Some changes have come to the Parkway Plaza building in north Columbus, but it was always part of the larger plan.
Read all about it! kwELITE is dedicated to giving back to the community that has helped forge its success. Check out the latest news stories to see what we’ve been up to, and be sure to follow us on social, too!
Omaha Real Estate company utilizes new 6D technology amid pandemic
POSTED ON FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2020 8:28am
Author: Sharon Chen, WOWT
Link to Original Article w/ Video
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – For one Omaha couple, they never thought they would be able to sell their home in the middle of the pandemic. Thanks to new technology, they were able to.
Most of us have bought our homes by looking at pictures printed on paper or on your computer screen. But now you can take it a step beyond, tour the home of your dreams and not even step foot into it.
Brett Clarke may look like he’s playing a video game…
“Here we are in the hunting lodge,” said Clarke.
But he’s touring a home.
It’s virtual reality and it’s this technology that sold the Clarke’s home.
“I didn’t really want people in our house walking around, I didn’t know where they’d been,” said Annie Clarke.
In the midst of a pandemic the Clarke’s wanted to sell their home, but they didn’t exactly want people in it.
“I’m sure there are families out there with that may have underlying conditions and things like that… there’s no way we would do it.”> So that’s when they turned to Jeff Cohn and his tech-driven real estate firm K.W. Elite.
“Not every consumer wants to have buyers in their house every single day,” said Cohn.
It’s this idea that drove K.W. Elite to partner up with VRLY, virtual reality technology, taking the 3D technology we all know to the next level of 6D.
“Where they can tour the home much like a video game and be able to fly through the entire house see all the sightlines and everything’s interactive,” said Cohn.
“For example, look at this door, I can open the door go right up to this washer machine and look at all the details, in fact, this dryer says 2 hours and 50 minutes to dry this load of laundry. Now that’s a slow dryer,” said Cohn.
“So, they can open doors, they can look under countertops and really make sure before pulling the trigger on their largest investment ever that they’re making the right decision.”
The 6D technology even allows a potential buyer to visualize future changes, maybe different paint or new fixtures.
“We figured in the three months we weren’t going to see anybody and or be able to have buyers at that time,” said Cohn.
Not only did the Clarkes find a buyer, but it was also the technology that sealed the deal.
“They were able to take that virtual reality to their families, show them exactly what the house looked like, and get their blessing on the home that they were going to buy,” said Cohn.
In addition to the virtual reality, Cohn’s office in west Omaha even has loans, insurance, mortgage services, and more. It’s essentially a one-stop-shop for everything real estate.
Copyright 2020 WOWT. All rights reserved.
Home buying and selling made easier with 6D virtual technology
POSTED ON THURSDAY, 01 OCTOBER 2020 10:32am
Author: Danielle Davis, KMTV
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Buying a home can be a time-consuming process but technology is making it easier.
Keller Williams, now kwELITE, has a new state of the art, hybrid, tech-powered office to assist home buyers and sellers. They say when the pandemic hit, while other businesses were scrambling to catch up to the digital world, they were in the final stages of building their new tech-friendly officers.
With the use of technology when searching for a home, it can save time, money and eliminate some of the hassles of having to set up appointments and driving from house to house.
“You don’t have to physically come to our space to receive all of the benefits of working with a residential agent,” said Jeff Cohn, Founder, kwELITE. “We can do a lot of the functions, if not all of the functions, of buying a property or selling a property virtually or in person.”
All of the offices come equipped with virtual conference room capabilities. Along with residential and commercial real estate assistance, you can get help with mortgages, titles, insurance policies and financial planning. For those looking to build a home, their technology hub has that covered as well.
“We can help create an entire virtual walk through of a home before the house has ever been built,” said Cohn. “We can take that blueprint and create all design elements…including finishes, fixtures and equipment inside this virtual render. Someone can physically walk inside in 6D…you can literally look under cabinets, look under countertops and explore the space as if you are actually, physically in it before you ever spend the money digging a hole or constructing the property.”
You can also view drone footage of the outside of the house as well as the surrounding neighborhood. The video can be viewed on the cell phone as well.
The Future of Real Estate in a Quarantined World
WRITTEN BY JEFF COHN
POSTED ON MONDAY, 06 APRIL 2020 05:00
Link to Original Article – https://realtytimes.com/agentnews/agentadvice/item/1037483
It’s definitely not business as usual- especially in real estate while most of the world is in quarantine. That doesn’t mean that your business can’t shift to a virtual business model to keep serving clients. Being forward-thinking – blending virtual with in-person interaction models – safeguards your business from the unexpected.
Living in a virtual world
I’ve been telling people for years that I believe agents and consumers will demand a virtual office solution going into this next decade- that is now becoming a reality. For the past five years, my team has been able to do everything virtually and physically at my brokerage in Omaha. We are now operating 100% virtually during the quarantine. Since we are and have been, a paperless company, the current situation hasn’t impacted the function of our business as hard as most during the COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19 impacts on real estate
The current pandemic will affect real estate in a few ways. We are going to see fewer listings while people quarantine so the supply will go way down and the demand will continue to go up. Despite the fact we’re in a recession you will see a buyers market- due to a lack of inventory. With interest rates at an all-time record low buyer demand will be just as great if not greater than before COVID-19. I think that home prices will stay stable or go up because of this and closings will take longer. Wet signatures may also be a thing of the past with updated policies making virtual signing legal in many states for buying a home online.
