Day Trip from Shawnee, Ks to see the tulips in Topeka, KS. Day trips are fun. From my Shawnee, KS home, it's an easy drive to Topeka, Ks. Topeka has an amazing Tulip Festival that just ended today. When my mom was visiting from Iowa, we took a day trip to Topeka and enjoyed the beautiful tulips and other flowers. Hats off to Topeka residents who invest time, energy, and money in creating such a beautiful place. Happy Spring!
Pictures by Lea Deo, Kansas City, Serving Your Real Estate Needs in Shawnee Ks. Olathe, Overland Park, Mission, Lenexa, and other parts of the Kansas City metro area
Goode Estates is a subdivision comprised of 166 homes built in the mid seventies to early eighties. Located in the heart of Shawnee, it features mature trees and larger lots consistent with that era of building.
It is conveniently located close to the Benninghoven Elementary School and Shawnee Mission Northwest. Goode Estates homes are served by Trailridge Middle School which is just down the street at 75th and Quivira.
According to Heartland Multiple Listing Service data there were four homes that sold in 2009 and in the first quarter of 2010 there are three homes with contracts pending. Homes often sell quickly in Goode Estates with offers being received in 60 days or less on the market. Shawnee homes in Goode Estates have generally sold between the higher $170,000's to lower $190,000's.
Typical Shawnee Homes in Goode Estates neighborhood
Google Map of Neighborhood
This morning as I left my home, I remembered when my husband and I had bought this home. We were working hard and having a hard time making it financially. To this day I remember exactly where I was standing in my kitchen. I remember what he was wearing and the look on his face when he came into our farm home in Iowa and asked me what I thought about moving back to Kansas City. My response, "I'm packing!" 
In the space of 30 days we sold our acreage, our livestock, and our equipment. We both got our old jobs back and bought a house in Shawnee, KS. We closed on the house in October, 1979 at an incredibly good interest rate of 9.75%. As you may or may not remember, interest rates at that time climbed to over 18% for 30 year mortgages. If we had not bought at 9.75%, we would have probably not been able to buy at all. Certainly we could not have purchased as much house as we did. So many times in subsequent years we talked about how that move had been ordained--how if we had not bought when we did, we would not have been able to buy our home.
I regard that moment in our kitchen as a moment of destiny.
This morning as I left my front door, I was grateful for the house that has been my home all these years. Then this thought crossed my mind. I wonder how many buyers will let their moment of destiny pass by. The tax credit that exists for buyers today is like the cherry on top of the sundae. It is a great time to buy a home. Interest rates are lower today than they are likely to be in the future. I don't know how high they will go, but I'm very confident that the direction is up. Higher interest rates mean less house for the same money. There are great values in homes today. Housing prices in our market are lower today than in recent years. Over the long haul we can be fairly confident that houses in our market will appreciate. In short, your housing dollars go a long way today.
How many of today's potential buyers are in that moment of destiny?
How many of today's potential buyers may miss the opportunity to own a home because of hesitancy?
If you are thinking of buying a Shawnee, KS home and hesitating, I invite you to examine the reasons for yor hesitancy. It may not be the right time for you to buy a home, based on your individual circumstances and situation. At times I have advised potential clients to rent because that was in their best interests.
On the other hand, it may be your moment of destiny. It may be the cornerstone of your future net worth. Make sure that you are carefully considering your situation.
This morning I drove to Independence, Mo. to talk with a group of widows and a widower. This
group is a part of Skillbuilders which is a program designed to assist widows and widowers
in adapting to a new lifestyle and teach them life skills which they suddenly need, One
class has to do with personal safety, another has to do with managing finances, another is geared
toward maintaining an automobile, a couple are geared toward grief support. It is a wonderful program
where people who are dealing with deep painful emotions can find safety and share their experiences,
pain, and achievements.
I talk about the real estate market and getting your home ready to sell. Generally, these
people are not ready to sell their homes. Their grief is too fresh. I encourage them to
take time and make their own decisions and not feel pressured by someone else who "means
well". Not all of the widows and widowers are older. There's no guarantee that you will
have a long life together before you're faced with widowhood. Today, most of the audience
were older and had owned their homes for several decades.
I explain a little about the real estate market, the way to choose a good real estate agent,
and the importance of pricing the property to sell. Then I talk a little about improvements
that make sense,staging and home warranties, as well as the home buying process including
inspections and appraisals. Many times these people have lived in their homes 30-40 years.
Some of the questions they asked today were:
good choice. Sometimes your friend is selling real estate as a hobby and not a career. Do
you feel comfortable if your friend knows about your finances? Do you feel comfortable with
your friend telling you that you need to lower your price, clean your shower, or any other
type of honest feedback that real estate agents must give if they are doing their job.)
multiple phone calls to see multiple homes? That lead to a great discussion of buyer agency
and seller agency and designated agency.
How can I explain all the idiosyncrasies of the house and how to take care of it.
discussion about the market and how buyers think and who the competition is and who the
target buyer is, as well as the observation that price overcomes all obstacles.
I'm writing this post to remind agents that this particular market segment may have very
basic questions. As real estate agents, we tend to think of first time home buyers, but
sometimes first time sellers have those same basic types of questions.
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I am passionate about helping you reach your real estate goals. I serve the metro Kansas City area-Shawnee, Overland Park, Lenexa, Kansas City, KS, Kansas City, MO, and other surrounding towns
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