Overland Park, Prairie Village, Lenexa, Olathe Blog

Raymore Land For Sale (Zoned Multifamily)

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:50:34 -0600

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/mainsite/Flash/Profile.aspx?LID=16578592

7.66 Acres. Bank owned property, priced to sell. This is a choice

location along M-58 Highway in Raymore. Site Plan has been approved

with the city and it has already been partially developed. Location

is easily accessible and traffic lights are being installed. Storm

water management system is already in place. Utilities have been

stubbed. Can be built to either R-3A or R-3B, if site plans are updated

with the city in time. Current site plan allows for development

of 89 additional units. CAN BE SOLD AS PART OF A PACKAGE WITH CONTIGUOUS COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT LAND.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Review of Blackberry Curve 8530

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:52:06 -0600

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.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Google: Ranking for Agents and Brokers

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:05:54 -0600

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.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Westport, Kansas City

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:30:40 -0600

Westport, Missouri - Charming Area to Live

Westport is in the heart of Kansas City. Westport is a small, unique village just north of the Country Club Plaza. The history of this area runs deep and is kept alive by the Westport Historical Society. In the late 1800's, Westport was home to pioneers looking to strike it rich out West. Westport served as a jumping off point for those wanting to hit the trails heading west or hit the Santa Fe Trail to head South towards New Mexico. While the fever for westward exploration struck some, others settled down in this little neighborhood, which witnessed Kansas City's growth around it in the coming years. At one point Westport was also the site of a Civil War-era battle. Today, its historical past mixes with an array of modernized nightclubs, bars, live music, and more to attract visitors to this village within the city.

Kelly's Westport Inn at Westport Road and Pennsylvania is a favorite local bar/pizzeria that your grandparents may have gone to when they were dating. Westport's retail district has long been known as one of the city's main entertainment districts. Every weekend evening, all the bars, restaurants and clubs are packed. People will drive for miles to come blow off some steam in the biggest little city in the United States. Westport is culturally diverse and attracts large crowds on evenings and weekends. Houses in this area sell for as little as $50,000 - $500,000 with condos selling for similar prices.

Photo Source: Jim Mathis, Mathis Photography http://www.mathisphoto.net/Panoramics.htm

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

NFL BLACKOUTS

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:40:25 -0600

In the current economy, fewer and fewer fans are willing to pay $100 for NFL team tickets. This has caused the NFL to enforce local cable blackouts in many different markets for the first time in nearly 20 years. These blackouts effectively block anyone within a 75 mile radius of the local team from viewing the game on their local cable tv. For the Kansas City Chiefs, who let's just say have had a rough couple of seasons, had their November 8th game against the Jaguars blacked out in the Jacksonville area, as was the November 15th game against the Raiders.The San Diego Chargers had to rush to sell tickets at the last second for it to be televised in San Diego on November 29th. With the help of an extension, the Chiefs sold enough tickets to televise the Buffalo Bills game. Last week The Chiefs home game was blacked out in Kansas City.In the Chiefs past seven games, there have been three blackouts and two extensions granted. The remaining two, Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers in Kansas City, were close to not having enough ticket sales. The NFL organization has prospered for the past 20 years and now, when the going gets tough, the NFL plays hardball.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

BLIZZARD!!!

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:32:00 -0600

I think the picture below describes how I feel.We have already gotten close to a foot of snow this holiday. First time in more than 20 years.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

2009 Real Estate Market

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:07:20 -0600

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.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Janssen Place 2009 Market Report

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:20:11 -0600

List Price

Sale Price

Beds

Full Baths

Half Baths

SqFt

DOM

Min

$104,950

$99,950

1188

Max

$1,180,000

$1,048,000

1188

200

Avg

$559,521

$521,213

1188

104

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Helped Friend get FHA 203K Loan

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:05:33 -0600

FHA loans are a popular loan to go with because of the low down payment (3.5%)With all the foreclosures on the market here in Kansas City, there are a lot of houses on the market that do not meet FHA requirements(FHA requires the home be in move in condition, etc.). I recently ran into such a house when representing a friend purchasing a home. The house had mold and water damage in the basement and a roof that needs to be replaced. We were able to clean all the water and mold out of the basement, so the only thing preventing it from going FHA was the roof. Major road block or so we thought. With the FHA 203K program, my friend is able to get a construction loan to fix the roof and he will get a fantastic house for a fantastic price. The FHA loans add significant extra costs to the price of your loan, so it may only be worth it if the house is priced low enough and you are confident there are no other major problems. I would recommend these loans to folks in a similar situation.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Loch LLoyd 2009 Market Report

