Springfield Real Estate Chatter

I'll bet a Squirrel Lives in the large mature trees in the backyard of this 4 bedroom custom built American Traditional home on 5 Acres.You will need a bird guide to identify all the colorful birds that frequent the feeders. The home offers large sun-drenched rooms, 2 complete kitchens, finished walkout basement, private office, 2 laundry rooms, all the modern built-ins, and a 3 car garage plus a 30 x 40 detached workshop in the most delightful setting imaginable.  Located minutes east of Ozark Missouri.  Click here for additional details.  Withdrawn From The Market.

View this and all active listings in Springfield at http://www.kayvankampen.com/.

  kvankampen@remax.net

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

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RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
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Watching the market the last few months in Springfield, I've wondered where all the buyers have gone. This time every year, there is a slow down, but I still continue to stress! But it always gives me time to reorganize and prepare for another great year in real estate.

And, as usual, after the holidays, buyers start searching for homes once more. Kristal Kraft wrote a great post this week about her climb up the Active Rain ladder. I've thought of it several times this week and realize that real estate is a lot like her article.

Kristal is one of my favorite writers to read about, along with dozens of others. Without agents like her, I wouldn't come back every day to search what others have written on Active Rain.

I went on one of those bicycle tours last year. I rode on the back of a motorcycle while 800 bicycle riders rode 60 miles one way. Along the way, several had bike trouble, flat tires, chains coming off, and other unforseen problems. We would stop and assist them and send them back on their way. Some became totally exhausted and dehydraded and we would call for assistance. I saw riders of all ages, pacing themselves, knowing from experience, if they didn't, they wouldn't reach the finish line. We had it easy! We were motorized! To the riders, we were hero's! We had air pumps, tools, everything that would help them get back on track.

Real Estate is much like riding a bike. It takes great stamina, constant change, upgrading the systems, and a strong will to be the best agent in our market area. It takes great leaders to help them along when times get bad.

Do you need to slow down and reorganize your real estate career? Pace yourself! Enjoy The Journey! And remember to treat everyone with respect. I promise it will be the best year in your real estate career!

Kay Van Kampen

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

When I first became a realtor, showing property was easy. I represented the seller, was compensated by the seller, with no relationship or obligation to the buyer. It was a "Buyer Beware" era.

Several years ago, the Missouri Association of Realtors (MAR) made changes for the better, and today, in the state of Missouri, there are many ways to represent Buyers. So before I set out to show clients property, I start by going over the types of relationship between buyers and agents. The most common is to work for the buyer as a Buyer's Agent.

Under this agreement, Broker is a Buyer's limited agent with the following duties and obligations:

To perform the terms of a written agreement made with the buyer; to exercise reasonable skill and care for the buyer; and to promote the interest of the buyer with the utmost good faith; loyalty and fidelity.

Another way, if the Agent has the property marketed, is to become a Dual Agent, representing both Seller and Buyer.

Additionally, an Agent can become a Transaction Broker: representing neither Seller or Buyer.

If you're ready to buy a home this year, come and see me. I'd love to explain Buyer's Agency in detail.

Preview you all my homes at: http://www.kayvankampen.com/  

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

When the ice storm hit this month, some peoople in the area were without power for over a week.   I advertise all my websites, but since starting my new website, kayvankampen.com, I have been tracking how the leads are generated, but I couldn't tell if the activity was local or nation wide.  I saw a jump in the site activity at different times of the week.  Advertising some weeks increased the site activity, when other weeks, nothing.  Certain homes did better, when other listings never got a hit.

Without power in the Springfield area, my website hits started dropping.  Watching a dramatic loss of people searching made me realize that approximately a third of my hits were coming from the local area.

Now as the area returns to normal, so does the website.  Turning a bad situation into a learning experience has made me take a second look on how to design the site to attract the local and world wide clients.  I'm always trying something new to keep the site fresh.  Today I read a great article form Site Pro News on RSS feeds.  Easy to understand, I'll be able to work on it over the weekend.

Active Rain still remains my number one source of information.  

Kay Van Kampen

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Springfield Missouri Real Estate Update

 Springfield Missouri real estate was typical to the majority of markets across the county.  Although the number of homes sold decreased, average days decreased and average sales price increased ... here is how the market compares to this time last year for the month of December. 

1.  Number of homes on the market....7087

2.  Homes sold  ... 473

3.  Average sales price of those homes sold .... $147,433

4.  Average days on the market in the last six months...64

LAST YEAR, SAME PERIOD...

1.  Homes sold in December, 2005...626

2.  Average price of those homes sold ...$140,749

3.  Days on the market...65

To stay updated on Springfield Missouri real estate visit:  Kayvankampen.com

Figures taken from the Springfield MLS Statistics

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Yeah!!!!! We have electricity!  Not So Fast!  There's no telephone at home yet! @#$%?  I am spending a large part of my day, making sure that all our listings are not damaged.  And I'm getting a lot of calls of what to do to make sure the homes are kept from any further damage.

