Winds of Change

It is 11:17 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and I am wrapped up snug in a blanket at my computer desk in the basement, about as far away from Black Friday shopping as I can get.  I can't tell you the last time I made a shopping run to Norfolk or Sioux City.  I have had a lot on my proverbial plate for the last five months.  In July, I made the decision that it was time to fulfill a dream I have had since I was five years old to own my own business.  If you would have asked me back then what I wanted to be, I would have told you a farmer.  It wasn't until I was 25 that I realized real estate might be the thing I was truly destined for with just a splash of farmer on the side.  This decision had been weighing heavily on my mind for several months knowing that my current employer was moving in the direction of semi-retirement at the end of 2019. Within a matter of a few days in the middle of July, I had purchased the building located at 219 Main Street without so much as telling my husband it was happening. I simply pulled up to his shop after work, and told him I had a surprise. He guessed right away what I had done, and the rest is history.  He must trust me because he hasn't questioned a thing throughout this entire process.  And, so we begin our 8th year of the do-it-yourself saga that has consumed our marriage.

I've spent the last four months getting i's dotted and t's crossed, and I still have a ways to go. I want to tell all of YOU, my loyal buyers and sellers, that there is no need to panic.  I will be relaying more information to you as we enter the month of December.  Due to strict sanctions by the Nebraska Real Estate Commission, I am fairly limited as to what I can say just yet.  However, be assured that you are my top priority as we enter into the final month of this transition.

Now you know that this new business venture is largely the reason I have been laying pretty low these days.  I haven't had much of a chance to come up for air, let alone go shopping or leave town.  I spent the bulk of today vacuuming and cleaning carpets, which might not sound like a very glamorous way to spend Thanksgiving, but it was good for my soul.  At least I wasn't the poor sap that got stuck reinstalling the toilet after the new flooring was installed in the bathroom (thanks, Tim!)  And I don't want to take any credit away from my big brother Tom Hansen, Rug Doctor extraordinaire, who ran the carpet cleaner while I vacuumed...and vacuumed....and vacuumed.  Pretty sure I'm going to need a new vacuum after this.

So, for the next few weeks (or years), I'm going to be burning some midnight oil.  I couldn't do so without the support of so many understanding friends, family, customers, clients, and colleagues like you.  I am truly thankful for all of you, and for your words of encouragement.  Goodness, I'm tearing up just thinking about each and every one of you and what a treasure it is to know you.  Thanks for your patience and for sharing in my excitement!  Change is hard, and life isn't all real estate and roses.  So long as we trust in each other and work together, we should be able to make it through.  Welcome Home.

The Great Toothpaste Confrontation of 2019 (1,000 Days of Winter)

I learned last week that my husband takes toothpaste, or the lack thereof, very seriously.  On Tuesday of last week, I witnessed the unfortunate circumstances of running out of "adult" toothpaste.  Bear in mind, we still had plenty of bubblegum Sparkle Crest on hand.  Apparently, that just doesn't do the same job as cool mint gel.  Nevertheless, this led to a 10 p.m. argument about not having any toothpaste.  Luckily, I was able to scavenge for a travelers pack of toothpaste to meet my husband's needs.  Fast forward to Friday.  Still no toothpaste in the house and the traveler's pack is empty.  At this point, the confrontation is boiling down to a battle of wits to decide once and for all who can hold out the longest and exhibit the utmost stubbornness of the two of us.  Turns out my husband won this no-contest, knock-down, drag-out fight by one fall.  I broke down and threw some Crest in the shopping cart while I was out buying groceries in the blizzard to avoid all of the other pre-blizzard shoppers.  He owes me big time, but guess what, he is too stubborn to admit it.

How has your 1,000 days of winter been going?  I would accept false spring at this point even though it will take us into third winter.  Clearly, we all need some fresh air, new perspective, and some Crest toothpaste to fill the void this gloomy, cold, artic tundra has left in our hearts.  By golly, at least the real estate market hasn't been frozen in its tracks by this weather.  I wasn't sure if I was coming or going last week, but I did tell our office manager every time I left that if I didn't see her again by 5 p.m., I would see her the next day.  This is good news for all of you who are anxiously waiting for new listings to arrive on the market.  As our 1,000 days of winter edges ever closer to an end, we will see new listings.  If you would like to be notified of what is coming available, send a text to (402) 518-0675 so I can include you in my early communications!

