2010 December

Real Estate Closing Instructions & Possession

December 24, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Closing procedures vary by state, region and lender. In Kansas and Missouri sellers and buyers do not close together in the same room at the same time. The seller typically closes a couple of days before the actual closing date. The buyer normally closes on the agreed contract date.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE – about 30-45 minutes [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Info, Feature Story

The Big Rocks

December 23, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Most of us may remember the parable of the professor teaching his class about setting goals and prioritizing them.

If not, it goes like this. The professor came into his class one day carrying a big box of miscellaneous items. He first pulled out a large glass fish bowl and proceeded to fill it with large, odd shaped rocks. As he carefully placed the last rock in to the bowl, he turned to the class and asked if they thought it was full. Most of the class agreed that it was indeed full.

He then began to pull out of the large box a container full of small pebbles and prodded and shook them all into the glass container holding the large rocks. As he shook and poured, the little pebbles filled in all the nooks and space between the large rocks.

The professor once again asked the class the same question – is the bowl now full? Most of the class were in agreement that the bowl was certainly full now.

He then reached in and out came another small container filled with sand. As he began to pour the sand into the fish bowl he could see the look of amazement in his students’ faces. While they earlier thought the container was full, they watched as all of the sand filled in between the large rocks and small pebbles.
With a sly grin, the professor then pulled out a pitcher of water from the large box and as he began to pour the water into the fishbowl, to the amazement of all, every bit of water filtered into what appeared to be a solid mass of rock & sand.

As he looked at the class he said something very profound. “Class, this bowl represents your life. If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you cannot live a full life.” He then asked, “What are the things most important to you… your big rocks? Are you putting them in first?”

We all know life can get in the way of living. I hope you take some time this Holiday Season and determine what your 2011 is going to look like. Craft it so your big rocks go in first.

Filed Under: Misc

STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE KANSAS HOUSE LEGISLATIVE SESSION – 2010

December 23, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE LEGISLATIVE SESSION – 2010
Updated January 25, 2010

Aging and Long-term Care: Bethell, Chairperson; Hill, Vice-chairperson; Bollier, Donohoe,
Horst, O’Brien, Schwab, Worley
Williams, Ranking Minority Member; Carlin, Flaharty, Furtado, Phelps.

Agriculture and Natural Resources: Powell, Chairperson; Fund, Vice-chairperson; Bowers,
Hayzlett, Hineman, Johnson, Kerschen, Light, Moxley, Prescott, Schroeder, B. Wolf.
Lukert, Ranking Minority Member; T. Brown, D. Svaty, Maloney, Meier, Palmer, Wetta.
Appropriations: Yoder, Chairperson; Merrick, Vice-chairperson; Crum, DeGraaf, Donohoe, Faber,
Hineman, M. Holmes, Kelley, Mast, McLeland, Rhoades, Tafanelli, Whitham.
Feuerborn, Ranking Minority Member; Ballard, Burroughs, Carlin, Dillmore, D. Gatewood, Henry,
Lane, Williams.