So how can you and your business adapt during this unprecedented period? I have five tips that can help your team continue to serve customers and grow their skills personally- all virtually from home.
5 Tips for Shifting to a Virtual Business Model
1. Keep your employees current with continual training. My business conducts weekly virtual training sessions using the virtual platform Zoom. Agents have the option to interact live with their instructor or access training videos at their convenience.
2. Maintain accountability. Agents participate in weekly check-ins to ensure they are on track to achieve their professional goals by meeting key performance indicators.
3. Implement a comprehensive transaction management system. There are a lot of moving parts in a real estate closing. Keep track of all the vendors and their respective deadlines with a digital transaction management tool such as Dotloop. Or, work collaboratively and organize your workflow with online platforms like Trello.
4. Make sure your products can be viewed virtually. There’s a reason Amazon is such a booming success. Customers want to see what they are purchasing. Every one of my team’s listings has a custom virtual VRLY landing page offering drone fly-overs, HD photos, and 3-D Matterport walkthroughs. We are the only local brokerage that requires this next level of service.
5. Create a digital workplace. Staying connected to the consumer is important. So is fostering communication and relationships among your employees. Metrics tracking platforms, such as Sisu, allow you to track key performance indicators while celebrating listing sales successes and spark friendly competition via gamification and leaderboards.
Utilizing technology to add value
Technology and innovation have to be a priority moving forward. My new office we are building out now will feature a virtual reality room for agents to do VR tours of homes with Oculus goggles, along with platforms and portals that utilize AI to predict ways to save customers money. These and other tools will not only revolutionize real estate but ultimately add more value to customers. My brokerage’s goal, like most in real estate, is to always serve the consumer in the highest order. It’s also important not to forget to serve your agents through coaching, accountability, and business mastery. We are an example of a real estate company that can operate 100% virtually and I hope that these tips and tools can help your business through this unprecedented time too.
Continuing to Grow and Learn: Mueller’s Office Joins kwELITE
March 21st, 2020
Link to Original Article – https://columbustelegram.com/business/local/continuing-to-grow-and-learn-mueller-s-office-joins-kwelite/article_c6554ee0-1de0-5a30-80d4-082d80c1573e.html#tracking-source=home-trending
Broker/Owner Renee Mueller recently transitioned her real estate office from Berkshire Hathaway to Keller Williams (kwELITE), the world’s largest real estate company when it comes to agents and sales volume. It comes after she partnered with an Omaha office and owner of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, Jeff Cohn, who also transitioned to the same company, with Mueller to form one massive agency that serves Columbus and Omaha, as well as other parts of Northeast Nebraska and Western Iowa.
Mueller is the broker for all offices under the partnership. The partnership has brought even more agents to the team in recent weeks, and much added technology. This is going to be crucial for keeping the agent at the center of the transaction and giving more opportunities to the consumers they serve, she said.
“We all align very well and this was the perfect joint venture,” Mueller said, noting Cohn is also the owner of coaching company Elite Real Estate Systems that offers the annual Team Building Summit, monthly workshop and weekly coaching calls. “People have asked why I am bringing Omaha to Columbus, and I tell them we’re not, We’re bringing Columbus to Omaha. This was in the works for the last few years and it’s all finally coming to fruition.”
Mueller’s agents are undoubtedly pleased with the change. Realtor Shalynn Spitz said the transition has been going well and that everyone is excited about the added businesses and opportunities within the organization.
“It’s been great, fantastic. There are a lot more opportunities for clients and agents,” she said. “We help one another get through all our struggles with the new technology … We’re in it together for sure.”
Even though the switch to kwELITE (Keller Williams) is new, it has been a goal of Mueller’s for several years that she knew would take some time to get all of the moving parts and pieces together.
“In 2017-’18 I traveled around Nebraska and surrounding states, visiting top Brokerages and teams to see what the best fit was. I knew then that Keller Williams was the way I wanted to go,” she said. “But timing is everything and it did not happen as fast as I had wanted.”
Despite the change and expansion, Mueller’s commitment to her hometown remains strong as ever. She has been part of several residential subdivisions here in town with plans to do even more. She constructed the Parkway Plaza building off Lost Creek Parkway that now features not only her business, but Applied Connective Technologies, Charter Title & Escrow, All Makes and, of course, Big Apple Bagels. She is a co-owner of the local franchise that opened up about a month ago. Great Plains State Bank purchased the land adjacent to the Plaza and it is anticipated that they will be done building in the fall of 2020.
“I’ve been part of Columbus’ growth for 20-plus years, and I’m fully invested in it,” she said. “I’m not going anywhere. I think change can be good, sometimes it’ s necessary for growth and we could not be more excited about how quickly just that is happening.
“If you stop learning and growing, you might as well give up. I believe you have to always be learning and growing.”
Next up, Mueller is in the process of getting a virtual reality room setup in the Parkway Plaza building for clients. The idea is for people to be able to get a feel for what their finished home will be like once the construction is done while it’s being built.
“This type of technology will be just a small piece of what sets us apart, and at the same time I want to help bring the community together in any way possible,” Mueller said. “I’m very excited. Now it’s just looking forward to the continued expansion.”
