When I started in real estate in 2000 Down Payment assistance was available but seldom used. Homes were selling so fast that you had to write the cleanest offer possible, so you tried to keep closing cost to a minimum, your closing date short and absolutely no B.S. clauses in your contract. But then came September 11th and things changed, all of a sudden we started to see a slow down in sales and Down Payment assistance started to gain favor to get the sales moving again. Well, 8 years later DPA is now common place in most markets. The Housing relief bill just signed by President Bush is set to do away with DPA after October 1st. But not so fast, a new bill sponsored into congess wants to bring back DPA. If you are smart you will get behind this bill to keep DPA alive. Click the link be... 08/04/2008

As part of the new housing bill our faithful government is offering a $7500 tax credit for First time buyer. There are several factors for eligability. Here are some of the highlighs & requirements. Must be first time buyer rebate will 10% of Homes value up to $7500 income limited to singles with $75,000 or less or married couples at $150,000 or less must be repaid over 15 years (6.67% per year) remainder must be completely repaid if home sold before 15 years effective for home purchases between April 9 2008 & July 1 2009 This a great deal for first time home buyers. Also if you are looking for Down payment assistance you will need to purchase prior to October 1 2008.Click Here to see Great Homes for Sale          The Russell Home Team Specializes in First time home buyers, please call ... 07/30/2008

If you have been looking to buy a home in overland Park or Johnson County Kansas you might want to pick up the pace. Especially if you were depending on Down Payment Asssistance. For the first time in 5 years Down Payment Assistance funds are available for Johnson County Kansas, while they were just released 1 week ago you shouldn't kid yourself and expect them to be available for a long time.  Join the Russell Home Team on February 26th 2014 as we re-introduce the Kansas Down Payment Assistance Program Click Here to RSVP through EventBrite, seating is limited!    Click Here to See Overland Park Homes For Sale              The Russell Home Team are specialist in first time buyer needing down payment assistance, please contact us immediately as time is running out on Down Payment assista... 07/30/2008

Time sure flies when the easiest road in an out of your subdivsion is closed. Has it really been a year since they closed Nall Blvd between 151st & 159th. Well the wait is over, Thursday they will be opening the 2 south bound lanes. The 2 north bound lanes will not re-open until October. Can someone tell me why it takes a year to widen a small stretch of road? My only answer is because it can. So now that we have Nall open, maybe they can focus on 159th & Antioch or any of the other major throughfares that are currently closed.   Copyright 2008 The Russell Home Team www.searchjocoHomes.com 913-681-1383 07/29/2008

This past weekend someone decided that it would be fun to torch the playground at Sunrise Point Elementary school in Overland Park. What makes someone do something this senseless? How do I explain to my kid's the reason they can't go play? This is just plain stupid, the vandals caused over $20,000 in damages. If you have any information contact the Overland Park Police Department. Copyright 2008 The Russell Home Team  www.SearchjocoHomes.com  913-681-1383 07/28/2008

  There are currently 21 homes listed for sale in LionsGate. 15 Homes have sold and closed in the last 6 months. This gives an average absorption rate (demand) of 2.5 homes a month. At the current rate of demand there is a roughly 8.4 month supply of homes on the market n LionsGate   LionsGate Subdivision is  a collection of multiple plats with different legal names, although collectively known as Lionsgate. The sections include; Lionsgate Lionsgate by the Green (the newest houses) Lionsgate South Lake LionsGate by the Park LionsGate by the Lake LionsGate Waters Edge LionsGate the Enclave Lionsgate Homes are located in the Blue Valley School District There is also the Villas of Lionsgate, which is a maintenance provided villa community. The Links at LionsGate is another subdivision enti... 07/25/2008

With the downturn in Real estate, there has become a lot of new and unique opportunities. For buyers in Overland Park & Johnson County Kansas that new opportunity is called a short sale. A short is when the seller of a home is in the begining stages of Foreclosure and they know that their home is not worth how much they owe on it or at least they cannot sell their home and completely payoff the mortgage and pay the fees associated with selling their home. So how does this help you? Banks do not like foreclosing homes, it costs them a lot of money and time doing so. One of the options banks consider during tough times is accepting less than is owed to them instead of foreclosure. If you are a savvy buyer and have patience you can stand to find a great house at a great price through a sho... 07/24/2008

