Real Estate Information Archive

We get it. Looking for a new home to buy can be a daunting, exhausting and a downright confusing process. There may be one home that checks a few important criteria off your list, and the next one you see checks off the remaining boxes of your list but is missing other important aspects. This is when you may find yourself daydreaming about the possibility of merging the two homes into one and ending with a perfect oasis! But since this is not an actual possibility (sorry to burst your bubble), many people find themselves being drawn to building their own home from the ground up. If this is an idea you have been toying with, then today’s blog is for you! Below we have listed a few perks and advantages of ditching the search to buy a home and bringing your dream home to life!

The first perk, and possibly the most obvious, to building your own home is that everything is brand new. No holes in the walls to patch up, no conspicuous stains on the carpet, no upgrading appliances and no immediate repairs need to be made. There is just something so appealing about being the first ones to live in a home, and knowing that you had a large hand in creating and designing everything. On the same note, depending on the builder and neighborhood, most of the time you are able to custom design your home. Meaning that everything from the layout and flooring, to paint color, kitchen finishes and curtains can be created to your specifications. And there is a peace of mind knowing that everything will be new, clean and designed to your taste and preferences the day you move in.

Another advantage to building your own home is that you get to pick your neighborhood. It is quite frustrating when find your ideal neighborhood and either there are no homes for sale that meet your criteria or all the homes are way out of your price range. If you know the area you would like to live in, you can then search for a plot of land that is open and build your dream home, allowing you both a desirable location and a house you love. And that is what we call a win-win! Lastly, building a new home affords you the opportunity to incorporate new energy-efficient systems throughout that will allow you to save money. It is no secret that technology has become quite advanced over the past decades and even years. Many older homes are not equipped with the most up-to-date systems, which in turn will require you to spend more money on bills each month. So you are stuck with a dilemma – either pay the higher bills as they come or spend the money (and develop a headache) and update the systems. No matter how you slice it, it is always easier and more convenient to have a newer home that has these energy-efficient and cost efficient systems already in place prior to move in.

TGI (almost) F! What are your plans for this coming weekend? With temperatures cooling off and sunny days ahead, it is the perfect time to get out of the house and take advantage of all the fun activities, events and festivals happening this weekend around Omaha! Enjoy everything from restaurant week and Oktoberfest, to country concerts, farmers markets, theatrical plays, a moonlight boat tour and even an antique show. Whatever catches your eye, make sure to grab your family and friends to enjoy all our beautiful city has to offer! 

What: 17th Annual Oktoberfest
When: September 21st – 22nd 
Where: Crescent Moon | 3578 Farnam St.

What: That ’70s Cruise
When: September 21st
Where: River City Star Riverboat 

What: Bye Bye Bridie, YPE
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: 830 Franklin Ave.

What: Lauritzen Gardens Antiques Show
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St.

What: Omaha Restaurant Week
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: Various Locations 

What: Movie Night at Werner Park: Back to the Future
When: September 21st
Where: 12356 Ballpark Way

What: Deep Purple & Judas Priest
When: September 21st
Where: 1 Harrah’s Boulevard

What: Alan Jackson: Honky Tonk Highway Tour
When: September 21st
Where: CHI Health Center Omaha | 455 N. 10th St. 

What: River City Star Moonlight Sightseeing Cruise
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: River City Star Riverboat 

What: Shrek The Musical
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: 6915 Cass Street Omaha, NE

What: Fall Bird Migration Walk
When: September 22nd 
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Gatsby on 16th Street
When: September 22nd
Where: Orpheum Theatre | 409 S 16th St.

What: SW Iowa JunkFest & Corn Husking Competition 
When: September 22nd 
Where: 59256 380th St.

What: Game Day at The Capitol District 
When: September 22nd 
Where: 1022 Capitol Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Midlands Renaissance Revel & Pirate Fest
When: September 22nd & 23rd
Where: 22984 Highway 6

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: September 22nd 
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha

What: Thomas D Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild
When: September 21st – 23rd
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S. 10th St.

