Peace in the Details – whether selling or living in your home – organization is bliss As a Realtor, I’m always asking Tulsa home Sellers to de-clutter their home before putting it on the market - making their closet space appear spacious and getting rid of junk that makes their home look crowded. When selling your home, it is on display and you want to make your best first impression. But what about the homes we LIVE in? Shouldn’t they be clean, neat, orderly and spacious too? Those of you who know me well are aware that I’m a neat freak and my husband collects and saves everything. During eight blissful years of marriage, we have butt heads more than once because he has stacks of stuff on almost every surface in the house. My friend Kasandra (Kas) Pittman started a business called “Pea... 08/30/2013

Allstate Insurance has named Tulsa one of the safest cities for driving. Out of two hundred cities across the nation, Tulsa, OK comes in as the 100th safest city to drive. While this isn’t the highest ranking, it is still positive information. Allstate has based this information on accident reports from their insured drivers. Their report also showed that most accidents happened at low speed levels. Last year, Tulsa ranked 95 on Allstate’s safest cities to drive, so we are down slightly but not by much. One of the biggest factors for Tulsa’s slipping is from distracted and inattentive drivers. Tulsa is also looking to change the new driver’s law by requiring each new driver to take a driver’s education class with a certified instructor. This will help new drivers be more aware of their... 08/28/2013

Not many people know it, but Tulsa, Oklahoma is home to 21 public golf courses and quite a few private courses, too. This has made the city a favorite among many golfers. Within and around Tulsa, you'll find many award-winning golf courses for professional and amateurs alike. Time and time again, LPGA stars and fans return to Cedar Ridge Country Club for the annual SemiGroup Championship. And, the U.S. Amateur returned to Southern Hills for the 2nd U.S. Men's Amateur championship in August 2009. Southern Hills Country Club is Tulsa's famed course with its Perry Maxwell design. It's among the nation's premier golf clubs and has been home to 14 major golf championships. Here is a list of the many golf courses in Tulsa and the surrounding area that you can visit: Page Belcher Golf Course ... 08/14/2013

There will be lots of cooking classes in Tulsa, OK this month. If you have ever wanted to learn how to cook many new recipes from Italian, to Mexican, to Sushi, to Asian, and more, now is the time. There will be many tasty tips and tricks that will help you cook better than ever for your family and friends. Here is some of the cooking classes you can find this month: August 7th – Vietnam style cooking with Beef Sate, Chicken Sate, and Shrimp Pho Soup at NeMar Noulles starting at 7pm. Class is $65 per person. August 7th – Culinary smoke grilling with 3 Guys Smokin’ will teach you how to cook and fix Smoked Salmon, Ol’ Red Eye Hand Rolled Sausage, Smoked Corn ala Big Guy and Kippered Salmon. Come to the Stock Pot from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Class is $45 per person. August 12 – Learn to cook f... 08/07/2013

Here’s a quick highlight of some of the good things happening in and around Tulsa, OK right now. If you are looking to relocate to Tulsa, here’s a glimpse into what kind of community you will be living in. Let Tulsa be your next home. Groups helping with school supplies You will find groups around Tulsa this Friday that are helping out with school supplies for families who are in need. Even though the tax free holiday weekend will help many families, there are still many more who will need this additional help. Around 26,000 children will get supplies from PASS this year. So, look for local organizations and churches that are helping with supplies near you. Free dental exams for children Several local dentists are offering free dental exams for elementary age children that are heading ... 07/31/2013

When we talk about Midtown Tulsa, OK many people don’t realize that we are talking about much more than a community within Tulsa. Midtown Tulsa is a cultural community made up of historical neighborhoods, public parks, lots of retail stores and many restaurants. You can walk most anywhere in Midtown Tulsa with no problem. It’s actually the best way to get around while enjoying the community itself. There are several public parks for families that include Creek Council Oak Tree, Veterans Park, Creek Stickball Park, and River Parks. They are all historic places that are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. If you relocate to Midtown Tulsa you can have an active lifestyle. You can walk or bicycle to work. The River Parks expansions are helping to make more and more of Midto... 07/16/2013

The top home peak prices in major markets across the US includes Tulsa, OK. New studies show that the housing recovery has pushed 14 major markets to peak the prices that were reached during the best housing market in America. One of them, we are proud to say is Tulsa, Oklahoma. Homes.com has recently come out with a new rebound report that shows a price performance summary on property sales across the US using data from several resources. In April, the Local Market Index showed a gain in single-family properties in all of the top 100 real estate markets, which is a big improvement from the previous year. Real estate properties in the Southwest, Midwest and South are all showing large home value gains. The 14 major markets mentioned above have doubled their peak values. Tulsa, Oklahoma... 07/10/2013

