What You Need To Know Before You Move To Overland Park Kansas.

What You Need To Know Before You Move To Overland Park Kansas.

Are you thinking of moving to Overland Park or are plans already underway? Here are some things you need to know.

5 Things To Know About Overland Park Before You Move Here.

5) Kansas is definitely not “fly over” country - When I first moved to Overland Park from Pittsburgh PA, I knew little about Kansas and like many easterners, I did not realize everything that this area has to offer.  While central and western Kansas provide lots of open space, Overland Park – and Johnson County in general – is very diverse in culture and terrain, and there are all the amenities of any large city around the country.

4) Overland Park is the second most populous city in Kansas. It’s funny how a city I only considered a suburb of Kansas City is actually the second largest in Kansas! According to Wikipedia, it encompasses 75.37 square miles.  Here’s a visual representation (courtesy of Wikipedia) of Overland Park within Johnson County:

3) Overland Park is diverse – As part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Overland Park has flourished and grown into a City that frequently appears on “Best Of” lists! Overland Park is known for high quality education, it supports a lively sporting community, it has high-and not-so-high-end shopping venues, neighborhoods are designed around greenbelts and parks or are centered around lakes, there are fabulous restaurants here, and there are many opportunities to experience the area’s combination of rolling and flat terrain. There are still spots that hold fast to the areas agrarian history and I find these a refreshing change from the more numerous hallmarks of progress. And, if you do need to get away, we have one of the most convenient airports in the country and it’s easy to get just about anywhere from our central location.

2) If you want to experience the four seasons, you’ll find them here! This is one of my favorite things about Overland Park. Yes, it can get quite warm in the summer, but it won’t last long! The same goes for the cold, dry winters so partake of summer and winter activities to your heart’s delight! If they don’t exist here, they’re close by! Our spring and fall seasons can include some beautiful weather to be out and about in!  I would say each season is usually about three months long so if you’re getting tired of the season, hang on – it’s almost over! Tornado season is maybe two months of the year, but we don’t seem to get the same intensity of storms that some of our neighboring states and counties experience (thank heavens!).   

1) It is beautiful and friendly here! – The land. The architecture. City planning. The people. Overland Park is beautiful and friendly – like few places I’ve lived. It continues to emphasize a symbiotic relationship between progress and nature. Corporate Woods is the area’s business park and was built within the woods already present on the site. Landscaping is a primary feature in both the corporate centers and residential neighborhoods.  Buildings are modern and homes stately with an obvious pride of ownership. Older neighborhoods are not bulldozed but revitalized and restored. People here value the wonderful amenities of Overland Park and continue to support the community as it grows. And friendly? You bet! Strangers greet you on the street, courtesy is still valued and employed here, and a neighbor is very often a friend!

Come to Overland Park. I love it here and bet you will too!

When it is time to buy or sell a house let me know how I can help! 

Tom McChesney, Keller Williams Realty Key Partners LLC

913-908-2453   Website: tomsellskc.com

To view full details including photos for "up to the minute" homes for sale and more while on the go, download my FREE Mobile App at http://app.kw.com/KW25S4U6N.

Sell Your House Now vs. Sell Your House Later

“Now Is The Best Time To Sell”. You’ve probably seen this many times. It’s used a lot and you may find it hard to take it seriously. I know how you feel. Phrases used over and over again, especially in the sales industry, often fail to grab my attention too. Despite this, as a Kansas City real estate agent, one of the most frequent questions I receive is: “When is the best time to sell my house?”

Common practice in the Kansas City real estate market is for a homeowner to place their home on the market in the spring or summer. The weather is more cooperative, kids are out of school, homes for sale are more plentiful, and parents can plan their move to coincide with the school year. So is the summer the best time to put your house on the market? Recently, my office researched Kansas City’s historical trends to see if this question could be answered definitively. What we found in examining the Kansas City and surrounding metropolitan areas over a period from February 2013 to February 2015 has proved most interesting and may surprise you.

First I’ll address Median Price.

