Columbus Park & the Old Northeast

Saw a wonderful home in the Old Northseast this evening. It's a wonderful brick two story with wide plank floors, exposed brick and a sleek open kitchen. The home owner, a master plumber, made the remodel his project and I have to tell you, the plumbing work in the basement is impressive.

After touring the new listing, I cruised around this historic section of Kansas City. Naturally, I met some interesting people and took a few photos with my iPhone. A lot of these photos were taken around Columbus Park. Columbus Park is about half way between City Market and the Old NE on the map at the bottom. They are two different neighborhoods but with many similarities. To me, it seems that Columbus Park has evolved sooner than the Old NE. Much of the architecture in the Old NE and Columbus Park is from the 1800's and early 1900's. (You know I love craftsmanship from that period!) 

We were talking about how the Old NE in KC is a bit like Brooklyn New York. One of the people I ran into while cruising around was actually from Brooklyn originally. She moved several times since coming to Kansas City, finally settling in the Columbus Park part of town because, to her, it feels like home.

  There were a lot of people going into cafes and I thought about stopping at Garozzo's but then remembered I had dinner cooking at home. This Vietnam Cafe is pretty popular.

I like the way these buildings are situated so close together with different proximity levels to the street. If I lived in the red brick two story, I could just run next door to Pandolfi's Deli!

Does this make you think of Brooklyn, New York?  Just a little?  Oh, not enough traffic?

The old guard has moved on. Back in the day, the Old Northeast was the neighborhood Al Capone stayed in when he came to Kansas City. Pendergast had friends here who helped him build his political empire.

Nowadays, the Old Northeast is attracting artists, musicians, young families, and students attending Kansas City University. They are bold and experimental with their color selections!  (I kind of like it but it doesn't appeal to everyone's tastes.)

Speaking of bold and experimental, this it the first photo I've ever altered before publishing. It actually came out a bit too dark but I really wanted to use it because of the street with buildings from the 1800's through the 1960's and the castle-looking tower from eastern downtown sticking up in the background. (No, not Tiffany Castle, that tower in the photos is very tall!) So, I altered the exposure, tint, and saturation.  What do you think?

.     So, does this atmosphere in KC remind you a little of Brooklyn in NYC?  We have several universities in Kansas City; this is Kansas City University on Independence Avenue. The school offers graduate programs in biomedical science, bioethics and osteopathic medicine. It was founded in 1916 and has about 1,000 students enrolled. {Not to be confused with the University of Missouri at Kansas City or Kansas University which both have larger student bodies and offer allopathic medical degrees.) If I were a student here, I would want to buy the home I saw this evening. It would be a 4- block commute to work!

I don't know the name of this building but it is just east of Kansas City University and I like the clock tower and curvature of the building. I'd say it was built around 1910, wouldn't you?

So, long ago, the Old Northeast was out in the country and only a few wealthy people lived here. Then, in the 20's - 50's, it was a thriving neighborhood full of young families, hopes and dreams. Sometime in the 70's, families began moving out of the city and the neighborhood buildings lacked enough young people to care for them. 

Today, in 2011, the neighborhood is in transition. Residents who have lived in the same home for generations are dying and no one in the family wants the house. Some of these homes have not been painted or redecorated since the 40's. They are selling for extremely low prices.

The old businesses have moved on and are being replaced with a diverse number of new restaurants and unique shops. Many old buildings have been converted into apartments or lofts; some into single family residences. Artists and musicians find the neighborhood charming. It's inspirational; it's on the edge. No one knows which way it will go for sure. Where is it located?

The Old Northeast is less than 2 miles to the City Market; minutes to downtown, the Power & Light District, Federal & City Offices, the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Convention Center, American Royal and the Sprint Center. Cliff Drive Park encircles the northern boundary. There are multiple small parks within the neighborhood. It's a hop, skip and a jump over the river to North Kansas City and Kansas City North. Columbus Park, closer to City Market & downtown, has already gone through most of its' gentrification while the Old NE seems to be just in the early stages. The question is: will it go all the way?

