July Happy Hour

Tuesday, July 7, 2009
5:30-8:00 PM
LIV Lounge
2285 S. 67th Street

Come enjoy All About Omaha's 5:30 Happy Hour at one of Omaha's newest Lounges, LIV Lounge. Partake in their great specials with $1.00 off Beers, $2.00 off call drinks and 1/2 price wine!! LIV Lounge is located in Aksarben Village at 2285 So. 67th Street.

There is a void in the local nightlife for a place where people can go to meet, converse, see others, relax and be treated with a level of respect and genuine concern that the hospitality industry was once founded on. For every person looking for the next thrill, there is another that simply wants to be. As we like to say… LIV and let LIV.

I've found THE BEST massage therapist in the WORLD and she's located right here in Omaha, Nebraska!  I can't believe I'm actually going to share this and take the chance she gets too busy to see me.  But I have to because the world need to know there is someone out there that does terrific bodywork and can help relieve pain.  

I'm going to have to share with you a few boring details so you will fully understand how AWESOME Tara Thompson, with Downtown Omaha Massage is.  So hang in for just a minute.

Ten years ago I injured my shoulder. I was stretching my arms overhead, if you can believe it.  Unfortunately, I was out of the country and so I painfully endured the injury for three days until I returned home.  My shoulder hurt so much I was unable to use my right arm.  My roommate had to help me dress and when walking I had to tuck my arm in my jacket pocket or at the waist of my jeans because how painful it was for my arm to just hang.       

Two orthopedic doctor diagnosed me with myofascial injuries and snapping scapula.  Surgery wasn't required, just physical therapy.  I ended up doing physical therapy annually, for the first few years because I wasn't getting better. 

I did eventually get better.  However, as I get older I find I carry stress in my shoulders, especially that shoulder.  Combine that with "mouse shoulder" and I find I have a regular ache/pain in my shoulder that I can't relieve. For several years I've tried different massage therapists but no one could relieve it.   Now I find the pain is growing to include my neck and head.   

It took Tara no more than 4 visits to relieve my shoulder pain.  She works to loosen up my neck muscles, which are all tight from my shoulder muscles pulling on them.  Then she works the shoulder muscles in a way that I've never had done before.  One of the way is by working those muscles in the underarm.  She also works the muscles underneath the breast by working pressure points on the side of the chest.  

Tara introduced me to a new technique I'd never heard of called cupping, also known as negative pressure massage.  I think that's my favorite because it is so effective.  Cupping is where suction is created to loosen up the muscles. The cups can be left stationary or you can do sliding cups, where the cup is moved up and down the muscles.  I know there are a lot of other health benefits for this technique, but I don't remember them all.  I just know I don't ache anymore.  Be sure and ask Tara about cupping when you call. 

I highly recommend Tara Thompson with Downtown Omaha Massage.  She is a friendly, caring person who obviously enjoys what she does and is very good at it.  She offers a variety of services, such as ear candling, Gua Sha, Aromatherapy Wraps, and Mud Wraps... just to name a few.  Give her a call at 706-7398 or check her out on the web. 

I discovered this adorable mailbox while showing homes today.  Enjoy!

Speechless Sunday!

Did you know that there are currently 5067 Omaha homes for sale in Nebraska?  Do you know what these means for Omaha Home Sellers and Home Buyers? 

Months on inventory determines if it is a buyer's market or a seller's market. The data tells us how long it will take the sell the existing inventory of homes that are currently on the market, provided no other homes come available.

Currently, in Omaha Nebraska:

5067 homes on the market / 770 sold in the last month

= 6.58 month inventory of Omaha Nebraska homes for sale

5067 homes may seem like a lot of Omaha Homes for Sale but considering there were almost 1000 more homes on the market a year ago, tells me the market is STARTING to even out.

Another important number to look at is the number of pending homes.  We currently have 1160 pendings in the Omaha Nebraska market.  The number of pending homes hasn't been this high since November 2007!

January 2009 - 655 Pendings

December 2008 - 526 Pendings

August 2008 - 945 Pendings

Overall, I think the market is starting to level out and am very encouraged about the high number of pendings and much lower home inventory on hand.

