Parker County Today Aug 2018 | Page 52

THE REAL DEALS The Master Communicator Matt Milligan, Owner, Trinity Country Real Estate Weatherford since 2008 E 50 very real estate professional has an obvious strength. Mike Milligan’s is knowledge of properties in Parker County. “That and my negotiation skills,” Milligan said. “It’s easy to get a property under contract. It’s another thing to get it closed. You have to be patient and creative during the negotiation and closing process. Communication is the key… Never assume someone else is on the same page.”  Milligan is also highly creative and can visualize what a difference even the smallest improvements can make in a property. “You can put a pond here, an arena there; I can paint a picture,” Milligan said.  Building relationships is one of the main keys to his success. “I still hear from people I sold land to 17 years ago that want to talk about what to plant, or do I have a suggestion of who can help them build a tank. I help with day-to-day questions from people that I sold land to years and years ago.” His love and appreciation of the land is another key. Milligan grew up in a ranching family. A native of Nebraska, he came to Texas in 1999 with his family’s cattle business, and after traveling to all the ranches where they sold cattle, Matt knew he wanted to be in the country real estate business in Texas. He received his real estate license in 2001 and since that time has negotiated over 100,000 acres in ranch property and has sold multi-million-dollar equine facilities.  Right now, he is developing a number of sub-divisions in and around Parker County. Milligan was drawn to real estate by his love of the land. “I think it’s my passion for being outdoors and the quality of people that you meet on a day-to-day basis,” Milligan said. “Real estate is definitely not for everyone.” The long hours, the numerous nights and holidays that realtors work while almost everyone else plays, 100-hour work weeks that are seven days long happen more frequently than not, are all factors that tend to repel a lot of people. But, Milligan finds that the things he enjoys most about his work far outweigh the hours. “If I was doing anything else, working those type of hours, I would have switched professions years ago,” he said. “I simply love what I do, so most days feel like vacations, even though I might be in the truck or office for 12 hours. When I have customers walk in that I sold prop- erty to 15 years ago and still ask for recommendations, it makes me feel good inside. All of my closest friends are customers that first came to me looking for property way back when.”  Milligan recalls one extraordinary man in particular that he met in the course of his career. “Years ago a local rancher decided he was going to retire and he wanted to downsize,” Milligan said. “This man was a legend in the Peaster/ Poolville area. He drove me around to all of his properties and wanted me to let him know what they were worth. As we finished looking and headed back to the house I noticed a moving truck in the driveway. I said, ‘Sir, you weren’t messing around when you said you were retiring.’ He looked at me and said, ‘That must be momma, I didn’t call a moving truck.’ I looked at him and said, ‘You might want to run this by momma first. It doesn’t look like she wants to move.’ Long story short, they stayed happily married and to this date one of the sweetest, most loving couples I know of. The husband passed away a few years back, but I’m blessed to have known him and to keep in touch with his lovely wife on a monthly basis.” The trend in Parker County that Milligan finds most intriguing is the prices of property, both land and home values. “I’ve always liked to travel with the family around the world,” Milligan said. “When we get to our destination, the first thing I pick up is some form of a real estate maga- zine showing the local properties for sale. It just blows my mind what people have