It's about 10 miles, or 20 minutes, to Brookside, past the Plaza, Hyde Park, Westport and the Nelson. [Unless you ride with me and I stop to take photos and talk to people!]

It's about 4 and 1/2 miles (10 minutes) to Cerner's NKC Campus. The Downtown Airport is mostly Private Pilots; Kansas City's International Airport (MCI) is way up north of the City - about 20 miles. So what do you think? Would you live in this neighborhood? Do you think property values are going to go up? Is Columbus Park & the Old Northeast part of Kansas City like Brooklyn, NY?

Maria Morton [816-560-3758]    Leading Edge Society 2010  . ♫ FireWaterKC  ♫ The Rule of 72♫  Five (5) Ways To Increase The Success of Your Property Marketing Efforts  ♫♫   Kansas City Real Estate Home Values By County Years 2001-2011   ♫

How Does the MLS Work? MLS stands for Multiple Listing Service. There are hundreds of them across the country (and in many other countries as well). Every seller knows that they need to get their house listed on this to sell it; every home-buyer knows that if they can see what's on MLS, they will find their dream home.

Heartland MLS, the MLS of the Greater Metropolitan Kansas City Area, started in 1993 after a couple of local brokers saw an MLS back east at a conference. Prior to the formation and implementation of this system, buyers had to go to multiple brokers to find out which homes were for sale and any details about the homes had to be obtained from the listing agent. Does anyone remember life before cell phones and computers?

In order to create our current MLS, every broker in and around Kansas City had to agree to cooperate and participate in the enterprise. Getting everyone to agree to work on this together was huge! But they did and it made life better for home sellers and home buyers in Kansas City. It was not easy and it was not cheap. Keeping the MLS running now takes a team of computer experts and support personnel along with every active real estate agent, broker and realtor in KC. 

The physical location of Heartland MLS is out State Line Rd, by the Blue Hills Country Club. The Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors also has their offices here. One of Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Kansas City's offices is in the building. 

When an agent accepts a listing, they enter it into the MLS. We can either fill out a form and have the designated assistant at our office input the information or, what many of us do, enter the information ourselves from any computer with internet access.

Modern computers have made the process so much easier than the old "books" which were published and distributed monthly. We can enter listings 24/7. We can change the status from "Active" to "Pending" or "Back Up" or "Sold" at any time of day or night.

Here's the catch: everyone has to do it. That's why it works. It is my privilege and my responsibility to enter any and all new listings into the system within 3 business days from the time the Listing Agreement is signed. If I fail to comply with any of the Rules & Regulations, I can be fined or my privileges may be suspended or revoked.

Why does it work? To successfully conduct real estate transactions, every agent must pay their dues and follow the rules. That is the only way to keep the information up to date. We have to keep up with the inventory in order to work. The information has to be accurate in order to be useful. So everybody participates because we all need the information.

Last week, Trulia sent me an email telling me that if I want to post my listings on their site in the future, I will need to pay them. Today, Zillow left me a voice mail informing me of "an exciting opportunity." "Exciting opportunity" means they want money for something; I don't yet know what that something is but I can guess. I've read the articles, blogs and rants from people who want to make the MLS publicly available to all and join all of the MLS's together into one giant MLS covering the nation. While that sounds good in theory, who do they think is going to pay for, and maintain, this giant public MLS?

Agents, brokers and realtors have a vested interest in maintaining our local MLS's. If you don't pay, you don't work, you don't get paid, you don't eat. If you don't enter the required information within the timelines, you lose your access, you don't work. John Q. Public has no reason to support the service except when they are buying or selling a house.

