Real Estate Information

“Oh Pleeeease…my family has lived in Nebraska for 5 generations and we haven’t gotten lung cancer.  What’s all this about high radon levels in Eastern Nebraska?” 

I hear comments like this all the time and I beg you – don’t take my word for it.  This is what the Surgeon General of the United States has warned: radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in individuals who don’t smoke. In addition, every major medical organization agrees with the Surgeon General.

Here’s something else to ponder – Nearly 60% or 6 out of every 10 homes in Nebraska have elevated radon levels which exceed four picoCurries per liter (pCi/L).  According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services the average level of radon in Nebraska homes is 5.8 pCi/L. 

It a smart idea to have your home tested by a credentialed radon specialist so you can make an informed decision about your home.  I have a list of State certified radon testing and mitigation companies that I would be happy to share with you.  You work hard to protect your family’s health and this is an environmental hazard you can do something about.  Please email me at marie.otis@cbshome.com or call at 402-697-4251 and I’ll get you in touch with the right people.

It all started here in Nebraska.  Although Arbor Day is now a national event, it began in 1872 in Nebraska City.  J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician, took a look around his adopted State and realized planting trees could only help Nebraska’s economy and enhance the landscape.  He planted all kinds of trees on his personal property urging his neighbors to do the same.  The tree planting day was officially adopted by the State in 1885.  In 1970 it was declared a national holiday.  It is now celebrated by many countries worldwide.

About an hour from Omaha, Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City is a great place to take the entire family.  The grounds boast of orchards, gardens, and beautiful places to walk, congregate or take a carriage ride.  The Lodge has craft demonstration, lectures and is a museum of early Nebraska life. Every year I make the trip with my family to buy apples, cider, apple butter and all kinds of wonderful homemade food stuffs.

This is a good time of year for you to go outside and look around at your trees.  Do they look healthy, are they well pruned and disease free?  Perhaps once you have those ideas addressed you should take another look.  Would planting another tree improve the look of your property or protect you from wind or heat?  A trip to your local nursery and talking with an expert will help make certain you make the right choice for your area. 

Being kind to our environment is becoming more important every day.  Planting a tree will make a big difference.  If I can help you with information on local nurseries please give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

Remodeling Magazine every year conducts a study on the cost of remodeling vs. what percentage the homeowner gets in return when selling. The results of the 2007 Midwest report is startling in that three of the four of the projects that earned cost-recovery rates of more than 80% were for the homes’ exterior.  In fact, the only indoor remodeling project that had more than an 80% return was a minor kitchen remodel.

Here are the top 6 remodeling projects with the highest rate of return in the Midwest:

1.      Upscale siding replacement with fiber cement materials  -  88.1%

2.      Wood Deck Addition  -   85.4%

3.      Minor Kitchen Remodel  -  83%

4.      Midrange Wood Window Replacement  -  81.2%

5.      Upscale Vinyl Window Replacement  -  81%

6.      Bathroom Remodel (Mid-Range)  -  78.3%

Consider carefully before you remodel.  Know what your return on investment will be before you begin.  The best remodeling projects are undertaken by people who want to improve their own living environment.  The enjoyment that comes after the projects are completed may be immeasurable to your family.  But if you are considering a remodeling project because it’s time to put your home on the market then, take care to consider your monetary return.

How are your remodeling projects going out there?  Take a few minutes and drop me a note in the Comments section below or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

I was fortunate this week to hear a presentation by Rob Bates, General Manager of NETV. Rob gave one of the best, most succinct explanations of how the switch from analog to digital will affect every Nebraskan with a television set. I though I would share it with you. But first a little background.

A couple years ago it was announced that on February 17, 2009 broadcast television would change from its current analog format to a new digital format.  (The digital format is also referred to as DTV.)  At first, many people were told they would have to ditch their TVs when the switchover was made.  There was lots of noise about just who was Congress anyway enacting a law that would rob people of their current televisions and be forced to buy one of big expensive digital sets most couldn’t afford or give up watching altogether.  Well, it’s not so.  Don’t toss that old analog TV because there are alternatives.

