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Tulsa, OK Real Estate News

By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Every year, the Home Builder's Association in Tulsa holds a Parade of Homes in late June.  There are 8 price categories and a variety of subdivisions that compete against each other.  The event lasts a week and the public gets to go through all the houses. This year's winners are: $100,000-$169,999 - Mike Fretz Homes, 4723 S 177th East Place, Stonegate $240,000-$299,999 - Legend Homes, 1704 E Dover Street, Fairway Park $300,000-$399,999 - Randall J. Schwers Homes, 4903 S 165th East Ave $400,000-$499,999 - Ironwood Custom Homes, 6738 Hummingbird Court, Stone Canyon $500,000-$599,999 - Artisan Construction of Oklahoma, 6775 Hummingbird Court, Stone Canyon $600,000-$799,999 - Jim Rackleff Homes, 4310 E. 116th Place, Wind River $800,000-$1 Million - LandMark Resources, 12005 S. Lakewood, Cr...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
I have been working with Buyers who are looking at homes that are primarily occupied. If we are trying to see eight homes in one evening, it takes a bit of time to map the properties and schedule appointments. These Buyers may spend twenty minutes in a home that has possibilities and may stay two minutes if they don’t like what they see. So, if I tell you I will be there at 7 pm, plus or minus fifteen minutes, Mr. Seller, it’s not my intent to inconvenience you. You are welcome to stay at home until we arrive, then scoot out for a cup of coffee. But, please, please, don’t ask me if I can come at 6:00 instead of 7:00 or come on another day. If you’re planning to charcoal with friends in the back yard, we can walk around you! Perhaps SEEING you entertain will help my Buyers see themselves...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
Don’t be discouraged – it’s possible AND probable that you can sell your home quickly and painlessly if you follow a few guidelines. If you are interviewing more than one Realtor, seriously question the Realtor that suggests (or agrees to) the highest list price and tells you that you don’t need to do a thing to get your home ready. I have three properties almost ready to list. Each are in a stage of painting, re-carpeting, cleaning or staging. Because the inventory of homes is high, Buyers will not give your home a chance if it doesn’t sparkle and impress them the moment they see it from the curb and entry. Buyers today have much from which to choose and have little patience. They truly want a home that is “move-in” ready. And, Buyers need to see themselves living in your home. They ne...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Have you heard the news? There's a new law in town and it's aimed at making America more Green and Eco environmentally friendly.  Okay, that's all fine and good.  I like the earth.  I'm good with us being more friendly towards the planet.  Fine. But many are worried that this new bill is going to change real estate in big ways. For example, home owners might be required to put on a new, more environmentally friendly roof or upgrade their heat and air systems according to government standards before being allowed to sell their home.  Or how about this? A government inspection might be required before the house could be sold.  If the house doesn't pass the government standards, the home owner will have to pay to fix, change, repair or replace whatever is required.  That kind of reminds me...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
Tulsa's largest fireworks display will be at the River Parks near the 21st Street Bridge on Saturday, July 4th, and entertainment can be found at two locations on the east side of the river and one location on the west bank. Entertainment and street closings begin at 5:00 and the fireworks launch at 9:30. Crowds in excess of 80,000 are anticipated to attend and enjoy this Tulsa Community Celebration. As you know, Demetrius and I have the closest residence to the 21st Street Bridge. Drop by for homemade ice cream, Greek chicken, American burgers and a beer. Bring lawn chairs and bug spray. The high for the day is expected to be 105, and chance of rain is only ten percent! West bank: Kids can enjoy free inflatables, a rock climbing wall and other activities at the River West Festival Park...