As Britney Spears says, opps we did it again. Overland Park Kansas has made CNN/Money Magazines best place to live list again. This time we slotted in at #9, not bad for this little old prairie town. Once again CNN/Money louded Overland Park for it's top schools, good jobs and close proximity to a majot city. Some of the other factors were low crime, golf courses and parks/open space. Don't take my word for it, click the link below and see for your self. Overland Park Kansas CNN/Money Article Thinking about moving to Overland Park? Click Here to see homes for sale      The Russell Home Team specializes in Overland Park & Johnson County Kansas. Please feel free to contact us @ info@russellhometeam.com or 913-681-1383    Copyright 2008 The Russell Home Team www.SearchjocoHomes.com 913-681... 07/18/2008

Overland Park Market Conditions Overland Park had 1051 homes sell and close in the last 6 months, counting all homes and price ranges, including existing homes and new construction. There are 913 Single family homes listed for sale in Overland Park. Upper Bracket Homes in Overland Park Upper Bracket Homes in Overland Park accounted for 96 of the recent six month sales, based upon most recent listing price. There are 248 homes listed for sales in the $500,000+ range, which means the market is still overcrowded in that range with a roughly 15 month supply of homes. Seller's should review their house's condition and curb appeal. If you have been on the market more than 30 days, talk with your agent about how the house could be presented better. If you don't need to sell, this may not be th... 07/14/2008

  iPhone Mania hits Overland Park Kansas. This admitedly amateurish video was shot around 8:57 a.m this morning outside the ATT store at 119th and Metcalf. I did a double take when I first drove by looking at the huge number of people in a normally relatively quiet parking lot. I can't wait until the iPhone supports the GE supra lockbox - then I could consider getting one! Ken Jansen, Keller Williams Realty Partners, Inc. Overland Park KS 913-825-4014! Overland Park Homes For Sale Leawood Homes For Sale Olathe Homes For Sale Lenexa Homes For Sale Shawnee Homes For Sale   07/11/2008

The words affordable and South Johnson County usually don't go together. Willow Bend in Southern        Overland Park bucks that trend. Willow Bend continues to be very affordable and the housing choices are fantastic. Willow Bend has a unique mixture of 2 story & split level homes. Located just east of 159th & Metcalf, Willow Bend is family friendly and won't break the bank. The average price in Willow Bend is between 190 & 200 thousand. Willow Bend is a great choice if you are looking for Blue Valley Schools without going to the poor house. Here are the last 6 months home sales for Willow Bend Homes Listed 17 Homes Sold  13 Average List price $201,000 Average Sold Price $195,000 Average days to sell 38   If you think Willow Bend might be your next stop call The Russell Home Team Today... 07/08/2008

It is summer time and the Real Estate market is in full swing, now is a good time to give you an update on the 1st six months of home sales in Hampton Place. Southern Overland Park is still growing and Hampton Place continues to be a very popular destination. It has a dynamic mix of older, newer and new homes with prices from the 250's to the mid 400's. Hampton Place boasts one of the largest community pools in the area and the HOA has a lot of great community events planned for the summer. I have included a link to our Hamton Place virtual tour and the statistics for the last six months Hampton Place Virtual Tour Last six Months Home Sales Report Homes Listed  40 Homes Sold    15 Average List Price $332,000 Average Sold Price   $315,000 Average Days to sell  36 Highest Sold Price $428,... 07/08/2008

  Interested in seeing Fireworks in Overland Park KS? Fireworks in Overland Park are available at Corporate Woods Office Park from 4-11pm. The actual Fireworks display is scheduled to begin around 9:30pm The event is the Star Spangled Spectacular www.StarSpangledSpectacular.org There are other events including inflatable rides, several bands and  some speeches by OP Mayber Gerlach and Rotary President Goodman.  Ken Jansen 913-908-2215 KenJansen@TopProducer.com http://www.kansascityrealestate411.com Broker Associate, CRS, ABR, CLHMS, e-PRO, CSP Keller Williams Realty Partners, Inc. 11005 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS 66210 07/04/2008

Homes for Sale in Overland Park Kansas under $200,000 are moving well. There are 196 homes for sale in Overland Park KS under $200,000. There have been 201 Homes for Sale in Overland Park which have sold in the last 90 days. Using the rate of absorption (sales) and comparing it to the current supply, this would be a GOOD time to sell your home in Overland Park if you are under $200,000 in price as the demand is strong. If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Overland Park, KS or just have some questions regarding Overland Park Real Estate, please contact me for a no-nonsense marketing plan and a market evaluation of your home.  06/29/2008

