Des Moines Real Estate and the Power of RE/MAX and the Internet

RE/MAX is dominating the internet with keyword search terms. This is a powerful advantage for Des Moines home sellers who list with RE/MAX.

RE/MAX is spending over 60 million in National Advertising. The money is being spent on TV, Print, Radio and the internet. The 60 million is more money on national advertising than the 7 largest franchises combined. Taking this enormous amount of advertising dollars and focusing it on remax.com is having an effect on how people search for homes online.

Please read the recent press announcement by RE/MAX this week below.

In a recent study by Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence service, “remax” appeared second only to “realtor.com” as the most frequently used real estate search term on the Internet. Also ranked in the Top 10 search terms was “remax.com.”

With 80 percent of buyers now using the Internet when searching for a home, it’s become increasingly important for a brand to have a widely recognized name that consumers will utilize as a search term when seeking information and listings through search engines such as Google, MSN and Yahoo.

The terms were ranked by volume of searches that brought traffic to Web sites in the Hitwise Business and Finance - Real Estate category for September, based on Internet usage in the United States.

1. realtor.com
2. remax
3. real estate
4. Apartments for rent
5. century 21
6. homes for sale
7. Apartments
8. zillow.com
9. remax.com
10. Zillow

What is amazing is that before 2006 the terms “remax” and “remax.com” were not in the top 10. The reason for this change is the national advertising program switched its focus to remax.com in 2006. Wow ! ! How remarkable. At the beginning of 2007 the term “remax” was third behind “real estate”. I am excited to see what will happen over the next few years as we continue to advertise remax.com.

What does this mean for Des Moines home sellers? When they list with a Des Moines RE/MAX agent they are getting the maximum exposure. Exposure they can not find with any other real estate broker in Des Moines.

Des Moines Realtors Attend Murder Mystery Dinner

Over 250 Realtors Attended

We wanted to say Thank YOU to everyone who attended the Murder Mystery Dinner. It was our way of Saying Thank YOU for showing our listings, your cooperation in allowing our agents to show your listings and the sales we have done together over the years.

With the changes in today’s market it is important for all us to work together to better serve our clients. We believe that the open sharing of ideas will improve the quality of business for Realtors and their clients.

Click the Link Below to See What All the Fun was About

Who Killed the Guy? - Find Out

RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts Your Des Moines Real Estate Company.

Des Moines Real Estate Firm Sponsors Iowa Energy NBA's D League

RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts is proud to announce that we are sponsoring the Iowa Energy Kiss Cam for the 2007-08 Season! Come down to Wells Fargo arena to enjoy an NBDL basketball game and check out REMAX REC’s Kiss Cam.

Opening night is Monday, November 26th. The Energy anticipates over 100,000 people to attend the games in year one!

Here is what will be announced during the Kiss Cam

The Kiss Cam is Sponsored by RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts . . . Search Thousands of Homes Online at HomeConnectUSA.com



Be a part of the Iowa Energy! Check out Iowa Energy for a full schedule and ticket information

Des Moines Real Estate - Curb Appeal Matters Most

When Selling Your Home in Des Moines the Curb Appeal Matters Most

This is the place the home buyer will see when looking at photos online or driving by the home. For this reason you should pay careful attention and spend time and effort making the outside of the home inviting and appealing to home buyers.


One of the first things that people will notice is crumbling paint and bland or tired and faded colors on the exterior. Clean and crisp paint or siding makes a much better impression than an apparent state of disrepair.


Plant low maintenance flowers and plants around the exterior of your home. Clean the sidewalks and driveway if it is concrete. It is amazing what a high power pressure washer can do to your sidewalks, driveway, and/or front porch. Make sure your doors and windows are clean as well.


Taking the extra time to prepare the outside of your home will attract buyers which can translate into a faster sale with higher offers than neglecting the details between the front door and the curb. Do not overlook this powerful point and you should enjoy more success in your efforts to sell your home.

Des Moines Real Estate - Teri Hillman Joins RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts

Teri Hillman has joined RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts as the newest member of this dynamic sales office.

Teri brings to the office 18 years of experience in real estate and was formerly with Coldwell Banker. “I am proud to be a part of the RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts team and affiliated with the RE/MAX organization, which is the number one real estate network in the world,” said Teri Hillman. “Connecting with RE/MAX will be a significant benefit to my clients, because it has the most powerful and efficient referral system in the business.

