Hays, KS Real Estate, Homes For Sale, School & Area Information

The Travel Industry Association of Kansas (TIAK) recently presented several awards at the 2019 Kansas Tourism Conference. Downtown Hays Development Corporation was the recipient of two first place awards during the conference.

The awards received were in the categories of Print Media and Community Awareness. In the Print Media category, Downtown Hays Development Corporation won with the Downtown Hays brochure, while in the Community Awareness category, Downtown Hays Development Corporation won with their Brews on the Bricks event.

Only state-level winners are announced at the TIAK Marketing Awards, and the awards focus on overall marketing of the event of publication.

The Hays Regional Economic Outlook Conference was held recently in Hays and the general feeling among panelists is that NW Kansas is expected to experience slow growth in the next year, while a recession in the area is not imminent.

The tight labor market will drive wages up according to Jeremy Hill, Director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University. While the employment rate dipped in 2015 and 2016, along with oil prices, the employment rate has recovered in the last two years.

Ellis County accounts for 21 percent of the population in northwest Kansas, 25 percent of the employment and 28 percent of retail sales.

Surveys of employers indicate they anticipate they will be hiring in the next year.

Recently, the Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC) launched The Bricks area as a means to brand the entire downtown area. With the Chestnut Street District already established, The Bricks in Downtown encompasses a wider area, to include all of downtown. The name was chosen due to the bricks along the streets as well as many of the historical buildings facades made of bricks. This will allow the DHDC to address branding and marketing strategies as a whole, including unifying downtown, bringing more patrons downtown, and creating a larger identity.

The Downtown Hays Development Center has recently announced that they will be moving their offices back to the heart of downtown, from their current location in the Hays Welcome Center. The new address will be 109 E 11th Street. The move of the offices to downtown will allow them to better communicate with business owners that they represent as well as focus more clearly on future development and growth of the downtown area, which encompasses the Chestnut Street District and Bricks in Downtown Hays.

The Bricks in Downtown Hays, is the area encompassing all of downtown including the Chestnut Street District. Newly created this year, the Bricks will be hosting a new event on April 2, 2016 - Brews on The Bricks. The event will allow regional brewers to come together and provide samples and drinks to the public. The event will also feature live music, food vendors and a VIP reception.

Many young buyers wonder "Is my credit high enough to get a home loan?". In today's market, the credit score is very important and can also affect your interest rate. There are many ways you can improve your credit score and/or repair your credit. Simple things include getting a small credit card and keep it paid to zero. Your credit score will go up immediately when you have available credit. It is also true that if you pay your balances down, your score will go up. If you have credit problems, don't give up. Anything can be fixed, call a professional if you need help.

Many homeowners ask why do I have to buy title insurance? Title insurance is very important as it guards the homeowner against claims to their clear title. When you purchase your new home it guards against previous liens and clouds on the title. In the days of abstracts, the owner could look back at the history of ownership. With the digital age, now just a simple title insurance policy is necessary to guard the title to your home. Many things to consider in the purchase of your new home but there are many safeguards to protect you.

Just a quick reminder that as fall approaches, remember to look at your home and take care of any items that may need maintenance before it gets cold. Winter will be here before you know it and outside maintenance is the last thing you want to do when it's cold.

Painting is very important in order to maintain the appearance of your house. People assume the overall value of your home from the outside. Many times a little bit of maintenance will save money as compared to fixing it all at once.

Summertime is upon us. Activity increases in the summer with vacations and lots of people moving. One thing to remember is that real estate agents can help a relocation much easier. There is a lot to take care of when you are moving, i.e. new services, where are the best schools and local attractions. With so much to take care of, look for someone that know the market area and a person to help make the change easier.

Ranking high in overall livability and quality of life, Hays was recently ranked #2 by Niche.com as the Best Towns in Kansas. There are many areas that were looked at as key factors in determining the rankings. Included were school ratings, crime rates, housing, employment, community, things to do, and overall quality of life. Hays ranked highest in ease of commute and jobs.

This time of year is a great opportunity to reflect on this year. Time goes by very quickly and I hope everyone has time to reflect on your blessings. I hope everyone enjoys the holidays and has time to enjoy their families. Holidays in the Hays area are wonderful with plenty of holiday lights and parties.

Homes are one of the most important parts of this festive season as family members come home. We hope everyone has the home they wish for with plenty of room to entertain. Again, we wish to thank everyone we are associated with and hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday.

Talent Tribune recently ranked Hays as #6 on the best places to open a small business. The blog cited low cost of living, current businesses growing to their full potential, and a large increase in employees as contributing factors to the ranking.