Keller Williams Announces New High Tech Market Center, KW Elite
ON
Original Article: https://strictlybusinessomaha.com/news/business/keller-williams-announces-new-high-tech-market-center-kw-elite/
On December 10, it was announced at the FutureCon Tech Conference in Las Vegas that Keller Williams (kw.com) is preparing to open KW Elite, a new Market Center in West Omaha. Jeff Cohn, a native of Omaha and founder of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, will lead the new venture with his team of 35 agents. The 10,000-square-foot campus was built to be modern and consumer-friendly. KW Elite is located in the Advent Building at 17838 Burke St.
The high-tech office will be a one-stop destination to aid buyers and sellers in numerous areas of the buying and selling process, such as acquiring a mortgage, title, insurance services, and more. New technology features are planned to be included as well, such as virtual reality rooms for touring homes, a state-of-the-art training facility, and artificial intelligence. The new building is anticipated to create nearly 250 jobs for the Omaha area.
Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate technology franchise by agent count, has more than 1,000 offices and 180,000 associates. The franchise is also #1 in units and sales volume in the United States. In 2019, Fast Company named Keller Williams the #1 “Most Innovative Company” in real estate. In 2015, the company began its evolution into a technology company, now building the real estate platform that agents’ buyers and sellers prefer. Since 1983, the company has cultivated an agent-centric, technology-driven and education-based culture that rewards agents as stakeholders. For more information, visit kw.com.
Gary Keller walks into Berkshire Hathaway’s backyard and takes its top team
Jeff Cohn sold 615+ homes last year
TRD NATIONAL /
December 10, 2019 02:12 PM
Berkshire Hathaway’s residential brokerage just lost one of its biggest stars to its chief rival Keller Williams. In its own stomping grounds of Omaha, Nebraska, no less.
Jeff Cohn and his 35-person team, Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, plan to join Keller Williams in January, the company said. Cohn’s team is No. 1 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, with 617.5 transactions last year, according to research firm RealTrends. Those deals were valued at more than $100 million.
Before readers write off this top agent in Nebraska, consider this: With a population of 466,000, Omaha’s median sales price last year was $179,000 last year, up 5.3 percent year-over-year, according to Zillow. And the market is heating up. The median price among 2,300 homes currently listed for sale is $237,900.
Jeff Cohn and Josh Team, president of KW, on stage at futuRE
According to Keller Williams — the massive franchise that is fighting to retain its stronghold in an increasingly-competitive field — Cohn plans to launch 100 “expansion teams,” or teams that will report back to him from other cities. “Keller Williams captures what my vision of a team looks like,” Cohn said in a statement. “Other big brokerages just can’t seem to make expansion work with their model.”
Austin-based Keller Williams says it is the largest brokerage franchise with 185,000 agents worldwide. During the third quarter, it reported $101.7 billion in sales in the U.S. and Canada, up 8.8 percent year-over-year. But amid competition, Keller’s agent count dropped 4.5 percent year-over-year.
To counter industry headwinds, Keller Williams is betting heavily on technology. The firm is also partnering with Offerpad to expand its instant home-buying program.
Warren Buffett loses his top agent to Keller Williams
Jeff Cohn will oversee new “tech-driven” KW office near Buffett’s home in Omaha
Original Article: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/warren-buffett-loses-his-top-agent-to-keller-williams/
Warren Buffett, the world’s most famous investor, got some mud kicked in his face this week. His real estate brokerage, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, lost one of its top producers to rival Keller Williams in Buffett’s own backyard: Omaha, Nebraska.
Jeff Cohn and his 35-person team, Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, will be moving to a new technology-driven Keller Williams “Market Center” in West Omaha, the company said this week. The new office is a 15-minute drive from Buffett’s five-bedroom home on Farnam Street, on the west side of the city.
Buffett bought his Omaha home for $31,500 in 1958. It’s now valued by Zillow at about $1 million. Buffett often refers to it as the “third-best investment” he’s ever made, after the wedding rings he purchased for his first wife, who died in 2004, and for his second wife, for their 2006 marriage. Forbes puts Buffett’s net worth this month at about $88 billion.
“We’re excited to announce that we’re going to be officially launching a Keller Williams franchise in West Omaha on Jan. 1,” Cohn said in a Facebook video he posted on Tuesday. “We believe having a one-stop solution for the consumer is the future, and going into this next decade, it’s imperative that we’re serving our clients at the highest level.”
In an interview, Cohn said one of the main reasons he decided to move to Keller Williams is its emphasis on tech. In the last three days, he’s gotten calls from over 30 agents who want to join the new office from other companies, he said.
“For real estate companies to continue to exist they are going to have to have a huge emphasis on technology while keeping the agent at the center of the transaction,” Cohn told HousingWire. “Otherwise, what happened to Blockbuster will happen to the real estate industry.”
Cohn’s team was No. 1 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in 2018, according to RealTrends. It’s on track to be No. 1 for 2019, said Cohn, who hosts the Team Building Podcast on iTunes. For the last six years, Cohn’s team has been No. 1 in Nebraska.
A year ago, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices lost its 2017 top producer when Mike McCann, “the real estate man,” jumped ship for Keller Williams in Philadelphia.
