This is a copy from my personal blog, of a recent post called Another Piece of the Oklahoma Real Estate Puzzle, that I wanted to share here for all the rainers to evaluate.  Enjoy!

I had the distinct pleasure of hearing from Chad Wilkerson, the Assistant Vice President and Oklahoma City Branch Executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, last night at the COHBA general membership meeting. These meetings are both enjoyable and educational. Visiting with the builders, contractors, and suppliers generally gives me a little insight to the overall sentiment out there about the central Oklahoma real estate market, from a non-consumer standpoint. Last night's guest speaker is what really drove it home for many of us, though. We've all known for a long time that we have a very unique market here in Oklahoma, and that many parts of the country are suffering right now, while we're still plugging right along. Sure, there's been a bit of a slowdown around here, and we're somewhat affected by what's going on nationally, but our overall numbers aren't matching up with the perception that's out there about the Oklahoma City and Edmond real estate market. The proof's in the pudding; check out these charts that Mr Wilkerson so graciously provided: (click on them to see larger images)

As you can see in chart 1 above, Oklahoma's GDP growth slowed in the fourth quarter, but is still increasing in most segments. The great news with this particular illustration though, is in chart 2. Oklahoma's unemployment claims have seen a dramatic decrease over the past several years, and the gap between our numbers and those of the rest of the country seems to continue to get larger. Can we say job growth?!
Chart 3 above shows us that new home construction permits have sharply declined around the country, including Oklahoma, but notice that we're still over 80% of this time 5 years ago, whereas the US is averaging only 50% of 5 years ago. We're apparently doing a great job of controlling inventory levels as well, as shown in chart 4. This is where the absorption rate figures I often post are reflected. Common opinion is that a 4 to 6 month inventory level is healthy, and this chart shows that we've stayed in that range consistently over the past several years.
These last 2 charts are the ones that show us how we're doing as far as market appreciation is concerned. These are the numbers that most home owners and home buyers are most interested in. As you can see, we're still experiencing consistent annual increases in our home values, while the rest of the country is actually experiencing no appreciation or even, in some cases, depreciation. IMO, from a consumer standpoint, chart 6 is vitally important. This gives you the big picture view of why it's best to stop listening to the national media and pay more attention to your local sources of information, such as local Realtors, Chamber of Commerce, etc. Even our local reports have, at times, given a more local assessment of the market. We're still on the right track, and hopefully this information has helped, even just a tiny bit, with solidifying your confidence in Edmond homes. And THANK YOU Mr Wilkerson for sharing your insight.

Well, I have to admit, with all that I've been hearing in the media (you'd think I'd have learned) about today's vote, I was worried. I was hearing about 50% for and 50% against the Big League City proposition, and as it usually goes, those who are against a tax of any kind will get out in droves and vote. I had a bad feeling that the proponents wouldn't come through for us.

I WAS WRONG! There, I said it. Take note, because it may be a long time before I say it again. My wife knows this well :) But this is one time I'm happy to have been wrong. The latest numbers I've seen...

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There's one topic that always seems to be hot in the minds of anyone looking to move to Oklahoma. Maybe it starts when we're kids, watching the classic ‘Wizard of Oz‘ or maybe it's the images on the news, and the unknown that fosters the fear. Whatever the cause, it seems that almost every buyer I've ever worked with, who's relocating here from out of state, has had a very healthy fear of tornadoes.

It's actually the second thing out of their mouths many times. "How are the schools here" is often followed with "Does this house have a tornado shelter?" I can't say I blame them. It's probably the same apprehension I'd be feeling if I were moving to LA, after seeing earthquakes and riots on the news for all these years.

Truth is though, tornadoes aren't nearly as frequent here in Oklahoma as it may seem from the outside looking in...

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It’s time for my monthly report on what’s selling, what’s not, and what’s new on the market in Coffee Creek.

You’d be amazed at how often I get asked “What did that house around the corner sell for” or “How much is that house on X street listed for?” Especially since I have several friends who live in Coffee Creek, who seem to be particularly interested in what's going on in their neighborhood.

This report is designed to keep you up-to-date on inventory levels, then quarterly I’ll break down overall neighborhood pricing and compare it to the previous year. This combination gives us all a real pulse on the health of the Coffee Creek real estate market. Hopefully, it will be a useful resource for all of the Coffee Creek home owners, and those thinking about moving here.

If you’re one of those who are thinking about buying a home in Coffee Creek, be sure to check out some of my other posts, which will give you more details about the community, the schools, and it’s surroundings.

Please bear with me as I work through the logistics of making this a great monthly resource for you, and if there’s something you’d like me to include in these posts that would make them more useful, please email me. Here are the Coffee Creek homes that closed within the past 60 days:

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**Based on information provided to and compiled by MLSGateway.com, Inc. covering a period (12/30/07) through (2/28/08). MLSGateway.com, Inc. does not guarantee or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Listing information is deemed reliable at the time of this posting, but subject to change without notification, and should be verified through a licensed agent for accuracy.