Natchure Stockton Echols, Realtor, GRI at The Real Estate Group, Inc.

11/25/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 25 – Compassion & Care

Today I’m grateful for the incredible care and kindness that surrounded Kevin and me during one of the hardest seasons of our lives. 💙
To the dedicated medical teams at Springfield Clinic, SIU School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center, and WashU Medicine — thank you for your skill, compassion, and commitment.

I’m especially thankful for my friend Ketki, whose guidance and connections helped Kevin reach the right specialists months sooner than we ever could have on our own. And to Eric and Skip, whose generosity in sharing their St. Louis condo gave us a home away from home during Kevin’s treatment — your kindness brought us peace and comfort when we needed it most.

Healing takes more than medicine — it takes people with kind hearts and helping hands. 💛
“Kindness has the power to heal in ways medicine cannot.”

11/25/2025

What do you wish you could change about your home? Some wish they could change their location, and for others, it is the layout.

11/25/2025

This hand-painted glassware project will help your holiday spread standout.

Crafting a gorgeous holiday table can be a challenge, but if you really want to wow your guests, adding a personal touch with hand-painted glassware is always a great idea.

11/24/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 24 – My Grandparents, PaPa Bill & MaMa Mary

Today is a special one. It’s been one year since my MaMa Mary passed away, & I can’t think of a better time to honor her & my PaPa Bill. ❤️
They married on Sept 18, 1955 & were young grandparents—just 40 & 46 when I was born. My parents were teen parents, so we lived with them for a while. They weren’t just grandparents… they were my stability, my safe place, my foundation.
RR #2 (now Apple Tree Lane) will always be home. They built the house in the early 70s, & it’s where we spent every Thanksgiving & Christmas. Lunch was “at noon,” though we never ate before 2. I loved watching MaMa make her famous homemade noodles in the kitchen.
They owned truck stops, gas stations, & restaurants, & taught me work ethic, family loyalty, & unconditional love. They weren’t perfect people, but they were perfect for me.
I always joked I was the 3rd Sherren daughter & their favorite grandchild. (They loved all of us fiercely — I just happened to be the mouthy one claiming the title. 😂) One day I’ll share the story of how I discovered my last name was listed as Sherren on my birth certificate.
Growing up at their house meant feeding cows, horses, goats, geese, dogs, & cats with names like Baby 1 & Baby 2, Diamond, Hank & Bam Bam, Gabby, Tuffy, & Snoopy. My childhood was full of fishing in the pond, sledding the big hill, riding cows, & painting turtle shells before releasing them.
One of my favorite memories: for my 11th birthday, they took me to Olive Garden (fancy to a small-town girl!) & then to Hill Department Store to spend my birthday money. I chose a denim jumper over a stuffed holiday mouse because MaMa said I had to pick. I didn’t know PaPa snuck off to buy the mouse anyway. I named her Holly, & she’s been with me since 1989.
Losing them—PaPa in 2000 & MaMa in 2024—has been one of the hardest parts of adulthood. Grief is the price we pay for love, & oh, did I love them the mostest.
I think grandparents should get to live forever. 💛

11/23/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 23 – Postcards

Today I’m grateful for postcards — simple little rectangles of paper that have carried so many memories, miles, and moments of connection through my life. 💌
My love for postcards started in childhood when my Uncle Donnie and Aunt Mary sent me one each year for my birthday. I still remember how special it felt to find my name in the mail.

As an adult, that love turned into a collection — postcards I’ve bought while traveling, some sent home to myself, others mailed to family so they could share a little piece of my adventures. I don’t know what happened to that childhood collection, but these days I keep my postcards in a special box filled with stories from around the world.

Even our wedding guest book was a nod to that tradition — guests wrote well wishes on postcards and slipped them into a custom-painted glass card box. It’s one of my favorite keepsakes.

“The best souvenirs are the memories we mail home.” 💛

11/22/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 22 – NAR NXT Recap: The REALTOR® Experience

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend NAR NXT: The REALTOR® Experience in Houston this past weekend. Three full days of learning, connecting, inspiration, and fun — all designed to help us better serve our clients and strengthen our businesses.

One of the best parts was meeting and learning alongside like-minded REALTORS® from across the country and around the world. We traded ideas, swapped experiences, and surrounded ourselves with energy and expertise. I came home with new insights, new connections, and a renewed passion for what I do.

I spent my time diving into education, market insights, and professional development — everything from Fair Housing and Housing Affordability, to the value of NAR membership and the important work we support through RPAC to protect private property rights.

