The Dayna Simmons Real Estate Show 09/13/25

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Well, hello, Southeast Texas. I am so excited that you've
joined us on this beautiful Saturday. We have some amazing
guests here with us.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Today.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
We have Dana Espinol. She is the director at these Americas.
Let's see, how do you say it?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
The sb d C correct? That is correct, That's correct.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Okay, good morning, Good morning at the Lamar's State College
Board author and we're so glad to have her here.
She is going to be visiting with us about the
small business symposium that is coming up that you are
going to want to hear about. Also with me is
Rebecca Ducett. She is the senior vice president at First
Financial Bank in our Southeast Texas region, and she's going

(00:43):
to share a little bit about what's going on with
them and how you might want to get involved with
First Financial. But before we do that, I want to
give you a little bit of update on house the market.
You know, every week we talk about this and it
seems like we've been in the same conversation for a
little while.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
So the mark it.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Right now is beginning to pick up. So there is
some good news. We're seeing buyers back into the market
ready to look and buy something. But the challenge that
we're seeing is we still have a pretty large inventory
of properties on the market. There are many sellers who
haven't caught up with the fact that in the last

(01:21):
two years, we are not in the same market that
we were in two years ago. Prices have begin to
be started let me let me say that because it's
beginning to drop, started to drop, and so we're seeing
a little bit of a decline in our average sales price.
The upper end price points are seeing a pretty significant

(01:41):
hit on their in and you say, Dana, why is that. Well,
at the very last part of our show, I'm going
to share some tips on what I think is going
on and what I think is happening in our market.
So that's going to make you stay tuned.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Huh.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
If you're a seller and you're wondering why your house
is and selling, let's is it at the end of
the show. But before we do that, I want to
give you an opportunity to meet our guests. So we're
going to start with Rebecca. Rebecca Ducett, Senior vice president,
First Financial Bank. Tell us a little bit about you, Dana.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
I'm so I am Rebecca dust I have been born
and raised in Bridge City and have lived in Southeast
Texas my entire life. I have been with First Financial
Bank for twenty one years and so they've also helped,
you know, raise me and my family. I do have
three amazing children. My oldest daughter currently lives in Japan

(02:37):
and teaches English as a second language. My middle son
is a process operator out at Exxon Mobile, and our
youngest just started his freshman year.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
At Texas Tech. So so exciting. Yes, it's an exciting time. Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah, We've entered into a new season of our life
and it's it's great.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
So yeah.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
I remember thinking my kids were younger, oh, when they
move out of the house, I'm just going to die.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
It's going to be terrible.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
And then they get to an age where you think,
when are you leaving this house?

Speaker 2 (03:11):
You know, absolutely absolutely.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
And then they do go, and then you have that
wonderful season with your spouse to be able for it
just to be the two of you in an empty nest.
And then you're not there yet, but Dana is, and
so am I. Where they come back and bring grandchildren
to visit. Yes, and we're excited about that. Not ready yet,
not ready yet, but I'd be excited about you know

(03:34):
what the future may hold for us. Yeah, the potential
for that in the future, absolutely, and you're right right,
Timing is always the important thing on that. So well,
we're so excited to have you on the show and
I can't wait to hear some of the things that
you have to share with us, and Keith also with us.
A Dana Espinols Now tell us Dana, I know we
were talking before the show. Not originally from southeast Texas,

(03:58):
but you got here quick, so talk to us a
little bit about where you're from.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Well, good morning. Yes, I'm Dana Espinal and I have
relocated here. My husband is a coach, and so sometimes
when the coach needs to move up the ranks, you
move with them, right, And so we came here from
Corpus Christi, and we loved Corpus Christie, and I really

(04:23):
wanted to stay close to the golf, you know, and
so I am drawn to the golf and the beaches.
That's what I like to do in my spare time
is spend time on the beach and enjoy the environment
there that the beach offers. And yeah, we've been here
now going on our eighth year, and so we feel

(04:46):
like we're rooted here in Southeast Texas. We consider Southeast
Texas our home and we definitely enjoy our quiet time.
We have two grown children and have seven grand children,
and so they keep us busy. And anytime you either
one of you would like to borrow.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
What are the ages of you, So I've got.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
The youngest is three years old and the oldest is
fifteen going on sixteen, So we have quite the range
different ages. We have five grandsons and two granddaughters. And yeah,
they keep you busy. They keep us on our toes. Yes,
they do well.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
Now, you were talking about how you love beaches. If
you had to say your favorite beach, where would you go.

