City of Lawrence, KS "Pooch" Friendly

On August 22, 2011 the City of Lawrence opened the municipal swimming pool to all the canine citizens of Lawrence, KS Homes. The city closes the pool to the public a few days before this event every year. If you have a dog who loves water and loves to swim, you should mark your calander for next year.

I was on my way to see a buyer about some Homes for Sale Lawrence, KS when I first noticed the dogs heading to the pool with their owners. On the way back to my office, Realty Executives-Hedges Real Estate, I stopped and enjoyed watching the canine belly flops and the pooch plunges. It seemed that all the dogs were very social and enjoying all the canine company. It was a fantastic event for the pooches and their owners. I watched as the dogs all jumped in, dog-paddled around, got out, shook their coats and repeated the process. The dogs and the owners all seemed to have a ton of fun.

Buyers looking to purchase Lawrence, KS Homes will be fortunate to live in a community that is really "pooch" friendly.

Silver Lining in Midst of Stock Storm?

For millions of Americans the decline of the stock market in the past few days has been a painful reminder of what can happen when we listen to our leaders instead of doing our own homework and being prepared. Many of us have seen this storm brewing for the past two years, while unfortunatley most did not. The vast majority of people are too caught up in their daily lives to take time out to seriously consider how the politicians, from the President on down, are taking our country in the wrong direction. Most Americans are good and decent people who just want to believe that the politicians have their best interest at heart.

The "leaders" of this great nation seem to have no problem mis-leading the American people. The policies they make for us does not affect their wallets or their retirement accounts. I, for one, would like to see them all take an immediate pay cut and start contributing to their health insurance and retirement systems. But that's a story for another day.

I'm hopeful that more and more Americans will WAKE UP, smell the proverbial coffee and either get their money out of the stock market or at least put some of it into precious metals and real estate. It is really a wise move to diversify. One way to do that is to look at purchasing Real Estate for Sale in Lawrence, KS.

For those looking to buy Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale, the opportunity couldn't be better. If you have good credit and you're applying for a loan to purchase one of the many Homes for Sale in Lawrence, KS you'll be pleasantly surprised at the low interest rates. Other than gas prices coming down, the continuation of low mortgage interest rates is the silver lining within the storm.

Think about diversifying your investment portfolio by adding a piece of Lawrence, KS Real Estate now while the rates and the property values are low. Many sellers of Lawence, KS Houses for Sale are very much in the mood to look at your offer. Just as owning silver is a good insurance policy, owning a home could help to shelter you from furture storms.

Dry Hot Weather Puts Damper on Lawrence, KS Home Sales

For more than 3 consecutive weeks we've endured 100+ temperatures here in Lawrence, KS. Those who are struggling to find success in selling their Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale, have felt the heat in more ways than one. Lawrence, KS Houses for Sale have seen far less showings during this time and fewer offers and sales.
Today we finally have RAIN! I'm optimistic that with cooler weather the home buyers will be more inclined to go out to open houses and begin calling agents about the Lawrence, KS Houses for Sale they see online.
In addition, I'm hopeful that now that it's cooler, more and more buyers will be out driving through the neighborhoods and see all the Homes for Sale in Lawrence, KS real estate signs in all those Lawrence, KS Homes' yards and give the agents a call in order to schedule showings.

Will Raising the Debt Ceiling Help or Hurt Home Sales?

When thinking about the issue of raising the debt ceiling, one might also wondering how that will affect, or not affect, the housing market. For sellers and buyers of Lawrence, KS homes for sale it could be a concern. Homes for sale in Lawrence, KS are already sitting on the market too long in many cases and the last thing sellers of Lawrence, KS Homes for Sale need is Washington maker matters worse.

The experts say that the connection between the debt ceiling, the housing market, the construction industry and the broader economy is the rate of interest paid on the US Treasury bonds and the mortgage rates. Failing to raise the debt ceiling, which is the maximum amount the government can borrow without additional congressional approval, would cause the interest rates to climb. The climb could be mild or more severe and could keep rates higher for some time.