Here are some tips Courtesy of Disaster Response Handbook.

Ice, Snow, Cold and Storms

• Alternative Heat Sources
• Frozen Plumbing
• Freezers During Power Outage
• Ice and Snow Accumulations on Roofs
• Farm Practices During Ice and Snow
• Evaluating Ice Damage to Forest Stands
• Managing Storm-Damaged Urban Trees
• What to Do During a Power Failure on the Farm
• Tree Removal Following a Storm
• Electrical Safety During a Flood or Ice Storm
• OSHA's Tips for Keeping Workers Safe in the Cold

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Mother Nature is in the process of pruning her trees!  I am spending several hours a day right now making sure all the unoccupied homes that we currently have on the market are ok.

Yesterday, we actually showed a few homes, then worked thru each home, shutting off the water and gas, if the homes are out of electricity.  Pulling limbs off the roofs and checking on some of the elderly people we know.

Here are a few photos of Springfield Missouri that we took today.  I am still without power at my own home, except for a Brand New Generator that came in today!

Hopefully we'll be back to normal in about a week.  Some of the residence think it will take several months to clean all the debris!

So, until I get power back at home, I'm spending very little time in Active Rain.  Boy, what a lot of reading I have to catch up on. 

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

 My assistant is currently working with a "First Time Home Buyer".  She has him prequalified, discussed buyer's agency, explained the closing procedure and he's ready to buy a home.  So far, timing has been his greatest enemy - as they find one he likes, another offer is accepted.  My assistant checks before showing and as they race back to the office, she checks again.  They've missed buying two homes.  This week, they wrote another offer, only to find out that the home is getting a new sewer - and a new sewer fee!  The seller didn't disclose because they were already hooked to the line and thought they shouldn't have to pay any additional fee.  Without thorough investigating, the buyer could have ended up paying an unexpected bill.

What can a Real Estate Agent do to help you buy the right home for you?

First, they can introduce you to a great lender - get you prequalified and determine what payment is comfortable for you.

They can work for you as a buyer's agent, helping negotiate for the best price and terms. Or work as a sub-agent of the seller (or disclosed dual agent).
 
They will help you work out a realistic idea of the home best suited to your needs - size, style, features, location, accessibility to schools, and other personal preferences.

Based on your qualifications, they have access to all the home within the MLS, to avoid showing you homes that do not meet your needs.

They can supply information on current real estate values, taxes, utility costs, provide a list of qualified home inspectors, pest inspectors, and any other inspections needed for a smooth transaction.

My assistant could have written an offer without investigating just to "make a sale".  But because she is very thorough, these problems were avoided.  Cudo's to Rhonda Jones.  By the way, she's also my daughter!!!

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!

Clean Up Your Act!  Additional Information !

I recently asked for information on a check list when selling a new home  Steve Dalton sent some great additional points.  I've also checked with the local Home Builders Association.  They are in the process of building their own new office and getting prepared for the Homes Show coming up this month, so I left them alone, for now.

1)      Follow up with the title company to make sure all well agreements, well agreements and association articles were recorded and mailed to all parties.

2)      Check with the new buyers to see if they received copies from the title company.  Sometimes, the seller promises to record them himself, and never does.

3)  Have a check list to follow to avoid a problem in the future.

4)  Extra garage door openers and the codes so they can be reprogrammed.

5)  Photos of the home while under construction.

6)  Home Warranty Manual spelling out what things are covered for a year or two years, and what things should be considered maintenance.  Wow can that be a big issue later on.

7)  I like your idea of the list of trades that worked on the house.  We also include an emergency list of trades and utilities and government agencies that they should call if something happens.

8)  Changing utilities seems to be a particularly hard thing in the case of new construction.  There's never been a phone line or a cable line to this house, it may not be a matter of a couple days.

9)  And of course there's the dreaded walk through list.  The customer needs to spend some time really going over their home with the new home builder.  Really ask questions.  The REALTOR could be of some help here, if they remember that their job is to help and not to pick on the house one day before closing.

10) I'm adding another:  In the event the home has a brand new septic system, provide the buyers a copy of the permit and layout of the lateral lines. I've had buyers call back after moving in, complaining their septic had backed up.  They had driven the moving van across the lines and crushed them.

If you have any other items to add, feel free to contribute.

 

  

Kay Van Kampen is a local Realtor serving Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic and surrounding areas in Greene, Christian and Webster Counties in Missouri. She is ready and available to help you with all your Springfield Mo real estate needs. To contact her go to www.kayvankampen.com. If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this area/neighborhood, would like more information about Springfield, Ozark, Nixa, Rogersville, Republic, Willard and surrounding areas or would like to be the first to know about hot new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 417.839.4534.

Search For Springfield Homes

RE/MAX Solutions                                             www.kayvankampen.com Springfield, MO, 65721
Visit MyBlogLog and get a signature like this!