Does this make sense to you?
5th and 6th grade kids get free bussing to school. Going to school there are paved 6' wide sidewalks, there are have no busy intersection and a bridge over the highway.
1st through 4th grade kids get no free bussing. They have very little sidewalks to school, have to go past busy intersections with stop lights, stop at busy railroad tracks and have no crossing guards on busy roads.
Does this make sense to you?
The Southwest Johnson County Referral and Networking Group meets every Friday morning from 7:30-8:30 am at the Tumbleweed Grill. The cost to attend is bring 35 business cards. The cost to be a full member is bring a smile!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Why is Gardner going backwards?
TTC News Archives: Rail freight to be rerouted from downtown DFW:
"A goal of rail relocation is to improve traffic by reducing the number of points at which trains and automobiles intersect, officials said.
State officials say they also want to reduce the chances of a hazardous materials disaster caused by a derailment in a populated area.
'The state is starting to take an active role in moving these rail lines, which have been in place for over 100 years, out of our city centers,' Perry spokesman Robert Black said Friday. 'This is the first step in making that happen.'
Another goal is to reduce auto-train fatalities. In the past 20 years, more than 5,500 people have been killed or injured in vehicle-train collisions in Texas ."
If you get online, you can find many articles about train accidents, derailments and trains slowing city traffice. Why is Gardner Kansas thinking about signing a deal to allow more train traffic, more truck traffic, the more possibilities of derailments and more trains to slow down traffic?
How do you feel about this?
"A goal of rail relocation is to improve traffic by reducing the number of points at which trains and automobiles intersect, officials said.
State officials say they also want to reduce the chances of a hazardous materials disaster caused by a derailment in a populated area.
'The state is starting to take an active role in moving these rail lines, which have been in place for over 100 years, out of our city centers,' Perry spokesman Robert Black said Friday. 'This is the first step in making that happen.'
Another goal is to reduce auto-train fatalities. In the past 20 years, more than 5,500 people have been killed or injured in vehicle-train collisions in Texas ."
If you get online, you can find many articles about train accidents, derailments and trains slowing city traffice. Why is Gardner Kansas thinking about signing a deal to allow more train traffic, more truck traffic, the more possibilities of derailments and more trains to slow down traffic?
How do you feel about this?
Gardner Intermodal up for vote November 7th
No Intermodal Website: "YOU WILL BE DECIDING THE ISSUE OF ANNEXATION IN THE GENERAL ELECTION ON NOBEMBER 7."
How do you intend to vote on November 7, 2006? I have provided the cities view a few days ago. Here is a NO Intermodal view. I intend to do some research on two areas that have had intermodals built are really doing. Do you think it is bad for the city of Gardner or do you think it is good for the city of Gardner?
First glance, I feel that the intermodal is not going to be positive for the City of Gardner Kansas. Gardner Kansas real estate has been real sluggish. Is this what Gardner, KS. needs to make Gardner go backwards in growth?
The past 3 weeks I have had three buyers switch from looking moving to Gardner Kansas to other cities like Spring Hill, De Soto & Eudora. How many other buyers have switched?
Chris Dowell
http://www.DowellTaggart.com
How do you intend to vote on November 7, 2006? I have provided the cities view a few days ago. Here is a NO Intermodal view. I intend to do some research on two areas that have had intermodals built are really doing. Do you think it is bad for the city of Gardner or do you think it is good for the city of Gardner?
First glance, I feel that the intermodal is not going to be positive for the City of Gardner Kansas. Gardner Kansas real estate has been real sluggish. Is this what Gardner, KS. needs to make Gardner go backwards in growth?
The past 3 weeks I have had three buyers switch from looking moving to Gardner Kansas to other cities like Spring Hill, De Soto & Eudora. How many other buyers have switched?
Chris Dowell
http://www.DowellTaggart.com
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
AquaFest Rescheduled for September 16
City News: "AquaFest Rescheduled for September 16
Because of soggy ground conditions at Cedar Lake Park and forecasted rain throughout Saturday, AquaFest has been rescheduled. The event, scheduled for Saturday, August 26, will be held Saturday, September 16 at Cedar Lake Park. "
This is a free family event!
Because of soggy ground conditions at Cedar Lake Park and forecasted rain throughout Saturday, AquaFest has been rescheduled. The event, scheduled for Saturday, August 26, will be held Saturday, September 16 at Cedar Lake Park. "
This is a free family event!
Kansas real estate housing market indicators including sales, appreciation, available inventory
housing market indicators including sales, appreciation, available inventory: "Sales of existing homes fell 4.09% compared to last month, dropping to an annual sales pace of 6.33 million homes. Compared to last year, though? Sales are down 11.22%.
Partly because homes are selling more slowly, inventory is stacking up. At the end of June there were 3.856 million homes on the market. Compared to last year, that is a whopping increase in supply of almost 40% when only 2.756 million homes were on the market.
