Real Estate Information

I was talking to Mark and Cindy just this week. They are moving to Omaha and I’m helping them find a new home. One of the questions I always ask when I’m talking to people who have bought a home before is what would they like to do differently this time. Mark didn’t hesitate, “I would pay a lot more attention to the home inspection.” Mark went on to say that when they bought their last house he didn’t bother taking off work for the home inspection. “I just asked the realtor to go for me and pick it up,” he shook his head as he remembered. “It was a big mistake. I didn’t find out what repairs I needed to make nor did I know how much repairs were going to cost me.”

Mark is dead right. I always encourage my buyers to attend the home inspection. This is your opportunity to learn what repairs need to be made. A good inspector will also demonstrate for you how things work. He will show you how to turn off the water, how to change furnace filters and where the electrical box is located and how to read it. Although most inspectors will not estimate costs of repairs they will refer you to on-line information sources.  A buyer always has at least 24 hours before signing off on an inspection report. Take that time to call contractors and get a good ballpark figure on all repairs. This helps you negotiate with the Seller and there are no surprises for you.

“I’ll never skip the home inspection again,” Mark declares. Take a lesson from Mark. Show up for the home inspection. Expect to take at least a couple of hours. Ask questions and ask for pictures and demonstrations. Don’t get stuck with costly repairs.

I have been working with inspectors for years and can make some excellent recommendations for the best. Buying a home is serious business and the home inspection is too critical to miss. If you are ready to look for a new home please give me a call at 402-967-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

Here’s a short video on 5 Tips for a Successful Home Inspection.  Take the time to watch:

Nebraska and Omaha have both made the national news again this week. Alliance, Nebraska’s Carhenge was voted the second Wackiest Tourist Attraction in the U.S.A. by TripAdvisor.  In case you don’t know, Carhenge is a replica of England’s prehistoric Stonehenge.  However, Carhenge is made of old cars painted stone gray.  If you haven’t seen it please head over to Alliance for a look.  The entire family will enjoy it and you will get a good laugh.

The second story is even better. The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is coming again to Omaha.  Creighton University and Qwest Center Omaha's bid to host first- and second-round games on March 16 and 18, 2012, was accepted by the NCAA. The tournament will be held at Omaha’s Qwest Center and everyone predicts sell-out crowds just like we had in 2008.  That’s the last time we hosted the great sporting event and we’re thrilled to be able to do it again.

Omaha is so fortunate to be able to host great athletic events such as the College World Series, the Olympic Swim Trials and the NCAA tournament. My family and I love them and I know yours does too.  So watch for more information on landing tickets.

Of course, as always, if you’re in the market for a home or are eager to sell the one you currently have please give me a call at 402-964-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.  IN the meantime, enjoy some highlights of the 2008 NCAA Basketball season below:

Every fall my thoughts turn to winterizing the house to save money. It always seems I end up spending a lot of money to save. So my eye was captured by an article in Real Simple Magazine that promised to name five no-cost fixes.

1. Turn down the water heater. Most are set at 140 degrees but if you set yours at 120 degrees you can save 3-5 percent in energy costs for every 10 degrees the temp is lowered.  Don’t go below 120 degrees.  This is the minimum needed to protect against the growth of bacteria.

2. Reset your computer to sleep mode after 30 minutes of inactivity.  The article quotes Bruce Nordman of Berkley Labs.  He say that “most computers less than five years old use about 95% less power in sleep mode than when they are on. Don’t bother shutting down the computer at night.  The savings difference between shutting down and sleep mode are “miniscule.”

3. Unplug, unplug, unplug! Chargers, TVs, and appliances constantly draw small amounts of electricity when not in use. The article quotes a study by the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory that illustrated at these constant small drains can account for 5 to 10 percent of home energy use. TIP: Put your stand-by plugs on one power strip.

4. Unblock air vents.  Many of us block our air vents with furniture or drapes. Improving air flow in your house save a small amount of money each year. More importantly it can improve the home heating and cooling systems overall. 

5. Hang your clothes up to dry.  You could save nearly $10 a month if you line-dry your clothes. It costs 34 cents to dry a load of clothes so savings can mount up quickly.