On the flip side, Sellers be warned!  Your sweet spot for listing properties is not actually the summer months as has long been the industry belief.  The best opportunity for you to command top dollar for your property happens when you list between February 15th and March 15th.  We are almost halfway through this short window, so contact me today if you are toying with the idea of listing.  I can provide initial consultations on preparing your house for sale (including how to use toothpaste for spackle, if needed).  And, don't forget, we have our second Lunch and Learn of the season coming up at Noon on March 13th with everything you need to know about preparing your home for sale, working with an agent for the best results, and surviving the process while trying to make a move.

If you're still not convinced that now is a good time to break up the 1,000 days of winter by listing your home, check out these pending sales that only lasted 24 hours on the market:

315 West 8th Street

1020 Poplar Street

Both of these sellers considered waiting to list their homes until warmer weather.  Nonetheless, getting their homes listed early in the year was a smart move.  Let me help cure some of that Seasonal Affective Disorder by kicking your spring cleaning into high gear and helping you market your home to an anxious pool of buyers. 

Despite recent sales, 1st Realty has a nice selection of homes still on the market!  Right now, we have something for everyone including ranch-style, 2-story, a townhouse, and investment properties to expand your portfolio.  Our team can help find a home that fits your needs!

118 S. Blaine Street

419 West 8th Street

1403 Linden Street

902 Nebraska Street

314 East 4th Street

So, don't let the winter blues get you down!  Go buy yourself a fresh new tube of toothpaste, keep the peace in your current home, and give me a call to help you with your next home sale or purchase.  After all, toothpaste is less expensive than roses, and I love to talk about real estate!  Welcome Home.

A, B, C, D, E-I-E-I-O!

Since the first of the year, I have been spending a portion of each night trying to inspire my Kindergartener to write letters, numbers, and sight words.  He is my son who takes everything very literally.  He requires all things to have order and make sense.  He sees the world in a very black and white sort of way, which is completely mind-blowing to me most days.  Quite frankly, I can no longer look at the English language in the same way I once did just a few short months ago.  After all, 'A' sounds like 'H,' so why are they different letters?  How can 'two' sound the same as 'to' or 'too'?  The letter 'O' doesn't even make an 'oooo' sound at this stage in the game!  Rather than just learning the very basic concept, his mind wants to know all the reasons behind why we talk, count, and spell the way we do. With all of his newly obtained knowledge, he has lost confidence in his ability to learn the English language, particularly reading and writing.  He requires reinforcement at every level, which requires a lot of time on both our parts.  On the other hand, my 2-year old can sing you his ABC's with a little bridge to Old MacDonald in the middle.  He has been working hard on a quality medley of Baa Baa Black Sheep which leads into Twinkle Twinkle Little Star followed up by Jingle Bells.  He oozes confidence when he sings and dances. Chest out, shoulders back, hips swaying, loud and proud!  Makes me laugh every time!  I just want to bottle up this time with both my boys and save it forever!

These differing stages of learning are very similar to those of home buyers and sellers.  We all start out pretty green by mixing our ABCs of real estate with the E-I-E-I-Os of good credit history, financing options, and downpayment funds. Nonetheless, as first-time buyers, we are confident in our ability to make homeownership a reality, so we approach it head-on, loud and proud, telling all of our friends and family via social media that we are in the market to buy a home.  We are especially good at telling everybody when we are interested in a property on social media.  In doing so, we encourage competition from other buyers and limit our negotiating ability.  This is why you need a good teacher a/k/a real estate agent to take you through what I essentially label as real estate preschool.  I encourage you to attend the Lunch & Learn Homebuyer Workshop on February 13th from Noon to 1 p.m. on the back meeting room of 1st Realty.  F&M Bank is our lunch sponsor this month, and they will not let you go back to work hungry!

Eventually, you learn the ABCs and find it is time to sell that home you purchased.  Maybe you have outgrown the space.  Perhaps you have changed employment, or life circumstances may be taking you on a new adventure.  Whatever the reason, you are introduced to a whole new perspective of real estate.  Like learning the letters, numbers, sounds, and symbols of a whole new language, you have to figure out the why's and how's of selling a home. You have graduated to real estate Kindergarten. Again, this is where a trusted real estate professional can help you master this new language and reinforce your ability to sell the property successfully. (1st Realty's Lunch & Learn Seller Workshop would be a good opportunity for you to learn about what it takes to sell a home in today's competitive environment.  Join us on March 13th for this informative seminar). 

