Real Estate Information Archive

Blog

Displaying blog entries 1-4 of 4

Benefits of purchasing a home with an HOA

by Nancy Heim-berg

When looking for a home in Omaha, some buyers may be turned off by the idea of purchasing a home that has an HOA (Homeowners Association). And while some people find them divisive, HOAs have the potential to offer quite a few benefits for homeowners that live within their neighborhoods. In this post we will discuss a few reasons why you should be open to an HOA when starting your search, and how the benefits have the potential to far outweigh any negatives.

One benefit of an HOA is that many require a standardized appearance of all homes. This means that all homes must conform to a predetermined cosmetic standard set by the HOA, ensuring that the neighborhood looks cohesive and appealing. It makes sure that your careless or lazy neighbor is forced to mow their lawn and maintain the outside appearance of their home (no neon pink exterior paint allowed!). Also, HOAs help to maintain your property value, as a well-maintained appearance of homes makes the value of the neighborhood higher and more valuable than the surrounding areas. This allows owners who eventually look to sell their home to recoup their initial investment and potentially make a sizeable profit - who wouldn't want that?!

Another benefit of an HOA is that many often feature and provide additional amenities such as sports areas, community swimming pools, walking trails and a community center for residents and their guests to enjoy. These locations are perfect for community building opportunities and offer residents areas of entertainment. Lastly, HOA fees will help to cover community maintenance as well, including common areas, streets, landscaping and tree care. This brings a peace of mind to homeowners that the surrounding areas of their home will always be well kept without any effort on their part. 

So you want to buy a fixer-upper?

by Nancy Heim-berg

So you are thinking of buying a fixer-upper but aren't sure what to expect. For some people the idea of buying a home that needs a lot of work can be a little daunting. And for others, the thought of purchasing a home that needs a little love in an incredible neighborhood, and are able to remodel it to their taste, is ideal. While it is true that a fixer-upper has the potential to be your worst nightmare, there are also incredible benefits that you simply can't ignore. Below we have listed some pros and cons that come with purchasing a fixer-upper home that we hope will be helpful and inspiring when making your decision: 

Pros:
-Remodeling the bathroom and/or kitchen have the potential to drastically increase the value of your home
-Buyers can design and pick out the finishes to match their taste
-Do you love a neighborhood but can't afford the area? A fixer-upper allows you to purchase a home in your ideal neighborhood that otherwise may have been out of your budget and reach
-Makes owning a home attainable for eager buyers
-Since property taxes are based on the home’s sale price, homeowners will reap major tax savings on a fixer-upper

Cons:
-There is a ton of extra work that goes into a fixer-upper than a home that is move-in ready
-You are almost guaranteed to go over budget
-Renovations are usually met with a lot of stress and can be very time consuming
-Costly surprises are sure to pop up that can expand the timeline and budget of the project

Tips and Tricks for Moving with Children

by Nancy Heim-berg

It's no secret that moving can be very stressful for families. The boxing, the scheduling, the organizing, the cleaning – all of the “to-do’s” can leave you with a mile-long list and not enough hours in the day to tackle everything. And on top of all of that, trying to move when you have kids can amplify your stress levels and leave your head totally and completely spinning. Not to mention, kids usually are not always thrilled with the news of the event, whether you are moving to a new state or just down the block. Knowing this, we have listed some tips and tricks below on how to try and ease some of the stresses of moving with children in hopes to help make the event as stress-free as possible for you and your family. 

The first thing a family should do is call a family meeting to explain to the children why you are moving and where you are moving to. This can be done over a fun family pizza night or casual family time in the living room. It is important to set expectations on what will be happening in the coming weeks and what you expect from them in the process. When packing, it is also super helpful to purge unwanted or outgrown clothing, as well as to donate old toys that no longer get playtime. This will help to avoid bringing clutter to your new home and can also help bring in a little money if the items can be sold. 

Another great tip is to get your children excited about the new place by making plans for their new room. Whether it be a new paint color for the walls they have always wanted, a new bedroom set or just rearranging their current furniture, you should get your children excited about this new adventure and their new surroundings. You can accomplish this by doing a site visit and allowing them to walk through their new home and visualize what everything will look like. Let their imagination run wild! Lastly, if you are moving far away from where you currently live, try hosting a “See You Soon” party for your children and their friends. This can help to ease their anxiety of moving away, allow them to take photos with their friends and spend some quality time with everyone before the big move.

We hope these tips will help ease the stress of moving with kids and have it be a more enjoyable time for everyone. Happy moving! 

Local Family Parks Around Omaha

by Nancy Heim-berg

Families should be running outdoors to take advantage of this incredible season between summer and winter. The crisp, fresh fall air is a perfect excuse to get out of the house and enjoy the sunshine and cooler weather around Omaha. After school, on the weekends or in-between scheduled activities are the perfect times to venture out to one of the many parks around town. We have listed below a few of the most popular parks and hope you enjoy some quality time outdoors this fall! 


Meadow Lane Park: This is a great place for some family fun in the sun! The beautiful, large community park offers a large green space, tennis and basketball courts, a fun playground for the kids and picnic area that is perfect for a mid-afternoon snack. 
Address: 11707 Farnam St, Omaha, NE 68154

Lamp Park: This park is a great destination for beautifully manicured and well kept grounds. A very popular destination for baseball games, has great open green space and a wonderful place to walk your dog. 
Address: 113 N 114th St, Omaha, NE 68154

Cottonwood Park: An amazing park for kids to walk, run and play! Perfect for a day of volleyball, incredible play areas for young kids and is dog friendly for your furry family friends. 
Address: 728 S 154th St, Omaha, NE 68154

N.P. Dodge Park: This park spans 445-acres and is perfectly positioned along the flowing river. It offers a pavilion, full service marina and incredible sports facilities. 
Address: 11001 John J Pershing Dr, Omaha, NE 68112

Displaying blog entries 1-4 of 4

Syndication

Categories

Archives

Share This Page

Contact Information

Photo of Heim-Berg Team Real Estate
Heim-Berg Team
Berkshire Hathaway
331 Village Pointe Plaza
Omaha NE 68118
(402) 677-9024
(402) 679-7108 | (402) 830-6123
Fax: 402-493-4805

Stacey OHara CMG financial 515-306-2360

 

©2015 BHH Affiliates, LLC. Real Estate Brokerage Services are offered through the network member franchisees of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Most franchisees are independently owned and operated. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc®. Equal Housing Opportunity. Equal Housing Opportunity Realtor License