I have a buyer looking a ONE YEAR RENTAL.  One will commute to Omaha, the other to Lincoln so they'd something in the middle for both.  Home should have AC and all appliances included.  Rent must be less than $1,400 / month.

3 Bed, 2 bath, 3 car garage

An acreage with an outbuilding would be ideal as they have a tractor and trailors to park on the property. 

Please let me know if you have a rental that meets their criteria or know of someone who does.  I can be reached at 402-880-9027.

I am a TWITTER ADDICT!  But I HATE the Twitter DM (direct message) mail.  In other words, direct contact from other Twitterers. 

Many Twitters use programs such as TweetLater to send an automated message to someone you've just started following. The problem is so much of this is SPAM.

If you want to know how to rid yourself of all this SPAM, this is how. Ready?

1)  Follow:  Optmeout

2)  Once Optmeout follows YOU, send a DM (direct message) to Optmeout. It doesn't matter what it says.

3)  Unfollow Optmeout

Congrations!  You should have SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED your SPAM!

Flickr Image Credit:  freezelight

The Village Point Farmer's Market is back!  Stop by for FRESH locally grown produce!  Currently vendors are offering lettuce, arugula, onions, tomato plants, eggs, meats, cheeses, herbs and even bedding plants.   As the season goes on more fruits and vegetables will be offered each week. 

The market is held every Saturday from 8 am until 1 pm. Don't forget your shopping bag, and bring your dogs!

Don't miss your change own the home that Ferris Bueller's home.... er the one his friend, Cameron lived in! 

370 Beech Street, Highland Park, IL  60035

For only $2.3 million, this 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 3 car garage home could be yours!

Flickr Image Credit:  serk1

I'd like to thank Chad King, from NP Dodge for his hard work and assistance in the sale of 2370 Fontenelle Blvd, Omaha, Nebraska.  Chad was a true professional and we look forward to working with him again.  The home sold in 48 days and sold for 95% of list price.

I'd like to extend a warm thank you to Kelli Mickeliunas with NP Dodge for her assistance and professionalism in selling 6705 Vernon Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska.  The home sold in 7 days for 97% of list price.

4 bedroom / 3 bathrooms / 2 car garage

$214,500

Mark your calendar's for this Sunday's Open House in Lake Candlewood, located in Northwest Omaha. Expect to be impressed with this home's open floor plan!  This spacious multi-level home is located on .27 acres and features a large eat in kitchen with lots of cabinet and counter space, formal dining room, fireplace, both a living room and family - which doesn't include the basement.

This home is a must see!  See you Sunday!

Don't miss the Quail Creek Garage Sale being held this weekend.  Lots of bargains to be had tomorrow and Saturday.  The sales begin at 8 a.m. so don't miss out! 

The Quail Creek subdivision is located in Belleuve, Nebraska.  This Sarpy County subdivision is just South of Highway 370 and West of 36th Street.

In today’s buyer’s market did you know that homes ARE receiving multiple offers - and yours could, too?  Not all homes are selling for below list price and yours doesn’t have to either.

Do you know what your agent’s multiple offer strategy is and does it fit your needs? There are several ways to negotiate multiple ofers:  one at a time or simultaneously.  A bidding situation can sometimes get you a higher price for your home.

Will this strategy work for your home? Do you know what your agent’s strategy is? Does your agent know how to protect you from selling your home to more than one buyer?

When should multiple offers be accepted? This is another strategy to consider when hiring your agent.  Should you accept the very first offer that’s negotiated or wait until all have been negotiated? Could you get more money by waiting and accepting the best offer or will you lose offers by waiting?

There’s really no right or wrong answer because each home and seller is different. The right answer is what works best for YOU!  Make sure the person you are hiring is knowledgeable in multiple offers, knows how to protect you and that their strategy fits YOUR NEEDS.

Flickr Image Credit:  James Jordan

•1.                 How many properties do you have for sale in your MLS?  We currently have 4947 homes for sale on the MLS, which is a 1.6% increase over January. 

•2.                 How does that figure compare with last year's and the year before?  Our board doesn't track the number of total monthly listings.  Therefore, the only stats I can track right now are the total new listings which are: 

February 2008 - 1843 new properties
(27% increase in new listings over January 2007)

February 2007 - 1449 new properties

•3.                 What is the sales activity per month on single family homes, condos, multi-family, land and commercial? 

