Lisa Elliott

Census Data shows that more than 40 million people move to a new location each year. People move for a variety of reasons. There are some who are retiring and want a change of place and pace. Others relocate because of job or school. Some folks want to get out of the city and look at buying a home in a more rural area. Growing families often need more space and look for a larger home. There are also those who are looking for a second home for retreat and recreation. Regardless of the reason for the move, each of these folks is looking for the perfect house - their dream home.

How do you go about looking for your dream home? There are a few things to consider when you begin your quest for the perfect place. For instance, what type of a home do you want? Do you want a brand, new, still being constructed home where you can add upgrades and unique features as it is being built? Do you prefer an older home that reminds you of the one where your grandmother lived? Are you open to doing remodeling or renovations on an older home? If you are interested in an older home, how old would be acceptable? Do you want a 1 level or a two story home? Are you looking for a house or would a condominium better fit your style?

You will also want to determine how many bathrooms and bedrooms you need. A growing family needs more space than a retiring couple. Are there any special needs that must be considered? Newer homes often have wide hallways which can accommodate people with wheelchairs or crutches. Older homes have more narrow hallways and doorways.

It is also good to consider what kinds of amenities are important to have near you. Would you like to live near the mall or close to the golf course? Or both? Will you need to access public transportation or do you want to live close to the schools to make getting the kids to sporting events easier?

There might be other details that are important to you. Do you want a pool or would you like a workshop to putter around in. Do you want a big backyard for the swingset and sandbox or would you rather have a large front yard? You may decide you want to spare yourself mowing and opt for no big yard at all.

It helps to write down the things that are most important to you in locating your dream home. Prioritize them in the order of most importance. Then acquire an experienced realtor, who really knows the area, to help you track down those homes that meet your criteria.

Lisa Elliott and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros have more than 20 years experience helping people find the home of their dreams. Friendly, experienced staff is available to answer any questions you might have about moving to Lake of the Ozarks. So, what about you? What does your dream home look like? It's a pretty sure bet we have it here at Lake of the Ozarks. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site at www.lakerealestatepros.com. Come on down!

The 60^th Annual Dogwood Festival is in full swing at Lake of the Ozarks! The festivities will continue until Sunday the 18th. There is so much to do and see during these days it's a little hard to describe all that is taking place. The Camdenton Chamber of Commerce has a Map online to help visitors find their way around the area.

Talent is flowing everywhere at this year's Festival. The Lake of the Ozarks Woodworkers Guild is displaying their work over at the Camden County Museum. The display will be there throughout the festival. There are also Fine Art Shows and craft booths all throughout the area. You will be amazed at the talent tucked away in this part of the country!

Saturday is jam-packed with events. The day starts with the Pancake Breakfast at the United Methodist Church in Camdenton. At $5 for adults, $2 for children and 8 years and under free, it's cheaper than McDonald's ... AND better tasting! The big Dogwood Festival Parade starts at 10 a.m. in downtown Camdenton. There are a lot of cool looking floats this year. Grab an iced tea and lawn chair and join us!

There will be FREE live entertainment on stage at the Camden Middle School starting at noon Saturday. Several groups will be performing hand clapping, toe tapping Gospel, Bluegrass and Folk Music. The Dog Contest is sure to be a hit as judges look for the prize winners in categories such as cutest, ugliest, best kisser and pets who look like their owners. The Festival will wrap up on Sunday with the Annual Dogwood Golf Classic at Old Kinderwood Golf Course. They will be donating proceeds to the Camdenton band Boosters.

The Annual Dogwood Festival is a wonderful time of gathering with friends for food and fun. It's also a great time to meet new friends. We'd like to invite you to come join this community get-together. Let us show you why Lake of the Ozarks is such an awesome place to live and work. Like others before you, you might decide you'd like to stay.

Lisa Elliott and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros have more than 20 years experience helping people find the home of their dreams. Our staff is here to answer any questions you might have about moving to Lake of the Ozarks. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site at www.lakerealestatepros.com. See you at the Festival!

Folks are bustling about getting ready for the 60^th Annual Dogwood Festival. Theme for the event is "Gem of the Ozarks Diamond Jubilee". The festivities will be taking place April 15-18 in Camdenton, Missouri. The Flowering Dogwood is Missouri's official State Tree. The Dogwood tree is fairly small and produces the beautiful flowers in early Spring. Dyes and inks have been made from Flowering Dogwoods. The wood of the tree is hard and is used to make things like tool handles, golf clubs and butcher blocks.

This year's Festival is filled with all sorts of activities that will be fun for the entire family. Many of the events are free. A Map is available for download to help you find your way to all the fun! The First National Bank is currently hosting a Fine Art Show that will run through the entire Festival. There is some pretty awesome talent at Lake of the Ozarks!

What would a Festival be without Corndogs, Cotton Candy and Lemonade? The Carnival opens at 5 p.m. on Thursday the 15^th in the Middle School parking lot in Camdenton. Lots of great carnival food and wild rides! Over at the Camden County Museum there will be a Lake Area Woodworker's Display, as well as a Dinner Theatre Melodrama. You will be amazed at the creativity and talent of Ozark woodworkers.

Friday there will be opportunities to find some real treasures. Garage sales will be held all around the Lake area. Once you have the car loaded with your one of a kind finds, you will want to head over to the Middle school where the Lion's Club will have their Fish Fry. It makes my mouth water thinking about it! After dinner, the carnival will be opening again and the Little Miss & Mr. Contest will take place at Camdenton Middle School followed by live entertainment. The Miss Dogwood Pageant will be held over at Camdenton High School at 7 p.m.

