You don’t have to like the teams playing in the Super Bowl, but you can always enjoy a great party and great food!

So here are some great recipes that will be sure to please the crowd!  Pulled-pork sliders, little barbecue-ish sandwiches with sweet jalapeño-spiked pickles, and a bacon-potato salad. Food that’s as filling as you want it to be, because those games can go on (and on). Plus, a dessert that’s fun and not fussy: ice cream sandwiches — easy to make and even easier to eat.

With a spread like this, I could surely become a football fan.

Is it time for kickoff yet?

 

PULLED-PORK SLIDERS

Makes 15 to 20 sliders

For the sliders:

1 heaping teaspoon ground mustard

1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 ½ pounds pork shoulder

15 to 20 small buns or rolls

For the sauce:

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

A big pinch cayenne

 

1. Mix ground mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and brown sugar in a bowl, then press all over the pork shoulder and place in a glass baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two, or overnight.

 

2. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Cook pork for 4 to 5 hours, or until the pork is tender and pulls apart easily. While the pork is still warm, shred it with a fork.

 

3. Make the barbecue sauce: Put all ingredients in a saucepan and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved. Pour some of the sauce over the shredded pork and toss until well covered.

 

To serve, fill the slider buns with pork and top with sweet jalapeño-spiked pickles. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.

 

Note: If you’ve made this in advance, to reheat the meat, simply place in a glass dish, cover with foil and warm through in a 200-degree oven for 30 minutes or so.

 

SWEET JALAPEÑO-SPIKED PICKLES

Makes about 18 ounces

1 (16-ounce) jar dill pickle slices, drained

2 heaping tablespoons pickled and chopped jalapeños, with about 1 cup of the juice from the jar

1 cup sugar

 

Mix together pickles, jalapeños and sugar. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with pulled-pork sliders.

 

BACON-POTATO SALAD

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 ½ pounds potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, cut into 3-inch chunks

2 eggs

3 pieces bacon, cooked till crispy and crumbled

2 green onions, chopped

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons good mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and pepper

 

1. Heat potatoes in a large pot with salted water. When it reaches a boil, turn down heat and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes or just until tender. Roughly smash them, with a hand masher or fork, making sure to leave large pieces.

 

2. While the potatoes are cooking, make hard-boiled eggs. Place in saucepan, cover with water and heat. When water reaches a boil, set timer for 10 minutes. When done, rinse eggs in cold water, then peel and chop.

 

3. Add chopped egg, bacon and green onions to potatoes.

 

4. Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayo and mustard, and fold into the potatoes. Taste for seasonings. Serve warm or cold.

 

ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Makes about 25 sandwiches

2 2/3 cups flour

2 cups unsweetened cocoa

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 pints of your favorite ice cream

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, and set aside.

 

2. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating a minute or so between each addition.

 

3. Add flour-cocoa mixture, mixing just until it comes together. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours, or until firm.

 

4. Place racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and scoop out 2-inch balls of dough, leaving 3 inches between them. Flatten the dough with your hand so each ball is a ½-inch-thick disc.

 

5. Bake both sheets (on top and bottom racks) for 5 minutes, then switch them, making sure to rotate the pans, too. Bake for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly cracked on the surface and feel dry and slightly firm in the middle — you’re going for a flat cookie. Cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container.

 

6. To make the sandwiches, let ice cream soften so it will spread easily. Then spread about a scoopful on each cookie and top with another cookie. As you assemble these, put them in a large plastic zip-top bag and place them in the freezer. The ice cream sandwiches need to freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Note: You may freeze the cookie dough to make sandwiches later. Simply scoop dough balls and place in a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to bake, let them warm up a bit so you can press down the dough (per instructions).

 

On another note, if your home is just too small for those Super Bowl parties, call us at the Stacey Feltman Group, we make Realty Dreams a Reality!

 

 

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FALL HOUSING MARKET

Much like the ever-changing Texas weather, the Dallas-Fort Worth and N. Texas residential real estate market is beginning to cool off, with home sales down slightly from last year and prices growing at a somewhat slower pace.

Home sales in North Texas last month were down 13 percent from September 2017, while the average sale price increased approximately 4%.

In June, July and August, traditionally some of the hotter months for home sales, real estate agents sold slightly fewer homes than they did in the summer of 2017, according to the latest data from the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University and North Texas Real Estate Information Systems.

“In general, there is a slowdown, and while short supply remains a major headwind, demand is basically still good”, according to James Gaines, chief economist at the Real Estate Center. Paige Shipp, with housing analyst Metro Study noted that the slowdown in home sales comes after a “long period of record sales and huge home price increases in North Texas. Median home resale prices in the area have increased almost 50% in the last five years.”

In September there was a 3.3 months’ supply of homes on the market, up 6.5% from September 2017, but still considered a “tight market”. The average time it took to sell a home was 43 days, up about 5% from September 2017.

