Well, we're making progress.  It appears that we've finally moved out of Winter!  However, it's not yet Spring.  We have entered the season of YUCK.  Anyone who lives in a place that gets snow has experienced this inevitable season. 

The first snowfall is magnificent.  Big, fluffy flakes falling gently to the ground.  Houses are transformed to gingerbread with frosting, and the pine boughs sag as they struggle to grasp their new white blanket.  Then the temperature drops and ice crystals appear as diamonds embedded in the snow mounds everywhere you look.

After a month or two of shoveling, snowblowing, and plowing however - the whole landscape seems to transform to a muddy, sandy, salty mess.  It's impossible to keep a shine on your car, sand and gravel are tracked into the house, and there's no clean snow left for the kids to enjoy.  Then the temperature begins to rise through the 30s and into the 40s and the snow begins to recede.

The landscape transforms once more into patches of brown grass lined by small mounds of dirty slush.  Welcome to the season of Yuck...the time when Omaha looks its worst.  Looking at what's left on the ground, you'd think we were a city of smog-belching industry instead of a city of banks, insurance companies, Fortune 500 company headquarters, universities, and hospitals!  The skies remain overcast so that the scenery is no longer white or green or any color at all - it is merely gray.

If we can just make it another month or so, color and life will begin to reappear, and Omaha will get back to its own beautiful self. Spring can't come too soon!

If you've been thinking about buying a home in time to take advantage of the federal tax credits, you should be looking now!  First time home buyers can still get the $8000 tax credit, and other buyers can qualify for up to $6500.  But you must have a signed agreement by April 30,2010 and close by June 30, 2010.  Contact us if you have questions on these programs or your qualifications to participate, and we'll be happy to help.

This is one of the best times I've ever seen for buying a home.  In addition to the tax credits, you have an abundance of inventory (homes for sale), some very motivated sellers, and extremely low interest rates.  This unique combination of circumstances will not last long in my opinion.  The weather in Omaha seems to be warming (finally) so it's time to get out there and find that new home you've been talking about!

This week I've been working with a delightful couple that has come to Omaha to serve our country at Offutt Air Force Base.  Spending time with them has caused me to think (even more than usual) about my son, Senior Airman Michael Stuenzi. 

Michael has been deployed from his home base in Anchorage, Alaska and will be heading back to Iraq next week.  As usual, his mother and I have mixed emotions of both pride and fear.  You see, my son's specialty is EOD - explosive ordnance disposal.  In other words, he's a "bomb guy" like the ones recently featured in The Hurt Locker.

From the sounds of it, Michael will be a little safer in Iraq than our troops currently in battle in Afghanistan, and we're grateful for that.  But his job is still dangerous, as is any military job in any war zone.  We pray for him, and those with whom he serves, every day. 

Michael, like so many other warriors, shrugs off the danger.  He says, "It's my job."  But we know it's much more.  What Michael does is stand against those who would destroy us.  He and his fellow Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines preserve those inalienable rights bestowed on us by our Creator - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  They keep the battle from moving here to the streets of Omaha, Nebraska or anywhere else within the borders of our country.

I love you Michael.  Please God, keep him safe.

The motto of Omaha Buyer's Broker is "Changing the Way Omaha Buys a Home."  And we are doing that one transaction at a time!  As more and more consumers experience buying a home with the help of a counselor and advisor (as opposed to a salesperson), word is spreading.  Especially when they find out that it doesn't cost them anything.  Indeed, about 90% of our business comes from referrals.

But, our long-term goal is to have an even bigger impact.  Our office here in Omaha is being built as the prototype for an eventual national franchise.  Out of the dozens of real estate franchises in the country (Century 21, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, etc.) there is NO franchise for exclusive buyer brokerages.  And as well-educated homebuyers begin to consistently demand their own representation, we want to be there to meet that need.  Through our national franchise, we hope to change the way all of America buys a home!

Exclusive buyer representation means that we never represent sellers.  As a retired attorney, I don't want to find myself in a situation where I am attempting to represent both sides of a transaction where the two parties have adverse interests.  I decided the only way I could avoid that is to only and always represent one side.  We don't have listings of any kind, and therefore no motivation to "push" a particular property for sale.  Our only motivation is to find absolutely the best house for you, at the lowest price and best terms.  That house might be listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), it may be for sale by owner, or new construction.  It doesn't matter to us where we find the house - only that we find it! 

We accomplish this by first listening carefully to your needs and desires for a home.  Then we:

• find those that best meet your criteria,
• help you narrow the choices,
• help you determine market value,
• write an appropriate offer,
• negotiate on your behalf,
• ensure proper inspections, title work, and appraisals
• and guide you through every step of the process to a successful closing.

