Monthly Archives: December 2020

2020 Year in Review

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Wow! We finally made it to the end of 2020 a year that has been, in almost everyone’s estimation, unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.

I started the year as Association Executive at the North Central Board of REALTORS and ended it as a licensed REALTOR at Davenport Realty in Yellville. I have wanted to be a REALTOR my whole adult life, it seems. My dad was a REALTOR and I thought it would be something I’d really enjoy myself. Because David’s career has taken us around the world, I never was in one place long enough to make that particular dream come true.

I took the role at the NCBOR with the idea of learning the real estate business from a different direction. We had only just moved to Flippin. In fact, I hadn’t even moved here yet when I interviewed and got the job. I didn’t know anyone or anything around here so it seemed like a great place to start. I’d always wanted to run a non-profit and this was my chance. I loved the job, crammed my head with SO much knowledge that first year but, ultimately, realized that I wanted to be on the other side of the business and started to pursue my real estate license which I got mid-August.

I knew I wanted to join Davenport Realty as they are the number one brokerage in Marion County. Sandy and her family (and her whole office, really) have lived here their whole lives and they know the area like no other. I bring a whole different experience to that mix and I love and appreciate everyone I work with at Davenport. Their endless support and help have enabled me to have an incredibly awesome first quarter as a REALTOR. I did 10 transactions and sold just under $1.4 milion. Not too shabby for the new guy. 🙂

I was going a million miles an hour until about Thanksgiving time when I finally got a chance to slow down and look over what I’d just done in the past few months. I was a guest on Leigh Brown’s podcast, Crazy Sh*t in Real Estate, at the end of October. I’m not sure when my episode will air but I’ll let you know when I find out. I was also just interviewed for REALTOR Magazine to talk about starting a real estate career in a pandemic. I believe that will run in the March/April edition. I’m excited about having done both of those interviews being such a newbie.

Speaking of magazines, as an AE, I served on the AE Magazine work group and was excited to have one of my articles published just after I left that role.

After living in our little 736 sq ft Flippin house, David and I finally closed on our forever home. It’s way too big but the two things we came to realize that could not be compromised on was that I wanted a view of the lake and he wanted acreage. So we accomplished that and have been living in our new place for about a week. We’re currently getting the Flippin house ready to sell and, in this crazy market, I’ve got people chomping at the bit to look at it. There are virtually no homes in this price range so I imagine it will be snapped up fast. Then, on to selling our Tulsa place. We hope to have it on the market by May. It’s crazy over there, too, and homes in our neighborhood are being snatched off the market in short days. It’s an exciting time!

I want to say thank you to everyone who had any little part of my 2020. I had a great year and I have done so many things I have always wanted to do. I have met and worked with incredible clients whom I will always count as friends, and Davenport Realty. I thank Sandy all the time for letting me land there. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Here’s to you and yours for a fabulous 2021!

Rockansas

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Say what? How do you even pronounce Rockansas? Rock-An-Saw. This is what my broker calls Arkansas because it’s just so rocky here. One of my colleagues said when he was little, he would have to pick up rocks as punishment. When I put up a sign on a listing, I often have trouble getting it in the ground because of the rock. David’s contractors at NATCO struggle to bury fiber because of the rocks.

https://youtu.be/hliuuFjNV_Y

I tell you all of this for background. Back during my first couple of weeks as a REALTOR, I got a call from a man. He was so upset because a listing that was just perfect for him got away. Hot market, you know?

So I asked him if I could help him find something similar. He proceeded to give me a wish list: I want acreage, bluffs, I want to be close to the Buffalo River, I want a cave, waterfall, and rocks. Rocks, lol. I replied that rocks were really easy to come by in Arkansas and laughed. There was dead silence on the other end of the line. I’m not sure where this man was from, only that he had a heavy southern accent and didn’t find the fact, that rocks are really easy to come by in Arkansas funny. Oops.

Pretty rocks in Arkansas near Bull Shoals Lake

It IS funny to me, though. Now, every time I’m walking around a piece of land here, either previewing it or showing it to a client, and I see rocks, I can’t help but think about the conversation I had with that man because it IS funny. There are just so many rocks here.

Rocks in Arkansas near the lake with some driftwood

We are getting ready to close on our new place in Lead Hill tomorrow. After we made our offer on it, we took a side by side and drove around the 53 acres. I was absolutely thrilled to find beautiful rock shelves in the back acreage and I know I’ll be spending some quality time on my portion of Rockansas.

Great Coffee In Yellville

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Although I live in Flippin, my office is in Yellville. Yellville is the county seat for Marion County but with a population of 1170 people, it’s certainly not the big city. 

We don’t have big city coffee shops but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a good cup of coffee. At The Loft Coffee Shop you can get just about any type of coffee drink you’d like. And, in my opinion, it tastes better than coffee you get in that large coffee shop chain you can find worldwide. 

https://youtu.be/mNAWr4d3Oaw

Imagine That Flowers and Giftsis co-located with The Loft. You can order flowers and plants for delivery or buy a cute gift for your friend’s birthday. Since we’re moving to the country this week, I’ll probably need this little gift for myself. 