Mary Frances Burleson, President & CEO of Ebby Halliday Companies

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In Texas, after the heat of the summer, we look forward to the cool, crisp autumn air.  While the warm weather tends to stick around well past the first official day of autumn, we still love to decorate for the season!  Autumn is the perfect excuse to redecorate you home!  Here are some fall decorating trends for 2018.

Plaid Blankets

Instantly add warmth to any room with a plaid blanket and/or pillows.  You can also use in your outdoor spaces on outdoor seating, etc.  Have plenty available for your family or guests to use while relaxing.  Adding plaid is the most versatile way to decorate for fall!

Hang Festive Wreaths

Dress up doors, windows, mantles and empty wall spaces with a festive wreath.  Feature simple wreaths or those featuring apples, corn cobs, or autumn flowers.

Dress up your Mantle

Hang a banner or mix banners across your mantle.  Some may have sayings or others with different textures or patterns to give extra dimension.

Accessorize with faux wheat

If you like that farmhouse feel, faux wheat in antique pitchers/vases or bundles will complete the look.

You don’t have to use just orange and red

Decorate with golds, silvers and whites to give your space that neutral feel.

Welcome Fall & Friends with your front porch

Pumpkins & flowering mums are the go to for everyone’s front porch deco, but add some other welcoming features such as wooden signs, fall wreaths and layered mats.

 

We hope you have enjoyed these tips!  Happy Decorating!

 

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You may still be wondering if you will still be able to afford the home you’ve always wanted if rates continue to rise.  Good news is, rising rates won’t necessarily change your ability to qualify for a mortgage.  Lenders are looking at your credit score as well as your debt-to-income ratio.  How rates are trending is less likely to have a huge impact than these other two factors, which could be deal breakers.

Some buyers have had to re-evaluate their criteria and revise their search, even looking in different communities, different school district, less square footage or even less bedrooms.  Sellers, on the other hand, will more than likely not see multiple offers like before as interest rates rise and home prices may decrease some as we have seen in the past couple of months.

If you are looking to buy a home this year, contact us as soon as possible!  We can form a game plan and take action now so you can buy the house you were looking for.

If you are looking to sell a home, you should be aware that buyers may be a little sparse.  As stated before, you may not see as many multiple offer situations and your home may sit on the market a little longer.  If you are planning on selling, we will need to make sure your home is priced appropriately for what the current market will bear and that your home looks the best it can be.

If you want to know any more about current market trends or what we can do to help you buy or sell a home, please do not hesitate to contact the Stacey Feltman Group today.  We would love to chat! Contact us at 214-356-8368.

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When it comes to real estate, north of Dallas in Collin & Denton Counties, has become the place to be.  According to WalletHub’s list of Best Places to be a First Time Homebuyer, Frisco, McKinney & Allen ranked 7, 8, and 16 out of 300 cities across the U.S.  They also ranked McKinney as the No. 1 market in the country, with Frisco and Allen following close at No. 2 and No. 8, respectively.  Median home prices in Frisco currently stand at $380,000 while McKinney & Allen are both at $330,000, according to Collin County Association of Realtors.

Has the market cooled off?  Well there has been recent evidence that things have relaxed just a bit.  CCAR reports that houses are staying on the market longer compared to this time last year.  Also, the percentage of asking price received is down 1.13 percent.  However, the accelerated influx of people moving here with Toyota and other companies opening its doors last year caused a spike.  While some of these numbers have changed, our market is still very strong and among the best in the country!

Is it a good time to buy a new home?  YES, the sooner the better!  With inventory up and slight shift in market, buyers will have more advantage then this time last year.  Rates are still mid 4’s depending on the normal credit and down payment factors.  4.75 is definitely still out there too.  Rates are on the rise and projected to continue to rise for the foreseeable future.  That 400k home at 4.5 will be a lot more expensive at 5.5.  Values have finally leveled out but are not expected to go down in our area.  We are still priced well below most major cities.

For a complete list of North Texas Counties and their statistics, click on link below.

http://marketstatsreports.showingtime.com/NTREIS_va0rj/sst/main.htm

 

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Ahhhhh!  Spring time is upon us!  The time for spring cleaning, blooming flowers, warmer weather and of course Spring allergies!  There are so many ways to help relieve some of the symptoms like itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion, headaches and sore throats, etc.  Right now in our DFW area and the entire state of Texas Pollen is way up.  According to Pollin.com, todays worst cities are in the state of Texas- Fort Worth, Dallas, Laredo, Waco and Del Rio.

 

Here are some helpful tips that may help you relieve some of your symptoms…

 

Treat your allergies at night

Pollen is worse in the mornings therefore treating your allergies at night with medications and/or nasal sprays is best.  By morning, those 24 hour meds will be fully in your system.

 

Shower and wash your hair at night

Before getting into the bed, shower off and wash your hair of pollen that may have settled in during the day.  You don’t want to transfer the pollen into your bedding.

 

Take Vitamin D

Yes, this is one you may not have heard of in the treatment of allergies but Vitamin D may help make you better resistant to many allergens.  Studies have shown it to protect against a wide range of conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, depression and even dementia.  A vitamin D deficiency has been linked to sensitivity to allergens such as dogs, ragweed, oak, ryegrass and shrimp.

