buying a home kansas city | Bradshaw GroupBradshaw Group

Category: buying a home kansas city (7)

Jan

Get a Jump on Your Game Plan

Will it be the Patriots or the Seahawks? Whether you’re a football fan or not, the big game Sunday provides entertainment for everyone – from anticipated half-time performances, to some of the best commercials of the year!

Are there commercials you look forward to every year? For me, Dorito’s commercials stand out, like this one from the 2010 game. It still gets a laugh out of me almost 5 years later:

If you want to preview commercials that will air on Sunday, try this link.

As for real estate, this is one of the slower weekends of the year. Often filled with open houses, this Sunday will be a quieter one with folks enjoying the festivities of the game with family and friends. But rest assured the market is heating up and the busiest season of the year is quickly approaching! If you want to make a move this spring, call our team right away so we can help you get your game plan in motion! You can reach me any time on my cell at (913) 980-2434.

Sep

August at a Glance

If you have been contemplating a move, now may be the right time! According to the regional market report just released by the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS for August 2014, inventory is still low in our market. In fact, the inventory of combined new and existing homes last month was 12,544 – that’s 2% lower than it was the same time last year!

I can say that I am experiencing this with buyers I am working with. While inventory was low throughout the summer, we still continued to see new listings coming on the market. However, more recently it seems the number of new listings has slowed down, providing fewer new-to-market homes to tour. What does this mean for you? If you have a home to sell, the market conditions make it an appealing time to list!

If you have been on the fence about listing your home, give me a call at (913) 980-2434. I would be happy to meet with you and share a comprehensive market report of your area and provide a marketing plan to get your home on the market as soon as possible.

Other highlights from the August 2014 report include:

Combined home sales (new and existing) totaled 2,805 homes sold – this was 5% lower than August last year
$200,073 was the average sales price for new and existing homes combined – a 4.4% increase over August 2013
Supply for combined new and existing homes was 5.2 months – this is slightly lower than 5.4 months in August 2013, and represents a balanced combined home market

Aug

Meet Sandy!

The Kansas City real estate market is strong, and 2014 has been a busy and successful year so far! To help us continue to provide the excellent customer service our clients deserve, we recently added a new member to our team. Please join us in welcoming Sandy Rosenstock as our new Buyer’s Specialist.

Sandy has moved around the U.S. – living in locations ranging from Newton, Iowa, Eau Claire, Wis. and Fargo, North Dakota, to Chicago and Sacramento – but is proud to call KC home. She spent time in Kansas City growing up and has been back in the metro since 2000.

“Part of what drew me to pursue a career in real estate was my personal experience living in different parts of the country,” Sandy explained. “I realized home is where you and your family are and the house brings it under one roof.”

Sandy is a KU graduate with a degree in Business Administration. Her work history highlights her interest in interacting with others and includes experience in the restaurant industry as a corporate trainer, as well as in banking.

“My favorite aspect of my job as a Buyer’s Specialist is the relationship building with our clients and team members,” Sandy added. “There is a true sense of purpose in helping someone buy a home. During the process the buyer’s life changes in a dramatic way. I feel honored to be a part of that experience.”

Sandy lives in Overland Park with her husband, David, and two daughters, Rachel (18 and headed to Indiana University this fall) and Lauren (16 and getting ready for her junior year at Shawnee Mission South). In her free time she enjoys baking and cooking, as well as grilling and smoking meat. It won’t surprise you then that Burnt End BBQ and Jack Stack Barbeque rank among her favorite KC eats! Other local favorites include J. Alexander’s, Gram & Dun, Tannin and The Majestic. Sandy is also an avid reader, a jazz aficionado and a huge Shakespeare fan!

We look forward to the contributions Sandy will make to our clients and team. You can reach her any time via email at sandra[email protected] or on her cell at (913) 522-5486.

Jun

KC Real Estate Snapshot: May 2014

If house-hunting is on your list for the weekend, take a quick look at the most-recent market report from the Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors before you head out. This market overview can provide you with a good sense of the residential real estate market around the metropolitan area. Here are a few highlights from the May 2014 report:

The average sale price for new and existing homes (combined) in May 2014 was $197,838. This represents an increase of 3.5% over the same time last year.
Combined home sales totaled 3,135 (2,863 existing/272 new) in May 2014. This is 1% higher than May 2013.
Inventory of combined homes in May 2014 was 12,802 – nearly the same as May 2013, when inventory was 12,847.

The bullets above cover the broader group of combined home (new and existing) statistics. If you’re interested in learning about existing home or new home figures separately, the report provides that as well.

A Balanced Market

The supply for combined new and existing homes in May 2014 was 5.3 months. This represents a balanced combined home market. This calculation is determined by taking the inventory and dividing it by the 12 month average of the number of sales. In general, when this figure falls between 5 months and 6 months, it equates to a balanced market. When it exceeds 6 months, the market favors buyers; and when it is under 5 months, it tends to favor sellers.

If you would like market data on a neighborhood you are interested in, or on your current neighborhood to help determine a listing price for your home, give me a call at (913) 980-2434 – I would love to help you!

Image Credit: Kansas City Regional Association of Realtors

Mar

February Sales Prices Up!

Last week I received a copy of the February 2014 Kansas City Housing Market Report from the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS and Heartland Multiple Listing Service. Sellers (and potential sellers), this report had some good news for you!! Last month the average sales price for new and existing homes combined was $167,496 – this is 3% higher than the same time last year!

With spring approaching and new listings hitting the market, February was a busy month for our team. We booked more than $3M in sales in February 2014!

February by the Numbers

While there were approximately the same number of home sales around Kansas City last month (1,629 in 2014; 1,622 in 2013), home inventory is still down in our market. It was down 4% compared to February 2013.

For February 2014, the supply of new and existing homes was 4.5 months. This is lower than February 2013 (5.1 months) and represents a seller’s combined home market.

Make Your Move

We are now entering what is traditionally the busiest time of year for residential real estate in the Kansas City area. If you have been on the fence about buying or selling, this is a great time to make that move! Though rates have increased over the past year, they are still historically low, and predicted to continue to rise.

Give me a call at (913) 980-2434 if you’re ready to sell or buy. I can put a plan together for you to get the process underway quickly! Thanks!