What: Urban Surf
When: September 23rd
Where: 6837 Grover St. Omaha, NE

What: Yoga in the Forest
When: September 23rd
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Under The Tuscan Sunday’s: Vivi il Vino
When: September 23rd
Where: Bella Terre | 23375 Barrus Rd. 

When you think about all the ways you can increase your property value, have you ever thought about just how important landscaping is in the equation? If not, you are not alone. Many homeowners overlook the fact that landscaping is one of the quickest, easiest and most important ways in which you can increase the value of your property. In fact, a beautiful and well thought out landscape design has the potential to increase your home value by five to eleven percent (and possibly more!). We are pretty sure we have your attention now! Below we have listed a few tips and tricks to help get you started on your landscaping journey, and help make it your homes greatest and most valuable asset.

The first thing you want to do is to come up with a design while always keeping a strategy in mind. So with this, balance is key. You do not want to have just grass without accent landscaping around, but at the same time you do not want to have clutter and too many high-maintenance plants around your yard. You should try to incorporate a healthy mixture of perennials and shrubs, and have a unformed look that also has enough diversity to keep things interesting and eye catching. On that same note, you always want to make sure to match your landscaping to the style of your home. For example, if you have an old-fashioned Victorian home, arguably the worst thing you can do is to incorporate a Japanese garden. In this case, you are better off featuring a country or cottage-style landscape that will blend and enhance the features of your home.

Another tip when looking to increase your property value through landscape is to plant trees. Now we understand this may seem like a simple action, but the truth is that, well, people love and are drawn to trees! Many see them as a stress reliever and think they are closer to nature having them on their property. They also provide shade and can help to keep homes cooler by blocking direct sunlight into the home. Lastly, edging your lawn can also help to increase your property value. Edging garden beds, driveways and sidewalks demonstrates to potential buyers that the property has been property kept up, and therefore easily assumed that the inside of the home has probably been well maintained as well. It also helps to give the yard an easy-to-maintain and manicured look – which is always a bonus for buyers!

What are your plans for the second weekend of September? Are you by chance attending Omaha restaurant week, reggae on the river, chalk art festival, food truck rodeo or WestFest to see country star Brett Eldridge? If not, you may want to rethink your plans! There are tons of fun activities and events happening throughout our wonderful city this weekend, and we have a few of them listed below for you to check out. Enjoy! 

What: 2018 Food Truck Rodeo 
When: September 14th
Where: Military Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Reggae on the River with Rhythm Collective
When: September 14th
Where: River City Star Riverboat | 151 Freedom Park Rd.

What: WestFest feat. Brett Eldredge 
When: September 14th
Where: 1 Harrah’s Boulevard 

What: Bye Bye Birdie, YPE
When: September 14th – 16th
Where: 830 Franklin Ave.

What: Comedy in Omaha at The Backline
When: September 14th & 15th
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre 

What: El Grito Festival
When: September 14th – 16th
Where: S 24th St. & N St. Omaha, NE

What: KANEKO: Reality
When: September 14th – 16th
Where: 1111 Jones St. Omaha, NE

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

What: Live Jazz
When: September 14th & 15th
Where: Marks Bistro | 4916 Underwood Ave.

What: Lewis & Clark Ranger Programs
When: September 14th – 16th
Where: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail VC

What: Omaha Restaurant Week
When: September 14th – 16th
Where: Various Locations 

What: Shea Wilkinson: Paralel Worlds
When: September 14th & 15th
Where: Gallery 72 | 1806 Vinton St. 

What: Thomas D Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild
When: Septmeber 14th – 16th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S. 10th St. 