Trulia and Zillow are interesting sites; I visit them both regularly and even participate in some discussions. There are several other "national MLS" sites (aka aggregator site) on our world wide web; guess where they get their information? From all of the local MLS's maintained by real estate agents, brokers, and realtors. Without the local agents entering and updating the information, these other sites would not have current information to offer - and their info is not exactly current. Drawing from that many feeds takes time so there are lags and inexplicable inaccuracies.

Keep in mind that each state has their own real estate laws. Each MLS has their own rules and regulations. So, while the idea of a giant, public MLS may be romantically appealing, it is thoroughly impractical at the present time. It is cool to look online at homes for sale in Maui and Oregon but if I wanted to actually buy a house there, I would pick up the phone and call a realtor in that location.

The MLS is a tool; one of the tools that real estate agents use to conduct their business. The agents are responsible for keeping their tools in proper working order. Agents and brokers allow limited access to their MLS, through their licenses, to clients so that they can search for homes. This is a shopping convenience for clients. If all of the states had the same real estate laws and all of the MLS's could come to an agreement regarding rules and regulations, then maybe the computer whizzes could write a program that would cover the entire Untied States but someone would still have to pay for it and maintain it. Since real estate is local, I just don't see the giant MLS happening anytime soon, do you?

These allegations do not surprise me one tiny bit. I've met many, many homeowners who have applied for a home mortgage modification but have never met one who received a home loan modification. Whether the reason is greed, dishonesty, or something more complicated is not important to me. The question is how to stop this from happening. 

This is a question we hear every day. Homeowners often expect an immediate answer as if their home is a gallon of gas priced for sale at any gas station within pennies of the station down the street. There are many variables that go into placing a value on a home.   

First, I need to know your address. Just telling me you own a house in Prairie Village doesn't cut it. What part of PV? Are you close to the shops and restaurants? Across the street from Shawnee Mission East High School? Right on Nall? There are many factors within each specific neighborhood that effect a home's value. 

Second, I need to know the basics. How many bedrooms, baths, garage spaces, etc. Is it one level or two? Is it a Drummond ranch, a split-level, or a tudor? All these little details help determine what your house is worth. 

Third, I need to know why you are curious about your home's value. If you're disputing your property taxes, you need different data to present than if you're refinancing. If you're considering selling your home, I need to see it in person before telling you what it could sell for.

Condition is a big factor in home value and my assessment is going to be more accurate and objective than the homeowner's assessment of condition. A homeowner can describe their home to me all day long but it takes me about 5 minutes to evaluate a home's condition as far as updating and curb appeal. Mechanicals are part of condition so I'm going to ask how old the furnace, water heater and AC are. I can see for myself if the roof looks good from the ground but I'm going to ask what type and how old it is. Same with the plumbing and electric. These are things that buyers will take into consideration when deciding if they want to buy this house or the one on the next block. 

If you're refinancing, I can give you a CMA that your Lender can use. If you're disputing your property taxes, there is a procedure that I can direct you through and give you the ammunition you need to succeed. If you're considering selling, I can help you determine what price you can expect to get in what amount of time. Yes, there's also a time variable. 

So, what's your house worth? Your house is worth what a ready, willing, and able buyer will pay for it today. Can't I just give you a number off the top of my head? Maybe; not really; it's going to be a range and it would be irresponsible of me to throw you a number without evaluating the house and the data first. 

The Brookside neighborhood, generally defined by zip code 64113:

We have less than a 2 and 1/2 month supply of homes for sale in the Brookside area. Greater than a 6 month supply is indicative of a Buyer's market; less than a 6 month supply is indicative of a Seller's market. 

 So, an agent called me last week wanting information about a particular subdivision in the Brookside neighborhood. He explained that he was calling me because when he searched on Google for that neighborhood, my posts kept coming up. Way to go Active Rain!

During our conversation, he asked how much it cost to get that kind of SEO using Active Rain. I explained that you can't buy that kind of exposure; you have to spend time writing relevant material. 