There are more than 120,000 RE/MAX affiliates in more than 65 countries, meaning that when I list a property here in Des Moines it is exposed to a huge audience. And our technology tools can help my clients get the best possible price for their home in the least amount of time. All RE/MAX listings in the United States are automatically included within listings on http://www.remax.com/, the most visited web site of any real estate brand.”

Hillman said another advantage offered by RE/MAX is Mainstreet, an extranet that allows its agents to share referrals, marketing techniques and the latest information about technology, advertising and similar topics. “Ongoing education is a strong priority at RE/MAX,” said Hillman. “No other real estate organization has a higher percentage of affiliates with advanced, professional designations.”

Teri may be reached at 515.771.8374 or by email at Teri@RealEstateConcepts.net

About RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts

RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts founder Robb Spearman, ABR, CRS, started Real Estate Concepts in 2000 with one Realtor. Today, RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts now boasts over 60 Realtors. Spearman, the 2005 RE/MAX Broker-Owner of the year for Iowa and Nebraska, and was more recently among The Wall Street Journal’s Top 200 Realtor’s nationwide for transactions sold. The company received the 2006 RE/MAX Spirit Award for Iowa and Nebraska.

RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts continues to add tools and services to help their Realtors succeed in today’s ever-changing market place. These tools include Relay - an online transaction management tool that allows Realtors to provide a smoother faster real estate experience for themselves and their clients. The Agent Care Center at Des Moines real estate agents which helps the Realtors organize their business with Web-based e-mail, calendar, documents and direct fax to e-mail accounts.

RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts has five locations in the Des Moines area: Altoona, Beaverdale, Downtown, Southside and West Des Moines and can be reached at 515.276.2872. The office’s web site can be found at Des Moines Homes for Sale, where over 4,700 listings are available. Realtors can find out more about RE/MAX and Real Estate Concepts at Des Moines real estate agents.

About RE/MAX

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 in Denver, Colorado by Dave and Gail Liniger. It has grown to a global network of over 120,000 sales associates in more than 65 countries. No one sells more real estate than RE/MAX. RE/MAX is proud to help raise millions of dollars and support charitable organizations like, Susan G.Komen Breast Cancer Survivor Recognition Program, Children’s Miracle Network and The Sentinels of Freedom Foundation. Nearly all home listings in the country can be found at remax.com .

