May was supposed to be a slow month in real estate, with the end of the tax credit, but these four women proved that the Cedar Rapids real estate market didn’t come to a screeching halt! Collectively they sold almost 5 million dollars in real estate.
Great job ladies and keep up the good work!
* Their names will appear on the marquee at our 1st Avenue office celebrating their success.
It has been two years since we stood in the parking lot of our downtown office, watching water from the flooded Cedar River rushing up 1stAvenue making its way toward us. It wasn’t until the water passed the rail road tracks and started seeping into our parking lot, that we started to get a little nervous.
Our land surveyor told us that our building was sitting at 34 feet, above the river, so as long as the water didn’t hit that point we would be OK. Luckily for us the river crested at 31 feet, stopping short of our building.
The realization that we were going to stay dry was bitter sweet. We looked around to our neighbors and they were not as fortunate. The river’s water covered more than 10 city square miles, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. More than 5,000 homes were damaged and over 900 businesses were affected.
While there have been great strides in the rebuilding process for homeowners and for businesses, there is still so much to be done. Buildings downtown sit empty and neighborhood blocks sit dark at night waiting to learn its fate.
Programs like Block by Block and Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) are helping to restore and rebuild homes in and out of flood affected areas . These programs are not only putting people back into their homes but are also building new homes in the Cedar Rapids area to replace those that are being torn down.
We have many hurdles yet to climb but day by day we are progressing toward full recovery and we look forward to a bigger and better Cedar Rapids.
Skogman Realty is fortunate enough to work with a large number of builders in our community. Our relationships with our builder partners run deep and we truly value the opportunity we have to work together. I thought I would share some of our statistics from last year to show how we measure up.
In 2009 the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors listed and sold 724 new construction listings. This is down from the 750 new construction sold listings in 2008.
Of these 724 sold new homes in 2009, Skogman Realty listed and sold 238 of these homes and brought buyers to the purchase 264 times! ** Or said another way…Skogman participated in the sale of 69% of the new construction transactions in 2009.
Average days on the market for the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors MLS new construction listings is 133 days, average price is $201,493.
Average days on the market for Skogman Realty Builder Partner new construction listings is only 115 days, average price is $227,644.
Skogman Realty sold their Builder Partner new construction listings for an average of 18 days faster and for 11% more than the average price in the CRAAR MLS.
In the calendar year of 2009 Skogman Realty represented 53 different new construction Builder Partners.
Visit our Builder Profile page to see a list of our builder partners or simply search all new construction listings to find a home that suites you.
If you are a builder and have questions about our Builder Development program and would like to learn how to be a Builder Partner please contact RJ Murphy @ 319-360-6345 or rjmurphy@skogman.com or any Skogman Realtor.
Living in Cedar Rapids my whole life, I grew up going to the Farmers Market at Noelridge Park with my mom, where she would buy sweet corn, tomatoes and the occasional kolache. Looking back, Noelridge was always what I considered to be a typical farmers market with home grown produce and baked goods.
While the Noelridge market is still running every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is a great place to buy local goods, it seems the term ‘Farmer’s Market’ has taken a new shape and has become much more of an event.
I’m referring to the Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmer’s Market. This market gathers several times throughout the year in downtown Cedar Rapids (home of your very own Skogman Realtors), starting this Saturday, June 5th. Eight total gatherings will occur on the first and third Saturdays of each month through September. Artisan gifts, meats and dairy and Iowa wine samplings are all a part of the market. While there won’t be any Cedar Rapids homes for sale at the market, there will be over 200 vendors offering plenty of other delights.
Produce still has a big presence, as does baked goods, crafts, and floral-themed offerings. But, what upi are now able to do is interact with the vendors on a new level. With live music, dancers, street performances and cooking demonstrations this market offers not just goods to be purchased but an experience you will not soon forget. I promise you’ll walk away with something tasty, or useful – or at least something to look back on fondly.
