Let's Make a Deal?

You may not know if a home is worth the asking price. Home prices are typically where they should be because homeowners have become more realistic with asking prices. "Most of the big declines in home prices have occurred, " says Lawrence Yun, economist with the National Association of Realtors on CNBC.com. According to NAR, median home prices have actually risen in recent weeks. With low interest rates, the $8,000 tax credit and a surplus of homes it is an excellent time to buy.

Are you considering a move but not sure what your home is worth? E-mail me and I can help.

Open House Weekend

This weekend is Reece and Nichol's Open House Celebration! Stroll through one of our homes Saturday or Sunday from 1-4

April Newsletter

Common First Time Buyer Mistakes

#1. Not finding the right person to guide you through the home buying process. A well trained agent will guide you through the process flawlessly and be able to accurately assess your needs finding homes that fit them.

#2. Not checking your credit report and score/getting prequalified.
You need to be prepared should you find the home of your dreams. You have to be pre-approved to be competitive and don’t want to make an offer on a home you cannot afford. Before you choose a lender, visit annualcreditreport.com a free credit report. You can easily dispute errors and don’t have to sign up for a monthly service.

#3. Thinking about resale later. You might find the home of your dreams, but it may not be properly priced or have less than desirable attributes to others. Just because it’s listed as a 3 bedroom, doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. Look to your realtor for guidance.

Heather Borntick has been honored as one of Ingram's 40 Under Forty

Congratulations to Heather Bortnick!
It would take more than economic meltdown to faze Heather Bortnick. The 39-year-old real estate maven has braved worse things than a plunging Dow. Bortnick is a co-founder of The Koehler Bortnick Team real estate company. She and her mother started the venture in 1996, and last year it recorded more than $143 million in closings, making it a leader in the Kansas City market and catching the attention of The Wall Street Journal, which ranked the firm fifteenth in the nation. For Bortnick, the national recognition is nice, but since her diagnosis with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2003, she’s good at putting praise and problems into perspective. “Concern for my health created perspective in my life and enhanced my focus to build a sustainable business in the metro,” says Bortnick, who is married with two children. “My family is the reason I am able to be optimistic and focus on my personal, professional and philanthropic goals.” Bortnick is a sustaining member of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, is active in the Disney Marathon and Black Tie Ball fundraisers for the Leuk-emia & Lymphoma Society and is a parent volunteer at The Pembroke Hill School.

Parade of Homes

Parade of Homes kicks off Saturday, April 18th and runs daily

until May 3rd from 11-6. Over 337 homes will be open, including

several Koehler Bortnick Team Properties.

For more information, visit the KCBA.

13710 Pebblebrook Lane, Pebblebrook Farms

11885 Greenbriar Cove, The National

16612 NE 121st Terrace, Holmes Creek

Blue River Woods

More Layoffs

"Hallmark Cards Inc. plans to cut as many as 750 jobs during the next six months, prompted by the recession and falling consumer confidence" according to the Kansas City Business Journal. This news comes as the real estate market has picked up, however, this could add to the already gloomy number of short sales and foreclosures in Kansas City.

Pricing Your Home to Sell

When you price you home to sell, you will end up netting more than if you overprice your home. It can often create a frenzy of buyers rushing to see your home and a bidding war to get your home and recieve a full price offer! You can ask whatever you want for your home, however, the end result often is less showings, more mortgage payments, more days on market and more low ball offers. Buyers don't take you seriously. Your home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

Not sure what your home is worth? Feel free to contact us, we're happy to help.

This Weekend in Kansas City

Saturday
Easter Egg Hunt at Powell Gardens 816-697-2600
Easter Parade at Zona Rosa 816-587-8180
"Wizard of Oz" characters at Crown Center 816-274-8444
Vine Street Boogie-American Jazz Museum 816-474-6262
Royals Baseball! Game Time 6:10

Sunday
Easter Egg Hunt at Shatto Milk Company 816-930-3862
Royals Baseball! Check out the "new" stadium 1:10

First Time Home Buyer Seminar

Don't miss it! This Saturday, April 11th from 1-4pm at The Ellington on Country Club Plaza. Learn about the $8,000 tax credit and the home buying process while enjoying wine and cheese offered by Mid-America Mortgage Services and The Koehler Bortnick Team.

Landscaping Tips for Listing Your Home

Giving your home curb appeal will entice buyers into your home. Try these tips as you prepare your home to sell:

Trim your bushes to reveal details and windows.
Place a pot of colorful flowers on your front porch.
Give your door a fresh coat of paint.
Edge the grass around sidewalks.
Purchase a new doormat.
Clean your windows.
Hang a wreath.

A few simple changes can make your house feel more like home to potential buyers.

Latest Layoffs

Bernstein Rein just laid off additional employees and Sprint completed most of it's 8,000 job cuts. However, Smith Electric Vehicles just announced that it will bring a plant to the KC International Airport. For more information, visit the Kansas City Business Journal.

Kansas City Market Report

The end is in sight! Forecasters predict that home prices will bottom out at the end of 2009. Mike Larson, Weiss Research real estate analyst cited on CNN said that “the recovery will look more like a U than a V.” Fortunately, the Midwest has not been hit as severe as coastal areas, however, your home is likely only worth what it was in 2000.

March Market Trends are now available for the Kansas City area exclusively through The Koehler-Bortnick Team! Email us at info@koehlerbortnick.com!