Real Estate Information Archive

Thanksgiving is the time to surround yourself with family and friends to enjoy a festive meal, lively conversation and watching the big game.  My family is no different but I wanted to find new way to make Thanksgiving special for my children.  So like most mothers today I hopped on the internet to check out a few great sites.

If you and your children are trivia fans then check out www.holidays.net/thanksgiving/index.  This site has it all. Facts and stories about Thanksgiving and celebrations throughout the country. The history of Thanksgiving is important to me so I checked out www.History.com/Thanksgiving.  A surprise site for me was at www.festivals.iloveindia.com/thanks-giving/presidential/after-lincoln/index.html. This site has proclamations by American Presidents starting with President Lincoln.  In these proclamations you can read how celebrations and the meaning of Thanksgiving changed through the generations.

For fun crafts, recipes, thanksgiving activities and video guides, check out www.FamilyFun.com/thanksgiving.  This site has information and lots of fun things to try.  We are living in the computer age and these sites can certainly enhance the experience for you and your family.  And everyone just might learn and thing or two.

Have a joyous Thanksgiving.

Everyone I meet asks me this question.  Let’s take a look at the numbers.  According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Inventory is down to 5,560 existing homes now listed.  This is down 22% from the end of October, 2007.  The number of homes sold and closed is down over 16% from last year.  The numbers look depressed but it is not all bad news.

As I’ve said before, if you can afford to buy now then do it.  You are going to get your best bargains now before the end of the year.  If you already have a home and would like to “move up” then consider this: you may take a small hit on your current home if you sell it now but, most likely, it will be off set by the gains you’ll realize when you buy your next home. 

You’re going to get a lot of home for your money in this housing market.  Certainly you need a clear head and a strong hand to guide you through this market.  It can be done and you can come out a winner.

I’m always ready to be your guide in this process.  Feel free to give me a call at 402-967-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.  I look forward to visiting with you.

November 11 is the day we have set aside to honor our Veterans especially honoring their duty and sacrifice.  Originally called Armistice Day, November 11 was set aside to honor Veterans in 1938 because it was the day of the end of WWI – November 11, 1918.  I learned all this and more at a wonderful website www.Military.com.  I would encourage you and your family to visit the website.

I also learned of ways to teach my children about Veterans Day.  A couple of my favorite ways was to encourage your children to interview the Veterans in their own families or among your friends.  This way, children can learn first hand what these family members did to serve their country.  The second idea was to have your children make thank you cards for the Veterans they know.  What a wonderful idea – fun, personal and so meaningful.

Our Veterans deserve our thanks and our honor of their personal sacrifices.  Take the time to tell them how much you appreciate them.  If you have a way you celebrate Veterans Day and the Veterans you know, please take the time to use the comments feature to let me know.  You’re also welcome to call me at 402-697-4851 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

It’s a gorgeous fall weekend here in Omaha and many of us are out working to make certain our homes are winterized.  It’s so important to protect what may be our greatest asset so I thought I’d give you a short checklist of items need to get set for winter blasts.

First, get your furnace inspected by a HVAC professional.  It’s definitely worth of the money to ensure you family’s comfort.  Also make certain you stock up on furnace filters and change them every month.  You might consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.  Every penny saved will be important during these difficult economic times.

Check out that fireplace.  Perhaps you should arrange to have it cleaned of soot and creosote build-up.  We’ve all read the dangers of carbon-monoxide.  Also, check the mortar between bricks.  It may have to be repaired or replaced.  While you’re at it makes certain the damper works properly.

Caulk all windows and install weather-stripping on outside doors.  You need to keep out cold drafts to keep down the heating bills.  Make certain your gutters and downspouts are clean and free-flowing.  If your able, check out the roof to see if any shingles or tiles need to be replaced.

Check your foundation for cracks and holes.  Get them filled up.  Be certain that dirt is  piled up against the foundation and all nearby edible vegetation is removed.  You don’t want to encourage pests.  Speaking of pests, it’s a good time to check for termite damage and dry rot as well.

Finally, service your equipment.  Drain the gas from your lawnmower.  Get your show blower tuned up.  Make certain your snow shovel is in good shape and stock up on some bags of ice-melt. 

If you need the names and numbers of any reputable vendors to help you with any of these tasks, please contact me at 402-97-4251 or email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com.  The sun is shining so get out there and batten down the hatches!

I don’t know what spooktacular plans you have for the week before Halloween but Omaha has some great events for the whole family.

Head on over to the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center for their Halloween with the Wild Things.  Embark on a journey with your friends and family in search of the elusive Great Pumpkin. Along the way, magical creatures will guide and entertain your family. Children ages 3-10 years are sure to enjoy this delightful celebration. To reserve a spot, contact Stacey Schmid at 731-3140, ext. 257. Payment is due prior to event ($5 @ for members and $8 @ for non-members). Plan to attend this Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. - rain or shine.

If you’re looking for something a bit tamer, then stop in at the Lauritzen Gardens for the Fall Chrysanthemum Show.  This gorgeous floral display continues through November 23. The show, “articulates the beauty of autumn with brightly colored, unique chrysanthemums, Japanese maples, several Japanese water features and the textures and rich colors of trees and shrubs.”

If your family likes scary movies, check out these.  Field Streams is showing two really spooky ones: Evil Dead by Director Sam Rami and Eyes Without a Face by Director George Franju.  The movies will be shown at the Ruth Sokoloff Theatre located at 1340 Webster Street.  Check the Field Stream’s website for movie times.

Whatever you do this week, I hope you and your little goblins have a terrific Halloween.