According to NETV:

“If you receive your TV signal via cable or satellite, you will not be affected and can continue to use the televisions you have now, no matter how old they are.

If you receive a TV signal through an antenna (for example, on your roof or ‘rabbit ears’ on your TV you have 3 options:

1. Purchase a set-top converter box* (from an electronics retailer) that plugs into your TV. Each household is eligible for two $40 coupons from the federal government toward the purchase of converter boxes.  Call 888-DTV-2009 or visit dtv2009.gov to request your coupons.
2. Subscribe to a cable or satellite provider, if one is available in your area.
3. Purchase a new TV set with a built-in digital tuner.

*A converter box is a one-time purchase that will allow you to use your analog TV after February 17, 2009.”

So relax.  Although you must take some action, throwing out your old TV set isn’t your only alternative.  By the way, you are always welcome to write me comments on this blogs or any of my earlier ones (see below).  For more information on the conversion from analog to digital give me a call at 402-697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

The Westside Community School District is in the heart of Omaha and has an outstanding reputation. I promise to tell more about the District in another blog entry but this time I’m writing about one program, the High School Show Choirs.  Westside High School can boast of 3 fantastic show choirs: Warrior Express, Simply Irresistible (all women), and ATSC – The Amazing Technicolor Show Choir (the Varsity Team).

We were lucky enough to travel recently to Chicago’s Wheaton/Warrenville Show Choir Competition and watched ATSC perform.  If you have never attended a show choir competition you must plan to do so.  The students demonstrate their skills before judges. Then the 6 best choirs are selected for an evening competition.  Believe me it’s the best show in town.  These students are incredibly talented and watching them sing, dance and play their instruments is as close to Broadway as some of us will ever get.  Yes, they are that good.

It makes me thrilled to know this is a national phenomenon.  My niece is in the program and I’m so impressed with her dedication and commitment to her school and ATSC.  The physical demands of the dancing and rehearsals are impressive and the emotional charge each young man and woman gets will stay with them for a lifetime.  For every talented student there are parents who give of their time, money and energy to provide the opportunities for their children.  I must praise the exceptional staff of the Westside Music Department without whom any of this would be possible.  The whole enterprise is a truly synergistic masterpiece.  Congratulations Westside and ATSC!!

Although I realize that for most people it’s the robin that signals the first sign of Spring, it hasn’t worked for me.  However, this morning as I readied for work I heard a song bird outside my window.  It was the first one I’ve heard this year.  It lifted my heart and made me smile as I listened to him sing.

Then as I drove to the office, I crested a hill and the clear blue sky was filled with strings of Canadian geese flying north.  The lovely morning and the two beautiful Springtime happenings convinced me that Spring will soon be here.

I have to admit there are other signs of Spring as well. We’ve had a sharp increase in the number of people who are moving and need their homes listed.  We also have a number of clients who are ready to purchase a home.  With the rise in interest rates this week there is a new urgency about getting into a home before they go higher.

I’m so ready for Spring and the warmer weather.  I’m also pleased with the increase in listings and buyers.  If you want to know the market value of your home or if you wish to buy a home of your own just give me a call at (402) 697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

This weekend most states switch over to daylight savings Time.  That means setting your clock one hour ahead after 2:00 am on Sunday.  Don’t forget.

Happily, with the longer days, Mother Nature is blessing us with warmer temperatures. It’s supposed to hit 50 on Monday and reach 58 degrees on Tuesday.  I’m so ready for warmer weather.  In fact, I’m ready for Spring.  I find myself checking the garden for the tips of snowdrops and tulips peeking out of the ground.  I’ve noticed my iris leaves are beginning to green up.  I’m tired of brown and gray landscapes.  I want the entire Midwest to think GREEN!

Spring is also the best time to put your house on the market.  If you want to take advantage of the years hottest selling time, give me a call at 402-697-4251 or just drop me an email at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com. 

Gretna is located on the southwest edge of suburban Omaha. “The mission of Gretna Public Schools is to create student successes by maximizing student achievements.” This great mission statement is reflected in the goals and programs of the Gretna Public Schools (GPS).  Gretna has implemented several literacy programs at all level of education with measurable success.