The second hardest hit area with a 5.92% decline in sales is the midwest.
Have you noticed more homes on the market and homes staying on the market? Do you think there has been a decline in the Kansas real estate market?
Partly because homes are selling more slowly, inventory is stacking up. At the end of June there were 3.856 million homes on the market. Compared to last year, that is a whopping increase in supply of almost 40% when only 2.756 million homes were on the market.
The second hardest hit area with a 5.92% decline in sales is the midwest.
Have you noticed more homes on the market and homes staying on the market? Do you think there has been a decline in the Kansas real estate market?
News from the City of Overland Park
News from the City of Overland Park
Overland Park has earned a #1 rating out of 74 similar communities as a "Kid Friendly City." Factors that were evaluated were education, health, public safety and economics. What do you think about the City of Overland Park Kansas receiving a #1 honor?
Overland Park has earned a #1 rating out of 74 similar communities as a "Kid Friendly City." Factors that were evaluated were education, health, public safety and economics. What do you think about the City of Overland Park Kansas receiving a #1 honor?
What do you think about the Gardner Intermodal
City of Gardner, Kansas City Government
The above link gives the City of Gardner, Kansas proposal for the Gardner Intermodal. What do you think?
The above link gives the City of Gardner, Kansas proposal for the Gardner Intermodal. What do you think?
Why won't my home sell?
So you're stuck with your home? Maybe not....
There are FOUR and only FOUR primary drivers in the sale of your home....Nope, an Open House is not on the list, and no, neither is a "Broker/Agent Open"....
1-Location, 2-Condition, 3-Traffic, and 4-Price drive the sale of your home. If three of the four are average, then the issue rests with the fourth. Make sense? As an example, an outstanding home in fine condition on a busy street corner will draw great traffic....And get clobbered on location, which will result in lengthy time on market, and an eventual sale at below market price.
The most frequently educated mistake, (I say educated because BIG BOX BROKERS actually teach the mistake to uninformed agents), is to price the property "....slightly above market value, to eventually get the price the client wants....". You've probably never seen this occur, but the price is the price, period. A professional, full-time realtor, is not a soccer mom, or a refugee from a fortune 1000 telecom company looking to supplement their income or transition to a new career....
We help clients get more real estate, get less real estate, or move to new real estate, and that's all we do....
If you need to contact THE WIZARD, find me at info@dowelltaggart.com, for the rest of the story. If you are a realtor and need education, contact www.infinityrealestate.com.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Pending Home Sales Up Second Straight Month
A National Association of Realtors index that gauges pending home sales increased in June for the second straight month but is down 9.6 percent compared to June 2005.
Looking at the local stats for Johnson County, Kansas, there are many zip codes that are down by over 15% compared to last years numbers at this time.
To view a detailed report, contact The Dowell Taggart Team. We have a 45 page detailed report that compares most areas of Kansas City.
Dowell Taggart Team
www.DowellTaggart.com
Looking at the local stats for Johnson County, Kansas, there are many zip codes that are down by over 15% compared to last years numbers at this time.
To view a detailed report, contact The Dowell Taggart Team. We have a 45 page detailed report that compares most areas of Kansas City.
Dowell Taggart Team
www.DowellTaggart.com
Monday, July 31, 2006
Curb appeal is important when selling your home
As quoted from an article in KansasCity.com, curb appeal counts when selling home.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. While this old adage was intended as advice for people, the same is true for houses. If someone doesn’t like what they see on the outside, they certainly aren’t anxious to see the inside.
If you are thinking about selling your home, one of the very first steps you should take is to assess the “curb appeal” of your house. Does it beckon buyers? If you were a potential purchaser, would the house shout “Come back!”?
This is very true. Homes that have great curb appeal get more phone and e-mail inquiries. We the realtors will get more inquiries to sift through to find the right buyer. An example would be:
We had a home for sale in a subdivision this past April that had another similar home for sale by another realtor. They were both the same floorplan and within two blocks of each other. Most Most of the features were the same except their front curb appeal. Our home with great curb appeal was listed for $10,000 more than the one with a not so good curb appeal. Our home with great curb appeal was getting on average 2 more phone inquiries and 15 more internet inquiries a day then the home with not so good curb appeal, according to the other realtor. Our home with great curb appeal sold in 14 days at list price, while the home with not so good curb appeal sold in 54 days at 3.2% under list price. Our home with great curb appeal was average until we suggested less than $50 worth of fix ups. Do you think we advised our clients correctly? This is how we help clients.
If you are looking to sell your home and would like some pointers on low cost ways to make your home have better curb appeal, contact The Dowell Taggart Team.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. While this old adage was intended as advice for people, the same is true for houses. If someone doesn’t like what they see on the outside, they certainly aren’t anxious to see the inside.
