Killeen, TX

WOO HOO!!! We've done it again. Killeen, TX is once again listed as one of the least expensive housing markets in the United States.

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=36083

Although the type of house they use for comparison (2200 sqft single family residence with 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath) is not the norm in our market, we continue to show very well everytime they do this survey. So there you have it, Buyers...Prices are Low, Interest Rates are Low and, (for a short while longer) Uncle Sam has $8000 with your name on it. Come home to Killeen...The City Without Limits.

It's a simple question. Where do we go from here?

These sellers are a wonderful military family who understand that the local Fort Hood real estate market is in a state of flux. So they have made sure to keep their home spotlessly clean (with 4 children!!). They've installed a couple of upgrades to make sure they are more competitive in the market. They are ready to show at the drop of a hat. AND they understand and agree that they must price their home aggressively to get it sold $10k under market) as well as agree to pay all the buyer closing costs and prepaids when the time comes. Our marketing is the best the area has to offer and we know that the property is as well positioned on the internet as possible,

But still no buyer has made an offer. In fact, it's only been shown three times in three months. There are 22 homes for sale in this subdivision. ONE resale home has sold in the past three months. Two brand new construction homes (by less quality builders) have sold.

So where do we go from here? Their PCS date is coming up and they will have to move on. They'll leave it on the market through the summer in hopes that a buyer who needs this Killeen location will turn up. And then if it doesn't sell they will have to make the hard decision to keep it on the market or turn it into a rental.

These sellers are not alone right now here at Fort Hood. There are many, many other properties out there that are facing the same issues. Some are holding out hope that the Corps of Engineers Homeowner Assistance Program will come to the rescue, but as of last week, the Fort Worth office of the Corps told me that they were pulling all their information on that program off the website because it looked like the funding for the program was "either on hold or canceled". I'll be checking the Corps of Engineers website daily until there is an update.

CONGRATULATIONS, CENTRAL TEXAS!!! The Killeen, Fort Hood, Temple area of central Texas was identified as one of the best cities for jobs growth in a recent article on NewGeography.com (link). Eight out of the top 20 cities were in Texas and the Killeen-Temple corridor area ranked number five among all. With job growth comes housing demand so I say, "Bring it on, and congrations, Central Texas!!!"

Richard W. Overall, Jr...Your "Overall" long-term real estate resource in Central Texas.

www.OverallRealtor.com

ps...curiously, there are no parking lot attendants in Killeen?!?

We happened upon this little restaurant at 304 Rancier Ave in Killeen, TX when we were at the bank opening our business account and our teller (also a good friend) told us about it. She said it was a new restaurant that we had to try and that she had the chicken previously but was going back that day to try their tacos. Everyone in the bank was going crazy over Krispy & Juicy Chicken so we immediately drove over there after we left.

We pulled into the parking lot in front of the restaurant (only enough room for about 5 cars in the front) and quickly realized this was one of those mom & pop type places. As soon as we opened the door we could tell the owners took pride in their little restaurant and went to a lot of trouble to make the atmosphere warm & appealing.

We were greeted by the owners that made us feel like we were at home the minute they said hello. Our first meal we tried was the rotisserie chicken which took our breath away. It was the best rotisserie chicken I have ever had! We've been hooked ever since! We try different things but always go back to the chicken, tacos and beans!

They know us now by name and by what we order. They know exactly how we like our food and make us feel at home every time. They even go so far as to give us something to snack on while we wait for our food if we are taking it to go!

The service and food make Krispy & Juicy Chicken one of the best restaurants in Killeen.

Are you looking for a way to get involved in the community that is both fun and informative. Check with your local police department to see if they offer a police academy for citizens.

Last year I went through a 12 week course at the Killeen Police Department called the CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY. The course included weekly presentations by officers, detectives, and supervisors on topics ranging from Criminal Investigation, Gangs, Organized Crime, Police DoTraffic, Gangs, Illegal Drugs, and the list goes on. It's amazing how much there is about the police department that we, as citizens, are not aware of. Included in the class is a Saturday visit to the firing range with the SWAT team and at least one ride along with an officer for a shift. While at the range, we got to see the police dogs do their work, see the SWAT team breach a door, fire an automatic assault weapon, learn about hostage negotiations and had a cook out.

After the 12 week course, we were given a very nice graduation ceremony by the city and became a part of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association. As Alumni, we can volunteer at the police station, helping out where needed.

I would recommend this type of program for anyone. It was fun, informative, exciting, and all in all an eye opening experience. I will say that the city of Killeen, Texas is very supportive of the program and of educating their citizens. They were very open and it seemed no topic was off limits.

Part of being a citizen in a community is to be involved in that community and this is one way of doing just that.

Richard W. Overall, Jr, REALTOR

www.OverallRealtor.com