Our clients include first time buyers, luxury buyers, investors, relocating executives and physicians, and those who plan to have a custom home built.  Our systems and processes are all built around you, the buyer, and help to make the experience enjoyable and exciting!  We invite you to try the new way to buy a home!

Americans are some of the most giving people in the world.  Fortunately, (at least for now) the government supports our philanthropic tendencies by allowing tax benefits for charitable contributions.  But for most philanthropists, the tax benefits are just icing on the cake.  The real driver in most charitable giving is to provide a benefit for institutions or causes we care about; to impact our community for the better; and to help others.  In short, giving to others helps us lead not just a life of success, but a life of significance.  The crisis in Haiti is the most recent example, with donations from private American citizens far surpassing the support of any world government, including our own.

I recently subscribed to a free publication called Imprimis (it means “in the first place” or “above all”).  It primarily consists of speeches from major conservative thinkers, and is provided at no cost from Hillsdale College in Michigan (imprimis@hillsdale.edu).  The January issued provided a transcript of a speech by Adam Meyerson, President of The Philanthropy Roundtable.  In that speech, Meyerson cites “three reasons why America is the most charitable country on earth.”  He says:

1.  First, we are the most religious people of any leading modern economy.  Americans who attend church or synagogue or another form of worship once a week give three times as much to charity as a percentage of their income as do those who rarely attend services.

2.  Second, we respect the ability of individuals, and associations of individuals, to make a difference.  Americans don’t wait for the government or the local nobleman to solve our problems; we find solutions ourselves.

3.  Third, philanthropy is an important part of our nation’s business culture.  Some of the best-known business people in America are also among the most generous.

Let’s hope that the rapid increase in government regulation of charities; increased taxation of individuals and businesses; increase  in the government “nanny” taking care of everything we need; and its general interference in our free market / capitalist system – doesn’t obliterate our ability to continue being generous!

You never know exactly what to expect during the winter in Omaha.  Oh we know that there is a distinct winter season, and it will be cold.  But we've had winters with very little snow, and winters like this one with a LOT of snow!  The first snowfall of the season is always exciting, especially when it comes down in those big beautiful flakes.  And of course we must have a white Christmas! 

But once we move into the New Year, and on to Groundhog's Day and then Valentine's Day, the Currier and Ives postcard outside our window begins to look more and more like the gulags of Siberia.  We've had a few months of shoveling, of scraping windows, of freezing wind chills, of bundling up, and of dirty snow and slush along every street.  We ponder how lucky we are that we're in the middle of global warming - otherwise things would really be bad! (wink) And we begin to pine for spring.

But as winter grinds on, I am reminded of why I love living in Omaha and hated living in Florida.  It's not because of the winter cold.  It's because of the variety.  Nothing beats having four distinct seasons, and nothing is more boring than having the same old weather every day.  Those who live in Florida and California and the Deep South don't know what they're missing.  And I'm going to keep telling myself that for at least another month!

Throughout American history, real estate has been an outstanding investment for many families and corporations.  The Catholic Church is said to own more land globally than any other organization on the planet.  And a McDonald's CFO is quoted as saying, "We're not in the food business.  We're in the real estate business.  The only reason we sell hamburgers is because they are the biggest producer of revenue from which our tenants can pay us rent."  Most of the wealthiest families in America own lots of real estate, and the most prominent businessmen in any city typically own a lot of property.

So what makes real estate such an attractive investment? 

1. It's a limited commodity - "they aren't making any more land." 
2. It has a history of appreciation over time.  Sure, the market is cyclical, and occasionally it makes a BIG correction as it did the last couple of years.  But when the government keeps out of it, and market forces control, it tends to be a stable investment - slow but steady growth over the long term. 
3. Real estate offers some great tax benefits, and the politicians usually won't mess with them because people raise a huge stink whenever changing the rules is mentioned. 
4. It's an investment that can be leveraged.  If a $100,000 house appreciates 3% in a year, you might think that's a 3% return on your investment.  But if you bought that house with only $3,000 down, and that's all the cash you have invested - it's actually a 100% return!
5. It's an investment that can provide great cash flow if purchased correctly.

If you've been thinking about becoming an investor, there are several things that have come together to make it an excellent time to get started.  Excess inventory and a tough economy have brought prices down to affordable levels.  Some properties have been on the market for a long time - there are deals to be had.  Interest rates are at historic lows.  Of course, cash is king.  You can get the best deals if you can pay cash and close quickly - especially when lenders have tightened up their qualification requirements.  If you live in Omaha, and are ready to get into real estate investing, I'd love to help.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released the "Shopping for Your Home Loan: HUD Settlement Cost Booklet 2010."  While that's a pretty boring title, it's actually a very useful publication for home buyers, and I recommend it if you're in the market to buy a home.  But within Section IV, page 6 on "Shopping for a House," it excited me to read these words:

It is your responsibility to search for an agent who will represent your interests in the real estate transaction.

