Overland Park KS Homes for sale & Johnson County Real Estate Blog: December 2007

With the new year comes a great new opportunity for buyers. HUD has just announced that on January 4th you can puchase a HUD owned property with only a $100 down payment.

This is a great opportunity to start the new year in a home of your own. HUD has also announced that they will provide a $1000 cash assistance for homes under $50,000 and $1500 cash assistance for homes listed over $50,000. Now is a great time to take advantage of these Government programs

The Russell Home Team is a HUD approved Realtor. If you would like more information on buying a HUD property please call Michael Russell at 913-681-1383 or email me at michael@RussellHomeTeam.com

To start searching for HUD homes in Kansas or Missouri pleas click Here

To search for all other homes click here

                                                                    ME!

That right ME! Are you in pre-foreclosure? Are you looking for someone with the experience to help you in a tough situation? The Russell Home Team is experienced at negotiating with your lender to help you avoid having your home foreclosed.

We can get your home sold using what is called a short sale. This is when your lender accepts less money than is owed them. This allows you to sell your home and avoid having a foreclosure on your credit report for the next 7-10 years.

Every homeowners situation is different and time is of the essence. If your home is in the foreclosure process call us today so we can get started.

This message is brought to you by Michael Russell of The Russell Home Team. 913-681-1383. michael@russellhometeam.com www.MikeRussellHomes.com

Birchwood Hills & Place located just off 143rd & Atioch remains one of Overland Parks favorite family friendly neighborhoods. It's close proximity to 135th avenue and easy access to 69 highway make it a great location. The mix of homes and the average price are perfect for Johnson County. Even with having 143rd avenue closed for most of the year The Birchwoods home sales have remained strong. Here are the last 6 months Stats:

Homes listed               14

Homes Sold                 6

Average Sales Price      $272,583

Average days to sell      27 (not too shabby)

See Birchwood homes for sale                               Find out how much your Birchwood home is worth

copyright 2007 the Russell Home Team, all rights reserved.

Real estate is local it alway's has and always will be local. Not only can prices change drastically from one city or state to the next but it can change from zip code to zip code. I wanted to give you an overview of current sales statistics for Johnson County and I felt the easiest way would be by zip code. The best way to truly see what is going on  in a real estate market is by looking at the last 6 months sales. Zip code  66213 continued to be one of the strongest zips for home sales.

For the period from June 2007 to December 2007

Homes listed                   238

Homes sold                    191

Average Sales price         $274,992

Median Sales Price          $265,000

Average days to sell        34 ( way below the JC average)

High sales price              $650,000

Home sales statistics taken from the Heartland MLS, Median sales price is where 50% of the homes sold for less and 50% of the homes sold for more.

Search for 66213 Homes                                       Find out how much your 66213 home is worth

copyright 2007 The Russell Home Team, all rights reserved

Real estate is local it alway's has and always will be local. Not only can prices change drastically from one city or state to the next but it can change from zip code to zip code. I wanted to give you an overview of current sales statistics for Johnson County and I felt the easiest way would be by zip code. The best way to truly see what is going on  in a real estate market is by looking at the last 6 months sales. Zip code 66212 is one of the active zip codes for real estate transactions The recent number show a very positive outlook:

 For the period of June 2007 through December 2007

homes listed                       326

homes sold                         230

Average sales price         $163,840

Median Sales price            $160,000

Average days to sell         32

Low sales price                   $72,000

High Sales price                  $403,000

Sales figure were taken from the Heartland MLS. Median price is where 50% of hoomes sell for less and 50% of homes sell for more

See homes for sale in 66212                                      Find out how much your 66212 house is worth

Copyright 2007- The Russell Home Team, all rights reserved

For those of you who are not familiar with the sport of cyclocross. This Sunday maybe the chance you have been waiting for. Cyclocross is part mountain biking, part road biking and part steeplechase, running with your bike over barriers. The sport started in Europe and is starting to take off in the U.S. The promotor's of the event have gone out of there way to make the race super fan friendly with heated beer tents lining the course. Take some time out this weekend and check out the action, below is a news release from Cyclingnews.com about the race and it's location

Despite a severe ice storm that has coated the state of Kansas in a thick layer of ice, record numbers of cyclo-cross racers are ready to brave the wintry conditions in order to contend for the coveted stars and stripes jersey.

A record 2,045 entries over some 40 races were received for the 2007 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships in Kansas City, Kansas, which begins Thursday at the Wyandotte County Park. The entries topped last year's participation in Providence, Rhode Island by more than 100 entries.

"We've achieved our first goal - which was to better last year's total," said Race Director Bill Marshall of KLM Marketing Solutions. "Our next goal is to make sure that every racer comes away from the event with a positive experience."

Sean Weide, a media liason for the organization, told Cyclingnews that the weather will be cold but should remain dry for the races. While other cities in the region have had widespread power outages, Weide said the area of the hotels and the airport have not lost power.

"We had a crew out at the course in advance of freezing temperatures today in order to groom the course to make sure it's in good condition if the ground stays frozen," Weide explained. "The freezing rain is predicted to end at midnight Tuesday, and there is no more precipitation predicted through Sunday. It will be cold and the course will get muddy, but there shouldn't even be significant wind chill."

The athletes competing in this year's championships come from 45 states, plus the District of Columbia. California will have the most representatives - 109 - followed by Kansas with 80 and Missouri with 79.

The Masters Men's 35-39 category has the most entries - 171 - followed closely by Elite men, which has 167 athletes registered, and Masters Men's 40-44 division, which has 161.