I have two active young children who play soccer, participate in scouts, play ball, etc.  I also work full-time in a job I love.  I have to admit I’m addicted to the buzz of my work life and let’s face it – there is always so much to do.  It’s nearly impossible for me to just relax and kick back.  Happily, I have the flexibility in my career to haul my kids to the doctor, dentist and attend those all important school functions.  Yet the balance of it all is a constant issue for me. 

I’m also an exercise freak as well.  I’m home from the gym before my family wakes up in the morning so I can help them get ready and drive them to school.  But my evening I’m ready to collapse so it’s difficult to gather the energy to go out with my husband and friends for dinner and a concert.

 My work coach insists I put aside one day a week to not work but play.  So far, this is not working for me.  It’s easier to just try to schedule family activities into my everyday routine than to set aside a particular day.  As I said earlier, I’m still trying to work all this out.  I love spending fun time with my family.  I love my work.  I’m so lucky.  I’m just need to find that balance…

What about you, my friends?  How do you balance out the demands of your life?  Use the comment form below to share your balance secrets with me.  I’d love to hear from you.  You can also call me at 402-697-4857 or email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com.

Every time I turn on the news or pick up a newspaper I learn of more dire economic news.  As all of you, it sickens me to hear it. But just when I feel despair I lift up my eyes and take a look around me.  While walking to the Midtown Crossing Sales Center, I see construction crews hard at work.  I see crowds of busy people rushing to meetings, offices and jobs. 

I see Omahans shopping for all kinds of good and services.  Best of all I see children caught up in school activities.  Families picnicking in area parks, enjoying the gorgeous fall weather and watching teams of youngsters playing soccer and football are everyday sights around town.  Thankfully, Nebraska isn’t plagued with a huge State deficit and the building blocks of growth and prosperity are still in place.  I believe we will weather the economic fallout but recovery won’t come too soon for most of us. 

All of the pundits are claiming this is the time to buy real estate.  They’re right.  If you are looking to invest, then housing is ripe for the picking.  The old adage, “Buy low and sell high,” is still the way to win the race for riches. 

For most of us this is the time to count our blessings and gather our families and friends around us.  Hang in there, my friends.  Remember, I’m here to help you whether you’re buying or selling.  Call me at 402-697-4251 or email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com.

Today the historic $700 billion bailout bill passed Congress and was signed into law by President Bush.  We have all read for months about the distressed housing market and woes in the financial industry.  I thought it might be illuminating to take a look at the past year of residential housing sales in Omaha.

It’s true that the news is not positive but neither are we experiencing the desperate situation other areas of the nation are facing.  According to the Omaha MLS statistics, for the month of August, 2008 the number of “solds” (transactions that have actually closed) was down over 34% from the same time last year.  In August, 2007 the average days on the market for a listing was 61 days as compared to 67 days in August 2008.

Another interesting indicator we look at when analyzing the market is the Average Listing Price Compared to the Average Sold Price.  In August 2007, the Average List Price was $222,000 and the Average Sold Price was $178,000.  This August the Average List Price was $230,000 compared to the Average Sold Price of $166,000. 

There’s no doubt about it, we are seeing a decline.  However, the truth is, if you can qualify for financing there are some really good deals out there.  If you would like to know more about the local housing market or if you would like to take advantage of the Buyer’s Market, please give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com.  Together we can work to get you into a home.

Omaha is in the midst of another great River City Round-Up and we’re having a terrific time.  However, last weekend my husband Jim was out of town so I gathered up the kids and we headed down to the Applejack Festival in historic Nebraska City.  We had a glorious time eating our way through a myriad of apple products, having our faces painted and watching the Applejack Parade.

If you don’t know, Applejack is a brandy made from apple cider.  In the USA the brandy must age at least 2 years in a wooden cask.  Since this was the 40^th Anniversary of the Festival it can be said it has aged to perfection. 

There are so many activities available during the 2 day event we could not possibly get to them all.  We spent most of our time at the beautiful Arbor Lodge, the museum which was once the home of J Sterling Morton.  The Lodge was the scene of a fine arts display but it was on the extensive grounds of the Lodge where the festival was in full swing.  We happily went from stall to stall looking at all the treasures and eating the lovely apple treats.

As we drove home and everyone was remembering their favorite part of the festival I reflected on how fortunate we are to live in beautiful, lively Eastern Nebraska.  I hope you we were able to attend the festival as well.  If so, let me know of your experiences. Email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com or just call at 402-697-4251.

Get out your western duds folks.  It’s time for Omaha’s own River City Round-Up.  From September 25-28 this town is going to be celebrating its cowboy roots planted deep in the prairie just west of the Muddy Missouri.  Omaha’s a family town and there’s great fun planned for the whole family.  According to the official website,

“Celebrating 61 years, the Ak-Sar-Ben Rodeo has had a

long-standing tradition for being the largest indoor rodeo

in Nebraska. Tracing its roots back to 1947, the rodeo has

attracted many of the world’s best rodeo cowboys and entertainers.” 

There’s the rodeo, a fabulous parade in downtown Omaha, a Barbeque Contest, and even a Homebrew Contest.  The upper level of the Qwest Center will host the all kinds of activities for children ages 2 year to 10.  Children can learn all about the different aspects of agriculture and agribusiness and have a great time doing it.  There are wonderful shows like the AG Magic Show, the Garbagena Show and the String Beans.  Visit Giddy Up Gulch and feel what it’s like to enter a town right out the Old West.

To learn more about all the available activities and show times visit the official River City Round-Up website at www.rivercityroundup.org.  This is just a rip-snorting event and loads of fun.  So get out there and join me and my family in celebrating Omaha.