The point I'm driving at here is that we don't send our children out into this world to master the English language without a solid team to reinforce their abilities.  We push them through 15+ years of education and spend countless hours at home teaching them to read, write, and solve problems without even a question as to why we would do so.  By the time you have bought and sold one home, you really have only graduated from real estate Kindergarten.  There is an entirely different realm beyond just buying and selling. It takes a qualified team of professionals to close any real estate transaction.  I'm not just talking about real estate agents.  You need lending professionals, title insurance professionals, escrow professionals, inspection professionals, repair professionals, homeowners insurance professionals, income tax and accounting professionals, and staging and decorating professionals to simply process one single transaction.  Real estate has a language and problems all its own.  It is not something you can learn overnight.  It is time consuming, it is hands on, it is anxiety riddled, and it is complicated. I'm still learning new things and encountering new situations after 15 years in the business.  There should be no question about using a trusted real estate professional to handle the purchase or sale of your next home.  In a world where very few real estate transactions turn out all real estate and roses, the team at 1st Realty can help make it a whole lot easier.  Welcome Home.

On the Next Episode of "Hoarders"...

The first step to self-improvement is admitting you have a problem.  Here goes: "My name is Trisha Peters, and I am a hoarder."  I literally keep everything until it is no longer useful (i.e. past the point of repairing).  I have dishclothes with the edges so shredded in my kitchen drawer that they wind up in a huge ball in the washing machine because the strings knot up.  I have my adjustable plastic locker shelf that was last used in 1999 because I think my 2 year old might use it in his locker someday (like that's cool, Mom.  By the time he is in school, all his books will be stored in 'the cloud').  I have mix tapes of music taped off the radio in the 1980s because every product of the 80s needs a homemade Casey's Top 40 mix tape.  (Ironically, I do not have a tape player!)  You get the picture.  It's a problem.  One that has been lurking in the darkness of my basement, and that has only recently come out to play as I try to regain control of my life.  Combine this trait with a husband who shares the same characteristic, and we are one chromosome away from being a TV reality show.  For crying out loud, he literally saved the boxes for all the toy tractors that he has displayed in a glass case.  Every time I look under the basement stairway, I want to pour gasoline on them and burn them in the backyard. But, that would get me arrested. And, jail would not be favorable to me.

Why in the world can't we throw anything away??  I blame it on my Grandma.  She used to wash out Ziploc bags and reuse them (guilty as charged).  When something can't be effectively reduced, reused, or recycled in our family, we just store it until it's dead or someone else renders it useless and throws it out for us.  Because, you know what, the second I throw those mix tapes out, I'm going to need them.  Happens. Every. Time.

Case in point, digging through a box last Saturday, I found my old Alphie II robot computer and Smart Start calculator.  I carefully replaced the 16 size C batteries each one required back in 1987 and waited anxiously to show them to the boys when they returned home from the farm with their dad.  By this time, I am well on my way to winning Mom of the Year.  Man, did their eyes light up when they saw that little plastic robot sitting on the kitchen counter.  I was tickled pink! Then, the highly unanticipated Scenario B played out. A huge fight ensued as I introduced the iPad of my day to the boys.  Little brother was ready to rumble for possession of that little robot even though he had no clue how to read the cards or answer the questions.  The oldest one deemed Alphie as "not working" because you have to push the buttons just right to get it to register the answer.  Seriously?  I played with that thing for like an hour Saturday afternoon and had no troubles!  Why do you think I didn't get any vacuuming done?  C'mon man!  This thing is retro...a classic!  As it turns out, my nostalgia is not the same nostalgia my children share.  Who knew?  Since then, I've managed to stub my toe on the dang thing seven times in the middle of the night because the only thing the kids think its good for is to have his face light up in the dark as they are laying in bed.  If anything can be said about 1980s plastic toys, it is that they were built to break a toe or at least roll an ankle! iPad, shmy-pad. Whatever, Bill Gates.

I guess the moral of the story is that if you are storing stuff in boxes that you haven't used since the 1980s, pour gasoline on it and burn it in the backyard.  Just don't let the cops catch you.  Jail isn't all real estate and roses. Welcome Home.

(Disclaimer: Blog author, Trisha Peters, does not encourage you or any others to perform dangerous activities. Pouring gasoline on anything and burning it is not recommended.  Advice is given strictly for comedic effect and is not meant to be practiced in real life.) 

At a Standstill...

Today is the first day of Spring.  Warmer weather and more daylight to get stuff done, right? A friend asked me two days ago why I hadn't posted any recent updates on our bathroom remodeling project.  Well, to be honest, progress has been slow.  No, let me rephrase that, progress has come to a complete halt.  We can't even blame the unnamed home improvement store because the materials have been stacked up against the wall in our basement family room since late February.  This photo shows where we are at currently (and have been for some time):

Notice all the glue on the walls

The builder loved glue

Someday we'll be back to fully functional

Don't get me wrong, it's not that we don't want to be working on this, but when it's 70 degrees outside, a wagon ride around the block with an almost 2-year old sounds a bit more exciting.  When I really want to spice things up, my family and I take on a large bunch of rowdy yearling cattle after work to see if we can time the head gate on the squeeze chute just right so we can insert an ear tag before they decide to run straight through.  Laugh if you want, but it's not so funny when your sorting the whole herd for the second time to catch those two lovely ladies who managed to sneak through the first time.

