There were 1,411 homes closed in April this year. That compares to 1,764 sold in April of 2010 – down 20%. You can also visit highs and lows from 2010 and 2009. Most Expensive Sale — Oklahoma City Real Estate April 2011 $1,799,500 $326.59/ft. 14225 Calais Circle Oklahoma City in Gaillardia. 5,510 square feet with 4 beds and 3½ baths. The home was listed at $1,995,000. Unique one of a kind in Gaillardia's gated Club Villas neighborhood, home features a main house w/detached guest house. Main house has 3 bedrooms and the 4th bedroom is located in the Guest House, great for entertaining, There were 3 homes sold in March for $1,000,000 or more. Least Expensive Home Sale — Oklahoma City Real Estate April 2011 $8,000 $8.79/sq ft. 207 E Lee Coyle OK. 910 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.... 05/10/2011

If you are in the market for a house in or near Oklahoma City, start shopping today! Great news was released on another drop in mortgage rates. Realty Times reports that the first week in May, Freddic Mac is letting you know mortgage rates are traveling down. Freddie's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS®) indicates the 30-year fixed mortgage is now matching a yearly low of 4.71 percent. In addition, the 15-year fixed has hit 3.89 percent, another yearly low for rates. This time last year the 30-year fixed was averaging 5.00 percent, with the 15-year fixed at 4.36 percent. So for the week ending May 5, 2011, this is indeed excellent news for the consumer. Reports from Freddie Mac's Vice President and Chief Economist, Frank Nothaft, noted "Weaker economic data reports reduced Treasury b... 05/09/2011

Are you a young professional who's recently landed a job in Oklahoma City or working for Federal Government at Tinker AFB, or active military personnel PCSing to Tinker AFB, OK, and are considering purchase of a house or condo-apartment close to your new work place?  If so, this could be an opportune time to snare a great deal on a place in Oklahoma City or nearby areas.  Saving By Buying Buying a home can seem costly when you consider down payment, closing costs, property taxes, and the cost of maintenance. Happily, the rewards of homeownership can significantly offset these perceived drawbacks.   As the years pass and depending on the market, you'll be gaining equity-the part of the home you actually own. This contributes to your future borrowing power, enabling you to secure a loan o... 05/07/2011

Yesterday I had the opportunity to tour Deer Creek Village.  Deer Creek Village is located just about a mile north of the turnpike off MacArthur.  To be more specific, at NW 155th and MacArthur Boulevard.  It's super convenient to the ProCure facility, the new Farmer's Insurance campus and of course Mercy Hospital.This is more of a community than just a neighborhood because of all the features you will find.  Deer Creek Village has a clubhouse with fitness center, a swimming pool, playground, acres of parks and walking trails, a pond, basketball court and even a soccer field.  There is an active home owner's association with an annual dues of just $350.  Students attend Deer Creek Elementary, Deer Creek Middle School, and Deer Creek High School.Homes in the neighborhood range in size fr... 05/05/2011

When planning to buy a home, you understand that a home inspection will happen. As a buyer, you should ask yourself: What does this mean for me? What's covered under the inspection? If a problem is discovered immediately, how is that addressed? If later, who is responsible? Let's review some general guidelines on home inspections. Any residential property you are buying, whether new construction or pre-built, requires an inspection. Inspection is a house health check. Most every house will have some repairs necessary in order to get it in apple-pie shape. Realtytimes.com says that inspections typically address repairs that are needed immediately and repairs that might be required down the road. Should you have an inspection done before signing a contract? Absolutely! It can help you set... 05/02/2011

This is apparently one of the BIG weekends for neighborhood garage sales, at least on the north side of the city. Maybe everywhere, I'm not sure, but everywhere I've gone this week, I've seen big signs! Here are the ones I do know about: Cedar Pointe - Santa Fe, between Danforth & Covell Fenwick - NW 164th, between Penn & Western The Greens - N Meridian, between NW 122nd & Memorial Rd Oakmond - NW 150th, between Western & Santa Fe Providence - NW 178th, between Penn & Western Sonoma Lake - NW 164th, between Penn & Western Surrey Hills - Northwest Expressway, West of the Kilpatrick Turnpike The Valley - N Western, between NW 164th & NW 178th Woodvine - NW 164th, between May & Penn View 043011 Garage Sales in a larger mapIf you know of any others, please leave the info in the comments bel... 04/29/2011