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By Tom and Bev Herring, Tulsa Oklahoma Real Estate
(Coldwell Banker - Rader Group)
At Tuesday night's public meeting, city officials unveiled their new ideas of a master plan for the City of Tulsa.  The new plan will include many exciting proposals along with urban housing of many kinds and a train that will travel through downtown Tulsa and connect to all nearby suburbs.  Everyone in Tulsa knows that from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., downtown Tulsa is the place to be.  However, after 5 p.m., it's a virtual ghost town.  Therefore, there is a need for change in the city and the new master plan will be a huge help with that. In the downtown Tulsa area, there are currently around 300 residential units that are ready to be built with hundreds more on the way.  This will allow for thousands of Tulsa residents to work and live in the downtown area. Downtown Tulsa will soon be transfor...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
I'm reading a book right now called, "Leading Change."  It was written back in 1996, so it is kind of funny to read about the business culture back then in light of the recession we live in today. The first chapter talks about establishing a sense of urgency in a failing or complacent corporation.  It gives 9 reasons why corporations become complacent.  As I was reading through the chapter, I came across reason number 7.  The author states that when young employees would go out of their way to get outside feedback in regards to how the company was performing, they would be treated like "lepers."  Quote, "In that corporate culture, such behavior was seen as inapproprate because it might hurt someone, reduce morale, or lead to arguments (that is, honest discussions)." Hmmmm.  Lead to argu...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
River Parks' annual free fireworks display will take place on July 4, 2009. See below for activities and parking instructions. West bank: Kids can enjoy free inflatables, a rock climbing wall and other activities at the River West Festival Park. Vendors will offer food and beverages for sale. There will be live music from about 6 to 9 pm which will continue immediately after the fireworks display. Paid parking will be available for $5 per vehicle. East Bank: Live music will begin around 6 pm on the east bank of the Arkansas at 1924 S. Riverside Drive, the former home of the River's Edge Bistro. Concessions will be available for purchase. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets, as seating is not provided. Veteran's Park: Tulsa Parks will host their annual American Salute, an old-fashion...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
By the time you and your Realtor select a property and sit down to write the sales contract, your Realtor has probably been pointing out some areas of caution, such as wood rot or a hot water heater that needs to be raised. In the sales contract, we ask for a dollar amount for repairs, replacement or treatment for which the Seller will be responsible.  This is the amount the Seller will obligate himself to pay and must be prepared to spend. However, if you agree that the Seller will be responsible for $1000 in repairs, but only $200 is spent, the Buyer does not receive the $800 that was not spent. So, you want to be fairly accurate in the amount requested when you make an offer. Experienced Realtors can notice many things clearly visible while viewing a home. There are things that will ...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Question:  What do most people do who want to buy a house?  Answer:  Go get a loan! There may be those fortunate folks who can afford to buy their house by paying cash, but the vast majority of people will take out a mortgage. In the city of Tulsa, and in government, things don't seem to work this way. Take the city of Tulsa, for example. Here in Tulsa, our mayor, Kathy Taylor, has been working hard to make good improvements.  These are the kinds of things that willl increase tourism and keep our young folks from leaving to go to other "hipper" places to work. One of the big projects that is happening right now is the construction of a nice, new baseball stadium for our minor league team.  There wasn't anything wrong with the current stadium other than it wasn't in downtown, where the r...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
If you live in Oklahoma get ready!  Fees for not getting your license plate renewed on time are going up! The current fee structure has been 25 cents per day with a maximum of $25.00.  The new fee structure will be $1.00 per day with a maximum of $100.00 bucks.  Ouch! For those of us who are procrastinators, this may just be the wake up call we need to keep our tags current rather than wandering in after they have expired. Remember also that most of the tag agencies close at 5 p.m. and only ONE of them is open on Saturdays.  This is the one in Broken Arrow.  You can expect that it will be very crowded on weekends. So don't delay if your tag is getting ready to expire.  Save some bucks and get it renewed on time!
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Having been in the business for 2 1/2 years now, I feel like I might be beginning to understand some of the basics of this business. One of the things you learn quickly when you become a Realtor is the importance of the Seller's Disclosure.  The Seller's Disclosure is a legal document that tells potential buyers about the defects and conditions of the house. Now, I don't know the actual history of why and how this document came into existence, but I suspect that it probably had something to do with a big, "Oh yeah!", "Oh yeah!", "Well I'm gonna sue you 'cause you lied about blah, blah, blah." "Well I'm gonna sue you right back you big jerk 'cause you're..." And so now we have this form called the Seller's Disclosure, at least in Oklahoma.  I always tell my sellers that they'd better tel...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
The Business section of Today's Tulsa World reports some positive news for the Tulsa and OKC (Oklahoma City) areas. Both Tulsa and OKC are currently among the Top 10 American cities for economic performance through the first quarter of 2009.  Additionally, housing starts jumped in May.  That means that our local area builders are building more new construction homes than they had been previously.  It is important to note that the year to date total is still behind that of 2008, but in a recession any positive movement towards growth is good. If you're thinking of moving to the Oklahoma area and to one of our two largest cities (Tulsa and OKC), you'll be pleased to know that there are still plenty of existing and new construction homes to choose from.  In addition, RD loan programs (Rura...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
Presented by Modern Tulsa The Modern Tulsa Committee will be holding their first annual "Living In HiFi" modern home tour on Saturday, June 13th, 2009. "Living In HiFi" will be an annual home tour showcasing Tulsa's wealth of modern residential architecture. This year's tour will feature homes in the Lortondale neighborhood, highlighting the mid-century modern design of the 1954 subdivision. The tour will take place from 5:30p-8:30p with an after-party starting at 8:30p. For more information, contact Dustin Thames: dustinthames@gmail.com. The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture is a resource that recognizes, records, and encourages preservation of the built environment and advocates quality future development that enhances Tulsa's livability. The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture objectiv...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture will host the third annual Downtown Living Tour, a self-guided tour of five selected residences and a bonus site in the downtown area on Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June, 28, 2009.  Saturday tour hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday tour hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Advance ticket purchases will be available in May at Dwelling Spaces, 119 S. Detroit for $15 per person or two for $25.  The Patron Party to kickoff the event will be held Friday, June 26 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Patron Party tickets are $50 per person and includes two weekend tour tickets.   The Tulsa Foundation for Architecture is a resource that recognizes, records, and encourages preservation of the built environment and advocates quality future development that enhances Tulsa's liv...