KW Elite to debut Omaha Market Center in 2020
Posted: 11:09 AM, Dec 19, 2019
Updated: 4:50 PM, Dec 19, 2019
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – — One of the largest home buying companies in the country will expand in a major way in Omaha next year.
Its main goal is to modernize the home buying process.
Jeff Cohn, who’s now the CEO of kwElite, says he’s working to create a real estate office of the future.
“The focus of the new Keller Williams office is to be centered on the consumer and give the agent a tech-empowered office so they can give the consumer the best experience possible,” he said.
Cohn tells us they’ll be using virtual reality, which will allow home buyers to see their home potential home before stepping a foot inside.
“Inside of our office we’re going to have tech rooms including virtual reality rooms that allow a consumer to look at properties that both exist and are in the construction phase that don’t exist yet, he said. “All in a virtual world with Oculus goggles.”
He says the technology will revolutionize home buying.
The advancement of technology will facilitate the buying process and the selling process in that it empowers the consumer the ability to look at properties from their home and narrow down their search to maybe their top 3,” he said. “Which saves them time and money.”
Cohn says he the new 10,000 square foot market center will provide more then 250 jobs.
“It will serve as the hub to expand into 100 different cities across the United States to help bring them this tech-empowered strategy while also offering their consumers and their agents ancillary businesses like mortgage insurance and investing,” Cohn said.
The new market center will also include a state-of-the-art training facility, and Artificial Intelligence to better serve customers and agents.
Berkshire’s Buffett loses top real estate agent to huge rival
‘Have to have a huge emphasis on technology’
Original Article – https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/berkshires-buffett-loses-top-real-estate-agent-to-top-rival
Less than one month after missing out on the $5 billion acquisition of a tech company, Warren Buffett got more bad news.
Buffett’s real estate brokerage, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, lost one of its biggest stars to rival Keller Williams Realty — in its own backyard. The new office for the departing CEO of Omaha’s Real Estate Group, Jeff Cohn, and his 35-person team is just a 15-minute drive from Buffett’s five-bedroom home in Omaha, Nebraska, according to HousingWire.
“We believe that having a one-stop-shop solution for the consumer is the future, and going into this next decade, it’s imperative that we’re serving our clients at the highest level,” Cohn said in a Facebook video. “Within our office, you’re going to have access to mortgages, title insurance, along with other amenities to make your experience the best possible.”
Cohn and his 35-person team plan to join Keller Williams in January, he said. Last year, Cohn’s team was No. 1 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, with more than 617 transactions (worth a combined $100 million), according to research firm RealTrends.
Cohn told Housingwire that one of the main reasons for the switch is Keller Williams’ emphasis on tech. Already, he’s received calls from about 30 agents who are interested in joining the new office from different companies, he said.
“For real estate companies to continue to exist they are going to have to have a huge emphasis on technology while keeping the agent at the center of the transaction,” he said, noting the fate of video-rental chains that burgeoned in the 1980s and 1990s. “Otherwise, what happened to Blockbuster will happen to the real estate industry.”
In March, Buffett’s HomeServices became the country’s largest residential brokerage firm, according to a ranking from Real Trends. The Minneapolis-based company had 44,363 agents across 919 offices.
With a population just below 467,000, Omaha’s housing market is beginning to heat up. According to Zillow, which ranked the city’s market as “very hot,” the median home sales price last year was $179,000, up 5.3 percent from the year-ago period. Prices are expected to rise another 3.4 percent within the next year.
Currently, the median price of homes listed is $237,900.
Cutting-edge tech to drive new real estate center near 180th, West Dodge that hopes to create 250 jobs
By Cindy Gonzalez / World-Herald staff writer
Original Article – https://www.omaha.com/money/real-estate-market-center-near-th-and-west-dodge-foresees/article_44d5a6a0-f49d-5a4e-9cb0-309ff24ecdb5.html
A new Omaha real estate operation is set to move into a 10,000-square-foot campus near 180th Street and West Dodge Road and has hopes of creating more than 250 new jobs.
The Keller Williams franchise, led by Omahan Jeff Cohn, is to launch at the start of the year and be called KW Elite.
Cohn’s existing team of 35 agents and support staff members previously worked under the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate flag, where it was a top producer known as Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group.
The group is in a temporary location until the franchise headquarters, which they call a market center, is completed in the Advent Building at 17838 Burke St.
Cohn describes the campus as a one-stop destination that will help consumers buy and sell homes and also give them mortgage, title, insurance and investment services.
Cohn said the technology focus of Keller Williams drew him to switch teams. He foresees new employment opportunities for more than 250 people, many of them residential real estate agents but also experts in the ancillary services that could extend their business to Keller Williams teams across the nation.
“I believe the agent and consumer demand a virtual office solution going into this next decade,” said Cohn, who said his team over the past 13 years had nearly 5,000 transactions. “This hybrid model allows them to complete almost every task virtually, while still providing them with a physical footprint.”
Jeff Cohn to Lead New Keller Williams Market Center Coming to Omaha, Along with New Jobs in 2020
(OMAHA, NEB. December 10, 2019)- It was announced today at the FutureCon.Tech Conference in Las Vegas that Keller Williams will be launching a new Market Center in West Omaha – KW ELITE – in January 2020. Native Omahan Jeff Cohn, founder of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group, will lead the new venture. He and his team of 35 agents and staff, who are currently the nation’s #1 selling residential team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, will be making the transition in January 2020 and launching a technology-driven office.