Obviously, this is not something you want to see happen if you currently have a Home for Sale in Lawrence, Kansas. This would most likely prevent many buyers of Houses for Sale in Lawrence, KS to be unable to afford those Lawrence, KS Homes. Therefore, any rise in interest rates would have a negative impact on the housing market.

However, whether the debt ceiling is raised or not, there is no assurance that the housing market will be stable. There are too many other factors that are negatively impacting the housing market nationally as well as locally. Therefore, the decision to raise or not raise the debt ceiling will not destroy the housing market. It will continue to limp along either way.

What's "Up" with Lawrence, KS Home Sales?

The May 2011 National Association of Realtors (NAR) home sales statistics were released a few days ago. According to Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for NAR, there are several factors that attributed to the decline. Read his article http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/06/may_decline

When I first read the article, I have to admit, my heart sank as I thought about all the Lawrence, Ks homes for sale and the sellers of those Lawrence, KS homes. I represent several of those sellers who are struggling to sell their Lawrence, KS houses. I have a responsibility to stay informed about what the housing market is doing in order to advise my seller clients on what steps they need to take in order to successfully sell their Lawrence, Kansas Homes. So when I read another article about how Kansas home sales were better than the national sales, I wanted to share it. You can read the article here: http://kansasreporter.org/75190.aspx.

I'm hopeful that Kansas homes sales and more specifically, Lawrence, Ks homes for sale will continue to sell at a stronger pace than some of the other areas in the country.

Lawrence KS Homes for Sale

Many Lawrence KS Homes for Sale have been for sale for far too long. Sellers of Lawrence KS Houses are finding it increasingly difficult to find buyers for their Lawrence KS Homes. In order to successfully market a home there needs to eventually be a buyer bringing the seller a contract that will culminate in a closing.

How do a sellers accomplish the challenging task of closing their Lawrence KS Homes for Sale? They must take into account many factors affecting the housing market. Sure, sellers must look at their Lawrence Ks Houses for Sale and what the local market is doing, but they also need to consider what the housing trends are nationwide.

Equally important to sellers is the market plan for their Lawrence KS Houses for Sale. Internet market is key to getting buyers in the door. However, there are many aspects to a great marketing plan. In these times, sellers need to employ many or all of them.

The best way for sellers to figure all this out is to hire a qualified Realtor. They can be worth their weight in gold when it comes to analyizing the market trends. A really good Realtor can help sellers understand some of the reasons why certain Lawrence KS Homes for Sale have been on the market for over a year while others have sold in just a few days or weeks. This insight will aid all sellers with Lawrence KS Houses for Sale, especially those who may have been trying to sell their homes without the assistance of a qualified, educated and experienced Lawrence KS Realtor.

"To Stage or not to Stage", Your Home?

Lawrence, Ks homes for sale may not all be displaying their most attractive look. I recently spoke with Beth Riddell and Trish Van Vliet, Owners of Stylish Staging, LLC. Beth and Trish agree that sellers may not be doing all they can to get their homes sold in Lawrence, Ks. Just as you would put on your best dress or suit when interviewing for a job you really want, a home should be displayed in the best possible light when it's being marketed.

Beth said that all properties have unique assets as well as potential challenges. Whether you're still living in your home or it's currently vacant it can be transformed into an attractive, warm, and welcoming environment. Afterall, if your home is one of twenty similar homes in the same price range, it must stand out as being the cream of the crop when the buyers come through .

Trish said she and Beth offer a complimentary assessment of your home in which they'll explain the cost-effective and easy-to-implement recommendations that'll really set your home apart from the others. The National Association of Realtors estimates that an average staging investment of 1 to 3 percent of the list price generates a return of 8 to 10 percent!

If you're selling a home in Lawrence, Ks or anywhere in Douglas County Kansas, you owe it to yourself to investigate the benefits of staging your home. Beth and Trish are both accredited home stagers and are members of RESA. Check out the Stylish Staging website today at http://stylishstaging.com/.