Why Omaha Isn't Building Starter Homes Anymore
Omaha Market · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 A buyer with $280,000 to spend cannot buy a new house in Omaha. Not a small one, not a plain one, not out on the edge where the land is cheapest. I've gone looking. In 1960, a buyer in this same metro could get a brand-new two-bedroom house fo
How Nebraska Funds Its Schools (and What It Costs You)
Homeowner Guide · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 If you own a home in the Omaha metro, more of your property tax bill goes to schools than to anything else. That much most people know. What almost nobody can explain — and I don't blame them — is how the money actually moves, or why the st
Nebraska Property Tax Relief Needs a Scalpel, Not a Sledgehammer
Opinion · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 A note before I start: this one's an opinion piece. These are my views as an Omaha homeowner and an independent voter, not my brokerage's. I should also tell you I'm a Realtor and I own rental property, which means I have money riding on some of wh
Your Omaha Property Tax Bill, Explained Line by Line
Homeowner Resources · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 Your Douglas County property tax bill is one page with about ten line items on it, and if you're like most homeowners I talk to, you've never read past the number at the bottom. I don't blame you. It's got a "consolidated levy" printed
How to Choose a Real Estate Agent in Omaha: The Deal I Walked Away From
Working With an Agent · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 Most advice about how to choose a real estate agent in Omaha reads like it was written by someone who has never sat at a closing table. Ask how many homes they've sold. Check their reviews. Make sure they're responsive. It's not wrong
Omaha vs. Council Bluffs: What You'd Actually Pay
Buying · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 Nebraska has a reputation. Ask around the Omaha metro and you'll hear that the property taxes here are brutal — and honestly, that reputation isn't unearned. So plenty of buyers I work with start eyeing Council Bluffs, figuring they'll dodge the tax
Selling a Parent's Hoarder House in Omaha: A Compassionate, Step-by-Step Guide
Selling & Downsizing · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 If you've found yourself searching "how do I sell my parents' hoarder house" late at night, I want you to know two things right away: you're not alone, and you don't have to have it all figured out before you reach out for help. Most o
Is It Worth Hiring a Real Estate Agent in Omaha? (2026)
Buyers & Sellers · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 If you've ever Googled "is it worth paying for a real estate agent," you're in good company. Between Zillow, Redfin, and a year of headlines about lawsuits and commission changes, it's fair to wonder whether hiring an agent still makes sen
Is Council Bluffs a Good Place to Invest in Real Estate?
Investing · Chris Jamison, Nebraska Realty · 2026 Most Omaha-area investors never seriously consider crossing the river. Council Bluffs gets written off based on reputation — or just habit — and that's exactly why it might be worth a closer look. Home prices are lower on the Iowa side, rents are