Des Moines Real Estate - Public Schools

Here is a list of schools for the City of Des Moines

Public Schools in Des Moines, IA

Adams Elementary School - 3720 E 29 Th St (KG - 5)
Bridges - 1800 Grand (06 - 12)
Brody Middle School - 2501 Park Ave (06 -
Brubaker Elementary School - 2900 E 42 Nd Street (PK - 5)
Callanan Middle School - 3010 Center Street (06 -
Capitol View Elementary School - 320 E. 16 Th (PK - 5)
Cattell Elementary School - 3101 E 12 Th St (PK - 5)
Cornell Elementary School - 5817 Ne 3 Rd St (PK - 3)
Cowles Elementary School - 6401 College Ave (PK - 6)
Delaware Elementary School - 4401 Ne 46 Th St (KG - 6)
Des Moines Central Campus - 1800 Grand Ave (07 - 12)
Douglas Elementary School
Downtown School - 501 Locust Suite 200 (KG - 6)
East High School - 815 E 13 Th St (09 - 12)
Edmunds Fine Arts Academy - 1601 Crocker St (KG - 5)
Findley Elementary School - 3000 Cambridge St (PK - 5)
Garton Elementary School - 2820 E 24 Th St (PK - 5)
Goodrell Middle School - 3300 E 29 Th St (06 -
Granger Elementary School - 101 E Leach St (KG - 5)
Greenwood Elementary School - 316 37 Th Street (KG - 5)
Hanawalt Elementary At Mann - 1001 Amos Avenue (KG - 5)
Harding Middle School - 203 E Euclid Ave (06 -
Hiatt Middle School - 1214 E 15 Th St (06 -
Hillis Elementary School - 2401 56 Th St (KG - 5)
Hoover High School - 4800 Aurora Ave (09 - 12)
Howe Elementary School - 2900 Indianola Ave (PK - 5)
Hoyt Middle School - 2700 E 42 Nd St (06 -
Hubbell Elementary At Samuelson - 3929 Bel Air Road (KG - 5)
Jackson Elementary School - 3825 Indianola Ave (KG - 5)
Jefferson Elementary School - 2425 Watrous Ave (KG - 5)
King Elementary School - 1849 Forest Ave (PK - 5)
Lincoln High School - 2600 Sw 9 Th St (09 - 12)
Longfellow Elementary School - 1101 E 6 Th Ave (PK - 5)
Lovejoy Elementary School - 801 E Kenyon Ave (KG - 5)
Madison Elementary School - 806 E Hoffman St (PK - 5)
Mccombs Middle School - 201 Se County Line Rd (06 -
Mckee Elementary School
Mckinley Elementary School - 1610 Se 16 Th Street (PK - 5)
Meredith Middle School - 4827 Madison Ave (06 -
Merrill Middle School - 5301 Grand Ave (06 -
Mitchell Elementary School - 111 Porter Ave (PK - 5)
Monroe Elementary School - 2250 30 Th St (PK - 5)
Moore Elementary School - 3725 52 Nd St (PK - 5)
Morris Elementary School - 1401 Geil Avenue (PK - 5)
Moulton Elementary School - 1541 8 Th Street (PK - 7)
North High School - 501 Holcomb Ave (09 - 12)
Norwoodville Elementary - 2945 Ne Broadway (04 - 5)
Oak Park At Douglas - 3800 E Douglas Ave (KG - 5)
Orchard Place School
Park Ave Elementary School - 3141 Sw 9 Th St (PK - 5)
Perkins Elementary School - 4301 College Ave (KG - 5)
Phillips Elementary At Mckee - 2115 E 39 Th Street (KG - 5)
Pleasant Hill Elementary School - 4801 E Oakwood Dr (KG - 5)
River Woods Elementary School - 2929 Se 22 Nd St (PK - 5)
Roosevelt High School - 4419 Center St (09 - 12)
Ruby Van Meter School
Saydel High School - 5601 Ne 7 Th St (09 - 12)
Scavo High School - 1800 Grand Avenue (09 - 12)
Smouse Opportunity School
Stowe Elementary School - 1411 E 33 Rd St (KG - 5)
Studebaker Elementary School - 300 E County Line Rd (PK - 5)
Wallace Elementary School - 1401 E 12 Th St (PK - 5)
Weeks Middle School At Kurtz - 1000 Sw Porter Street (06 -
Willard Elementary School - 2941 Dean Avenue (PK - 5)
Windsor Elementary School - 5912 University Ave (KG - 5)
Woodlawn Elementary School - 4000 Lower Beaver Rd (KG - 5)
Woodside Middle School - 5810 Ne 14 Th St (06 -
Wright Elementary School - 5001 Sw 14 Th St (PK - 5)

Private Schools in Des Moines, IA
Christ The King School - 701 Wall Avenue (PK -
Des Moines Adventist School - 2317 Watrous Ave (PK -
Des Moines Christian School - 4801 Franklin Ave (K - 12)
Des Moines Jewish Academy - 924 Polk Blvd (K - 7)
Grandview Park Baptist School - 1701 E 33 Rd Street (PK - 12)
Holy Family School - 1111 Garfield Avenue (PK -
Holy Trinity - 2922 Beaver Ave (PK -
Lincoln Heights Lutheran Schoo - 1217 Sw Watrous Ave (1 -
Mount Olive Lutheran School - 5625 Franklin Avenue (K -
St Anthony Elementary School
St Augustin School
St Joseph Elementary School - 2107 East 33 Rd Street (PK -
St Theresa School - 5810 Carpenter Ave (PK -

Des Moines Real Estate - HUD Homes

Things that you need to Know

If you are a real estate investor there is a good chance that you have heard of HUD homes. These are great investment opportunities, but just like anything else, there are some details that will stand in your way. Of course, if you put your mind to it you can get past the road blocks, and hopefully turn these HUD homes into plenty of money.

The first thing that you should know is that not all HUD homes can be used for investment purposes. In fact, these homes are only for people who plan to live in them. But with that being said, there is a time when investors can get in on the action. If no homeowner bid is accepted within the first 10 day period on the property, this is when investors can enter with a bid. So as you can see, if you are interested in buying an HUD home you will win some bids, but lose quite a few as well; this is something to get used to if you are going to play in this part of the industry.

