Real Estate Information

Have you been thinking of revamping your home and find yourself wondering what aspect to focus on? Whether you are remodeling to put your home on the market or just updating areas that are outdated, you always want to think about what you are improving, what you are spending your money on and how that will affect the salability of the home in the future. And while it is thought that kitchens and bathrooms should be prioritized when considering return on investment, what many people don’t realize is that paint color can have a large impact on how buyers see and judge the home. And yes, that is exactly what we are going to be talking about in today’s blog post!

Now you may be asking yourself exactly which paint colors will get you the most bang for your buck and will appeal the most to potential buyers in the future. In Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis, over 135,000 images of homes that were sold across the country were examined. These images were examined to see how colored walls affected selling price of the home compared to plain white walls, and the results are quite intriguing. It was found that homes in which feature black or charcoal gray doors sell for more than $6,200 than expected. And, as you may imagine, yellow exterior paint ranked on the lower end, and those homes sold for $3,400 less than what was expected. When it comes to living rooms, the color taupe with peach, tan or pink undertones tend to be more appealing and on average the home sells for over $2,700 than expected.

When it comes to kitchens, you want to be especially picky because home buyers see themselves spending a lot of time is that particular part of the house and therefore judge it more closely. It was found that the most popular color combination in kitchens is white cabinets paired with dark navy blue or black islands. Homes that features tuxedo cabinets, which refers to the lower and upper cabinets being a different color, sell at a $1,550 premium. And when it comes to bathrooms, using colors such as periwinkle blue or a light blue paint with a gray-blue tint can increase the home’s selling price by over $2,700. So if you are wanting to upgrade your house and put a little life back into it, putting a fresh coat of paint may be just the trick you need. And if you incorporate the information we talked about above, you have a good chance of not only increasing your home’s appeal to future buyers, but in turn get a higher selling price!

Can you believe we are already almost halfway through July?! While temperatures are still heating up, there are plenty of fun activities and festivities happening all throughout our beautiful city of Omaha this weekend. There are lively concerts, stunning art galleries, delicious farmer’s markets, exciting culinary tours and much more for you and your family to enjoy! 

What: Bridge Beats Summer Concert Series
When: July 13th
Where: 705 Riverfront Drive Omaha, NE

What: American Solar Challenge – Display Day
When: July 13th 
Where: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center | 601 Riverfront Dr. Omaha, NE

What: JK Thorsen Paintings at Lewis Art Gallery 
When: July 13th & 14th
Where: Lewis Art Gallery | 8600 Cass St. Omaha, NE

What: Prospect Hill Cemetery Guided Historical Walking Tour
When: July 13th
Where: Prospect Hill Cemetery | 3202 Parker St. Omaha, NE

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series
When: July 13th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S. 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: Comedy in Omaha at The Backline
When: July 13th & 14th 
Where: The Backline Comedy Theatre | 1618 Harney St. Omaha, NE

What: Live Jazz
When: July 13th & 14th
Where: Marks Bistro | 4916 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Patriotic Perches Exhibit
When: July 13th – 15th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St. Omaha, NE

What: Treasures of British Art 1400 – 2000: The Berger Collection
When: July 13th & 14th
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE

What: Relay for Life of Greater Omaha
When: July 14th
Where: Aksarben Village | 67th and Center Sts. Omaha, NE

What: ‘Another Bloomin’ Exhibit’ by Omaha Artists, Inc.
When: July 13th – 15th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St. Omaha, NE

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: July 14th
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S. 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Dance Chance Omaha Dancing Event
When: July 14th
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: July 14th
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Playing with Fire Concert 
When: July 14th 
Where: 3110 Farnam St. Omaha, NE

What: Sweet Treats Bus Tour
When: July 14th & 15th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: African Cultural Festival in Omaha 
When: July 15th
Where: 2285 S 67th St. Omaha, NE

What: Write in the Forest with John Lacey
When: July 15th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Aksarben Village
When: July 15th
Where: 67th and Center Omaha, NE

What: Railroad Days 2018
When: July 14th & 15th
Where: Various Locations

In last Sunday’s blog post we talked about some different questions to ask before you hire on a moving company to assist you and your family on moving day. Staying on that same topic, today we are going to be discussing a few tips and tricks to help make your moving day a little less stressful. Because let’s face it, no matter how organized you are or how many hands you have helping, moving day is bound to be met with a little anxiety, hassle and stress. And with over forty million American’s moving each year (according to the U.S. Census Bureau), we know this blog post can be useful to many people around the county.

