The Buzz on Kansas Real Estate

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