Despite the after work shenanigans, the at work demands have been increasing steadily since the first of year.  We've been working overtime trying to keep up with the volume of new listings, showings, and sales the past few weeks.  So, if the shower isn't getting installed it might be because of this,

1006 Brooke Drive (Sale Pending)

 or this,

719 Hillside Drive (Sale Pending)

 maybe this one too,

1000 & 1002 Sunnyview Drive

 here's another good one,

905 Lincoln Street

 or possibly this,

105 West 4th Street

 this one for sure,

57745 847th Road, Wayne

 don't forget this little guy,

307 West 1st Street

 and you're sure to love this one,

920 Douglas Street

 and this beauty, too!

502 West 1st Street

But don't forget about these moments,

Logan calls baby lambs "pigs." I can't make this stuff up.

Nobody at 1st Realty could have guessed it wasn't spring yet by the volume of home sales and listings we have experienced during this first quarter of 2015.  So far this year we have had nine closings, which is, by far, the most closings we've seen during the first quarter in the last five years.  And, not surprisingly, we have more come (keep watching for updates)!

For the time being, the improvements on our home will just have to wait. My husband and I have more important things to do at our jobs and with our family farming operations at the present time.

Tonight, we get to work with these lovely ladies to get them prepped for baby calves set to arrive in about 12 days (or sooner).  As all of you expecting mothers will understand, these bosses are "nesting" now, so let's hope they cooperate with those of us messing up their typical evening routine.  For me, it's a little needed outdoor therapy.  I'll keep you posted on how things are going, but don't be surprised if we are talking selling, buying, and baby calves rather than remodeling at least in the near future.  Welcome Home.

Baby Steps

As we roll into the summer buying and selling season, anxieties are running high.  Severe storms have threatened the area, homes need to get sold so others can be purchased, and a new batch of professionals are moving into town seeking quality rental housing that is in short supply.  As the area battened down the hatches on Tuesday in anticipation of powerful thunderstorms, two home sellers were biting their nails in other parts of the country as the storms raced towards Wayne.  Time moved in slow motion for those sellers.  They were waiting for word that the closings on their homes had officially happened before any storm damage occurred.  On the flip side, two very nervous buyers were accepting the keys to properties that were now their sole responsibility just hours and minutes before the storm hit.  Every other property owner in town was holding his/her breath and hoping the reports of golf ball sized hail were mere exaggerations.  Luckily, Wayne was spared the brunt of the damage.  Our homes, businesses, and personal property are all intact and we are thankful.  Baby steps.

I say baby steps because everything we go through in life, whether it's a storm, buying or selling a home or, quite literally, having a baby, needs a little perspective some days.  In an age of instant answers, we expect fast and accurate results in everything we do, see, and hear.  We expect the weatherman to predict the storm pattern.  We expect to be able to move in to a home or move on from it within our planned timeline. And, we expect past results to predict future performance.  The thing of it is that sometimes the things that don't go as expected are destined to help us experience something else we would have otherwise missed.  Baby steps.

Baby steps.  Had it not been for the storm, I would have missed my son's first steps.  My husband would have missed them, too.  And those would have been some big steps to miss.  The storm brought my husband and me home quite a bit earlier than usual on Tuesday.  We ate supper earlier than usual, and we were glued to the television watching storm coverage at a time of the evening when we are both usually still working on a project.  And then it happened...baby steps.  Right there between storm coverage and an evening treat of caramel popcorn.  Right there between the recliner where dad was sitting and the couch where mom was sitting.  Baby steps.  The storm that brought grumbles from both of us for bringing unexpected changes to our typically well planned day had also given us this wonderful opportunity.  Baby steps.

That very important moment in our lives opened my eyes to how and why things happen the way they do.  Just like the other events in our lives, home buying and selling is a step by step process that is often carefully planned and calculated just like two tiny feet plodding a three foot distance between living room furniture.  Some homes sell quickly, others take months and even years to sell.  Often times, there is little or no explanation as to why a perfectly sound home takes so long to sell with the exception that the right buyer has not seen the potential that home holds.  And maybe the reason is that the time just isn't right yet for it to happen.  Perhaps you might miss out on something else wonderful that would have otherwise been missed if it had sold immediately.  The baby steps we take to buy or sell a home are for a reason.  We don't always know it at the time, but eventually the reason becomes clear. 

