Overland Park, Prairie Village, Lenexa, Olathe Blog

I got a Blackberry Curve 8530 for Christmas and I absolutely love it. This is not my first smartphone as I am a veteran by having a Palm Treo previously. This phone is much better than my old Palm Treo, but it is also better than previous versions of the Blackberry Curve.One obvious is reason is an upgrade in processors and memory. Also, the operating system is easy to navigate and the phone was a breaze to get setup. Email and web browsing is fast and easy. GPS feature is great. Trackpad is an improvement over the old track balls. Battery life is fantastic and phone has optional auto on/off feature so that you can set your phone to shut off when you sleep. It is great for making the battery last longer. I would highly recommend the Visual Voicemail App. Slacker Satelite Radio function is really neat, although speakers leave something to be desired and there is no flash for the camera. Bing appears to be the search engine partner as phone is reloaded with Microsoft Bing apps. The Blackberry Curve 8530 is far superior to all previous versons. Not many downisides. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMEND THE BLACKBERRY CURVE 8530.

When Google started in 1998, it was different from other search engines of the time for a number of reasons. Most search engines ranked websites solely by the number of clicks each website had. Google decided it could provide value to its users by providing more relevant content.

The way they achieved this initially was by ranking websites by the number of inbound links it has coming from other popular websites. It is still the main factor influencing how a website gets ranked in different search queries. Google has a "black box" with unknown search algorithms that change frequently, so no one outside of Google really knows completely how ranking and relevance is factored at any given time.

I have found the majority of real estate agents and many other small businesses do not have much of a web presence, so those that do are handsomely rewarded. If you are a small business owner, you have got to have a professional website and inbound links to it from other established, relevant websites. Web marketing is like the Wild West right now, so I suggest you claim your stake.

Note: While I can appreciate Google's strive for excellence, it is frustrating to me as a real estate agent and small business owner that my website ranking fluctuates so greatly. When you search for Overland Park Real Estate Agent my website is in the top position, but as recently as 6 weeks ago I was not even in the top 10. I have noticed similar patterns in several searches neighboring cities as well as for my home search of Prairie Village Real Estate Agent.

It was a long, rough year for the real estate market and next year probably will not be much better. I'm sure with all the spending we have planned for the coming years, it will most likely cause inflation because the excess suply of currency will lower the purchasing power of $1. The Federal Reserve aka "The Fed" has promised to fight inflation at all costs, and the way they fight inflation is by raising interest rates which thereby lowers the overall supply of dollars. Lowering the supply of dollars effectively raises the value of the remaining dollars left in circulation. In the 80's an interest rate on a home loan of 15% was considered phenominal.  Rates are now around 5%, an all time low. I would not be surprised to see rates climb to close to 10% in the next 5 years. Many people may not realise the full impact that would have on the real estate market and economy in general. For Sellers, that means the pool of buyers will be significaly lower. For buyers, this will significantly reduce your purchase power, making your loan payment much higher each month. My intention is not to be negative, but realistic and I'm am very positive about growth in the 5-10 year range.

History of Overland Park

The city traces its roots back to 1905 with the arrival of its founder William B. Strang Jr., who platted subdivisions, including one named "Overland Park," along a military roadway.

Strang envisioned a self-sustaining, well planned "park-like" community that had strong commerce, quality education, vibrant neighborhoods, convenient transportation and accommodating recreational facilities - all amenities that today, make Overland Park one of the best places to live and grow up.

Before Strang's death in 1921, he established several housing developments, an interurban railroad and an airfield. Remnants of his interurban line remain today as do his limestone car barn, 79th and Santa Fe Drive (home to Traditions Furniture), and his Carriage House in Santa Fe Commons Park, 8045 Santa Fe Drive (home to the Overland Park Historical Society).

On May 20, 1960, Overland Park was incorporated as a first-class city with a population of 28,085. The nationally-recognized city now encompasses 73.33 square miles of Johnson County in suburban Kansas City, and has more than 170,000 residents, making it the second most populous city in Kansas.

Prior to incorporation, Overland Park was part of the Mission Urban Township, which included the cities of Mission and Prairie Village. Overland Park's formation was based on land other communities shunned.

Major development since incorporation

• 1960s and 1970s: Corporate Woods, Metcalf South Shopping Center, Oak Park Mall and the Children's Farmstead opened, along with a new City Hall and many residential subdivisions.
• 1980s: Overland Park experienced a boom in commercial and residential development. By 1988, the city's population surpassed 100,000.
• Early 1990s: City officials focused their efforts on renovating the historic downtown area. The Clock Tower Plaza was dedicated and the Farmer's Market Pavilion was constructed.
• 2000s: Overland Park continues to have a thriving economy and welcomes new businesses regularly.

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

Kansas City Real Estate Market

      People often ask me how the real estate market is doing and I never quite know how to answer that question because it depends on your perspective and the top 3 rules of real estate: location, location, location. Locally, the Kansas City metro housing market reached its peak around May of 2006 with an average price of approximately $192,000. Today, roughly 3 years later, our average price is around $164,000. This nearly 15% drop has many homeowners in over their heads. However, buyers and realtors are presented with a unique opportunity. Especially when considering the $8,000 tax credit, which certain buyer's will get if they close on their house on or before November 30, 2009. The tax credit will not only help buyers, but also help many sellers by allowing them to sell their current home and perhaps make a move up to a more expensive house, helping to ease liquidity in the higher end market. Buyers may never see prices this low again.

      The Johnson County housing market has weathered the storm well and is near an equilibrium market.  Unemployment in Johnson County is the lowest in the metro area, staying around 6.2%. The average house price in Johnson County is considerably more than the rest of the metro area at around $246,000. Johnson County includes the following cities: Bonner Springs. De Soto, Edgerton, Fairway, Gardner, Leawood, Lenexa, Merriam, Mission, Mission Hills, Olathe, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Shawnee, Spring Hill, Westwood, and Westwood Hills.

      The Jackson County housing market, which includes Kansas City, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Blue Springs MO, continues to be a buyer's market. Unemployment in Jackson County is hovering around 9.7%. The average house price is close to $145,000.

     As I write this, on September 16, rates on a 30 year fixed mortgage are around 5.25% and are expected to rise in the coming years. With these historically low interest rates, lower real estate values and potential tax incentives, it is a great time to consider getting into a house.

     Talk to a realtor today or visit http://www.jocohomesmls.com to find more information. Overland Park Realtor.

Authors: Daniel Bennisona and Laura Byram of the Bennison Byram Team

Daniel Bennison

(816) 507-5932

Reece & Nichols Mission Hills

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

Bennison Byram Team with Laura Byram