Speaker 2 (05:33):
We go to Crystal Beach for sure. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
It is a beautiful beach much of the time. Occasionally
you have to deal with the not as beautiful.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
Well, as a local, you learn when not to.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
Go do yeah, right, exactly what you have to do.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
As a local, you learn when not to go and
we avoid that.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, but what a gift that we have that's so close.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh yeah, and they're doing a really good job. I
feel like the locals there at Crystal Beach are doing
a really good job keeping the beach clean and staying
on top of what's going on in their community. And
you know, you feel safe there. You really feel safe there.
And I like that.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
I like that environment I see in the you know,
I've lived here in my entire life, and so I've
seen how the beach and the beach draw has changed
so much over even just the last twenty years, and
the way that it is getting better and cleaner and nicer.
As a kid, we used to love going for the day,

(06:35):
you know, Sea Room State Park. That's where we would
go and spend the day with my family. I was
the oldest of five, not a lot of money, so
we didn't have a cabin, but we would go for
the day and hang out and it was a lot
of fun. So one of the things I do love
about Southeast Texas is you have just about anything within
an hour or two range. You can run to the beaches,

(06:59):
you can go to Late Sam Rayburn, you can get
to Houston and go shopping, you can run to Lake Charles.
We have it all, and I think people take that
for granted that we have so many resources here that
are that make living in Southeast Texas a positive place
to live. Well, once we have text dot complete it

(07:21):
in then it's going to be so much nicer it is.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
It's going to be an easy drive, you know, even
for a Sunday drive. Do you go on a Sunday drive?

Speaker 3 (07:30):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, I love going on a Sunday drive. I love it.
So it'll be it'll be nice once we get everything
cleaned up and construction done, and absolutely, and I think
that the interim is challenging, but keeping the big picture
in mind that it is going to beautiful and for
the meantime, Ken and I just this last week went

(07:52):
up sixty nine up toward the Wildwood area and you know,
past Village Creek State Park and then pass the Big Thicket,
and he and I both said at the time, you know,
why don't we think about coming up here for the
day more.

Speaker 1 (08:08):
Why do we forget about the natural resources that we
have in our own backyard and think we have to
go somewhere else to enjoy it? Like, I don't know,
why don't we?

Speaker 2 (08:18):
And we have so many natural resources right here, right
here East class Texas.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
So I'm gonna do a better job of thinking more
about what's here that I need to go visit.

Speaker 2 (08:29):
And I'm sure both of you while you're out visiting
you stop at those small businesses and support those small
businesses in those communities, and also right here in our
own community here in southeast Texas, and.

Speaker 1 (08:41):
There are so many and so we want to keep
it that way. We absolutely do. We have to keep
small business here. It's what keeps our area growing. And
one of the things we're going to do is talk
about that in our next segment, So don't go away.
When we come back, we are going to talk to
Dana about the Small Business Symposium coming up up here
very shortly, So don't go away. This is the Dana

(09:03):
Simmons Show. Welcome back. This is Dana Simmons and we
are visiting with Dana Espinol. She is with the Small
Business Development Center at Lamar State College, Port author So, Dana,
welcome to the show. We're so excited to have you.

Speaker 2 (09:20):
And let's talk.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
First about what is the SBDC. Tell me what that
is and why you guys are here and what you do.

Speaker 3 (09:28):
Well.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
We've been at Lamar State College, Port Arthur for thirty
plus years at the college and the Small Business Development
Centers are funded through a federal grant through the SBA,
the Small Business Administration, and the focus is of course

(09:50):
on small business right and the SBA defines a small
business as a business that has five hundred or less employees.
So you think about that and put that in perspective.
There's some mid size and larger sized companies here in
Southeast Texas that we service, that we help that have
three hundred four hundred employees, and when you start looking

(10:13):
at that in a perspective, as far as you know
the economic engine that drives the communities, it's our small
businesses absolutely, because we have multiple companies that are Tier two,
tier three companies that service some of our industry, our
gas oil and gas industry that service those plants, and

(10:35):
so we we help. We're here to help small business
development centers are here to guide business owners, teach them
about up and coming new trends and small businesses. It
could be technology right now. The big buzz is the
AI right and how AI can be used in small

(10:55):
businesses and how they can utilize AI. Of course, we
talk about cybersecurity, and that's something that First Financial does
a really good job about having workshops about cybersecurity and
how Luncheon learns.

Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yes, those are so good, by the way, and if
you're a small business or a community group and you've
not had First Financial for the lunch and learns for
fraud lunch and learns, they're amazing.

Speaker 3 (11:23):
Yes, and we are willing to come out and you know,
just discuss the topic with any companies around, whether you
bank with this or not. Our goal is just to
get the word out about fraud and to protect Southeast Texas.

Speaker 1 (11:36):
Yeah, so in conjunction, you both work hard to ensure
that because, as you said, it's such a big issue
for small businesses.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
It just takes one incident and it can wipe out
a small business and really create a problem for them
where they have to close their doors. Right, So we
don't want that to happen, right. We want to keep
our small business is thriving here in Southeast Texas and
so our role at the SBDC is to provide them

(12:06):
the resources to be able to do that. And you know,
maybe it's to reach out to First Financial and say, hey,
we have a community that needs this workshop. Can you
help us with that? Right.

Speaker 1 (12:16):
One of the things that you know, I've been a
part of it and watched is that I love that
you're always looking ahead to see what can we do
to ensure our small businesses are participating in what's coming,
but are also equipped. So I think about when the
CPKM plant was coming, and you guys did so many

(12:39):
different trainings to say, if you want to be ready
to take on this business as a contractor for them,
here's what you need to do. I mean, and you
educated every single step of the way. And I think
people don't realize all that you offer to be able
to do that.

Speaker 2 (12:58):
That's right, and we're ill having those is your business
Ready trainings workshops that we have throughout Southeast Texas because
there's a lot of small businesses that would like to
do business with our oil and gas industries. They need
to be ready to do that. It's not like doing
business with your next door neighbor, right. They have requirements,

(13:21):
they have regulations, they have things that they are going
to require the small business owner to have, and our
job is to train them up and teach them and
give them resources so they can be ready to do
business with the oil and gas industries.

Speaker 1 (13:38):
And one of the companies I think about that I
know does both residential and commercial work and works out there.
Bill Clark, you know Josh Smith with Bill Clark. He
is a small business person, but he has all of
the tools necessary that he is not only working and residential.
I mean he comes and sprays my house, but he

(13:59):
also goes out to the plants and he's a part
of what they have. But it takes a lot to
be ready to do that.

Speaker 2 (14:07):
And you know, in the plants, they it's not just
about construction. They look for all different types of small
business owners. And you know, the other thing that we
are training small business owners about is getting your certification
HUB certification, whether you're a woman owned business certification, veteran

(14:29):
owned business certification, and eight A certification. We can help
guide you into getting those certifications and what the requirements
are and work through at the SBA portal where you
can do it yourself at the convenience at your convenience
at home or you have some time at the office

(14:52):
to where you don't you can do it with no costs.
We've done it now for a few years now where
SBA is wanting small business owners to become certified because
of the set asides and things that are available to
them through government contracting. Whether you're wanting to work with

(15:14):
the federal government, whether you're wanting to work with state government,
county government, or even local government. And the oil and
gas industries, the plants they have funding usually tied to
federal funding, and that federal funding requirement is to have
set asides that they do business with small business owners

(15:40):
who have certifications, and so that's what we're big push
right now and getting certified.

Speaker 1 (15:47):
Well, and that's so important because if they don't do that,
then their funding is lost.

Speaker 2 (15:52):
Well it's not necessarily lost, is they can show that
they did their due diligence in trying to find them.
But it's certainly a plus for them if they can
prove that they are doing business with small businesses.

Speaker 1 (16:05):
And we want that, we want our local people to
be able to benefit because it's a trickle down. In fact,
it impacts every single one of us whenever one of
our companies. And I think you brought up a good point.
It's not just if you're a contractor working in a refinery.
I mean, it's what we talked about, Bill Clark. It's
a pest control, it's a cleaning company.

Speaker 2 (16:23):
It's so it's a catering company, it's an event planner,
it's an insurance company. They're looking for all types of businesses,
office supplies, you name it, so it varies across the board.

Speaker 1 (16:38):
And so Dana, if someone is saying, hey, that sounds
interesting to me, how do I get started with that?
What would you recommend?

Speaker 2 (16:48):
Call my office let us help you, and you can
also call Lamar Universities SBDC. They also will have the
resources to be able to do that. And then watch
for our workshops. You know, we'll advertise our workshops.

