Got busy, blog went to the wayside (sorry, clients to make happy)... Anywho, anyone wondering how the $8000 tax credit has affected our local real estate market?
It has been fascinating watching how this $8000 tax credit has affected the real estate market in the Omaha, NE. It has seen a swing and sway. It has been steadier with showings all around, but I have never seen such frenzy for homes under $120k. It is downright ridiculous. I have agents calling ahead of time to see if it's still for sale because all the others they have called on have gone under contract....This I like to hear. Nothing quite like hearing you lost out on yet another home to put a fire under a buyer to submit an offer (hopefully on my listing next)!
FASCINATING SCENARIO 1:
There have been some casualties to this madness. I have two distinct clients that their house sat on the market for a month or two, so when we got an offer, they accepted one lower than they had hoped because they were ready to move on with their lives and cut their losses...
Well, low and behold, during the period of inspection while freshly pending, I had this seriously ridiculous uptick in calls from every buyer wanting to write an offer on the house. I mean I was almost being stalked by the clients and their agents because they wanted to know if it looked like it was going to go through. My question for them is, "Where the heck were all of you the past month or two when we were just waiting for an offer to cross my desk???"
Each of these clients had outstanding homes; priced well, showed well, marketed well (of course), I mean dream listings. The buyers were on the same schedule it seems, everyone was swarming come March and then again in September. The other months were busy, but those two months were literally fanatic, people were going crazy to get offers in and see houses...But this was sad for 2 of my clients in some ways because they missed the frenzy by a couple days and maybe could have gotten more from the frenzy...Hindsight is 20/20. You don't know if it will truly happen until it does.
FASCINATING SCENARIO 2:
I had this adorable first home buyer Hearthstone home, Monticello plan in Carriage Hill. A couple weeks in we got competing offers...I realize that in coastal areas (OR anywhere HGTV films, don't get me started on HGTV and how people think its really how it works HERE) competing offers can be a normal occurrence...We live in Omaha, NE and people here are CONSERVATIVE. When an offer is on the table, they back away, shrug their shoulders, and say something like "humph, guess it wasn't meant to be".
Did you hear me: I HAD COMPETING OFFERS and yet neither of the people came in with full price offers! What the?! Then we went back and forth, one and then the other several times and still NO FULL PRICE OFFERS with closing costs as a concession? What the?! This is every seller and agent's dream. It was absurd. We put the deal together on one of them. It was a good deal, but really, really???!!! I really thought even full price with closing costs paid should have been feasible. Madness I tell you.
(I also must sidenote: the home was priced $6000 below what they paid for it in '05, just to give you an idea of prices in this market)
FASCINATING SCENARIO 3:
While this has been the busiest time I have literally ever seen in the business (psst, I started about 5 years ago when the impending crash media was starting) There are buyers everywhere.... Common sense would tell you that by supply and demand, that prices would be driven up by this demand...And that, my friend is where you would be wrong. Pricing has still had to remain low and offers, oh my, the offers have been coming in the lowest I have seen in years (and there has been a lot of bad times over the years)...Lots of buyers indeed, but not the kind around here, with our conservative nation, that is going to dare overpay for anything. They may want to buy, but they are not getting in to bidding wars, paying full price, or even full price when they are competing against another couple. They still want the entire farm, the cattle, the sheep, and your dog Jack over there to boot...And maybe if you're lucky they won't ask for your first born son.
It has been FASCINATING! I think the $8000 tax credit worked wonders for our local market, but it may have squeezed out all the buyers that would have been next years buyers, but again, we won't know that until it happens. My prediction is fairly bleak. I think people were optimistic, got out of hiding from all the fear the media has produced, and were buying/ selling again with some joy and fervor. However, I think we might hear crickets chirp when it comes to a screeching halt, we will all hold hands and look at one another blinking, anxiously waiting to see how it all plays out once the tax credit expires.