I’d be interested to know if you can add to this list. Most of us are looking for ways to cut costs and this is a great time to share. Take a moment to share your tips with me.  Email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com or pick up the phone and call me at 402-964-4251.

I love keeping tabs on the latest trends in homes. Although mudrooms have been around forever, they are really beginning to catch as a noticeable trend. The rooms are a great way to transition from outdoors to indoors and are most appreciated in stormy weather or after a day playing or working outdoors. In order to have an effective mud room take heed of these 5 hints from Lowe’s Home and Garden. 

1. Consider where you build your mudroom.  The usual place is off the kitchen but Lowe’s claims that garages or utility rooms should be considered as prime locations.

2. The room has to be easy to clean so consider your flooring carefully.  It should be a non-slippery surface, very durable and Lowe’s suggests a dark color.  Some good choices would be stone, tile, vinyl, laminate or concrete. This is a good place to keep doormats and absorbent, washable rugs to keep the grime in the mudroom.

3. Easy to clean walls are also a must.  Moisture-proof paint or vinyl wallpaper are good choices. 

4. Don’t forget a sturdy place to sit to take off or put on boots.  A chair or bench will work just fine.

5. Storage is so important.  What kind really depends on the ages of your family.  If you have children then you need a place to store backpacks and sports equipment.  If the room is primarily for adults it may be wise to have a place to sort the mail, store keys and hang coats. Don’t forget your pets.  This is the place to keep the dog walking equipment as well.

Mudrooms are practical and can save tons of wear and tear on carpets and other flooring.  It keeps grime in its place.  When I was growing up we even had a sink in our mudroom.  It was great for getting the grime off of us before entering the house.  If you need more home improvement ideas give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.  I here to help.

Here’s a terrific video with some mudroom storage ideas you can use.

Today is October 1st and the weather is windy and cool.  For those of us with kids, it's time to start thinking about Halloween and part of the Halloween tradition is the carving of pumpkins.  I don't know if you have noticed, but the price of pumpkins seem to get higher and higher with each passing year.  Well, I wanted to pass on to you a great find in the Omaha area.  At the intersection of 120th Street and Military is a small farm.  Nothing fancy, but great pumpkins.  All sizes, shapes and colors can be found and the price was unbelievable.  We purchased three large pumpkins for less than what I have paid for one pumpkin in the past and they gave my kids a tiny pumpkin for free! They even have a pumpkin field if you like to walk around and search for a pumpkin or if you prefer, they have barns loaded with pumpkins.  Don't miss out on this great find!  It might be a little early...but...Happy Halloween!

Pull on your boots, grab your 10-gallon hat and hurry down to the 2009 River City Roundup at the Qwest Center in downtown Omaha.  This annual event is full of sites, sounds and activities for the entire family.  There’s everything from a nationally televised rodeo to a bicycle event.  Best of all are cook-off events – yum, those are my favorite.  And horses are everywhere.  My family particularly enjoys the parade.

Omaha’s heritage is seeped in cowboy lore and cowboy ways.  This is a perfect way to celebrate Omaha’s colorful past while enjoying present day conveniences.  River City Roundup began on September 24 and will run through the weekend.  Just go to www.rivercityroundup.org/ to view the time and dates of all the events.  Giddy-up on down here and enjoy the fun.

If you haven't been to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge it's something you shouldn't miss!  My family was wondering what we should do for fun after the Husker game on Saturday and we decided to take a walk across the pedestrian bridge.  We arrived at sunset, the weather was perfect and we had a nice leisurely walk across the bridge, watching the boats travel up and down the river.  My kids we're most excited to show me where Nebraska ended and Iowa started, jumping back and forth over the state line.  After our walk we stopped at Rick's Cafe Boatyard for dessert.  It was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful evening in Omaha. 

Omaha has been making all the good lists the last few years and had the distinction of making another this month.  A research firm has listed Omaha as one of the areas most likely to experience the best performing real estate markets in the U.S. over the next year.

