Heyen Real Estate Blog | Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska

Are Foreclosures Considered when Using Comparables for an Appraisal?

Are Foreclosures Considered when Using Comparables for an Appraisal?The appraisal process on a home is highly important for Omaha buyers that are making a home purchase with the help of a mortgage loan. A lender will require a professional appraisal to be conducted on a property before they will approve a mortgage loan and release purchasing funds. This is because they want to make sure they are not lending out more money than a property is worth. 

There are many deciding factors...

Finding a Mortgage Loan to Purchase a Farm Property

Owning a home with plenty of land to have livestock and grow your own Finding a Mortgage Loan to Purchase a Farm Propertyfood is growing in popularity. Omaha has long been a desirable area to live and the ability to purchase a property for a small personal farm or homestead makes moving here even more desirable. 

But what about financing the purchase of a home on land or that is already on a small working farm? What are the best options for mortgaging a small farm or homestead property?

What is the Best Type of Loan for Omaha Area Farm Properties?

Using a USDA Loan

The USDA is the United States Department of Agriculture. Not everyone is aware that they actually...

Great Front Yard Projects to Take Care of Every Year

Keeping the front exterior of your Omaha home in great condition is Great Front Yard Projects to Take Care of Every Yearimportant for many reasons. One of the most important is curb appeal and having the ability to more easily sell your home should you decide to. Then there are the feelings of accomplishment that come with taking care of your home and being proud of the view you present from the street.

Curb appeal plays a huge role in how your home is seen by the neighbors and an even bigger role in attracting potential buyers when you list your Omaha home for sale.

Here are some yearly projects to keep your curb appeal at its best

Check the paint

A fresh coat of exterior paint goes a long way in making your home appear...

Mortgage Rates are Not Keeping Buyers from the Market, Buyer Activity is Increasing

Mortgage Rates are Not Keeping Buyers from the Market, Buyer Activity is IncreasingIf you own a home in Omaha and are considering selling, you might be wondering if it is still a good idea to sell your home with the current challenges that buyers have been facing in the real estate market here and around the country. 

There is promising news for anyone considering selling their home in the Spring and Summer months of 2023. Numbers are showing that homebuyer interest and activity are growing right now despite mortgage interest rates remaining at a higher level. 

The Proof is in The Numbers

Looking at data that records the number of home showings, the numbers are...

Seeing Foreclosure Headlines? Why This is Not Like the Crisis from 2008

Seeing Foreclosure Headlines? Why This is Not Like the Crisis from 2008If you are an Omaha homeowner, buyer, or seller you may be concerned with recent news headlines stating that the number of foreclosures is rising significantly. This may leave you with concerns about buying or selling a home or about how your home will retain its value in Omaha. Understanding what is truly going on in the real estate market as far as foreclosures are concerned can be helpful but it is good to make sure you know the real facts.

ATTOM a company that provides property data put out a recent report stating that foreclosure filings are up 6% as compared to the quarter before and...

Should You Take Out a Moving Loan ?

Should You Take Out a Moving Loan ?When it comes to purchasing or selling a home in Omaha all parties involved in a home sale transaction will need to pay a significant cost that many people often forget about. That is the cost of moving your belongings from one home to another. Moving can become very expensive depending upon the method you use and the distance you need to move your things. In some cases, it can cost up to $10,000. For this reason, some people have decided to take out a moving loan.

What is a moving loan?

With the additional cost of moving after a home sale transaction, many people who have a large amount of stuff to move or a large distance to travel may consider taking out a loan to help them pay for the cost of getting their stuff from point A to point B. A moving...

Common Home Repair Costs to Help Omaha Buyers Budget for the Cost of Ownership

Common Home Repair Costs to Help Omaha Buyers Budget for the Cost of OwnershipNo matter whether you purchase an older home or a brand new construction home or a custom build one from the ground up, it is smart for every Omaha home buyer to factor in the cost of being responsible for hone repairs into their monthly budget to help determine if the purchase of an Omaha home is truly affordable for them.

Last year research from  Angi's State of Home Spending Report found that the average American household spent around $3018 on routine home maintenance costs. The average household cost for emergency repairs was $2321. These are significant...

Where Real Estate Market Numbers Landed in Omaha for March 2023

Where Real Estate Market Numbers Landed in Omaha for March 2023Despite many national real estate headlines of real estate declining and warning people of prepping for losing money on a home purchase, Omaha real estate is one of the strongest markets in the country currently. Omaha real estate continues to increase in value as a few real estate markets around the country may be seeing slight decreases.

How much are homes in Omaha selling for?

According to numbers gathered from the website rocket homes.com the median sold price of real estate in Omaha Nebraska based on all homes sold in March 2023 was $262,500 which works out to be $157 per livable square foot....

Alex Shares His Thoughts on Omaha Home Prices Remaining Steady with RealEstateNews.com

Alex Shares His Thoughts on Omaha Home Prices Remaining Steady with RealEstateNews.comThe National Association of Realtors has shared in their Existing Homes Sales Statistics report for February 2023 that the median home price for homes in America took a slight decrease as compared to prices from February 2022. The decrease was 0.2%. Though the decrease is very small it ended a 131 consecutive month streak of home price increases across America.

That consecutive amount of time for home price increases across the country was the longest one on record as reported by the National Association of...

A Very Simple DIY that can Add Home Value

A Very Simple DIY that can Add Home ValueOne of the benefits of homeownership in Omaha is that you have the ability to make improvements to your property and increase its value. Some home improvements cost more than others and require the help of a trained expert. But there are some simple fixes that you can do yourself in your home that can add some value. One of those simple projects is adding decorative casing around your windows.

Materials you will need

casing to frame out your window

miter saw to make...