Calendar and Printing: Merrick, Chairperson; O’Neal, Vice-chairperson; Mast, Siegfreid.
Ward, Ranking Minority Member; Ballard, Davis.
Commerce and Labor:Brunk, Chairperson; Grange, Vice-chairperson; Bowers, Hermanson, Jack,
Kerschen, Pottorff, Prescott, Quigley, Schwab, Suellentrop, B. Wolf, Worley.
Ruiz, Ranking Minority Member; Garcia, S. Gatewood, Grant, Henderson, Maloney, Swenson,
Tietze.
Corrections and Juvenile Justice: Colloton, Chairperson; Patton, Vice-chairperson; Bethell,
Brookens, Kinzer, Moxley, Roth, Spalding.
McCray-Miller, Ranking Minority Member; Barnes, T. Brown, Frownfelter, Pauls.
Economic Development and Tourism: Gordon, Chairperson; Donohoe, Vice-chairperson; George,
Hill, Myers, Schwartz, Seiwert, Worley.
Benlon, Ranking Minority Member; Flaharty, Furtado, Slattery, Winn.
Education: Aurand, Chairperson; Horst, Vice-chairperson; Bollier, Brookens, Craft, Gordon, Hill,
Huebert, Neufeld, Otto, Roth, Spalding, Vickrey.
Winn, Ranking Minority Member; Crow, Flaharty, Loganbill, Mah, Palmer, Phelps, Trimmer.
Elections: Huebert, Chairperson; Schwab, Vice-chairperson; Bethell, Brunk, Horst, O’Brien, Otto.
Barnes, Ranking Minority Member; Garcia, Menghini, Peterson.
Energy and Utilities: C. Holmes, Chairperson; Knox, Vice-chairperson; Burgess, Fund, Johnson,
Moxley, Myers, O’Brien, Olson, Proehl, Seiwert, Sloan, Swanson.
Kuether, Ranking Minority Member; T. Brown, Finney, Long, Neighbor, Slattery, Talia, Wetta.Updated January 25, 2010
Federal and State Affairs: Neufeld, Chairperson; Kiegerl, Vice-chairperson; Bowers, A. Brown,
Brunk, Carlson, Fund, Hill, M. Holmes, Huebert, Knox, O’Brien, Olson.
Loganbill, Ranking MinorityMember; Benlon, Grant, Henderson, Peterson, Ruiz, Swenson, Tietze.
Financial Institutions: A. Brown, Chairperson; Proehl, Vice-chairperson; DeGraaf, Goico,
Hermanson, Olson, Peck, Shultz.
Grant, Ranking Minority Member; Burroughs, Dillmore, Neighbor, Swenson.
Government Efficiency and Fiscal Oversight: Morrison, Chairperson; Burgess, Vice-chairperson;
Craft, Neufeld, Roth, Sloan, Spalding,Vickrey.
Trimmer, Ranking Minority Member; S. Gatewood, Loganbill, McCray-Miller, Ruiz.
Health and Human Services: Landwehr, Chairperson; Crum, Vice-chairperson; Donohoe, Gordon,
Hermanson, Jack, Mast, Morrison, Otto, Quigley, Rhoades, Schwab, Schroeder, Shultz.
Flaharty, Ranking Minority Member; Finney, Furtado, Mah, Neighbor, Slattery, Trimmer, Ward,
Winn.
Insurance: Shultz, Chairperson; Peck, Vice-chairperson; A. Brown, Brunk, DeGraaf, Hermanson,
Olson, Proehl.
Swenson, Ranking Minority Member; Burroughs, Davis, Grant, Neighbor.
Interstate Cooperation: Siegfreid, Chairperson; Merrick, Vice-chairperson; Mast, O’Neal.
Crow, Ranking Minority Member; Davis, Ward.
Judiciary: Kinzer, Chairperson; Whitham, Vice-chairperson; Brookens, Colloton, Grange, Jack,
King, Kleeb, Patton, Suellentrop, K. Wolf, Yoder.
Pauls, Ranking Minority Member; Crow, Goyle, Kuether, Talia, Tietze, Ward.
Local Government: Schwartz, Chairperson; M. Holmes, Vice-chairperson; Goico, Gordon,
Huebert, Otto, Seiwert.
Garcia, Ranking Minority Member; Mah, Peterson, Slattery.
Rules and Journal: Shultz, Chairperson; Kinzer, Whitham.
Pauls, Vice-chairperson; Trimmer.
Taxation: Carlson, Chairperson; King, Vice-chairperson; A. Brown, George, Goico, Hayzlett,
Kleeb, Light, Peck, Powell, Schroeder, Schwartz, Siegfreid, K. Wolf.
Menghini, Ranking Minority Member; Benlon, Frownfelter, Furtado, Hawk, Lukert, McCray-Miller,
Rardin, D. Svaty.
Transportation: Hayzlett, Chairperson; Vickrey, Vice-chairperson; Burgess, Kerschen, King,
Kleeb, Peck, Prescott, Proehl, Schwartz, Swanson, B. Wolf, Worley.
Long, Ranking Minority Member; Ballard, Henry, Maloney, Menghini, Palmer, Rardin, Wetta.