What: 27th Annual Fort Omaha Intertribal Powwow
When: September 15th
Where: 5730 N. 30th St. Omaha, NE

What: Vintage Market Days of Omaha
When: September 14th – September 16th
Where: 508 Skyline Road

What: Tinkerfest
When: September 15th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum 

What: Brews & Bites: Blackstone Walking Tour
When: September 15th & 16th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: Chalk Art Festival
When: September 15th & 16th
Where: Midtown Crossing

What: Game Day at The Capitol District 
When: September 15th
Where: 1022 Capitol Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Artrageous!
When: September 16th
Where: 2700 College Road

What: 43rd Annual Omaha Marathon
When: September 16th
Where: TD Ameritrade Park Omaha

If you are a homeowner then you understand just how much it can cost to not only maintain the condition of your home, but also to make repairs when needed. But what if we told you of a few tips and tricks that could help you avoid spending extra, unnecessary money on upkeep? Do we have your attention yet? If so, then keep reading! Below we have listed a few ways in which you may be forking out unnecessary money each month and expensive mistakes that you could be making in your home.

The first topic we are going to be talking about is a leaky faucet. The next time you see a leaking faucet, we want you to picture money running down the drain instead of water because that is exactly what is happening! To give you an example, if you were to have a leaky faucet in your home that drips one drop per second, over time that can lead to over 3,000 gallons of water per year! And depending on where you live, that could be adding on a ton of money each month to your water bill. So be sure to replace or fix your faucet the next time you see it leaking to avoid the unnecessary increase in your water bill! On that same note, if you have grass throughout your yard, you want to avoid over watering your lawn. Keep an eye out for broken sprinklers, as well as ensuring that your sprinklers are pointing in the direction you intend and not accidentally watering the gravel nearby.

Next, we are going to be talking about lighting. Are you still using traditional light bulbs throughout your home?  An incandescent light bulb, over its life span, can use about $180 worth of electricity, as opposed to a CFL or LED bulb which can use between $30 and $40. So yes, just simply switching out your light bulbs can make a huge difference in your electricity bill, and ultimately help to keep a little more money in your pocket each month. On that same tune of electric bills, leaky doors and windows are another way to spend unnecessary money each month. During the winter, a window or door that is not properly insulated will allow the cold air to come in, and vice versa during the summer months. Instead of fixing the issue, many homeowners will feel the cold or hot air coming in and jack up with heat or air conditioning, utilizing more electricity and in turn increasing their bill. You can easily fix this by putting a rubber seal around doors or caulking leaking windows to ensure you are keeping your home insulated from the outside temperature.

What are your plans this coming weekend? If you don’t have any and are still looking for ideas, look no further! We have listed below some fun activities and events happening in and around Omaha this weekend. Everything from a hot air balloon festival and first Friday celebration, to a swing dance festival, art fair, summer night hike and much more. So grab your friends and family for an unforgettable weekend in our beautiful city! 

What: Fields of Flight – Hot Air Balloon Festival
When: September 7th – 9th 
Where: 19475 225th St. Council Bluffs 

What: Fiesta! Family Night at the Museum
When: September 7th
Where: Union Pacific Railroad Museum 

What: The Wildwoods
When: September 7th
Where: Soaring Wings Vineyard 

What: Comedy in Omaha
When: September 7th & 8th
Where: The backline Comedy Theatre 

What: First Friday Old Market
When: September 7th
Where: Old Market | Harney to Jackson Sts & 10th to 13th Sts. 

What: Homecoming: New Works by Steve Joy & Belinda Smith
When: September 7th & 8th
Where: Gallery 72 | 1806 Vinton St.

What: Jitterbug Jamborama: Swing Dance Festival 
When: September 7th – 9th
Where: 201 S 24th St. Omaha, NE

What: Karaoke Friday Nights
When: September 7th
Where: 510 N. 33rd St. Omaha, NE

What: Thomas D Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild 
When: September 7th – 9th
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th St.