Our first tip for you is to declutter the items you don’t need or don’t use by throwing them out or donating them. Moving is a great excuse to purge your home of things you don’t need and will also give you less items to unpack later. Second, group items together that you know you will want to put away in the same space, such as kitchen items or bathroom supplies. This will allow you to stay organized and make the unpacking process seamless. Next, if you are going to be putting items in storage we suggest using a clear tote so they are easy to find in the future and have a lesser chance of being damaged. Nothing is worse than looking for something in storage that is triple wrapped in newspaper and at the bottom of a cardboard box.

We understand the financial stress that can also accompany the moving process, so our next tip is to find friends and/or family members that are willing to help you move to help you save some money if a moving company is not in your budget. This can also be a fun way to spend some quality time with people that are closest to you. Our fifth tip is to use a different colored label for each room’s boxes to help keep you organized and avoid having to shuffle boxes after they are moved into your new home. And lastly, you want to be sure to keep all of your important items with you during the moving process. This includes things such as expensive jewelry, family heirlooms and moving paperwork that you need to access quickly and easily. 

Even though the Forth of July celebrations are behind us, there are still plenty of activities and festivities happening throughout Omaha this coming weekend! Everything from concerts in the park and farmer’s markets, to art galleries, beer festivals, art rides and walking food tours are available for you and your family to enjoy. So keep the party going and get out to enjoy all that this beautiful city has to offer! 

What: Celebrate Summer! Family Night at the Museum
When: July 6th
Where: Union Pacific Railroad Museum | 200 Pearl St.

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series 
When: July 6th 
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S 110th St. Omaha, NE

What: First Friday Old Market 
When: July 6th
Where: Old Market | Harney to Jackson Sts. And 10th to 13th Sts. Omaha, NE

What: JK Thorsen Paintings at Lewis Art Gallery 
When: July 6th and 7th
Where: Lewis Art Gallery | 8600 Cass St. Omaha, NE

What: A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom Exhibit 
When: July 6th – 8th
Where: Great Plains Black History Museum | 2221 S. 24th St. Omaha, NE

What: Bridge Beats Summer Concert Series
When: July 6th
Where: 705 Riverfront Drive Omaha, NE

What: Arlene Shechet: More Than I Know 
When: July 6th & 8th 
Where: Joslyn Art Museum | 2200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE

What: Lewis and Clark Ranger Programs
When: July 6th – 8th
Where: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center | 601 Riverfront Dr.

What: Karaoke Friday Nights 
When: July 6th
Where: 510 N. 33rd St. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Beer Fest
When: July 6th & 7th
Where: Horsemen’s Park | 6303 Q Street Omaha, NE

What: RiverFest Celebration with Fireworks
When: July 6th & 7th 
Where: Haworth Park Bellevue, NE

What: Shakespeare on the Green: King John
When: July 6th – 8th
Where: Nebraska Shakespeare | Elmwood Park 60th & Dodge Sts.

What: Chalk Workshop
When: July 7th
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S. 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: July 7th
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S. 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Old Market District Walking Food Tour
When: July 7th & 8th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: Village Pointe Farmers Market

When: July 7th
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center | 17151 Davenport St. Omaha, NE

What: Yoga in the Forest
When: July 8th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd.

We understand how exciting it can be once your house sells and the closing documents on your new one are signed, sealed and delivered. We also understand how the excitement of moving, paired with the closing of one chapter and the beginning of the next, can easily be overshadowed by the stress, anxiety and annoyance that comes with moving day. And for these reasons, many homeowners choose to hire on a moving company so they can do all the heavy lifting for them, and it also allows the homeowner to keep a closer eye on the organization and schedule of the day. And since these companies literally do this all the time, movers are typically faster, more efficient and usually stronger than the average person, which is why what would normally take you and your family a span of several days to move, they can do within one day’s time. Is it worth the money? We absolutely think so!