 

Nasal Irrigation

Our nasal passages have tiny hair-like structures called cilia which catch dirt, bacteria, viruses and other substances.  According to WebMD, Nasal irrigation can help relieve sinus symptoms by thinning out thick mucus and help flush out the irritants such as pollen from the sinus passages.  It is best to do at night as with other treatments.

 

Inside your home

Make sure you are taking shoes off before entering or leaving shoes at the door to keep allergens from coming in.  Wash your sheets and blankets regularly, replace AC filters, keep dust to a minimum, vacuum carpet and remove or clean drapes that catch dust.

 

There are many other ways to help you relieve allergy symptoms, these are just a few.  If you have any questions regarding allergies, please visit your doctor.

 

Keep track of pollen count in your area, visit www.pollen.com and type in your zip code.

 

 

 

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Whether you are rooting for the Patriots or the Eagles, wear your favorite football gear and get ready to prep your home for the big event!  Your main priority is to make sure guests are well fed and comfortable! Here are some helpful tips for the big game!

Get your entryway ready

Particularly if it is cold outside, you will want to set up your entryway to make it easy to store shoes, hang up coats and move people in as quickly as possible.  If you don’t have coat racks, you can get some inexpensive baskets to store items for your guests.  You don’t want shoes and coats all over the floor!

 Get the family room or TV room ready

Make sure all of your media equipment is working properly and if you don’t have that huge TV you wanted for the game, it is a good time to buy as TVs tend to go on sale just before the big game.  Make sure you have enough seating for all of your guests.  Gather any folding chairs or seating from other areas in the home to accommodate all of your guests.

Kitchen is an epicenter at parties

Not only will the excitement be going on in the TV room but in the kitchen will be full of guests getting food and drinks.  Make room by cleaning off counter space so that you have plenty of room for food, party trays and a drink area.

Food & Drinks

It is important to have a wide variety of food and beverages to satisfy all palates.  Finger foods, chips, dips, stews & chili can go a long way.  If your party is potluck, keep a list of what your guests will be bringing so you don’t double up. Don’t forget the ice!  You will need to fill up the cooler and to have for drinks.

Decorate

You can choose the team colors for plates, napkins, table clothes etc. or visit your local party store for more ideas.

Don’t forget the kids

Many of us have kids that will be tagging along to the Superbowl party as well.  If you plan on having kids at your event, have kid friendly foods, drinks and activities to keep them busy while parents watch the game.  If you don’t already have a playroom, you can set up a spot in your home designated for your little guests with toys, games, and tot sized table & chairs.

 Be ready for the mess

With a houseful of people you are bound to have a mess or an accidental spill.  Keep you cleaning supplies and plenty of paper towels ready!

The Stacey Feltman Group wishes everyone a safe and fun Superbowl 2018!  If you would like a new home to celebrate your Superbowl party in by next year, give us a call at 214-356-8368! 

 

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Many buyers with children may question the fact that school has already started and are adamant about not changing schools. Other buyers may think that they can only get the best deals in the Spring/Summer seasons. This is not the case! Here is why…

Less Competition (Fall Wins!)
Competition drops off the in the Fall season but there are still homes for sale. In some cases, there’s just as much inventory that did not sell in the “prime season.” This puts the buyer in a great position to negotiate. Many sellers may be more motivated to sell before the holidays. Buyers will have more leverage in Fall!

Sellers are Exhausted (Fall Wins!)
Many of these sellers put their homes on the market in the “prime season” and had more energy and excitement. But after many showings, they start to get worn-out. Now they are ready to make a deal. Most will take a lower offer than to wait another six months for spring to come around. Some sellers may have a home that is being built or have to move for a job, therefore, again they are more open to negotiating and accepting a lower offer or the reason they have made a price adjustment.

Prices will Drop (Fall Wins!)
If homes listed during the busy summer months did not sell, chances are they could have been overpriced or at the upper limits of the comparables. Buyers will see prices fall more in line with market value. Again, sellers are more willing to negotiate and adjust their original list price.

Time on the Market (Fall Wins!)
Another issue that works against sellers but favors buyers. The longer the home sits unsold, the more bargaining power a buyer will have.

More Flexibility on Terms (Fall Wins!)
In the fall season, you will see less bidding wars and multiple offers. Therefore, tables are turned and buyers will have more flexibility on terms such as: Closing costs, Repairs, Seller Concessions and closing timeline.

If school being in session is what is hindering a buyer from making that purchase, stop that thinking! Think about the deal for long-term and the positives to make that switch. School just started so kids may not have gotten too comfortable yet in their class, so making this a perfect time to switch and start fresh at a new school. Kids will always make neighborhood and school friends.

In our case of Fall vs. Summer, Fall wins by a landslide! Call the Stacey Feltman Group today at
214-356-8368 or visit us on our website at www.staceyfeltmangroup.com.
We Make REALTY Dreams a REALITY!

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