Are you thinking of selling your Omaha, NE home or thinking of buying a home in Omaha, NE?  It may be helpful to know what the real estate market trends are in your area.  You can request a market trends report by completing the form below.  Don't forget to include your phone number in additional comments as well. Request a FREE Omaha Market Trends report Get Omaha Real Estate Statistics and Market Trends ...read more

Can I ask the seller to make repairs after my Omaha home inspection?                                                                            .......The answer is YES                Strategy on What you Ask the Seller to Repair               Based on your Omaha Home InspectionThe great thing about buying a home in Omaha, NE is that you have the right to a home inspection and if your agent puts your offer together appropriately you can be protected by the inspection.  This means if there are things that come up on the inspection that you are not comfortable with you have the right to request the seller/owner fix the items.  Now the seller is not obligated to fix what you request they fix as the items are negotiable.  So if the seller refuses to address repairs, then you have to option to address the issues yourself and move forward with the purchase or terminate your offer and find a different home.Keep in mind that as long as you are not purchasing a foreclosure or short sale which are always "as is" sales, most likely the seller will be willing to consider big concerns.  They know that if they say no and don't do big repair items that they will likely have the same items come up with a future buyer, so it is in their best interest to work with you to come to a mutual agreement on repair items.What should you ask the seller to repair?              The answer is big items or items in need of immediate attention.How do I know if the items are big items?              Your home inspector will point out items that are in need of immediate attention and items that may be a big deal, potentially cause additional damages, or be a big cost to address.Keep in mind that the inspector is supposed to find everything that is potentially wrong with a house and if you paid to get a home inspection and only had a 1 page report you would likely feel you didn't get your money's worth.  So the inspector is going to likely write in the inspection report all things including small unimportant things or things you can easily correct on your own.Items you want to focus on are big items like the roof, exterior/siding, structural, heating&air;, plumbing or electrical.  Your inspector may identify items you should focus on by saying: needs repair/replacement, not functioning properly, recommend additional professional opinion to evaluate/repair or replace, major safety hazard or something similar.  Keep in mind most inspectors are happy to go over the report with you so it is important that you meet the inspector at the house once he has evaluated the house so he can point things out and make recommendations.Also you agent will be able to help advise you on items that are big and you definitely ask for and items that maybe you should consider addressing yourself.  Ultimately the goal is to become familiar with the house you are purchasing and not to ask the seller to fix every little thing on the inspection.  Be smart about what you ask for to avoid the seller crossing off things that may be really important to you.  Remember repair requests are negotiable not mandatory.An everyday part of home ownership is dealing with home repairs and it is good to have the inspection help educate you on what you should do to maintain your home once you own it.  Every house will have little maintenance issues that is life.  In fact even new homes could have something that needs to be addressed.Angela Helfrickwww.OmahaHomeGuide.comI hope this has helped you plan your Strategy on What you Ask the Seller to Repair Based on your Omaha Home Inspection. ...read more

Sellers, Do You Want to know what the difference be a Good Offer and a Great Offer?This months real estate video talks about just that.  What Makes an offer good and what makes an offer great?  When you are selling your Omaha home obviously you want to make the most money possible, but you also want to make sure that the buyer can buy and is serious.  You don't want to take your home off the market for 3 weeks or even just 10 days only to find your buyer cannot buy or is not serious enough about buying.  Your Omaha Realtor will be able to help you run the numbers and determine what your net profit will be with each offer.  Also they will be able to help you see how strong the buyer is and what risks might come along with their offer.Nationally home prices are up from last year and this is likely due to there being a shortage of inventory and many homes getting multiple offers.When you get more than one offer on your home, keep the following in mind to help you determine which offer is better. Keep in mind the highest offer is not necessarily the best offer to buy your Omaha home.The buyer has to be financially able to close, so focus on buyers that have been pre-approved or has proof of funds Look for a buyer that is putting down a larger down payment as they are typically more reliable.Also take into consideration the amount of Earnest Money they are putting down.  Better buyers and more serious buyers typically put more money on the table as a earnest money deposit.Ultimately it is important to trust the advise of your Omaha Realtor to select the offer that best fits your situation.Angela Helfrick | 402-819-7766www.OmahaHomeGuide.comI hope this month's video has helped you determine what the Difference Between a Good Offer and a Great Offer to buy your Omaha home is. ...read more