Updated January 25, 2010
Veterans, Military and Homeland Security: Myers, Chairperson; Goico, Vice-chairperson;
Bollier, Craft, George, Horst, Seiwert, Tafanelli, K. Wolf..
Goyle, Ranking Minority Member; Crow, Garcia, S. Gatewood, Meier, Phelps.
Vision 2020: Sloan, Chairperson; George, Vice-chairperson; Bollier, Craft, Goico, Horst, Seiwert,
Tafanelli, K. Wolf.
Hawk, Ranking Minority Member; D. Gatewood, S. Gatewood, Goyle, Meier, D. Svaty.
Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget: Faber, Chairperson; Powell, Vice-chairperson;
Grange, C. Holmes, Light.
Carlin, Ranking Minority Member; Lukert, Williams.
Education Budget: McLeland, Chairperson; Aurand, Vice-chairperson; Carlson, Landwehr,
Siegfreid.
Lane, Ranking Minority Member; Feuerborn, Rardin.
General Government Budget: Whitham, Chairperson; Kelley, Vice-chairperson; Hineman,
Pottorff, Suellentrop.
Burroughs, Ranking Minority Member; Dillmore, Talia.
Legislative Budget: Yoder, Chairperson; Merrick, Vice-chairperson; Mast, O’Neal, Siegfreid.
Davis, Ranking Minority Member; Phelps, Ward.
Social Services Budget: Mast, Chairperson; Rhoades, Vice-chairperson; Crum, Kiegerl, Knox.
Henry, Ranking Minority Member; Ballard, Hawk.
Transportation and Public Safety Budget: Tafanelli, Chairperson; Swanson, Vice-chairperson;
Faber, Pottorff, Quigley.
D. Gatewood, Ranking Minority Member; Finney, Frownfelter.

Select Committees
Select Committee on KPERS: Schwartz, Chairperson; Shultz, Vice-chairperson; Carlson, Olson,
Proehl, Whitham.
Flaharty, Ranking Minority Member; Lane, Long

Joint Committees
Joint Committee on Administrative Rules & Regulations: C. Holmes, Vice-Chair, Faber,
Huebert, Palmer, Patton; Pauls, Trimmer.
Senate members: V. Schmidt, Chairperson; Brownlee, Ostmeyer; Lee, SteinegerUpdated January 25, 2010
Joint Committee on Arts & Cultural Resources: Horst, Vice-Chair; Gordon, Swanson; Carlin,
Furtado.
Senate members: Schodorf, Chairperson; Lynn, Umbarger; Faust-Goudeau, Francisco
Joint Committee on Children’s Issues: Kiergerl, Vice-Chair; DeGraaf , Otto; Crow, Winn
Senate members: Lynn, Chairperson; Reitz Wagle; Haley, Faust-Goudeau
Joint Committee on Corrections & Juvenile Justice Oversight: Colloton, Vice-Chair; Craft,
Grange, Patton; D. Gatewood, Henry, Ward
Senate members: Brungardt, Chairperson; Brownlee, Bruce, Owens, Kelsey; Haley, Lee
Joint Committee on Economic Development: Gordon, Vice-Chair; Donohoe, George, Schwartz,
Seiwert; Benlon, Slattery, Winn
Senate members: Brownlee, Chairperson; Lynn, Marshall; Faust-Goudeau, Holland
Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy: C. Holmes, Vice-Chair; M. Holmes,
Knox, Sloan; Neighbor, Wetta
Senate members: McGinn, Chairperson; Apple, Reitz, Taddiken; Lee
Joint Committee on Health Policy Oversight: Landwehr, Chairperson; Bethell,Hill,Mast; Ruiz,
Ward
Senate members: Barnett, Vice-Chair; V. Schmidt, Reitz, Colyer; Haley, Kelly
Joint Committee on Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Oversight: Bethell,
Chairperson, Landwehr, Mast; Henry, McCray-Miller
Senate members: McGinn, Vice-Chair; Umbarger; Kelly, Kultala
Joint Committee on Information Technology: McLeland, Vice-Chair; Burgess , Morrison;
Dillmore, Lane
Senate members: Huelskamp, Chairperson; Petersen, V. Schmidt; Holland, Steineger
Joint Committee on Kansas Security: Goico, Vice-Chair; Johnson, Tafanelli; Loganbill, Menghini
Senate members: Emler, Chairperson, McGinn, Owens; Lee, Hensley
Legislative Post Audit: Grange, Vice-Chair; Mast, Peck; Burroughs, Mah
Senate members: Bruce, Chairperson; D. Schmidt, Umbarger; Hensley, Steineger
Joint Committee on Pensions, Investments & Benefits: Olson, Vice-Chair; Carlson, Proehl,
Schwartz, Whitham; Flaharty, Swenson, Long
Senate members: Morris, Chairperson; Teichman, Emler; Kelly, Hensley
Joint Committee on Special Claims Against the State: M. Holmes, Vice-Chair; Fund, Huebert,
King, Patton; Grant, Henderson, FeuerbornUpdated January 25, 2010
Senate members: Owens, Chairperson; Bruce, Masterson, Pyle; Kultala
Joint Committee on State Building Construction: Pottorff, Vice-Chair; M. Holmes, Brunk
Feuerborn, Grant
Senate members: Umbarger, Chairperson; Apple, Emler; Francisco, Kelly
Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations: Knox, Chairperson; Rhoades, K. Wolf; Lukert,
Barnes
Senate members: Brungardt, Vice-Chair; Pyle, Vratil; Haley, Kultala

