Month: March 2022

How is the Market? Kansas City Real Estate

Everybody always asks me, how is the market? It’s an ice breaker question at any event or party attended. After all, there are alot of rumors regarding real estate in Kansas City and the suburbs. Not all rumors are true!

As you can see, the Kansas City real estate market remains a seller’s
market. With 0.7 months of inventory available, we are in desperate need of more homes to come on the market.

With the average days on the market of 31 days from list date to contract
date, it’s obvious we have a shortage of homes that are priced right and look
good.

How is the market?

Quite honestly, if sellers and their agents would list homes at the right price, as well as stage them to sell, the market would be better. But while the price is important, no one is going to buy a house they don’t see themselves living in. This is where the most important denominator of home staging comes into play. The price can always be adjusted but until someone falls in love with your home, nothing else really matters.

Are you thinking of selling in Overland Park?

If you are considering selling in the Overland Park real estate market, we would love to talk to you. Selling your home in Overland Park can cost you thousands of your hard-earned equity if you don’t do it right. It’s a perfect time to sell with prices skyrocketing over last year once again.

Let us show you how we sell our average staged home in 3 days or less, with
multiple offers and for thousands of dollars over the asking price.

Every day your home is on the market, it is costing you money. Why be an
average house on the Overland Park real estate market when you can be SOLD
FAST! We focus on driving your price up versus negotiating it down. It all
starts with the power and magic of Home Staging!

Also, to find out instantly your home’s Zaccurate Value from the
local Multiple Listing Service versus the unreliable Zestimate, click here.

Or to schedule a walk-through for the current market value opinion of your
home and to see how your home’s value may have changed, call or text us at (913) 515-3250 or contact us here.

Check out today’s new Overland Park listings

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!


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(all data current as of 9/21/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Jump-Start Your Spring Cleaning

It’s spring break and if you’re anything like me and not taking a break, here are some simple yet effective tips to jump-start your spring cleaning.

Granted not everyone likes to clean but a couple of times a year it’s necessary to tackle some big projects. So whether you hire it done or you are the cleaning lady, make a list this week of 5 things you should do around your house and get busy.

5 ideas to jump-start your spring cleaning

  1. First of all, wipe down your kitchen cabinets and appliances – whether you have painted or stained cabinets, they can get pretty grungy after a few weeks. In addition, use a good cleaner or lemon oil and wipe down the outsides of all your cabinets. Likewise, clean your knobs and pulls as well. Then tackle your appliances. Take your stove apart, clean the oven and do the same with your refrigerator.
  2. Clean your baseboards all through your house. This includes moving the furniture away from the walls and getting behind there. If you have pets, you’ll be surprised how much pet hair is trapped that you didn’t know was there.
  3. Wash your throw rugs, furniture throws and store them away for spring and summer.
  4. Shampoo your carpets or have them professionally cleaned. If you need a referral to a professional carpet cleaner, contact me here.
  5. Finally, with a week of nice weather predicted, open your windows and let some fresh air in and stale air out. Clean your window sills and wipe down your blinds – one slat at a time.

Those are the 5 things I do every year. You can copy from me or create your own 5 projects to jump-start your spring cleaning. Either way, keeping your home clean is not only good for your health but your house will love you for it as well.

Once you get these big things out of the way, the rest of the spring cleaning will naturally fall into place.

The faster you get this done, the more time you will have for the fun stuff. What will you do to reward yourself for a job well done? I’m having lunch with friends, making a carrot cake with my granddaughter, Brooklyn, and vintage shopping, of course.

Above all else, if you have any questions or need help with any of these tasks, you can call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

2022 Johnson County Real Estate Tax Appraisal

By now, you’ve probably received your 2022 Johnson County real estate tax appraisal or notice of appraised value in the mail. More than 200,000 of them have gone out. Your home’s value has done 1 of 3 things:

  • Gone up in value
  • Gone down in value or
  • Pretty much stayed the same

According to the tax appraiser’s office, 95% of homeowners in Johnson County saw their home values increase. The average increase was about 11% over last year. The other 5% of property values changed by 10% or less or experienced a reduction in value.