But while hiring on movers can make your life a whole lot easier, you also want to make sure that your personal belongings are in good hands and therefore you do not just want to hire any company. A mediocre moving company runs a higher risk of breaking irreplaceable heirlooms, scratching furniture or damaging your delicate items. With that being said, the rest of this blog is dedicated to a few important questions to ask any moving company you are thinking of hiring. The first question you should ask is if the company has any references or a link to reviews of their business. This really applies to anyone you are looking to hire, as you want to make sure they are not only a legit company, but also that they are trustworthy and people have had good experiences with them.

Next, and one of the most important questions, you will want to ask if they will draw up an inventory of the items in your home that you are moving. It is important to understand that while moving ca be expensive, it is also one of the easiest ways to loose something because there are so many moving parts. You want a company that will create an organized and detailed list of the items from your home to ensure that they will arrive to your new home and that nothing is lost or left behind in the process. You will also want to ask if the company will do an in-home estimate so you can understand the breakdown of what the job will cost you, and you will want to make sure to get it in writing. This is a great way to compare the pricing of different companies to not only get the best deal, but to also ensure that it is in line with your budget.

Along those same lines, you will want to ask the moving company what specific services they offer. Prior to calling any company, make sure that you take inventory of exactly what you are needing and wanting the company to move so they can provide you with exact answers. Some companies will only come in to pack and lift smaller items and will not move larger items such as air hockey tables or a grand piano. So making sure that the company can provide all the services you are looking for prior to moving day is key. Lastly, it is very important to ask the company what happens if something is damaged in the moving process. Let’s face it, we are all human. Mistakes happen. Understanding what the company’s policy is for broken or damaged items, as well as if they offer optional coverage packages, is very important to understand prior to anyone touching your personal belongings.

It’s that time of the week again! With Friday right around the corner, we wanted to bring you all the fun events happening throughout Omaha this weekend. Everything from food tours, art galleries, farmer’s markets, concert series and, a sure crowd favorite, fireworks! Even though the 4th of July is not until next week, there are various events celebrating early with music, sports and a stunning fireworks display. So whatever you are looking to do this weekend, there are plenty of events for every age and interest to enjoy!

What: JK Thorsen Paintings at Lewis Art Gallery 
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Lewis Art Gallery | 8600 Cass St. Omaha, NE

What: Metro Credit Union Celebrates America Free Concert & Fireworks Show with Starship & Survivor
When: June 29th
Where: Memorial Park | 6005 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Lewis and Clark Ranger Programs
When: June 29th – June 1st
Where: Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center | 601 Riverfront Dr. Omaha, NE

What: Shakespeare on the Green: King John
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Nebraska Shakespeare | Elmwood Park 60th & Dodge Sts.

What: The Great American Lobster Fest
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge 

What: College Home Run Derby & 33rd Annual Omaha World-Herald Fireworks
When: June 30th 
Where: 1200 Mike Fahey St. Omaha, NE

What: Community Band Festival

When: June 30th
Where: Turner Boulevard, Omaha, NE

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Saturday’s @ Stinson Concert Series
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Aksarben Village | 67th and Center Sts. Omaha, NE

What: Sweet Treats Bus Tour
When: June 30th – July 1st
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations

What: Village Pointe Farmers Market
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center | 17151 Davenport St. Omaha, NE

What: On Tap! Omaha’s Brewing History Trolley Tour
When: July 1st
Where: River City History Tours | 801 S 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Joslyn Castle Public Tours
When: June 29th – July 1st
Where: Joslyn Castle | 3902 Davenport St. Omaha, NE

What: Yoga in the Forest
When: July 1st
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N Bellevue Blvd.

What: 2018 Lake Manawa Fireworks
When: June 30th
Where: Lake Manawa

With summer in full swing, we are sure your weekends are filled with BBQ’s, pool parties and lots of backyard soirées. And let’s be honest, after a seamlessly never-ending cold winter we deserve the long, warm days that summer brings. But we can’t be naïve to the fact that while backyards can be a fun play area, they can also present some dangers to your family and visitors if the right precautions are not in place. In today’s blog post we are going to be talking about a few simple ways to keep your pool, playset and trampoline safe in hopes to avoid any accidents and keep your summer bashes going all night long!