As per the Great Plains MLS in the month of February, there were:

8 condo/townhome sales (down from 22 last month)

8 land sales

7 multi-family properties

4 commercial properties sold

•4.                 What is the absorption rate for all of the above? 

Based on Total Monthly Listings, the current absorption rate for the Omaha area is 10.71 months of inventory on hand.  This means that, assuming no more properties come on the market, it will take 10.71 months to sell the existing inventory.  

•5.                 How does that compare with last year and the year before?

The Absorption rate for February 2008 and February 2007 was 4.92 months and 3.45 months respectively for Total Monthly Listings.

•6.                 How do February's sales figures compare with February of last year?  How does that compare with November and December of last year?

•7.                 What is the best selling product in your market?  What is the worst selling product?  Why?

The best selling market are home priced between $100-140K, in the First Time Home Buyer price range.  It's good to see that homes priced between $200-400K are moving this month compared to no sales last month.

•8.                 How much of your market is foreclosure related?  How many foreclosures have occurred in your market in January and February?

According to Realtytrac:  Nebraska ranks #51 in state foreclosure rankings.  In the month of February there are 463 foreclosed homes, five of which are new this month.  Foreclosed homes from November 08 forward have accounted for approximately 1% of all homes.

Let's break it out the foreclosures by county.  According to Realtytrac, foreclosures represent:

Douglas County - 1 in 40,962 housing units (almost double from January)

Sarpy County - no foreclosure activity this month

Dodge County - no foreclosure activity this month

Omaha is still one of the most stable markets in the country.  Our short sales and foreclosures are nothing compared to the East or West Coast, Nevada or even Michigan.  Our foreclosures and short sales are not selling for $.40 on the dollar here, unlike what the national news is reporting.  The carrying costs of foreclosures is low so banks can and will wait longer for the right price.

•9.               What are your observations on local financing?

Financing is available but it's very difficult to find a loan for a credit score under 620. It's so much better to get your pre-approval in advance rather than fall in love with a home and discover you can't afford it because you need some credit repair.  There are good companies out there who repair credit and I can refer you to some good ones.

With a ten month inventory of homes on the market, sellers want to know at the time of the offer if the buyer is pre-approved.   For that reason, most sellers are requiring loan pre-approval to be submitted with the offer. 

Local financing terms are also changing WITHOUT NOTICE.  We are seeing buyers being approved through underwriting and then the credit terms changed and they can no longer close on their home.  I'm also finding that the banks are no longer notifying the mortgage companies directly when terms have changed.  Many are now just posting notices on their website in lieu of notifying those with pending loans directly.

•10. What are your observations on local appraisals?

Homes are still appraising for less and the appraisers are getting pickier.  FHA will no longer allow escrow and are instead requiring the work to be done PRIOR to closing. This month alone on one FHA appraisal several NON FHA required items were required to be fixed prior to loan approval.

•11.            What is the best advice you would give a Buyer in your market?

If you are a first time home buyer or looking to buy in the $90-140K range, the time to move is NOW!  Houses in that price range are moving FAST.  This past month three of my buyers has to begin their search over TWICE because the home they wanted to put an offer on already sold.

•12.            What is the best advice you would give a Seller in your market?

The average home price increased a little over January, which is a good sign.  Until we get more information the direction of home values, Sellers still need to be very realistic when pricing their home.  If it's priced too high, they may get considerably LESS for their home versus pricing it correctly and selling it quicker.

January 2009 - Omaha Nebraska Market Report

This scam has finally hit Omaha, Nebraska.  Thank you , Shawn Murray, with Remax The Producers for contacting the media so the community won't fall for it.   

Vacant homes for sale are being advertised FOR RENT on Craigslist.  The scammer is not in town to show the house and has the rental deposit sent to Nigeria.

If you are looking for a local home rental, Craigslist is a terrific resource. Just make sure you protect yourself.  View the home before sending money and make sure you meet the owner or rental company in person at the home. 

Renters can also use technology to protect yourself, too.

