Billie Atkinson

I'm always intrigued by sellers who decide to list their home based on the top ranking of an agent.

Yup, the sign has their name and you may meet this person at the listing appointment but after that, it all goes to the administrative office help. I'm not saying it's wrong, it needs to be handled this way when you have 50-100 plus listings.

I agree you want a great agent but why not pick an agent in that top 10% rather than top 1%. Better to have hands on service dedicated to selling your home.

When I was new so many years ago and would go out on a listing appointment and find out my competition was one of the top big hitters, I worried I could never get a listing away from such a huge Realtor. As time went on, it became clear what I have to offer over that top agent with the teams.

I'm hands on and in that top 3-5% depending on the year. I admit to being a workaholic and a bit of a control freak. I handle all details and have decided to keep my business manageable so I can provide concierge style service to my clients.

I now enjoy competing with the jumbo agents and is rare to not get a listing. There is something to be said by providing VIP service ...........making every client the most important person in my business and mean it.

Billie Atkinson

Providing concierge service

There are 4 phases in Armbrust Acres and covenants have expired in phase 1. Talking to a few residents, they are happy to see the covenants gone and don't understand the importance of keeping them in place. Many also don't understand the importance of the yearly neighborhood association fee.

As a Realtor, I understand why it's critical for the covenants to stay in place. If you live in Armbrust Acres you need to understand that having covenants keeps your home value up.

Lets say we continue down this path and you end up with a neighbor who stores a boat, work trucks, cars not driven or work equipment in their driveway (which I am beginning to see). I guarantee your home just lost $$. Even at a reduced price, many buyers won't consider your home. There will be a preception the neighborhood is losing value.

No covenants ? Do we really want that to happen...........

The same can be said for the association dues which are wisely spent keeping our park, common areas, entrances and cul de sacs in top condition. The yearly dues are small in comparison to the return on your investment.

Contact me with questions or if you are interested in buying or selling in Armbrust Acres.

Billie Atkinson

NP Dodge Real Estate

Contact me at 402/212-3373 or batkinson@npdpdge.com

I wish I could say we are doing great but sadly after the government money programs ended the market has slowed down. Pending sales are way down over the last year. If you are interested in buying, now is a great time. The key to selling is to price your property correctly. For a detailed review of our market or qestions, give me a call at 402-212-3373 or email: batkinson@npdodge.com. I would be happy to send you the full report

Billie Atkinson

NPDodge Real Estate

May 2009 - May 2010

15 month review:

FOR SALE - up 18%

CLOSED - up 17%

PENDING - down 51%

Months Inventory - 4.8

There are many reasons why Omaha is a fabulous place to work and enjoy life! First, we have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country at 5.9%. One of the lowest foreclosure rates in the country as well. Omaha is the home of Warren Buffet and the College World Series! It's easy to see why the real estate business has survived our country's housing problems of the recession. Hear more on CNNMoney.com about the "Good times in 'the big O'"!

If you are putting your home up for sale, you should consider getting a home inspection before putting that "for sale" sign in your yard. Not only will your home appeal to a larger number of potential buyers after necessary improvements are made, but you will know of any issues with your home and also have control over who is hired to fix them. Once under contract and a buyer is aware of repairs needed, by law in Nebraska, a licensed professional must be used to do the work.

Contingencies in Contracts

When a buyer makes an offer and you accept it, you have a contract. One of the most common conditions of that contract is, "offer contingent upon satisfactory building inspection." The buyer is going to have a professional home inspector go through your house to make sure there are not any hidden problems.

The last thing that you want is to have your deal fall through because of an unknown problem uncovered by the buyer’s building inspector. This is especially true if it is a minor problem and could easily have been repaired ahead of time -- if only you had known about it.

Many a transaction has fallen apart because of building inspection surprises.

Preparing for Sale

When preparing your house for sale, you are going to do lots of things to make it more appealing to potential buyers. You are going to clean up the yard, apply a fresh coat of paint where needed, get rid of all clutter in and around the house, have the kitchen and all bathrooms at their sparkling best, get the rugs cleaned, clean all windows, etc.

Why not spend the relatively few dollars and also have a building inspection? Find out the hidden problems with your home and correct them in advance. If you don’t, you can be assured that the buyer’s inspector will find them. When the buyer’s inspector finds a problem, it can throw a monkey wrench into the works.

Potential Problems

The buyer will ask you to fix the problems found by their inspector – or no deal. If you do not want to fix the problems, they will ask for a reduction in price or a cash credit at closing – or no deal. In some cases, they buyer may even cancel the purchase entirely, not giving you a chance to make any corrections.

If the buyer cancels the purchase, where does that leave you? It leaves you with a house that you will have to put back on the market – a house that has been stigmatized. Future potential buyers and their Realtors will always wonder, "What happened with that first deal?"

An Item of Caution: Disclosure

If you hire your own home inspector and find problems but elect not to repair them, be sure to tell your Realtor. They should be disclosed to all potential buyers. In some states this is mandatory. Home sellers and their Realtors who have known of problems but not disclosed them have successfully been taken to court for damages.

Think of yourself. Isn’t it easier to identify and handle problems in advance rather than finding out about them later? If there is a problem that you decide not to repair, disclose it up front and indicate that the estimated buyer’s cost to fix it has been reflected in the offer price of your home.