What to Ask For When Making an Offer to Buy a Home in Metro Omaha, NEFirst of all it is important to determine if you are an Owner Occupant or an Investor.  Second we need to determine what type of Omaha seller we are dealing with or what type of listing the home is.  Is it a normal re-sale, an estate sale, a short sale, or a foreclosure or bank owned property?  Lastly, it is important to consider what type of loan you will be using to buy the Omaha house or will you be a cash buyer.Another thing to consider is what is the current market demand for the property and is it more of a sellers market vs a buyers market.  Right now in Omaha we are swinging towards a sellers market and there is a low inventory so when a great house is priced well there is a huge potential for multiple offers.  Below there is a list of what you can ask for as a buyer, but that doesn't mean that the seller will agree.Owner Occupant buyers in Omaha should consider asking for the following when making an offer:Closing costs: Consider asking the Omaha seller to cover some of your closing costs.  Depending on the loan type you are using your lender will typically allow the Omaha seller to pay anywhere from 3% to 6% of the purchase price towards your closing costs and pre-paids.  Keep in mind that with short sales the lender has to approve the amount of closings costs paid and there may be strict limitations depending on the seller's loan type.Appliances: In most cases when you buy a home built in appliances like dishwashers, stoves/ovens, mounted Microwaves are included in the sale, however, things like the fridge and washer/ dryer are typically negotiable items.  As an Omaha buyer you may want to consider requesting the seller leave the fridge with the home or potentially even the washer and dryer.  I find most Omaha sellers will leave the fridge with the house, however, the washer/dryer may not as easily be included.Wood infestation report&guarantee:  Depending on where you live termites and other wood destroying insects may or may not be common.  It is never a bad idea to have an inspection for wood destroying insects.  If you are buying a short sale or foreclosure this may not be an option, however, you could always elect to pay for your own.Home Warranty:  As you take on home ownership in Omaha there are many things that can come up.  Depending on how handy you are you may benefit from the piece of mind a home warranty can give you.  If you are not good at trouble shooting issues or doing repairs it may not be a bad idea to request the Omaha seller provide a 1 yr home warranty.  If you are buying a short sale or foreclosure this may not be an option, however, you could always elect to pay for your own home warranty.Inspection Period:  As a Omaha Realtor I always recommend that my buyers higher a home inspector to evaluate the home for any potential deferred maintenance or repair issues.  If you as a Omaha buyer want to be protected and have the right to request the seller make repairs if something comes up, then you need to ask for the seller to allow an inspection contingency.  All types of sales will allow this.Financing Contingency:  If you are getting a loan it is always a good idea to have a financing contingency not only to protect you but also to disclose to the seller what type of loan you will be getting.  All types of sales should allow this.Investor buyers in Omaha should consider asking for the following when making an offer:Closing Costs:  In most cases your lender will only allow the seller to cover up to 2 % of the purchase price for closing costs as an investor.  Typically I do not recommend that investors ask the seller to pay any closing costs for 2 reasons: 1) if you pay your own closing costs you can typically buy for a lower price, 2) the closing costs are tax deductible. (at least at the moment, there is not telling how the government will make changes to eliminate this benefit).  If you are buying a short sale, don't even try it is not likely the closing costs will get approved and the bank will not let you adjust your purchase price if they decline to pay closing costs.Appliances: As an investor you can ask for appliances however I would keep it to the kitchen appliances.Inspection Period:  As a Omaha Realtor I always recommend that my buyers higher a home inspector to evaluate the home for any potential deferred maintenance or repair issues.  If you as a Omaha buyer want to be protected and have the right to request the seller make repairs if something comes up, then you need to ask for the seller to allow an inspection contingency.  All types of sales will allow this.Financing Contingency:  If you are getting a loan it is always a good idea to have a financing contingency not only to protect you but also to disclose to the seller what type of loan you will be getting.  All types of sales should allow this.Cash buyers (both Owner Occupants and Investors) should consider including the following when making an offer to buy an Omaha Home:The rules change when you are a cash buyer as there is not lender and lending guidelines to follow.  With that said as a cash buyer you can ask for all the things listed above.  One thing to keep in mind when buying with cash is your closing costs are greatly decreased and most of the costs are true buyer costs.  Because of this I do not recommend that you request the seller pay closing costs when you are a cash buyer.Appliances are negotiable as always.  And it is never a bad idea to protect yourself with an inspection contingency.Angela Helfrickwww.OmahaHomeGuide.comThis post is just a guideline of what to consider asking for When Making an Offer to Buy a Home in Metro Omaha, NE.  Obviously just because you ask, that doesn't mean the seller will agree.  Also don't hurt yourself by asking for too much you may miss out on a great opportunity. ...read more