Recently the Best Cities in Kansas for Young Families was ranked by NerdWallet, Inc, and Hays came in as the 4th best city! Factors that were considered to determine the overall ranking included public school excellence, home affordability, and growth and prosperity. Specifically, Hays received high marks for a lively downtown and strong schools.

Hays was recently ranked the #3 most exciting place to live in Kansas according to MovotoBlog. The blog ranked towns across the state according to entertainment, arts, restaurants, lifestyle and percentage of young residents. Due to the large population of young residents and the abundant arts, entertainment, and music venues, Hays ranked towards the top of the list. Just another reason to consider Hays as an option to call home!

Many customers are interested in purchasing homes to "flip". There are many homes that are for sale that need improvements. If sweat equity interests you, there are opportunities out there that can be a great investment or your primary house. Ellis County is looking at a new program that will make low interest rate loans to individuals that would like to rehab homes for resale. It is a great program that we hope to have in place later in this year.

A new 20,000 sq ft convention facility for the city of Hays could be started as early as this summer, if everything gets passed in a timely manner with the City Commission. A pair of tax increases need to be approved by the City Commission prior to work beginning. The newest estimate of $8 million for the convention center would be funded by a 2% citywide hotel tax increase and a 0.65 tax increase for businesses in a new commercial improvement district. The new convention center is expected to attract Statewide and International conventions to the area.

Many people are asking about the changes in the national flood insurance program. The program has implemented the use of a flood elevation certificate. This requires that a professional come out to the property and determine the lowest level of the home. The flood insurance is now based upon this lowest level of the home in relationship to the flood plain. To be exempt from flood insurance, the home must be 1' about the 100 year flood plain. We have seen many policies drastically increase over the last 6 months.

Many first time home buyers are questioning if this is the right time to buy. National sales figures indicate that if a buyer has waited three years, it has cost them $41,000. The prices of homes nationally has increased on average by that much. Therefore, before interest rates increase and prices of existing home escalate, now is the time to buy.

It is still a great time to purchase a house with interest rates still under 5%. My first real estate loan was at 9.5% in 1989. So, before we see interest rate increases, make sure you check out the local homes for sale. It is a great time to look at investment properties or just finding the home of your dreams. Don't miss out on these low interest rates, look at the available properties and see if the perfect home is out there for you.

Smoky Hill Country Club is a premier course located in Hays, KS. It features an 18 hole championship golf course with beautiful homes lining the course. The fully watered course offers golfers of all ages a great experience. It is a mature course that started in the late 60's with the back nine holes being added in the early 80's. Come see what a great course Smoky Hill Country Club is and the fun you can have there.

Recently the Huffington Post published an article about one thing to make sure you do in every state. What is that one thing that you must do in the state of Kansas? Sample the No. 6 Oatmeal Stout at Gella's Diner and Lb. Brewing Co. in Hays. The Oatmeal Stout is a Gold World Beer Cup Award winner and, like the rest of their brews, has great flavor.

The Hays Chamber of Commerce has been working with and for the businesses of the Hays community since 1917. The goal of the Chamber is to create commerce, offering opportunities for growth to businesses, as well as connecting businesses. There are four specific categories that the Chamber of Commerce concentrates their efforts on to promote the businesses of Hays. They are member services, leadership development, community betterment, and business advocacy. The Hays Chamber of Commerce does a fantastic job of promoting the businesses of the area through various channels such as Business After Hours, ribbon cuttings, Chamber Ambassadors, and Hays Area Young Professionals.

The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau is the division of the City Government responsible for attracting and retaining conventions, as well as individual visitors to the area. The Hays CVB can do everything from welcoming small groups, to assisting in planning and coordinating large conventions. They have assisted groups of all sizes and backgrounds, including small local groups looking for tours of the area, to international conventions. In addition, they assist in attracting sporting events to the area like KSHSAA State Tournaments, as well as youth and adult tournaments throughout the year at our various sporting venues in town. The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau does an outstanding job of attracting visitors to our community.

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Located at the corner of Vine and 27th, just south of Interstate 70, the Hays Welcome Center provides valuable information about Hays and the surrounding area. The Welcome Center was built in 2007 and was designed to replicate the old downtown train depot. The Welcome Center houses the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce, Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development, and the Chestnut Street District offices. In addition, there are several hundred brochures and maps about the area and the state available, as well as phone books, business directories, and additional guides. It is a wonderful place to find information about the area, grab a cup of coffee, and be welcomed to the community.