Merry Christmas from the Bill Black Team

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Happy Holidays, everyone! From the entire Bill Black Team, we want to wish you and your family the best this holiday season. We want to use this blog post to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

From Colleen, myself, Joni, Traci, Elise, and Lizzy, we wish you all the best this holiday season.  Thanks to all of you, we can say we had a very successful year and are looking forward to another one in 2015.

If you have any questions for us about real estate, we are never too busy to take a call or respond to an email. Once again, have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2015!
 

Why do We Like to Support Our Community?

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Welcome back, everyone. We are here at the Christ Community Church getting set up for the Steven Curtis Chapman concert and we are so happy to be able to help out with this great event. We love supporting our community and giving back, so we are thrilled to be able to sponsor this event.

We enjoy giving back so much that we want you to help us give back even more. So, if you have a special event or idea about an event you want to bring to Omaha, bring it to us. We would love to sit down with you, discuss it, and see what we can do to help. We love being involved with events like this one, and are looking forward to this great Christmas concert.

If you have something you want to bring to us, let us know by giving us a call or sending us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Have a safe and merry Christmas!
 

What Makes Papillion so Great?

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Many people are unaware of the amazing things going on in Papillion today. The area is consistently named in the top 10 places to work and raise a family. The schools are fantastic and, much like Elkhorn, when the need for more educational facilities arise they are always promptly funded. For example, the new North Shore subdivision will have a brand new school within it. Prairie Queen Elementary is the latest, but there is a middle school coming and they're talking about building another high school!

There are many military people with advanced degrees living in the area. Since education is clearly very important to them, they want their kids to have access to great schools that offer a a high level of education. If you want to build a home out here, you'll be able to enjoy the recreation area, the ballpark, and the surrounding area in addition to the great educational opportunities.

Werner Park is right across the street from the North Shore development. The ground has been deemed an entertainment zone, so some of the sales tax that is generated will go back into the area to promote other forms of entertainment. Fireworks and concerts are a regular occurence, and there is a chance a water park or ice rink may be constructed in the area.

Needless to say, there is A LOT going on here in Papillion. If you're interested in checking out what's sure to be the next hot spot in the Omaha area, give us a call! We'd love to show you this fantastic up-and-coming area!

The North Shore Neighborhood Is Filling Up Fast!

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

We're back at North Shore to give you some more great information on this fantastic new subdivision. It's a 300-lot development just north of highway 370 and south of the Lincoln Highway. The easiest way to find it is to head to Warner Park and go to the far Northwest corner of the parking lot. There, you'll see all of the construction going on around Prairie Queen Lake. 

We would love to give you a complete list of the 18 builders working here, as well as a list of the available lots. North Shore is the first of 13 new subdivisions that will be developed in Papillion and Gretna. Some developers in other new subdivisions are getting greedy and raising lot prices well above what they're worth. Here, you'll find higher-quality lots priced from $45,000 to $60,000, which is a steal! 

There are a few homes with a view of the lake available, as well as a handful of walkout lots. There will also be a new elementary school just across the street, Prairie Queen, so stay tuned for more information on that.

Visit our Facebook page for more information. If you're interested in this fantastic area, don't hesitate to give us a call. We would love to help you get a place in North Shore before it's all filled up! 

North Shore is the Place to Be in Papillion!

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Today, we show you the site of the new North Shore neighborhood. It's located near Werner Park just off of Highway 370 in Papillion. There is a large, beautiful lake great for fishing and canoeing, among other outdoor activities. Papillion is gaining some national attention of late, having been voted one of America's Top 10 Best Places to Live by Money Magazine and CNN.com.

While most of the lots overlooking the lake have been sold, there are still some available throughout the subdivision. Up to 18 different builders will be working to fill the area with brand new homes starting around $350,000.

You can get more information by liking us at Facebook.com/NorthShorePapillion. If you're interested in the area, you need to act now - these lots are going fast. Give us a call or shoot us an email today so we can start the process of getting you in this fantastic new neighborhood.

How Local Architects can Make Your Omaha Dream Home a Reality

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. 

Today, special guest Rebecca Harding of TACK Architects talks to us about different things architects can do to help make our lives easier. For one, if you have property you are interested in, they do a site evaluation - which entails looking at the benefits of the property, the views, and the different buildings in the surrounding area, among other things. Architects are the professionals to go to for a comprehensive look at a potential building site. 