Omaha made the list because it has experienced only a mild impact with the recession.  We did not have a housing boom; historically, our home prices have usually been below the national average.  We also had relatively low job loss in Omaha – only 1.6%.

The research firm, Local Market Monitor, is based out of North Carolina and primarily serves “premier real estate forecasting,” for investors in homes and home mortgages.  The firm monitors over 300 markets. For this study they chose to analyze markets with populations over 600,000.

The firm expects that nationally home prices will drop another 5% in the next year and delinquencies on mortgages will continue to climb.  But in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area home prices should remain stable.

If you’re ready to put your home on the market please contact me for the best service.  You can reach me by phone at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

It’s time for the 25^th annual Omaha Street of Dreams.  The event began on September 12 and will run through September 27.  The Street of Dreams is open to the public and is advertised as the premier event of its kind in a 5 state area.  It is an opportunity for area builders to show off their craftsmanship and creativity.  This year the Metro Omaha Builders Association (MOBA) event is held in the elegant Siverleaf Estates Development.  Siverleaf is between 185^th and 192^nd Streets, just one block north of Dodge. 

“Silverleaf Estates is a natural setting that is second to none, but it is being enhanced with significant landscaping features, old-world style street signs and carriage street lighting, and a spectacular cobblestone bridge main entrance!”  The Street of Dream homes run between $700,000 and $1,000,000.  Most of the 125 lots in Silverleaf are estate size, walk-outs.  The development is ringed with lots of trees with “meandering creek beds and rolling hills.”  Silverleaf also boasts plenty of walking paths and open spaces for residents to enjoy.  

This is your chance to get great ideas for your own home decorating and landscaping.  The Street of Dreams tickets are $12 dollars.  You can save by purchasing your tickets at any Hy-Vee location in Omaha and Council Bluffs for $10. Children under 5 are FREE.  Hours for the event are from 3-7 on Monday-Tuesdays and from 11-7 on Wednesdays through Sundays.

Those of you in the market for a new home may want to consider this lovely new area.  If so, please give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

Ken and Jackie are about to sell their biggest investment - their home. They’ve put several improvements into the property every year. Ken and Jackie want to get the best Realtor. Here’s what I recommend for the Omaha Metro Area real estate market. Make appointments with 3 top Realtors in your area. Listen to their marketing presentations before making your decision. Here are 6 specific things to look for in a Realtor:

1. What is the Realtor’s area of expertise? If you are selling a condo/townhome then ask to see the Agent’s success with selling on condos. Perhaps the Realtor is an expert on your part of town. Perhaps the Realtor is very sensitive to your culture and will make you feel at ease. Find out if their strengths match your needs.

2. The Realtor should act enthusiastically about the opportunity to market your home.  Enthusiasm is so important. If the Realtor is not eager to get a positive message about your home to the market then don’t hire them.

3. The Agent should prepare a report on houses like yours in the area and the final closing prices?  This report is critical in assisting you and your Realtor on arriving at a list price for your home. The houses they compare to yours should be like your home. If you live in a 2-Story you don’t want to know what Ranches are selling for in your area. 

4. Does the Realtor have a prepared marketing plan? The plan must contain more than getting your home listed on the MLS and placing a sign in the yard.  Look for a strong blend of effective internet marketing and marketing to a wide pool of area Realtors (regardless of the Company they work for) and community networking.

5. The Realtor should present a clear Communication Plan to you. Do they promise to send you a weekly or monthly activity report?  Do they promise to call you after every showing to discuss the Buyer’s reactions, likes and dislikes? Will the Realtor promise to return phone calls? Does the Realtor have an email address they check at least once a day? 

6. The Realtor should prepare a statement showing you what your expenses will be (including the commission) in selling your home for a specific price. A great Realtor will have the tools handy during the interview so they can prepare several of the statements if you haven’t settled on a final price.

A lot of Realtors don’t want you to have this checklist because they fall short of the mark.  Don’t make that mistake. Like Ken and Jackie, you’re risking a lot and need the best choice. When you are ready to make the Realtor appointments I hope I’ll be privileged to make a presentation to you. Give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.