Omaha Real Estate

Novozymes, Enzyme Technology Company comes to Omaha Area

Novozymes is a new company to the Omaha metro.  The facility that they are building in Blair, NE will produce enzymes for existing corn-based ethanol and later enzymes for cellulosic ethanol production. Cellulosic ethanol is produced from wood chips, stalks, and leaves as opposed to corn.

The new facility will be located on a 30-acre property at the bio-refinery campus in Blair, approximately 25 miles north of Omaha. The facility will be operational in 2010 and will bring one hundred new jobs to the area.

After reviewing locations around the world, Novozymes chose the Omaha area due to factors such as raw material sourcing, utilities supply, transportation costs, construction costs, infrastructure, and the availability of a skilled workforce. As a real estate agent, I'm sure the low cost of land also played a part in their decision.

Their vision as stated on their website, www.novozymes.com:

•·         We will drive a significant expansion of the market for industrial biotechnology with enzymes and micro organisms as our basis.

•·         We will find new and improved solutions to serve the market for biopharmaceuticals. 

•·         We will achieve double digit growth with a leadership position in all markets served.

•·         Customers and partners throughout the world will seek our collaboration because of what we do and how we do it.

•·         People from all over the world will want to work for us because of what we do and how we do it.

•·         Society will be inspired by our work to choose biological solutions as a key part of the future.

Smart Choice Carpet: Success Story of Polish Immigrants Making Omaha Their Home

Smart Choice Carpet Outlet at 6664 L St. sells and installs all types of residential and commercial grade flooring, including carpet, vinyl, tile, laminate, and hardwood. The featured product brands include Mohawk, Shaw, Beaulieu-Coronet, Mannington, Domco, Tarkett, Quick-Step, Kraus, and Kentwood.

Smart Choice offers the same name brand products as competitors however due to their lower overhead they are able to pass the savings on to their customers. Raminta Urbonavicius, their in-house designer, can assist in making product decisions for any type of project. On top of that they provide very quick installation; no more waiting three weeks before you can enjoy your new flooring.

I personally have used Smart Choice several times as have clients of mine that wanted to get their homes ready to sell. My sellers and I have always been very satisfied with the results.

So far this sounds like the typical successful business, however it is the story behind the store that makes their success so amazing.

The owner, Julian Piatek, grew up in Poland and a few years after college moved to Vienna, Austria as a political refugee. There he fell in love and got married; his new wife was also a refugee from Poland. As part of a refugee relocation program they moved to Omaha, NE in 1984. He came here with his wife, seven month old daughter, a hundred dollars, and little understanding of English.

Piatek first job was at Builder Supply Company and then at Mrs. B's and Nebraska Furniture Mart where he stayed for 12 years. Then he opened Smart Choice Carpet Outlet and has since outgrown two locations.

After what Piatek experienced, he is not surprised by his success. He told Midlands Business Journal  "While in Austria, I did anything I could do for work. I remember spending four or five weeks on the streets, homeless, during the cold and winter. When someone like me comes to a place of opportunity, he goes for it because he knows how bad things can be."

Piatek is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, and the Polish Home. He and his wife became citizens in 1989. They have three children, Karolina (who is in charge of sales), Oliver, and Justina.

Smart Choice can be reached at 402-331-1332. Be sure to tell them that you heard about them through Troy Trumm and they will take care of you.

 

 

 

Recent Omaha Weather Can't put a Chill on Home Sales

With snow falling over the entire USA, Omaha, NE weather didn't provide much of a break this winter.  Winds gusting to 50 mph and wind chill temps reaching 40 below zero were just the tip of the iceberg this winter.  So far in this short year of 2010 we have seen lots of snowfall and icy roads.

The combination of falling temperatures and sustained winds were causing wind chill temperatures to drop to 20 degrees below zero and lower.  At those temperatures, according to the National Weather Service, 30 minutes of exposed skin could lead to frostbite, which can cause permanent skin damage.   At those temperatures a lot of Omaha residents stayed in and decided not to take part in some of the great Omaha events which can be found on Omahanightlife.com.

It doesn't appear that we could expect to see those 50 below temps again, or even 10 below, any time soon.  But with a high of only 21 on Sunday to close out this month, the people of Omaha are really looking forward to spring. Omaha's current conditions and weather forecast. 