Some of the posts that came up on his Google search were several years old but the information is still relevant. For me, Active Rain is a great deal! I continue to get calls from home buyers and sellers because of the posts I've written for Active Rain. 

It's like the commercial:

Active Rain membership...$39/month

Customers calling to buy and sell houses...priceless.

Buying a home is often seen as a right of passage - an act that firmly transports one from being a college graduate working in the real world to a full blown responsible adult who owns their own home. Many first time homebuyers begin this transition by thinking about how they'd decorate and paint their home if they didn't have a landlord, pricing lawnmowers, deciding what kind of dog they'll get when they have a fenced yard, and even collecting furniture and kitchen appliances that will go in the home they buy. 

As the future buyers gather information and decide what kind of home they'd really like, they save up their money and begin learning about the different types of mortgages. By the time the buyer calls a real estate agent, they have quite a bit of knowledge. They've probably pinpointed a few neighborhoods that would be convenient for their work and social lives and maybe even found themselves drawn to certain architectural styles or floor plans. 

When we meet for the first time, the buyer tells me what their plans are and what they're looking for in a home. They usually have a pretty good idea of how they are going to accomplish their goal of buying a home. There are just a few details about the home buying process that may be a little unclear. This is a slideshow I developed to help buyer clients gain a clear understanding of the process:

BUYER'S GUIDE 2013 SLIDESHOW (if the slideshow does not appear on your screen, please click on link below to see)

Keep in mind that real estate transactions are handled differently from state to state. This slideshow is specific for the *Kansas City Greater Metropolitan Area in Kansas and Missouri. Details specific to one particular county, city, or HOA will be addressed on an as needed basis. 

During our initial consultation we go over the client's goals, Basic Components of A House, HOA fees and benefits, neighborhood associations, the real estate contract, negotiations, financing, agency law as it applies to the buyer, pertinent home value data and statistics, inspections, and whatever else the individual client needs to know. 

*Heartland Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors (KCRAR) covers more than 5,000 square miles including Kansas City Missouri proper (KCMO), Jackson County, Johnson County, Clay County, Ray County, Platte County, Wyandotte County, and parts of several other surrounding counties. Cities included are KCMO, Prairie Village, Overland Park, Mission, Mission Hills, Lenexa, Olathe,  Shawnee, KCK, Shawnee Mission, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Raymore, Belton, Grandview, NKC, North Kansas City, Kansas City North, Blue Springs, Independence, Parkville, Gladstone, Smithville, Bonner Springs, DeSoto, Fairway, Westwood, Westwood Hills, Lake Quivira, Lake Lotawana, Lake Waukomis, etc. Larger communities are further broken down into general areas and neighborhoods and then into subdivisions. (i.e. Downtown Kansas City, Valentine, Roanoke, Hyde Park, Crown Center, Martini Corner, Westport, The Country Club Plaza, South Plaza, West Plaza, Brookside, Waldo, etc.) 

The 7 factors that determine how quickly a home will sell are Timing, Location, Condition, Marketing, Financing, Price, and Competition. We know that homes that sell quickly usually sell for a higher price than homes that sit on the market unsold for months on end.    

Location is a given. You can't just pick up your house and move it (easily) to a more popular or desirable location. 

Competition cannot be controlled. You can't tell everyone in your subdivision not to sell their house until yours sells. You have to find a way to make your home more desirable to buyers than the competing homes. 

Timing. The Magic Month is the best time to get the highest price for your home. 

Financing. Most buyers will finance the purchase using a mortgage; some will pay all cash. Sellers can sometimes help buyers with closing costs or offer downpayment assistance.  The buyer's lender will have parameters limiting the amount the seller can contribute so be sure to discuss this with your real estate agent. 

Marketing. Your real estate agent is responsible for marketing and advertising. Each agent has their own marketing strategy so be sure to read their marketing plan. Some agents will charge a marketing fee; that should be disclosed up front.  

