Let’s Be Real

Well, it’s been forever since I’ve written a blog. Life has been kind of a lot.

That’s an understatement. Life has been crazy!

I’m 45 years old. I’m a wife (whose husband is gone working more than he’s home lately), a mom of three, a Realtor, a chauffeur, a professional Amazon shopper, and apparently the world’s worst therapist… at least according to my oldest daughter.

She’s 21 and somehow became more mature than I am. Honestly, it’s a little rude.

She’s in her master’s program now, works full-time, and because she apparently doesn’t believe in free time, she decided to coach volleyball too. I don’t know where she gets all her energy… although she probably gets that from me, but like me Heidi also gets overwhelmed, so we are a lot alike.

This morning, after she’d already left, I got a text from her. It was a picture of her beautiful smiling face, and underneath it she wrote…

“My whole life for His glory.” Then she wrote Matthew 5:13-16, and then just one little part of the scripture, “Be a light.” That was it. Just… be a light.

So, I of course googled Matthew 5:13-16 because, let’s be honest, I wasn’t really raised in church, so I still must look these things up. Someone really needs to write “The Bible for Dummies.” I’d buy it. As I read it, I smiled because I realized that’s exactly who she is. Heidi is a light, not just to the people around her, but to me every single day.

She has such a genuine heart for God, and it’s amazing to watch. Sometimes I think she’s teaching me more than I ever taught her. Sometimes God uses my own daughter to remind me to slow down and keep my eyes where they belong, it is funny how we can learn from our kids.

I just wish it was easier to keep my eyes where they belong. Adult ADHD is no joke. My brain is all over the place most days. Staying focused isn’t exactly my superpower. I honestly couldn’t be prouder of the woman she’s becoming.

Then there’s my middle child, she just graduated high school with honors and got accepted into Florida State University. Did you know FSU’s acceptance rate this year was only around 21%? I couldn’t be prouder of her. Dina moves into her dorm in less than a month, less than a month! I’m sad and happy all at the same time. I’m excited for her because I know she’s going to do amazing things, but I also keep looking around thinking, “Wasn’t she just in kindergarten?” How did eighteen years happen so fast?

Then there’s my son. For those of you who don’t know, he’s autistic. He’s getting his driving permit and applying for jobs right now. If you’re the praying type, I’d love it if you’d say a little prayer that someone gives him a chance, because he’s ready. Watching him over the last year has been incredible. It honestly feels like he grew up overnight, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.

One kid is in a master’s program, one is heading off to college, one is learning to drive and looking for his first job, and somehow, I’m still trying to figure out what’s for dinner.

The truth is… I feel overwhelmed most days. Not “I’m so busy” overwhelmed. I mean truly overwhelmed. There are days when I honestly feel like I’m about to shut down because my brain just can’t take one more thing. I worry that my house isn’t clean enough, I worry that I’m not organized enough, I worry that I’m forgetting something important, I worry that I’m not giving enough to my family because I’m working. Then I worry that I’m not giving enough to my clients because I’m trying to be present for my family.

It’s a constant battle in my head, I don’t have it all together, I’m exhausted most days, but I still get up, I still answer the phone, I still show houses, I still write contracts, I still make dinner… even if it’s frozen pizza or cereal. I still keep going not because I’m some kind of superwoman but because that’s what moms do, or at least try to do.

I’m sharing this because I never want anyone to think I have this perfectly put-together life. Social media has a funny way of making us think everyone else has it figured out. And I promise you, I sure as hell don’t. I’m just doing the best I can with what God has given me today.

Some days that feels like enough, Some days it doesn’t. But tomorrow I get up and try again.

Business has been amazing, and I truly can’t thank my clients enough. You all have kept me busier than ever, and I’m so grateful. Now let’s talk real estate for just a minute.

Everyone keeps asking me, “Is this really a good time to buy with interest rates where they are?”

My answer?

Absolutely… if you’re buying for the right reasons.

Here’s why.

Right now, buyers actually have some negotiating power. We’re seeing many sellers offering concessions they weren’t willing to offer a couple of years ago. That can include helping with closing costs, buying down your interest rate, paying for repairs, offering home warranties, or simply being more flexible during negotiations.

A couple of years ago, buyers were competing against multiple offers, paying well over asking price, and often waiving contingencies just to get a house, escalation clauses etc. Today’s market is different, very different.

Every market creates opportunities. Can you refinance an interest rate later? Absolutely! Can you go back and buy the house you loved after someone else already bought it? No.

People are waiting for rates to come down, but here’s the thing… when rates drop, more buyers usually jump back into the market. More buyers often means more competition, multiple offers, and higher prices.

Sometimes buying now, even with a higher interest rate, can save you money because you have more negotiating power today. If rates come down later, you always have the option to refinance.

That’s why I always tell people not to focus on today’s rate alone. Let’s look at your long-term goals, your finances, and what makes sense for you. Sometimes the answer is yes, Sometimes the answer is to wait, either way, I’m always going to give you honest advice. No pressure. Just a real conversation.

I guess that’s what this whole blog is really about, Real life, Not the Instagram version, that give me axiety just thinking about it, I am not that woman, I will never be. I like the version where your house isn’t always clean (even thought that is a trigger for me), sometimes cereal is dinner, sometimes your daughter sends you a picture with the words, “Be a light,” and it hits you exactly when you need it.

Sometimes you have to Google the scripture because you weren’t raised in church and you’re still learning, sometimes you’re overwhelmed, sometimes you’re exhausted, sometimes your ADHD brain has you thinking about work, the kids, dinner, laundry, showing houses, contracts, making phone calls… and then you walk into the pantry and completely forget why you went in there.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for letting me be real for a little while.

I don’t have all the answers.

I don’t have a perfectly clean house.

I don’t have it all figured out.

I’m just a wife, a mom, a Realtor, and a woman who’s trying to grow in her faith, be a good example for her kids, serve my clients well, and make it through this season of life one day at a time, I am trying so hard.

And somehow, in the middle of all of this, God keeps putting people and little reminders in my life to point me back to what really matters. I was talking to a friend an co-worker yesterday and he mentioned the same thing, sometimes I just want to cook a meal for me and my family and not have te thousand things going on in my mind at one time, or my phone dinning every second.  Thank you, Jacob, I agree 100% and I know we never will, because we really love what we do, let’s just hope we do not get too tired and end up hating it. Here’s to trying to love our selves enough to remember to turn off the noise for a bit.

Today’s reminder came from my daughter.

“Be a light.”

I think that’s something we could all use a little more of.

I have so much more I could write about… real estate, parenting, faith, ADHD, this crazy stage of life, and everything in between, but I think I’ll leave it here for today or this could be a book.

If any part of this made you smile, laugh, cry, or simply reminded you that you’re not the only one trying to keep all the balls in the air, I’d love to hear from you.

Leave me a comment, send me a message, lets share some stories.

Tell me I’m not the only one who walks into the pantry and forgets why I’m there, life isn’t perfect, none of us are, and maybe that’s okay.

Until next time…

Be a light.

Kendra