The Buzz on Kansas Real Estate

The Blog of TREG? What is T.R.E.G. your asking? Not so much what, but who. Even though in some cases some people have said,  “What is that?” when they first meet me. Usually girls.  Guess I’d  better get a little more beauty sleep. Anyways TREG is just short for “That Real Estate Guy.” If you listen to KFDI, KSZN or KSGO radio,  then you might have heard me do some commercials for Jeff Lange Real Estate as “That Real Estate Guy.” If you have ever met me at random I will introduce myself the same way.

 I can tell by personal introductions that people are struck by confusion with a hint of smirking. I try not to laugh as they smirk,  being one to laugh easily at things myself. People then again will ask to make sure they heard right. “Whats your name?” Which I will simply reply again “I’m That Real Estate Guy, but you can call me TREG for short.” Even though I went to the next step of explaining my name, most people I meet will still have the tilted head with puppy perked ears look of being curious why I just said that again.

So for everyone in past, present and future that I will be meeting or working with, here is why I call myself “That Real Estate Guy.” Very simple actually after you think about it. So go ahead and take a minute or two if you would like to see if you can unfold the mystery question of why. … … … … Ok I will pretend that was a minute or two. Reason being is because it is so very easy to remember. Lets look at the numbers here. There are over 2200 real estate agents in the Wichita area. That is a small community, in fact that’s about the size of the town I grew up in. Wild times I tell ya. Who wants to try and go through 2200 names? After awhile they all look and sound the same.

That is why I introduce myself as That Real Estate Guy. I mean lets face it, most of us are bad with names, myself included. I don’t want to have to suffer from that in the business element. My own father doesn’t know my name at times for as sad as that sounds. He called me Freckles once. Freckles is our dog. It’s a red-heeler by the way, hence the name Freckles. So feel free to smile, and smirk while asking my name again because I will more then likely laugh to. Except I will be telling you at the same time you will remember me because its so much easier. I am easy to remember and just as easy to work with. So I look forward to seeing your smirks and perked ears.

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On Saturday, April 5^th, a team of bowlers from Jeff Lange Real Estate participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sumner County bowling fundraiser. The JLRE team was 3^rd highest for the amount of money raised to benefit the local Sumner County chapter. In addition to raising money, a great time was had by all participants. Team bowlers were Mark & Leslie Wedman, Melissa Jenkins, Octavio Navarro and Anita Seivley.

If you wish to contact Big Brothers Big Sisters you may email the Sumner County chapter at info@ksbbbs.org. Their website is www.ksbbbs.org or you may call them at 620.399.8030.

Once again, weather seems to be the topic when it comes to preparing your home to sell.  I knew that I didn’t want to put my home on the market in the dead of winter, but what I didn’t count on was the delays in being able to complete the preparation of my home by Spring. 

I have a brand new, 12×12 storage building with brand new everything and it is a great asset towards selling my home.  I also have another 12×12 storage building/workshop that is not so new and although it is in good condition, it needs fresh paint. 

Between the rain, snow, sleet and frigid temperatures, I haven’t been able to get the painting done and this has added to my stress levels.  I am like most other people and are ready for Spring and an end to this cold weather.  So I am going to put my optimist hat on and hope the sun keeps shining and that all will go as close to planned as possible.

Dana

I am asked daily “How’s the real estate market?” My answer is alwaysthe same — “Great, I have never seen a better time to buy!” The fall of the sub-prime market has created some hurdles in the market across the U.S. The stock market is also wavering with fears of credit woes. However, people with good credit can take advantage of this as foreclosures increase and interest rates are falling. It is also a great market for land buyers wishing to have a stable investment. My forecast for 2008 is that the real estate market will be even better than 2007. In January I was awarded the highest level of real estate recognition, The Master Circle award, for the 3rd consecutive year. I am currently working on a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. This is valuable for you, as my client, to establish buyers and sellers across the country, expanding the market for your property.The real estate market has become very high tech as internet advertising is exploding. Our listings reach over 70,000 web sites. At Jeff Lange Real Estate we also use many other tools to aid us in helping our clients. Some of these include blogs, smart phones and GPS systems. Of course, our auctions and Guaranteed Sale Program as well as our popular radio and print ads are still staples in our advertising package. Please contact me to discuss the current state of the real estate market and thanks again for a great 2007!

Mark Wedman
Sales Associate

People have to sell their homes for many reasons.  Some good reasons: promotions, relocations and expanding families. Others not so good: divorce, loss of job, demotions, and relocation (yes this can fall under both categories). Regardless of the reason, there is one common thread to selling your home.  Making it “Sellable”. 

I will now be joining our many past and present clients in preparing my home to sell.  Fortunately for me, Jeff Lange Real Estate specializes in selling country properties, because that is exactly what I am selling.  I am not an agent, but have worked as the office manager and assistant to the agents for 8 years.  I know that if anyone can sell my home, they can.  I also know that marketing and great salespeople can only go so far. Another BIG factor is up to me.  How much time, money and elbow grease do I want to spend to sell my house?  Well, the answer is easy to me, whatever it takes to help ensure the success of selling my home. 