How to Make Your offer to Buy a Home Competitive and Appealing to the Omaha, NE Seller When making an offer to buy a home in Omaha, NE is it important to have a knowledgeable Realtor assist you.  The Omaha Realtor can help you with looking at comparable homes in the area to see if the house is priced really well, or potentially priced high.  Keep in mind that if the house is priced really well, there will likely be other buyers interested in the house as well.  It is not uncommon to have multiple offers in the Omaha market today.  Because of this it is important to act quickly if the property meets you needs. Look at comparables: After your agent has looked at comparable homes for sale and informed you of the value of the house based on the comparables you will need to decide where you want your offer price to be.  If your agent tells you that homes are selling close to the list price and based on recent sales houses on average are selling for $97 a square foot and calculated out the home you are interested in is listed right on based on the size and condition, then it's important not to give a low offer.  If the house you are interested in is dated and priced lower than the $97 per sq ft, then that means the seller has already adjusted the price for the lack up updates.  So when making an offer it is not ok to estimate the costs to update the home and subtract it off the list price.  If you want to subtract updating costs, then you need to calculated the value if the house was updated and then subtract the costs. Don't make a crazy low offer just because you want a good deal, the seller may just ignore your offer. Know the market demand: Once you look at the recently sold homes and the homes that are pending and have seen the home you will know if it is priced well.  If the house is in great condition and shows well, other buyers are going to like it too.  If that is the case there is risk of multiple offers and you will want to make your offer as clean as possible to avoid a lot of negotiation.  The more negotiation there is the more time you give other buyers to see the house and make an offer. Contingencies: When making an offer on an Omaha home for sale there are many contingencies that you may consider incorporating in your offer: financing contingency, appraisal contingency, inspection contingency, or sale of your house are just a few. If you must include a contingency like an inspection contingency which I recommend, be sure to keep the period of the contingency short so that the seller knows you will not drag your feet and that you mean business.  Don't include contingencies like selling your home before closing as this just leaves the seller open to to many variables that they may not be willing to risk. Terms: Don't be unreasonable and expect the seller to pay ALL of your closing costs.  The seller will think you are a stronger buyer if you are willing to pay some of the costs to close.  Also put more money on the table as an earnest money deposit, this will give the seller piece of mind.  Have your agent try to find out when the ideal timeline move is for the seller and keep that in mind when choosing a close date.  Pay for your own home warranty, termite letter, and survey or just ask for the sell to pay for 1 thing not all things. Keep in mind the Seller's net: In order to sell their home, every seller has a number that they need to meet in order to accept an offer.  Keep in mind that the purchase price is not home much money they are making on the sale of the house.  Your have to subtract out all the things that you are asking them to pay for in addition to real estate commissions, the seller's mortgage, and other seller costs to get the seller net. So in other words you may be interested in an Omaha home for sale priced at $200,000 and your agent has advised you that based on the comparables the house is priced right on target and homes in the neighborhood typically sell for 97% of the list price.  That means that you likely want your initial offer to be at or above $194,000 and perhaps you ask the seller to pay $5,000 of your closing costs.  Then you negotiate with the seller.  If the seller gets another offer at 190,000 and the buyer is willing to pay for their own closing costs, the seller may want to negotiate with that buyer rather than you due to the fact that their offer gives them a higher net.   So keep in mind if you need to have the seller help pay some of your closing costs, you will likely need to pay a little higher price for the house than a buyer who is willing to pay their own closing costs. I hope this has helped you understand How to Make Your offer to Buy a Home Competitive and Appealing to the Omaha, NE Seller. ...read more

What Costs Should I expect When Buying a Home in Omaha? Omaha, Ne home ownership does bring expenses with it.  As a home owner you will no longer have your landlord to fall back on.  But at the same time home ownership can be very rewarding. So what does it cost to become an Omaha home owner?... Obviously the first step needs to be to connect with an excellent Omaha Realtor like myself.  Your Realtor can connect you with a great Omaha loan officer. Your loan officer will give you what's called a good faith estimate (GFE) on this it will include all the numbers associated with getting a mortgage.  First you will need your down payment for your Omaha home which can vary based on loan type.  Unless you are eligible for a VA loan you need to plan on 3.5% to 5% of the purchase price for a down payment.  There are also other fees that will be on the GFE like the loan app fee, appraisal fee, origination fee, owner&lender; title insurance, title search, attorney or title company fees, interest and your pre-paids.  Pre-paids are items that go into your escrow account for your loan like homeowners insurance and property taxes.  