Real Estate Information Archive

As we say goodbye to another month (June, you were good to us…) and welcome a new one (July, we are ready for you!), be sure to enjoy all the festivities that are happening in and around our beautiful city of Omaha, NE this weekend! You will find concerts and comedy shows, as well as firework displays, movies in the park, plays, dinosaur adventures, walking food tours, yoga in the forest and local farmers markets. Check out these events and much more below! 

What: Heartland Youth Pride
When: June 28th
Where: Baxter Arena | 2425 S 67th Street Omaha, NE

What: Blacklist & TSPR Present: Y2K, Giving Back Monday & Solo Safe
When: June 28th 
Where: Lookout Lounge | 320 S 72nd Street Omaha, NE

What: Dreams & Fears Album Release Event
When: June 28th
Where: Blue Barn Theatre | 1106 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: The City of Omaha Celebrates America Free Concert & Fireworks Show 
When: June 28th
Where: Memorial Park | 6005 Underwood Avenue Omaha, NE

What: Art Exhibit: ‘Portraits’ by Reagan D. Pufall
When: June 28th – 30th 
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft Street Omaha, NE

What: Comedy in Omaha 
When: June 28th & 29th
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre | 1618 Harney Street Omaha, NE

What: Enchanted Kingdom
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Fossil Fridays
When: June 28th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Garth Williams: Illustrator of the Century
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Jay Heikes
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Movies in the Park: Zootopia
When: June 28th
Where: 100 Pearl Street Council Bluffs, IA

What: Midwest Paranormal History/Ghost Tour
When: June 28th & 29th
Where: Midwest Paranormal History Tours | Various Locations

What: Night Market
When: June 28th
Where: Midtown Crossing | 31st – 33rd and Farnam-Dodge Streets Omaha, NE

What: OCon Expo – Comics and Pop Culture Expo
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: One Arena Way Council Bluffs, IA

What: Patriotic Perches Exhibit
When: June 28 – 30th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft Street Omaha, NE

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series 
When: June 28th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: Shakespeare On The Green – Hamlet
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: Nebraska Shakespeare | Elmwood Park 60th & Dodge Streets Omaha, NE

What: Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family
When: June 28th – 30th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Heartland Pride Festival feat. Big Freedia
When: June 29th
Where: Baxter Arena | 2425 S 67th Street Omaha, NE

What: College Home Run Derby & Fireworks
When: June 29th
Where: 1200 Mike Fahey Street Omaha, NE

What: Lake Manawa Fireworks
When: June 29th
Where: 1100 S Shore Drive Council Bluffs, IA

What: Omaha Beer Fest
When: June 29th
Where: Horsemen’s Park | 6303 Q Street Omaha, NE

What: Behind the Scenes: Aquarium Backstage Pass
When: June 28th
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market – Old Market
When: June 29th
Where: 11th and Jackson Streets Omaha, NE

What: Rockbrook Village Cars and Caffeine
When: June 29th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: Sunday Yoga in the Forest
When: June 30th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd. 

It’s official – you have finally found, closed on and moved into the home of your dreams in Omaha, NE. We think a congratulations are in order as that is no small feat! But once the celebratory Champaign bubbles have fizzled out and all the boxes have been put away, it is now time to ensure that a few things are in order in your new abode. Below we have listed a couple items for you to tackle in the areas of security, home documents, emergency planning and maintenance to not only help keep you organized, but also avoid any costly home repairs down the road. 

Home safety and security:
First thing’s first! When it comes to home safety for you and your family, this is something you want to jump on right away:

-Before anything else, make sure to change the locks on the home. You never know who had a spare key and could let themselves into your house at any point.
-On that same note, you want to reset any codes that allow access into the house/property, such as gates, garage doors, etc. 
-It is always a good idea to have a fire extinguisher near the kitchen in the event of an emergency/fire.
-Set aside some time to test carbon monoxide and fire detectors to ensure they are working properly. 
-In all exterior lights, make sure that all bulbs are working and replace any that need to be fixed. 
-Lastly, be sure to hide extra sets of keys in a lockbox out of sight. Robbers have gotten cleaver and know to check under flower pots! 

Important home documents: 
There are a few important documents that you may want to keep handy in case an unexpected dispute arises, or you need to reference information: 

-Insurance documents
-Final closing documents
-Contact information for lender
-Inspection report 

Emergency planning:
The least ideal time to plan for an emergency is while it is happening. Here are a few things to keep in mind and plan for:

-Be sure to familiarize yourself with the circuit box, as well as label the circuit breakers.
-If you have gas, make sure to know where the gas shut-off valve is in case of an emergency. 
-Find where the main water shut-off value is in the event of a broken pipe. 
-For quick reference, make a list of emergency contacts such as your insurance agent, utility companies, electrician and plumber, and make it easily accessible to everyone in the home. 

