Julie Maalouf, Realtor

My mom’s garden was full of irises. Big beautiful irises of every color. Bright purples and yellows, deep burgundy, and sometimes white—bringing cheer to the front of the otherwise plain exterior of my childhood home, blooming like clockwork every spring. If you know anything about irises, you know they spread like crazy and are fairly easy to move.

The year she left us, I took a bag of iris bulbs from her garden and carefully transported them to Austin, and planted them in my own — hoping to have some small part of her with me in the home she never got to see.

Now, I have many talents, but keeping plants alive is not one of them. Yet every year, I inspected those irises with growing green stalks, spreading throughout my otherwise depressing flowerbed more and more each year, trusting they’d bloom when they were ready.

This year they bloomed. Well, two of them did. I captured one bloom, and the other fell victim to damn caterpillars before I could catch a picture. And still, when that first flower appeared, among the carpet weeds in my piddly flower bed —I felt your presence so deeply…and I can’t help but feel it’s a beautiful metaphor for the influence your loving, compassionate heart still has in my life almost 5 years later— patiently, every spring for 4 years—trusting that some day, those flowers would bloom.

And while it still makes no damn sense that you’re gone, and there is not a day that goes by when I don’t think of you — I mostly just wish you were here to see the life I’ve built—and the person I have grown into — a result of your love AND the agony of your departure—because I think you would be proud. I like to think of that first bloom as sign of that…Offering a small but not insignificant glimmer of peace.

Happy heavenly birthday, Mama. It would have been your 70th today, and undoubtedly I would have been there to celebrate you...gone too soon, but never forgotten.

Just spent the last hour learning with q***r business owners from across the country! I am ! If you’re a q***r business owner or ally, we do weekly business calls! PM me for more info!
***rentrepreneurs

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Ya’ll. If you were looking for a sign, THIS IS IT.

🏡We’re seeing mortgage interest rates DROP and there is/will be a SWEET SPOT when you can take advantage of a lower rate before everyone and their mom rushes back into the market—driving prices UP. 💸

🚦THE SWEET SPOT IS NOW. And who knows how long it will last.🚦

🏡If you have EVER thought about buying a home in Austin or surrounding areas, wouldn’t you think it’s at least helpful to start the conversation so you can have all the INFO you need? 💁🏻‍♀️

‼️THE ONLY WAY TO COMBAT FEAR IS THROUGH FACTS!!!‼️

⭐️I will never talk you into buying a home if it’s not right for you and your family—but having more information couldn’t hurt, right?⭐️

📲💬💨Call me. Text me. Send me a smoke signal. WHATEVER. Let’s talk it out. IM HERE FOR YOU!!

⭐️I will give you the info YOU need to make the choice that’s right for YOU!! ⭐️

⏳ You may have missed your opportunity in 2020–but PLEASE don’t make that mistake again. ⏳

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📸 Look at this post on Facebook https://austin.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/real-estate-housing-market-november-2023/?

Austinites waiting for the right time to buy a home should buy now, new report says Elevated mortgage rates and declining home prices in November allowed for more accessible housing options, but many homes in Austin are still out of reach to the average buyer, the Austin Board of Realtors has revealed in a new report.

💥🌈🍾I am so proud of my lovely client, who I have known since our days in Amarillo. She navigated the complexities of letting go of a home filled with memories, all while stepping fearlessly into her future.

As testament to our tailored strategy and genuine connection, we received multiple offers in the first week!

Real Estate is not just about market trends and comps; it's often a deeply personal journey, and building trust is key to understanding the whole landscape—emotional and financial.

If you're looking for an experience with a personalized touch, and ready to start a new chapter in your life, REACH OUT. There's no better time than now! 💥❤🏡🌈🍾