These items are pre-paid to populate your escrow account so that each month you will pay a smaller portion till the bill is due and your bank will actually pay it for you from your escrow account. Costs (ie: closing costs) on your GFE can vary by borrower, lender, loan amount, and loan type so it is important to get one that is tailored to you.  (I can help you get connected with a great Omaha loan officer who can prepare a GFE for you, just call or email me.) Other than costs associated with your loan there are additional expenses you will need to plan for when buying your Omaha home.   At the initial offer stage, the Omaha Buyer will have to put up "Earnest Money Deposit", or “Good Faith” money. This is to show that you are serious about buying the home. It is typically about 1-2% of the offer price of the home. The check is deposited into the Broker's trust account and will remain there until closing. You will get that money back at the closing in the form of a credit towards whatever costs you are paying. After your offer has been accepted, you will go into the inspection period. This is when you hire a Omaha Home Inspector to carefully examine all aspects of the home and write a report of the findings. Items needing repair can be negotiated with the Seller. Most inspectors charge by the size of the home since larger homes will take more time to inspect. For an average 4 bedroom home, expect to pay around $300-$450, depending on the inspector you choose. Your Buyer's Agent will have a recommended and trusted professional for you to hire. You may also need to have an additional inspection for termites, if your lender requires it. The fee for that inspection will be $75-$90 depending on what company you use. You will also be required to pay for the appraisal that the lender orders.  This typically will cost around $400-450. (It may be required that you pay at the time it is ordered) Before the closing, you will need to purchase Homeowner's Insurance (Hazard Insurance) on your Omaha home. This is usually required in order for you to purchase a home. For an average 3 bedroom house, you can expect to pay around $800 per year, depending on the company and type of coverage.  Six months – one year’s worth of your insurance premiums will usually be placed in an "escrow" account at the closing. Your lender will pay this to the insurance company on your behalf out of this account. Other minor costs when moving to a new home may include any moving company fees or any new furniture or home items you need to purchase. Before deciding to purchase a home, carefully examine your lifestyle and make sure it's the right time to make the commitment. When it is, you'll be glad you did! I hope this has help you understand what costs you should expect when buying a home in Omaha.  If you have further questions or are ready to get started be sure to give me a call at 402-819-7766.  Angela- ...read more

Don’t Let Time Run Out!As a homeowner in Nebraska you have options and can avoid foreclosure.  I am a Realtor in Omaha, NE and I have plenty of experience with banks.  What you need to know is your bank doesn't want to own your Omaha home and there are some other options.  In many cases I find that some of the options are just temporary band-aides and in the end you will need to sell to avoid foreclosure.  If that is the case be sure to give me a call I am a Certified Distressed property Expert who can help.  I know how to talk to your bank and get you through the short sale process successfully.NOTE: The options below will only be successful if you are diligent and follow through with the steps exactly as directed by your bank.(For instance if you are doing a repayment plan or a modification and you miss a payment you can put yourself at risk of foreclosure)FORBEARANCE: Temporary repayment plan·          Forbearance is a written repayment agreement between a lender and a borrower which contains a plan to reinstate a loan that is delinquent.  Forbearance delays the payments for a period of time and is only for those who may be able to resume normal payments.·          Examples of when you may want to request forbearance: loss of job with promise of another job that will help borrower to fulfill payments.·          Potential requirements for Forbearance: In default for a specific period of time, verifiable loss of income or increase in living expenses; must be owner occupant and financial analysis.·          Please contact your lender to find out more about their individual requirements to request forbearance.·         Can be combined with Loan modification or partial claim.PARTIAL CLAIM: Promissory note to reinstate a delinquent loan.·         Under the partial claim option, a lender will advance funds on behalf of a borrower in an amount necessary to reinstate a delinquent loan secured by a promissory note and subordinate mortgage.·         Please contact your lender to find out more about their individual requirements to request partial claim.·         Can be combined with Forbearance.REFINANCE: New loan with reduction in monthly payments·         You will need to contact a loan officer for this.  You will need to be prepared to pay for an appraisal and pay closing costs, just as you did when you purchased your home.LOAN MODIFICATION: Modify original loan terms·          A loan modification is a permanent change in one or more of the terms of a borrowers loan which if made, allows the loan to be reinstated and results in a payment the borrower can afford.  Modifications may include a change in the interest rate; capitalization of delinquent principal; interested or escrow items; extension of the time available to repay the loan; and/or re-amortization.·          Foreclosure costs, late fees and other administrative expenses may not be capitalized and the lender has the right to collect them.