What: Hello Kitty Café Truck
When: September 8th
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center 

What: Portalfest 2018 
When: September 8th
Where: Kros Strain Brewing 

What: WO!W (World O! Water)
When: September 8th
Where: 8901 S. 154th Street 

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: September 8th
Where: Bancroft Street Market 

What: Dance Chance Omaha Dancing Event
When: September 8th
Where: Bancroft Street Market

What: Forest Therapy Walk
When: September 8th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Game Day at The Capitol District
When: September 8th
Where: 1022 Capitol Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: September 8th
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market 

What: Rockbrook Village Art Fair
When: September 8th & 9th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center 

What: Public Sightseeing Cruise
When: September 8th & 9th
Where: River City Star Riverboat

What: Summer Night Hike at the Wetlands
When: September 8th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Sweet Treats Bus Tour
When: September 8th & 9th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations 

What: All-European Show and Shine
When: September 9th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St.

If you have ever been in a relationship, you understand that the ‘honeymoon phase’ does not last forever. The excitement and sparkle of anything new tends to fade over time, and your feelings towards your home are no exception. This is especially true if your home has not been well maintained over the years and things are fallings apart and/or outdated. But, with a few simple tips and tricks that we have listed below, you may just find yourself getting that sparkle back in your eye and falling back in love with your home!

Our first tip for you is to have some fun with interior design. Now we understand that the phrase ‘interior design’ can seem a little daunting for some people. And no, you do not have to have a college degree in the subject to dabble in the creative process. Simply finding the right accent pieces and changing things up a bit may be all you need to transform your space. You do not need to break the bank to accomplish this either, as few staple pieces in a few key rooms may do just the trick! You may be surprised just how fresh your home will feel by simply incorporating a few new design elements.

Our next suggestion is to do a little fall cleaning. There is nothing that will make your home feel cluttered than having too much ‘stuff’ around. Take a weekend to donate, recycle and/or throw out items that you no longer need, and spend some time organizing the items that you kept. Also, a deep cleaning never hurt anyone – whether you break out the Clorox and do it yourself or hire in a cleaning service. Regardless, your decluttered, clean home will make you look at your space in a whole new light. Lastly, decorating for the holidays will make your home feel festive and lift your spirits every time you walk through the door. Simply hanging a wreath on the front door, lighting scented candles and having a few decorations throughout your home is just enough to fall in love with your space once again.

What are your plans for the last weekend of August? Do they involve an Italian festival, karaoke, comedy showcase, a walking food tour, and/or yoga in the forest? If your answer is no, make sure to read below where we have listed a few of the fun activities and festivities that are happening in and around our beautiful city this weekend. So grab your family and friends and send August out with a bang! 

What: Ralston’s Last Blast of Summer!
When: August 31st
Where: 7300 Q St. Ralston, NE

What: La Festa Italiana
When: August 31st – September 2nd 
Where: 5110 N 132nd St. Omaha, NE

What: SeptemberFest Omaha
When: August 31st – September 2nd 
Where: CenturyLink Center Omaha

What: Portraits of Care: Art & Medicine 
When: August 29th – September 2nd 
Where: UNO Art Gallery

What: Karaoke Friday Nights
When: August 31st
Where: 510 N 33rd St. Omaha, NE

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series
When: August 31st
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center 

What: Lewis and Clark Ranger Programs
When: August 29th – September 2nd 
Where: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center 

What: Too Hot To Handle! Summer Comedy Showcase Series
When: August 31st – September 2nd
Where: 1801 Vinton Street

What: Turner Park Night Market Festival
When: August 31st – September 2nd
Where: Midtown Crossing 

What: Chalk Workshop
When: September 1st – 2nd
Where: Bancroft Street Market 

What: CANvention 48: World’s Largest Beer Collectibles Show
When: September 1st
Where: 455 N 10th Street Omaha, NE

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: September 1st – 2nd
Where: Bancroft Street Market 

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: September 1st & 2nd
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Old Market District Walking Food Tour
When: September 1st & 2nd
Where: Omaha Culinary Tour | Various Locations

What: Public Sightseeing Cruise
When: September 1st & 2nd
Where: River City Star Riverboat 

What: Thomas D Mangelsen: A Life in the Wild
When: September 1st & 2nd
Where: Durham Museum | 801 S 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Village Pointe Farmers Market
When: September 1st & 2nd
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center 

