RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Lifetime Achievement
240591
8
7
5,803
240979
5
4
4,320
240842
5
6
5,100
240431
5
5
3,690
240985
N/A
N/A
7,116
241019
4
3
2,226
240697
4
3
2,219
220125
N/A
N/A
367,210
241021
3
2
1,934
241035
5
3
2,678
241020
4
3
1,632
241011
4
3
2,112
240984
3
2
1,436
240968
2
1
1,216
241123
3
2
1,155
240880
3
3
1,465
240649
N/A
N/A
1,480
241092
3
2
1,440
241082
2
2
1,376
241073
3
2
1,365
240122
2
2
1,052
241172
N/A
N/A
11,587
I hear this one all the time from prospects looking to list their house. "Well, agent xyz told us that if we listed with her, she'd have it sold in a week." This would fall into the category of "If it sounds too good to be true, the probably is." The majority of agents are not going to make this claim, but rather will give you an honest market analysis, inform you as to how weak or strong the market is, especially the market in which your home resides, and present the objective facts. A good agent will then lay out an effective marketing plan, where the majority of the focus should be on "online marketing". Be careful to not get caught up in empty promises, reduced commissions, and being talked in to lowering your price below market value (unless you must have a quick sale). The key to choosing a good listing agent is to objectively determine who is going to provide you the best opportunity to sell your home. Will your listing agent also aggressively work to find buyers, or will they just list your home and wait for another agent to do the work.
The Family Diner is Spirit Lake, IA is a local favorite! They offer up a large portion for small money, but whether you come early or late you may be in for a wait. With homemade bread and the largest sausage patty you have seen, The Family Diner is consistently delicious. They are open only for breakfast and lunch and closed two days a week. In my former career at Stylecraft, the family diner was definately a favorite when our friends would visit from North Carolina. They were always inpressed with the bread and rolls and corn beef hash.
Terrace Park is located in Brown's Bay on West Lake, Okoboji. It is one of the largest public beaches on West Lake and has entertained beach goers for many years. Next to Terrace Park is Boys Town out of Omaha, Nebraska. I remember as a kid spending entire days at terrace park, either riding bicycle or taking a moped (yes a moped) down to meet with friends and playing king on the dock. In 2010, the morning after "the storm", Terrace Park was carnage. Boat were stacked on top of each other. Trees were uprooted, and hoists were tossed around. Boats and other water craft were found in Terrace Park that belonged to owners on the North end of West Lake.
Boulders Inn and Suites promises to make your Okoboji vacation comfortable and relaxing. This new hotel just south of Emerald Hills golf course between Milford and Arnolds Park offers 40 rooms with suites to meet your individual needs. One of the best things about Boulders Inn is that it is within walking distance of the Taco House. For some of you, I know that can be a big deal!
Okoboji Boat Works is home to "The Fish Shack" and "The Inconvenience Store". Formerly a marina of thriving boat sales since 1890, OBW now offers up many different rentals, a 24 hour gas dock, excursion boats, and more. I remember the days as a child of fishing for crappie and blue gill here and along the docks of Smith's Bay. Though the scenery has changed, the outstanding fishing has not.
Bridges Bay Resort is built on the land purchased a few years prior which used to be owned by the Nielsen family of Arnolds Park. This huge complex consists of a hotel, 3 condo buildings (a 4th is under construction), and over 100 vacation cabins. A popular part of the resort is the indoor waterpark that cabin and condo owners have access to, but also, so does the public for a fee. Braccos is a fantastic summertime restaurant and bar which is frequented by boat, by car, and by foot, especially from the owners of the condos and cabins. All of the units at Bridges Bay have an opportunity for a boat hoist, and it is an extremely popular destination for out of towners looking for a vacation spot in Okoboji. Because Bridges Bay is not within the city limits, many owners utilize property management companies to help them rent their units by the day, week, and month. I've personally sold and shown many condo and cabin units and would be delighted to help.
Here's the scenario. You are building a house or remodeling your house. Material costs are up. Labor costs are up. You ask yourself, where can I save a buck? Before answering this question, you must be careful, especially if your home is located in an area where other quality homes are built, whether on the lake, off the lake, or in higher valued developments such as golf course developments, etc. Growing up in construction and with a plethora of new construction and remodels under my belt, let me share with you some of the easy things that your future buyers will recognize when they are looking for quality.
1. One of the first things buyers of higher end homes will look for is to determine if the owner used hollow core doors. It's an immediate sign that the seller was looking for ways to save money (where else then did they cut back that I can't see???)
2. The second most obvious is the counter tops. Did the sellers spend for a quality granite, quartz, or other hard surface, or was formica used?
3. The third item that might stick out is the cabinetry. Do the drawers have dovetail construction with hardwoods? Did they use "soft close" drawers? Are there pull outs for the pots and pans?
