THANK YOU! According to Alexa Rankings, Alexa Rankingsyou have made the KansasCityRealEstateReport.com web site the highest ranked real estate agent’s site in Kansas City!

What does it mean? Well, in short, we are good at providing people with useful information. This doesn’t happen by accident.

Several years ago, I began using this to gauge Real Estate market activity. It just makes sense, the number of people searching the internet for “Real Estate” goes up just before the market heats up. This tends to correlate to the home sales about 12 weeks later. According to the National Association of Realtors, home [...]

Selling a home in today’s market is not as simple as planting a yard sign and entering a home in the MLS.  A Realtor must fully understand how to utilize the tools available to sell a home for the highest possible price.  If they say “I put home on internet”, that is a start but [...]

Money Magazine recently published its list of 100 best places to live in America and Overland Park came out to be lucky number 7. Overland Park residents have chosen this area because of the excellent selection of schools, low cost of living, and strong local community. Although this area does not seem to hold very [...]

If you are in the market for a new home, you may still be able to claim the First-Time Homebuyer Credit. Congress recently passed The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act Of 2009, extending the First-Time Homebuyer Credit and expanding who qualifies. Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants you to know about [...]

National Association of Realtors Exisiting Home Sale Prices may09 U.S. Economic Outlook: July 2009 Home Valuation Code of Conduct – Home Appraisals -IMPORTANT Other regulatory changes have been implemented by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s adoption of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) on May 1, 2009. NAR Government Affairs is taking several steps [...]

New RESPA Interpretive Rule: DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 24 CFR Part 3500 [Docket No. FR–5425–IA–01] TITLE: Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA): Home Warranty Companies’ Payments to Real Estate Brokers and Agents AGENCY: Office of General Counsel, HUD. ACTION: Interpretive rule. DATES: Effective date: June 25, 2010. Comment Due Date: July 26, 2010. SUMMARY: Under section 8 of [...]

From  Steve Cook Real Estate Economy Watch On June 25, 2010 @ 10:29 am Legislation containing a three month extension of the popular homebuyer tax credits that would allow buyers to close by September 30th died in the Senate last night and the opportunity to extend the credits past the current deadline of June 30th [...]

The Other Rolling Stones by Don R. Carter PE Granted, this report is only relevant to a small percentage of Kansas City Homes – those who have pre-1960’s mortared limestone basement walls.  That said, we are seeing enough problems with these walls that knowledge of a potential risk should benefit those who do have them. [...]

Asbestos Prevention and Healthy Tips for the Home The road to owning a home is a wonderful experience, but one that requires new responsibilities. Homes that are newly purchased may require additional remodeling or repairs. //

FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY STATEMENT For Immediate Release FHFA Statement on Certain Energy Retrofit Loan Programs After careful review and over a year of working with federal and state government agencies, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has determined that certain energy retrofit lending programs present significant safety and soundness concerns that must be addressed [...]

Financial Institution Letters Alert on FHFA Statement Relative to Concerns With Certain Energy Lending Programs FIL-37-2010 July 6, 2010 Summary: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has issued a statement relative to concerns with certain energy retrofit lending programs. Insured institutions should be aware of such programs, as these programs could affect their residential mortgage [...]

If your radon level is 4.0 pC/L or greater, you can call your state radon office to obtain more information, including a list of EPA or State-approved radon contractors who can fix or can help you develop a plan for fixing a radon problem. Reduction methods can be as simple as sealing cracks in floors [...]

Typical Home Inspections Buyers are encouraged to conduct any and all inspections by qualified experts to verify the condition of a property. This list summarizes many types of inspections, but you should investigate anything that concerns you. Be careful to watch the dates and other requirements about inspections in your sales contract. //

The deadline for the completion of qualifying First-Time Homebuyer Credit purchases has been extended. Taxpayers who entered into a binding contract before the end of April now have until September 30, 2010 to close on the home. The Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010, enacted on July 2, 2010, extended the closing deadline from [...]

The House of Representatives voted to give first-time homebuyers three more months to close on their home purchases and receive the $8,000 tax credit. The Senate had needs to approve in the next 24 hours to meet the June 30th deadline . Buyers must have signed a contact by April 30 to qualify.  The issue [...]

Sam Sebastian, director of local and business-to-business markets for Google Inc., comments on: google place, national MLS, google real estate maps, broker and agent advertising, listing syndication and aggregation. //

Interesting interview with Marty Frame, President – NAR Realtors Property Resource (RPR). RPR is attempting to compile a national database of real estate property information and a property-valuation system for Realtor access. Is it a Nationa MLS? //

Are you opening a new business this summer? The IRS has many resources available for individuals that are opening a new business. Here are six tax tips the IRS wants new business owners to know. //

This a fantastic article appraising real estate written by Tim Page of Appraisals by Page, Real Estate Appraiser in Spokane,WA An FHA approved, certified real estate appraiser located in Spokane, WA I get six or seven people a year that ask me how I appraise their home. The number one criteria that I use are [...]

I. No employee, director, officer, or agent of the lender, or any other third party acting as joint venture partner, independent contractor, appraisal management company, or partner on behalf of the lender, shall influence or attempt to influence the development, reporting, result, or review of an appraisal through coercion, extortion, collusion, compensation, instruction, inducement, intimidation, [...]

This is from TOM LUNDSTEDT CCIM TOMLUNDSTEDT.COM a truly terrific teacher, speaker, and real estate investor. He knows what he is doing. In addition to teaching in the prestigious National Association of Realtor’s GRI Program he teaches other groups, consults and has written instructional books and cds. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE is to give a friendly whack upside the [...]

THIS IS FROM TOM LUNDSTEDT CCIM TOMLUNDSTEDT.COM a truly terrific teacher, speaker, and real estate investor. He knows what he is doing – – – In addition to teaching a course in the prestigious National Association of Realtor’s GRI Program he teaches to other groups, consults and offers a complete set of instructional books and cds. A SHORT, MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN wearing [...]