·          Potential Requirements for loan modification: In default for a certain period of time; Borrower must have stabilized, surplus income, which is not sufficient to sustain the original loan payments, but is sufficient to support the monthly payment under the modified rate and/or term; financial analysis.·          Can be used with a repayment plan or special forbearance, NOT with a partial claim.RENT THE PROPERTY: Must make loan current·         This requires you to move and you will still have to manage and maintain the property.  Not the best option if you do not have cash set aside for repairs.  Also you need to consider vacancies or the potential of unpaid rent.DEED IN LIEU OF FORECLOSURE: “friendly foreclosure”·         This is when you give your home back to the lender.  Typically there are requirements that need to be met before the bank will accept this, so be sure to contact you lender.BANKRUPTCY: Will stall foreclosure but not prevent it.·         A bankruptcy may stop a foreclosure and allow a homeowner to reorganize his/her debt and keep his/her property.  The reality is that most of the time this is not the case and the bankruptcy only stalls the foreclosure.  If the homeowner is not able to make payments after bankruptcy the house will foreclose anyway.  Additionally the bankruptcy makes it very difficult for the homeowner to sell his property once he enters the process.  It makes it near impossible to negotiate a short sale.Do you live in Omaha, Ne and you are still not sure of what your next steps should be?  Feel free to give me a call for a private consultation. Angela 402-819-7766 ...read more

How to Find the Best Omaha Short Sale RealtorAre you at risk of loosing your Omaha home to foreclosure because you are behind or are about to fall behind on your Mortgage?Have you lost your Omaha job, had a recent pay cut, have medical bills, have family illness, gone through a divorce, been relocated, had a death in your family, your Omaha mortgage payment has increased or any have other hardship that is getting in the way of paying your mortgage on time? If you answered yes to either of the above questions, then you are definitely in the right place to find out the how to find the best Omaha Short Sale Real Estate Agent.  Personally I would say you can stop here and just call me as I have successfully closed well over 50 short sales in the last few years.  But if you are not going to use me I need to let you know what you watch out for when you are selecting an agent to assist with your short sale.Let's start by knowing what you what to look out for and avoid when you are finding your Omaha Short Sale Agent.1) If someone guarantees they can get your home sold as a short sale RUN!  The fact of the matter is there are no guarantees when doing a short sale.  I may have a high success rate, but really the bank is who is making the decision and there are to many factors to predict the outcome.2) Don't work with a buyer or investor promising to buy your home and get the bank to approve your short sale.  The problem with this scenario is that most investors who are preying on homeowners who are in trouble really have no business talking to that sellers bank.  It's a huge conflict of interest and that investor has no fiduciary responsibility to protect and represent the homeowner like a Realtor in Omaha would.  One big risk is the Omaha investor buyer only wants to get a good deal and may not ask the bank to put in the approval that they will report that the balance was settled for less than the full amount on the Omaha short sale seller's credit.  Also they likely will not ask the bank to give up their right to pursue the Omaha borrow/seller for the unpaid balance.3) Don't use an Omaha Realtor who doesn't process their short sales in house.  Agents like this typically don't know how a short sale works and it is difficult to set expectations and get buyer's to wait for the time it takes if they are not educated.  4) Don't use an agent that has never closed a short sale and has not taken specialized training for short sales.  It's important to have an expert on your side.  I have a Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation (CDPE) which is a nation wide designation that gives agents a network of other agents who are helping sellers who are facing foreclosure every day.  As a CDPE I have the tools to make a great case for you and set you up for success in dealing with your bank. Now on to What your Omaha Short Sale Real Estate agent needs to have to be the best Omaha Short Sale Agent.1) They must have knowledge of short sales and how they work.2) They need to have systems in place to process the short sale3) They should have access to common forms that you need to do a short sale4) They need to be organized and determined.  Short sales are not for all agents5) They need market knowledge to support a buyers offer or dispute the banks opinion of value.There really are many more qualities an agent must have to be the most successful at getting Omaha short sales done, but this is a good place to start.Remember the clock is ticking if you are behind on your mortgage and you want to choose the right agent from the start.  I am available for a no cost, no obligation consultation.  Just call me at 402-819-7766Angela Helfrick, Omaha RealtorHow to Find the Best Omaha Short Sale Realtor ...read more

