Kimberly Fowler

What do you think about this real estate market? I live in Gatesville Texas and work the Waco and Temple areas. I have not seen a decline in home selling or home buying. Business is good in the Heart of Texas. But the media, scares me almost everyday. So I cut the TV off and remember this scripture. "Be Still and Know that I Am God." Psalm 46:10. I remind myself that God is in control and as long as I keep my focus on doing good, and loving Him, He will take care of me. What helps you get up and keep going?

...and my son said, "My mommy is a real-estater!" This group is for Moms and Dads who are also, Realtors. How do you do it? How do you balance both a career and children? We are looking for positive comments and advice. ...I have included my story and why this is an important subject to me, and explained how this groups name was born...

When I started in real estate my two children Cody and Brooke were very young. My son Cody told everyone he met that I was a Realtor in the most enthusiastic and remarkable way. My son was so excited and loved to tell people about how special his mom was, because she was a Realtor. I never knew why he was so happy for me to be a Realtor, or how he know he was supposed to tell everyone he met about his mom's new career, but I did know that I would use his quote, someday.

Today I read a blog about a mother/Realtor who mentioned her children, and that is when it hit me. My son's quote, "My mommy is a Real-estater!" With great joy I smiled and thought about the ups and downs of being a "Real-estater." A few years ago, I sat down at my kitchen table and just cried and cried. Surely there was someone that could help me. How could I put a career above and beyond my children's needs. I couldn't. I had to be with my children and not miss those important times in their life.

The important times, for me, were and are still, taking them to school, picking them up after school, sporting events and church events. It became so hard for me be a successful realtor because if I was making a lot of money I was missing my children grow up. So, I would slow down my business to spend more time with my children and then my husband would want me to make more money, so I would have to hit the business hard again and make good money and then when I began to miss my kids I would slow down the business again and it has gone on like that for years and years. I lived a "yo-yo effect" of making money or making memories. I guess I should mention that I love Real Estate; it is my life's greatest passion as far as work goes.

Well, I wiped my tears and sat up straight and decided that I would have to make one the most important decision of my life, and I needed to do it soon. You see, my husband wanted me to quit being a Realtor and get a "Real Job." But how could I do that? I needed the freedom that being a Realtor gave me. Or did it? To be honest it seemed to me like if you were going to make money as a Realtor you lost your freedom. Oh, I know what some of you are thinking, TIME MANAGEMENT. Well, I took that class and it isn't that easy to do, if you are a stand alone agent. Or at least it wasn't for me. Back to the kitchen table, I decided to call the Texas Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors and ask for help.

I thought for sure with all the Realtors in the World that they would have some group or book or something about how to cope with being a Realtor and a Mother. No, nothing, not a thing, they did not have any advice for me at all. No resources, no books to read or any help at all. I felt I needed a specific book. about a being a Mom and being a Realtor. After I cried a little bit more, I made a big decision. I was going to stay in Real Estate because I loved the job and I loved my family, too. My decision was to go part-time Realtor, full-time "Real-Job." But I was only going to try this for one year, just to make my husband happy, and to see if he was right. And it made him happy, but I became very depressed. So I made another very important decision.

I was going to find a way to be a success at Real Estate, make money in Real Estate and raise happy children. I vowed that some day I would help other parent Realtors cope with balancing business and family. Today I found my opportunity on AR. I hope you don't mind if I mention one more life story. I thought it was interesting that I couldn't find a Realtor or a Realtor's family member to give me any good advice. I have asked a lot of Realtors and nobody wanted to share with me how they balanced happy children and success in Real Estate. How were all these Realtors having successful careers they loved and raising happy children? In 7 years I found one person who was honest. He is the husband of a top agent in our market. He was the only one that would give me a real answer. This is what he said, "Yes, Kim. Our children hated growing up with Realtor's as parents. But they sure love all the trips we pay for them and there kids now, like Cancun." He smiled and then he walked away.

That was an answer, but not really the one I was hoping for. I wanted to hear that their children loved it and that they never missed any of their children's life changing events. My answer to not having my children hate having a Realtor parent, was to not be that successful. Even if it meant I couldn't send my son and daughter and their families on fancy trips. Last year I hired a coach and started a team. I believe my coach is the best in the nation.

Finally, I am getting some balance in my life and I owe much of it to God first, my family second, my coach third, and my new "Family" of Realtors at Active Rain. I hope you join my group and share as much as you want to help all us young up and coming Real-estater's. Have an awesome day! Kimberly, Heart of Texas Real Estate Group

Information provided by Kimberly Fowler

www.HeartoftexasRealEstateGroup.com

Lets track what has listed and sold in the Waco Area since January 1 till the end of the year. This report will not contain any listings that were listed or sold before January 1, 2008.

However, for those of you who are curious, at the end of December 2007, there were approximately 3700 residential listings in 2007. 1781 of those listings did sell. 1367 are still on the market at the time of the year. 183 were still under contract by the end of December. 209 of 2007 listings expired or did not sell. 353 were withdrawn from the market or leased.

January 1 -January 29, 2008

Waco CMA Summary Report

300 people put their homes on the market with a Realtor since January 1st, 2008. A lot of listings, don't you think? I do. You will notice on listing sold in 18 days and it was in Woodway on Ramada. 16 Realtors were able to get their listings under contract with an average days on the market for 8 days. Let's hope the loans close and see if next month will be better. Do you think the lowered interest rate, helped. As you look at this information notice that 3 of these home sellers decided not to sell. So you home buyers give us Waco Area Realtors a call. You have a lot of homes to choose from. In fact you have 280 fresh (less than 30 days) listings for sale in the greater Waco Area.

The information for this report is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.