Real Estate Information Archive

The crack of the bat, a whiff of popcorn, the roar of the crowd when their favorite team makes a hit - it’s College World Series time in Omaha again. Omaha is hopping with out-of-town ball players and their fans.  It’s been steaming hot the last couple of days but the weatherman promises a bit cooler temps.  The festivities run through June 24, so buy a ticket and join the fun.

Summer is really and truly here in the Big O and the good news keeps coming.  Business Week named Omaha as one of the top 5 cities in the nation to make a new start.  The article cited location of new technology businesses in Omaha as well as the lively arts scene as the particular draws.  Reasonable housing prices were also mentioned as well as low unemployment (5% compared to 9+% nationwide) as reasons to relocate. 

Housing values in Omaha grew .4% in Omaha from a year ago.  That may not be much but most areas measured had negative values.  In fact, the national housing values fell by more than 6%.

If you’re considering relocating to Omaha metro area then give me a heads up.  I will send you a relocation package from CBSHOME Real Estate that’s really great.  I can send you information on area schools and even give you a tour of our great city.   Omaha is growing and it’s on the go.  Come join us and we’ll get you into a great home.

Tonight is the opening ceremony of the College World Series and tomorrow in Rosenblatt Stadium Stanford faces Florida State in the first game.  It’s an exciting time for all of us here in Omaha as well as for the members of all the college teams coming in to compete.  It’s a very special feeling for those players who make it here to Rosenblatt Stadium.  This year it’s even more awesome for those players who had to brave ferocious storms to get here. 

Wednesday night the Omaha Metro Area was pummeled by an enormous storm cell that contained torrential rains, damaging hail and deadly tornados.  Teams that were trying to fly in had to be rerouted and new arrangements made.  Happily, everyone arrived in one piece.

That was not the case for Scouts at a near-by Little Sioux Ranch Boy Scout Camp.  We lost four area Scouts during the storm and many more were badly injured.  This tragedy affected all of us waiting out the storm in our basements huddled around TVs or weather radios.  There are several benefit events being organized to help the victims and their families.  Please do what you can to help.  Our hearts and prays are with all the parents and families of the victims.  God bless us all.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has declared Omaha # 3 in the list of U.S. top cities in which to work and play.  They gave us the title of Paradise on the Plains.  Kiplinger devised a rigorous, number-crunching formula to come up with list of cities. Then the magazine sent a staffer to Omaha to see if the formula really held up.  It did!!

Omaha has been receiving a lot of positive attention lately. Recently, Steve Collison of the Kansas City Star wrote glowingly of Omaha’s downtown revitalization citing several big projects including the Holland Performing Arts Center, Mutual of Omaha’s Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, the proposed new ballpark for the College World Series, a pedestrian bridge across the Missouri, the Old Market and the expansion of Creighton University.  Omaha has also received great reviews from the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune with-in the last year.

As a long ago transplant from North Dakota, I’ve been impressed with Omaha’s dynamic growth for a long time.  These things don’t happen overnight.  Omaha has business leaders who have long put their money where their mouth is, civic leaders who are willing to drive change and a terrific, hard-charging Chamber of Commerce.  In Omaha many voices are heard including social service agencies and other non-profit volunteer groups.  If you have a great idea someone will hear you and work to get it done.  Don’t get me wrong, Omaha isn’t really paradise but it is a place of hard work and a belief that giving back to the community is everyone’s responsibility and privilege.

I’m proud that Omaha is getting the recognition it deserves.  The steamroller of revitalization must be kept running and Omaha is attracting the bright, strong people to make it happen long into the future.  Congratulations, Omaha.

I’d love to hear from you.  I have a comments section below.  Take a few minutes and let me know how you feel about Omaha, its present and future.  You can email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com or call me at 402-697-4251.