Broken Arrow, OK

A couple of weeks ago was Memorial Day. As is our tradition, we headed to the Park Grove graveyard in Broken Arrow to visit the grave of my grandparents, great parents and other family members. Now that mom and dad live in Tulsa, visiting the Park Grove Graveyard is much more fun because my dad knew many of the people whose graves are just...well, graves, at least, to me.

One thing we always like to do when we're at the Park Grove graveyard is to find Ernestena's grave. The reason we like to do this is because of this...

This is either the arm or the leg of poor Ernestena. My dad remembers that she lost her limb, but he cannot remember which limb it was nor how she lost it. The limb was buried on October 6, 1925.

Just to the right of Ernestena's limb is...Ernestena!

According to the date, she died five years later. That means that for five years, she may have visited the grave of her limb! (My niece pointed that out).

From what I understand, Ernestena was of the Christian faith, which teaches that there will be a resurrection of the body when Jesus Christ returns to the earth. I suppose that she must have wanted all of her body parts available for when that happens.

Of course, if God made the universe and people and planets and all the amazing parts of life like whales and dolphins and sunshine and emotions and stuff, then remaking a limb probably wouldn't be a big deal to Him.

Still, it is fun to find Ernestena's limb each time we go to visit Grandma and Grandpa's graves!

1505 S Poplar Broken Arrow, Ok is a one owner home lovingly maintained since 1976! This home is nestled back into the subdivision and backs to a greenbelt loaded with trees! All the beauty of nature but you don't have to rake!

Okay, I know I haven't mentioned that awesome workshop yet! It is 13 X 30 and holds 2 cars end to end! But you can use it for storage, a boat or just a MANCAVE! The yard is fully fenced with chainlink and of course has a double gate to move your "stuff " into the workshop! Imagine him having his very own space to piddle but not in the garage! You can even have the guys over for a gathering to work on those motorcycles!

Out of sight is a patio and a nice water feature babbling brook fountain. Sit on the patio after work and enjoy the sound of the water ....smell the fragrant smoke from the chiminea while taking in the surrounding nature while having that glass of wine! If the mosquitos are out! NO PROBLEM! Sit in the sunroom and catch the view while enjoying the air conditoning.....(Hey...we're not all campers!)

If you have been looking around and are disappointed with the condition of many of the homes then look no more! Most of this home has been freshly painted, newer tile is in the kitchen, laundry area, hallway and baths! Both baths have been updated with new countertops, sinks, faucets, light fixtures and mirrors!

The neutral colors will fit anyone's color scheme! THis home will WOW you with the vaulted ceiling in the large living room which sports a big stone fireplace. It has a pass through window to the kitchen and a sunroom to its rear! The kitchen is a galley kitchen with a cute stone archway over the cooking area! There is a pantry in the adjoining dining area and the homeowner has added more cabinetry to hold tons of spices for you gourmet cooks! The kitchen sports black appliances except for the newer stainless steel refrigerator which the owner will leave for the lucky buyer! As an extra bonus you get a washer and dryer as well!

The master bedroom is very large and will hold kingsize furniture! The other two bedrooms are good sized and will both hold queen sized sets as well as each having its own walk in closet! There is plenty of storage!

To see this property please call Susie Lemons/Keller Williams Realty/918-855-2722

1 Price - Before you even go to look at the property you need to make sure that the price is way below the market value of the real estate in that area otherwise you are wasting your time looking at properties that you cannot make any money on. So you need to make sure it is so far below the price of other house that you can fix it up, hold it, and pay fees and commission and still make a huge profit. You may ask what is considered below market value? A good rule of thumb is look and buy properties where the loan-to-value range is between 65% to 75%. For a list of homes that fit this criteria please click here to visit our website.

In today's market home can be purchased below market value by working with a local company that specializes in negotiating short sales. A company like this may be able to show you properties where they have negotiated the note down to about 50% to 60% LTV. The best part is they do all the hard work and simply market up the property a little for quicker profit. They usually have 20 to 40 homes available at any given time that are usually what buyers are looking for especially if they are looking for a deal. A highly recommend company is: Rescue Team Realty, a privately held investment group. Visit us online at www.RescueTeamRealty.com

2. Foundation - I buy and sell real estate in Tulsa and foundation is a huge problem here, and it is the first thing I look at. If there is foundation damage you need to see how much this is going to cost to have fixed. Many times when I am looking at a property I can call my foundation guy and he will come out and give me a free quote on the spot. Foundation damage can drain a budget so until you are comfortable with you skills at judging the amount of foundation damage call a pro for a quote and then factor that in your budget. When looking on the outside and inside of the house you are looking for cracks above windows, along brick mortar, over doors, and in corners, and many times you can feel the foundation sinking in certain areas of the house. Be sure to walk to the corners on the rooms and you will be able to tell if the piers have sank.

3. Roof - Next I check the roof by counting the layers of shingles. Normally if there is over 2 layers of shingles you are going to need to replace the roof. Also, as you are walking through the inside of the house look up at the ceiling and look for water spots. This is also a huge indicator that you are going to need to replace a roof. Your foundation and roof are normally you 2 biggest expenses.

