Just outside of Kansas City, Olathe benefits from proximity to a city of two million people, within a region of low unemployment. Rich in history, Olathe, Shawnee for beautiful, is a top ten community in the state of Kansas, enjoying an easy commute to the well-paying jobs in the diverse economy of metropolitan Kansas City. Consequently, the growth of Olathe from a tiny prairie town to a growing, prosperous city with over 125,000 residents provides a lucrative market for real estate agents and brokers alike. Moreover, the opportunities for the 2018 selling season have never been better for a real estate agent Olathe KS.
Recent sales statistics show a healthy average sales price consistently over $300,000, with home sales closing in under 60 days, convenient for the young families comprising the majority of Olathe’s residents, evidenced by the 30,000 students in the Olathe Unified School District. Frequently the top reason for moving to an area is excellent schools, parents seeking quality education, notwithstanding extracurricular activities for their children. A recent survey of parental satisfaction with Olathe schools revealed nearly unanimous (94%) satisfaction with school performance. With relatively low mortgage interest rates and available land south and west of Olathe, quality home builders continue to favor the area. Strikingly illustrative, searching for a ‘premier builder’, a ‘custom builder’, or an ‘award-winning builder’ returns companies regularly mentioning Olathe in their marketing material. Meanwhile, savvy agents and brokers benefit from the shorter listing to closing interval.
When presenting a desirable area to potential buyers, good real estate agents speak of top-notch schools and convenience to work, certainly completing the picture by mentioning the shopping amenities within a close proximity to Olathe’s neighborhoods. Shopping within Olathe includes nationally recognized names in sleek shopping malls, as well as small shops in a quaint, historic downtown, making the area a frequent destination for shoppers from the Kansas City metro area. Consequently, unfamiliarity with an area becomes less of an obstacle to a sale for real estate agents operating in Olathe.
Realizing the average homeowner in America moves 11 times during a lifetime, successful agents establish and maintain a relationship with their clients, gaining client trust, creating a comfortable sales environment, generating leads from satisfied customers, rather than relying on cold prospecting alone. Single women, a fast-growing segment of homebuyers, and first-time homebuyers represent two groups within the 50% of homebuyers who consider one-stop shopping. Customers likely need mortgage lenders, home inspectors, insurance companies and title companies, possibly repair and remediation contractors, moving companies and real estate attorneys. Accordingly, reputable agencies embrace this philosophy, successful brokers establishing and maintaining relationships with trusted vendors, offering a one-stop shopping experience to customers who prefer the convenience.
Changing demographics, interest rates and consumer confidence drive the real estate market. Buyers postpone decisions in a soft economy, conversely, the number of realtors in good times increases. Competition with other agencies poaches high performers, creating pressures to find sales and cover overhead. Regardless, as they say in Olathe real estate, “Now is a good time to buy.”