Keeping My Resolutions While I Run Around Acreages in Omaha, NE

Happy New Year!  I know. I am a little late. The first month of 2015 is almost over. But, I have been working out, trying to keep my New Years Resolution to stay fit and time just got away from me.

While traveling around, listing Acreages in and around Omaha, it struck me how many opportunities we have to stay in shape. Aside from all of the gyms and exercise centers, we have a fantastic bike and trail system in our fair city. Did you know that??? The trail system is called, Paths of Discovery. You can find detailed information on it by clicking here. While I am looking for just a few short miles, a person could go over 150 miles total!  Some trails take you though the heart of the city. Others, like the Keystone Trail, take you through the heart of my Dundee neighborhood. While, yet others take you through acreages lands in and around Omaha and even into Iowa if you take the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge across the Missouri.

All Trails.com has a good list of what is available for hiking in and around the Omaha area. One of the places I find myself most is in the Acreage Community of Cottonwood Creek. It's just off Hwy 133 on your way to Blair, NE from Omaha. I represent that development and find myself there frequently, so I just hop on their walking trail and get a little exercise while I am promoting acreages in and around Omaha. If you are interested in learning more about that great community, click here.

Living in Omaha makes it easy to keep my New Year's Resolution. I like that I can get out and enjoy the fresh air pretty easily, no matter where I find myself throughout the day. Hope you are enjoying the start of 2015! And, if you or anyone you know is looking to move, especially to or from and acreage in or around Omaha, please send them my way. Thanks!

I'm Leafing it All Up to You...

If you live out in the country, you might not have to worry about the leaves and how to get rid of them. The wind takes care of it for you! But, if you live in an acreage community around Omaha, there may be expectations from the neighbors or even covenants about keeping things tidy. So the question is: what to do with all those leaves???

You can blow them. You can vacuum them. You can lay tarps under the trees to catch them. But then what??? My parents used to burn them. I have to admit, I really enjoyed the smell of burning leaves but that is just not an option for folks living in acreage communities around Omaha any more. And, while it might be fun to use them in art projects, how many leaf rubbings can you put on the fridge???

After doing a thorough Internet search for leaf disposal suggestions, I came across this article on the gardners.com site. They have some good ideas on how to use leaves to help fuel next year's garden. I especially appreciated the information they offered about not mulching with whole leaves but rather shredded leaves in order to be certain that water and sunlight can still get through to the new plants. Check it out. I also came across this older blog that has some good eco-friendly thoughts on how to make an informed decision about leaf disposal.

Still not completely satisfied, I continued my search for an easier way to deal with the leaves in and around acreage communities in Nebraska. Then, I came across this video that reminded me of how I felt about Fall leaves when I was younger. Seems like I have lost site of the fact that while the falling leaves can create a lot of work, they can also create a lot of fun.

Until next time...
Dick

Weather! Again...

So in my last post, I said I can't remember a Spring like this year.  Now, I have to repeat myself (and, it's not due to age...) I can't remember an August like the one we just had. I was beginning to think I should "Google" Noah and see if he was back in the construction business!

The rains have made Acreage living in Omaha, NE a little soggy. Even my old barn in Dundee was pushed to the limits on what the ground could hold.  I decided to be proactive and see what steps I could take to make sure my basement stayed dry.  Here's a very simple and easy to understand article that I found useful: How to Waterproof Your Basement

With all the water on the road, I found it difficult to navigate to my acreage listings in Nebraska and Iowa.  I know we are not supposed to drive through standing water but come on now, we know we all do it.  So, I figured if I am going to do the wrong thing, I might as well do it the right way. This link will take you to the Smart Driving site where I found some great information under the heading of Negotiating Floods.


With our country's farmers in mind and the acreage homes around Omaha that I need to show and sell, let's hope the worst is over. In the meantime, here's an amazing video recap of the entire country during the second week in August.

Wow! Until next time...try to stay dry. And, if you'd like to see one of my incredible acreage homes around Omaha, be sure to bring your boots!

Wow! I can't remember a July like this in all my years on this earth! The storms in June were incredible and now July feels like Springtime! BTW, if you are looking for a way to help those families in the Pender and Pilger areas who lost their Nebraska acreage homes in the multiple tornadoes, there are so many great opportunities out there. One of my favorites is Samaritians Purse. Click here for details. Let's remember to keep them all in our thoughts and prayers.

As I continue to work on helping people find the acreage home of their dreams, I have been reminded  of how important it is to have a copy "off site" of your belongings so that when tragedy strikes, you can hand it over to your insurance company. A great FREE app I have found for that is called Home Inventory Mobile Backup. It was developed by Binary Formations and backs up on the Cloud via Dropbox.

Another thing I have been reminded of is the necessity of a storm shelter when you are living on an acreage in Nebraska. This guy, David Botkin, has put together a great DIY video on how to build a storm shelter on your acreage home. It may be overkill for some but at least he has saved you a bunch of research time so that you can make an educated decision on what best suites your need.

Well, until next time...in the meantime, if you, your friends or family are looking for an acreage home in Nebraska, please give them my number.

So You've Found Your Dream Home in Omaha, NE...