Speaker 1 (17:06):
And we've got one coming up and we're going to
talk about that in our next segment that there is
a workshop coming up.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
But if you are.

Speaker 1 (17:13):
Interested in getting that information again, Dana said, you can
call her at her office which is four nine nine
eight four six five three one. That is the SBDC
there at Lamar State College, Port Author, But there is
also an SBDC at Lamar Beaumont's correct, so you can
google that get their telephone number. So whether you're in

(17:36):
the Port Author area or in the Beaumont area, it
doesn't matter. Either one can help you with either one.
So they're both working to get small businesses moving.

Speaker 2 (17:45):
In the right direction. That's right.

Speaker 1 (17:47):
Well, when we come back, we're going to talk about
one of those events coming up. It is the Small
Business Symposium. So don't go away, stay right with us.
This is the Dana Simmons Show. Welcome back. This Isana
Simmons and we have been visiting with Dana Espinal of
this SBDC, the Small Business Development Center at Lamar State College,

(18:09):
Port Author, and she has been talking about is your
business ready and what do you need to be ready?
And she's also going to give us some information about
an upcoming event, the Small Business Symposium. So Dana, tell
us a little bit about what is this Small Business Symposium.

Speaker 2 (18:26):
I'd be happy to. So we started the Small Business
Imposium about three years ago and it is an opportunity
for small business owners to go and it's like a
one stop shop, right. We have a day of activities
for small business owners or those that are thinking about

(18:47):
starting a small business. There's resources there, there's trainings going on.
We have a keynote luncheon and the keynote Luncheon we're
featuring this year. We're feature feed during Christine Cashion and
she's going to inspire us her keynote it's going to

(19:08):
be how to stay inspired when you're so darn tired,
and as a small business owner, I hear that a lot.
Oh yeah, we're war out, you know. And so that
is the focus of our keynote presentation. We also during
the luncheon are going to be doing our Ignite, the
Vision pitch competition we have this year. There are six

(19:28):
finalists in our pitch competition and these are it's powered
by Motiva, and they're going to do their two minute
These six candidates are going to do their two minute
small business pitches and then the audience is going to
vote on which pitch they thought was the best pitch,

(19:50):
and we're giving three cash prizes to the winners. And
the first place is a ten thousand dollars grant from Motiva,
second place is a five thousand, and third place is
a three thousand, and it is seed money. It's capital
right for these businesses, and they're going to do their
ask and everything just like they would do if they

(20:13):
were at a lender and asking for a loan, you know.
And so my job is to get them ready for
their pitches and to give a good presentation to the
group there at the keynote luncheon at the symposium, and
then the other component of our Our symposium is the Expo,

(20:34):
and we're going to have inside Central Mall. There's going
to be a lot of booths small business boosts set up.
There's also resource booths set up of different lenders, different
folks that are interested in talking to one on one
with small business owners and so, like I said, it's
kind of like a one stop shop. You're going to
get your education and your training. You're going to be

(20:57):
able to network, You're going to get to talk to
other business resources if you're looking for a particular service
or a product from a small business. You're going to
have a great lunch and enjoy a keynote speaker, get
to participate in Ignite the Vision competition, and visit all

(21:17):
of the expo participants, all centrally located in the mall
under air conditioning. And you know, we wanted the mall
because the mall is about commerce. It's about commerce, right,
and we're drawing people to the mall to celebrate that,
to celebrate commerce and small businesses in our community.

Speaker 1 (21:40):
Well, and you know we've all heard the latest news
that Central Mall was purchased by a local investor and
trying to improve what's going on out there and so
how exciting is that that we're connecting all of those dots. Hey,
that's the way to be right, and that's what it
takes for our communities to throw And I am thrilled

(22:02):
that the developer is local and we are working together
and I'm helping them get their spaces filled with small
business owners and we are in this together. It's all
about our community and we want our small businesses to thrive.

(22:23):
And for us to be able to do that, we've
got to be.

Speaker 2 (22:28):
Engines if you will, to drive them to where a
location would be a good location for their business. You know,
we've we've learned that location, location, location, right, and so
we're we're working on it. We're working on it. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (22:43):
Well, and it takes all of us.

Speaker 2 (22:44):
And having a small business imposium at the mall, it
was a perfect fit, right, it was a great fit. Well.

Speaker 1 (22:50):
And if you're at the mall, you can hop right
on over because First Financial has a location right there.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
The park lie right in the parking lot.

