The Spring Season Has Officially Arrived

Spring is here, and the warm weather has arrived. Flowers will soon be blooming, and gardens will be flourishing. Jumpstart your outdoor activities this year with resources from Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Kansas City Homes. From patio redecorating and spring cleaning to crowd-favorite recipes, check out tips from our Better Living Blog.

A Beautiful Succulent Display

Known for vibrant colors and delicate textures, succulents are drought-tolerant plants that are easy to maintain. A mini succulent garden can add a pop of color to spruce up your outdoor area. Making the garden is as easy as one trip to the local nursery. 

Supplies

• 18-inch-diameter, 8-inch-deep pot     

Tradition Home Group From Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Kansas City Homes’ Northland Office Wins Top Team in International BHGRE Network

Longtime friends and business partners, Shannon Stumpenhaus and Nickole Stark are the team leads for Tradition Home Group (THG) from the Kansas City Homes’ Northland office. No strangers to recognition, Tradition Home Group is routinely named in the top teams at Kansas City Homes. 

THG received the Emerald Elite award for the #1 Team in Volume and the #3 Team in Units in 2020 for the entire Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate international network, spanning 350+ offices and six countries. This award is presented to the top 1% of agents and teams in the BHGRE network.

In our recent interview with Nickole

The Average Down Payment For All Homeowners is 12%

One of the most common misconceptions about buying a home is the amount you need to pay for a down payment. The common value we hear is that you need to have a 20% down payment or you will not be able to buy a home. Will not having a 20% down payment make or break my home purchase? Absolutely not. 

While having a significant down payment can help save you money in the long run, it is far from required in today’s marketplace. First-time homeowners average a 7% down payment when they buy their home. All homebuyers average 12% and repeat homebuyers average 16%.

For many potential homebuyers, the down payment is an area where a majority of uncertainty is centered. More often than not, it is the

In the early months of 2021, the blazing hot real estate market is continuing across Kansas City. In December alone, in Johnson County, closed sales rose 19% over last year according to the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®.

This means buyers are still in the market and are still looking for their dream home. With cold weather and snow on the way, improving your curb appeal now will lead to a sold sign in your yard faster than ever. Let’s take a look at how you can increase your curb appeal and reach your goals in 2021.

Tip #1 - Keep Your Driveway and Walkways Clean

With snow on the way across the metro, no one wants to worry about slipping on their way into a showing. Do your part by keeping your pathways clear from snow and

Goering Assumes the Title After Darrel Stiles Retires

Kansas City Homes’ agent and Assistant Broker, Alex Goering, has been named Managing Broker of the Blue Valley office. He took over on January 1st of this year.

This change is part of the office’s succession plan. Stiles selected Alex as his replacement, and the two worked together to ensure a smooth transition that took effect when Stiles officially retired on December 31st, 2020.

Alex, already a decorated and successful agent and former team lead for the Goering Group, is ready for the new role. In 2017 he was awarded Salesperson of the Year from the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®, and in 2019 Kansas Association of REALTORS® awarded him Realtor Salesperson of the Year. He

A monumental year closes for Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Kansas City Homes

Historical, monumental, and record-breaking are all words you could use to describe the real estate market in 2020. From a worldwide pandemic to the lowest mortgage rates we’ve seen in decades to a housing boom in the mid to late summer, the Kansas City real estate industry was challenged to say the least. It was a welcomed challenge at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Kansas City Homes and one we not only rose to meet but excelled in doing so. Let’s look back at how 2020 became one of the most significant years in both real estate and Kansas City Homes’ history. 

In 2020, our BHGenius Training platform was developed to provide our agents elite-level real estate

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has named Christian Barnes as the 2020 REALTOR® of the Year for the state of Kansas.

NAR describes the REALTOR® of the Year award, “Annually, each state REALTOR® association recognizes one member who has done exceptional work to advance their associations and the real estate industry with the REALTOR® of the Year award. These members epitomize what it means to be a REALTOR®.”

Epitomizing what it means to be a REALTOR® is not foreign to Barnes, who has one of the most decorated real estate careers in the industry. Growing up with parents who are both real estate agents, Barnes learned the best strategies to be successful from an early age. The Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® named her

Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate Kansas City Homes Agent Sarah Rupp is Inaugurated for Her Outstanding 2020 Performance

Kansas City Homes Northland agent Sarah Rupp was crowned by broker Kristi Ferrara in a laughter and smile-filled video which you can see below. The 10,000+ member KCRAR announced Sarah’s victory yesterday evening and offered their congratulations to an outstanding year of real estate. 

Sarah brings a wealth of experience to her clients that has been cultivated from years of working in one-on-one service. Her work ethic and passion for helping people is what drives her every day. When she learned of her winning Newcomer of the Year, Sarah commented:

“Earning this award was by no means a lone endeavor, I would like to thank

The princess was ready to embark on an adventure and sell her castle....

She picked an excellent time to enter the castle market. The real estate industry in her kingdom was hot and everyone wanted to buy a new home all across the land. 

Now that part is not fantasy. Bringing it back to reality, the real estate market in Kansas City is blazing hot, even now in the usually slower winter months. All across Kansas City, homes are selling at a record pace, averaging less than 23 days from initial listing to a signed contract. The median sales price of homes in Kansas City rose almost 20% last month to $233,000 while inventory decreased 46%. Positive growth has been shown in pending and closed sales for the last three months. 

If any of that

Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® Elected Premis This Week to a Three Year Term Beginning in January 2021

Prairie Village/State Line Managing Broker Annie Premis has been elected to the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS® (KCRAR) Board of Directors. She was elected in November of 2020 in the At-Large Broker-Owner/Managing Broker category, and will begin her three year term in January of 2021. 

The directors of KCRAR are notably tasked with making all the decisions for the association and for the realtors who are members. The directors are all member-appointed and represent “different areas of practice and geographic regions.” Annie joins fellow director and Blue Valley office agent Cindy Cunningham as well as Leawood Broker