One program that’s unique to the Gretna Public Schools is the electronic portfolio which documents a student’s growth in writing.  In grades 1-12, each student’s writing samples are captured and recorded 3 times a year. This provides teachers with “an overview of each student’s development as a writer and reader…”  Such programs help teachers refine their teaching approach for each individual student.

Another effective program is the Early Literacy Program for Kindergarten students. In fact, all 3 of Gretna’s elementary schools had this important program in place by the start of the 2007-2008 school year. The program provides for individual monitoring and direct reading instruction. The program is responsible for “steadily raising student scores on reading assessments over the course of the year.” The program is enhanced by the addition of the all day Kindergarten.

For elementary students Gretna has planned a program called “Reach For The Stars.” The program encourages literacy and love of reading. The program first engages the child’s interest and imagination through field trips and author visits, then challenges the student and his/her parent to commit to a reading program of 225 minutes each month. Last year 300 students met the challenge and Gretna hopes it will be even more successful this year.

Middle School students participate in the Accelerated Reader Program and participation results in better school success in every subject. The High School has received national recognition for academic excellence from the US Department of Education. In fact, they’ve been identified as one of the nations “Blue Ribbon Schools.” With a graduation rate of 99.4% Gretna High School can be very proud – Go Dragons!

The National Board of Realtors met this month and one topic they discussed was whether it was effective to advertise listings in newspapers. It's become a hot topic because many sellers believe that the newspapers is where Buyers go to look for new homes. The Board was there to listen to the results of a new study on the matter and the upshot was a qualified "no" to newspaper advertising for listings.

According to one of the research presenters, hometown newspapers compete against 11,000 TV stations, 16,000 radio stations, 1,400 daily newspapers, 6,000 weekly newspapers, 5,000 consumer magazines and 300 Spanish-language publications. Then there's the Internet to consider. According to our National Association of Realtors' research, 82% of home buyers do research on the web first. All this makes it difficult for printed papers to work effectively for listings.

Earlier, I told you researchers gave a qualified no to advertising listings in the newspaper. According to the research, some "Boomers" still read the printed newspaper. If your real estate agent believes your home will appeal to Boomers then newspaper ads may be part of the marketing plan. However, it is wise to remember a seller and their agent want to reach the most people they can for their marketing dollar.  The printed hometown newspaper may not be the best use of those dollars.

As a Seller you need expert advice on effective marketing for your home. I'm that expert. Please give me a call at (402) 697-4251 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbsohome.com. I love receiving your comments. remember to check below for space to comment.

I hear this phrase all the time.  Of course, all of us want to feel safe and secure in our neighborhoods.  However, your Realtor cannot legally determine what a safe neighborhood is for you. Under the Federal Fair Housing Laws it is unlawful for a real estate professional to do anything that is discriminatory.  Discrimination, under the law, on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, handicap or family status is prohibited. 

I would be breaking the law if I steered you away from a neighborhood where you could afford the houses and where there were houses that met your requirements.  So what can you do? You need to determine what kind of neighborhood you wish to live in. Do you want the pulsating rhythms of a downtown street, a suburban neighborhood with lots of children, or perhaps a country lane with no neighbors in sight?

After you decided what kind of neighborhood is best for you, the next thing to do is spend some time in a neighborhood.  Take note of traffic patterns (both vehicle and pedestrian) at various times of the day.  This will also give you an idea of whether there are plenty of school age children in the neighborhood to play with yours. Or perhaps you’re looking for a neighborhood with more mature residents if that is your requirement. 

What can I do for you in this matter?  I can supply you with information on local schools, average test scores, class sizes and numbers of students going on to college.  I can give you information on parks, hiking trails, restaurants, shops, etc. If you are interested in crime statistics I can direct you to appropriate websites for information.  I can give you the information but the decision of what constitutes a good neighborhood is solely your decision.

I love for you to comment on this subject. Let me know if I can help. Email me a Marie.Otis@cbshome.com or give me a call at 402-697-4251.