Filed Under: Legislation

Kansas House and Senate Committees

December 23, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Senate Committees
- Agriculture
- Assessment and Taxation
- Business & Labor
- Commerce
- Confirmation Oversight
- Education
- Ethics and Elections
- Federal and State Affairs
- Financial Institutions and Insurance
- Interstate Cooperation
- Judiciary
- Local Government
- Natural Resources
- Organization, Calendar and Rules
- Public Health and Welfare
- Transportation
- Utilities
- Ways and Means

House Committees
- Aging and Long Term Care
- Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget
- Appropriations
- Calendar and Printing
- Commerce and Labor
- Corrections and Juvenile Justice
- Economic Development and Tourism
- Education
- Education Budget
- Elections
- Energy and Utilities
- Federal and State Affairs
- Financial Institutions
- General Government Budget
- Government Efficiency and Fiscal Oversight
- Health and Human Services
- Higher Education
- Insurance
- Interstate Cooperation
- Judiciary
- Legislative Budget
- Local Government
- Rules and Journal
- Select Committee on KPERS
- Social Services Budget
- Taxation
- Transportation
- Transportation and Public Safety Budget
- Veterans, Military and Homeland Security
- Vision 2020

Filed Under: Legislation

New Home Permits see 10% increase in Kansas City Area

December 23, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

The Kansas City metro area is experienced nearly a 10 percent increase in new permits over last year.

In the eight-county metro area, 2,262 housing permits were pulled through November. In the entire 2009 there were a total of 2,155.

Experts predicted that the nation would average a 10 percent growth this year. This puts the Kansas City [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story

USDA RD Property Eligibility

December 23, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

USDA Rural Development ( RD ) Loans allow buyers to purchase homes with little or no money down. There are some restrictions, mainly the property has to be in an approved area and the buyer has to be qualified.

It is not as complicated as some other government loan programs as well. The key to closing and closing on time is finding a [Read more...]

Filed Under: Buyer Info, Feature Story

Ways To Volunteer Over Holidays

December 21, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Project Shining Star Catholic Charities

http://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp601094.jsp

Crittenton Children’s Center
10918 Elm Ave, Kansas City, MO 64134
Contact Gayla Guthrie at 816.767.4124 to volunteer.
Looking for sponsors for their Adopt-an-Angel program. Adopt youth and/or provide items off their general wish list. 20 volunteers needed to plan [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feature Story, Misc

Final Walk through

December 21, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

Final Walk through

Normally the day before or the day of closing a buyer has a “final walk through”. The purpose of this is to:

1) see that the home’s condition has not significantly changed. Such as flooded, burned down, gotten hit by a tornado, or the sellers moving truck did not back into it.

2) Check that the sellers did perform the repairs they agreed to perform. This might be done a week before closing.

3) Pick up the keys from the lock box.

4) House is clean. In Kansas & Missouri, when a transfer of possession occurs a home is required to be “broom swept clean” and all personal property is to be removed from a property. That means if the buyer and seller have not agreed to leave a piece of personal property, and the buyer wants it removed, the seller my remove it or pay to have it removed.

Let me know what time is convenient for your final walk through.

PS. A new home is a bit different.

Filed Under: Buyer Info, Feature Story

Insurance and Utilities

December 21, 2010 By Steve Kornspan

INSURANCE & UTILITIES

The next steps are getting the utilities set-up and a home owners insurance “binder”.

UTILITIES

You are responsible for the utilities from midnight the day of closing. In other words, the seller pays until 12:01am the day after closing.

Here is a link to the local utility companies – http://stevekornspan.com/utilities.htm

HOME OWNERS INSURANCE

Insurance can vary significantly from client to client and company to company. On day one company can give great rates for one client the next day they can be much higher. The company’s change their rating procedures all the time so it is hard to keep up with them.

I have a few trusted people that I recommend. I suggest you contact a couple to get quotes. Be careful to see what each actually covers. Coverage and premiums really do vary. Be sure to ask about roof coverage, sewer backup, and basement flooding.

Here is a link to some of my trusted insurance friends – http://stevekornspan.com/referrals.htm#insurance

You do not have to pay the premium. It can be paid at closing from the title or lender company. Please have the insurance company furnish an insurance certificate/binder for the title company and lender. We cannot close without it.

Let me know if you have any questions or need more information.

Filed Under: Buyer Info, Feature Story