Nebraska Real Estate

Nebraska is considered one of the top 10 most livable states in the nation despite that it has no ocean frontage, few lakes, and no large mountains. With low health care costs, thousands of adventurous places to visit, and great public and higher education systems, Nebraska has a lot to offer its residents.

If you plan to reside in the Cornhusker State, consider the different regions before packing up your belongings. Living in the Panhandle Region or the northwest tip of Nebraska gives you close proximity to water skiing, which can be found in Bridgeport, NE. Just outside of Alliance, NE, is Carhendge, a replica of the England's famous Stonehendge, only this one is made with cars.

Indian powwows and horseback riding through Fort Robinson State park in Crawford, NE, are just a few additional perks of living in Nebraska's Panhandle. Crawford, a small town with slightly more than 1,000 people, is home to elk, sheep, deer, and Texas longhorn cattle. Real estate in Crawford is low cost compared to the rest of the state. The average home price in Crawford is $35,200, while the statewide average is $113,200.

Nebraska's Pioneer Country Region, located in the southeastern section of the state, is the birthplace of Arbor Day and home of the Arbor Day Farm. In this region you can choose from basket weaving to walking the trails of Indian Cave State Park. Nebraska's capital, Omaha, is located in this region. Omaha, which ranked one of the top big cities to live in the nation, boasts of having a great quality of life but with that quality of life comes high real estate taxes.

Nebraskans living in Omaha don't seem to mind paying $2.10 per $100 assessed value in property taxes because it funds the local schools which are excellent, among other top-notch services.

Mortgage-to-income ratios are considered favorable in the Omaha metropolitan area. Home sales from 2005 to 2006 were down by nearly 4 percent, which resulted in a soft real estate climate in Omaha. Still, the low unemployment rate of 4.3 percent coupled with the migration of people moving to the region could mean a more favorable market through 2008. In 2005 the median home price was considered affordable at $136,400. The nearly 10,000 new jobs in the area should also keep home prices from falling.

While adults sniff, swirl and sip Nebraska's wine at local vineyards' wine tastings, the children can drink some Kool-Aid. Both are found in the Frontier Trails Region, located in central Nebraska, as this region is home to vineyards and the creation of that flavored powder plus water equals Kool-Aid. After wine tasting you can fish or boat in Alma's Harlan County Lake, a recreational reservoir. Home prices in Alma, a small town with a population under 1,200, averaged $52,700 in 2005 and the average household income was $28,600.

Nebraska Demographics

As of 2006, the population of Nebraska was 1,742,500. Of that number, 83% were white, 4% black, and 9% Hispanic. The median annual household income is slightly higher than the national average, at $46,613.

Nebraska Economy and Education

Nebraska's top industry may be in food processing and its number one occupation is in agriculture with the production of cattle, hogs, soybean and wheat, but the state is riding the technology and financial services bandwagon. Nebraska has developed several technology initiatives, one being biosciences.

There are 244 medical technologies and biosciences companies in Nebraska, predominantly clustered in Lincoln and Omaha, which contribute nearly 10,000 jobs in the field. Average employee salary for those working in Nebraska's biosciences sector is $48,484. The state's pro business tax laws and the research and development dollars pouring into the state make Nebraska a good place for bio-business. Companies committed to hiring Nebraskans are rewarded with little or no corporate and sales tax. Nebraska officials also have intensive training programs to provide knowledgeable workers to those medical and biosciences companies experiencing growth.

The University of Nebraska, the largest of the 39 colleges and universities in the state, has four different campuses including the Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, and Medical Center campuses. Much of the research conducted in Nebraska's schools fuel the local economy.

Nebraska Climate and Geography

Nebraska's climate is continental and varies from season-to-season and year-to-year. Warm winds come in from the west. In the winter, temperatures average about 40 and dip down to the teens. High temperatures in the summer range from 80 to 90. South central and southeast Nebraska are prone to droughts, though there were none reported in 2006. Eastern Nebraska is prone to flooding because of ice jams in the Platte and Elkhorn Rivers. Nebraska experienced 22 floods in 2006 when river levels dramatically increased with little or no warning. There were 23 tornados that struck Nebraska from January 2006 to December 2006 with zero deaths and zero reported injuries. Severe storms also have caused major damage to Nebraska's land and residents' properties.