Ok. So you've found the home you want to buy. Now it's time to prepare the home you currently live in and get it ready to sell.  Of course, you know you can call me at anytime and I am happy to assist you but to get you started in selling your home in or around Omaha, NE, I found this checklist on Real Simple to be a pretty good place to start. Click here to access it.

Basically, you need to look at your current home (as much as possible) as if it were the first time you were looking at it. If you were a buyer looking for their dream home in Omaha, NE, how would you rate YOUR home? We all tend to move into our homes in Omaha, NE with lots of ambition. I know my kitchen cabinets were the first things I planned to change...years later, they are still there.  Also, time has a way of slowly changing the condition of the walls, woodwork, etc. especially if you have raised a family since moving in. Are the walls marked up? Do you need to repaint? If you do, be sure to keep things neutral and light. Buyers are attracted to a blank slate so that they can see themselves in the home.

First impressions are critical. Is the yard healthy and weed free? Are the trees and shrubs trimmed so that they are not touching the house? How about the driveway...are any cracks sealed up? First impressions are very important. You want to be sure they make it to the front door feeling good about the home. I'm not going to go through everything on the list here but you get the idea. Keep things neat and tidy. Here's a great before/after photo of a tidied up laundry room.

Make the home look well cared for. Serious buyers will want to see every room in the house and may also ask "technical" information like what is the R factor of the wall and ceiling insulation, what are the ages of the appliances and/or roof, etc. So, it is a good idea to have the answers on hand, just in case.

Our market is heating up...There are fewer homes on the market than there were last year at this time. You know the whole supply and demand process. In the case of home buying in Omaha, NE, this means that it's a great time to Sell and a good time to Buy, but you better be making that move sooner rather than later. Prices will continue to rise as supply falls and interest rates have been slowly rising.  Check out this article by the National Board of Realtors. (While I am on the topic of articles from NAR, I have to let those of you who have interest in Acreage Communities in or around Omaha, NE know about the special financing available in rural areas. Click here for that article.)

I hope the information I have provided here gets you off to a good start. Remember, you can call me at 402-680-3945 or email me anytime at dickgibb@dickgibb.com if you want more information on how to prepare your home in Omaha, NE for sale. Until next time...

For the Backyard Farmer in All of Us

So, if you have been reading any of my posts, you know that my dream is to live on an acreage near Omaha and that I like to get my hands dirty.  I always have. Time gets filled with collared shirts and dress shoes, contracts and phone calls but when I can steal 30 minutes in the evening, I put on my jeans and head to my backyard to dig in the dirt. While I don't have an acreage plot to plant, my backyard in Dundee can produce enough Summer veggies for my family, friends and neighbors! Tomatoes are my favorite things to grow but cucumbers, beans and broccoli come in a close second.

One of the things I have become more aware of over the last few years is the quality of the seeds I use.  I always been sort of a health nut and watched what I ate but I never really considered the source of the foods. A friend of mine turned me on to Heritage Seeds. These seeds are the pure kind; the kind that my grandparents would have planted. Today's seeds have so many things done to them or added to them to help ward off pests, that is makes me wonder what those additions are doing to me! I order mine through Baker Creek because I haven't found a local source.  If you know of one, please let me know! 

Besides the crazy and unpredictable weather, something I have found challenging about gardening in Omaha is the density of our dirt. Nebraska soil seems to be mostly clay and doesn't drain well. I found that if I use a raised bed or add organic matter, such as peat or compost, it gives my plants a better environment. If you are camping out in an apartment or have a very small yard, Lowe's had a great gutter gardening video "how-to" that you can view here.

Anyway, I would love to hear some of your backyard farmer stories. What have been your biggest challenges? Tell me about a bumper crop and what you think contributed to it.  And, I would love to know your opinion on the seeds.  Meanwhile, if you are looking for a larger garden plot, give me a call.  I specialize in acreage communities around Omaha.

I Love the Country!

I love the country! Yeah, I know. You looked up my address and saw that I live in Dundee. Well, I like that area too! It has been very convenient for my kids to go to school, for me to get to work and all the other conveniences that city living has to offer.  BUT, I LOVE THE COUNTRY! That's why I love working with folks that either live in the country or would like to live in the country.  One of the acreage communities around Omaha that I represent as a Realtor is Cottonwood Creek Estates just off of Hwy 133 between Omaha and Blair, NE.  If you have never been out there and love the country as much as I do, then it is definitely worth the 15-20 min. highway drive. While there are several other acreage communities around Omaha, this one is my personal favorite! The beautiful rolling hills and the sweeping valleys just make me feel like I am on vacation every time I drive out there.  If you don't have the time right now to hop in your car, maybe this video will wet your appetite.

Acreage Communities Around Omaha: Cottonwood Creek Estates

 Video Link:
 Acreage Communities Around Omaha

One of the things I like about Cottonwood Creek Estates, is the protective covenants. They are set up to maintain the "country" feel with stipulations on home design and natural grasses that protect the personality of county living.

Of course, if you want more information on lots or homes for sale in Cottonwood Creek Estates, please feel free to email me at dickgibb@dickgibb.com or call/text me at 402-680-3945.  If you watch the video or take the drive, please let me know what you think. Does this make your top 10 list of acreage communities around Omaha???