List Price is determined by the seller. Sold price is determined by the buyers. A home's value is what a ready, willing and able buyer will pay for it today. Your agent will show you comparable homes for sale and recently sold homes nearby to help you decide the list price. Your agent can also share with you information about Expired, Withdrawn, Cancelled, Back Up, Pending, and Contingent contracts. Your agent may also go over home sales data that could impact your decision on list price. 

Condition is determined by the seller. When listing your home for sale, you may wish to attend to any repairs or deferred maintenance that may affect your home's final sale price. Big remodels or upgrades are not usually a good idea but there may be some minor changes that you could invest in to make your home more appealing to buyers. Staging is another thing you may want to consider. Studies show that staged homes sell quicker and for a higher price than unstaged homes. Be sure to discuss with your agent your ideas for preparing your home for sale as many sellers make changes that are not needed while neglecting to make the changes that are needed to sell their home for a better price in less time. 

SLIDESHOW FOR SELLERS: Details about listing, marketing, showing, and documentation needed to sell your home. 

This is the pergola that my brother and I have been working on. We finally finished the structure yesterday. Yay!  

We still have a few finishing touches and, of course, we need to add the 'floor'. All in all, I think it turned out quite well. 

Next projects: removing and replacing the siding on the south wall of the garage and rebuilding the screened-in porch. 

Work on the pergola continues.  This week, I learned that before staining and sealing wood, it's important to clean the wood with a special cleaner that removes the coating put on at the mill. Who knew? 

The vines I found on sale at Soil Service are patiently waiting for me to apply the cleaner, wait 48 hours and then apply the sealer stain. Once that's done, the vines can go in the ground where they'll be happy. 

So, a Wall Street Journal reporter calls me today to ask some questions. He found me through one of my blog posts here on Active Rain. Now my only hope is that he doesn't misquote or misconstrue what I had to say. Mom will be so proud if he gets it right! My broker may not be happy with me if he gets it wrong...

Robbie Whelan, of the WSJ, and I talked for 21 minutes with only one interruption (a call from a client I needed to reach). I think what the reporter was going for was something to use in an upcoming post about Donald Trump. I've never met Mr. Trump in person but I did attend one of his weekend courses in real estate investing just so I could learn what the general public is being taught in these courses. I've since attended a few other seminars and they're all pretty much the same. If you are a licensed real estate professional, you already know what they're teaching. If you're a member of the general public, you should know that investing in real estate is not a get rich quick solution to your financial dreams. The following is the email follow-up I sent to Robbie Whelan after our brief phone conversation:

One hires a real estate agent to represent their best interests and to conduct the real estate transaction. Real estate agents must operate within the laws, rules, and procedures at the federal, state, and local levels. We are held to a higher standard than unlicensed persons. That does not mean that the law does not apply to the general public. The general public may not be aware of what laws do apply to them when selling and buying property. 

Armour Hills homes sold in July and August 2013. Includes 1 July - 27 August.

 ACTIVE indicates homes for sale in Armour Hills now. We have about a 3 month supply of homes for sale now. If you want to sell your home in Armour Hills or anywhere in Brookside, there are plenty of buyers. Call me to get your home on the market before interest rates rise and the buyer pool shrinks. 

Here's the 10 year chart showing the median sold price of homes in Armour Hills:

 As you can see, we are at a high for the decade.  Brookside remains one of the most popular neighborhoods in Kansas City. Armour Hills is its' largest subdivision. 

To see all the homes for sale in Armour Hills today, click the link: 

http://portal.heartlandmls.com/DE.asp?k=296701X3BbK&p=DE-12879159-490

Shows all Active, Pending, Contingent, BackUp, and Sold listings 7.1-8.27.2013

Prairie Village homes sold during July - August 29, 2013. Active, Pending, Contingent + Backup Listings also included. 