A modern and consumer-friendly design is underway for their 10,000 square foot campus at the Advent Building at 17838 Burke Street. The high-tech office will be a one-stop destination to aid buyers and sellers, not only in their home buying and selling process, but with acquiring mortgage, title, insurance services and more. This means employment opportunities for the area as Cohn estimates 250 new jobs. The launch of the Market Center will be accompanied by new innovation as well.
Keller Williams has invested millions of dollars into Technology and innovation. The Omaha office will feature a myriad of tech solutions that will revolutionize the industry nationally and improve the consumer experience locally. Some examples include: Virtual Reality rooms for touring homes, a state-of-the-art training facility, and Artificial Intelligence. All empowering the agent at the center of the transaction to provide an exceptional customer service experience.
“I believe the agent and consumer demand a virtual office solution going into this next decade,” said Cohn. “This hybrid model allows them to complete almost every task virtually, while still providing them with a physical footprint. My focus in real estate has always been two-fold: first, serving the agent through coaching, accountability, and business mastery. Second, serving the consumer by saving them money, time, and hassle! It’s a winning combination and I’m all in!”
“We’re excited to welcome Jeff Cohn to the Keller Williams family,” said Gary Keller, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Keller Williams. “At Keller Williams we believe in succeeding through people and having Jeff on our team is a huge win for us.”
For more information about Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group and the upcoming Market Center Launch, KW Elite, visit kwELITEomaha.com.
Charity Drive- Back-to-School Backpack Drive
CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL ARTICLE WITH VIDEO
OMAHA, NE —
It’s the last leg of the annual 7 Can Help Kids Back-to-School Backpack drive with The Salvation Army. So far, more than 6,000 backpacks have been donated by the Omaha community, and stuffed by volunteers.
Organizers say volunteers are working hard as donations continue to flow in.
For example, dozens of backpacks and supplies were collected by Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group and dropped off Thursday morning.
“We kind of came to the game a little bit late, but we really felt like our team was excited about the project. A lot of us have kids and so we know the cost of school supplies,” said Melissa Boldt with Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group.
Workers from 2 Men And A Truck volunteered their time as well, loading boxes full of already-stuffed backpacks.
“People are going to get colored pencils, crayons, notebooks, pens, erasers. Everything they need so that when they show up, they’re ready,” said Curt Vincentini, of The Salvation Army.
Ensuring that every child, no matter their circumstance, is prepared to learn when they step into class.
“I think the worst thing that could happen is a child comes to school and not have what they need while their peers and classmates show up with the things that they need,” Vincentini said.
The Salvation Army said community members can still drop off donations at their campus near 36th and Cuming Streets.
Backpacks will be distributed at The Salvation Army’s Kroc Center near 30th and Y Streets and at the North Corps Center at 24th and Pratt Streets, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
On Saturday, additional backpacks will be distributed at the Millard branch of the Omaha Public Library from 9 a.m. to noon.
To get a backpack, parents or guardians must bring a photo I.D, proof of address and proof of school registration for the child.
Charity Drive- Water Bottle Drive
Caleb Sherman, 11, of Gretna, just wanted to collect some bottles of water to give to the homeless.
“They always have like a really hard time, and people are really mean to them,” Caleb said.
So between the camps and baseball games this summer, this soon-to-be sixth-grader set out to collect bottled water all though the month of June for the Open Door Mission — for a second time.
Last year, he collected about 800 bottles of water. To boost his donations this time around, Caleb reached out to his community for help.
“This year, I asked some baseball teams and the neighborhood,” he said.
According to his mom, Tammy, it was a big step.
“He’s typically reserved, shy. That is not something you’d normally see out of him,” she said.
It worked better than Caleb expected.
“The cool thing was, teams we didn’t even talk to — like one of the teams that was playing this other team — they mentioned it, and those guys event brought water,” Caleb said.
And he didn’t stop there.
“One of my friends’ dads works for a company,” Caleb said. “They donated a bunch of water.”
So far this June, Caleb has collected a lot more bottles of water than he did last year: 7,500 bottles were sitting in the family’s garage Friday as his mom tried to figure out how to get them all over to the mission.
“We’re still working on that,” Tammy said. “We don’t have anything in place yet.”
But the community responded. Quickly.
Mary Mueller, an Omaha realtor, donated use of a truck to help Caleb get his water to the mission.
“It was so inspiring, what you guys are doing,” Mueller said to the family. “We wanted to help you guys.”
Housing Market
The Omaha Metro’s housing market is booming compared to the recent past. In fact, home sales are up 13% compared to just this same time last year. It’s easy to see that 2015 is off to a strong start. That’s good for sellers, good for buyers, and good for Omaha’s local economy. We’re seeing that interest rates are continuing to stay lower and therefore keeping buyers in the market. That leads to a low housing inventory in the area. And from there, it’s simple Economics 101: Supply & Demand. With a low supply of homes and a large demand from buyers, we’re seeing a fantastic trend for sellers.