If you are thinking about selling your home, one of the very first steps you should take is to assess the “curb appeal” of your house. Does it beckon buyers? If you were a potential purchaser, would the house shout “Come back!”?
This is very true. Homes that have great curb appeal get more phone and e-mail inquiries. We the realtors will get more inquiries to sift through to find the right buyer. An example would be:
We had a home for sale in a subdivision this past April that had another similar home for sale by another realtor. They were both the same floorplan and within two blocks of each other. Most Most of the features were the same except their front curb appeal. Our home with great curb appeal was listed for $10,000 more than the one with a not so good curb appeal. Our home with great curb appeal was getting on average 2 more phone inquiries and 15 more internet inquiries a day then the home with not so good curb appeal, according to the other realtor. Our home with great curb appeal sold in 14 days at list price, while the home with not so good curb appeal sold in 54 days at 3.2% under list price. Our home with great curb appeal was average until we suggested less than $50 worth of fix ups. Do you think we advised our clients correctly? This is how we help clients.
If you are looking to sell your home and would like some pointers on low cost ways to make your home have better curb appeal, contact The Dowell Taggart Team.
Local Johnson County Report
Employment increased by 3,337 jobs the 1st quarter of the year. However, the number of job seekers also increased. The unemployment rate jumped from 4.3% to 4.4%.
Average home prices increased slightly from $266,700 to $266,800. It has been rumored that we are in a buyer's market, home on the market have increased the last quarter from 3,649 to 4,586 the previous quarter. With the market slowing down and homes taking longer to sell, 343 fewer homes sold this past quarter than the previous quarter.
The number of new homes built decreased from 753 last quarter to 397 the first quarter of this year.
Average days on the market has increased from 65 days on the market last quarter to 85 days on the market this quarter.
Seventeen subdivisons in Johnson county have seen a decrease in the percentage of homes sold. The zip code with the largest percentage loss was 66219.
The zip code with the highest % of asking price/ list price (sold for highest amount above list price) was zip code 66085.
The zip code with the greatest number of homes sold was zip code 66062 (East Olathe).
For more information or information on your zip code or subdivision, contact The Dowell Taggart Team. (913) 980-5809. www.DowellTaggart.com
Average home prices increased slightly from $266,700 to $266,800. It has been rumored that we are in a buyer's market, home on the market have increased the last quarter from 3,649 to 4,586 the previous quarter. With the market slowing down and homes taking longer to sell, 343 fewer homes sold this past quarter than the previous quarter.
The number of new homes built decreased from 753 last quarter to 397 the first quarter of this year.
Average days on the market has increased from 65 days on the market last quarter to 85 days on the market this quarter.
Seventeen subdivisons in Johnson county have seen a decrease in the percentage of homes sold. The zip code with the largest percentage loss was 66219.
The zip code with the highest % of asking price/ list price (sold for highest amount above list price) was zip code 66085.
The zip code with the greatest number of homes sold was zip code 66062 (East Olathe).
For more information or information on your zip code or subdivision, contact The Dowell Taggart Team. (913) 980-5809. www.DowellTaggart.com
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Johnson County Explores Wi-Fi
According to the July 18th issue of the Kansas City Star, Johnson County and three cities (Overland Park, Olathe & Lenexa) are exploring the option of creating a wireless information system. Unlike Orlando, Florida who started building a system and stopped and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma who built a system for emergency personnel and goverment employees; Johnson County is looking for a private and a public wireless Wi-Fi System.
The Johnson County is looking to build a public/private Wi-Fi mesh that could bring cheaper internet access, a more productive goverment and a better emergency response.
The telecom and cable providers will be mounting a stiff opposition to the study and possible implementation of a giant Wi-Fi mesh.
Overland Park, Olathe and Lenexa are looking to spend $45,000 to fund the study.
This looks like a great idea and with over 300 communities researching the idea, Johnson County is looking to stay ahead of the technology curve.
What do you think about Johnson County building a Wi-Fi mesh? Would you pay for such a service? Should the money to build such a Wi-Fi system come from private or public funds?
Chris Dowell
www.DowellTaggart.com
The Johnson County is looking to build a public/private Wi-Fi mesh that could bring cheaper internet access, a more productive goverment and a better emergency response.
The telecom and cable providers will be mounting a stiff opposition to the study and possible implementation of a giant Wi-Fi mesh.
Overland Park, Olathe and Lenexa are looking to spend $45,000 to fund the study.
This looks like a great idea and with over 300 communities researching the idea, Johnson County is looking to stay ahead of the technology curve.
What do you think about Johnson County building a Wi-Fi mesh? Would you pay for such a service? Should the money to build such a Wi-Fi system come from private or public funds?
Chris Dowell
www.DowellTaggart.com
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