Maintenance: 
As a homeowner, you now are responsible for all maintenance of your property (we know, *sigh..*) To make it a bit easier for you, we have created some bullets below for you to reference. It may be beneficial for you to set calendar events, so you don’t miss these basic maintenance tasks: 

-Schedule HVAC maintenance in the spring and fall, as well as change the filters at least once a season. 
-Check on and clean out those gutters at least once a year. 
-Clean out the dryer vent and hose at least once yearly to avoid fires.
-Once a year, drain your water heater. 
-If your refrigerator was not purchased recently, be sure to clean the coils at least once a year. 

Wow. When we say there is so much going on this weekend in and around Omaha, NE we aren’t kidding. This is not a drill, folks! Grab your family and friends for summer days filled with sporting events, walking food tours, dinosaur exhibits, concert series, castle tours, a blues festival, yoga events and so much more. You can even go backstage at the aquarium! Talk about a good time.. Check these and so much more out below. Enjoy! 

What: 2019 NCAA Men’s College World Series
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: NCAA College World Series | 1200 Mike Fahey Street Omaha, NE

What: All’s Well That Ends Well – Shakespeare On The Green 
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Nebraska Shakespeare | Elmwood Park 60th & Dodge Streets

What: Art Exhibit: ‘Portraits’ by Reagan D. Pufall
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft Street Omaha, NE

What: Attic Adventures
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Comedy in Omaha
When: June 21st & 22nd
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre | 1618 Harney Street Omaha, NE

What: CWS Fan Feast
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: NCAA College World Series | 1200 Mike Fahey Street Omaha, NE

What: Blackstone Walking Food Tour
When: June 21st
Where: 3804 Farnam Street Omaha, NE

What: Fossil Fridays
When: June 21st
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Garth Williams: Illustrator of the Century
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Junkstock: Underneath the Stars
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: 1150 River Road Drive Waterloo, NE

What: Joslyn Castle Public Tours
When: June 21st
Where: Joslyn Castle | 3902 Davenport Street Omaha, NE

What: Jurassic Quest
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: 1 Arena Way Council Bluffs, IA

What: Moves in the Park: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
When: June 21st
Where: 100 Pearl Street Council Bluffs, IA

What: Patriotic Perches Exhibit
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft Street Omaha, NE

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series
When: June 21st
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family
When: June 21st – 23rd
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Zydeco Festival
When: June 22nd
Where: Midtown Crossing | 3110 Farnam Street Omaha, NE

What: Inagural Back Alley Blues Festival
When: June 22nd
Where: Love’s Jazz and Arts Center | 2510 N 24th Street Omaha, NE

What: Behind the Scenes: Aquarium Backstage Pass
When: June 22nd
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market – Old Market
When: June 22nd
Where: 11th and Jackson Streets Omaha, NE

What: Yoga in the Aquarium
When: June 22nd & 23rd
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Road to Omaha Run
When: June 23rd
Where: Lewis and Clark Landing | 515 N Riverfront Drive Omaha, NE

What: Sunday Yoga in the Forest
When: June 23rd
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd. 

What: Yoga Rocks the Park
When: June 23rd
Where: Midtown Crossing | 31st – 33rd and Farnam – Dodge Streets Omaha, NE

Let’s be honest - no matter how you spin it, buying a home is not cheap. And whether you are a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned professional, we are sure the previous sentence comes as no surprise to you (you may have even found yourself nodding and smirking in agreeance). But what many people tend to focus on are the larger costs that are associated with home buying, such as mortgage payments and down payment costs, and many tend to overlook the lesser fees that may arise during the buying process. But fear not, as after today’s blog post we are confident you will leave with a better, more thorough understanding of not only what these fees are, but also what they could end up costing, so you can plan accordingly. 

-Application Fees: When you are applying for a loan, your lender will pull your credit report to get a better understanding of your financial health to see what you qualify for. They in turn will charge you an application fee, which is usually combined with the credit report fee. You should be sure to request a breakdown of the fees, but this can cost you $75-$300 dollars. 

-Home Inspection: When it comes to home buying, planning for a home inspection is curial. Think of it as an extra layer of protection to ensure you are not purchasing a home with major hidden issues that can mean huge dollar signs down the road. During the appointment, the inspector will search for general and structural issues within the home, many times finding things not visible to the naked eye. Home inspections can cost between $300 and $500.

-Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI): If you are planning to put down less than 20% of the home’s purchase price, the lender will most likely require you to purchase private mortgage insurance. This will protect the lender in the event that you stop making payments on your loan. And while PMI rates can vary, they tend to hover around 0.3% to 1.5% of your original loan amount annually. 

-Title Services: Fees such as government filing fees, title search of public records for the property, notary fees and more are covered under title services. It is crucial for you to get a line item breakdown for each cost, and you should budget around $150 to $400. 

-Appraisal Fee: First, the appraisal itself can cost between $200 and $425 and take around two hours to complete. Next, the appraisal report is then sent to the lender to confirm that the property is indeed worth the amount that was agreed upon. 

With Father’s Day right around the corner, now is the perfect time to fill your calendar with events and activities in and around our beautiful city of Omaha, NE. Spend your weekend celebrating dad and creating beautiful memories while taking in a baseball game, indulging in a walking food tour, roaming farmer’s markets, tackling a mini mud run, exploring art exhibits and much more! We have listed these and a few other can’t-miss events below for you to check out. Enjoy, and Happy Father’s Day! 

What: Blackstone Walking Food Tour
When: June 14th
Where: 3804 Farnam Street Omaha, NE

What: Attic Adventures
When: June 14th – 16th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Garth Williams: Illustrator of the Century
When: June 14th & 15th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Enchanted Kingdom
When: June 14th – 16th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Comedy in Omaha
When: June 14th & 15th
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre | 1618 Harney Street Omaha, NE

What: Jay Heikes 
When: June 14th – 16th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Karaoke Friday Nights
When: June 14th
Where: 510 N. 33rd Street Omaha, NE

What: Tyrannosaurs at Two
When: June 14th – 16th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: David Venhuizen Stand-Up Comedy Show & Album Recording
When: June 15th
Where: Reverb Lounge | 6121 Military Avenue Omaha, NE

What: Mom’s Night Out at the Museum 
When: June 15th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Beef vs. Salina Liberty Football Game
When: June 15th
Where: Omaha Beef Professional Indoor Football | 7300 Q Street Omaha, NE

What: Full Moon Guided Paddle: Stand-up Paddleboard & Kayak
When: June 15th
Where: Neighborhood Offshore Boutique & Board Shop | 168th and Fort Street Omaha, NE

What: 2019 NCAA Men’s College World Series
When: June 15th & 16th
Where: NCAA College World Series | 1200 Mike Fahey Street Omaha, NE 

What: Behind the Scenes: Aquarium Backstage Pass 
When: June 15th
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Father’s Day Car Show
When: June 15th & 16th
Where: Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum | 28210 West Park Highway 

What: Mini Me Family Mud Run
When: June 15th & 16th
Where: Zipline Omaha | Mt. Crescent Ski Area

What: Old Market Walking Food Tour
When: June 15th
Where: 1002 Howard Street Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market – Old Market
When: June 15th
Where: 11th and Jackson Streets Omaha, NE

What: Sweet Treats Bus Tour
When: June 15th & 16th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: Yoga in the Aquarium
When: June 15th & 16th
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Sunday Yoga in the Forest
When: June 16th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd. 

What: Yoga Rock the Park
When: June 16th
Where: Midtown Crossing | 31st-33rd and Farnam-Dodge Streets Omaha, NE

We all know how stressful moving can be – packing your entire life into cardboard boxes, hauling everything away in a rented truck and, finally, attempting to make sense of all the chaos after the final box is unloaded. We get it. In an effort to alleviate some of that stress (and the overwhelming feeling of sheer panic at times), we have listed ten moving hacks below. We are sure they will aid in your moving process and help to keep things organized and running smoothly from start to finish. 

1. Our first hack for you is to hold a garage sale a couple weeks before you move in an effort to turn your unwanted items into cash. After all, you know what they say - one man’s trash is another man’s treasure!

2. Second, you want to be sure to secure your important documents such as insurance papers, birth certificates, work documents and school records to ensure they do not get lost/misplaced in the shuffle. 

3. Our third tip is to not be afraid to ask for help from family, friends and neighbors at any point in the moving process. Whether it be organizing, cleaning or moving furniture, it is okay to ask for help if you are feeling overwhelmed or simply just want another set of hands around. 

4. The fourth hack we have for you is to collect and reuse old boxes for storage.

5. Our fifth hack is crucial if you want to avoid the anxiety of feeling things were left to the last minute. The tip is to begin the packing process at least four weeks before your scheduled move date. First start by boxing items that you don’t use often and leave your day-to-day items to be packed right before you move.

6. Meet your new best friend, stretch wrap! Stretch wrapping your drawers and cabinets is a great time saver as you don’t have to pack and unpack the items that are inside (you can thank us later!)

