We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Pennebaker and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
When I got into Real Estate, my motivation was from having two young children who I wanted to be more available for. Getting started in this industry can be difficult and takes a lot of moxie. In the beginning, I was hungry for work and didn’t know how to set boundaries with clients yet so I worked a lot, even super late at night. It didn’t take me long to realize that there are very few emergencies in real estate that couldn’t be dealt with in the morning instead of in the middle of the night. I realized that I can still represent my clients effectively within reasonable times of the day. I learned quickly how to set important boundaries with clients and other agents for my family and for my mental health. Now, I see the importance of why I chose to become my own boss. I am able to select the clients and deals I prefer to work with.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I specialize in Residential Real Estate and specifically in Southern Dallas County and Ellis County. I am very involved in my community serving on multiple boards and have received recognitions for doing so. Having grown up in Duncanville and now raising my family here, a big part of my business and sphere of influence comes from my hometown. Many of my clients are friends from high school, family, church members, community members, or referrals from these sources. I am incredibly blessed that my business is referral-based and word of mouth and I am grateful for that. Buying or selling property can be a very stressful and intimidating process so I like to take an approach with my clients that this can be fun and do my best to reassure them that I am here to handle the hard stuff. At the end of the day, I like to lay my head down knowing that I have done everything I can to help my clients. The best feeling is knowing that I’ve succeeded in getting my clients into the home of their dreams or getting the seller’s the best possible deal selling their home.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Duncanville and spend most of my free time here. In our downtown area, businesses have monthly street markets with vendors and music, we have a community theatre with wonderful productions, Armstrong Park for movies and music in the park, restaurants, and more. We would go to Cedar Ridge Preserve or The Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center in Cedar Hill for trail walking. The Audubon in Cedar Hill has the highest point in South Dallas with beautiful views of Joe Pool Lake and you can see to Arlington. I would take them to Bishop Arts in Oak Cliff to walk and shop and then stop in at Eno’s for pizza and drinks. Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth is a must, everyone needs to experience it at least once. They have dance lessons on Saturday, a restaurant in the venue, and then a stroll through the stockyards would be fun. We would have to spend a day at King Spa in Dallas for relaxation and a massage. I love all the ways to unwind and spend a day there. Yoga at Lost Oak Winery in Burleson would be on the agenda. A glass-blowing class at American Glass Roots in Arlington is fun. Live music anywhere in DFW is a must but my favorite spots for really great cover bands are Fat Daddy’s in Mansfield and Marty B’s in Bartonville. Six Flags would be on the agenda only if the weather is nice, especially during Holiday In The Park. A day trip to Winstar Casino would be fun. Loyd Park at Joe Pool is my favorite local camp spot so wrapping the week by taking the RV out would be nice. The park has nice walking and biking trails and during the summer there are activities for kids and families. In terms of food, I’m a Tex-Mex girl through and through. The best places are ranked by their tortillas and salsa. Gonzalez Restaurant on Jefferson in Dallas is a favorite. Plan to wait in line because it’s worth it and don’t cheat yourself out of trying the tortillas. Herrera’s of Oak Cliff is also a fave. Their salsa, OMG. Only during the holidays because of the decor, Campo Verde in Arlington is a must as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have been in Real Estate for 8 years. I have had the honor of working with 3 wonderful brokers in that time. Each of them has had a huge impact on my growth as a person and as a Real Estate Agent in their own ways through mentorship and encouragement. I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to my clients, most of who have been friends and family and who have had faith in me to refer their friends and family to me as well. I think the person who deserves the most credit is my Husband, Kyle. He has been my biggest cheerleader of all. Prior to getting my real estate license, I worked for one company for 16 years. I made good money, had great benefits for my family, a great boss, but I wasn’t happy. I had two young children at home and wanted to be more available to them. We came up with a plan and Kyle helped me and supported me in taking the leap to leave the security of comfort of what I knew to become my own boss. I’ve never looked back. It’s been incredibly freeing to set my own schedule and be available to my kids during their formative years and you just can’t put a price on that.

Website: www.JenPenSells.com

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/JenPenSells

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenpensells

Other: https://linktr.ee/jenpensells.com

Image Credits
Canon Elizabeth Photography Tourmax Real Estate Media

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