What: Champagne Cinema: Grease 2 Movie Party
When: September 2nd
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Cinema 

What: Yoga in the Forest
When: September 2nd
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

If you are looking to move into a new neighborhood you understand what an exciting and fun time it can be for you and your family. A fresh chapter brings new experiences, exciting adventures and endless memories that will stay with you forever. But along with all the exciting things also come aspects that you want to be sure to look into before making the big move. Below we have listed a few things that you want to make sure to look into while you begin your search for your new home. We hope this brings you some insight and helps make the journey a little easier and sweater for you!

One thing you will want to make sure to check out are the local conveniences such as the nearest grocery store, bank, and specialty stores. Make a mental note of places you visit frequently and map where they are in relation to your desired neighborhood. This may not seem like a big factor to take into consideration when moving, but you will find it will make a huge impact on your day to day life. Another thing to look into are places such as hospitals, doctors’ offices and pharmacies so you know how quickly you can access these locations in the event of an emergency. If you want peace of mind knowing you have a hospital up the road then you may not want to fall in love with a neighborhood that is far from one.

If you have children, which school district you fall into may be a high priority for you and your family. You want to look at things such as where the district falls in terms of academics and teacher ratings, as well as athletic programs. And lastly, you want to be sure to check out how far you are from local entertainment and restaurants. If you want to be able to bring your children to a local park before dinner time or have a quick date night with your husband/wife on Friday nights, then you want to ensure that you are situated in an area that has these conveniences nearby.

What are your plans this weekend? Do they happen to involve a mystery party cruise, chile festival, a donut making class, fashion shows, mud run, and/or pirate festival? If not, you are in the right place! There are countless events, activities and festivals happening around Omaha this weekend, and we have listed a handful of them below for you to check out. So grab your family and friends and enjoy all our beautiful city has to offer during one of the last weekends of August! 

What: Omaha Fashion Week
When: August 24th - 26th
Where: Omaha Design Center | 1502 Cuming St. 

What: “Bicycle Built for You” Opening Reception
When: August 24th
Where: 9625 Ida St. Omaha, NE

What: John Vanderslice: Living Room Show
When: August 24th
Where: 1801 Vinton Street Omaha, NE

What: 1969 Omaha Royals Flashback at Werner Park

When: August 24th
Where: 12354 Ballpark Way

What: Opera Outdoors
When: August 24th
Where: Midtown Crossing 

What: Magical Mystery Party Cruise 
When: August 24th
Where: River City Star Riverboat | 151 Freedom Park Rd.

What: Portraits of Care: Art & Medicine
When: August 24th - 26th 
Where: UNO Art Gallery | 6505 University Drive S. 

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series
When: August 24th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center 

What: A Weekend of Jazz
When: August 24th
Where: Love’s Jazz and Arts Center 

What: Canoe the Great Marsh
When: August 24th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd. 

What: Hatch Chile Fest
When: August 24th & 25th
Where: Roja Mexican Grill Old Market | 1212 Harney St.

What: Millard Days
When: August 24th - 26th
Where: 136th & Q St. 

What: Donut Making Class
When: August 25th
Where: Provisions by the Grey Plume 

What: Mini Me Family Mud Run
When: August 25th
Where: Zipline Omaha | 17026 Snowhill Lane

What: Superhero Night + Bands & Brews
When: August 25th
Where: Werner Park | 12354 Ballpark Way

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: August 25th
Where: Bancroft Street Market

What: Midwest Pirate Fest
When: August 25th
Where: Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: August 25th
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Public Sightseeing Cruise
When: August 25th & 26th
Where: River City Star Riverboat | 151 Freedom Park Rd. 

What: Butterfly Walk
When: August 26th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Mav Motorshow 2018
When: August 26th
Where: Baxter Arena | 2425 S 67th St. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Crush 2018
When: August 26th
Where: 1502 Cuming St. Omaha, NE