How do I know if I Qualify for a Short Sale in Omaha, NE? If you are asking how do I know if I qualify for a short sale, more than likely you are having difficulty paying your mortgage or you need to get your Omaha home sold and you are struggling with selling.When determining if Nebraska borrowers are eligible for a short sale banks are going to want to see that the seller is insolvent or that they are in eminent danger of being insolvent.  Basically they want to see a hardship and your hardship needs to have a financial effect.Potential hardships that would make you eligible for a short sale: Job loss, decrease in pay, decrease in work hours, illness, medical bills, death, divorce, relocation, increase in mortgage payment, increased crime or house was broken into, high debt and bills.When you request your bank to consider you for a short sale you will need to submit a financial statement.  It is important that on that financial statement your expenses exceed your income.  If you have some money in the bank that is ok, just be prepared to make a contribution towards the banks loss.Some people have started to strategically default on their mortgages to be considered for a short sale.  As an Omaha Realtor I would never recommend that you simply just stop paying your mortgage because you want to sell your home or you no longer want your home because it is not worth what it was before.  It is important to talk with a local Omaha Real Estate Agent that can inform you of your options when it comes to a short sale.As I local Omaha, NE Real Estate Agent who is familiar with Short Sales I am equipped to help you understand if you would be a good short sale candidate and have the qualifications banks require to approve a short sale.Angela Helfrick | 402-819-7766 ...read more

What to Expect when Selling your Omaha, NE Home as a Short SaleYou have found the best Short Sale Realtor in Omaha and are about to put your Omaha home on the market for sale.  Now What?As I am sure your Omaha Real Estate Realtor has already explained to you, there is nothing short about a short sale.  My shortest short sale approval was 9 days (this is very uncommon) and my longest short sale was 6 months.  I would say on average it will take 60-90 days to complete a short sale.  It is important that you assist your agent by gathering all the appropriate information for your hardship package.What's included in your hardship package:Authorization letterHardship letterFinancial StatementBank statementsPay stubs or Profit and Loss (proof of income)Tax returns4506T formUtility billLease if applicableInternal forms your lender requiresMarket data and value information from your agentMLS printout and listing agreementOffer from a buyerEstimated net sheetTypically your agent will want to contact your lender immediately to get the authorization in so that they can communicate with the bank on your behalf throughout your Omaha Short sale.  Soon after the authorization is in and acknowledged by your short sale bank your agent will want to submit the hardship package to get the short sale process started and make sure that the bank is aware that you are in trouble and want to work with them.Most short sale banks have a multi-step process and it will take time and diligence from both you and your short sale Realtor to be successful in selling your Omaha home as a short sale.  As an Omaha Real Estate agent who specializes in short sales I feel the key is to be proactive rather than reactive.Depending on your loan type, the number of mortgages you have, and what bank your mortgage is with, there are many different short sale programs and processes.  Every bank has their own rules so it is best to have an experienced Omaha, NE short sale real estate agent like myself on your side.Once you submit your hardship package the process will start with the bank.  Typically the short sale can only go so far without an offer, so it is important that you maintain the home and keep it neat for showings so that you can find a buyer.  Once you have an offer your agent will submit the offer along with updated bank and pay info to the bank and keep in close contact with the short sale lender.  If the bank has not already they will order what's called a BPO or appraisal to determine value.  Typically once the bpo is back there will be a final negotiator assigned to the case.   This person submits your short sale file to the mortgage insurance (if applicable) for their approval and then they will send the file to the investor on the loan for review/approval.  It is common for the investor to ask the seller for a cash contribution at closing to release the lean and forgive the debt.  Once you and the bank have worked out the terms that they will accept you will need to communicate the terms to the buyer.  As long as the buyer is still good with the terms, the transaction will continue much like any other real estate transaction until it closes.Key Things to keep in mind when selling your Omaha Home as a Short Sale:1) It's up to the bank to say yes or no.  Unfortunately they call the shots.2) Be cooperative as the bank is doing you a favor by accepting a short sale3) Work proactively and gather required documents quickly.4) Continue to maintain your home. 5) Be sure to open any mail correspondence from your bank and let your agent know what you have received.6) Be Honest and don't try to hide things, hiding things will only hurt you.If you have more questions or you are in trouble with your mortgage and need help with your Omaha home call me direct at 402-819-7766.  I have multiple years in assisting sellers who are at risk of loosing their home to foreclosure in Omaha and will keep our meeting confidential.  Angela Helfrick, Omaha RealtorWhat to Expect when Selling your Omaha, NE Home as a Short Sale ...read more

