Getting ready for Realtor Installation

On Nov 30th Dan (My Husband) was installed as the incoming president of our El Paso Association of Realtors at a magnificent dinner at Santa Teresa Country Club. Most of our children came in from out of town. Our oldest son Dan and his wife Susan and baby Molly could not come because Molly had been sick with an ear infection and could not fly.

The kids and I spent the day decorating the club along with Rebeca Padilla my office manager and Hilda Beck from our Association. It was fun but tiring so around 3 that afternoon we all went home to start to get ready.

Dinner was great and there were about 283 people there (the most they have ever had at an installation)and it went off without any flaws. Dan had a super speech and had the crowd wowed!

The El Paso real estate market is starting to pick back up and lots of our listings are starting to get contracts and at about 97-98% list price to sales price ration.

We are all looking forward to the new year and seeing our market get back to normal.

My half marathon walk is still on and I have been training weekly and last Sunday we walked 8 miles. Boy I never thought I would be able to do that but I feel great and am still losing weight(thank goodness) and this Sunday we will walk 9 miles.

Just got back from National Assoc of Realtors Convention

We just got back from the National Association of Realtors Convention in Lost Wages (oops, I meant Las Vegas!)

It was a great convention but to tell you the truth I like the convention in a different city like San Francisco. There were 3 other conventions, the political debate was there, and there were just too many people around all the time. Everywhere you went you bumped into somebody and it was just not fun.

The classes were great and I learned a lot of new ways to use my camera in marketing and sat in on a MLS round table and talked to agents around the country to see how their market was and it made me very thankful that our market is not near as bad as some of those.

Short sales were the name of the game in Florida and some in Nevada and good old El Paso, Tx real estate looked even better .

Sales are definitely picking up-had 2 offers on my listings since I got back on Monday and 2 closing this week so that is wonderful.

The walking for the half marathon is coming along great and we walked almost everyday in Las Vegas. The weather was sunny and warm and it was so good to get outdoors.

We walked almost 3 miles every day and this Sunday it will back to 7 miles and then we will start building up to more miles each Sunday.

Closings are good

I had a closing today that took over a week to get closed because we had to get some utility waivers as the garage sat on top of the utility easement. Selling real estate in EL Paso, Tx can definitely be challenging.

The market is starting to pick back up a little bit but remember El Paso is not like the rest of the country. We have alot of positive things about to happen here that will definitely drive our market right back up and hopefully very soon.

Back to the half marathon, Dan and I will walk 4 miles tomorrow and 7 miles on Sunday.

Walked 7 miles on Nov. 4, 2008

I still can't believe that I am doing this but I am committed now and there is nothing that will change my mind. Dan (my husband) is training with me but says the race is my thing. I wish he would walk with me but he will be there to cheer me on. All of my family are behind me too so that is very helpful.

For any of you that want to be brave and join me please follow the link to The El Paso Marathon and you can get all the information there or at the Up and Running Store.

On off days(I don't know what an off day is ) I am still selling real estate in El Paso, TX and we are seeing the market getting a little stronger especially on homes under $200,000. New homes always sell quickly and I have sold 3 of them recently and in the low $100,000 range.

We are getting ready to go the the National Association of Realtors Convention in Las Vegas in a week so while fun they are very tiring.

I will keep you posted as to my walking progress

Still walking and loving it

Well, Dan and I are walking every other day and longer distances on Sundays. Last week we walked 21 miles and have decided to follow the guide from a walking website that I found that has been very helpful.

Now I keep track of each and every walk and we skip a day in between the days we walk and the only day that is a long day is on Sunday. On Oct 28th we walked 6 miles and it seemed like a lot to me but I am ready to start building up for the March 2, 2008 El Paso Marathon (remember I am only walking a half marathon 13. 1 miles).

I found some great shoes and clothes at Up and Running and the staff there is great, be sure to ask for Chris Rowley-tell him Patti sent you.

Now back to my real job of selling real estate in El Paso, TX. The market is still a little soft now but homes are selling but taking an average of 90 days but still at about 97% of list price to sales price ratio.

El Paso 1/2 Marathon- I am going to walk it!!!!!!!

Wow, what a commitment I am making, mostly to myself, but I have decided that I am going to walk the half marathon on March 2, 2008. I have lots of family and friends supporting me and for that I am very grateful.

Each morning I am walking and today Dan and I walked 4 miles in a little over an hour. I am trying to keep it at 15 min. miles so that it won't take me forever to walk the half marathon.

On Sunday I will walk about 4.6 miles and then soak my feet for hours. I have a training schedule that I am following and I am really excited about this. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Patti

What a great day it is today

As I walked this morning at about 5:30 AM (yes that is pretty early) I realized how grateful I was that it was going to be a beautiful day. The stars are still out and the city is twinkling with the lights that homeowners leave on for the night.

The birds are starting to chirp and the dogs are waking up and barking but the serenity and peacefulness that I find at that hour are phenomenal.

I have decided that I am going to try and train to walk a one half marathon (13 miles yikes). There is one coming up in March 2008 in El Paso so my work is cut out for me for sure.

My walking helps ease the stress that can come when the real estate market in El Paso slows down a little as it has right now. I know that things will change as the market will always have its ups and downs and the ones that have been there before know that and just work a little harder.

Hang in there everyone.

Patti