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:55:57 -0600

Status: Active (27)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$335,000	-	3	2	0	3600	35	35
Max	$2,390,000	-	6	6	2	6870	832	812
Avg	$962,350	-	4	4	1	4866	212	260
Sum	$25,983,448	-
Status: Sold (9)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$279,900	$258,000	3	3	0	3289	20
Max	$1,485,000	$1,300,000	6	4	2	6202	320	486
Avg	$878,672	$777,822	4	3	1	4960	167	260
Sum	$7,908,050	$7,000,400

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Mission Woods History

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:39:50 -0600

Mission Woods: Located just north of Mission Hills and south of Westwood Hills on a 40 acre home site of the late William McKenzie Johnson, son of the county's namesake, Rev. Thomas Johnson, the city bears a name reflecting its wooded environment and the missions established there in the early to mid-1800s by the Methodists. Baptists and Quakers. The area was developed by J.C. Nichols Company in the 1930s as part of the residential expansion across the state line.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Smart Phone Review- Blackberry Curve

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 22:39:14 -0600

Phones seem to be changing faster than I can keep up with it. However, I got my first smart phone last year. My Palm Treo is awful. I hate it and think it is maybe the worst phone I have ever had. The intrigue of being able to easily make calls, text, surf the web, and retrieve emails on the go is too strong though and I decided to go with another smart phone. The new Blackberry Curve 8530 is pretty neat. Its processor and memroy are much faster than my Treo and ealier versions of the Curve. and it is a little more business oriented.

I would rate this phone 5/5, but then again anything looks good when compared to the Palm Treo.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

Prairie Hills Market Report

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:33:24 -0600

Prairie Village and more specifically Prairie Hills has not been as affected as surrounding areas by the soft real estate market. Laura and I live in this subdivision and we absolutely love the area. There are plenty of parks, walking paths, shopping centers, and restaurants. There is an abundance of golf courses nearby. The neighbors are friendly and helpful. It's nice to bike or jog to the Plaza through Mission Hills. There are mature trees, manicured grounds, statues, and lots of flowers. It really pretty, especially in the spring. The crime is low and police are very responsive. It's a great place to raise a family and start a business.

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

2009 Westwood Market Report

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 09:08:30 -0600

Status: Active (7)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$118,500	-	3	1	0	1152	13	13
Max	$288,950	-	4	3	1	1778	142	240
Avg	$198,771	-	3	2	0	1440	63	93
Sum	$1,391,400	-
Status: Sold (29)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$62,000	$58,000	2	1	0	900	2
Max	$349,900	$325,000	4	3	1	1395	222	227
Avg	$179,484	$173,533	3	1	0	1107	59	67
Sum	$5,205,050	$5,032,465

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com

2009 Westwood Hills Market Report

Daniel Bennison (Reece & Nichols Mission Hills) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:51:50 -0600

Status: Active (1)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$375,000	-	3	3	1	-	251	251
Max	$375,000	-	3	3	1	-	251	251
Avg	$375,000	-	3	3	1	-	251	251
Sum	$375,000	-
Status: Pending (1)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$375,000	-	4	2	1	-	55	238
Max	$375,000	-	4	2	1	-	55	238
Avg	$375,000	-	4	2	1	-	55	238
Sum	$375,000	-
Status: Sold (14)
		List Price	Sale Price	Beds	Full Baths	Half Baths	SqFt	DOM	CDOM
Min	$214,500	$200,000	2	2	0	1732	0
Max	$449,950	$440,000	4	3	2	2560	295	296
Avg	$338,446	$322,804	3	2	1	1992	77	88
Sum	$4,738,250	$4,519,250

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Daniel Bennison, Laura Byram

Bennison Byram Team Realtors

Neighborhood Experts in Prairie Village and Overland Park

http://www.jocohomesmls.com

http://www.db.reeceandnichols.com

http://www.lifeinoverlandpark.com