Speaker 1 (23:01):
So as you go get inspired at your small business
symposium and you have a small business idea thought, you
want to expand. One of the things that I love
about First Financial Bank and Rebecca dust you are one
of the senior vice presidents. Is that that's the focus.
I mean, First Financial is so connected with small business

(23:26):
here and a part of wanting to participate in encouraging
that and.

Speaker 3 (23:31):
Helping them in that, right, we are you know, our
entire organization is very community based and relationship based. That
is kind of what we pride ourselves on. And you know,
we emphasize that to employees coming in and making sure
that they fit into that culture. You know, that is
one of our non negotiables, is that we are out

(23:54):
building relationships and giving back to our communities. And there's
really no better way to do that than to start
with those small businesses.

Speaker 1 (24:02):
Well, and you are a community bank, even though First
Financial is a Texas bank and there are there are
First Financial banks all over Texas. Yes, but one of
the things that I think is so unique is that
it's still very much so a community bank because every
different community really makes the decisions for that board of

(24:25):
directors makes the decision for that community, and it starts.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
Right here, right And that is so true data and
I think a lot of people don't understand that about
our organization. We are about fourteen billion in assets and
have seventy nine branches across the state of Texas, but
here locally, we operate as our own region. We have
our seven local branches. Just broke ground on our eighth

(24:49):
future location, which we're very excited about. But we have
our own president and CEO here in Orange, Texas, Blane Kaye.
We have our ten local directors that are all business
people here in Southeast Texas, and that allows us to
really have products and services that are specialized for our community,

(25:13):
and those decisions are made locally. Our lending decisions are
made here locally. You know, we can talk rates here
locally because First Financial understands that the communities here in
Southeast Texas have different needs than communities in Abilene or Herford, Texas.
And so the way our organization is set up really

(25:36):
allows us to individualize that and it really is what
sets us apart from other banks our size.

Speaker 1 (25:44):
Well, but First Financial competes with bigger banks in that
nationally they're like in the top three, you think.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
Absolutely in the entire nation.

Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yes, I believe the past ten years we have been
which is amazing, and I really think it's part of
our structure that allows us to do that. You know,
but we operate as a community bank, but we still
have the products and services that you might find at
other larger banks that you might not normally see in
a local community bank, from our treasury management products to

(26:17):
our lending products, our mor mortgage products, all of those
are really you know, we are on the same playing
field with larger financial institutions.

Speaker 2 (26:28):
But may I mention we love that that is you know,
they haven't they are a preferred SBA lender, right, and
so that's important. Yes, absolutely, that's important for our small
business owners. So I enjoy working with their commercial lenders
and we are we are we do a lot with

(26:49):
First Financial and being a preferred SBA lender, we work
together on a lot of deals. And then then that's important,
you know, because you have to have a business plan
to get a business loan right, right, We help with
the business plan side of it, help with the financial
projections and get they get the small business owner lender ready,
that's what we call it, are you lender ready? And

(27:12):
it makes a good partnership.

Speaker 1 (27:14):
But the SBA loans also are a huge benefit. And
if your lender isn't a partner with them, then it's
almost impossible sometimes to be able to get that too.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Well, it makes it much easier if they're a preferred
SBA lender, right because they've done it before, because it
takes a lot of hoops to jump through. Well, it's
not so much the hoops, it's knowing what to do
and how to do it right. Right, It's the steps involved.
It's the steps involved, that's it. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (27:41):
Well, it is such a pleasure to have both of
you here talking about that today. One of the things
I wanted to let everyone know is that if you
are a small business person and you heard about the
symposium that's coming up, and did.

Speaker 2 (27:54):
We tell them today? I'm not sure. It's Thursday September eighteenth, Yeah,
I think it makes Thursday.

Speaker 1 (27:59):
Yeah, next Thursday, September eighteenth. We want to make sure
that you're there and if you are interested. It is
a full day at Central Mall Thursday September eighteenth, So
it's a full day. But what time does it start.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
The first session of classes start at nine o'clock. We
have a master class, it's a business plan master class
that will be at nine o'clock, and then we have
other trainings going on simultaneously with that. Those will start
at ten o'clock, but the luncheon will begin at eleven thirty, okay,
and we'll be done by one o'clock. And then the expo,

(28:37):
the business expo will open at nine o'clock.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
And tickets are thirty dollars.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
Is that clickets are thirty dollars?

Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yes, well, so if you're interested and you want to attend,
I just happen to have ten tickets that I'm going
to be giving away. So if you would like to
be able to get a ticket to the Small Business Symposium,
or if you need to if you have a business
partner that you want to go with, you, go onto
my website at Danasimmons real Estate dot com. You can

(29:06):
register and let them know that you would like to
register for the tickets. Or I'll go ahead and make
a Facebook post as well that you can post on
my Facebook page that you're interested in those tickets. I
will have a drawing and we'll let you know the
ten people who are selected to be able to get

(29:27):
those tickets. So if you're interested, go to Dana Simmons
real Estate dot com or the Data Simmons real Estate
Facebook page and register for a free ticket, or if
you need to let me know if you want to,
and I'll put that in there as well when we
come back. We're going to wrap up the show today
and you're not going to want to miss the end.
This is Dana Simmons with the Dana Simons Show. Welcome back.

(29:49):
This is Dana Simmons, and we have had a wonderful show.
I have Dana Espinol with the SBDC at Lamar University
State College Port author and also Rebecca Ducet, the senior
vice president with First Financial Bank. We've been talking all
about small business. Now, if you've missed much of the
show today, do you know you can go to the
KLVI Podcast center and search Dana Simmons Real Estate and

(30:12):
this show will be on the podcast so you can
listen again. If you were like, oh wow, all that
information Dana gave I need that, you can go back listen,
write it all down, or just reach out to her directly.
You can reach her at four nine nine eight four
six five three zero, or you can google the SBDC
at Lamar or Lamar State College Port author. I wanted

(30:35):
to wrap up by talking about the fact that while
y'all are super involved in small business and helping businesses
get started. You're also very involved in what.

Speaker 2 (30:46):
The community does.

Speaker 1 (30:47):
And one of the things I know that Rebecca you
guys do with First Financial is that you serve the
community year round. But then there is a focus on
one day.

Speaker 3 (30:58):
Yes, I'm so Columbus date is a federal holiday that
Federal service closed, most banks are closed, and First Financial
began ten years ago. Taking that day is a day
for our employees to give back to our communities, so
on leave. This year, it's Monday, October thirteenth, we will

(31:20):
have approximately fifteen hundred employees across the state of Texas
going out and giving back to local nonprofits, working with.

Speaker 2 (31:29):
Cities on beautification projects.

Speaker 3 (31:33):
And this is our tenth anniversary and we're very excited
that this year we are actually partnering with the Texas
Bankers Association. They have picked this up as a project
that they wanted, you know, to get all local banks
in the state of Texas involved with and we are
excited to see exactly how that plays out and to see,

(31:58):
you know, to get all of our brother bankers and
sister bankers involved in these projects with us going forward.
It is a day that really makes a meaningful impact
in our communities. You know, in the past ten years,
we've done projects with Stable Spirit. After Hurricane Harvey, we

(32:20):
actually helped people clean out their homes.

Speaker 2 (32:23):
We put dry wall up.

Speaker 3 (32:25):
We've worked with United Way, we have raised money for
one hundred club. This year, we will be working with
Sleep in Heavenly Peace here in Beaumont, which is a
wonderful nonprofit group, and we will be building beds for
young children. We are collecting at all seven of our
local locations bed in a bags for twin sized beds

(32:50):
to so because not only will we build the beds,
but we will actually get to deliver those beds in
the afternoon as well and making sure that all of
those beds have bedding.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
But really, it's a day that you know, it's amazing.

Speaker 3 (33:03):
To watch our you know, we're bankers during the day,
but when we can all get together and really serve
our communities and give back those eight hours, it just
makes a meaningful impact, not only to our community, but
to our employees as well.

Speaker 1 (33:17):
Absolutely, and you're collecting those bed and bags at all
seven locations, would you remind us where are those locations?

Speaker 3 (33:24):
Yes, So, we have a location in Orange on North
sixteenth Street, at the corner of sixteenth Street in Park.
We are located on Main Street in vider right past
Market Basket. We have a location on Highway twelve in Mauriceville.
Right I don't know my directions very well, but right

(33:45):
past the intersection of sixty two and twelve. I'm going
back towards Deweyville. We have a location on Rusk Street
in Newton, right down in the downtown area of Newton.
We are located on Central Mall Drive in Port Arthur,
right next to Central Mall. We are located on Dollan
Road here in Beaumont, right across from the new Beaumont

(34:08):
bon And Joint. And then we are on North la
Just Drive in Lumberton, right past the high School and
the new location. And our newest location will be at
the corner of College in eighth Street, right down from
Baptist Hospital and across the street from Lava Keta. And
we're super excited about that location.

