Lake Ohana Virtual Tour

Lake Ohana Lots Now Available in Phase 1A and 1B

Located only 15 minutes from the metro....you'll feel a million miles away in this planned development that'll revolve around the family.

With all of its improvements geared around relaxing, country and outdoor living, Lake Ohana is more than just a place to call home, it's the perfect family destination.

Lake Ohana is truly one-of-a-kind. Offering incomparable building sites and carefully planned amenities to complement its natural assets, this development is definitely the first of its kind in the surrounding Omaha/Council Bluffs area.

The development's private lakes, meandering trails and green spaces yearns and beckons to be explored and used by its homeowners.

Due to the diverse topography, each lake has its own unique characteristics and is being developed for specific uses.

On the big lake or “Lake Ohana” all the necessary documentation, research and investigations required by the various agencies are being finalized and construction is anticipated to begin in the Spring/Summer of 2008.

Give me a call if you're interested in purchasing a lot or need additional information about the development.

Lake Ohana, Efanz, Bring Broadband Wi-Fi Internet to Rural Iowa

Current and future residents of Lake Ohana, a 700 acre development just north of Glenwood, Iowa will enjoy their quiet, rural home and get affordable high-speed Internet. But, it’s not just your typical broadband Internet service that they will be using.

Efanz, Inc. a Wi-Fi Internet provider and Timberline Holdings, LLC, the developer, announce an agreement to launch Efanz’ Wi-Fi Internet access for the residents of Lake Ohana. The service, which is distributed above ground through a series of connected radio antennas, offers speeds, security and reliability that rivals or exceeds traditional “wired” service. But even that doesn’t tell the whole story. “The best way to describe the Lake Ohana deployment is that we are creating a large Internet “hotspot” that will ultimately provide mobile, wireless Internet access across the entire property”, said Roger Willey, Vice President of Marketing for Efanz. “Being able to access the Internet, through any Wi-Fi ready device, at any given time is true third-generation wireless service”.

Rural areas and smaller cities have long been neglected, or even ignored by traditional Internet providers. “In all fairness to the traditional providers of broadband Internet, the cost to deploy fiber cable in the ground prohibits them from servicing less populated areas” said Verlyn Veldhouse, President of Efanz. “And, the service quality of traditional wireless has not always met expectations”. “Our technology requires an investment, but we are able to blanket large areas with service at a fraction of the cost.” “Thus making it a reliable and capable service as well as a viable business”.

Timberline Holdings President, Craig Nakamoto, felt it was an important feature to bring to Lake Ohana. “High-speed Internet has become an important amenity for families today”. “Being able to work from home, complete school projects or enjoy the best of what the Internet has to offer is more of a necessity than a luxury.” “I felt that it was just as important to invest in this service as it was in other property improvements in order to meet the needs of Lake Ohana residents.”

Lake Ohana Wi-Fi is expected to be launched in late May and will offer each resident true broadband speeds. The service will include all the features traditionally offered with Internet service as well as an affordable price. “The price has yet to be finalized, but we expect it will be very competitive with other high quality service, “ said Mr. Nakamoto.

Lake Ohana is located 8 miles south of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Timberline Holdings has completed the first of two planned development phases, which calls for 300 plus homes, a small shopping center and two lakes.

Bluffs' newest shopping development: The Marketplace

A March 2008 opening is anticipated for The Marketplace Council Bluffs, a 400,000-square-foot retail shopping center on the southeast corner of the South 24th Street-Interstate 80 interchange.

Joe Kutilek, a partner with John Hughes in Omaha-based Magnum Development Corp., confirmed that plans have been submitted to the Council Bluffs Community Development Department.

"We're just going through the site plan," he said. "Just a commercial development, retail, 50 acres."

Kutilek said the plans are expected to go to the Planning Commission for review on Oct. 10. Leases aren't finalized, but plans call for a 103,000-square-foot anchor tenant. The property already is zoned for commercial use.

