Shelbi Simon, Realtor

04/05/2024

When you're in the process of looking at homes with your real estate agent, it's important to ask questions that will help you make an informed decision. Here are seven questions to consider asking:

🏠 What is the history of this property?

Understanding the property's history, including previous sales, renovations, or major repairs, can provide insight into its condition and value.

⏳ How long has the property been on the market?

Knowing how long a home has been listed can give you leverage in negotiations. Properties on the market for a long time might have more room for negotiation.

🛠️ Are there any known issues with the property?

Ask about any known issues with the house, such as structural problems, water damage, or pest infestations. This can save you from future headaches and expenses.

🏘️ What are the neighborhood and community like?

Inquire about the neighborhood's demographics, noise levels, safety, schools, amenities, and any homeowners association (HOA) fees or rules. This helps you gauge if the area suits your lifestyle and needs.

🛋️ What is included in the sale?

Clarify which fixtures, appliances, or other features are included in the sale. This can affect the value of the offer you might make.

💰 How does the asking price compare to similar properties in the area?

Understanding how the home is priced compared to similar properties in the neighborhood can help you determine whether it's a fair asking price and guide your offer.

💡 What are the average utility costs?

Asking about utility costs can help you budget for monthly expenses beyond the mortgage. It also gives insight into the home's energy efficiency.

04/04/2024

Out with the cold, in with the bloom! 🌸✨

Check out these easy ways to transition your home decor into the new season!

09/24/2022

NEW LISTING JUST HIT THE MARKET!✨

Come check out this beauty! 🤩

📍 Charming Corner Lot Ranch
🏠3 Bedroom
🛁4 Bathroom
◽️3,606 sqft
11734 Hickory Rd Omaha, NE 68144

Beautiful Modern Newly painted white Ranch on Corner Lot in a Desired Neighborhood! Come see for yourself! This one of a kind newly renovated home includes modern fixtures, brand new paint, granite countertops, new cabinets and flooring with tons of space! On the top level you have 3 bedrooms, a large kitchen with access directly to the deck. 2 bathrooms on the main floor. 2 car garage. Two large living areas, including a fireplace. In the basement you have an additional 2 nonconforming bedrooms and additonal space and storage. The basement also includes a wet bar and plenty of space for entertaining! This home has it all and won't last long!

For sale This 3606 square foot single family home has 3 bedrooms and 4.0 bathrooms. It is located at 11734 Hickory Rd Omaha, Nebraska.

09/17/2022

Fall is in the air and I’m so ready for cooler weather, comfort food, long sleeves, and everything pumpkin spice!
Looking for budget-friendly ways to welcome fall into your home?

Here are 6 ways to decorate for the season without breaking the bank 🍁💸

09/15/2022

Building equity is one of the biggest benefits of homeownership. Home equity is the difference between how much you owe on your mortgage and how much your home is worth. As you pay down your mortgage each month and as the value of your home increases over time, you’ll start to build equity!
When you sell a home in which you have equity, a chunk will go towards closing costs and the rest will be yours to keep.

But selling your home isn’t the only way to tap into home equity! Here are three of the most common ways to get equity out of your home without selling:

1. Cash-out refinance

A cash-out refinance replaces your existing home loan with a larger mortgage loan (by using the bigger loan to pay off your old one). The difference between the balance on your previous mortgage and your new mortgage amount and is how you’ll be able to access home equity and essentially “cash-out”.

2. Home equity line of credit

A HELOC (short for home equity line of credit) is a way to borrow against the available equity in your home whenever you want (up to a set limit) while making low payments. With a HELOC, the house is used as collateral for the line of credit. Similar to a credit card, a HELOC gives you the flexibility to borrow against your home equity, repay, and repeat. Most HELOCS allow up to 10 years to withdraw funds, and up to 20 years to repay.

3. Home equity loan

A home equity loan is a type of mortgage that allows you to borrow money using the equity in your home as collateral. With a home equity loan, you’ll get access to a lump sum of money all at once and will repay the home equity loan (with principal and interest) each month at a fixed rate over 5-30 years. Keep in mind, a home equity loan is considered to be a second mortgage, so you’ll have to make monthly payments for your home equity loan in addition to paying your current mortgage each month.

