My Blog

Good afternoon--just wanted to let you know that I will be redesigning my website to improve my services to you. Please feel free to send me an email with your comments and feedback, once it's up and running. Have a great day!

Fou you who are first-time homebuyer and have always dreamt of owning your own home, there is no better time to seriously look at this dream today!  The interest rates are low, there is a tax credit available and if you can qualify to purchase a new home in Newton, there is another $4000 available to help with closing costs or a downpayment.
Don't delay. Call if you have questions and the Franz Team will be available to help. 

Hi everyone!  I want to let those of you know who are homebuyers--if you are thinking of purchasing a new home in one of the Newton Developments, you may qualify for a $4000 city incentive. Please call me for more information! Don't wait!

I think the Spring weather is finally here. Kansas is known for wind, sun and changing weather without much notice.
Now, the Real Estate Market in Kansas is known as "STABLE", for which we can be grateful. What this means is that the home prices have not drastically gone up (mostly a stable 2-3% a year), and our lenders in the area have not particpated in the speculative investment market that has caused so much trouble in this country.
Having said that, I remain hopeful and looking ahead  into the rest of this year, I have seen an increase in buyers. As you might have heard (we cannot assume that everybody knows about this) if you are first-time homebuyer or you have not owned a home in the past three years, you are elegible for an $8000 tax credit, which you can either amend on your 2008 tax forms or you can claim it on you 2009 income tax return. Just remember you must have purchased your home by this year Novemeber 30th. The great thing about this money is that you don't have to pay it back. You probably are thinking that there are a lot of people who will be able to take advantage of this perk. Well, I'm seeing some challenges in that the first-time homebuyer can afford a house under $70,000, but that house needs some work. The appraisal requirements have changed and if you as a buyer apply for an FHA loan with your bank, they will require all sorts of things as well. That means that the repair requirements will have to be completed before you can close on a house.
I suggest you call me and you and I sit down and go over these items, so that you have a full understanding before you assume you can buy a house.

One more thing--you know that Earth Day is coming up and with all the hype about "going green", I just want you to check out this website www.shaklee.net/hesston if you are interested in being more aware of what you can do to move in that direction.  Being aware and trusting your information sources is very important, since the media is bombarding cyberspace with al lot of options. How are you supposed to muddle through all that information and know what to do?
The reason I'm involved as an independent Distributor with Shaklee Corporation is because of not only the golden rule, but because of the mission and ethics of this company, as well as the 50 some years it has been the leading health and wellness co. in the world. Call me if you want to join me in making our world a better place for our families and friends.

Blessings this Easter Season!  Margie

What did you think of the picture I posted yesterday?  Yes, I love living in Kansas--not only because of the beautiful sunsets that we can enjoy often, but also because of the people that live in our communities here in Harvey County.
I don't know about you, but I like to go out and try the food at new restaurants (especially mexican--I judge the quality of the food by the salsa) and I like to drive around in the countryside and watch the farmers work the land, watch the wheat, milo, corn or hey through the growing and harvesting season.
One of my passions is nature and the environment that we should be good stewards of. I love trees, prairie grasses, wildflowers, birds and all these things we can enjoy right here in Kansas.
If you read this and you are thinking of where to move to, you have come to the right place. If buying or selling a house is in your current plans, please give me a call or just keep reading this blog. I will be telling you more about this area, so you get a better feel for where you might be living in the near future.

 

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.  And today?  Today is a gift.

That’s why we call it the present.”   --Babatunde Olatunji

What a cold and blistery day it is! I guess we'll have to wait for spring just a bit longer. :-)
It's not really that much fun to go out and tour some houses today, but there are a few things you can do when the weather is like it is today.
1. if you are wanting to sell your house, start cleaning and packing. It helps to de-clutter before buyers start coming to see your house.
2. if you are wanting to buy your new home, it is a great idea to call your bank and ask for a pre-approval letter. When you are ready to put an offer on the house you want to buy, you are prepared and the seller will know that you can qualify to purchase their home.
3. if you need help with searching for a home in another state or country, just give me a call at 316-215-1964 and I can refer you to a real estate professional in the area you are moving to.
4. if you need help with staging your home to show, you can call me at 316-215-1964 and I can come to your home and do an evaluation as well as help you with ideas to stage your house in such a way that will attract a prompt offer.

Until next entry, stay warm. 

Yes, we all witnessed an historical event on Jan. 20 that will be remembered world-wide! What a great country we live in, do you agree?
So, now back to real estate and the state of the market in Harvey County.  Buyer traffic is up, but we are still lagging in inventory, which means that if you are at all needing to or wanting to make a move this year, now is a great time to place your house on the market with the Franz Team.
Just so you know, our team, Gary, Susan and I are always looking out for you and are ready to help you with the real estate process of purchasing or selling a home.
For the month of February, our team is offering an "EXTRA" incentive to help you move into your new home. Together with the low interest rates, the $7500 tax credit (currently in legislation to see if it will not have to be paid back), you have several packages to choose from when you write a contract with our team during the month of February.
They include a 50" flat screen TV w/ surround sound, or landscaping for the yard, or washer/dryer/refrigerator, or window coverings. Some conditions apply--call for details.
All of these options will help you move into your new home in Spring Lake. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call the Franz Team at 316-215-1964.
Have a great weekend.

It's a new year and I'm excited for the new opportunities I have to help all of you with your real estate needs this year.  I attended a lunch meeting yesterday and the speaker was from Wichita State University Real Estate Dept. He shared some very interesting statistics about the market in the Wichita area which includes Newton and the other town in Harvey County.
Our local market in this part of the country is very stable.  In fact in several price ranges the market is up. But one of the reasons there has been a bit of a slow-down in the number of buyers and sellers is because of fear.  What fear, you might ask.  Our national media is not doing us any favors with talking about the maket on a national scale.  There is no national market.  They are all local markets and that is why we, as Realtors, in the Wichita and Newton area want to continue to educate  the public about what is happening in OUR real estate market.

The other piece  of news that is misleading is the fact that our local banks are not lending any money for home purchases. That is simply not true.  Everybody's financial situation is different, but I would encourage you to call or personally talk to your banker to find out how they can best help you purchase your new home.  The interest rates are low and it is a very good time to sell or buy.

My next entry will address some more helpul information so that you can make good decisions.