 The Average Sold Price for a home in Prairie Village is $241,282. 85 homes sold in Prairie Village in July - August 29, 2013. Average number of Days on Market (DOM) to sell a home in Prairie Village is 57. There are currently only 104 homes for sale; only about a 3 month supply. If you want to sell your home, call me; there are buyers waiting. 

  The 10 year sale price history for Prairie Village homes shows only a minor dip during the United States' most recent recession. Your home's value will depend upon specific location, style, and condition. Call me if you'd like a professional opinion or more information. 

*Contingent means there is a purchase contract set to close provided one or more contingency within the contract is met. 

Pending means the sellers and buyers have an agreed upon contract moving toward closing. They may still be in the Inspection Period or the Resolution period. 

Backups means there is a purchase contract in place to close but the sellers may consider another offer as backup should the first contract fail to close. 

I've been using paid lead generators since Mom had her stroke and time that used to be for prospecting is spent helping her. While I'm waiting for the AC repair guy, I thought I'd write a little post about some of the lead generator paid services.

Zillow sends leads from zip codes you have to buy. Each zip code is a different amount. You can also buy a portion of a zip code. [Cost $100-400+/month/zip code] They give you stats on 'clicks' but what I get is about 20-30 leads a month on average. I've actually closed a few deals from Zillow leads so it's worth a few $ a month to me. Once you're in their system with a zip code, you can get on a list to be called when the zip you want becomes available. Often, they will tell you as you're on the phone "Oh no, it's gone! Somebody else got it!" I think this is a cheap ploy or just a rude way to do business but that's their business model.

You can also go to the Zillow website (Big Pain), log in to the Admin Login at the bottom right of the page, and then see your 'dashboard' with all the contacts in them. 

 From the Zillow dashboard, you can click on a lead to see their details. The details are some name, an email, maybe a phone number, and an address. If I have that info in an email or text, I can call them and see what they really want. If I have to navigate to the Zillow site, log in, and then click through 3 screens, immediate follow up is not always possible. 

Market Leader lead generation is similar to Zillow's. It generates about the same number of leads per month and costs a little bit more. Like Zillow, Market Leader gives you a dashboard to log in to see and keep track of contacts. 

Market Leader also sends text mesages to notify you of a new contact/lead. They send TWO texts per lead. I can't begin to tell you how annoying that is.  

The first text always says "2/2 RealEstate.com to review contact history." This link takes you to a page for the general public so it's pretty much useless.

The second text says "You have a new contact! Name: _____ Phone: xxx-999-000 or email@email . Action: Reply to this contact via phone or email within 15 minutes." 

The texts always irritate me because I don't need to be told what to do with the lead, I do not need TWO texts, and there is ZERO information about the inquiry. I had to up my text messaging plan with AT&T last month.

Trulia: Trulia is another pay by zip code lead generator. The volume of leads is less than I would like but the quality is more on par with Zillow.  I cancelled Trulia so I could try Market Leader. I will be going back to Trulia next year because the quality of leads was better than what Market Leader pulls.

Reply! Real Estate was a total bust. They charge about $40/lead but only after every 3rd lead. They promised to send people who had already been pre-screened as imminent sellers who were not working with another agent in the specific zip codes I named. They sent me engineers who were just looking up information on the internet. They sent me people who were already working with agents. They did not send me one person who wanted to sell their home in the 3 months I was with them.  It's possible that you could obtain different results in a different area.  http://www.reply.com/About/

Fitgerald Coaching / Prospecting  Service Guaranteed offers to call all the FSBO's and Expired Listings in the zip codes or cities you want. They say they call and pre-qualify the leads then send the agent the contact info. This actually sounded pretty good...until they said they need $5,000 Up-Front AND 20% of every Closing. The numbers didn't work for me but they might for you. . I checked out the references they sent me and a few others. One of the 3 agents they used as references told me they were great. He could not say how wonderful the service has been for he and his wife's real estate business over the last 2 years. Their other 2 references did not have time to talk to me. I called another agent that I found on a site reviewing their services. She had written a good review so I was surprised when I got her on the phone and she said 'Don't use them. Run." So did the 3rd person I was able to reach by phone or email. This was disappointing.  http://fitzgerald-coaching-prospecting.blogspot.com/ .