With houses “flying off the shelves”, as Jeff Cohn- owner of Omaha’s Elite Real Estate Group with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, puts it, sellers are getting great prices for their homes. On average, sellers can expect to get around 98-99% of their asking prices if a home is in a desirable location, in great condition, and priced appropriately. Cohn also goes on to say that Omaha’s sweet spot are homes priced in the $150-250,000 price range. How long is it taking to sell these kinds of homes? Months? Weeks? Try days and even hours.
“I don’t think we’ve seen inventory this low in over eight or nine years, our group has sold over 200 properties already in 2015 alone.”, said Cohn. He then went on to say, “A lot of the houses we list, literally we’ll put a sign in the yard and have multiple offers within 24 hours.”
Omaha’s economic health can be largely judged by how the local housing market is trending. With so many companies and jobs tied to real estate, it’s a great indicator that the metro economy is on the right path.
Real estate experts are focused particularly on the “Millennial” Generation right now. Economists are finding that this generation is now entering the housing market with full force. Many people that fall within the age range of this generation are hitting a stride in their careers, thus giving them more income to put towards things like purchasing homes. It’s forecasted that the Millennials will be the driving force of real estate sales for the foreseeable future, much like the “Baby Boomer” Generation has in the last several decades.
Recent Testimonials
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“Sarah was really helpful throughout the process and understand what we want, she was really friendly and we can’t ask for more. She really did a great job, even my kids love her.”
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“Morgan Putnam carries out the the mission of Kw ELITE with truly ELITE customer service. We wish her well as she is certain to have a great future in the realty business. If you are looking for a realtor to be responsive to your needs and provide second to none service in all aspects of your search, decision and purchase then simply choose Morgan Putnam as your agent.”
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“Emily was AMAZING! Exceptional market knowledge and knew/understood exactly the type of property we wanted. She's a great listener and provided the right amount and quality of feedback at all times -- even if we might not have wanted to hear it -- to help us navigate a very tight market. Outstanding negotiation skills -- knows how to get a deal done and drive both sides to best outcome. Finally, she has an extensive network of other professional that proved critical in completing the transaction plus helped us in the post transaction weeks with all the things that come up when you move into a new home. She has my highest recommendation and will definitely use her again.”
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“Man of integrity and easy to do business with!”
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“Victoria Vopalensky was truly the best through the whole process. Answering any and all questions and reminding me to stay confident in decisions I made. When Victoria didn't know, she was quick to get feedback from her team to help me make educated decisions. Quick to respond and get things scheduled. Went above and beyond with everything.”
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“Nikki King is the perfect choice for any real estate needs you might have. She is helpful, friendly, very detailed oriented and professional in every way. We had the smoothest experience we have ever had in purchasing a home. Thank you for employing such an amazing real estate broker!!”
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“Jenn Jones is a very professional breath of fresh air!!”
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“Lee did a great job explaining everything in detail about the sales process. I was expecting on selling my property for a certain price and he made that happen. I was impressed on how fast my house sold. Very satisfied with choosing Lee to be my agent.”
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“Tim and his team were quite friendly to work with and very communicative. I understood and appreciated my situation and met my expectations to a T. I would recommend him again in a heartbeat. Thank-you Sir!!”
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“Kim treated me with respect and compassion. I enjoyed the interaction.”
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“Kim was amazing. She went above and beyond for our family. I'd recommend her to my friends.”
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“Nikki was on top of every detail. We were not used to finding a home in a market that was going so fast from finding to purchase agreement. She helped us navigate through this and gave us the pointers we needed to purchase our home. I can’t say enough about how wonderful Nikki is and how well she worked with us. She was very patient with us throughout the entire experience. For all the reasons already indicated I would recommend Nikki to anyone looking for a home in the Omaha market. Nikki was the most helpful real estate agent we have ever worked with in buying homes over the past 40 plus years!”
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“Marc was absolutely fantastic in every regard and we understand why he was so highly recommended to us! We absolutely will want to work with him again in the future and have already recommended him!”
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“Sarah was very professional and genuinely interested in finding a property that met my needs. In looking at my home Sarah recommended an upgrade that will significantly improve the appearance and value of the home. After I closed on my house I discovered an exterior light that it appeared to not have an identified light switch. I reached out to Sarah and she immediately reached out to the seller's realtor to find out how the light is controlled. You will enjoy the house hunting experience when you work with Sarah.”
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“Here's the short and skinny of it: Tyson Parker knew what was going on, got things done, and must have a tongue made of gold. When we got to the negotiation phase for the house I ended up buying, due in large part to Tyson, things went smoothly and everything that I needed to get done got done. I honestly couldn't recommend Tyson more. Great guy who's great at his job.”
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“John was very understanding and knowledgeable of my situation with my condo. He was always prompt in feedback and responses of questions that popped up.”
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“Jenn Jones is a awesome agent for even a first time buyer. She is willing to offer great advice and isn’t pushy in which home to purchase. She is easy to get a hold of and is a super help every step of the way, and even after purchase. She also works with an amazing team that is willing to help out in any way.”
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“Kind and helpful and very knowledgeable”
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“I really had a great working relationship with Bud Thomsen from the start. He answered my questions and guided me in the correct direction. Very knowledgeable and friendly and helpful when answering questions.”
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“Sarah was absolutely wonderful throughout the entire home buying process. She exceeded expectations at every turn. She was available when we needed her and made the craziness of home buying actually enjoyable! We would recommend Sarah to anyone looking to buy a home.”