Speaker 1 (34:25):
Yeah, absolutely so. Anywhere you are, you're not far from
a first financial Baklee.

Speaker 3 (34:30):
Yes, ma'am.

Speaker 1 (34:31):
Well, it's been a pleasure having you on the show today.
Thank you so much for joining us and for the
work that you do. Not only at First Financial, but
in our community to make it a better place to live.
And Dana one more time, Dana Espanol with the SBDC,
tell us about that small Business Symposium that's coming.

Speaker 2 (34:49):
Up next week, next Thursday, September eighteenth. We've got a
full day of the Small Business Symposium. Tickets are available.
You can go to the website, the SBDC website, or
you can go to call me. You can call me
at what's the number four oh nine, Thank you sixty

(35:14):
five three zero. Haven't had enough coffee yet this morning
and call us and we'll give you the details on
how to secure a ticket. The ticket is for the
luncheon and it's a great value for a full day
of networking training, small business trainings, having a nice lunch,
enjoying a keynote speaker, interacting with other small businesses, getting resources,

(35:41):
and participating in the expo. So we look forward to
having you out at Central Mall there on three sixty
five between Niederlin and Fort Arthur and come and see us.
We'd love to see you next week.

Speaker 1 (35:55):
Well, and you'll be out there. So if anyone has
questions about the things that you've talked about, to day,
they may be able to say, hey, can I make
an appointment?

Speaker 2 (36:02):
Absolutely, walk up, shake my hand, say hello, tell me
who you are and how I can help you.

Speaker 1 (36:08):
And that's one of the things that I love about
what you guys do is we were talking about in
the in the break that what you do is free
no cost. No, it's not free, that's right. It costs someone,
but it doesn't cost someone who's trying to do a
small business.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (36:23):
Project. So your services are offered at no cost to
those who are considering doing a lot of different things,
creating a business plan, getting ready to start a small business.
And so if that's you, if you're thinking I have
a great plan, but I don't know how to implement it,
that's one of the things you guys can help with.

Speaker 2 (36:43):
That's what we're here for.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
Absolutely well, so excited. If you want a ticket to
that small business imposium, go to my website, Dana Simmons
real estate dot com, or go to our Facebook page
and let me know that you're interested in that. You're
also welcome to call my office and one of my
team members. Hey, write this name down until Daana, I
want a ticket four nine eight six six eight three,

(37:07):
two six. If we have more than ten people who
want tickets, I'll put your names in a drawing and
I'll pull out ten of those to thirty dollars ticket.
So go register for one of those and hopefully you'll
be able to attend that on Thursday, September eighteenth at
Central Mall. Well, in the beginning of the show, I
promised you i'd give you a little tip about what's

(37:29):
going on in real estate, Well, I will tell you
the market has softened a little in the upper end.
So if you are a seller and you're waiting for
the perfect buyer to fall in love with your house
in today's market, it's not happening. Patience is not a virtue.
It is going to cost you money in the end.

(37:50):
So houses are taking longer to sell than they did
a year ago, and it is requiring many times a
price drop now and every market it's different in every
location and every price point. So if you're saying, okay, Dana,
what about for me, Well, let's take a look at
the data. One of the things that I love to

(38:11):
do is to show you the data. The data doesn't lie,
I can't create it. I was talking to a seller
just this last week. And while I would love to
sell your house for more than what the market is
saying it's worth, we can try it, but I can
tell you it's probably not going to happen. Buyers are
savvy these days. They are looking at the market just

(38:32):
like you are. A lot of homeowners today are overshooting
their list price and they think, well, I can always
come down, I can always reduce. That is a strategy.
It's not the best strategy. When you do that, you're
going to find yourself having buyers who are wondering what's
wrong with it whenever you do come down on your price.

(38:52):
So if you're unsure and you want to talk to somebody,
we love to visit with you. There are property there
are some properties that are selling for asking price and above,
but there are not as many properties doing that as
those that are needing to be reduced. So give us
a call. Four oh nine eight sixty six eight three
two six. Let's talk to you specifically about what your

(39:14):
situation is and let us guide you in that process.
It has been a pleasure to have my guests here
today and to have you listening. Hope you have a
wonderful Saturday. This is Dana Simmons with The Dana Simmons
Show