Zillow and Market Leader offer training and web classes about using their system. I really don't have a lot of time to spend watching videos and webinars; that's why I'm paying them to generate leads. Perhaps there are agents who would use the training, webinars, and contact follow up systems that come with Zillow and Market Leader. Since I already have systems in place for follow up, I just need the information in a format that's easy to copy and paste. (wishful thinking)

My Blog: the people who call me after reading my blog on Active Rain are the best. They are usually ready to buy or sell a home right away. Or, they may be from out of the area wanting to make an appointment for when they arrive in a month or two. 

My webistes &/or the company website: People who call are ready. People who sign up to look at homes on the sites usually need some time to gather information before talking to a Realtor© IRL.

There are several reasons to not buy a home at a particular time. The reasons and the timing are specific to each and every individual although many individuals may share a similar reason at various times in their lives. 

One client's reason is to save up more for the down payment. We met earlier this year. She had a Pre-Approval Letter and more than enough saved up for Closing Costs and updating or remodeling her new home.

As we were viewing homes for sale in her chosen area and price range, I learned that she loves to travel. She's actually taken 4 trips already this year and has 2 more planned. So we talked a little about that as we were touring the houses she liked. 

For a $300,000 home, if she put 5% down, that's $15,000. At 4.75% interest over 30 years, that makes the monthly mortgage payment $1,486.69 Principal & Interest. Taxes and Insurance would add another few hundred per month. 

But, if she puts down 20%, or $60,000, her monthly payment would only be $1,251.95 (P&I) and she would not have to pay PMI. That $234.74 every month could be spent on food, drink, and entertainment during her travels. $2,800 per year could be used to pay for one of her short trips. 

She liked the idea of being able to continue her travels without stretching her budget. She also liked the idea of avoiding paying PMI. The client figured it would take her 10 months to save up another $30,000 which would enable her to put down 20% (without dipping into savings), avoid the PMI, and have more monthly income available for fun. 

Selling your home is not just about marketing, staging, and advertising. 

1. Existing Mortgage. How much is left on your note? Are you current on payments? All of my clients complete an Existing Mortgage Request form which is sent to their bank to confirm amounts. Sometimes people don't get them back to me in a timely manner. That's a clue that something may be wrong. While it's perfectly understandable to feel reluctant about telling anyone that you've fallen behind in your mortgage payments, it's not something you can keep hidden. The bank is going to be involved in the Closing process. Title cannot be transferred until the lender releases it. If this is something you're dealing with, tell your agent immediately to find out what options may be available to you. Waiting often reduces your options.  

2. Title. Whose name is on the title to the property? If you are an officer of a corporation that owns the property, we're going to need to see the articles of incorporation and the document showing you as an officer who is authorized to sign legal documents in the name of the corporation. This also goes for LLC's, trusts, POA's, etc. If you have changed your name, we need to see the marriage certificate or other legal document(s) showing that you are the same person as is named on title. You cannot legally sell real estate you do not own. 

3. Liens. Title cannot be transferred when there is a lien against the property. If someone has filed a lien against the property, the homeowner cannot sell it until the lien holder is satisfied. If you need the money from the sale to pay the lien holder, documents showing that X amount will go to the lien holder at Closing will need to be put in place before Closing. The lien holder will have to agree, in writing, to accept monies at Closing. 

Not everyone gets to experience a perfect life from start to finish. Most of us have at least a few ups and downs between birth and death. When a homeowner tells me they're behind in their mortgage for whatever reason, I don't judge; I try to help them find a way to get out of the mess. 