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“She was great and walked me through every stepped. She was so Awesome. I would recommend her to other family and friends”
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“Mo was great to us! He helped us understand the things we did not and he helped make the things we did understand even more clear than before. He was patient with us as we seen numerous homes and was always straight forward with us during the process. He was always professional and made my wife and I feel comfortable about making a life changing decision. Without Mo and people like John Major and Meriya and a number of others behind the scenes we would have been more intimidated by the process and as a result we would likely still be renting. So thanks Mo, John and Meriya for helping us find and make our first home a reality! We greatly appreciate all of you!”
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“Working with Maile Williams was an awesome experience. She is the 3rd agent I reached out to after relocating to the area. I chose Maile, because she is extremely knowledgeable about the area. Also, she was very responsive throughout the process and easy to work with. I’m so happy that I had Maile to help me throughout this process, in helping me find my home.”
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“We asked our selling agent, Dan Armstrong, if he could recommend somebody in the Omaha market and he provided us with Kim's number. We did not do any research about her because of our long-term trusting relationship with Dan. It was immediately apparent upon speaking with Kim, and then working with her, that she is an extremely experienced and knowledgeable Realtor. We really felt like we were in good hands with her and her team. Kim was very easy to talk to, down to Earth, and not at all pushy. She not only made us feel excited and confident about finding a perfect home but also made us feel welcome in our new home city of Omaha. Buying a home in this fast-paced market is stressful, especially when in an unfamiliar city. Kim's professionalism made us feel confident that we would find the perfect home (in the single day we had to house hunt in the area!) and that our offer would be accepted. She and her team have truly been a bright spot on our life-changing journey of interstate moving!”
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“I do love working with Jack Hill and Matt both are so patient with excellent communications and they are available all the time when needed. I will always recommend a friend or family to them. Thank you”
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“Lance was very helpful and patient with us as we were house hunting from out-of-state. There were multiple instances where I would text Lance an address of a home we were interested in seeing (virtually, of course), and he would immediately fire back a text saying he knew we'd want to see that one and he'd already reserved a time to go check it out. He knew exactly what we were looking for, until we changed our minds, which is when his patience was truly appreciated. When he "showed" us houses he would take multiple videos and narrate them, pointing out things he knew we would want to see or things he knew we would/wouldn't like, all the while throwing in his fun and fresh quips here and there. It really felt like we were walking the house with him. There was one home we only saw thru Lance's virtual showing, and we were confident enough in his analysis and advice that we put an offer in sight unseen. His attention to detail was fantastic and much appreciated, as the small details of each home were important to us. When it came time to put offers in, he made the process simple and easy, and offered his professional expertise and advise, but never pressured us or was overbearing. He made us feel confident and comfortable with our offers. Again his patience was on full display while we contemplated offer details, often into the late hours of the day. Once we finally found our home, and the offer was accepted, Lance walked us thru the closing process making sure we understood exactly what was going on, what was needed, and what the process would be closing from out-of-state. We felt like Lance would go to any lengths for us during our home buying process. In fact, I even asked Lance to go check out the basement of a home we were interested in during a torrential downpour to see if there was water coming in. Within the hour, I received two videos showing a very dry basement from what I can only guess was a very sopping wet (but most assuredly smiling) Lance behind the camera. We would absolutely recommend Lance to anyone looking to buy a home in the Omaha metro area.”
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“As a real estate investor it can be difficult to find an agent who understands the REI arena and the different strategies employed. Michael not only understood what I was wanting to do but was also using these same methods for his own investing. This helped tremendously throughout the whole process as he anticipated my next move and had the solutions already in place. In every step of the process Michael exceeded my expectations to the point where he get more like my business partner than my realtor. Being an out of state investor, this added level of service was greatly appreciated. I would highly recommend Michael Freed to anyone in the REI game or anyone looking to start investing.”
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“She listened to what type of home we were looking for and did an excellent job helping us find the perfect home! We loved working with Diana! She was very open and honest about everything Her attention to detail is outstanding! She is the best!! I can’t rave enough how well Diana helped us find our perfect home!!”
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“Matt was courteous and informative. He answered my texts immediately and kept me informed on the sale procedure and was direct and very easy to communicate with. I felt he was very ethical.”
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“Nikki King did a great job handling all aspects of the home buying and selling transaction. She made herself very available for any questions or concerns that we had and was always quick to answer texts. The process was very smooth and it was great working with her!!! Definitely recommend!”
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“Kim was recommended by our daughter's friend. We scheduled a meeting to get to know her, and she addressed all our needs and requirements intuitively. Kim immediately treated us as individuals, not merely as business clients. With the crazy market right now, it was great to have Kim not only understand our needs and desires, but also to understand the market. When I had any questions or concerns, Kim answered them promptly. We always felt that Kim was on our side, looking out for us. We were really impressed when Kim was able to get the buyer to change lenders in order to get an appraisal done promptly.”
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“Sarah Stumme is an excellent choice if looking for an agent! She is kind, knowledgeable, and invested in making sure you find your dream home. I would recommend her to anyone.”