Yes, the home market is still tough. As the owner, you have responsibility for the open house, and it isn't just being gone during that time. As RIS Media suggests, more homes are popping up with for sale signs, which ultimately mean buyer benefit. As you sign on with your real estate agent, you should expect a plan of action on marketing your house. It's the where, how and when will the buyer see it? No doubt your agent will have well-developed web marketing, including exceptional photos and potentially a virtual tour. Then comes the open house - the number (how many is too much?), when (get a good plan set up for times), what (do you need to do), just a few of the things to think about. Your agent will start outlining the open house aspect in the same methodical way he/she objectively... 04/29/2011

Families, couples, individuals have looked in the nooks and crannies of your Edmond house. You had expectations for each showing. Today you got an offer!  Even in favorable market conditions, to accept or not is a big decision. Your real estate agent can guide you, but the final decision is yours alone. How do you know what to do? Realty Times offers guidelines to help make it easier for you to decide on the offer path. Consider these details: Approved or Pre-Qualified: Your real estate agent can find out if the buyer has already been approved or pre-qualified for a loan in the amount of the offer. You don't want to accept an offer, and have the deal collapse due to buyer financing. You already have invested time and money in listing the house and finding another. It's just good busines... 04/25/2011

Every step towards buying the Oklahoma City home you envision is important. Big or little, it's necessary to review each choice in the process. Your real estate agent has demographic information that can save a great deal of time. According to Realty Times, there are some general areas that buyers need to review: Location: What area will be best suited for your family? Urban or suburban? If you have children, check out the schools before you start your home search. Is close proximity to walking or biking paths important? What about parks? Make a checklist of neighborhood amenities that you want, can't live without, and mark as extras. Once you have these figured out, you can move to the next step. House Size: Assess your family's needs, wants, and those extras that you would like. Then ... 04/22/2011

If you're here much, you know that I'm a tech junkie and that I love green initiatives, which is why I'm so heavily involved at OKCMAR. Perhaps you've seen my constant (and probably sometimes annoying) push for digital signature legislation over the past couple of years. Whether you have or not, today is an extra-special Earth Day, because up until last week, Oklahoma was the only state in which digital signatures could not be used on real estate contracts. Thanks to some great legislators and a lot of hard work and long hours from many of our local Realtors and affiliates, that's finally changed! If you're wondering what the big deal is, here's how you and the earth will benefit from this legislation: Buying and selling a house in Oklahoma will now be far easier, much more secure, and ... 04/22/2011

April 19, 1995.  It was an ordinary day.  We were living in Jacksonville, North Carolina where my husband was stationed at the Marine Corps Base, Camp LeJeune.  I had been out shopping for all the necessary items to make a two year old's Lion King themed birthday party as perfect as I could.  When I arrived back home I noticed that our neighbors were outside waiting for me.  Instead of approaching me, they went around to the back of the minivan to check my tag.  I later learned they were verifying that Chris and I were from Oklahoma.  Then they delivered the surreal news, the Murrah Building had been bombed earlier that morning.While the tag on our car was from Oklahoma, I wasn't.  So my reaction was like many Americans outside of Oklahoma. Full of shock and sadness.  Then my husband, C... 04/19/2011

It's spring, that time of year when homes are listed and sellers anxiously await an offer. It can be a frustrating experience in the atmosphere of a buyers' market. How do you save time, money and nerves? Just what is the best method for selling your Oklahoma City house? There are definitely trouble areas that you should address. First trust your real estate agent who has in-depth knowledge of locations, taxes, and what amenities buyers are most interested in. At this time, buyers definitely have the greater advantage. There's more inventory, giving buyers choice advantage. They can take more time and review properties more critically. According to an article from Realty Times, here are some mistakes that sellers can avoid that may save frustration, time and money. Assess: Look at your ... 04/18/2011

Quail Creek April 2011 Real Estate Market Update Current Monthly Change Active Listings 49 0 Under Contract 7 -3 Sold (February) 5 +2 High list price: $895,000 Low list price: $52,000 Average list price: $305,409 Median list price: $289,000 High sales price/ft: $110.27 Low sales price/ft: $71.99 Average price/ft: $92.27 Median price/ft: $93.32 Average days-on-market: 142 Median days-on-market: 156 Quail Creek Information Quail Creek Homes For Sale Quail Creek Recent Price Reductions Quail Creek New Listings   Originally posted on okchomesellers.com 04/15/2011