Johnson County will remain strong in homeownership with all the amenities it offers. And values will continue to increase due to a shortage of housing inventory. It seems as though everyone still wants to live in Johnson County.

Should you appeal your 2022 Johnson County real estate tax appraisal?

Many homeowners have already contacted me regarding their 2022 Johnson County real estate tax appraisal. Believe me, I’m not happy either as my home’s value increased $26,000 over last year. I downsized to an 800 square foot tiny house in Prairie Village 5 years ago. Now I’m in tear-down central with 6 new construction homes currently being built just on my street alone. I’ve appealed my tax appraisal every year and lost. This year I won’t appeal because I’m right at the average of an 11% increase.

It seems as though everyone has their own opinion but here is what you should know before making an appeal:

  • If your tax appraisal is significantly more than the average 11% increase, you should consider appealing – I can help.
  • Is your appraised value more than you would get if you sold your house? Then you should consider appealing.***
  • If you think your property is fairly valued but your taxes are too high, you shouldn’t appeal because you have no control over the tax rate.

Your home is appraised at “fair market value” as of January 1st of each year.  That means the amount of money that a well-informed buyer would pay and a well-informed seller would accept in an open and competitive market.

By state law, the county appraiser is required to appraise homes within 90-110% of their value.

*** Just a note that some homes are selling for thou$$$ands of dollars over the asking price.

Case study

Yesterday, I sat down with a past buyer yesterday (after doing the math and she was at an 18% increase) and went through the comparables the appraiser’s office used and compared them to her specific floor plan for sold properties in the Multiple Listing Service for 2021. We both believed she had a reason to appeal her 2022 Johnson County Tax Appraisal based on the information we found.

We felt the sales that were listed on her appraisal were not the best comps that should have been compared. One was not the same floor plan and one was from 2020 when there were plenty of comparable sales in 2021.

Other helpful documentation would be a recently signed sales contract if you purchased your home in 2021, a recent appraisal, or any photographs of structural damage with bids to make repairs.

You want to show them why you think your home merits a lower value and what you think that value should be. If you live in an older home that needs updating, your home probably wouldn’t compare to recent sales.

Complaining that you think your home’s value or taxes are too high won’t help you appeal your 2022 Johnson County real estate tax appraisal. Do your homework and provide them with evidence of why you think your home’s tax bill is too high.

Unfortunately, you cannot appeal your taxes because you live on a fixed income and the new tax rate is not affordable for you.

If your tax appeal is successful and your paid taxes are reduced, a refund will be issued once the Treasurer receives the notice from the Johnson County Appraiser’s Office.

How to appeal

The appeal process is spelled out in its entirety on the back of your notice of value. But get busy, you have until March 30, 2022, to appeal.

How can I help?

Let me know if you think your recent 2022 Johnson County real estate tax appraisal is too high. I’ll be glad to research your home’s value. You can take a picture of your Johnson County Tax Appraisal and text it to me, call me at (913) 515-3250 to discuss, or contact me here.

Want to find the latest sold properties in your neighborhood for the last 12 months? Don’t rely on the Zillow Zestimate. Here’s a quick tool that will research your subdivision and provide you with a report within minutes – direct from our local Multiple Listing Service. It’s fast and it’s FREE! Click here and insert your address.

New listings in Overland Park

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 9/21/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

8206 W 144th Street

For Sale In Overland Park – $395,000

SOLD FOR THOU$$$$$$ANDS OVER ASKING PRICE!