While the temperatures may be low, homes sales are picking up.  The real estate market experiences an annual boost after the holidays. This year it is augmented by the extension of the homebuyers tax credit through April 30th. So even though it is still winter outside, if you are planning on selling your home don't wait until spring because buyers are buying now.

People of Omaha send a Helping Hand to Haiti

On Jan 12^th Haiti was rocked by a magnitude-7 earthquake that left hospitals, schools, homes, and even the national palace in ruins.  Organizations from across the Omaha metro area have been donating their time, money, food and clothes to help.  These organizations include the Glad Tidings Church, Omaha Rapid Response, and Faith Missions International just to name a few.

Faith Missions International is an Omaha ministry with an orphanage in Haiti, and we are glad to say they received word that the 50 orphans they had all survived.

With aftershocks and the death toll on the rise, more help is needed.  Websites like Interaction.org have compiled a list of organizations that are responding to the situation in Haiti and information on how to donate.

Nebraska Native Among Finalists in Doritos Commercial Contest

Nebraska has talent too!  A University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate and a former Omaha Millard South High School art teacher, Cole Koehler, has a chance to win $1 million.  Cole and his friend, Ben Krueger, submitted a commercial for the 2010 Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest.  While there were 4,000 entries, they are one of the six finalists for which they received $25,000 and free trip to the Super Bowl.

The top three commercials will be selected by online voters and the winning commercials will be shown during the Super Bowl on February 7.  Doritos will fly the finalists to Miami.  Only when the commercials air will Koehler and Krueger know if they are one of the big winners. 

On top of the $25,000 they already won, they could win up to another million dollars. If one of the ads gets first place on the USA Today Ad Meter, then the creators will win $1,000,000, second place is $600,000, and third place is $400,000.

Watch their video Snack Attach Samurai and be sure to vote. Go Nebraska!

 

Omaha Real Estate Market December, 2009

The numbers are in not just for how the real estate market fared in December but also for the entire year of 2009.

First for December. The number of homes for sale remained high and the rate of sales continued to slow. The month ended with nearly a twelve month supply of homes for sale.

December
Total Number For Sale	4838
Total Number of Accepted Offers	408
Total Number of Closed Sales	463
% of sellers that accepted an offer	8.43%
Absorption rate in months	11.86

Now for the bigger picture. The number of existing and new construction homes sold in Omaha was up significantly over 2008. On the other hand while the sales prices were higher for the month of December compared to December last year, for the year prices were down slightly for existing homes and down a great deal for new homes.

Here are all of the market statistics.

Existing Residential Properties Closed:	Dec-09	Dec-08	December 09 YTD	December 08 YTD
Total Existing Construction Sales	441	532	9319	8166
Total $ Volume	$64,773,298	$68,525,996	$1,382,336,958	$1,232,750,276
Avg. List $	$153,272	$137,477	$153,545	$157,004
Avg. Sold $	$146,878	$128,808	$148,335	$150,961
High Sold $	$1,400,000	$3,100,000	$1,639,000	$3,100,000
Median Sold $	$125,000	$115,000	$130,000	$131,000
Low Sold $	$5,150	$3,000	$3,000	$3,000

 

New Residential Construction Closed:	Dec-09	Dec-08	December 09 YTD	December 08 YTD
Total New Construction Sales	82	75	1223	1058
Total $ Volume	$23,837,878	$21,210,900	$289,800,483	$300,427,442
Avg. List $	$290,560	$283,952	$238,295	$284,247
Avg. Sold $	$290,705	$282,812	$236,958	$283,957
High Sold $	$910,000	$954,890	$1,536,909	$2,000,000
Median Sold $	$256,698	$259,034	$215,000	$250,940
Low Sold $	$71,500	$118,900	$57,700	$28,000

To summarize, while more houses sold in 2009 there are still a lot for sale. The Omaha real estate market has picked up over the last year but at the same time prices are down.

Information was gathered from the Omaha Area Board of Realtors

Troy Trumm, Trumm Team – 402-943-9494, Omaha NE Omaha Homes For Sale Omaha Real Estate

Troy Trumm, Trumm Team – 402-943-9494, Omaha NE Omaha Homes For Sale Omaha Real Estate

Troy Trumm, Trumm Team – 402-943-9494, Omaha NE Omaha Homes For Sale Omaha Real Estate

Troy Trumm, Trumm Team – 402-943-9494, Omaha NE Omaha Homes For Sale Omaha Real Estate