The first topic we are going to touch on is pool safety. As a home and pool owner, it is so imperative that you take the necessary steps in order to keep everyone safe, as the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) reported there are 10 unintentional drowning deaths each day. How can you keep your pool safe this summer? The first and most important step is to create a barrier around the pool with a fence, ideally with self-closing gates and locks. This will ensure that children can’t wander into the pool area unattended and help to keep your family and friends safe from the water. If you want to take things a step further, try looking into extra layers of protection and incorporating things such as alarms and safety covers to secure the pool when no one is using it.

Next, when it comes to playgrounds and swing sets, you want to be sure to be maintaining the equipment regularly. Things to keep an eye out for include protruding or rusted bolts, broken ropes, cracked slides and/or swings and open hooks. And to prevent injury and insulate falls, playgrounds should be installed on things such as tiles, rubber mulch or any other soft surface. And as always, adult supervision is highly recommended when children are playing on swings and playsets outdoors. And lastly, when it comes to trampoline safety, you want to be sure to have pads and netting around to prevent jumpers from falling off. It is also important to regularly inspect your trampoline and look for missing parts, rust and tears, and try to not have too many people on at once. And as stated above, it is always important to supervise children while they are enjoying the long days of summer outside on the trampoline.

Who is ready for the weekend?! We sure are. And with all the fun and exciting events happening throughout Omaha in the coming days, there is sure to be something for every age and adventure seeker to partake in. Everything from concerts, star gazing and fascinating exhibits are in store for everyone throughout the city. Below we have listed a few can’t-miss events for you, your family and friends. We hope you enjoy all the fun throughout Omaha this weekend! 

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series 
When: June 22nd 
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: A Night at the Dreamland Ballroom Exhibit
When: June 22nd- 24th
Where: Great Plains Black History Museum | 2221 N. 24th St. Omaha, NE

What: 2018 NCAA Men’s College World Series
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: NCAA College World Series | 1200 Mike Fahey St. Omaha, NE

What: Grand Slam Party at The Capitol District
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: 1022 Capitol Ave. Omaha, NE

What: Junkstock: Underneath the Stars 
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: 1150 River Road Dr.

What: Omaha Quilters’ Guild 40th Annual Quilt Show
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: 12520 Westport Pkwy. 

What: Patriotic Perches Exhibit
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St. Omaha, NE

What: Shakespeare on the Green: Much Ado About Nothing
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: Nebraska Shakespeare | Elmwood Park 60th & Dodge Sts. Omaha, NE

What: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Secrets of the Sewer 
When: June 22nd – 24th 
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S 20th St. Omaha, NE

What: Traditional Masks / Máscaras Tradicionales 
When: June 22nd & 23rd
Where: El Museo Latino | 4701 S 25th St. Omaha, NE

What: Tuskegee Airmen: Who Called Nebraska Home
When: June 22nd – 24th
Where: 2221 North 24th Street Omaha, NE

What: Zydeco Festival

When: June 23rd
Where: 3110 Farnam St. Omaha, NE

What: Blackstone District Walking Food Tour
When: June 23rd
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Baseball History Tour
When: June 22nd & 23rd 
Where: Nebraska Tour Company | 225 North 12th St. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: June 23rd
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Imagine Dragons: Evolve Tour
When: June 24th
Where: CenturyLink Center Omaha, NE

What: Road to Omaha Run
When: June 24th 
Where: Lewis and Clark Landing | 515 N Riverfront Dr. Omaha, NE

What: Urban Surf
When: June 24th
Where: Neighborhood Offshore Boutique & Board Shop | 6837 Grover St. Omaha, NE

There are many things to do, rooms to DE clutter and improvements to make in the time leading up to your house actually being put on the market. We understand the stress and mile long to-do lists that seem never-ending. But this should also be a fun and exciting time for you and your family as you begin to close one chapter and open the next.  To help in the transition and stress of things you feel like you have to do, we have listed below a few things that you can take off your list and things you will want to avoid. We hope these help during this exciting and busy time!