I am what is referred to as a “highly motivated Seller”, but that doesn’t mean that I am willing to take less than what my home is worth.  No sir, I expect to get every penny that my home is worth.  What it does mean is that I will be rolling up my sleeves, packing away the clutter, doing any maintenance, painting and yard work etc to bring top dollar for my home.  One of my favorite shows on HGTV lately is, “Designed to Sell”.  Too bad I can’t get their team out to my home to help me out.  The $2000 wouldn’t hurt either. Oh well, I will have manage with out them. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing my experiences in preparing and putting my home on the market.  Hopefully it will give you some insight and help you with any decisions that you may be making regarding the sale of your home in the upcoming months.     

Dana

We here at JLRE list a gazillion country residential properties.  We are very familiar with the things that go along with a home in the country.  Water well, septic/lagoon, shelter belts, trees, flood plains, dirt/gravel roads, cricks, (I have been informed they are officially called creeks) ponds, propane, outbuildings, fences, minimum acreages, county requirements, and the list goes on!  For those of us who have grown up with these things, we take them for granted.  Others, I have discovered, don’t have a clue.   Unfortunately, some realtors don’t have a clue either.  There are some very good realtors who DO know and understand country property, but it is amazing to me, at the number that DON’T!! Quite often, we experience a Buyer’s agent writing a contract on a country property, then calling and asking “what a lagoon is?”  Can you imagine?  It happens more than you think.  We encourage Buyer representation, but does this sound like sound representation to you?   If you are looking for a home in the country, why wouldn’t it be logical to use a JLRE agent who knows and understands this kind of property?  We can not only assist you in searching, but help you understand, point out possible hazards, pitfalls, and normal “common sense” things that come with a country property.  And, we know lenders who don’t have a problem with more than 7 acres!!!   Don’t be afraid to ask an agent straight out if they are comfortable and/or what their knowledge of country property is.  If you aren’t comfortable with their answer, are you going to be comfortable in your decision making process come purchase time? Why not let a country professional help you with your country property?  Give us a call. 

Don Burford

Agents and staff from Jeff Lange Real Estate volunteered their time for KPTS, the PBS station broadcasting from Hutchinson, KS. for their pledge drive on Saturday, December 15, 2007.  The volunteers answered phones and took information from viewers calling into the station to place pledges.  They were also given a tour of the station.  KPTS is a non-profit educational organization that relies heavily on public support.  “Financial contributions from members account for more than 60 percent of our annual operating budget, so your pledge really makes a difference!” says their web site.  If you would like to make a pledge to support KPTS you may go to their site: www.kpts.org 

Preconceptions, about the way people see one another, are generally something that has been established in their mind over time.I make this statement for one purpose.  Jeff Lange Real Estate is widely known in the south central area of Kansas as a realty company that primarily handles land and rural homes.  Most people do not know that we are also very much involved in the metropolitan areas in South Central Kansas.We have recently moved back to Kansas and after joining Jeff Lange Real Estate, I found it interesting to see how the company was being perceived.  However, this should not have come as a surprise to me.  Over the past decade, in visiting relatives in Kansas, I did see many Jeff Lange Real Estate Signs in the rural areas of Sumner, Harper, Sedgwick and Kingman counties.  I thought to myself that he was definitely the one the public must turn to for their COUNTRY real estate needs. I understand in the past we have made an effort to promote ourselves as your “Country Professionals”.  However, we have always been interested in both country and urban markets.  Now that we are perceived as the land and rural specialist, we are now working to establish this firm as your real estate professionals, no matter where your property interests lie.   We have always had the ability to represent buyers and sellers in the metropolitan areas also.   However, I see us now making a genuine effort to educate the public that we can meet or exceed all your real estate needs, be it “country” or “city”.We offer many innovative programs to accomplish this goal.  The most impressive of these offerings to me, is our Guaranteed Sales program that meets or even surpasses any other realty firms, including those with national affiliation.Let us know how we can help you!  Simply reply to this blog or give any of the realtors at Jeff Lange Real Estate a call 529-3100). 
REMEMBER WE WANT TO BE YOUR REAL ESTATE PROFFESSIONALS. Dee Pettegrew

Hunting properties are currently one of the hottest things on the market right now!  I could just about write a book on why and how come.  Bottom line is, they are hot!  Naturally, you are looking for one.  You have limited time to drive and look at a property, so you rely on the agent to tell you about it.   He/she blows smoke up your skirt about how awesome this property is.  You find out later after spending half a day and $50 of gas in travel to find it is simply a hay meadow without a tree or crick within a mile of it! Point blank:  I don’t hunt.  (because after years of trying I finally figured out that I couldn’t hit it after I got the chance!)  But that doesn’t mean that I don’t know what makes and what is, a good hunting property!  I grew up with it, I know it.  AND, I will not blow smoke up you skirt about a piece of flat ground trying to make it into something it is not!   Your time is valuable too!  I am going to tell you the way it is.  YOU definitely need to see and walk it, but you should have a pretty good “grip” on the property after talking with me.   We generally try to get aerial photos of all our land properties.  I have studied FSA photos since I was 9.  I can tell a lot simply by the photo.  But if I haven’t walked it, I will tell you!  If I have walked it, I will tell you more.   I don’t ever recall anyone telling me “it wasn’t what you told me!”  I’m proud of that! Don Burford

Jeff Lange Real Estate has been putting on monthly seminars at our Derby office since the spring. We cover a wide range of topics that are beneficial to both the buyer and the seller. These seminars are open to the public and are free. We do ask that you call and make a reservation because we do serve dinner, so it is imperative that we have a head count to know how many people to order for. Give us a call at 529-3100 to inquire about the upcoming seminars at our Derby location.

Cheryl Nesbitt