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“Kim is hands down the best, I've never worked with anyone as thorough and effective as Kim. She is amazing and I would recommend her to every one, she keep us aware of what was going on at every turn. She gave immediate feedback and provided awesome guidance.”
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“Mo was great at communicating and getting back to us in a timely manner. He was able to get answers from the other relator and sellers that we were working on within a timely manner. I would recommend Mo because he is willing to get things done and make it happen. He wants to make sure that his clients are aware of what is going on and making sure that they are getting the best service they can.”
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“Kim went above and beyond for me and my family, I wouldn't recommend anyone else! Thank you so much for everything you've done!”
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“Angie was our agent when we bought the house almost 8 years ago. She did a great job then and a great job now. We had moved out of town at about the same time we listed the house for sale. Angie made sure everything was taken care of. She went above and beyond. Couldn't be happier. I have full faith and trust in Angie as an agent and a friend. Thanks again Angie.. Job well done.”
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“I had worked with Bud previously when I had purchased that house about 9 years ago. He was extremely attentive to what I was looking for, was honest, respectful, and truly helpful! I loved my home and wanted no one but Bud to help me sell it and find a new one for my growing family!”
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“Sarah was awesome to work with and did a wonderful job selling our home!!! Would defintely use her again!!!”
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“I would recommend Phil Knudson because of his knowledge, honesty and willingness to help out his clients beyond just ‘getting the house’.”
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“Always a pleasure working with Angie!”
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“Eric is a fabulous agent! He is so intelligent, thoughtful and considerate when it comes to his clients. Eric truly gets to know his clients like they are a part of his family. This was my first time buying a home and it was the most simple and easy process because Eric helped me along the whole way! If I called, he answered, if I text, he responded! When I was nervous and didn't know what to do, he broke it down and didn't make the decision(one of the biggest in my life), to be stressful. In fact, he did the exact opposite and helped ease my worry, I worried a lot! He's one of the best agents out there and it shows through in his love for what he does! I will and I do recommend Eric to people looking to buy a home! Overall my purchase experience was wonderful! I still can't even believe we got a ranch, in West O for less the appraisal came back for in this market! Even at Closing, which was scary for me, he was there to help walk me through the process. I can't say enough positive things about Eric and his commitment as an agent. I hope everyone has a chance to work with Eric when purchasing a home because he is a ROCKSTAR! When I came in to closing at kwElite, I was introduced to several people. EVERYONE was incredibly friendly and warm. I absolutely loved the entire office and team members! I couldn't get enough of the vibe there either. The office at kwElite was beyond a job, or a place of business, it felt like a home! Overall, kwElite and Eric Carraher gave the best experience when buying a new home. I couldn't have been happier enjoying what could have been a stressful situation in this market! Thank you to Eric and kwElite!”
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“1. Communication was on point with inspections. No surprises, and the inspectors were punctual and cooperative. 2. Though Andrew has never lived in Wellington heights where we sold our house, or the neighborhood of the one we purchased, he did his research and brought more to the table than I expected. May have been due to his excellent ability to build proper expectation, but all information was relevant and led to our desired outcome! 3. Price negotiation was great on the sale of the home, and I am convinced that we maximized profit due to Andrew's approach and involvement, versus doing a private sale (given my lack of experience in realty). 4. Contracts were very well broken down and simplified so that we could understand what we were agreeing to! 5. On the date of Closing, Andrew went above and beyond in running the check between title companies and explaining the process of closing on a sale and purchase in the same day! 6. Andrew's attention to detail was phenomenal! Nothing slipped through the cracks to our awareness. His recommendations in every area served us well. We are substantially pleased with his service and involvement!! I didn't pick kw Elite, I picked Andrew Peterson. But I support any business that he works for! I know that kw Elite has invested a lot in him. This guy has maybe the greatest character of anyone I've met in our generation. I intend to use him for all of my real estate needs. He provided phenomenal service, having a wealth of knowledge, and being prompt on all responses and answers. What a great experience! We're in Love with our new home, and highly satisfied with the price agreement on the house we sold!”
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“He is the eye of the storm. When all else can be confusing and crazy, Bud is calm and can explain things out. Stay with him, and the process will be smooth and worked out.”
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“Kelli did a great job on finding me a new house. Kelli is very knowledgeable on buying homes and made the process easy for me. Im very satisfied with the purchase of my new home. I will definitely recommend Kelli to family and friends.”
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“If you’re in the market for a new home, Lee Curtis and his team should be your first call. They are attentive and will go above and beyond your expectations. He provides prompt responses whenever we have a question. As a first time home buyer, he made this transaction as smooth as possible! Thanks Lee!”
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“I really enjoyed working with Kelli, she was great very patient and understanding and with this be my very first home we both narrow down what I was looking for what I needed and she was able to provide me with that”
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“We absolutely loved working with Nikki! She always made time to work with us, and she was very patient and helpful with all of the questions we had throughout the home-buying process. Nikki always did everything she could to help us and get things taken care of. We absolutely recommend her to anyone looking to purchase a home!”
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“Nikki always ensured that i was up to speed with the information pertaining to the offer and guided me trough the each step of the process once the offer had been excepted.Nikki is a consummate professional and made my buying process as stress free as i think the process can possibly be.”
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“Everything I wrote within the survey.”
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“Angie was amazing while Assisting us with locating a new home and selling ours.”
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