Come to Tulsa, OK and celebrate Independence Day 2013 with all the 4th of July festivities that Tulsa, OK has to offer. There will so much to do you won’t be able to do it all. Tulsa’s biggest event of the year, Freedom Fest will bring you and your family hours of fun on Independence Day. Tulsa Freedom Fest Details: Bring your family and friends to Tulsa’s annual Independence Day celebration. This is a huge event with nonstop entertainment and activities. There will also be one of the state’s biggest fireworks display and live music that night. You can set up anywhere around Tulsa’s River Park and the banks of the Arkansas River. Don’t forget your lawn chairs or blankets for the big show. There will be a flyover show around 8:30 pm by the U.S. Air Force Flyover-Four F-16 aircraft. Even... 06/26/2013

What IS midtown Tulsa? Midtown Tulsa is not just a geographic area - it's a culture, a mind-set, if you will. Yes, we love our historical neighborhoods and the architecture of our older homes, but midtown is more than that. We have the highest walkability score in our city, and we have multiple public parks. Within two blocks of my midtown home are four parks: RiverParks, Veterans Park, the Creek Stickball park and the Creek Council Oak Tree site, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. We have the highest concentration of locally-owned businesses, and we support those businesses. Whether in Utica Square, downtown, Cherry Street or Brookside, we have many restaurants, groceries, pet supply stores and a variety of retail stores owned and operated by fellow Tulsans. W... 06/22/2013

Tulsa, Oklahoma is the place to be for great summer activities for kids. In many cities across the nation it can be expensive and hard to find fun things for your kids to do. Therefore, we have found some great summer activities that all kids can enjoy in Tulsa, OK. They’re even great for families on a budget. So, no matter what your budget is, you can enjoy inexpensive things to do in Tulsa to keep your kids having fun all summer long. Summer Movie Programs: Enjoy children’s movies all summer long at the top named movie theaters for only $1 per child, some are even free. Each movie will be shown on a weekly basis with a new movie to enjoy each week. You can’t beat the ticket price, so drop by your local theater to a screening. Summer Reading Programs: Many local bookstores are joining... 06/18/2013

When it comes to buying a home in Tulsa, OK, you have come to the right place. We are experts in Tulsa real estate; therefore, we have some Tulsa home buyer tips that can help you after you find the perfect Tulsa property. Once you find your dream home in Tulsa, OK, your Realtor® will get you the seller disclosures so you will know if anything will affect your home purchase. One of the most common concerns we see in Tulsa, OK is the age of the roof. In many cases this information is missed in the seller’s disclosure. So, if this happens, your Realtor® can actually go back to the previous MLS to see what was advertised at that time. If there was a listing five years previous that said there was a new roof, then you will know the roof is only five years old. If you can’t find any informa... 06/12/2013

Please enjoy this quick look into many of the festivals that you and your family and friends can enjoy in Tulsa, OK this June 2013. Many events are annual events that local residents and visitors look forward to and some are new. For a complete list of events in Tulsa you can visit the City of Tulsa website. Tulsa, OK Events and Festivals: Leake Collector Car Show and Auction – Come enjoy the presentation of the annual Tulsa auction by the Leake Auction Company at the Quick Trip Center at Expo Square. There will be over 700 cars crossing the auction block that range from collector, high-performance, muscle, vintage and specialty vehicles. Date: Friday – Sunday, June 7 – June 9, 2013 Time: 9:00 am Location: 4145 E 21st St, Tulsa OK   Oklahoma Chautauqua – The Roaring Twenties – Each nig... 06/05/2013

It’s time for Take Me Fishing Day in Tulsa, OK. Join News on 6, Zebco and many others for Dick Faurot’s Take Me Fishing Day. Cast your lines and win a prize at one of three stocked ponds in Green Country. Catch the Big One Be one of the first 200 kids to catch a fish and you get a hat. Be the one to catch a tagged fish and you get an extra prize. Bring Family and Friends Bring out your family and friends to this fun free event at LaFortune Park and Mohawk Park East Pond. Once in the main entrance, go right at the fee booth for Jenks Veterans Park Pond. From the Creek Turnpike, take the exit north onto Elm and turn on Beaver Street in the east direction. Bring Your Camera Don’t forget your camera to catch video or snap shots of your catches. If you email them to Fishing with Faurot at p... 05/29/2013