Of course, I would fully agree.  Our real estate company is different from all the others in Omaha - because we don't have listings and we never represent sellers.  When I retired from the practice of law, and opened Omaha Buyer's Broker, I wanted to be a trusted advisor and counselor - not a salesman.  Plus, I never wanted to be in a situation where I'd have to work as a "dual agent" (a contradiction in terms) or where I'd have a potential conflict of interest in promoting a house to my buyer that my company was being paid to sell for the seller!  The only way I could see to avoid that, was to work exclusively with buyers.  And that's what we do!

There is some confusion in the marketplace between a buyer's agent and an exclusive buyer's agent.  An agent who works for a traditional real estate company may call himself or herself a buyer's agent because he or she works primarily with buyers.  However an exclusive buyer's agent works ONLY for buyers, and works for a company that works only for buyers.  That way, neither the agent nor the agent's company has any particular house to promote. 

Instead, we're able to find out exactly what our clients want and need, and then search the multiple listing service, for-sale-by-owner homes, and new construction to find the perfect fit.  Then we help determine the market value and work with our client to craft an offer, negotiate with the seller, and ensure that our clients are well-served by inspectors, title companies, and lenders. 

For once in my life, I actually agree with a government bureaucracy - homebuyers should use an exclusive buyer agent when they buy a home!

Well, here we are in the second week of a new year - 2010!  Over the holidays, I traveled with my wife and kids by car, first to Maryland for Christmas at my daughter's house, and then to the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a family reunion.  I'm the oldest of 10 children, and along with my parents, my siblings and their spouses, and more than 30 "kids" of various ages, we gathered for a week in a beautiful 18 Bedroom House on the beach.  You can check it out here:  http://www.twiddy.com/homes/4x4/ocean-beach/the-mark-twain.aspx.  

It was chaotic at times, but always fun!  Great conversation, food, games, music, skits, photographs, beachcombing, late night discussions, catching up on individual lives, and more food!  Every time we get together like this, we have to wonder if it will be the last time we'll all be assembled in one house.  As the family grows, and kids get married and have more kids, we're running out of places that can hold us all.  But it was a time of creating memories that we'll always share.

Omaha has just come through a few days of extreme cold (highs around zero on some days) and a couple of big storms in close succession have left large piles of snow everywhere.  I can only see out of the top half of my office window because snow drifts cover the lower half! 

But in spite of the cold and snow, I'm happy to be done with 2009 and moving with confidence into a brand new year of possibilities.  During 2009 we refused to participate in the recession, and we're carrying that policy with us into 2010 as well.  After 54 years of life, I don't bother anymore with New Year's resolutions.  I just try to live a life of continual improvement!  But a new year does provide a logical opportunity to stop and count the blessings and lessons of the year past, and take some time for thinking and planning for the year ahead.  I hope your year is happy, healthy, and prosperous!

Merry Christmas!  I say that without apology.  I truly do wish you a Merry Christmas!  (If you'd rather have happy holidays instead, knock yourself out!) 

Like the vast majority of Americans (whether Christian or not) I celebrate Christmas.  And in my experience, my friends of other faiths don't mind me wishing them a Merry Christmas either - it IS a national holiday after all.  Even those who celebrate a secular Christmas, based on Santa Claus, silver bells, roasting chestnuts, and shopping - are celebrating Christmas!  They're not giving "December 25th presents" or "holiday presents" - they're giving Christmas presents.  They're not decorating "holiday trees" or covering the house with "holiday lights" - they're hanging tinsel on Christmas trees and hauling out the boxes marked "Christmas decorations." They're not listening to "winter music" or "season music" (as in Season's Greetings) - they're listening to Christmas music!  Unfortunately, political correctness is turning this special holiday (the word itself means "Holy Day") into a drab imitation of the real thing. 

Have you ever met anyone that was truly offended that you wished them a Merry Christmas? In 54 years, I have not. Then why do we fear to speak those words?  If someone offers us a greeting for a holiday we don't celebrate, can't we simply say, "thanks - you too" and try not to let it ruin our day?

Political correctness aside, Christmas has special meaning and lots of happy memories for many of us.  As a Christian, I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of mankind.  His example of humility and love is one that we strive (and usually fail) to emulate.  Our family enjoys having a "birthday party" for Jesus, reading the Biblical account of the Nativity, and attending church.  But we also celebrate most of the other Amerian Christmas traditions:  a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, holly and poinsettias, gift-giving, Christmas carols, lots of great food, and fun and fellowship with family and friends. 

I hope you enjoy joyous times as well.  As the song says, "It's the Happ - Happiest Time of the Year!"  Please don't be offended if I wish you a Merry Christmas.  I'm merely sharing my happiness with you.  And if you celebrate a different holiday, don't hesitate to share your happiness with me!