Errors on title are best found early on so that they can be corrected before we have a contract on the property. Sometimes it can be as simple as sending a Death Certificate to the County Recorder to remove a deceased spouse's name from the title. Other situations are more difficult but most can be dealt with in a reasonable amount of time. 

Whatever the situation, the best course of action is to tell your agent up front so that they can work with you on resolving the issue. 

Managing photos in the new Active Rain format is a little bit different than the old format.To insert a photo, first click on the little camera icon. I've had a few requests from members about how to get the photos to stay on the right so here we go.    

 Instead of just clicking on a photo from your photo files or desktop, you must first upload it to the new photo library within Active Rain. 

It's called RESPONSIVE FileManager. Click on the plus sign to add an image to the FileManager. Your photo files will pop up and you select the file you want just like in the old AR.

Once you've added the photo you want to the Resonsive file manager, you can adjust the size. 

When the photo pops up on your blog post, you can either click to the right of the photo to keep typing and let the photo fall between the words freely or you can tell it to stay right or left. 

To get it to stay to the right or left, click on 'Formats' on the top bar or 'Format' on the second bar.

If you click on 'Formats' on the top bar, as shown here, you'll want to click on the 'Formats' arrow to get the dropdown menu of choices. 

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Brookside Kansas City, generally defined by zip code 64113, has less than a 3 month supply of homes for sale. Less than a 6 month supply of homes for sale is indicative of a Seller's Market. 

The Average Sold Price for the 3rd quarter is $402,349.  

Average Days On Market = 52.

Prairie Village KS has less than a 3 month supply of homes for sale. Less than a 6 month supply is indicative of a Seller's market.

There are currently 91 homes for sale in Prairie Village. The Average list price is $307,380.

134 homes sold in the months of July, August and September. The Average sold price was $249,840.

There are 16 homes under contract now.

Prairie Village is one of the popular, established, close-in neighborhoods of Kansas City. 

It's proximity to the Plaza & Brookside as well as Overland Park make it a convenient place to live. Parents who value education love being in the Shawnee Mission East High School district. Homes within walking distance of the Village Shops or one of the Country Clubs remain in high demand. 

158 single family homes sold in Leawood during the 3rd quarter of 2013. The Average sales price was $481,960. 

Currently, there are 150 homes for sale in Leawood KS. The average list price is $803,538. See Leawood homes for sale. 

There are 92 homes under contract; 2 Contingent, 52 Pending, and 40 on BackUp Status. 

Subdivisions in Leawood include Hallbrook, Tuscan Reserve, Leawood, Somerset Acres, The Woods Estates, Hazelwood, Highlands Creek, Somerset Acres, Reserve at Iron Horse, Pavillions, Highlands Ranch, Berkshire, Mark Lane, The Woods Villas, Royse, Leawood Estates, Bradford Place, The Hills of Iron Horse, Leawood Estates, Leawood Forest Estates, Bridgewood, Wilshire Place, Longwood Forest, Whitehorse, Worthington, Waterford, The Cloisters, Stone Ledge at Iron Horse, The Villas of Chapel Green, Leabrooke Highlands, Leawood Meadows, Wilshire by the Lake, Cherry Creek, Leawood South, Estates of Iron Horse, Steeplechase, The Greenbriar of Leawood, Brittany Woods, Highlands of Leawood, The Woodlands, Leawood Mission Valley, Leawood Falls, and Verona Gardens. 

Please call for your specific neighborhood / subdivision.

Leawood is is a city of 15 square miles located in between Overland Park KS, Prairie Village KS, and Kansas City MO. The original 600 acres was purchased in 1922 by Oscar G. Lee, a retired police officer from Oklahoma. The City of Leawood was developed after WW II by the Kroh Brothers. They built a subdivision of 500 homes with returning veterans seeking quality of life in mind. The original Leawood subdivision became an incorporated city of Johnson County and is now one of the fastest growing cities in Kansas.