They can also do a property footprint, which takes into account the rules and regulations, including zoning and planning laws, that apply to a given area. TACK looks at your needs and what you would like to do with a property, and sees if they can make it work within regulation.

Once an architect gives us an idea of what is possible, we can then figure out what the square footage is going to be, the parking situation, and get bids to find out what everything will cost.

If you are interested in a property and want to have an architect have a look at it, call TACK at (402) 505-9778. Of course, The Bill Black Team is always available for all your buying and selling needs, especially with Omaha new construction. Contact us and we'll help you secure the Omaha area property you have your eyes on!

Begin Your Custom Home Construction with a Great Design from TACK Architects

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. 

Starting Your Omaha New Construction with TACK Architects

If you decide to build a new home, we have you covered on finding the best real estate. For those who are looking for a truly custom home, we can refer you to the right folks. TACK Architects is a great local firm started 3 years ago by Jeff Dolezal, Rebecca Harding, and Chris Houston. Prior to founding TACK, the three founders worked together in the same architecture firm for over a decade.

TACK Architects have a diverse practice specializing in modern architecture, having worked on projects ranging from corporate interiors and commercial buildings to religious projects, as well as both single and multi-family homes. 

So if you're looking for the right architecture firm to design your custom home here in Omaha, check out their website here to see some of their incredible work.

In our next video, we are going to show a very special project that we have been working on that we believe you'll be very interested in. Stay tuned!

Reducing your pain or your apprehension about the market

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. 

If you’re like me and currently undergoing physical therapy (or are preparing to do so), the man standing behind me is an exceptional source for any injuries or physical pain that must be remedied.
 
Jarad Miller has been treating patients in need of physical therapy for almost 8 years, and is passionate about the success of his patients, ensuring that physical functions are restored, and any pain is alleviated. No doubt he knows what he’s doing (obviously he’s had no problem improving the overall functionality of my knee!), but if my testimony isn’t convincing enough, I strongly encourage you give him a call and see first-hand just how effective he is.
 
With a PhD in Physical Therapy from Creighton University, and over 7 years of experience at Alegent Health, Jarad has recently branched out with his own facility called JAM Physical Therapy, located inside Infinity Wellness on 156th and Maple.
 
While I strongly encourage that you see Jarad for any injuries or physical problems you’re experiencing, I still highly recommend myself for any needs you have regarding real estate. Right now Omaha is a seller’s market, and if you’re considering listing your property I wouldn’t wait any longer to begin the process!
 
Once again I cannot stress enough just how effective and professional Jarad has been while treating my knee. He has a solid reputation with excellent credentials and extensive experience, so please feel free to seek him out at JAM Physical Therapy for any injuries or pain you’ve sustained.
 
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions you have about your property or the current trends of the real estate market in Omaha. Thanks for visiting my blog and have a great day!

Let my mortgage experts determine whether a reverse mortgage is right for you

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions. 

 Is a reverse mortgage right for you?

Today I'm here with Gregg Baily of Premier Bank. I use these guys and their services because I don't have time to babysit both my client's business and my business. So they're very helpful to me with the work that I do.

What I'm here to tell you about is just the other day a retired gentleman came into my office and handed me a foreclosure notice. I asked him what it was all about, and he told me that he had not managed to change his lifestyle after retirement. He quit making his house payments because he wanted to maintain his lifestyle. 

One of the things that people revert to when that happens is what we call a reverse mortgage. This is when you start getting money from the equity in your house. When you're getting into your twilight years you don't want to be doing this. 

So, Gregg here is my mortgage expert. He's been in the business for 20 years and should be able to help us out with this problem. He's going to show us the pro's and con's of a reverse mortgage. 

Before you can get a reverse mortgage you have to be counseled about reverse mortgages where a loan officer or lending institution cannot be present. These are independent, 3rd party government-approved counselors. You also have to pass a test before you are eligible to apply for a reverse mortgage. These counselors can spot if the prospective borrower will be an appropriate candidate for this loan by asking basic questions about the borrower's knowledge of their own finances. Also, any family member can attend this meeting, but no lenders are ever allowed. 

When you do go through with the application process, it is the same as getting a loan for a home with inspections and appraisals. Once this is done, the lender starts making payments to individuals every month. 