It's true, I switched companies to Prudential to join Tasha Moss and be a part of Urban Omaha. I have a blog on here ranting and raving about my other company. Well because how can you diss RE/MAX, they are a fantastic company...They are franchise, locally owned and each office varies by the Broker's personality, goals, and motivations. I wasn't looking to switch, but when the opportunity arose to join a leading team in Omaha, how can one say no? I am so pleased to have joined Tasha AND Prudential. All the things I loved about being with a National company hold true with Prudential. On top of that, Vince Leisey, the owner/ broker is a superb guy to deal with as he is supportive, creative, forward thinking, and constantly on the go (literally) staying on top of the real estate game.
Tasha Henninger- Moss and I are a great match as far as working on a team goes. We are similiar in personality style, business, and demeanor. Joining a team affords me to grow without feeling the growing pains, which we all know are when you start getting so busy you need to hire someone, but you are so busy you don't have the time to deal with hiring and training someone, but then in the lulls, you are still stuck paying someone... She has all the systems in place to be big without the painful growing pains. She has been a top agent in Omaha and nationally with her business.
Real estate is a lonely business, we are all independent contractors working in the same pool of buyer and sellers, so there is very little shared with other agents on how exactly we all work, do our presentations, and the like. Sadly most of our knowledge of our local, fellow agents is gleamed off of the materials they leave behind with our now client and what our client who also knows them or interviewed them has to say. Word of mouth can be defeating for some and the shining star for others...Us agents believe the customer, so then our opinions are also formed by the interaction.
Being a part of a team has been a huge blessing to have someone that actually has a vested interest in covering me when I am out of town or need help with an open because a child got sick. All that does is translate into better service for the client. Better service for the client means better business for me and MORE business for me. Top service should be our only goal in this business. On top of that, running by the everyday issues that arise in real estate is having several great agents collaborating and we all have the motivation and goal to help each other out.
Shuttles will run from Village Pointe, so shop the Farmer's Market, hop on a shuttle to view cutting edge homes incorporating eco-friendly building and design as well as lifestyle. The homes will feature tips, tricks, and products that you can incorporate easily into your own life. Going green is much easier than people imagine it to be.
Held 9am -1pm from Village Pointe shopping center. The tour will showcase four west Omaha homes, three of which have undergone a series of green home improvement projects. The fourth home on the tour is a new Energy Star Home. Free shuttle service to the homes will be available at Village Pointe. Tour goers are encouraged to carpool, walk, cycle or take the bus to Village Pointe and use the tour shuttle.
New to the 2009 tour is an information fair at Village Pointe in conjunction with its weekly farmers market. Vendors will include area businesses and nonprofits interested in green living. In addition, Goodwill Industries will be accepting donations on site at Village Pointe throughout the tour, and tax receipts will be available.
It's an intimidating process to start going green, but as soon as you start you realize it was really so much easier and lifestyle changes are easy to make. Recycling that I had regrettably put off for years is shocking to me. I have so little trash after all the recyclables are out of it! It's good for my kids to see and learn as they grow. Elkhorn Sanitation has an amazing program called Curbside Rewards. I was paying for trash removal anyway. I spend $10 more a month, but also get it back in the rewards from recycling that they offer!
I am now on the steps to going more green everyday. All my lightbulbs are changed out, recycling grocery bags are in full effect, recycling is in full effect, I am growing a garden this year, trying to use less paper towels (ugh, this one was the toughest for me) and opting for wash rags, and I have gone vegetarian which is both an ecologically friendly AND body friendly thing to do. I highly recommend the book "Skinny Bitch" : )
It's easier than you think, so why not explore some more ideas into going Green by visiting the tour. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday out at Village Pointe!
Home for Sale: 13502 Taylor St, Omaha, NE 68164 Hillsborough Neighborhood
Open House Sunday 9/13/2009 3-5pm
This great home is tucked away on a quiet side street in the highly coveted Hillsborough neighborhood with its walking trails, parks, and excellent elementary and magnet junior high all located within its boundaries and walking distance.