7. Our next hack is to make sure that you defrost your refrigerator at least a day prior to moving. This will ensure that water will not leak out and cause a large mess during your move. 

8. Our eighth hack may seem silly to some, but we promise it could make all the difference! During the move, try storing your jewelry in toilet paper rolls and/or egg cartons. Not only will it keep your valuables incognito and thief’s at bay, but the egg cartons will also allow you to keep your items from tangling. 

9. Next, when it comes to electronics, be sure to label your chargers and other items accordingly. This will help keep you organized, thus allowing you to find things quickly if you are in a hurry.

10. Finally, our tenth moving hack is to update your new address ASAP with places such as your banking institutions, work, insurance company, etc.

Hello weekend, we missed you! Below we have listed a few can’t-miss events and activities that are happening in and around our beautiful city of Omaha, NE this weekend. So grab your family and friends for a few days filled with everything from comedy shows and art festivals, to walking food tours, aircraft exploration events, farmers markets, dinosaur activities, yoga in the forest and so much more! 

What: 45th Annual Omaha Summer Arts Festival 
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: 1200 Mike Fahey Street Omaha, NE

What: Alison O’Daniel: Heavy Air and Lui Shtini: Tempos
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts | 724 S 12th Street Omaha, NE

What: Comedy in Omaha
When: June 7th & 8th
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre | 1618 Harney Street Omaha, NE

What: Attic Adventures
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Benson Artist Market and Summer Street Series
When: June 7th
Where: Military Ave. & Maple Street

What: Enchanted Kingdom
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th Street Omaha, NE

What: Blackstone Walking Food Tour
When: June 7th
Where: 3804 Farnam Street Omaha, NE

What: First Friday Old Market
When: June 7th
Where: Old Market | Harney to Jackson Streets and 10th to 13th Streets

What: Saint Lucia Festival
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Lewis and Clark Landing | 515 N Riverfront Drive Omaha, NE

What: Aircraft Exploration
When: June 8th
Where: Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum | 28210 West Park Highway

What: Behind the Scenes: Aquarium Backstage Pass
When: June 8th
Where: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Blackstone District Walking Food Tour
When: June 8th & 9th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: Garth Williams: Illustrator of the Century
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Midwest Paranormal History/Ghost Tour 
When: June 7th & 8th
Where: Midwest Paranormal History Tours | Various Locations

What: Huipiles – Indigenous Textiles from Guatemala
When: June 7th & 8th 
Where: El Museo Latino | 4701 S 25th Street Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market – Old Market
When: June 8th
Where: 11th & Jackson Streets Omaha, NE

What: Tyrannosaurs: Meet the Family
When: June 8th & 9th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Village Pointe Farmers Market
When: June 8th
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center | 17305 Davenport Street Omaha, NE

What: Hot Fun in the Summertime 9: It Don’t Mean a Thing
When: June 9th
Where: 421 S 36th Street Omaha, NE

What: American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design
When: June 7th – 9th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge Street Omaha, NE

What: Sunday Yoga in the Forest
When: June 9th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd.  

With spring coming to an end, we are quickly approaching the time of year where many families head out for their long-awaited summer vacations. Whether you are jet setting to a foreign country, packing the car for a road trip or relaxing in the sun on a tropical getaway, you want to enjoy your vacation with the peace of mind knowing your home is safe and secure back in Omaha, NE. And that is where we come in! We have packed this blog post with tips and tricks to help make your house burglar-proof, so you can return home relaxed, refreshed and a little sun-kissed. 

-The first tip we have for you is to install an alarm system in your home, as they serve as an effective deterrent to burglars. You want to be sure to find a system that has both audible and visual warnings and links back to a reputable monitoring company. 

-Our second tip is to install external sensor lights that will turn on when someone enters your property, as burglars tend to avoid areas that are well-lit. On a similar note, you also may want to leave a few lights on in the house to trick intruders into thinking someone is home. 

-Next, you may want to consider installing a CCTV system to have 24/7 monitoring of your property. This system will also come in handy in the unfortunate situation that you need video evidence to catch intruders while you are away. 

-The fourth tip is to secure all valuable items in a safe (preferably a fire-proof safe) while you are vacationing. These items may include jewelry, cash, spare car keys and important documents such as birth certificates, life insurance policies, stock certificates and passports. 

-If you are planning on being away for a while and have a free-standing mailbox in front of your home, you may want to find a friend or family member who can come clear it out a few times a week. A full mailbox can give the impression to burglars that you are not home, thus putting a target on your property. 

-Our last tip for you is to get to know your neighbors if you don’t already. They can be a great asset to you while you are gone by keeping a close eye on your house and giving you updates during your trip.