Defending Elite Men's champion Ryan Trebon and Women's Elite champion Katie Compton are among the nation's best athletes ready to line up at this week's championships.

Compton, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, has won the past three Women's Elite titles and was the silver medalist at the 2007 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. The 29-year-old is currently the number two-ranked female cyclo-cross racer in the world, according to the latest UCI ratings. Her strongest competition in the 98-rider Elite Women's field is expected to come from Georgia Gould (Ketchum, Idaho) and Kerry Barnholt (Boulder, Colorado).

Gould took four of six races and the overall series title at the 2007 U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross presented by Crank Brothers, and currently holds the 2007 USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Champion title. The 27-year-old finished second to Compton last year. Barnholt, 24, finished third last year at nationals and was 15th at the World Championships.

Trebon, a resident of Corvallis, Oregon, won the 2007 overall series title of the USGP. The 26-year-old is expected to be strongly challenged by a host of contenders that includes three-time national cyclo-cross champion Jonathan Page (Sunweb Pro Job), USGP series runner-up Tim Johnson (Leer/Cannondale/Cyclocrossworld), 2003 collegiate cyclo-cross champion Barry Wicks (Kona-YourKey), seven-time Junior and Under 23 cyclo-cross champion Jesse Anthony (Jamis), and 2006 U.S. Cyclo-cross World Championship team member Jeremy Powers (Cyclocrossworld).

 Get ready to mud it up Kansas City, it is cyclocross nationals time

It is official, Overland park has passed a full on smoking ban. The new restrictions go into place January 2nd. I can now look forward to a Jayhawk game at Tanner's knowing that I won't have to burn my clothes when I get home or have to scour my self before trying to go to sleep. Now we just need the rest of Johnson County to follow the leads of Overland Park, Olathe & Fairway(doesn't really count because no places were affected) Below is the ordinance from The City of Overland Parks website

 Smoking Ordinance

As of Jan. 2, 2008, indoor smoking will not be permitted in the City of Overland Park. This includes all:

• Places of employment
• Restaurants
• Bars
• Hotel/motel sleeping rooms
• Meeting rooms and convention facilities
• Retail establishments (except those whose primary business is the sale of tobacco products).

Smoking also would be prohibited within 10 feet of an entrance to a public place. This prohibition would not apply within the public right-of-way or within the outdoor seating area of an eating or drinking establishment.

Smoking would not be prohibited within:

• Private residences not serving as an enclosed place of employment or enclosed public place
• Retail establishments whose primary business is the sale of tobacco products

Smoking also would be allowed:

• On outdoor patios of eating and drinking establishments provided reasonable efforts are made to minimize the amount of smoke entering the establishment
• Onstage during a live theatrical performance where smoking is integral to the plot or storyline and the
•  audience is given prior notice

So what do you think? Who's rights are being protected or violated? Don't be shy Click on comments and leave one.

Real estate is local it alway's has and always will be local. Not only can prices change drastically from one city or state to the next but it can change from zip code to zip code. I wanted to give you an overview of current sales statistics for Johnson County and I felt the easiest way would be by zip code. The best way to truly see what is going on  in a real estate market is by looking at the last 6 months sales. Looking at the last 6 months for 66223 the area near 143rd & Metcalf which includes Lionsgate, Shadow Brook & Birchwood Place, I think you will see a different picture that the media has painted for us:

For the period of July 2007 through November 2007

Homes Listed            242

Homes Sold              166

Average sales price    $316,769

Median Sales Price     $258,000

Average days to sell    38 (well below the Johnson County average)

Low sales price           $130,000

High Sales Price         $1,050,000

Note- All Statistics are from the Heartland MLS. Median Price is the price where 50% of the homes sell for less and 50% of th homes sell for more.

Views homes for sale in 66223                                 Find out how much your 66223 home is worth

Copyright 2007- The Russell Home Team all rights reserved

Real estate is local it alway's has and always will be local. Not only can prices change drastically from one city or state to the next but it can change from zip code to zip code. I wanted to give you an overview of current sales statistics for Johnson County and I felt the easiest way would be by zip code. The best way to truly see what is going on  in a real estate market is by looking at the last 6 months sales. Zip code 66224 is split between Overland Park & Leawood and covers some of the area that used to be old Stanley. It is part of the Blue Valley School system . I think you will find that the home sales report is a lot better than you think.

For the period of July 2007 to November 2007

Homes listed         200

Homes Sold           139

Average Sales price   $520,522

Median Sales Price    $410,000

Low sold price           $155,000

High Sold Price         $2,650,000

Note- all market figures were provided by The Heartland MLS. Median sales price is the price where 50% of the homes sold for more and 50% of the homes sold for less.

Search for homes in 66224                                     Find out instanly home much your 66224 home is worth

Copyright 2007 by The Russell Home Team, all rights reserved

I am sure that many of you have been reading about the real estate market, the subprime mortgage mess and the liquidity crisis. Well for those sellers in the Wilderness subdivision it must feel like the red hot 2005 market. Houses in Wilderness are flying off the market at record pace. For sale signs are being replaced with a sold sign as quickly as Vince Coleman stealing second in the Royals hey day. If you are buyer looking at a home in Wilderness you might want to pull the trigger quickly, for the next person through just might beat you to it. If you are contemplating selling your home, now could be a great time to capitilize on the strength of the current sales market in Wilderness.

Lets take a look at some of the recent home sales in Wilderness

November 2007 Home Sale

Properties Listed         2

Properties Sold           6

Average sales price     $314,125

Average days to sell     17 (wow!)

If you would like to see all of the great homes for sale in wilderness, use our Custom Property search below