There are two options for this kind of mortgage. One is called a Monthly Income Stream, and is based on the value of the home and the age of the borrower or borrowers. 

Otherwise, a borrower can take a lump sum, and there are many reasons why you could take one or the other, or both. 

You do have to remember that you are spending the equity out of your house with a reverse mortgage. There is no hidden agenda, this mortgage simply allows a homeowner with equity in their home to continue living in that home. However, the consumer will be spending their equity, so they will have less equity at the end of a mortgage. How much equity is lost depends on the loan and how long you keep it. 

There may come a time where their equity is gone and they may have to start paying back, but luckily there is no payback required unless a borrower moves out of a home for 12 months or more. Sometimes older couples will have to leave the home for medical rehab, but as long as they come back within 12 months, there is no repayment required. Even if a borrower owes more than the house is worth, they do not have to pay back anything as long as they live in the home. 

However, interest will accrue on every dollar they borrow until the loan is paid off. There are options that allow for monthly payments to continue like an annuity, but there are ways to allow an income stream to continue no matter how much annuity is left in the house, or until the borrower passes away or moves out of the house. This number would be smaller than if someone took a lump sum at the closing to pay off a debt or spend in some way.

The #1 thing you need to remember about reverse mortgages is that you will have much less equity (if any) than when you bought the house. There is no way around it.

So, if you're interested in a reverse mortgage or would like financial advice, contact Gregg at (402) 715-4696 or shoot him an email at gbailey@premierbankne.com

Thanks for watching!

What Happens During the Closing Period of a Home? Let Me Explain...

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

What Happens During the Closing Period of a Home? Let Me Explain...

I've had a lot of people come to me wondering why it takes so long to close a contract on a home and get it sold. The main reason is that the title companies must perform a wide array of research on the necessary documents. However, here is a more comprehensive explanation.

To start, you must take these steps in order to close on a property:

1.  Get your loan approved.

2.  Have a termite inspection completed (or any other inspections).

3.  You need to have an appraisal done.

4.  You also need to have the title work done:

     -  This is going to take the longest out of all the steps.
     - Title companies search for names associated with the transaction as well as research the property itself. The goal of this process is to ensure that the seller gives the buyer a good, clean title.
     - If there are any liens (including child support or tax liens) against the owner of the property, they must be paid off.
     - After all the research has been completed by the title company, they open up communication with the buyer's lender in order to calculate the final numbers of the purchase including the cost of the title work, inspections, insurance, and any other work associated with the contract.

In the state of Nebraska, it is customary for the seller to sign the deed before the day of closing. Often times people will be leery of signing it so far ahead of time, but this is simply because it makes the paperwork much easier for the title company when the seller signs the deed ahead of time.  Regardless of when the signing happens, the deed will not be filed until the property closes.

This is a short summary of what happens in the titling process, but if you have any more questions feel free to contact me at (402) 680-2500 or shoot me an email at bill.black@cbshome.com

Video Blogging: Educate Your Customers!

There are many great Omaha area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (402) 680-2500 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Video Blogging: Educate Your Customers!

Many of you have been asking about the person who is behind the scenes of my video blog so today, I am putting John from Vyral Marketing on the spot. John has been working with us for about four years; we were one of Vyral’s first clients! “We started here in Omaha and the reason why Frank [Klezits] and I came up with this concept is to give people an educational way to stay in touch with their database,” John tells us. He’s always telling me to look at the camera!

“We want to make sure that people are getting relevant content about their real estate needs,” he continued. This relevant information includes improving your house, the current state of the customer’s specific market and what is currently in that market. These guys came up with a great concept; I even remember when they pitched it to me!

Having a video blog on my website has been great because it allows me to keep you updated on what goes on in real estate. When we did the series on New Construction, we wanted you to understand what the process of buying a home. There are physically 88 things that can go wrong from time we go into contract and when we close. This can be compared to flying a plane; we all want a smooth landing but sometimes we nail it and sometimes we don’t. It’s all a matter of having the best pilot on board!

I’m glad to have Vyral Marketing to help pilot my blog! If anyone wants to use Vyral Marketing to help with their video blog, John explains that they work with a multitude of different services. “Just go to www.getvyral.com and you can see how it works, watch demos, client success stories and a list of the clients themselves,” John said.

When you call Vyral Marketing, make sure you tell them you heard it from us!