09/11/2022

It has been 21 years since one of the darkest days in America.
Today we remember the victims and family members affected by the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate” — Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl

🇺🇸 Never forget 9/11 🇺🇸

09/10/2022

When you start the house hunting process with a clear list of what you’d like in a home, it’s much easier to decide which homes are worth looking at and which ones don’t fit your criteria. This is one of the reasons why I always recommend my clients create a home buying wishlist before looking at houses!
Here are 10 questions to help you create your home buying wishlist:

1. What do you like/dislike about your current home?

2. Do you need to be in a certain school district, close to work, or near family? Does safety matter to you?

3. Are you willing to buy a fixer-upper or is it important for your new home to be move-in ready?

4. Do you need outdoor space for pets, kids, gardening, entertaining, or privacy?

5. How much can you afford to spend monthly on your mortgage payment?

6. How much space do you need (bedrooms, bathrooms, living spaces)?

7. What does your future look like? (Do you have a family or are you planning to start one soon? Are you looking to retire in the next 5 years? How much space will you need in the next 5-10 years?)

8. What type of layout best suits your lifestyle? (One story or two story? If a two story, do you prefer the master bedroom to be upstairs or downstairs? Do you like an open-concept floorplan?)

9. Do you like being close to amenities and shopping centers or would you rather live in a more rural area?

10. What do you absolutely need in a home and what are you willing to compromise on? (an important question to figure out your wants VS needs)

Interested in homeownership? Send me a message and I’d love to chat more with you about the home buying process!

09/09/2022

Looking to sell your home in the fall?🍁 Here are 5 things you should know **↓**
1. Curb appeal matters

You’ve probably heard the phrase “first impressions are important” and this is true when selling a house too. Be sure to rake your yard, clear out debris from your gutters, trim bushes and trees, touch up exterior paint, and keep up with lawn maintenance. Piles of leaves and overgrown shrubs can make your front yard look unkempt, and that may turn potential buyers off from viewing your property.

2. The more light, the better

During the fall months, the days start to shorten and the sun will start settting earlier. Add some extra floor or table lamps and install landscape lighting to bring more light into your home. For daytime showings, open up your blinds and curtains to let as much natural light in as possible! For nighttime showings, be sure to turn on all the lights to make your home feel bright.

3. Too much seasonal decor can be a turn-off

No one wants to buy a haunted house! Staging with fall decor is a great way to make your home feel welcoming and cozy, but just stick with few pumpkins, a festive wreath, and some pretty autumn flowers. Be sure to stay away from Halloween decor (fake cobwebbs, inflatables, graveyards, smoke machines, etc), and don’t go overboard, as you don’t want your autumn decor to be the main focus of your home.

4. Create a cozy atmosphere

Light some candles, add fuzzy throw blankets and pillows, bake some chocolate chip cookies, turn on your fireplaces, and keep your home at comfortable temperature. Make your home feel warm and inviting to make potential buyers instantly feel at home!

5. Set yourself up to sell before the holidays

As we get close to Thanksgiving and Christmas, it may be more difficult to sell your home. The holiday season is a busy time, and the market oftentimes cools down in November and December. Listing your home in September or early October is a great way to get prospective buyers moved in right before the holidays.

Have questions about the home selling process? I’d love to chat with you — send me a DM and I’ll be in touch!

09/07/2022

I think we can all agree that moving is just NOT fun 📦
You'll have to make moving arrangements, pack up your entire house, clean, organize, and then shlep all of your belongings to your new house and unpack what feels like hundreds of boxes to get settled in and make your house feel like a home. Although it’s not the most enjoyable or exciting process, I have some tips for you to make moving suck a little less!

Here are 5 moving hacks for an easier, faster, less stressful move:

1. Start packing as soon as possible! Packing for a move typically takes longer than most people expect. If you pack a few boxes each day leading up to your move date, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and will avoid the mad rush of last minute packing!

2. Keep your clothes on their hangers rather than folding & packing them in a normal moving box. Use a wardrobe box or a garbage bag (cut a hole in the garbage bag for the hangers to poke through) instead to avoid wrinkling your clothes and save time during the unpacking process.

3. Seal your dresser and/or desk drawers with plastic wrap instead of packing and unpacking them. The plastic wrap holds the drawers shut and will keep everything organized and in place!

4. Number your boxes and keep a list of what you packed in each box. Use your phone or laptop for notes to avoid losing your list during the move! It’s also helpful to mark each box with the name of the room it belongs to in your new home.

5. Pack an “open first box” with everything you’ll need within the first few days of moving into your new home (basic bedding, toilet paper, personal care items, clothes, pet essentials, kitchen tools, a first aid kit, unpacking tools, etc!)