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By Lori Cain, Midtown Tulsa Real Estate Top Producer
(Own Tulsa)
I have two clients in this dilemma: one is down-sizing from a midtown Tulsa 3-story condo to a one-level home, and the other couple needs to leave their midtown Tulsa starter home for something larger to accommodate their growing family. Both are nervous about how it is possible to buy/sell at the same time, so I thought I would address the steps. First, you have to put your midtown Tulsa home for sale on the market.  Unless you can afford two mortgage payments at the same time, you have to shop while you sell. Your Listing Realtor should be able to estimate the amount of time your home will be on the market, but because we don't have crystal balls - the best laid plans will sometimes surprise us. The custom searches Realtors are able to set up now allow you to view prospective midtown ...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Saw this the other day and thought it was really good. How do you read it? Opportunityisnowhere Opportunity is no where OR Opportunity is now here In today's market, how you see the world is critical to your attitude, especially in a down economy. So is opportunity NOW here or nowhere? It's up to you to decide! By Bob Haywood, McGraw Realtors"Your Real Estate Results Expert"Greater Tulsa, OK real estate professionalwww.BobHaywood.com918-272-7272
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By Tom and Bev Herring, Tulsa Oklahoma Real Estate
(Coldwell Banker - Rader Group)
The 3rd Annual Mayor's Entrepreneurial Spirit Award was recently kicked-off.  This year's competition is sponsored by SpiritBank of Tulsa.  Representatives and business leaders from the local and state levels were all there to lend their support to the new entrepreneurs getting involved in this year's business competition.  For interested entrepreneurs, you can enter the competition by submitting your executive summaries to the Spirit Award website anytime between April 2nd and May 15th.  The lucky first place winner will win the grand prize of $30,000, second place will win $5,000 and third place will win $2,500.  All prize money is being donated by SpiritBank. Many people don't know this, but Tulsa was built on entrepreneurial spirit and creative thinking.  So, for the past three year...
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Bill Bartmann says many businesses that fail do not have a good business plan; a business plan clearly defines the goals of what the business is doing    Tulsa, OK - Bill Bartmann has a lot to say about the importance of a winning business plan.  "Your business plan is an essential step in your education as you clearly define the goals of what your doing, why your are doing it and how you are going to accomplish it," said Bill Bartmann at the beginning of the lecture.  "You re not writing a novel to impress the public; you are preparing this document for yourself and for others that you will have a business relationship with, including lenders, partners, vendors and suppliers."   Bill Bartmann explained how lenders look at a business plan and come to a conclusion that they can or cannot...
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By Bob Haywood, BobHaywood.com
(McGraw Realtors)
Uh-oh, this wasn't going to be good. We were doing the final walk though in house I had listed.  We were in the laundry room when the buyer asked, "Where's the gas hookup for my dryer?" We looked and looked, but we couldn't find it.  Not on the wall where it should be.  Not anywhere else.  "Uh...there doesn't seem to be one." The back story here is that this home had had the washer and dryer in it from the previous owner prior to the walk through, along with other furniture that the homeowner had not removed yet.  The owner had moved out and now the client was seeing the house empty for the very first time...which happened to be the day of walk through.  Which happened to be the day of the closing. So when we got to the laundry room the discovery of the missing gas hook up for the dryer...
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