Kimberly A Bloem, Realtor

06/07/2026

Five things every Ames seller should do before they list this summer.

One. Get a pre-listing consultation. Know your number before the market tells you.

Two. Walk your home like a buyer. You have been living there. They have not.

Three. Decide in advance what you are willing to negotiate. Closing costs, repairs, timeline. Know your limits before you get an offer.

Four. Price it for the market you are in, not the one you remember.

Five. Give those first seven to ten days everything you have got. That window does not come back.

Save this. You will thank yourself later.

06/05/2026

Myth: You need to wait for the perfect market to make your move.

Reality: There is no perfect market. There is only your situation, your timeline, and the right strategy for both.

Buyers who waited for rates to drop in 2023 are still waiting. Sellers who held out for 2022 prices are leaving money on the table. The people who came out ahead are the ones who stopped trying to time the market and started making a plan.

Your move depends on your life, not the headlines.

06/03/2026

Nobody talks about Jewell Junction, and that is exactly why I am bringing it up.

While everyone is focused on Ames, Jewell has been quietly moving. Same serious buyers. Same demand for the right property. Just less competition and more breathing room.

More house. More land. More lifestyle. About 18 miles from everything Ames has to offer.

If you have only been looking in Ames because that is where everyone else is looking, it might be worth a conversation.

06/02/2026

Call/Text for a tour. 515-290-3745

Click the link for more information:
https://www.century21.com/homes/detail/ia/jewell/242-main-st/lid-P00800000HAqI1pW0yqsUQy1k3F1fQ31SIZNIZ7h

06/01/2026

Ames sellers, the market has shifted, and the strategy that worked in 2022 is costing people money right now.

Here is what is actually happening and what to do about it.

05/29/2026

Most people think working with a realtor is about finding the right house. It’s not.

It is about having someone in your corner who tells you the truth when you need to hear it, slows you down when you are about to make the wrong turn, and speeds you up when the moment actually calls for it.

That is the job. The house is just the result.

05/29/2026

Take a walk through one of Jewell, Iowa’s beautiful historic homes! 🏡✨

427 Anderson St. is packed with original character, including stunning woodwork, stained glass windows, built-ins, a grand staircase, and timeless 1914 charm you just don’t see anymore. If you love historic homes with personality and craftsmanship, you’ll want to see this one.

Watch the full video below, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more homes, local real estate, and behind-the-scenes tours around Central Iowa!

Step inside this stunning 1914 home in Jewell, Iowa, filled with original character and timeless craftsmanship. From the dark oak trim and hardwood floors to...

05/27/2026

The hardest part of buying or selling a home is not the market. It is something way simpler than that, and once you hear it, everything changes.

05/24/2026

"The best time to ask your questions is before you need the answers."

Most people wait until they are already under pressure to start learning how this process works. By then, everything feels urgent, and nothing feels clear.

The buyers and sellers who have the smoothest experiences are the ones who slowed down early so they could move fast when it mattered.

05/22/2026

Ames' parents, here is the math nobody is running for you.

Four years of rent near Iowa State at current rates: roughly $40,000 to $50,000. Gone.

Four years of mortgage payments on a property near campus: building equity the entire time, with the option to sell or rent after graduation.

The numbers do not always favor buying. But they often do. And the only way to know which side you are on is to actually look at your specific situation.

Share this with someone who has a student heading to ISU this fall.