In looking at residential sales (not including condos and townhomes) in Douglas and Sarpy counties there were 749 closed transactions for the month of June. How does that compare to June of 2007? Last year there were 990 closed transactions for the month of June. Compared to last year closed transactions were off 24% for the sale of residential, detached housing not including condos and townhomes in Douglas and Sarpy counties in Nebraska.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

I would like to thank Mindi Byrd of Prudential Ambassador and fellow Activerainer for helping me in selling my at 6222 N 79 Circle in the Brookfield subdivision. Mindi was a pleasure to work with and the sale went off without a hitch. 6222 North 79 Circle was listed for $120,000 and it SOLD 38 days later for $117,000. Again, I would like to thank Mindi for her professionalism and for a job well done.

If you would like to see current homes for sale in the Brookfield subdivision I have included a DIRECT LINK to the MLS to give you an idea of some of the current bargains in the area. If you would like to see any these homes or if you are selling your home please feel free to give me a call at (402) 490-6771. I have listed several homes in the area and I am familiar with the market in Brookfield.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

If you are potential seller in the Omaha real estate market you have many choices when it comes to hiring an agent. Not all agents are created equal and even agents within the same company has varying degrees of success and experience.

Any agent you speak with will TELL you all about their internet and technology expertise. How can you really tell? One way to test this is to send a potential agent a TEXT message. Agents that are technology savvy understand the POWER of texting and the importance of communicating in today's marketplace. The demographic for the average buyer in today's market is the low to mid 30's. Times have changed and the buyers in today's marketplace DEMAND instant communication.

So, before you hire an agent send them a text message. Sending a simple text may save you a tremendous amount of time and it will put you in contact with an agent who has the capability of communicating with the buyers in today's marketplace.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

The effect of increasing traffic and widening of a street and the impact on PRICE

This is just an example of why buyers want to be careful when buying a home that backs to a busy street. The home pictured above with the "red dot" was a model home purchased on 3-23-2005 for $269,900. At the time of construction in 2001 this street was a simple two lane road. A few years later the street was widened and there was a significant increase inthe amount of traffic.

How did this affect the price? Many factors play a part in price and the increase in traffic is only ONE of the factors.

• On 6-26-06 the sellers listed the home for $275,000 after 183 days the listing EXPIRED.
• On 12-20-06 the sellers changed agents and increased the price to $279,000 after 146 days the listing EXPIRED.
• On 5-27-2007 the sellers changed agents and lowered the price to $270,000 and then lowered the price to $255,000 after 124 days the listing EXPIRED.
• On 10-22-2007 the sellers re-listed with the same agent. The home stayed on the market for an additional 93 and then EXPIRED.
• On 2-6-2008 the BANK listed the property for $250,000 with a different agent. The price was subsequently lowered to $199,000 after 121 days the listing EXPIRED.
• On 6-11-2008 the BANK listed the property with a different agent and lowered to price to $159,000. After 7 days the home went PENDING with an accepted contract.

For the record this was NOT one of my listings. I interviewed with this seller after the listing expired the first time in 2006. At that time, I told him he was too aggressive on price and that the price needed to be lower. He disagreed and hired someone else.

The moral of the story is that eventually ANY home will sell at the right price. Many factors play a role in pricing and even a very nice homes in wonderful neighborhoods can lose value. What you pay for a home or what you need in terms of money has NOTHING to do with current market value.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

This is a client satisfaction survey from a past client. This client was an expired listing who had been listed with two other companies before she became a client. After proper pricing, professional home staging and a pre-inspection this home SOLD in 7 days!

If you are considering selling your home in the Omaha area and you would like more information on my comprhensive marketing plan please give me a call at (402) 490-6771.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

This is a year-to-date comparison for closed transactions in Sarpy County, NE for residential, detached housing not including condos or townhomes. This information was complied from Great Plains Multiple Listing Service.

Date Number of CLOSED transactions

1-1-2004 to 6-30-2004 903

1-1-2005 to 6-30-2005 1,119

1-1-2006 to 6-30-2006 1,237

1-1-2007 to 6-30-2007 1,113

1-1-2008 to 6-30-2008 972

Sarpy County has seen a 12% reduction in the number of closed transactions from last year. If you are a seller in Sarpy County it is important to be priced competitively in order to get your home sold. If you live in Sarpy County and you would like more detailed information on your particular neighborhood please feel free to contact me at (402) 490-6771.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

This is a year-to-date comparison for closed transactions in Douglas County, NE for residential, detached housing not including condos or townhomes. This information was complied from Great Plains Multiple Listing Service.

Date Number of CLOSED transactions

1-1-2004 to 6-30-2004 3,378

1-1-2005 to 6-30-2005 3,474

1-1-2006 to 6-30-2006 3,291

1-1-2007 to 6-30-2007 3,232

1-1-2008 to 6-30-2008 2,657

This year we have seen an approximate 18% reduction in the number of homes SOLD in Douglas County, NE from last year. This decrease means that if you are selling a home in Douglas County it is imperative to price your home correctly. If you live in Douglas County and would like more information on your particular neighborhood please feel free to contact me at (402) 490-6771.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

One of the more common concerns among buyers when moving to a new area is the amount of crime. CrimeReports.com is a website that downloads police reports daily and makes that information easily available for members of the community.

In order to better serve our clients we have linked CrimeReports.com to our website in order to be a one-stop resource when purchasing a home.

Thanks,

David Matney, CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

The beginning of most basement water issues usually begin in the gutters and downspouts. This summer the Omaha area has had more than it share of rain. If your gutters are clogged this can lead to water accumulating near the foundation and this can lead to water seepage in the basement. Keeping gutters clean and the downspouts in place helps keep the water away from the home and out of the basement.

If you are selling your home, don't forget to keep the gutters clean. A sure-fire way to kill the curb appeal is to have a small forest growing out of the gutters. This screams out: 1) deferred maintenance 2) basement water problems. This is another reason most high octane FULL SERVICE Realtors periodically drive past their listings to ensure the home maintains marketability.

Thanks,

David Matney,CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate

I would like to thank Jennifer Edwards with Prudential Ambassador Real Estate. Jennifer brought the buyer to my listing at 15826 Seward St in the Windridge subdivision. 15826 Seward Street sold for $162,000 and was on the market for only 26 days.

If you are considering selling your home and would like more information on my comprehensive marketing program please feel free to call me directly at (402) 490-6771.

Thanks,

David Matney CRS,GRI

Alliance Real Estate