If you feel like you are taking baby steps at this time, don't be alarmed and don't get too anxious.  The spring and summer months are an exceptional time to buy or sell a home, and if you move too quickly, you might just miss out on something wonderful.  Welcome Home.

Home Inspections

As we approach the busy spring buying and selling season, it is necessary to touch on an important topic. Most of us have heard or found out first hand that the purchase of a home will be the most expensive purchase we make in our entire lifetime.  According to the National Association of Home Builders (2014), the average buyer will stay in a home for 13 years.  With so much at stake, why do we tend to leave so much to chance?  Many buyers are now opting for a standard home inspection as part of their purchase to ensure that the home they are purchasing is structurally and mechanically sound.  The average home inspector will look for a variety of issues ranging from water leaks and burned out light bulbs to foundation cracks and other structural issues.

There are certain things to look for when selecting a home inspector.  As with any profession, an inspector with years of experience is a plus.  You might want to ask for a resume highlighting his/her experience level, education, training, and references from past customers to determine the inspector's qualifications.  Many states do not require home inspectors to be licensed.  This means that they are not governed by any laws or regulations in regard to the performance of their duties, and they have little or no training in their field.  And, you're going to let this person look at the biggest investment of your life?  Scary, right?

Here's what you can do to ensure your inspector is qualified:

1.  Locate an inspector who is a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI).  Members of those organizations are subject to a code of ethics for certified home inspectors.  ASHI's guidelines have been established as the industry standard and include the following areas of inspection:  structure, extriors, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, interiors, ventilation, and fireplaces (you can visit www.ashi.org or www.nachi.org for additional details or to locate a certified home inspector).

2.  Sometimes a certified home inspector is hard to come by in a small community or maybe you are only looking for certain areas of the home to be inspected (i.e. plumbing or HVAC).  If you're options are limited, try contacting local contractors with a reputation for being fair and honest about repairs that need to be done.  Friends and family can often point you in the direction of a reliable contractor who can provide feedback on the integrity of a structure and its components.

3.  Ask your real estate agent for a list of local experts in the area.  He/she can recommend a variety of inspectors or contractors to get you started.  You should always take the time to contact the people on the list to make sure you are comfortable with them and their level of experience before hiring them to do an inspection.  

4.  Make sure your inspector is bonded and insured.  An inspector who has taken these measures has already taken steps to ensure the buyer and seller are better protected.

Homebuyers are typically encouraged to accompany their inspectors during an inspection so you can ask questions and ensure the inspector is taking the time to look over the components of the home carefully.  Try not to be distracting to the home inspector as he/she may miss items if you try to engage in friendly banter throughout the inspection.  However, don't be afraid to question certain comments or items that are brought to your attention.  Be aware that home inspectors are simply required to "observe" certain items according to the accepted industry standards.  This might mean that your inspector "observes" the roof on the home you are buying from the ground.  Without climbing on the roof, they might not be able to see certain areas of damage that an up close inspection would uncover (Scherzer & Andrews, 2014). 

Although home inspections are designed to find most of the major defects associated with a home purchase, they are often delivered with a disclaimer that the property is inspected to the best of the inspector's ability under the conditions of the inspection.  Keep in mind that purchasing a home in the winter might not allow for a thorough exterior inspection since snow and ice can prevent inspectors from seeing certain defects.  Likewise, if large amounts of personal property are blocking an inspector's view of certain components of a home, the inspector may note that items were blocking his/her view, therefore it was impossible to inspect that portion of the home.  There are certain remedies to help you achieve better results, however, every circumstance is different. 

Inspections are most often performed once a home is under a purchase agreement.  So, what happens if the inspector finds serious defects with a home and you have already agreed to a price?  Most generally, the contract is contingent on a "satisfactory" home inspection.  This means that the contract can be amended to accommodate for repairs or improvements as deemed necessary by the home inspector.  Often times, a buyer and seller might also seek a second opinion on items of specific concern.  The results of every inspection are handled on a case by case basis once the inspection is received.

As you can see, a home inspection can be a very involved process.  It can be difficult to dive into these issues on your own, so trust the advice of a real estate professional to help guide you through the process.  Feel free to contact me at (402) 375-1477 with any questions you might have regarding a home inspection for your next home purchase.  Welcome Home.