The keynote speakers were incredible:
• Matt Britton, AI expert & Founder/CEO of Suzy
• Gabby Douglas, Olympic gold medalist
• Robert Herjavec, businessman, investor & Shark Tank star

And the expo did not disappoint! I visited dozens of booths, with some favorites being:
• Center for REALTOR® Development
• NAR REALTOR® News
• NAR NXT Expo Theater

And of course — the fun stuff!
• Fresh-made lattes at the Zillow booth ☕️
• The Bark Yard (puppy snuggles = instant serotonin) 🐶
• LEGO Mini Fig Creation Station & the NAR LEGO Mural
• Design-your-own cowboy hat 🤠
• Custom luggage tag station
• Photo ops galore — including meeting Christopher McDonald (“Shooter McGavin”) at the Hello Nation booth

Conferences like this remind me why I love what I do. Continuous learning, connection, and community are truly at the heart of real estate — and I’m grateful for every opportunity to grow.

11/22/2025

Small changes can have a big impact on the environment if everybody does their part. Here's a simple tip to creating a more sustainable home.

11/21/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 21 – My New Car 🚗

A new ride just in time for showings, signs, and Realtor life. 🚗✨

Today I’m grateful for an easy, enjoyable car-buying experience — something you don’t always hear in the real estate or car-buying world! 😅

Huge thanks to Mike and Brian Wilbern at Roberts Automotive and Carrie Brady at Alliance Community Bank for making the process smooth, honest, and stress-free. I picked up my new-to-me VW Tiguan yesterday — a little sooner than planned, but when Mike found exactly what I wanted, I knew it was meant to be. And Carrie made the financing side easy-peasy from start to finish.

I’ll admit, I was nervous at first. I’ve purchased my last four vehicles from my family friend Ed Sargent, who retired a few years ago. Trying something new can feel intimidating — but the Wilberns (whom I’ve known since high school!) made this experience comfortable, simple, and enjoyable.

I also want to give a shoutout to Adam Bauser, who helped my husband buy his Hyundai Palisade a couple of years ago. Adam is truly one of the best in the business, and as much as I wanted him to be my salesperson this time around… Hyundai just wasn’t the right fit for me. My VW heart won out! 💛

I feel incredibly fortunate to have such great people to trust — whether it’s Roberts Automotive for pre-owned cars, Carrie for financing, or Adam when it comes to new Hyundai sales. Great people make all the difference — on the road and in life. 🚗✨

11/21/2025

Dreaming of your keys to happiness? 🏡✨ Locking down your dream home starts with a solid plan! When you start saving up for a down payment, you take the first exciting step toward homeownership. However, you may not need to save as much as you think—various financing solutions can help you get one step closer to homebuying.

Let's chat about starting your dream-home journey. Send a message today! 🗝💙

11/21/2025

Real estate jargon can sometimes be confusing. I'm posting a series of terms and their definitions every buyer and seller should know and understand as they navigate the real estate landscape. Reply below with any real estate terms you'd like to be defined!

11/20/2025

30 Days of Gratitude – Day 20 – Traditions & Throwbacks

Throwback Thursday, but make it grateful. 💛
Today I’m thinking about the family traditions that shaped my life — both the ones we still hold dear and those that live on only in our memories.

Some of my favorite throwbacks are watching my MaMa Mary make her famous homemade noodles for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She always joked that no one would show up for dinner if she didn’t make them — and she was probably right! The noodles would sit drying on a big pizza pan, filling the kitchen with the smell of love and flour. 🍜

Other traditions that have faded still hold a special place in my heart: the Sherren Family Reunions on the second Sunday in September, Christmas Eve at Gram’s, Easter egg hunts in her yard, and Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch at MaMa and PaPa’s house at noon.

Some traditions have lasted the test of time — Gram’s jello cake, and the magic moment when Santa comes to visit.

And then there are the newer ones that bring our blended family together — my Blended Family Christmas, Mom’s saran wrap ball game, and our Aunt NaNa trips. 💕

Traditions change, evolve, and sometimes fade — but the love, laughter, and connection they create never do.

11/20/2025

These bite-size snacks are an easy way to use your leftover turkey! And a perfect holiday party appetizer or personal little snack too!

INGREDIENTS
• 1 Pack of crackers, your choice
• 8 oz of Brie
• 1 Cup of cooked turkey
• 1/2 Cup of Cranberry sauce

DIRECTIONS
Place 10 crackers on a plate, or more if you have extra ingredients! On a microwave safe plate make 10 cracker sized piles of turkey. Add the brie to the turkey piles. Microwave turkey and brie for 40 seconds, or until the cheese is melted. Top with your choice of cranberry sauce. Garnish with mint or basil and enjoy!

PRO TIP
Get creative! You could exclude the turkey from several to have a couple vegetarian bites. Or you could go wild and sprinkle some leftover stuffing on top of these delicious snacks!