4. Flooring is an easy one also. Was laminate used, or is it engineered or hardwoods? Does the carpet convey a quality feel and plushness? Is there a nice thick pad underneath the carpet?
5. Though there are many other items to look at, cheap vs quality lighting and plumbing fixtures are probably the next major focus.
There is nothing wrong with with using lower cost materials, especially when trying to keep a project within budget, especially when trying to build more house for less money. Just be aware that most buyers looking to spend in excess of $300k for off lake homes and $500+ for East Lake chain homes, and $1M+ for West and Big Spirit will expect the very best materials and finishes.
Arrowood is a year-round conference center and hotel with over 100 guest rooms, whirlpool suites and a "Great Room" for hosting group events and hospitality suites. Formerly known as Village East, the resort offers an outdoor pool, deck, playground, volleyball and croquet courts and a heated indoor pool area. Hotel goers can also enjoy an on-site salon, Minervas Bar and Eatery and lit parking. Located on Brooks National Golf Course, Arrowwood Resort offers some of the finest lodging around. Years ago, Brooks Golf Course clubhouse was actually housed on the rear side of Arrowood, but since then, the course has been converted to 27 holes with a a new separate clubhouse. Also, the Racquet Club was a part of the facility, offering workout facilities, racquet ball, and tennis. However, with the addition of the YMCA, the racquet club was unsustainable and converted into retail.
Founded in 1960, the Three Sons has been a staple of Milford, IA retail. From Herman and Emil Richter, owners, was born the University of Okoboji, a ficticious university that calls the entire Iowa Great Lakes the campus of the U of O. Part of the experience of shopping the three sons, if walking the old battered floors, and taking a trip upstairs for half price, plus a buck. Brands you would expect in Milford Iowa are abundant, such as Patagonia, Oakley, Under Armour, Tommy Bahama, and more. There are currently 2 other stores; one at the amusement park, and another near the Regal Beagle called the bridge store. No self-respecting visitor to Okoboji leaves without visiting one of their stores.
Miller's Bay, on the west side of West Lake is a popular spot for boaters in the summer to just go chill out, throw an anchor, and relax. On the weekends, this bay is filled with boats tied up to each other offering families the opportunity to have the kids swim, or you might find a bunch of party animals chugging beers and enjoying the summer sun. Either way, everyone is having a great time, and so if you are out and about, just know that Millers Bay is where boaters go in the summer to be where the party is at.
Aaron and his team were great to work with and made the entire process seamless from start to finish. We were originally intending to sell the property on our own but Aaron found a buyer for us in the process and made the whole experience both easier and smoother than had we continued trying to sell entirely on our own. It was definitely worth having Aaron as part of the team for getting this done.
Aaron was a pleasure to work with on the sale of our Okoboji cabin. We will 100% be working with him again in the future when we look for another vacation home in the area.
I wanted to share my excellent experience in selling my house through Aaron Jones and the RE/MAX team. Aaron Jones did an excellent job of marketing my home and answering any questions I had. Once a purchase agreement was signed, RE/MAX also let me use their enclosed trailer for moving purposes. Beth Toliver also was great at keeping me informed during the closing process. I would definitely recommend Aaron Jones and the RE/MAX team when you are buying or selling a property.
Working with Aaron was easy and enjoyable. He was very helpful in the process and knowledgeable. Always willing to answer a question and set up tours. Aaron is a really nice guy and provided many tips and pointers regarding purchasing and owning the property that were beneficial.
When we started looking for a location to start our business, Aaron was very helpful and easy to work with. His schedule was flexible to meet our needs. The entire process was simple and he took care of us all the way through the purchase and even after when we ran into a couple issues with the A/C and garage doors. We would definitely work with Aaron again in the future!
Aaron did an amazing job selling the property! He has a great staff and a large network that can put buyers and sellers together! Thanks buddy Awesome job!
Aaron was right there every step of the way to guide us throw the process, and responsive to our endless questions. Purchasing this property from another state provided a different set of challenges for us as buyers. IE. Knowing the ins and outs of Iowa Real Estate, Area Utilities, and a remote final walk thru. Aaron was right there every step of the way. Thanks Aaron!
Aaron Jones did a fantastic job for us from start to finish. He was very responsive and helpful throughout the entire process. He helped us sell two properties and purchase a third all essentially within one weekend. This shows how well-connected and knowledgable he is in the lakes area. We highly recommend him for your home buying or selling needs.
Aaron is the local area expert of real estate! Aaron is exceptional to work with. He makes buying a house at Okoboji Fun! This is the 2nd property that Aaron has helped us buy and he makes it so easy! Would highly recommend Aaron Jones from Remax Realty !
Aaron has a great approach and blended patience with persistence to deliver for us as his client! He spent the necessary time to get to know what was important to us and then showed us several properties to confirm what we described and pointed out the trade-off's of different attributes. We would definitely use his expertise again.