HUD homes are sold using a bidding process. This is much different than the way that you would buy a home with a real estate agent. Of course, the bidding process is only intimidating at first. Once you get used to what is going on, you will not have any problems jumping in on the action.

The best way to find HUD homes for sale is at http://www.realestateconcepts.net/. This will allow you to search for properties based on the area of the country that you are interested in. There are also many companies that sell HUD lists to investors, but before you buy one of these make sure that you are getting a good deal. After all, you do not want to buy an outdated list of HUD homes. Obviously, homes that have already been sold are not going to do you any good at all.

All in all, buying an HUD home is a special process. You will want to be careful about what home you bid on, and then take things from there. As an investor, HUD homes offer the potential to make a lot of money. But first, you will have to see if any others want to buy the home as a place of residency.

Des Moines Real Estate - Des Moines Downtown Lofts

Plan E-2085 sq.ft. w/add.118 sq.ft room of same flr storage. Des Moines downtown loft luxury condos w/high ceilings offering unique quality construction w/urban sensibility of a highrise. 10 yr. tax abatement, highest soundproof rating, additional LL storage available for bikes, furniture, etc. onsite FX gym, tanning & Juice Bar w/1st yr membership free, premium interior standard finishes: granite countertops, stainless steel kitchen appl. merillat cabinets, hrdwd/ tile flooring, & washer/dryer. Suite 1005 features enormous living area, bubble tub, 2 large walkin closets, master bath, walkin tiled shower, stunning architectural views, as well as scenically supreme NW views of stone church steeple, green space, & Principal complex, large balcony. Also included; premier skywalk access, secure parking, party room w/full kitchen, intercom & security sys. Everyone wishes they just had more time- time for relationships, exercise, & relaxation. Dramatic dimensions for key ppl who love the city! Open every Sun. 1-4

Des Moines Real Estate - Selling Your Home

If you are going to be selling your home, you have two options staring you in the face. You can either sell your home by owner, or you can hire an agent to wok on your behalf. At a quick glance, you may fee that for sale by owner is the way to go. After all, this means that you get to run the show, and of course, you do not have to share any of your money with an agent. But as you probably know, selling a home on your own is not full of good times from start to finish. There is a lot that goes into this, and the more that you know, the better chance you have of making the right decision.

Finding information on what a for sale by owner transaction entails is not difficult. A decade ago this was not the case because most sellers would only feel comfortable if they were using an agent. Luckily, you can get started with selling on your own by gathering information on how this is done. Remember, selling your home by owner is not as easy or hard as it sounds. If you do not believe this, you will find out exactly what this means as you move forward with the sales process.

There are two prime areas where you can search for information on for sale by owner real estate. First off, do not overlook the power of the internet. Not only are there many websites that offer information on selling by owner, but you can also find services that will help you to get this done with a high level of success. When you use the internet, you can be rest assured that you will find what you are looking for.

The only option better than the internet is to get in touch with somebody who has experience with the for sale by owner route. Do you know anybody who has done this in the past? If so, you would be a fool not to ask them about their likes and dislikes. Who knows, the information that they give you may change the way that you feel about this.

Overall, if you are looking into what for sale by owner has to offer, search online while also touching base with others who have experience.

Des Moines Real Estate - For Sale by Owner

There is not a lot that you need to know about for sale by owner real estate, but just like everything in this industry, there are some things that you will want to know before getting started.

First off, this type of real estate is just what it sounds like. When you sell your home by owner you are going to take care of everything on your own; without the help of a real estate agent. As you can imagine, this will put you in a very different position than if you were to use an agent. After all, you will be on your own, which can often times be both a good and a bad thing. It is nice to be able to do what you want, when you want, but at the same time, you will not be able to ask an agent questions if you need assistance.

When you are selling your home by owner you will be in charge of any detail that you can think of. You will have to get all of the signs that you need for your yard, and then begin to market your property as you see fit. Even though this may sound like a lot of work, it is not something that should scare you away from for sale by owner real estate. You may be the type that likes to do things without help, and if so, you are definitely moving in the right direction.

As you can see, there are no secrets that hide the details of for sale by owner real estate. You need to know that this is a way of doing business, and that it is beneficial depending on the situation that you are in. The only thing that you want to do is make sure that you compare selling on your own to using an agent. If you do this, you will find out soon enough which one is best for you.