I’m especially thankful to Lyndsey, the owner, who allowed me to debut my gourmet marshmallows (another blog!) in her shop last week. 

I love these shops, their owner, employees, and products. If you’re in Yellville, stop by. I’m sure you’ll love them, too!

My REALTOR Life

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Do you like the shows Million Dollar Listing LA and Million Dollar Listing New York? I do. I love looking at the luxury properties, the oversized personalities of the agents, the flashy cars, and the fabulous fashions. 

https://youtu.be/n5R5zihW1MU

On some level, I must have thought that my real estate life would resemble their lives in some way. So please forgive me that thought. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I thought I would be showing big fancy houses. Nope. I find myself out “in the dirt”a lot. There is a lot of raw land available for sale in Arkansas and I have shown so much of it.

I thought I would be wearing pretty dresses. Nope. Out in the dirt, I’m typically wearing jeans and a T-shirt. If I get dirty it doesn’t matter if I get caught on something pokey, it doesn’t matter.

I thought I would be wearing kick butt shoes. Nope. I’m wearing my rubber boots. That way, if I have to walk in chiggers or a creek I am equally protected.

I thought I would be wearing big beautiful earrings and other fancy jewelry. Nope I wear diamond posts and my silicone ring in place of my wedding set.

On days when I’m actually showing houses, I’m really excited! It’s a fun change from the dirt. I have to say though, the longer I do it, I get more comfortable with being in the dirt. I’m learning about the various things you need to buy land and what you need to consider before building a house on that land. I’m learning about Corp, river, and lake property. I’m learning about easements, septic systems, and perc tests.

I’ve gotten so comfortable with showing land that I’m actually considering going to the Land Institute and getting some extra training so that I really know what I’m doing. Who would’ve ever thought?

New Career as a REALTOR® in Arkansas

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It’s been quite awhile since I blogged about anything at all. I probably have no readers left but I’m picking it back up because I want to share my new career in real estate. 🙂

My dad was a realtor when I was growing up and I always wanted to sell real estate. Because of David’s career in international telecommunications, I never got the chance to settle down to get my license and get a business going.

Several years ago, we were doing a project for Wind Stream in Little Rock. In our travels around Arkansas, I saw Flippin on a sign. I told David, “Someday I want to live in Flippin, Arkansas so I can tell people I live in Flippin, Arkansas.” Ask and you shall receive. We moved to Flippin in June of 2019.

When I got here, I knew I wanted to work but wasn’t sure what to do. I saw an opening at the Board of REALTORS and I applied. My friends, who are in real estate, though I’d like the job and I was hired that day before I even got on the other side of town. I worked at the North Central Board of REALTORS for a little over the year and I learned the real estate business. I loved that job because I’d always wanted to run a non-profit and, adding in the real estate portion, it was just everything I hoped it would be. It was constantly changing and always challenging.

Eventually, I realized that this was my opportunity to actual make a life long dream come true and become a realtor. I studied hard and got my license and an office at Davenport Realty in Yellville. Ray and Sandy Davenport helped us with the purchase of our Flippin house (see what I did there?) and I knew I wanted to work with them. The fact that Davenport is the number one brokerage in Marion County was also enticing. I wanted to kill it along with Sandy. I was so happy when she told me I could work with her.

And what a whirlwind my first three months were. The market was hot, hot, hot and I had no idea what I was doing but I was loving every minute of it. I feel like I was born to sell real estate. My education in the actual real estate world has been full and varied. I know things I never even thought about knowing before and I’m thrilled to finally feel like I know a little something. My confidence grows daily.

I have loved the clients I’ve worked with and the other agents outside of my office who I also learn from whether they know it or not.

My very first listing was this adorable little cabin in Saint Joe. I had never been to Saint Joe until I went to that listing and it’s another pretty spot in North Central Arkansas. This cute little cabin was under contract in under 24 hours and, because of the listing, I was connected with many new clients and awesome people. I started being known as the Cabin Queen because, since I could only sell that cabin once and everyone wanted it, I knew (and still know!) where every cabin in the area is. I have shown cabins from Yellville, to Saint Joe, to Mountain View, to Calico Rock and back. I was sad when that property sold and was no longer in the MLS.

It finally started slowing down around Thanksgiving and I’ve had a chance to look back over what I’ve done in my first three months as a realtor. I’m proud of all I’ve done, all I’ve learned, and I’m so looking forward to the coming year. I love being a realtor so much. I have always been good with people and that part of the role has been super easy. Being able to help people find the home of their dreams or sell their current place so they can move on is just so gratifying.

I am so happy to be able to sell real estate in such a beautiful location, too. Not a day goes by – even when it’s dark and dreary – that I can’t find something beautiful about our area. If you are looking to buy a house or sell a house in the Ozarks, please give me a call, I’d love to help you!