Blue Valley Schools under $400k plus a putting green? This terrific 2 story has an open floor plan, loads of updates, and a finished walk-out lower level. The a/c and hot water heater were replaced in 2021. This layout is perfect for working from home (while working on your golf game) as well as entertaining friends and family. The formal dining room is the perfect space for your home office. You’ll love the pretty kitchen with white cabinets, glass fronts, granite, stainless appliances, breakfast bar plus dining area that walks out to the recently stained deck. Upstairs on the bedroom level is a large main bedroom with a bath that has heated tile floors! A jack and jill bathroom is between bedrooms 2 and 3. The 4th bedroom is off to itself for a little more privacy. The lower-level rec room with built-in cabinets and wet bar offers one large open space that’s perfect for so many uses: the kids, a man cave, exercise area, or all of the above. A cedar closet provides off-season storage. There is also a 3rd full bath plus plenty of storage. Walk out from the lower level to a lovely yard, vegetable garden area, and the putting green! Extras include a “smart” sprinkler system plus a workshop with a sink in the garage. This home is well maintained, pet-free, clean, and move-in ready! Convenient location with easy access to shops, great dining, and highway access.

Check out the photo slideshow here!

Spring Home Maintenance

No matter the weather, it’s time to get started on your spring home maintenance. While we’re currently experiencing spring-like weather in Kansas City, Mother Nature will surely have winter rearing its ugly head one more time before it’s all over. So don’t get ahead of yourself but maintaining your home only increases its value!

Winter and cold weather can do a number on your home. It’s time to get busy and check things out. This is your March Home Maintenance Checklist for your home and is an important part of homeownership.

Here’s your spring home maintenance checklist

  • Wood rot – take some time and walk around the exterior of your home. Grab a screwdriver and look for areas on your decks, spindles, doors, trim and especially around your windows. If the area looks soft, poke it with your screwdriver. If it goes in easily, you probably have wood rot that needs to be repaired or replaced. Allowing water to get in behind your siding will cause you bigger problems later.
  • Gutters – clean your gutters so the spring rains can get through. Check the downspouts and make sure you have a splash block under them or a downspout extension to direct water away from your house.
  • Foundation – here’s another biggie. Check to make sure you have enough dirt around your foundation. It should not touch the siding but needs to slope away from your house so the rain water will run away from your home – not into your basement or crawl space.
  • Roof – look up at your roof and check your shingles to see if any are missing, buckled or cracked. I have a roofer that will perform a FREE roof maintenance evaluation if you have any concerns.
  • Tools – now is the time to check your tools to make sure things are working. If your lawnmower needs maintenance, don’t wait until it’s time to mow the grass. Get out your power tools and get them ready for use.
  • Detectors – if you haven’t checked your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors this year, now is a good time to do so. Remember, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives.

Spring home maintenance appointments to schedule:

  • Air conditioner check up – hopefully you are on a maintenance plan with your heating or cooling people. Get your spring check up scheduled now. Those guys get busy and you don’t want to be put on the back burner. Yearly maintenance will keep your systems running better and longer and will save you money in the long run.
  • Termites check-up – you should do this once a year to make sure you don’t have any active termites. Even if your house has been treated, checking it yearly is always recommended. Those pesky termites can do major damage to a home in no time. Believe me, I’ve seen some horrifying situations due to termites.

Everything on this list will save you time and money if you use preventive maintenance. Print this off and stick it on the refrigerator. It’s a good reminder that spring weather will be here shortly and you need to be ready.

Need spring home maintenance service referrals?

As always, if you need any referrals to people to help you with your spring home maintenance checklist, just let me know. Remember, I also have a DO NOT CALL list of those so-called nice guys that advertise a cheap price and take you to the cleaners once they are inside your home. They have repeatedly tried to cheat my clients! DO NOT fall for their gimmicks! Thank goodness my clients called me and I had them get a second opinion!

Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see if you are considering hiring someone on my DO NOT CALL LIST or contact me here.

What is your home worth in today’s market?

Want to know the latest stats in your neighborhood? Don’t rely on the Zillow Zestimate. Here’s a quick tool that will research your subdivision and provide you with a report within minutes – direct from the local Multiple Listing Service. It’s fast and it’s FREE! Click here and insert your address.

Overland Park latest homes for sale

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

  • List View
  • Map View

See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 9/21/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.