09/21/2026
THE TURN WE NEVER EXPECTED
In 2010, C.J. and I thought we knew exactly where our next chapter would take us.
We assumed our next home would be on our family ranch. It seemed like the obvious next step.
But the more we considered what that move would really mean, the more we realized we loved the ranch but weren’t ready to make 225 acres our everyday life. Not yet.
Once we stopped trying to force the next chapter, the one we were ready for began unfolding quickly.
We had always loved Georgetown. This time, we found ourselves drawn to its older established neighborhoods—the giant native trees, peaceful streets, and timeless homes that seemed to tell their own stories.
For weeks, nothing felt quite right.
Then a new listing caught my eye.
The property photographs were terrible, and the home clearly needed cosmetic updating throughout. At first glance, most buyers would have passed it by.
C.J. smiled and said, “It’s pretty small…and it needs a lot of work.”
She wasn’t wrong.
But during that season of our lives, we had immersed ourselves in home makeovers. We had learned to separate what could be changed from what couldn’t.
Instead of outdated finishes, we saw possibilities.
Then we turned onto Terry Lane, a little half-loop street we had driven past hundreds of times without ever exploring.
Before we rounded the curve, the neighborhood began revealing exactly what we had been searching for.
Towering live oaks.
A quiet street.
Homes with their own unique character.
By the time we reached the driveway, we weren’t hoping the neighborhood would live up to the house.
We were hoping the house would live up to the neighborhood.
Inside, the custom-built 1972 home needed extensive updating. The kitchen and bathrooms needed remodeling. The appliances, flooring, ceilings, wall paneling, and interior flow all needed attention.
But we weren’t asking whether it was perfect.
We were asking whether it had the right bones, flow, and character.
Then we stepped outside.
The home had been thoughtfully wrapped around a magnificent live oak, allowing its massive trunk and sweeping canopy to become the heart of the property.
We looked at each other and smiled.
The switch flipped.
We had found the right home. But after decades of representing buyers, we knew finding it was not the finish line.
It was the starting line.
Another Realtor had been showing the property as we arrived. Before leaving the driveway, I called the listing broker to learn more about the seller’s situation and determine whether we might face competition.
He told us the other buyers planned to sleep on it and would likely submit an offer the following day.
That confirmed our instincts.
We spent the rest of the day creating and presenting a compelling offer that recognized the interests of everyone involved.
That evening, we had a fully executed contract.
Several wonderful years later, after a chapter of life we will always treasure on Terry Lane, we realized the time had finally come.
We were ready for the ranch.
Looking back, that afternoon did not change the way we represent buyers. It reflected it.
The best buying decisions do not always begin with the house.
They begin with discovering where and how someone truly wants to live.
Once that becomes apparent and the right home is recognized, our attention shifts immediately from discovery to strategy—learning everything we can, protecting our client’s negotiating position, and creating the strongest opportunity to secure the home on the best possible terms.
Only after purchasing the home did we discover another part of its story.
It had been custom designed in 1972 by Hope Carol Varner, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 1988. A gifted musician, singer, radio host, and lifelong ambassador of Western culture, she and her husband, Tex, spent decades celebrating the traditions and spirit of the American West.
Somehow, it felt fitting that someone who devoted her life to the spirit of the West had imagined a home where one magnificent live oak became its heart.
The home pictured here is that Terry Lane home—the one that changed our direction and became a chapter we will always treasure.
Helping buyers navigate the journey from “This is the one” to “We got it” remains one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Preparation. Positioning. Negotiation. Results.
Explore more Real Stories | Real Results at www.PictureAsHome.com.