Magnum has a concept for how the company would like to develop The Marketplace, but Kutilek said there are still a number of processes to go through with the city; and he can't say how many tenants eventually would locate there.

The Marketplace joins Metro Crossing Shopping Center as a new Council Bluffs retail development. The City Council has approved Metro Crossing's preliminary plans. That project is planned for 85 acres west of Interstate 29 between the South Omaha Bridge Road and the Lake Manawa Power Centre.

It is expected to offer more than 500,000 square feet of retails space with room for as many as 30 different stores, with Kohl's department store as a likely anchor. Mark Anderson of Anderson Construction, CB Richard-Ellis and Kimco Realty Corp., one of the nation's leading retail developers, are involved with Metro Crossing.

Mayor Tom Hanafan said he heard a proposal for The Marketplace a few months ago and wasn't certain that it would happen.

"We're seeing a lot of different developments we didn't see before," he said. "That's nice to see."

Magnum Development buys existing properties and upgrades them and often brings in new tenants, Kutilek said. The company is involved in a 60-acre project with a Super Target at 120th and L Street in Omaha where dirt is expected to begin moving this fall. Magnum is partnering with Cormac, an Omaha-based commercial developer, on that project.

The development of the former Ak-Sar-Ben Racetrack property is another Magnum project, and Kutilek said the firm does much of its work outside the metro area.

Mills County Not Giving Up Bid to Halt Lake Draining

By John Ferak, Omaha World-Herald, Neb

A judge has cleared the way for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to drain part of a Mills County lake. Lake residents and the Mills County Board, however, are still weighing their options to preserve Pony Creek Lake.

In April, 15 homeowners at the Pony Creek subdivision near Glenwood received letters from the Department of Natural Resources saying their homes, built in the 1970s and 1980s, violated flood control rules. The department told them it planned to begin lowering the lake about 20 feet by April 30. The development includes more than 130 homes.

Several residents protested, saying homes along the lake have withstood numerous heavy rainstorms during the past 35 years without flooding.

The Mills County Attorney's Office received a temporary injunction from a judge to halt the project while the full court decision was pending.

Wednesday, months after hearing both sides' arguments, Mills County District Judge Gordon Abel issued his ruling in favor of the Department of Natural Resources.

Abel wrote that his court did not have proper jurisdiction for the dispute. The judge said the State of Iowa has delegated such matters of water control and floodplains to the Department of Natural Resources.

Assistant Mills County Attorney Eric Hansen said the Mills County Board would meet Tuesday to decide whether to appeal or begin discussions with the department to resolve the dispute.
"The ruling puts us back to square one," Hansen said. "I still don't look for any immediate action from the DNR. I suspect they would wait at least 30 days. They still have to follow all of their administrative rules and procedures."

Kelly Stone, a Department of Natural Resources representative, said Wednesday that his agency has not decided whether to drain Pony Creek Lake.

The manmade lake is about 11/2 miles long and is up to a half-mile wide and 30 feet deep. Cranes, bald eagles, geese and wild turkeys live along the banks and 240 acres of surrounding woodlands.

"Draining a portion of the lake is still the quickest and easiest method to mitigate the flood hazard," Stone said. "But it is not a certain yes. We are willing to look at any proposal. Everything is open to discussion. We hope to have a final resolution by next year's flood season."

Pricing Right Sellers' Job No. 1

by M. Anthony Carr

It seems during a slowing market, the last person to get the message that the house needs a lower price is the seller. After all, the seller has the most to lose by "improving" the price and it's a tough decision to let go of a dream of cashing out.

A sellers market builds over time. If new jobs enter a particular area and housing doesn't keep pace, home shortages create a sellers market where prices increase and bidding wars begin. Then, one of two events happen to make a market cool down: the economy stops growing or prices become too expensive (combined with an ample supply of rentals). A normalized/buyers market is born and sellers need to get on board or hit the showers.