The baths and kitchen have solid surface Corian countertops, tile throughout the entry and bath areas, a beautiful wood laminate in the kitchen. New sinks, A/C, roof, water heater, and an extended Service One warranty good through March of '10.
The rooms are all nice size, but the Master Suite will ASTOUND you. It is wide open and spacious, but then step into the Master bath and be swept away by its granduer with its jetted tub for 2, dual sink vanity, and his/ her walk in large closets. The Master Bath is HUGE & can't be captured in pictures-
HOME FOR SALE IN AUTUMN RIDGE, OMAHA, NE MILLARD WEST
17057 Weir St 68132
Open House: Sun 9/13/2009 12-2:30pm
Absolutely gorgeous, completely redone home in a fabulous Millard neighborhood. The back gate opens to the elementary schoolyard. The entire back lot line is treed for privacy on this HUGE corner lot!
Exterior has all new paint/ trim. Cover porch will greet you as you step inside the sheer site of these gorgeous, rich wood floors extending into the bath, laundry, kitchen, and dining room are stunning. No detail has been left undone.
The kitchen boasts all new appliances, fixtures, sink, granite counters, tiled backsplash, and cascades into the family room with all new carpet, a fireplace, and then walk out to the large deck.
All new carpet everywhere, all new paint everywhere, all new lighting and fixtures everywhere, all new wood floors, all new tile and granite in all the bathrooms, along with the fixtures and lighting. Are you getting the picture? It's like new construction in an established, gorgeous neighborhood in the heart of Millard West.
The Master Suite boast his/ her walk in closet, coffered ceiling, a sitting area in its expansive space...But then you walk into the Master bath and again you will see the delicate, masterful tilework laid throughout the whirlpool tub, shower, and floor. Vaulted ceilings, an expansive picture window, and the dual sink granite vanity is really going to wow you.
You think all this for this little price? In that neighborhood?! That's right, so you better get a move on to see it for yourself.
Guest Bath Upstairs pictured above with its dual vanities in granite!
I have 3 little pork chops. My little love bugs ages 8, 5, and 2...And when I am trying to find a place to go, the internet is my favorite place to search for ongoings and tips on the best kid activities to do in Omaha. So here I am with my own list of TOP THINGS TO DO IN OMAHA WITH KIDS:
Here are the givens of things to do with kids, but beyond this I will get further in to less well known venues:
1. Henry Doorly Zoo: This zoo is absolutely amazing. It is spread far and wide with new attractions being built all the time. Omaha prides this city on our top notch zoo. The butterfly exhibit is breathtaking with the fluttering, gorgeous butterflies flitting all around you. The new gorilla complex is outstanding and takes my favorite badge. I particularly like that so many of the exhibits are indoor/ outdoor, since we do live in a climate that has ALL seasons. This zoo has so much to offer year round. You can spend one afternoon just enjoying the aquarium, jungle, or desert dome and barely leave the zoo's entrance.
2. Omaha Children's Musuem: The Omaha Children's Museum has an all new look, revamped by my husband's top notch company, Kiewit Construction (Building Group), gotta give a little shout out to their great work! Oh the hours that can be spent here. You can spend one whole day just doing one little exhibit they have tucked into each little section of this place.
There is the water area (don't worry, they provide raincoats, not that it helps sometimes), a grocery store with realistic foods, boxes, and with true mini carts they can go through the "check-out" that has a working conveyor belt (so cute!)...Or the ball-o-mania that is every kid's favorite. They stuff balls through these tubes that get pushed by air up through all these neat twirls into a giant bin, once it hits a certain mark, an alarm starts sounding, the kids scramble to get beneath it as its mouth opens and drops all the balls onto the kids below. There is a playhouse, a specified infant area half walled off on its own, so you can have an infant playing and watch your older ones run around. They can milk a cow, pick corn, deliver mail, put on a play, have a puppet show, make a video of themselves as news reporters, and there are rotating exhibits that go on upstairs. I highly recommend getting a membership. If you go more than twice a year, it pays for itself in most cases. Ditto on the zoo pass!