 Sources

Emrath, P.  March 4, 2014.  "Latest Calculations Show Average Buyer Expected to Stay in a Home 13 Years."  National Association of Home Builders.  
https://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=734&genericContentID=194717&channelID=311

March 4, 2014.  American Society of Home Inspectors.  https://www.ashi.org

March 4, 2014.  International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.  https://www.nachi.org

Scherzer, L. & Andrews, M.  March 4, 2014. "Ten Things Home Inspectors Won't Say." http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=24197463

Attitude Adjustment

Raise your hand if you've been in a winter funk.  We are well into the long stretch of winter that remains before a sustained spring thaw, and all I can say is thank goodness for the warmer temps this week!  A day like today can really work wonders one's attitude and outlook.  I was getting to a point where I didn't know how much more subzero weather I could tolerate. It's depressing.  However, I am thankful that we haven't been getting the snow and ice our counterparts in the eastern part of the country are experiencing. Things could be worse.

Like me, most of you are probably getting spring fever.  It's that itch to hop in the car and go somewhere or at least to get outside and breathe the fresh air.  If showing houses doesn't give me an excuse for getting out of the office on days like today, I make my own.  You might see me at Dollar General with both arms full of office supplies because I've been procrastinating a trip to the west edge of town since they moved the store from its convenient location across the street.  Maybe I'll to run into you at the post office, or you just might catch me at the car wash polishing my wheels.  Anything for a few brief moments outside!  So, I'm begging you. Let's go look at some houses before the frigid cold settles in again!

We do have quite a few homes to see right now.  All kinds, shapes, colors and sizes are currently available from cozy ranches to 2-story cottages and low-maintenance townhouses.  If you can't find something that fits your needs today, just wait as we enter into March and April when listings typically sprout up overnight.  Remember, we are still in the throes of winter for another month or so (and I'm counting down the days until spring!)  In the meantime, check out these recent listings to see if there is something on the market that might tickle your fancy during this February thaw:

311 East 9th Street - Beautiful hardwood floors, remodeled bath, main level laundry

302 East 7th Street - 3-stories of living space, remodeled in 2000

1011 Sunnyview Drive - Cute home, 3-bedrooms, appliances included

212 East 8th Street - beautiful archways, sunroom, and remodeled kitchen

1226 5th Road, Wisner - private acreage with house, grove, and many outbuildings

819 Lincoln Street - Adorable cottage-style home, 3-bedrooms, Bressler Park view!

If you are buying or selling, contact me at 1st Realty to for help with your housing needs this spring.  Or, if you see me out and about playing hooky on these nice days, don't hesitate to stop and visit about the local housing market.  Getting into a new home or out of your existing one can do as much good for your attitude as the weather!  Welcome Home!

tpeters@1strealtysales.com                     
Office:  (402) 375-1477                     
Cell:  (402) 518-0675     

December is a Great Time to Buy!

Let me give you something to consider today:  December is GREAT time to buy a home!  Don't call me crazy until you hear me out.

1.  Only a serious seller will contend with selling their home during the holiday season.  You don't have to mess around with sellers who are just "testing the waters."

2.  Sellers tend to be more negotiable on prices during the month of December.  Consider it a direct result of being in the holiday spirit.

3.  Viewing homes with Christmas trees and other Christmas decor up gives you an idea of how big a space really is because those items typically do not occupy a room at various other times of the year.

4.  Historically (and with the exception of the past week), temperatures average between 20-30 degrees and snow fall amounts are fairly light for our area until after Christmas.  This helps to make moving a little easier when compared to January and February when snow falls are typically larger and temperatures colder.

5.  Fewer buyers are in the market for homes which motivates sellers to strongly consider any and all offers.  Your odds of buying a house improve as the market shifts in the direction of a buyer's market during winter months.

If you've been holding your cards close to your chest, you might want to consider taking a look at some homes to see what kind of deals might be available this month.  Wonderful opportunities await you in the local market to bring you home for the holidays!

Also, don't forget to participate in the1st Realty Elf's Christmas Tour of Homes promotion taking place from now through December 24th!  It is a great opportunity to preview our listings and win yourself some holiday cash courtesy of 1st Realty Sales & Management.  Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/591259154277665/.   Happy holidays from all of us here at 1st Realty!  Welcome Home!

Is 2013 the Year to Buy or Sell a Home?

A recent report in HousingWire magazine indicates that the nationwide housing inventory was down 27 percent as of December 2012 from December 2011 figures.  The Wayne area is experiencing a similar phenomenon with declining housing inventory levels as buyers continue to search for a variety of homes in all price ranges.  Buyers and sellers  needing to make a move due to changing familial status, health issues, job changes, and a variety of other reasons are having difficulty securing properties to meet their needs in Wayne or other market areas.  First-time homebuyers and move-up homebuyers are struggling most significantly at this point to locate home listings that satisfy their needs and wants. 