1. Google the property address to see if the home is listed online. If the home is listed elsewhere online, is it for sale or for rent?  Is the contact information on all listings the same?  If not, ask questions.

2.  Check the county assessor's site to determine if you are dealing with the actual home owner. 

Douglas County Assessor   Sarpy County Assessor

3.  Call your local real estate office to see if the home is for sale.  If it is, contact the listing agent to find out if the owner is indeed offering it for rent. 

Realtors, would you like to know how you can help get rid of this scam?  Set up a Google Alert on the property address of your listings and you'll be notified when there are new search results of your property addresses. If you find your listing is being falsly advertised for rent, Craigslist advises:

"If you suspect that an item posted for sale on craigslist may be part of a scam, please email the details to "abuse@craigslist.org". Be sure to include the URL (or eight-digit post ID number) in your message."

Craigslist recommendations on avoiding scams

Learn how to set up a Google Alert here!  David Matney, with Alliance Real Estate, has a terrific tutorial on how to set up a Google Alert. 

Flickr Image Credit: jepoirrier

I just received this email from my congressman, Lee Terry, and wanted to share it.  Thoughts?

President Obama's Budget: Largest Tax Increase in U.S. History

The $3.6 trillion budget President Obama is proposing includes the largest tax increase in U.S. history.  Taxing Americans with hundreds of billions of dollars is wrong.  Christina Romer, the Chair of the President's Council of Economic Advisors has said that "tax increases are highly contractionary." Increasing taxes during a recession will only prolong the pain.
 
 President  Obama's budget proposes to raise taxes on energy. The Administration is banking on $646  billion in  new revenue from  a so-called "cap and trade" program  to pay for much of his budget.    This new tax would be on the  fuel you put in your car and your  home  gas and electric bill.  This  tax comes out to almost  $3, 100   for every  American  household per year.  This  is  the last thing  hard working families need who are trying to make ends meet during a recession.
 
The tax increases included in this measure will also hit small businesses hard.  Small businesses create 70% of new jobs each year, so taxing them more will result in more job losses that would be devastating to our economy.
 
This budget will raise taxes on investments by raising the top tax rate on capital gains and dividends by one-third  only discouraging long-term investments.
 
One of the most disturbing taxes in this budget deals with charitable giving.  This is a no-win situation.  Under the plan, families who make more than $250,000 per year would have limits placed on the amount of tax deductions they can claim for their donations  to charities.  Charities  that help people in need  are estimated to lose nearly $16 billion in donations each year if this budget passes.
 
Increasing taxes during a recession will be the nail in the coffin for our economy.  This budget does not just tax the rich as proponents claim, but it will hit families and small businesses with a one-two punch during an already difficult time.
 
Herbert Hoover raised taxes during a recession and it led to the worst depression on record. We need to learn from the past and not make the same mistakes again.

Sincerely,

LEE TERRY
Member of Congress
11717 Burt Street, Suite 106
Omaha, NE  68154
Phone: 402-397-9944

http://leeterry.house.gov

When: Tuesday, March 24 from 6:30–8 p.m. (TONIGHT!)

Where: Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St.
(11th and Jones - Parking is free on the street)

Speed Networking will help you promote your business and your talents fast. In a fresh, fun and energetic environment, we bring together young and new business people with established professionals. So much can happen by meeting the right person. Do it fast while having a great time.

How it Works:

Speed Networking allows individuals to meet one-on-one in 5-minute increments, resulting in a fast-paced, exciting and extremely effective professional networking experience.

Like speed-dating, speed networking involves seating an individual opposite someone else. Participants meet up to 20 other individuals. In five minutes, attendees can describe their respective businesses, exchange business cards and pass on referrals. When the bell rings, it’s time to move to another table and meet someone new.

Who Can Attend?

Speed Networking is sponsored by the Omaha Jaycees, but is open to everyone! The one thing that speed networkers have in common is a desire to meet new people and create great business opportunities.

Check out the fun and a new way to network! Come early and stay afterward for some more socializing!

Speed Networking will be the last Tuesday of each month and the location will change each month. Please RSVP and check for the monthly location at www.omahajaycees.org or at the Omaha Jaycees Speed Networking Facebook group.