Harry Morris

Jeff: If you would like to search the MLS database directly, you would need to go to a site with an IDX search function, which I provide on my website. If you would like to receive all new and changed listings that match your search and have a portal for managing those listings, I provide that service to my clients through the MLS system. Let me know how I can help.

Kay: That depends on the specific property, the seller's financial position, why you are waiting to get financing and your ability to do so, and several other factors. Give me a call and we can discuss the specifics.

There may be "rent-to-own" property in Omaha, depending on what you mean by "rent-to-own." This concept may seem simple enough on the surface, but can be more complicated than it appears. As they say, "the devil is in the details," which is why I suggest that you seek professional advice before entering into this type of agreement. Depending on your reasons for seeking a rent-to-own arrangement, this may or may not be your best strategy.

I offer my sympathies to you as you go through this difficult financial period. You are not alone. There are homes in the Omaha area that are listed for sale and for rent. So, these may be and others candidates for a "rent-to-own," depending on what kind of terms you may be thinking of when you say "rent-to-own." Some people think that "rent-to-own" means that all the rent paid can be used as a down payment on the purchase of the property. Even though you may have that agreement with the landlord/seller, you need to know that, if you are planning to use an FHA Loan to finance your purchase, FHA may only allow the Seller to contribute to your downpayment the amount that is ABOVE what FHA determines to be "fair market rent" for the property. You should verify this information with a qualified FHA home loan specialist in the Omaha area. If you are in fact paying more than "fair market rent," you may be better off paying less rent and putting the extra money in your bank account instead of the landlord/seller's account. If you are planning to further complicate your rental agreement with you doing any improvements to the property in lieu of rent for some period of time, that also needs to be clearly defined in the contract, with regard to all the details of that agreement. You should have an attorney review any contract that you will be signing. Since these agreements can be tricky, beyond the understanding of an untrained person, and since you probably will not seek the advice of an attorney due to finances being tight, my advice is to just find the best property to rent until you are able to buy a home. Then, go into the market and find the best property to buy at that time. In other words, Keep It Simple. Your life seems complicated enough already. p.s. If you have not already done so, you may also want to get some advice from a real estate professional regarding your "short sale" situation, as it is called when you owe more than the proceeds from the sale of the property will generate. Good Luck. Call me, if I may be of service.

If your home is listed in the Omaha MLS, a.k.a. the Great Plains MLS, and it is not mapping correctly when you click on the Map link in the listing detail page, your listing agent can go into Listing Maintenance and correct the GeoCoding for the listing. However, I believe that the Omaha MLS uses Bing Maps, not Google Maps. So, if you are viewing your listing on a different website that uses Google Maps, that is a different mapping service provider. If you are searching on the Homes dot com website, be aware that Homes dot com uses a different map provider, i.e. the ©2012 Microsoft Corporation Pictometry Bird's Eye ©2012 MDA Geospatial Services Inc. But, the place to start is with the listing in the MLS, where your listing agent has the capability to make any corrections needed. Your agent can call Denise at the Board Office to get help, if needed. Currently, there are no Active listings on S 22nd Circle in Tregaron Subdivision. There is a Pending listing on S 22nd Circle in Tregaron, which maps correctly in the MLS and on Google Maps, when I used the Google Chrome browser. Contact your listing agent, if you have further questions.

It is never too soon to become acquainted with the real estate market & homes that meet your search criteria. Shopping helps you crystalize and better define what you can realistically expect to get in your price range. To be able to recognize a good property at a good price requires shopping. I can't remember the number of times in the last 29 years in the business that a buyer has told me what they were looking for in a house, and I went to the MLS system and found exactly what they were looking for. Of course, the problem was that it was the first house that they had actually viewed. And, therefore, they had nothing to compare it to. So, we would run around as fast as possible to view other homes, hoping that another buyer would not buy the property they had chosen. Sometimes it was gone; sometimes it was still available, when the shopping was finished. Sales can happen within hours of a property being listed. That is why I set up an automatic email feed directly from the live MLS database for all my buyer clients. Being quick and being able to recognize a deal when you see it are the requirements for a buyer to get the home they want at the right price.

Currently this property is off the market. This may be a temporary condition. I can check for you if you wish. Regarding your question about a rent-to-own being available, it may be possible, depending on the price and what terms you require, e.g. length of rental period, ability to qualify for a loan, etc, and what the seller's financial situation may be, and if they need to sell in order to buy another home, etc.

This 3 bed, 2 bath, 1 car, 2-story home is for sale and for lease. It is in the Omaha Public School District. The elementary school is Dundee, the Junior High is Lewis & Clark, and the High School is Central, according to the listing information. I recommend verifying that with the school District. It is close to two Parks, a golf course and UNO. Give me a call or send me an email and I will email you the rest of the listing info.

The ranch property at 8803 Lake St. is currently off the market, as of 7-20-11. I will see what I can find out about the owner's plans for the property. There is an updated ranch property a couple of blocks to the north at 2720 N 88th St. that is available for $5k less. It has a 3 beds, 1 bath & a 2 attached car garage. Let me know if would like to take a look.