In Foreclosure What to Do?....      Pre Foreclosure Help for Foreclosure Homeowners and their Omaha Home. Are you Facing foreclosure on your Omaha home and need to know your foreclosure rights when your mortgage is in foreclosure? What to do when in foreclosure default on your Omaha, NE home:  First of all it is important to know that you do have options and foreclosure rights as a home owner.  The trouble is, many Omaha foreclosure homeowners give up some of their foreclosure rights by not opening their mail from their mortgage company.  Anytime you buy a Omaha home or any other home for that matter you will sign as part of your loan documents a form that gives your lender the right to foreclose if you default on your mortgage payments. In addition the bank has the right to protect the asset if they think that you the Omaha home owner who is facing foreclosure are not protecting and maintaining the house.  They may send you notice via mail that you need to respond or they will re-key the house if it appears as though the home is not being maintained.  Moral of the story is open your mail and respond as necessary. When you are in pre-foreclosure stages it is important to consult a real estate professional like myself.  I am a Omaha, Ne Realtor with experience in dealing with mortgages that are in foreclosure.  I can educate you on your Omaha pre foreclosure options and help you determine if you will be able to bring your mortgage current or if you need to sell as a short sale along with other potential options the bank may offer. Once you know your options you will be able to take the next steps to avoid foreclosure in Nebraska. Call me at 402-819-7766 if you are in the metro Omaha, NE area and are in foreclosure default.  We can meet and discuss short sale along with other options. In Foreclosure What to Do? | Pre Foreclosure Omaha Help for Foreclosure Homeowners ...read more

Watch a brief Video on the best way to find a home in a seller's market. What's the best way to find your home in a seller's market? Today 89% of buyer’s are searching for homes online. It’s important to note that in a seller’s market homes on the market online now may not be there tomorrow.  In fact the listing info may change just after the home goes online. That’s why it is important to be in a relationship with a local real estate agent. Your agent can get updates on information as it is happening – before it shows up online.   In a seller’s market having an agent represent you allows you to get information in real time and can prevent you from missing out on your dream home. Call 402-819-7766 today to have an agent assist with your home purchase ...read more

USstoragesearch.com, the largest online self storage website, was interviewed by the Silicon Priarie News about its founding and growth in Omaha, NE and operating an online business in the midwest. A big thank you to Michael, Michael and the rest of the Silicon Prairie News Team: http://www.siliconprairienews.com/2012/03/needs-of-small-omaha-company-give-rise-to-big-name-in-online-self-storage Click to learn more about Silicon Prairie News. Follow USstoragesearch.com, the online leader for self storage, on twitter @USstoragesearch ...read more

On Thursday, March 1st the USstoragesearch.comSelf Storage Call Centerwill expand its hours of operations and operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. USstoragesearch.com has long been the largest onlinestoragedirectory and the only independent storage directory that has its own internal call center. With the expanded hours of operation it will now also become the only independent storage directory operating a call center on a 24/7 basis. Brian Bremer, Director of Operations for the USstoragesearch.com Call Center, stated that, “Consumers are no longer shopping 9-5 forself storage. We see significant web and phone traffic at all times of the day so expanding our hours to help customers when they are activelysearching for storagejust made sense.” The USstoragesearch.com Call Center differentiates itself by operating purely on a pay-for-performance basis. Storage facilities using the call center do not pay a base fee for the services provided. Instead, customers only pay a small reservation fee each time the Call Center produces a credit-card secured storage unit reservation for their facility. “With a pay-for-performance model we can easily show members the return on their marketing dollars,” said Mike Jones, Vice President of Operations for USstoragesearch.com. “What makes this model work even better for our clients is that each reservation is secured by a credit card deposit, which has led to a move-in rate for our reservations of better than 90% on average for our members." USstoragesearch.com currently takes phone calls from approximately one-half of its member base. The phone calls are generated not only by the members’ storage facility listings on USstoragesearch.com but also from:Roll-Over Phone Calls – the call center will take all calls that are not answered at the storage facility at any time of the day. This ensures operators aren’t missing potential sales calls when an on-site manager is away from their phone.After-Hours Phone Calls – USstoragesearch.com takes all calls after a storage facility’s on-site office closes, effectively allowing storage operators the ability to keep their office open 24/7.Phone Calls From All Other Marketing Sources – many storage operators will use the call center to measure the effectiveness of other marketing sources, like print, radio or TV ads. The USstoragesearch.com call center has the ability to track the effectiveness of each individual marketing source for its members and provides monthly reports to members on how each marketing channel is performing.The USstoragesearch.com Self Storage Network – a network comprised of dozens of partner sites likeStorage.com andStorage Unit.com that allow consumers looking for storage toreserve a storage unitonline or by phone. “Not all of our Call Center customers use all of the services we offer,” Jones said. “Members can choose to have us answer just roll-over calls, after-hours calls or calls from other marketing sources, they choose which calls are answered by our call center.” “There will be no changes that existing members of the call center need to make,” said Bremer. “All existing services will continue as they have