4. Walls - Look for holes or damaged sheet rock that is going to need to be replaced. Drywall is cheap and not a big deal, but does cause a lot of buyers to run away from the property. I love houses with holes kicked in all the walls. Holes = Money

5. Electrical - Look at condition of breaker box. If you are going to add something like a A/C unit you might have to upgrade the electrical, so you need to keep that in mind. Next if the power is on to the house you can check the lights and buy a cheap power test that you can plug in a wall to tell you if it has power, and you can get an idea if the electrical has issues in the house.

6. A/C and Heat - Check to see the age and condition of the air conditioning unit in the potential flip so that you can see if you might have to replace them and leave room in the budget if you think you might have to replace the unit.

7. After that cabinets - Look to see if you can use the old ones or if you are going to have to replace them all.

8. Counter Tops - Look to see if they are sturdy. If they are then you may want to look into resurfacing them with a product that looks, feels, and offer the durable of granite. It's a cheap upgrade!

9. Plumbing - Make sure the toilets will flush and water will run. The water heater is normally off so you can't test it, but you can look to see how old it is, and that will give you a ideal if you are going to have to replace it. See how many faucets, toilets, shower heads, and other plumbing fixtures you might need and factor them in the budget. I normally replace almost all the plumbing fixtures to give the house the new look.

10. Flooring - See how much of the flooring is going to be fixed or replaced. I always if possible refinish my hardwood floors, and put down ceramic tile. If there is no hard wood I will estimate the cost for carpet.

11. Paint - Don't for get to price paint inside and out

12. Appliances - I normally replace all the appliances, so you need to factor that in as well.

After you find the perfect property to buy and renovate. The next step is to find out what is the best way to finance the project. You may want to consider working with a local hard money lender and then simply refinance after the job is complete.

Here's a great opportunty that has become available. The property is located at 905 W Park Court Broken Arrow, OK 74012. It's priced thousands below market value to sell quickly. After repair value: $123,000.00 Asking Price: $85,000.00 my listing at http://www.sellpoint.com/propertyDetails.aspx?caseId=1455950{bid}

MLS #:933208

Seven Oaks Broken Arrow-Homes for sale Broken Arrow Schools

Seven Oaks Broken Arrow is a beautiful wooded subdivision conveniently located to downtown Broken Arrow, major highways and shopping. The homeowners have access to a beautiful pool and pool house. Homes range from $160,000 to $250,000.

The entrance is most inviting and professionally landscaped to the season. What a first impression for friends who visit your home. The beautiful pool house and pool are surrounded by a secure fence for the safety of the neighborhood and privacy of the homeowners. What a great place to spend with family and friends and never leave the neighborhood.

Homes in Seven Oaks Broken Arrow are single story to two story. Available are 3 or 4 bedrooms with 2 plus baths. Are you looking for a 3 car garage. You can find it here. The variety of styles offer you a home of your choice.
NSU is located just a few minutes down the road. Also are the Broken Arrow Schools for Oak Crest Elementary School, Sequoyah Middle School and South Intermediate High School.

And Seven Oaks Broken Arrow is a hop, skip and jump to restaurants, shopping and entertainment. Whether you are looking for Mexican food, fast food or home cooking you can be there in less than 5 minutes. Are you looking for entertainment on the weekend? How about a movie or bowling. And what about shopping for clothes, home accessories, office supplies or groceries? You got it, many stores are available.

For a list of homes currently for sale in Seven Oaks Broken Arrow, just shoot me an email or give me a call.

Lisa Stafford
Broker Associate
McGraw Realtors
918-693-3534
LisaStaffordRealty

Copyright 2010 Lisa Stafford All Rights Reserved - * Seven Oaks Broken Arrow-Homes for sale Broken Arrow Schools *

Buyers Look At Your Home Online First.... What is Their First Impression?

Since buyers are looking online first then the first impression needs to be great!!!
As we all know......You Don't have a Second Chance for a First Impression!

Here are a few tips to help have a better First Impression Online and Off....

Landscaping- Have a well manicured lawn. A green lawn that has been edged is very sharp. Weed all flower beds and planters. You don't have to have alot of plants, but a few bags of new mulch is worth much more than the cost. Trim the small starter limbs and stragglers from your trees as well as shrubs.

Walls - We all have many pictures, clocks, plaques and art to decorate every wall in our house. But in this case, less is more. Remove items that aren't the focal point and allow buyers to get an idea of what their favorite pictures would look like on your wall. Less on the wall also makes your rooms look larger in a photo.

Tables/Counter tops- Remember, less is more here. Coffee tables, end tables etc should be dusted, catalogs straightened and items not used often put away. Take items off your counter tops such as piles of mail, small appliances, rags from sinks, toothpaste and other personal items. You'll be surprised how much cleaner and larger it will look. Especially in a photo.

Compare the two photos here. The items on the table and wall match everything else. There is nothing wrong with decorating your home in this manner. The problem is when someone else is seeing your home online.

Look how clean and fresh this looks. It also appears to be a much larger space. This gives buyers who are looking at your home space to visualize their personal items in your home. Like a canvas to be painted.

Curtains/Window Coverings- Curtains are used for decorations as well as temperature control. Open or pull back your curtains and blinds. It lets people know you are inviting them in. WELCOME, them to your home.

If your thinking of selling your home................look around and see what you think. Take a few pictures yourself with your "stuff" moved around. You will be amazed at the difference it makes.

Give me a call today and lets make your home inviting and desirable as we put it on the market to sell!

Lisa Stafford - Broker Associate
McGraw Realtors
918-693-3534
LisaStaffordRealty.com