The median price between June 2014 and January 2015 fell 2.7%. June’s median price was $226,158; January’s was $220,000. Looking back a year further, the median price in June 2013 was $220,000; by January 2014, it was $190,000 in January 2014, a 13.6% drop!

Conclusion: The median price over the past two years has dropped between June and January so you stand to get more from the sale of your house if you list early in the year with a closing around mid-year.

What drives the median price over the course of a year? Supply and demand. High demand coupled with low supply will drive price up. Conversely, low demand coupled with a high supply will drive prices down. This chart demonstrates the supply of inventory over the course of the year.

The lowest supply of homes on the market in the Kansas City and surrounding areas occurs over the months of April and May.

Conclusion: According to this data from both charts, the market peaks in June. Low supply over the months of April and May leads to a consistent peak in June.

In the spring of 2015 we are seeing this trend continue. Inventory of homes available for sale is extremely low. RIGHT NOW is better than ever for getting your home under contract at its best price. So put your home on the market in April or May for a closing between now and June for your best chance of acquiring the highest sale price for your home!

High Tech Customer Service – Good? Bad? Ugly?

Working with customers 7 days a week, oftentimes more than 8 hours a day, I have to be really focused on delivering quality customer service.  Even though real estate has experienced a technology revolution like many other industries, technology alone can’t deliver the customer service necessary to a real estate transaction. 

So what is customer service today? I find that when I need help with some aspect of the technology I use – websites, software, cell phones and computers; I’m often directed to visit the Help Center on the website.  Here I can enter a search term that can bring up hundreds of results.  I scroll through page one of those results…then page two…then page three…and find nothing to help with my situation.  I then go to the “Contact Us” tab thinking I’m going to get a phone number or email and contact a real person.  No such luck because that page just refers me back to the Help Center.  In a few instances where I am given an email address for “customer support”, in sending the email I find I just get an automated email response that refers me back to the Help Center or a link doing the same.  I know what I’m getting and it’s a phrase you don’t hear much anymore: I’m getting the runaround.  Not ready to give up, I search every page of the website, every tab, multitudes of links, even the fine print at the bottom - looking for some way to get in contact with a real live person with no success.  By this time I’m thinking: “Is this their definition of customer service?” Is it yours because it sure isn’t mine! Have we allowed customer service to erode to this level in exchange for high tech? I’m afraid we have.

Customer service is having easy access to a live person! That person should have the ability to listen to you outline your problem and keep on listening while you describe the means you have already tried of resolving the problem.

Customer service is also a willingness to give the customer your full, undivided attention.  How many times have you started to explain a problem and been cut-off by a service representative who is anxious to pawn you off – to the Help Center?! Or to a solution you’ve already tried with no success?

Customer service is also providing a phone number to your customers – one displayed prominently on your website and your printed materials. I’d sure like to see the phone answered by a person on the first or second ring but it appears automated phone systems are here to stay. If I want to be a standout amongst the competition, I wouldn’t use them. To me, nothing says “we’d rather not deal with our customers” like getting an automated phone system.

No matter how high tech my career as a real estate sales executive in the Kansas City area becomes, I’m going to provide customer service according to my definition. Customer service that is personal, available, and built around the needs of my customers. My customers are far too essential to my livelihood for me to give them anything less.

First Time Home Buyers - What You Need To Know

Here is your opportunity to find out what you need to purchase your first home. Attend this free seminar Thursday 2/26/15 6:30pm - 8:00pm in Prairie Village, KS. If you'd like more information, call Tom McChesney at 913-908-2453 or email tom@tomsellskc.com.

Guest speakers will be available to answer your questions about all aspects of home buying. Food will be provided and everyone will be entered in a gift giveaway!

2015 is expected to be a great year for the first time home buyer. Why?

1. interest rates are near historic lows
2. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac backed 3% downpayment conventional loans are available again
3. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac have eased credit qualification standards                 
4. home prices continue to rise. 
5. FHA has lowered mortgage insurance premiums
6. 2014 was the best year since 2000 for total job growth  

Find out what a professional real estate agent can do to help you.

Get your questions about lending and mortgages answered.