3. City of Omaha Splash Parks:Hey this one is free and sooo fun! Find the one nearest you, slap on a swimsuit and splash away
4. Elmwood Park: Here nestled in the heart of Omaha is a great park with a public pool (baby pool fenced in- yippee) a huge green space where you will find on any given day, bands practicing, bag pipes playing, people acting out Mid-Evil Times, a great sandy park in the middle, a cheap public golf course to the rear, ample parking, trails galore weaving through the charming area known as Dundee. I love this park!
5. Fontenelle Forest Nature Center:If you haven't been to fontenelle in a while, its time to go. They have this adorable "Mud Pie" program that is Tues/ Thurs, about $2/child for a few hours of creative play. Indoors is a new craft each time, places to dig and find fake insects, a pet rabbit, a snack, TONS of educational toys and play, a cave with chirping crickets, frogs, and all. OUTDOORS: is this wonderful trail area that has educational spots where you match up leaves or there is a pile of true sticks to build something out of, or musical instruments made out of natural things.
6. Kids Create Their Own Pizza: Old Chicago, California Pizza Kitchen will gladly host a group of kids to give a restaurant tour to where the kids then get to create and bake their own pizza! Gather some friends and set it up.
7. Elkhorn Common Ground: This community center has classes for 2 yr old to 10 yr olds about 30-45 minutes each, some back to back named such cool things as: Lego Mania, kid yoga, tumbling, gym fun, tetherball, arts & crafts.
Be back with more soon...So much to cover, so little time : )
I understand the importance of being on facebook, twitter, and this lovely active rain, but why do I still get the creeps when I think about all the people listening, reading, looking at my pictures, all anonymously??? I kind of feel like I am being stalked... But I am the one putting it out there. It's me allowing the stalking. I love connecting with people. Heck, I love reading other people's blogs being the stalkee : ) But with all this anonymous following I apparently have, I have no idea how to gage what people think of my content. Do they hate me or love me? I mean, I am the kind of person that goes all in. If I am joining a community, then I contribute because I hate people that don't...It's a community afterall, and I have never been one to shirk my responsibility to do my part because I like reading others' status updates and viewing pictures, so I add my own in my full personality, transparent glory...
But then there is that other part of me that just shivers at the thought of someone pulling up my profile with friends around their computer to show them something on my website, and I just cringe at the thought of my kids or myself being viewed in other peoples' home. Someone could be looking at all my information right now and probably are....And don't get me wrong, I wouldn't post anything I would hate to be seen, of course.
Then there is that humble, shy side of me (doesn't come out often) that really thinks I am getting worked up over nothing. I am really not that friggin important that anyone would want to stalk me. My number one problem with becoming active in Twitter I think is this: Really does anyone care what I am doing from this moment to the next? It feels somewhat self absorbing.
I took a class with Brad Andersohn from Active Rain, put on by our Board of Realtors. It was a GREAT class. I read about, watched on line videos about blogging and social networking, but didn't quite understand how this was going to lead to any referrals. I mean if I am going to spend my time at this and pour my heart into it, I want to see some darn referrals, right?
What Brad hit home for me is that even if it isn't about getting a lead from my blog or active rain, it is sending me up the search engine optimization. The more I blog about events, points of interest about my local area, the more people will read it. I hope to give something of value, and if not, at least a good read.
Let's just start with, I still have no idea what I am doing blogging, but like all things, I just dove in and started doing it. I get down when I look at other people's blogs and they have comments galore. My sad little blog gets few comments...Yet I watch the statistics and there are a ton of people reading it, so why is nobody commenting? And more importantly, who are these people anyway?