Below are some Easy Search links to find Homes for Sale in Overland Park Kansas in various price ranges. I hope you find them helpful. Overland Park Kansas homes for sale by price range Homes for sale in Overland Park under $125000 Residential real estate listings in Overland Park $124000 to $150000 Overland Park properties for sale $149000 to $175000 Overland Park properties for sale $174000 to $200000 Overland Park Homes for sale - $200,000 to $300,000 Homes for sale Overland Park Kansas $200000 to $210000 Houses for Sale in Overland Park Kansas $210000 to $220000 Real estate for sale in Overland Park KS $220000 to $230000 Properties in Overland Park for sale $230000 to $250000 Houses for sale in Overland Park KS $249000 to $275000 Homes in Overland Park KS $274000 to $300000 Homes in... 06/17/2008

It becomes increasingly difficult to find the lenders who have been in the business 10+ years and who make a point to stay on top of the everyday changes in the marketplace right now.  I have used OPEN mortgage for years and I would not go on the line for them if they were not seriously qualified and experienced. Open Mortgage is proud to be granted an FHA Full Eagle Lender endorsement.  To earn this designation, a number of difficult criteria had to be met.  Very few mortgage companies achieve this prestigious endorsement by the Federal Housing Administration.   As mortgage bankers they have access to multiple investors nationwide including their own portfolio products.  If there is a loan out there, they will find it.  With more than 50 years of experience in the lending business, the... 06/03/2008

The upper bracket homes in Overland Park comprise over 70 subdivisions. There are some great prices and access to excellent subdivisions and or locations that you might not have been able to financially reach 2-3 years ago. This is the time to buy in Overland Park. ZIP Codes: 66223, 66209Approximate Location Boundaries: $500,000+ homes in Overland Park Location Characteristics: Currently there are 241 homes for sale in Overland Park, KS. There are only 89 homes sold in the last 6 months. This give a with a roughly 15 homes per month absorption rate, it would take 16 months to sell all of the available homes. A smart seller who does not need to sell, might be wise to take their home off the market right now.A smart buyer will have a wide variety of homes to look at and choose from. If yo... 05/31/2008

Not trying to be a traffic reporter but this is a pretty big closing I wanted to make everyone aware of.  May 12, 2008 EASTBOUND I-435 AT U.S. 69 TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT FOR A WEEKEND With the end of the I-435/Antioch interchange project in sight, crews are working quickly to get the flyover ramp complete. Starting Friday, May 16, crews will close all eastbound lanes of I-435 near the U.S. 69 interchange overnight so they can construct the flyover. The closure will include: All eastbound lanes of I-435 from U.S. 69 to Antioch Road The ramp from eastbound I-435 to northbound U.S. 69, and The ramp from southbound U.S. 69 to eastbound I-435. Crews will close the highway starting at 10 p.m., reopening it to traffic at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 17. The closure will occur again Saturday night starting ... 05/15/2008

159th STREET TO CLOSE NEAR ANTIOCH ROAD Starting Monday, motorists should expect delays in the area of Antioch Road and 159th Street, including the closing of 159th Street. The city is widening Antioch, from 151st Street south to 167th Street. The road, which runs in front of Blue Valley West High School, will be built to a standard four-lane divided thoroughfare. The first phase of work involves construction of 159th Street from Eby to Lowell. This will require the full closure of 159th Street in two phases: first east of Antioch (Lowell to Antioch) Monday, and then west of Antioch later this summer. One lane of Antioch in each direction will be open throughout construction with the exception of temporary short-term lane closures and scheduled weekend closures. Lane closures/reductions... 05/15/2008

According to the Kansas City Star, there are some nutty changes going on with a favorite local bar, The Peanut. The Peanut at Metcalf and 76th has changed it's name to: 76th Street The Peanut Downtown is closed for remodeling, but will reopen June 1 with the new name: The Peanut of Kansas Back in January, The Peanut in Shawnee converted to Famous Sam's The Peanut in Lee's Summit will remain the same Brad Papa is a licensed real estate agent in Kansas and Missouri and can be reached at bradleypapa@remax.net 913-526-4985 or www.papasinthehouse.com 05/13/2008