The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) is predicting that increasing rental rates will continue to drive homebuyer traffic as many people find that home mortgages are actually more affordable than the rising cost of rent in many areas of the country.  Several families in Wayne are finding this to be the case as well.  This is being fueled by low mortgage interest rates as well as favorable conditions for obtaining home financing in rural areas.  The USDA-Rural Development and FHA loan programs continue to be popular loan products for first-time buyers and many local lenders.  Several first-time buyers are also seeking downpayment and rehabilitation assistance from programs such as the Wayne Community Housing Development Program or Northeast Housing Initiative.

According to NAR, solid demand for homes in 2013 is predicted to drive home sales up and improve prices across the board by roughly one to two percent, which is great news for sellers.  Home sales will also increase if bank underwriting standards return to normal levels as rising home prices improve collateral values for banks.  However, pending Federal legislation threatens to make it more difficult for lenders to finance buyers, which will affect home purchasing decisions.


Since starting at 1st Realty in 2004, the number of home listings on the residential market is at the lowest level that I can remember.  The market is certainly trending towards a seller's market.  Buyers will testify that there is not much selection to pick from in today's marketplace.  In particular, several move-up buyers have commented on the lack of inventory available between $125,000 and $200,000.  Unfortunately, this has been the case for several months.  Much of this phenomenon can be largely attributed to the cautious optimism that is accompanying the U.S. economic situation.  Economists predict that many buyers and sellers have been biding their time in order to determine what the fiscal cliff debate means for them in 2013.  With the promise of higher taxes and fewer deductions, many people have decided to stay in their existing home longer in hopes of avoiding financial problems in the future.

With all this in mind, 2013 is indeed the year to sell your home.  Limited inventory means limited competition from other home sellers as well as the benefit of increased buyer traffic.  Many buyers in today's market are prequalified for loans and have money available for downpayments and closing costs.  Several qualified buyers are also in the market to make immediate purchases as they are currently renting and do not have to wait on home sale contingencies.

As opportunities arise, 2013 will also prove to be the year to buy a home.  Interest rates continue to be favorable for buyers as they hover near all time lows.  Although the looming threat of higher taxes is always upon us, the good news is that the mortgage interest deduction survived the fiscal cliff and is still available for homeowners.  As mentioned, many economists predict that housing prices have hit their lowest point and will start to appreciate in rural areas between one and two percent each year. 

If you have questions about the local housing market, contact 1st Realty at (402) 375-1477 or e-mail me at tpeters@1strealtysales.com.  Whether you are in the market to buy or sell a home, farm, or commercial property, 1st Realty can provide you with the advice you need to make 2013 your year to buy or sell!  Welcome Home.

Source: “Housing Inventory Steadily Declines in 2012,” HousingWire (Jan. 9, 2013)

I Can Relate

The last two months have certainly been months to remember for my new hubby and I.  For the past three years, we have been going back and forth about where we should live, what we should do with our lives, and who we wanted to be when we grew up.  After getting engaged in July, the reality set in that we really needed to do something or live an hour apart FOREVER.  The biggest hangup is that we both love our jobs and our families and the places where we grew up.  The best solution was for both of us to make a move, give up a little bit of home, and make a new home together.  Simple enough, right?

So, we decided that our triangle of acceptable places to live was somewhere between Dodge, Wisner, or West Point, Nebraska.  We started our home search online through local agents in those communities, but couldn't find anything that we thought would work.  Then, we resorted to the for-sale-by-owner route.  Low and behold, we looked at a house in Wisner and decided that it would work for us!  The price was right, the space was good, and we could make it our own!  Hurray!  The search was over!  Soon, we were on our way to a November 30th closing date.

That was our train of thinking at the beginning of November.  Fast forward to November 21st when the dreaded call came, just days before Thanksgiving and our big announcement to the family that we were closing on a home soon.  The owner of the home we had painstakingly searched for called to inform us that the kitchen faucet had sprung a leak and water had saturated the main floor and basement living area as the home sat vacant.  Our momentum literally came to a screeching halt and we could hear the wind getting knocked out of our sails.  Closing was off for the 30th, and so began process of insurance, adjusters and mitigation/remediation.  (Not to mention we were getting married in just under a month.)  On the bright side, we were getting new flooring and a new ceiling in the basement, and things didn't seem quite as bad then.