What I have seen is that everyone has their own style. Someone that status updates about literally what they are doing every couple minute about what they are actually doing, B-O-R-I-N-G. Bloggers that are all informational I find so impressive, but they too are a little boring. I might like the content, but when you can't gage a persons personality, I guess that's what blogging is about. I hope the people that are attracted to my overly personalized style are the people I want to work with. Someone that is attracted to different things and think my posts are obnoxious, well its probably good to figure that out early on.
So I guess I will keep getting creeped out every once in a while since my voice and personality can be heard through my posts and they seem to be getting read, which is truly what I want anyway otherwise I wouldn't post it right, sheesh, is that confusing or what?
Anywho, keep on stalking because like I said I like stalking back. Social networking may give me the creeps, but it also brings me hours of entertainment and enjoyments...So I hope I give back!
Colleen Woodward
REMAX The Producers
www.ColleenWoodward.com (see I even have a website, I am so weird that I love it and hate it)
I have this absolutely fabulous, affordable condo for sale at 2315 Harney St #302. It is 2 bedrooms, almost 1000 square feet, AND has a view....Now your thinking it must be pricey for all those things make the price of condos high...Nope, only $118,900.
That includes:hardwood Bamboo flooring, granite tile counters, cherry stained color cabinets, frieze carpeting in the bedrooms, ceramic tiled bathroom in a complex completely redone in 2006. It is a hidden gem just off Harney (the main road to everything downtown). It has gated, plentiful parking, gated courtyard. It is truly the best value in a condo. It covers all the bases that makes condo living stink. Space..Parking...No washer/dryer in the home...No good view unless you spend a fortune...But here you get all of that. This condo in Downtown Omaha is amazing and wonderful for downtown living.
I mean this condo truly rocks. It would be perfectly suited for any single or couple that works downtown or midtown. And I will be holding it open this coming Saturday, May 30th, 2009 from 10-4pm during the Downtown Omaha Condo Living Tour. All the condos on tour are new construction hosted by the developers. This condo that will be on its own on your way in or out of downtown IS a resale condo. Not new...And waaay better priced than anything you will see.
Fence Sitting Defined: A person that doesn't know when to make the decision he/she wants to make so rather than make a decision to go forward or back, they do nothing. Just keep sitting, waiting for what they hope will be a gleaming, blaring sign that they should make a move...
I AM YOUR BLARING LIGHT! If you live in the Omaha, NE area and have been considering moving, but don't want to sell your house because you have been hearing all the horrors of the market, and yet you are rapidly outgrowing your house or wanting something else. NOW is the TIME people.
Let me break it down to you...If you need to sell a house, well it should have been on the market in February when we started to feel the pull of an upswing in showings and activity. March, April, May became huge months for those lookers that were out in February began closing on the homes they found.
1. Obama's stimulus package of the $8000 credit, completely FREE money that a first time home buyer is getting after buying their first home has made the buyers creep out of the corners to make their move. It was time to strike. This stimulus only goes until November 2009 as of right now. First Home Buyers are on the prowl.
My house isn't a first home buyer price, your response might be...Really?! Really?! I just sold a $750,000 home to first home buyers...They were both newly graduated DOCTORS. Trust me, there are first home buyers in every price range...While it is more normal to see it below the $200k mark, yes that is true, but the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th home buyers that are getting out of their house to sell to the first home buyer are now in the higher price range and looking for their move up. This stimulus is helping everyone get out and move up.
2. Home prices of homes in Omaha that are for sale, they are still at low prices. You are not going to overpay for a house if you are smart. There are still too many distressed homeowners that have to dump their house, so you can still see lots of options for getting a bargain on the buying...
Let's see, so far we have covered that it is great time to sell because there are more buyers in the market right now than we have seen in years AND for buying prices are still low... And the number 3, but also equally number one reason is...
3. Low interest rates. DO NOT be blase about interest rates...They MATTER! For each 1/2 percent difference that rate goes up, you qualify for thousands less of a home than you would if your rate were 1/2 a percent lower. This means low rates, a fixed low payment AND you qualify for a bigger, better house.