In the Washington, D.C. area, jobs are continuing to enter the market at a projected rate of 65,000 in 2006 (which is on top of more than 70,000 new jobs in 2005). According to the Center of Regional Analysis at George Mason University, the area has a deficit of housing by about 160,000 units. With plenty of rentals available this past year and skittish buyers, the area has just come off one of its hottest markets ever. It's cooled, slowed, normalized.

When people ask if it's crashing, I just point out that if you were driving at 120 mph and slowed to 75 mph, how would it feel? The lower speed limit may seem a lot slower, but it's still faster than the speed limit. We're running at that fast, but slower pace, now.

Nevertheless, as inventories grow and days on market increase, those in the business know what will sell a house more than anything else -- a price correction. Call it "reduced," "price cut," "realignment," "price improvement," "repositioning," or whatever you want -- the price needs to come down to where the buyers are biting.

I've collected quite a few excuses that sellers and some agents hold onto, instead of biting the bullet and bringing down the price.

"My house is worth it." Well, according to who? Usually, this statement is followed by a shopping list of items that have been added to the house: hardwood floors, 9-foot ceilings, new appliances, upgraded bath/kitchen, you name it. Yeah, your house is unique, just like everybody else's. The reality is while your house may have all those neat amenities, so do the other dozens, scores or hundreds of homes in your market area that are also on the market.

"It's a great looking house." It better look great if it's going to beat out the competition. Location, price and condition will always be a factor in any market. It may look great, but looks have nothing to do with real value. When you start thinking that your house pales all the competition it means one thing you probably haven't seen other houses like yours on the market.

"I have to get this much or I can't sell." Oh, I really like this one. What a seller needs doesn't matter to the buyer. The buyer is looking for as much value in a community of high-priced houses. In the DC area, the average price lingers around $550,000. For that price, many buyers want the house to look good, have plenty of amenities and be connected with a realistic seller who is motivated.

"If I can't get my price, then I'll take it off the market." My question to that statement is: "Then why are you on the market to begin with?" Look at what it's going to take to sell your home and realize your true goal -- getting that next property. Looking at only what your house will draw is too short sighted. The real question is, "What kind of deal can I get on the next house?"

The reality of most sellers, when they are dropping the asking price, is that they are still walking away with a boatload of money, just not as much as they wanted. They really haven't "lost" anything. They've doubled their gain. When pricing your house, look at these hard-core realities: what were the last few "solds" in my type of home; what is my true goal -- to get a certain amount of gain, or to get to the next house; and, finally, am I really in the game or am I playing around? Get serious. Price right. Get the next home of your dreams.

2006 Iowa State Fair

The internationally-acclaimed Iowa State Fair annually attracts more than a million fun-lovers from around the world. In 2005, Midwest Living magazine named the event one of the "Top 30 Things Every Midwesterner Should Experience." The Fair's Sesquicentennial celebration in 2004 was named the #2 choice for summer fun in America by USA Weekend.

Considered America's classic state fair, Iowa's ag-extravaganza is also featured in the New York Times best-selling travel book, "1000 Places to See Before You Die." The book has been described as "an around-the-world, continent-by-continent listing of places guaranteed to give you the shivers." Iowa's Fair is spotlighted as the only Iowa destination and the only state fair in the country as one of the world's must-see events.

A proud tradition since 1854, the Fair inspired the internationally-acclaimed novel, “State Fair,” three motion pictures, plus Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway musical. Special features include one of the world's largest livestock shows, the country's largest state fair foods department (approx. 900 classes), the state's largest arts show, hundreds of competitive events and wacky contests; 600 plus exhibitors and concessionaires selling quality and tasty treats, and 160 rolling acres of campgrounds.

Click here for additional information.

7th Annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday

Iowa's 7th annual sales tax holiday is set for Friday, August 4 and Saturday, August 5, 2006.

Follow the link for a list of items to determine if your purchase is taxable or not on August 4 and 5.

http://www.state.ia.us/tax/educate/STHList.pdf