Here’s something I’ve learned after attending a LOT of new construction inspections: The name on the builder sign doesn’t always tell you what kind of quality you’re going to get. 👀 I’ve attended inspections on homes built by builders with less-than-stellar reputations that were some of the B

Some homes are worth waiting for. 🏡❤️ Nearly a year ago, this family started searching for their very first home. We explored different areas, different types of homes, new builds, resales, and everything in between. There were a lot of houses along the way, but the goal was never just to buy

One minute we were staring out the window of the bullet train completely in awe as we passed Mt. Fuji… and the next we were confused and terrified. 😳🇯🇵 For the next 15 minutes, we just sat there waiting, with absolutely no idea if we were about to experience a major earthquake or if we’d simply

I’m already missing the food in Japan. 😭🇯🇵 And I mean ALL of it. Literally everything we ate was delicious. The konbini egg sandwiches 🥚 Takoyaki 🐙 Tanghulu 🍓 Ramen 🍜 Mochi 🍡 Onigiri 🍙 Okonomiyaki Fluffy pancakes 🥞 Grilled squid 🦑 Matcha 🍵 Gyoza 🥟 And did I mention the WAGYU?! 🥩🤤

We spent two days in Hiroshima, and after dedicating one day to quiet reflection at the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum, we spent our other day exploring a completely different side of the city. 🇯🇵 One of our stops was the Little Pigs Cafe, where we got to hang out with the cutest lit

Our visit to the Atomic Bomb Dome & Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was one of the most somber stops of our trip to Japan. Elijah has always been interested in history, especially World War II, so this ended up being his favorite stop of the entire trip. Not because it was enjoyable, but bec

Osaka was a little bit of everything… and we loved it. 🇯🇵❤️ We ate our way through the markets, played way too many games in arcades that are NOTHING like the ones back home, watched a sumo wrestling show, wandered the aisles of Don Quijote, and experienced the absolute sensory overload that is

Super Nintendo World completely blew me away. 🍄⭐️ I’d heard over and over how incredible it was, but nothing could have prepared me for actually walking through that green tunnel and seeing it for the first time. I instantly felt like a kid again, and I don’t think I’ve had that much pure FUN in

There were plenty of familiar rides and attractions, but experiencing them completely in Japanese somehow made everything even more fun and exciting. 😂 Harry Potter World and Minions felt familiar, but Minions had an interactive ride we’d never done before. Then there was The Flying Dinosaur, wh

Dotonbori was WILD. 😂🇯🇵 The streets were absolutely jam packed with people, to the point that it was a little overwhelming, but that was also part of the experience! Bright lights and giant signs everywhere, endless shopping, so much good food, and something interesting to look at in every di

We got to watch mochi being made the traditional way, with the staff pounding it by hand and putting on quite the show while they did it. The energy was so much fun, and then Layla even got a chance to step in and try pounding the mochi herself! 😂 Of course, the best part was getting to eat it a

Kuromon Market was such a fun stop while exploring Osaka! 🇯🇵 The market was bustling with people, little shops, and SO much incredible food everywhere you looked. We basically ate our way through it. 😂 We had tanghulu (again), more gyoza, noodles, mochi, and of course, okonomiyaki. 🥟🍜🍡 One of

Fushimi Inari Shrine was pretty incredible to see in person! ⛩️ After two days at Disney, walking all over Tokyo and Kyoto, and hiking up the mountain to see the monkeys in Arashiyama… the stairs at Fushimi Inari had my dogs BARKING. 🦶😂 There are around 10,000 torii gates throughout the shrin

One of my favorite experiences in Japan so far! 🐒🇯🇵 We visited Arashiyama Monkey Park in Kyoto, and after a pretty steep hike up the mountain, we were rewarded with monkeys freely roaming all around us! Some were lounging around lazily picking at each other, while others were chasing each oth

We traded the busy city of Tokyo for the slower pace of the mountains in Hakone, Japan! 🇯🇵⛰️ We rode the ropeway up to Owakudani, an active volcanic valley that smells exactly how you’d expect a sulfur-filled volcanic valley to smell… like farts. 😜😂 While we were there, we tried the famous ku

One of the coolest parts was getting to experience everything that makes this park different from the ones back home. We rode attractions we don’t have in the U.S. like The Happy Ride with Baymax, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, and Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, mixed in with familiar favorites like P

Our Disney days in Japan started with checking into the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, which may officially be one of the most beautiful hotels we’ve ever stayed in. Someone may have actually cried when we walked inside. Ahem. 😂😭 We opted for an Alice in Wonderland themed room, which made the whole

CLOSED! 🎉🏡 And this closing was an extra special one. My clients have owned older homes before, but this was their first time buying BRAND NEW. They were a little nervous about what the new-build process would be like, but on closing day they told me it was the easiest home-buying transaction th