So what in the world are you waiting for??? Get your house on the market NOW...Because in all truth, it should have been on yesterday, as in like a month or two ago! Quit giving excuses and ACT. Now. Stop reading this, get off your bum, have a conversation with your loved ones and start decluttering your house, call me to get a FREE market analysis and overview of what selling your home will entail and let's get a sign in the yard already!
I went to do a search under the domain name registry, low and behold found the agent, Mr. Dirk Blume to own the domain bouncemylisting.com, which I am sure you may have seen one of their many, polluting, illegal mini billboard (yard signs) along a street you drive. Unless they are seriously paying the permit to put all the signs around town, eek, that is illegal. I mean, we as agents really aren't even supposed to put our two little signs at the entrances of the neighborhood (and they almost always get taken, so we leave them down), so while I don't speak with righteousness completely, I also don't put up hundreds of signs around town, polluting the scenery of every corner and open space along the road.
Aside from that, bouncemylisting.com claims to put you in contact with 3 "top agents" in the Omaha Area, here is the problem I have with this website and its facade...
1. My guess is the the agents that collaborated on this are really using the facade to get listings of their own.
2.I saw a few agents I would hardly call "Top" because how much an agent sells does not mean they will offer you top service, care about you, may be kind of shmucks to work with, and they may not care about your needs, just closing a deal so they get paid... Especially if they are taking on more of a workload than can be handled to service clients properly.
3. I did not see MANY of the true top agents in our area that I personally have worked with, respect, and know serve their clients well. (My definition of a TOP Agent is not one who lists lots of houses, but sells them... Someone that offers top notch service...Someone that cares about their client because this makes every move they make one that is truly in their clients best interests, not on getting the deal closed- Make no mistake, there is a difference here : )
4. And if they were really sending you the "top agents" this site is one that charges a fee to these agents. If the agents are really getting that much business on their own, they would not be interested in paying someone a fee to give them business they could likely get on their own, without paying anyone a referral fee and sneaking dollar bills out of their back pocket.
***But Most of All, "Top Agents" using this site for referrals really doesn't make sense... It costs them money AND they get forced into competing with 2 other agents (that are supposedly good)...the statistics tell us most people don't interview 3 agents, let alone have to compete against a good competitor when they do. I mean if I were to compete, put me against any of the other 1000 mediocre agents, ya know, the ones that have other full time jobs...Or the ones that just started and haven't sold a lick...J/K but you see my point, right?
Instead, Find Your Agent on Your Own Accord: Research agents, interview them, read their on-line blogs, websites, take a peek at their listings to see if they do a good job marketing them, ask for referrals from people who are same minded as you (family, friends), talk to agents to see who you fit with and most importantly TRUST.
You have to trust the person they will do you right no matter what. Real estate transactions are tricky and honestly, consumers do not see or hear the negotiations that go on behind closed doors. You have to trust the person above all else, is truly working in your best interests ONLY. If your sister is in real estate, sells several homes a year but may not be the highest producing, well she is going to look after you better than any stranger. Selling the most homes is not in direct correlation to being a "great, outstanding, top agent" so please do not be fooled by this website and choose an agent for yourself that fits your needs.
Sorry, I just like truth and think the public should know what's really going on behind the curtain....Is it truly a real estate wizard or just a guy with a slick website, calling out over a loud speaker with smoke and mirrors...You decide for yourself...I'm just sayin : )
If you would like to interview or talk with myself about any real estate questions or needs, I am more than happy to accommodate. Learn more about my by visiting my website: www.ColleenWoodward.com. Colleen Lang Woodward
Selling Real Estate for the Cure (in partnership with the Susan G. Komen foundation)
real estate, omaha, elkhorn, la vista, papillion, bellevue, gretna, new construction, existing, homes in omaha, advice, for sale by owner, home buying, home selling
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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