with the added bonus for current members of having calls answered 24/7 added on top.” For more information about call center services offered by USstoragesearch.com members can visithttp://www.usstoragesearch.com/call-center/or call 866-880-0742. About USstoragesearch.com USstoragesearch.com is a trusted storage partner; serving the storage industry with aggressive and cost-effectiveonline Self Storage Marketing. Established in 2004, USstoragesearch.com is the self storage industry leader with the largest and longest standingstorage directorywith the largest member base, featuring over 18,000 member facilities. Storage customers using the USstoragesearch.com online reservation network, which includes high-quality partner sites likehttp://www.storageunit.com,&http://www.storage.com, search real-time available storage units by facility location, unit size, property features and specials. Customers have an easy way to find, compare and securely reserve storage by credit card in minutes. These real-time reservations have been proven to convert to paying rentals for member facilities more than 90% of the time. Follow USstoragesearch.com on twitter @USstoragesearch for the latest news and information in the storage industry. ...read more

Theself storageindustry is well known for its generosity and participation in endeavors that benefit the community as a whole. In 2010 USstoragesearch.com launched a new fundraising effort toKure It, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative kidney and other cancer research. The initial effort was such a success and was so well received that it turned into what is now an annual fundraising event held by the self storage website.   After learning about Kure It in 2010, while attending an industry trade show, USstoragesearch.com wanted to find a way to help support not just a worthy cause but one that was also founded by one of its members. Mike Jones, Vice President of Operations at USstoragesearch.com shared that “we (the USstoragesearch.com team) found out about Kure It early in the fall of 2010 and wanted to find a way to participate as soon as possible. We were just about to start our 4quarter Featured Listing auction at the end of September and it was a perfect fit. The Featured Listing auction gave us a way to let our members participate and the timing allowed us to get involved right away. The event worked out so well the first time it has now become an annual event, which we and our memberstorage facilitieslook forward to each fall.”   USstoragesearch.com, the leading independent website in the self storage industry since 2004, provides an opportunity for more than 13,000storage locationsacross the US to present their storage solutions to consumers. Consumers visiting USstoragesearch.com, in-turn are given an easy way to search and compare storage facilities on one convenient website. Each quarter, storage facilities utilizing the online marketing services provide by USstoragesearch.com have an opportunity to bid in an open auction environment to secure a featured listing in cities they wish to enhance their visibility within. Each fall, USstoragesearch.com uses the last auction of the year to raise funds for Kure It. Proceeds from the auction are donated so as Jones said “members now have two great reasons to bid on the featured listings in the fall, they increase their visibility and the money bid to gain that increase in visibility is in turn donated to a very worthy cause.”   Michael Kucera, President and Founder of USstoragesearch.com, announced that "we were overwhelmed by the past success of the auction and are very proud that the amount raised by this year’s auction, $5,500, exceeded last year’s total raised. We can’t wait until this fall to see what we and our member facilities can do to beat the $5,500 raised by USstoragesearch and our members this year." Kucera went on to share that “we as a company have identified several other ways to utilize our overall reach within the industry to participate in even more fund raising events in 2012. Right now we are putting the finishing touches on several new partnerships where we can give back and are openly looking for additional uplifting foundations USstoragsearch.com and its members can work with.”   Continuing their past tradition, USstoragesearch.com will once again present a check to Kure It and Mr. Barry Hoeven, Founder of Kure It and President ofWestport Properties, at the Inside Self Storage World Expo in Las Vegas on March 15, 2012.     About It   Kure It is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding innovative kidney and other cancer research.  Kure It raises money from the private sector and redirects those funds, through competitive grants, to kidney and other cancer researchers conducting groundbreaking research projects to better treat and ultimately cure kidney and other cancers.  Kure It’s goal is to lead the Self Storage Industry in the charge to raise $1 million for cancer research.     About USstoragesearch.com   USstoragesearch.com is a trusted storage partner; serving the storage industry with aggressive and cost-effective onlineSelf Storage Marketing. Established in 2004, USstoragesearch.com is the self storage industry leader with the largest and longest standing storage directory with the largest member base, featuring over 13,000 member facilities. Storage customers using the USstoragesearch.com online reservation network, which includes high-quality partner sites likeStorageUnit.com&Storage.com, search real-time available storage units by facility location, unit size, property features and specials. Customers have an easy way to find, compare and securely reserve storage by credit card in minutes. These real-time reservations have been proven to convert to paying rentals for member facilities more than 90% of the time. ...read more