Tips for Buying at the Tulsa County Tax Sale Auction The biggest Tulsa, OK, real estate event of 2013 could very well be the Tulsa County Tax Sale Auction the second Monday of June.  The June resale auction is pursuant to Oklahoma Statute Title 68, Section 3135 and is referred to as The Commissioner's sale. This year there are currently 1264 properties scheduled to go up for auction in the Tulsa County Tax Commissioner's Sale. This represents exciting opportunity, but there can be some pitfalls if diligent research is not completed. Properties in some instances have valid Federal, State or City liens which would have to be settled separately from the purchase auction. Here are a few tips: Register - Tulsa County Treasurer's Office at the Courthouse (500 S. Denver, 3rd Floor) Have your ... 05/18/2013

Sunset Terrace Market Report May 14, 2013 As of today in Sunset Terrace, there are nine active listings under 4,000 square feet (two over 6,000 square feet); six properties pending and 15 closed in the past six months. The sizes of homes in the midtown subdivision are so varied - from 1565 square feet to 6,000+ square feet. In this market report, we are only considering homes between 2,000 to 4,000 square feet. In this range, there are eight active properties, five pending and eight closed. The active properties vary in price from $325,000 to $675,000 with an average list price of $456,975. The closed properties range in price from $262,000 to $719,000 with an average sales price of $434,562. Average cumulative days on market are 310 with only one property selling during its first listi... 05/15/2013

Next up on the clock: 2013 Homebuyers I call myself a moderate NFL footbal fan.  I have a favorite team, I check in for updates most Sundays of the season, and yes, I am in a fantasy league.  In Oklahoma, they consider my football addiction un-impressive, recreational usage at best. I think of it as moderation.  But more than the games, I love watching the NFL draft. "With the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the favorite team that an entire city attaches too has deicided...." I love watching these guys go through their decision process.  Crunching their numbers they process hudreds of milliions of dollars in decisions.  I love watching them work the phones, check their reports, talk, think and then... Wham!  They make their decision.    "And now, next up on the clock, is the next team... 04/30/2013

Tulsa, OK HUD-Approved condos are hard to Find. For Tulsa condo owners this is a concern because FHA mortgages and Section 184 Indian Loans (for residential real estate anywhere in Oklahoma) represent a significant share of the purchase-market buying power. HUD Certified condominium complexes offer distinctive advantages over Non-Certified properties by qualifying for: 1. Lower down payments 2. Section 184 allows for 100% financing 3. 6% seller contributions = less costs at closing for the buyer 4. Debt to Income Ratios and credit underwriting are much more lenient 5. You can borrow up to 110% = purchase and remodel in one loan 6. You can do an energy efficiency loan to replace windows, appliances, water heater, doors, etc. 7. Down Payment Grant Programs and Bond money often amend FHA l... 04/09/2013

Tulsa, OK is hot, hot, hot with top events this April. There will be a lot of great events to take advantage of this month that will be great for the whole family.  Therefore, we have compiled a list of a few of the top events that you don't want to miss. Tulsa, OK Events April 2013: Sesame Street Live - April 4 - 7, 2013 About the Show When Elmo gets his furry fingers on Abby Cadabby's magic wand, there's something in the air, and Sesame Street becomes a nonstop, all-singing, all-dancing musical monttage! Grover and Baby Bear sing their highs and lows, Cookie Monster sings fast and slow, Bert and Ernie converse in song and Murray makes mouth music for all to sing along! Learn why it feels good to sing a song, but why it feels good to stop, too! What will Elmo learn about the power of ... 04/03/2013

The Tulsa real estate market has remained fairly steady the past few years, never really reaching a high or a low. For the most part, it has been a Buyer's market with different pockets of homes, different price ranges and locations selling in a reasonable amount of time. General rule of thumb has been that if a home is in great condition, staged well, priced competitively and marketed well, it should yield 95-97% of list price in a timely manner. I network with Realtors across the country and have always marveled at the California Realtors receiving 20+ offers on a property the first day on market. They have been working to educate Buyers on how to write a competitive, attractive and clean offer. And I wondered how long it would take for this shift from a Buyer's market to a Seller's m... 03/25/2013

Are you looking for the best real estate agents in Tulsa, OK? If so, you have come to the right place. Whether you are buying a Tulsa, OK home or listing your home, you want to use the best real estate agents in Tulsa that can handle all your real estate needs. You will also want an agent who will treat you as their top priority. If you’re a Tulsa home buyer: No matter if you are a first-time home buyer or you are a seasoned home buyer, we can help you find the right home, for the right price, in the right neighborhood, and the perfect home loan terms for your situation. As first-time homebuyer it can be somewhat scary to jump into the real estate buying world. However, right now is a great time to buy a home, before home prices get any higher. Home prices are expected to rise across th... 03/20/2013