So, in between wedding plans, we waited...and waited...and waited....to hear if the house was salvageable for a closing in the near future.  We searched for carpeting...and paint...and ceiling tiles....and countertops...and kitchens...and contractors...and estimates...and did I mention we were quickly approaching the big day??  Finally, the day before the wedding, we received word that the house was "dry" and we would be closing on December 30th.  Without much time to think things through, we agreed that was a plan, scribbled some signatures on an addendum and got hitched.  Life was good!

We spent our short honeymoon making official flooring and paint decisions so work could begin the second we closed (we envisioned all of the contractors lined up in the driveway just waiting for us to call from the attorney's office that it was safe to go in and begin working.)  The day after Christmas, we were allowed to see the house for the first time since the water was dried out by ServiceMaster.  And, our hopes were somewhat dashed again.  Nothing much had been completed except the main floor carpeting had been removed and a less than perfect job installing some new subflooring had been completed.  We saw the paint peeling off the walls, the uneven flooring gaps, and the halfway removed and damaged ceiling in the basement.  And, we were closing in t-minus 5 days.  Through it all, my new husband was a pillar of strength and soothing reality as I melted down into what my dad labeled as a "house-zilla" (most recently deemed from the previous week's "bride-zilla.")

This week has been a flurry of phone calls to the insurance agency about settlement amounts, estimates for repair work (which we didn't know were suddenly our responsibility to provide), and trips to and fro trying to coordinate everything.  And we don't even own the house!  The sellers are pushing us to close on Friday without anything but a handshake and prayer that the insurance will pay out for the necessary repairs.  But, guess what, those checks aren't coming to us as the buyers, they are going to the sellers.  We get the bills, they get the money...sounds like a normal day.

We finally put on the brakes today to try and get some peace of mind regarding the predicament living together as husband and wife created for us (many people have told us that living apart could lead to a better marriage - LOL!)  As I sit here typing this, we have three options:
1) Close on the house with the handshake and a prayer mentality that the insurance will come through.
2) Reduce the price we pay for the house to reflect the damages and close as planned.
3) Pay the price we agreed for the house and have the attorney handling the closing hold some of the money in escrow until the work is complete and the final insurance settlement is issued to protect us and the sellers from unforeseen issues with the insurance and the repair work.

And this is where things stand 2 days before closing.  No resolution, but some viable possibilities are on the horizon.  The reason I am sharing this with all of you is because it has truly opened my eyes to the many stresses that go with buying or selling a home.  It has certainly served as a reminder that a road paved with good intentions may still have several bumps in it.  This is a lesson to me that is already making me a better agent, and it will allow me to provide my customers and clients with the service they should expect.  In other words, I can relate to what you are going through.  The emotions, the paperwork, the glitches, the compromises...we've seen it all in the last six weeks.

We are unsure what tomorrow holds for our first home buying adventure as husband and wife.  We know that whatever happens was meant to be, and we look forward to keeping you informed of our progress.  If anything, it will make a great story to tell our children when they ask us about our first home.

Welcome Home!

The source of all of our problems!

Fall Traditions

The fall decorations are popping up all over town welcoming the onset of cooler weather and little ghosts and goblins that will be parading the streets in just over a week from today.  Many folks are taking advantage of the beautiful weather to do a little "hunting" of their own...house hunting that is!  Our company has seen a variety of sellers accept offers on their homes this fall, and an array of buyers are experiencing what it's like to do their own fall decorating. Check out our most recent new listings, pending sales, and sold homes below:

1004 Aspen Street (New Listing in October and recent Sale Pending)

716 Lincoln Street (a sudden burst of activity on this home during the past week made it our most recent sale pending!)

108 S. Lincoln Street - SOLD 10/17/11

502 W. 1st Street - SOLD 9/26/11 to a great family looking forward to making this large 2-story their official home in Wayne!

420 West 6th Street - Sale Pending

808 Pearl Street - Sale Pending

308 East 9th Street - 3-unit investment SOLD 9/14/11

513 West 5th Street, Wakefield - New Listing for October, great floorplan!

409 W. 10th Street - New Listing for October, cute home & great location!

October has provided wonderful home buying and selling opportunities for clients and customers of 1st Realty.  It is a great time of year to start some of your own fall traditions. Think back to the first time that you carved pumpkins with your family at the kitchen table when you were a small child.  Do you remember how much fun it was to see them lit up on the front step of the house?  How about the first Halloween when you got to go around to all of the neighbor's houses and show off your great homemade costume?  These are the memories that many of us have of our childhood homes, and now is a great time to make some memories of your own in a home that you love.  Welcome Home!