APRIL - New Homes MonthHave you thought about building a new home in Oklahoma City? What about building versus buying a home?  It's more than just a slogan: "April - New Homes Month." RIS Media reports the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) wants to let consumers know how residential construction has such a high positive effect on local communities.Think about what goes into home construction. The jobs go way beyond just houses being built. NAHB estimated that, in a classic metro area, a 12-month impact is generated for the local community. The economic movement, if 100 homes are built and sold, may include "$21.1 million in local income, $2.2 million in taxes and additional government income, plus potentially over 300 local jobs.  NAHB outlines that "home building is a key dr... 04/15/2011

If you are considering buying an Oklahoma City home, now is the time, while mortgage rates in Oklahoma City are still low. Recent news at Realty Times indicated the Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released by Freddie Mac, shows the 30-year fixed rate again increased for the third successive week. This particular mortgage rate climbed to 4.87 percent. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is averaging 4.10 percent with weekly increases of .01 percent.Reports from Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac Vice President and Chief Economist, offer hope for home buyers. The rates are reflective of employment changes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over 200,000 jobs were added in March; unemployment rates fell for the fifth month in a row showing the lowest rate in two years. Private corporate jobs increased ... 04/11/2011

Potential buyers may drive around to get a feel for different Oklahoma City neighborhoods. What does your house say? According to the real estate industry, the outside first impression may be as important as the loving care for the inside. Landscaping is an excellent path to increase property value. Research indicates that if the outside appearance of your homes goes from plain to well-landscaped, the value potential increases over 12%. Likewise minimum, unkempt landscaping may take away from the value. If you just want to spruce up the outside area of your home, think long term. How will this affect the value of my house, and what is realistic to do? Your real estate agent already knows the areas and can provide terrific guidance on improvements. Let's get started with some guidelines ... 04/08/2011

When you leave for work or play, are you confident your Oklahoma City house is secure? Security technologies have definitely kept up with the gadget industry, are less obtrusive, allow off-site control, and monitor necessary information. Parents can know when the kids are home from school and if they are in to something not allowed. Going on vacation? Without a security system, what happens if a pipe bursts, or you have concerns about your parents? If the cameras are installed, you'll know. Many of the new security tools are in the wireless realm. Going wireless eliminates the costs for labor and hardwire installations. Some of the newest cutting edge security options are innovative and cost effective, giving the home owner access to high end choices for less money. It's easy to install... 04/04/2011

 Should you buy an existing house, build a new one, or remodel your current home? Will modifications increase the value of your current house? To decide the path of buying, building or remodeling, the following offers initial information on what constitutes capital improvements for a tax advantage. Why is it important to keep accurate records for home improvements? You put energy, time and sweat into your house. While you may believe that all changes are truly home improvements, the IRS classifies it differently. Think of modifications in two ways: a) capital increases the home value, or b) repairs return it to its original state.  According to IRS guidelines, capital improvements must add value, last for more than a year, extend its life, or adapt it to new uses. Eligible Expenses: IRS... 04/01/2011

Oklahoma City Condo-Townhouse March 2011 Real Estate Market Update Current Monthly Change Active Listings 157 -7 Under Contract 37 +6 Sold (January) 13 -8 High list price: $665,000 Low list price: $26,900 Average list price: $110,627 Median list price: $89,900 High sales price/ft: $83.77 Low sales price/ft: $33.69 Average price/ft: $62.60 Median price/ft: $66.94 Average days-on-market: 84 Median days-on-market: 64 Oklahoma City Condos For Sale Oklahoma Condos For Sale – Recent Price Reductions Oklahoma City Condos For Sale – New Listings 03/31/2011

It's always interesting to hear about the history of our city, especially from those with firsthand experience/knowledge, like Steve Lackmeyer. In a recent article, he highlighted his memories of Oklahoma City's Sheraton Hotel: My sister and I had the run of the hotel that first week of January 1977. We were just kids — our father, Robert, was a partner in the development group that built the hotel and attached retail plaza. **Originally posted on the ShowMeOKC Real Estate Blog, where you’ll find out more about Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, and beyond. 03/30/2011