Learn the process of finding and buying a home.

Learn about inspections, warranties, closing costs, and title insurance.

Knowledge is empowering! Learn what you need to know to purchase your first home wisely and begin the journey of building your wealth through real estate!

Location: 4200 Somerset Drive, Suite #101, Prairie Village KS 66208. 

Thinking of Becoming A Homeowner in 2015? The New Year Is Your Best Chance!

Call Tom McChesney at 913-908-2453 for your Kansas City area real estate needs. 

The New Year is upon us, and before you know it tax season will be in full swing. If you’ve already begun compiling your paperwork, you’re probably wishing you had more tax deductions for 2014. The good news is, if you don’t currently own a home, now is the perfect time to buy one… and secure a nice tax deduction for 2015.

A recent report by mortgageloan.com predicts that home prices will rise nearly five percent in the coming year, and the low rates of today will vanish by mid-2015. For these reasons, Don Frommeyer, CEO of NAMB—The Association of Mortgage Professionals, argues that 2015 will be the year of the first-time homeowner for several reasons, but it’s wise for them to act quickly. “Interest rates on mortgages are extremely low,” says Frommeyer. “And they will go up, probably within the next several months. Plus, there are measurable tax benefits for homeowners, so if you think homeownership could be right for you, now is the time to get your ducks in a row.”

According to Frommeyer, understanding available tax deductions takes some work, but it’s worth it for new property owners. “It’s crucial that borrowers do their homework,” advises Frommeyer. “Deductions may be available on everything from your monthly mortgage payment and loan points to property taxes and, in some cases, even the sale of your home. I recommend sitting down with a tax counselor to make sure you’re maximizing your deductions.”

Frommeyer offers some advice for what those prospective homeowners should do today to prepare for what is likely the biggest purchase of their lives.
“The most important thing to do is become familiar with your FICO score,” advises Frommeyer. “You don’t want any surprises when you sit down with a broker. Then, ask about tax credits for first-time homebuyers, which usually fall at the state or local levels. Finally, consider what your circumstance will be in five to 10 years. Finally, ask about mortgage counseling. You can never be too prepared for the costs associated with homeownership.”

Romanelli West Homes For Sale

Call Tom McChesney at 913-908-2453 or visit Romanelli Homes For Sale to view full details and photos of homes for sale in Romanelli West in Kansas City, MO.

You will see full details including prices, photos, and maps of homes for sale right now in Romanelli West. If you don't find what you need, register so you can receive email alerts when new homes are put on the market. Any information you provide is secure and will be held strictly confidential. Registered users can access unlimited home listings for free with no advertisements.

Access to this information is provided for your convenience by Tom McChesney with Keller Williams Key Partners LLC. Tom would like to earn your business and is available to help buyers and sellers in the Kansas City area who would like professional representation. Tom is a trusted resource for information about the Kansas City area real estate market. His goal with every client is to make the sale or purchase of a home the best real estate experience that person has ever had. Buyers or sellers in need of high quality, trusted real estate service should call Tom McChesney and Make The Right Move, Right Now!

Tom McChesney can be reached at 913-908-2453.

Chapel Hill Homes For Sale

Call Tom McChesney at 913-908-2453 or visit Chapel Hill Homes For Sale to view full details and photos of homes for sale in Chapel Hill in Overland Park, KS.

You will see full details including prices, photos, and maps of homes for sale right now in Chapel Hill. If you don't find what you need, register so you can receive email alerts when new homes are put on the market. Any information you provide is secure and will be held strictly confidential. Registered users can access unlimited home listings for free with no advertisements.

Access to this information is provided for your convenience by Tom McChesney with Keller Williams Key Partners LLC. Tom would like to earn your business and is available to help buyers and sellers in the Kansas City area who would like professional representation. Tom is a trusted resource for information about the Kansas City area real estate market. His goal with every client is to make the sale or purchase of a home the best real estate experience that person has ever had. Buyers or sellers in need of high quality, trusted real estate service should call Tom McChesney and Make The Right Move, Right Now!

Tom McChesney can be reached at 913-908-2453.