So much to do and see! Lake of the Ozarks really is an exciting place to live. A lot of folks come here to see the site, play some golf and enjoy the year round activities. Many of them enjoy the area so much they decide to come back - and stay! We would love to have you come join our community and be our neighbor! We are able to help you find just the right home when you decide to make your move.

Lisa Elliott and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros have more than 20 years experience helping people find the home of their dreams. Our staff is here to answer any questions you might have about moving to Lake of the Ozarks. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site at www.lakerealestatepros.com. Come enjoy the Festival and then give us a call. We'd love to meet you!

As we mentioned in an earlier post, this is a great time to be buying a home. With the economy still wobbling a little, there are some great deals out there. Mortgage rates are still much lower than a year ago. Depending on where you live in Missouri and other variables, there are property tax credits for home owners. If you are a buyer, the time is ripe to make a move. However, you might find that you are seller. Perhaps you need to sell a home before you can purchase the "home of your dreams". Maybe you are required to relocate due to business or some other reason. Don't despair! There are several things you can do that will enable you to get the best price for your property.

1. Get a Home Inspection. While some states require certain inspections be done when putting a home on the market, the requirements vary from state to state. You can save time and headache later by arranging for a pre-sale home inspection. Having your home professionally inspected will allow you to find out if there are any trouble spots that would hinder possible buyers. This will give you a chance to make repairs before you start "showing" the house.

2. Shape Up and Ship Out! Shampoo carpets, especially if you have pets. Wash the windows. Let the potential buyer see that lovely view that could be theirs! Clean the walls. Patch gouges or holes. Be sure and clean all the light fixtures. Dead little bug bodies won't help you get a buyer. Cut the clutter! Remove unnecessary "stuff" and pack it away. Put the toaster, blender, and other small appliances in the cupboard. Clean off the counters. Make sure children's toys and dog toys are put away. If you are storing items in the garage or basement, arrange things neatly in boxes or tubs.

3. Estimates for Repair. Your home may have some things that are considered "big ticket" items that may be worn out. If you are not planning on making those repairs, it's a good idea to get some estimates to have on hand for potential buyers. .

4. Guarantees & Warranties. All the manuals, warranties, guarantees and paperwork that came with appliances should be gathered together to remain with the house. A nice touch would be to organize them in a 3 ring binder. A buyer will appreciate a seller that seems to be diligent in maintenance and repair of washer/dryer, dishwasher, stove, water heater, etc.

5. Lookin' Good! Go stand in the front yard and take a look at your house. Is there chipping paint on the front door or cracked concrete on the walk? Do the bushes need trimmed or the flowers weeded? First impressions are lasting ones.

6. Get a Good Realtor. A knowledgeable realtor who is passionate about what they do is important. Lisa Elliott and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros have more than 20 years experience helping buyers and sellers get the best deals. Our staff is here to answer any questions you might have about putting your home on the market in Lake of the Ozarks. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site at www.lakerealestatepros.com. Let us take the stress out of selling your home!

If you are thinking about a second home or considering buying a luxury home - now is certainly a great time to do it! Prices are lower now than they have been for a long time. There are some excellent deals to be had! Higher end homes are often above the price ceilings for tax credits and are not moving quickly in this economy, so sellers may be willing to negotiate with you. The Lake of the Ozarks area is a beautiful site with many appealing homes, but while considering buying a new home or a second home, there are some things to keep in mind.

The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article listing ten top things to keep in mind when buying a luxury home or a second home. Planning ahead and thinking things through will prevent regret down the road.

One thing that could lead to regret later is buying on impulse. Purchasing a home and relocating goes beyond a gorgeous picture on a glossy flyer. Of course, you want to own a home that is beautiful, but you also want to live in one that is comfortable for you and your family. Each community has its own unique "flavor" and flair, as well as its geographic, political, and sometimes cultural differences. Some neighborhoods have "covenants" or agreements that may restrict your use of the property or what you do with it when you aren't there. If you are not from the area it would be virtually impossible to uncover this type of information.

Even if the home and community suit you, you need to ask yourself about how you will use the place. Will it be a weekend getaway? An annual vacation site? An eventual retirement home? Are you the type who wants to live near the "action" or would you rather live in a secluded area surround by nature? Will you be renting it out or leaving it available for you at all times? Are you interested in being close to work or near the clubhouse? There are LOTS of things to think about when making a big move. Your best friend in this case is your realtor. And the best realtor is "homegrown" or living in the area where they are selling. That's where Lisa Elliott and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros can help you.

Lisa and the Team at Lake Real Estate Pros have more than 20 years experience helping people find the home of their dreams. Being from the Lake of the Ozarks area, we know the area and are able to help you determine which of our gorgeous homes would be a comfortable fit for you. We know the neighborhoods and communities. We know the bankers and businessmen in the area. We know the contractors and re-modelers. Our staff is here to answer any questions you might have about making a move to Lake of the Ozarks. Whether you are looking for a condo or a castle - we are certain we can help you locate the perfect home! We have everything from condominiums to multi-million-dollar mansions. Call us today at 573-365-7332 or visit our site and check out the current listings at www.lakerealestatepros.com. Lake of the Ozarks is calling. Come join us!