The first thing you will want to avoid is the thought that you have to over-improve your home to get top dollar. While improvements such as replacing broken or cracked cabinets and updating appliances are always good, you want to avoid making hyper-specific improvements that match your taste and preference. What is an example of this? Well for one, turning your basement into a man cave, complete with a lifted stage and wet bar, may turn off the family of five who would use that space for a play room. All that family will see is a huge project to take on and a man cave to undo. So the lesson here: do not feel like you have to go above and beyond when it comes to improvements to the home. Sometimes less is more and keeping it simple is the best option.

Our next task to not do is along the same lines as above. You want to be sure to not over-decorate and keep the house as neutral as possible. This will ensure that the potential buyers can see their own items in the home, instead of trying to visualize against what you currently have. Third, which may seem pretty obvious to some people, is to not hang around the house when there are showings. We know how tempting it is to clean the house, dress the kids in their Sunday best and stand at the door with fresh made cookies to greet your potential buyers. But the fact of the matter is that most people want to be able to speak openly about the home and having you there may make them feel uncomfortable. So it is best to find some family fun activities to occupy your time during scheduled showings.

Lastly, you want to try your best to not take things personally. We understand that things can be emotional when it comes to selling your home, but it is best to keep your feelings neutral whenever you can. If you get feedback from your agent from a potential buyer not liking your decor, old carpets or quality of the home, it is always best to let the comments slide off your back. Same thing if you receive a low offer from a potential buyer – let it slide off your back. By not taking things personally, you will find yourself not stressing over the little things and enjoying the home selling process a bit more.

Can you believe we are already halfway through June? We can’t either! The coming weekend is not only bringing Father’s Day, but many fun events for all ages throughout the city as well. We have listed a few can’t-miss ones below! So grab your family and friends to have a fun weekend celebrating dad and soaking up the long, warm days of summer. Enjoy! 

What: Opening Celebration Day with Opening Ceremonies, LOCASH Concert & Fireworks 
When: June 15th
Where: TD Ameritrade Park | 1200 Mike Fahey St. Omaha, NE 

What: Constellation Walk and Viewing 
When: June 15th 
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 14323 Edith Marie Ave.

What: Rockbrook Village Friday Night Concert Series
When: June 15th
Where: Rockbrook Village Shopping Center | 2800 S. 110th Ct. Omaha, NE

What: Omaha Baseball History Tour
When: June 15th – 17th 
Where: Nebraska Tour Company | 225 North 12th St. Omaha, NE

What: Centered: Presentation on Mindfulness
When: June 16th
Where: KANEKO | 1111 Jones St. Omaha, NE

What: Dragon Festival

When: June 16th
Where: Omaha Children’s Museum | 500 S. 20th St. Omaha, NE

What: 2018 NCAA Men’s College World Series 
When: June 16th – 17th
Where: NCAA College World Series | 1200 Mike Fehey St. Omaha, NE

What: ‘Another Bloomin’ Exhibit by Omaha Artists, Inc. 
When: June 14th – 17th
Where: Lauritzen Gardens | 100 Bancroft St. Omaha, NE

What: Art Ride Omaha
When: June 16th – 17th
Where: Bancroft Street Market | 2702 S. 10th St. Omaha, NE

What: Old Market District Walking Food Tour
When: June 16th – 17th
Where: Omaha Culinary Tours | Various Locations 

What: Omaha Farmers Market: Old Market
When: June 16th – 17th
Where: 11th & Jackson Old Market Omaha, NE

What: Village Pointe Farmer’s Market
When: June 16th – 17th
Where: Village Pointe Shopping Center | 17151 Davenport St. Omaha, NE

What: Father’s Day at the Museum
When: June 17th
Where: Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum | 28210 W. Park Hwy

What: Yoga Rocks the Park
When: June 17th
Where: 2110 Farman St. Omaha, NE

What: Yoga in the Forest
When: June 17th
Where: Fontenelle Forest/Neale Woods | 1111 N. Bellevue Blvd.