whereas under "normal" circumstances, the property values should be much higher. These are spectacular homes that bank inventories are releasing to clear their books. Search for a Willow Pond home today.
Willow Pond is located in prime Frisco Texas real estate. Just blocks north of the Stonebriar shopping center, minutes from restaurant pads and almost arm's length from State Highway SH 121 and the Dallas North Texas Tollway, Willow Pond is just the place to be. In case these features are not good enough for the pickiest buyers, how about the gated community feature as the only community of such in the area? Willow Pond features 4 ponds with waterfalls, 6-Hold Par 3 golf to all residents. Access included in the homeowner's association dues.
Willow Pond is a custom built home community offered by high-end custom home builders such as Gregory & Sons, Starmark Homes, Compass Homes, Hearthstone Classic Homes. The architecture styles that you may find in Willow Pond are French provincial, Old World French Tudor, Stucco with Mediterranean inspired design and of course the traditional brick homes.
Willow Pond is a luxury patio home community that features gourmet kitchen, hand-scraped hardwood floods, textured walls, open family room to kitchen floorplans, media and gamerooms, stacked moldings and private master retreats. The homeowners are proud of their extensive lush landscaping. Two-car garages are typically even though there are a handful of homes that are three-car garages in the community. If you just want one description to describe Willow Pond - expensive finish-outs.
Many home sites overlook ponds and the golf courses. Willow Pond is a small community, hence residents do not feel "lost". The streets are resident-owned and maintained by its own resident-runned homeowner's association.
Willow Pond is an attractive purchase in Frisco TX real estate now. The foreclosure rates have been high and affected the pricing of the neighborhood. Hence, the home values in Willow Pond are suppressed at the moment. You can expect to purchase a 3-bedroom home, around 3,000 square feet to start in the high $200Ks and prices are typically in the high $300-$500K price ranges.
Directions: From SH 121, head north on Parkwood Boulevard. Pass Gaylord, then Warren and Willow Pond will be on your right (right after John Hickman).
The Stonebriar Shopping Center offers 24-movie theater AMC, Dave & Busters, Cheese Cake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Barnes & Noble bookstore, JCPenney's, Dillard's, Macy's, Nordstrom and other retail shopping. Outside the Stonebriar Mall, Willow Pond is close to Lowes, Qwik Car Wash, Steak & Bake, Great Wall Chinese Buffet, Pei Wei restaurant, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Jo Ann's Arts & Crafts, Hobby Lobby and Mardel, Tom Thumb Grocery store, Blockbuster. All along Preston Road, you will find everything you want. Now, how could you not live in prime real estate of Willow Pond - Frisco?
Check out the Featured Listings at Willow Pond. If you like to make an appointment to view one of these premier homes, please call Loreena Yeo* at 214-783-2210 for a showing.
About Loreena Yeo - Frisco TX Realtor/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY. I live, work and play in Frisco Texas. Contact me about homes in the greater Frisco TX area. I'd be happy to share with you what I know about these greater Frisco TX homes.
Systematic market approach to selling your home - an intentionally unique proposal that most real estate agents do not use. Find out why it is our differentiator and how past clients are on their way to the closing table with this proposition to home selling.
Contact: Loreena Yeo Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY (214) 783-2210 loreena@loreenayeo.com
Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.
I am an encourager. That's what you can expect from me. I'm a Half Full person rather than Half Empty. I choose to make those around me better because I can. Whomever and wherever they are. Sharing my views about what I'm passionate about. This is my blog. With a
servant's heart, I only have one goal in mind. To serve you wherever you may
need me the best way I know how. Whether it is your real estate needs or your
strive for business excellence. This is what you could expect from me.
For your real estate needs, this is a great opportunity to participate in the Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Allen &
northern suburbs of greater Dallas. real estate market if you are financially and emotionally ready. Specializing in first time home buyers' needs, luxury homes, short sales and pre-foreclosures, multi-offer negotiations. Sellers can expect a carefully crafted
systematic market approach in marketing homes. Hence work with the realtor who does it like none other. You can expect advice and opinions of a conservative perspective on this blog. There are so many things I could do, but I CHOOSE to serve your real estate needs. I couldn't think of anything else I rather do more passionately.
If you enjoy what you are reading, remember to subscribe to my blog. It is my focus to provide relevant greater Frisco Texas real estate market information on real world level. No media hype. No fluff. Just a real voice based on an active Frisco realtor(R).
View new listings (less than 3 days) in Frisco, McKinney, Allen TX for first time home buyers:
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
;)
Links;)
Archives
Many of you know that I come from Malaysia - a small country shaped very similar like Florida located on the equator between Thailand and Singapore. Born and bred in Malaysia most of my life, I came over to America to finish college. Something I have always wanted to do since I was a little girl. However, my first three months of my American experience was nothing like I imagined. A 20-year young lady dreamt about a life very much like Beverly Hills 90210, I found myself in Norman, Oklahoma (University of Oklahoma) where I didn't have any cool to write home about.
Back in my home country, I am a minority (Malaysian of Chinese descent). The Malaysian higher education favors the majority. About 90% of the school entrance quotas are given to the "Malays" - the people of the land. In order to enter medical school, a minority has to score an almost complete score to enter while the Malays could enter with a much less requirement. For some minorities who are not as smart, even if I make it into one of the local universities, I will probably study the 3rd or 4th of my choice - perhaps a History or education major. Who knows. Knowing that, my father - like many of my Malaysian friends, sent me to the US to graduate in the field of my choice.
I'm sharing the stories of my home front with you, America to share with you how lucky you are to be in America - for all the great things you have but often taken for granted. I hope as America celebrates her birthday, that you too - will take part in your local fun and activities and remember the stories I have shared with you. Many people in the rest of the world want what you have and hear you are, not realizing what a jewel you have.
So, based on my business volume:
You must first know where I am coming from. So, don't get upset yet.
Little did I realize that I lived in a fairy tale world about relationships and marriages in my teenage and early 20s. I believed that LOVE is all you need. "Love concurs all" and "so as long as I have LOVE". As I grow in observing marriages, I quickly realized that LOVE itself is not self-sustainable in a marriage. Though I know the marriage vows, "For richer or for poorer" and "in sickness and in health", most people actually mean for "richer" and in "health". Open your minds that "riches and in best health" do not necessarily apply to world finances and physical well-being only, but they could mean richness and fullness in life.
I begin my week here on Active Rain with my 
The home values in Willow Pond are exceptionally attractive for the features and prime Frisco TX real estate location it offers. You can expect homes to be in the high $200K - low $300K whereas under "normal" circumstances, the property values should be much higher. These are spectacular homes that bank inventories are releasing to clear their books. 
Willow Pond is a luxury patio home community that features gourmet kitchen, hand-scraped hardwood floods, textured walls, open family room to kitchen floorplans, media and gamerooms, stacked moldings and private master retreats. The homeowners are proud of their extensive lush landscaping. Two-car garages are typically even though there are a handful of homes that are three-car garages in the community. If you just want one description to describe Willow Pond - expensive finish-outs.
Directions:
