Iowa City Real Estate Blog: March 2010

2 new movies in theaters today, March 26 and they both get really good reviews. Definitely worth mentioning, since it's kind of unusual that everyone's in agreement this week. I guess they both fall into the category of light entertainment - easy to like!

Here's the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City.


The first new movie is quite clearly going to be a runaway success. How to Train Your Dragon comes from the Dreamworks studio. Need I say more? And what's not to like about a reluctant hero named Hiccup? That's enough for me right there... And I haven't even gotten to the part where you find out it's about vikings and dragons yet. Our reluctant hero is not quite in sync with the rest of his tribe and finds his beliefs up-ended when he meets up with a dragon. This was the kind of movie I used to love taking my children to see, on the pretext I was doing them a favor, when all the while I was loving it!

The other new movie has the great title Hot Tub Time Machine. Starring John Cusack it's about three friends dissatisfied with their lives who get shipped back in time in their hot tub for a do-over. Like I said, light entertainment - Just what the doctor ordered.

That's it for movies. Moving onto live entertainment... The Mill has another full weekend lined up as usual. Tonight folk rock lovers will enjoy The Fruit Bats. Saturday it's the Burlington Street Bluegrass Band and Sunday it's Ol' Thrashers Reunion 3 - The third year in a row where members of the Iowa City Punk scene get together to raise funds for United Action for Youth.

We've got something for everyone when it comes live entertainment in Iowa City
For more ideas on things to do I've written a couple of posts with info on theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City. Bookmark it and you won't have near as much work finding things to do in Iowa City next time round!

The weekend is here - again! Time for my weekly update on new movies in Iowa City and Coralville. I'll start with the new releases for March 19 and include some ideas on where you can go for live entertainment on this Spring Break weekend in Iowa City.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City...


3 new movies in our theaters this week. I'll start with Repo Men, simply because I'm a huge Jude Law fan. Interesting concept too, repossessing vital organs from bad payers. Might be just a touch too gruesome for me though - I'm a bit on the squeamish side. Since it seems I'm doing this in order of favorite actor this week, the next new movie out today is Bounty Hunter with Jennifer Aniston. She's the bounty and it's her ex-husband tasked with job of hunting her down. Sounds like nice light entertainment to me. I'm sure it will do well. Final new movie for this week is Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Based on the best seller of the same name I'm sure kids will make sure this one is a hit.


When it comes to live entertainment you can't beat The Mill - as you must know by now if you're a regular reader of my blog. Tonight, Leslie & The Ly's is performing, along with Christopher the Conquered. Apparently this is a show like no other with sensational costumes and unbelievable dance moves. For anyone who likes quirky this looks like it's going to be quite a show!

This week The Mill beat out the Iowa City Yacht Club for acts with the most creative name too. (Usually the Yacht Club runs away with this title as you'll know if you're a regular reader). On Saturday the Burning Halos and friends are promising a night of insanity at the Mill! I guess it's Spring Break. Anything goes...

Still on the subject of Spring Break the The Iowa City Yacht Club has good music to offer too on Saturday with Head for the Hills + Filling Space + Songbird Bethann.


If you're up for something more sedate and you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I've seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.


Another weekend favorite, also a little more sedate is the Riverside Casino. They have a class act there this weekend - The Pointer Sisters are performing there on Saturday. Now I remember their hits like Slow Hand and I'm So Excited. Do you?

So much for my hot picks. For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I've written a couple of posts pulling things together making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

It's Friday again and time for my weekly update on new movies in Iowa City and Coralville. There are 4 new movie releases for March 12. As usual I'll also include a couple of my hot picks on things to do in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City... Our Family Wedding is only showing at Sycamore. The other 3 new movies this week are showing at both theaters.


Lots of choices this weekend with 4 new movies to tell you about. Probably the most interesting new movie is Green Zone starring Matt Damon. Action packed and building on the idea of the Bourne films chances are this is the movie to watch out for this weekend. (Don't write off Alice though. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's collaboration made $116M last weekend - that was light years ahead of anyone else out there and there's no reason to think they're anywhere near done yet!)

With those two heavyweights the other 3 movies have their work cut out for them to see some action this weekend. Romantic comedies are always a winner in my book and top pick for me from the remaining new movies is She's Out of My League starring Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve. No reason to elaborate on the storyline - the title says it all!

Remember Me is a romantic drama with a twist. It stars Robert Pattinson who has a strained relationship with his father, played by Pierce Brosnan after tragedy hits the family.  Things get messy when a girl, Emilie de Ravin enters the young man's life - the rest you'll find out when you go and watch the movie....


Our Family Wedding is the last new movie this week. It stars Forest Whittaker and America Ferrera. Once again no need to elaborate on the storyline, it's all in the title! Neither of these last two movies get particularly good reviews, but if you like the actors I'm sure you'll be forgiving of that. Lots of times we go to the movies to see a friendly face and can be forgiving of the script.


When it comes to live entertainment you can't beat The Mill - as you must know by now if you're a regular reader of this post. Tonight, Ed Gray - who's termed as a wildly inventive improv musician will be playing. Saturday it's Shame Train and on Sunday they have a one of a kind event called the Found Footage Festival! Looks like another fun packed weekend to me. You'll find much more detailed info on their website.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I've seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

I'm going to round it up this week again with The Iowa City Yacht Club. They hit my radar a few weeks ago when I noticed that bands with the most original names play there... Tonight, (Friday), they have a benefit for Haiti. Meh Funk + Mother Culture + Stubborn Tiny Lights are all performing at this benefit. Kudos to them!

On Saturday Paul Kresowik & The Instrumentals + Collectible Boys will be playing.

For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I've written a couple of posts pulling things together making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Brittany Murphy and now maybe Corey Haim. I came up with those names at the drop of a hat. I'm sure if I stopped to actually think there would me more... Where's the outrage? All these people died from the use of prescription drugs and yet when it's reported in the media there's something of an "of course it was drugs" attitude of reporting that totally blows my mind.

Money gets poured into educating our children about the dangers of illicit drugs. What about this?? Where are the awareness campaigns? It may look like this is a problem that only people of celebrity have, but I'm doubting that. I just think they're the ones who make the news.

In the 21st Century we live in a fast paced world where celebrities and non-celebrities alike have problems dealing with what life throws at them. I get that. What I don't get is that the use of prescription drugs for everything from restless legs, (my personal favorite) to anti-depressants the moment you feel a bit down is seriously on the rise. Case in point: When I went for a physical I just happened to be going through a period of my life where it's natural to get mood swings. It came up in conversation. The next thing I know the doctor wants to prescribe Paxil, an anti-depressant. I refused and didn't go back to that doctor - I thought it was an over the top solution for my problem.

What's my point? My point is that there is a shift going on in our society that make prescription drugs an acceptable way to solve problems. Not only is this not true, it can also lead to fatal consequences, as the recent run of celebrity deaths proves. So where's the outrage? Why aren't we doing something about this?

It's Friday already and time for my weekly update on new movies in Iowa City and Coralville. I'll start with the new releases for March 5 and include a couple of other ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend.

You can check the schedule for movies at the Coral Ridge Mall Movie Theatre in Coralville and the Sycamore Mall Cinema in Iowa City...

Exciting weekend for movie-goers this weekend with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp sure to make box office with Alice In Wonderland. Johnny Depp is the Mad Hatter and I'm sure he'll be sensational! The other new release this week is Brooklyn's Finest also starring some pretty top notch actors, including two of my favorites, Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke. It's a tension filled drama revolving around three police officers in the NYPD. Hardly worthy competition for Alice! So sorry guys, maybe next time...

When it comes to live entertainment you can't beat The Mill - as readers of the Press Citizen will tell you. Tonight, members of the renowned Writers Workshop will be picking up their guitars and singing rather than reading their work - Very Dylanesque... On Saturday Dave Zollo & the Body Electric will be playing their brand of blues and rock music.

If you like your country music with dance then check out the Wildwood Smokehouse & Saloon. Great music and great food and free wi-fi...They often have specials too like all you can eat ribs on Wednesdays...They're on Facebook and do a better job than anyone else I've seen using that media to give info on specials and upcoming events.

I'm going to round it up this week again with The Iowa City Yacht Club. They hit my radar recently as it seems they find the bands with the most original names to play there... Hen House Prowlers & Porch Builder will be playing there tonight. (Definitely up there for original names.:-) The fun continues on Saturday with Dennis McMurrin & The Demolition Band.

For more ideas on things to do in Iowa City this weekend I've written a couple of posts pulling things together making it easier for you to find theaters and live entertainment venues in Iowa City.

Here in Iowa City it's condo buying season and there are lots of students out buying homes with their parents as co-signers. A question that came up for me last week was whether or not these students can claim the homebuyer tax credit. You might expect the answer to that to be no... Well, hold your horses, here's some info that shows it can go either way...

First of all, students who are claimed as a dependent by their parents will not qualify for the credit. HOWEVER, if they are not claimed as a dependent then it's a whole different story...

This is an excerpt directly from the IRS site.

S2. Taxpayer A is a single first-time home buyer. Taxpayer B (parent) cosigns for A and does not qualify.

A. Yes. Taxpayer B is not a first-time homebuyer and cannot claim any portion of the credit, but A may claim the entire credit ($7,500 for purchase in 2008; $8,000 for purchase in 2009), if the home was purchased as Taxpayer A's primary residence.

Here's a link to the original document and some different scenarios.

Here are a few links to other posts I've written about the homebuyer tax credit:

How the Homebuyer Tax Credit Works

Expanded Homebuyer Tax Credit Now Includes "Repeat Buyers."

You don't need to sell your home to qualify for the $6500 repeat buyer tax credit

Phase out range on income limits for the homebuyer tax credit

Of course I am not a tax adviser, so please don't make major financial decisions based on this post. It's much more about pointing you in the right direction for you to go and ask your CPA what applies in your specific situation.

Real Estate Market Update: Homes Sold in Iowa City February 2010

It's the beginning of the month and time to look at home sales in Iowa City in February. 

The number of homes sold in Iowa City in February was down compared to last year. 28 homes sold in February 2010 in comparison to 39 in February 2009. If you look at my weekly update, you'll see that we have a lot of homes under contract, so even if we didn't have a bunch of closings in February, they are in the pipeline...

The median price of homes sold in February was $160,500, compared to $162,900 last year with an average of 89 days on market.

Right now there are a lot of buyers out and about wanting to take advantage of the expanded homebuyer tax credit for repeat buyers, so it's not really so much the number of homes sold we should be looking at - it's the number of homes going under contract we should keep an eye on. Check back next week for my weekly report and see where we're at then.

Buying or selling, we have an interesting market right now. I'm all for getting information out there, so check back frequently to see what's going on in the Iowa City area real estate market. The more you know before you buy or sell a home, the better shape you'll be in when it comes to either listing a home for sale or making an offer on a home that's currently on the market.

Coralville Real Estate Market Report February 2010

North Liberty Real Estate Market Report February 2010

Real Estate Market Update: Homes Sold in Coralville February 2010

It's the beginning of the month and time for a first look at home sales for February in Coralville Iowa.

The number of homes sold in Coralville was up in February compared to last year. 11 homes sold in February 2010 in comparison to 10 in February 2009. This is great news, especially since home sales were down in February in both Iowa City and North Liberty. If you follow my real estate market reports you'll know that Coralville hasn't been doing as well with the first time homebuyer as Iowa City or North Liberty. Coralville does well with the move-up buyer and I guess last month was a case in point.

The median price of homes sold in February was $214,900 compared to $185,500 last year.  With an average of 88 days on market compared to 120 days on market last year.

The expanded homebuyer tax credit for repeat buyers continues to bring out buyers so the coming months should be interesting in Coralville and the greater Iowa City area.

Buying or selling a home in Coralville, we have an interesting market right now. I'm all for getting information out there... Why not subscribe to my blog below? It's an easy way to get regular market updates for Coralville and the greater Iowa City area.

In the meantime here's a link to my weekly market update for this week.

The more you know before you buy or sell a home, the better shape you'll be in when it comes to either listing a home for sale or making an offer on a home that's currently on the market. Questions? Just give me a call at 319-400-0268.


Iowa City Real Estate Market Report February 2010

North Liberty Real Estate Market Report February 2010

North Liberty Iowa Real Estate Market Update February 2010

It's March already and time to look at home sales in February for the North Liberty area.

Surprisingly home sales are down compared to last year in the North Liberty area. 17 homes sold in February 2010 in comparison to 23 in February 2009.* I say surprisingly, because North Liberty is one of the fastest growing towns in Iowa and home sales are strong in the area. Check out my market report for the greater Iowa City area in 2009 and you'll see what I mean. You may also want to check my weekly market updates in the coming weeks, I'm sure we'll see this is just a glitch.

The median price of homes sold in February up at $160,000 compared to $135,900 in February 2009. That's an increase of 18%. The average days on market was 125 days, compared to 103 days on market last year.

North Liberty has benefited from the The homebuyer tax credit and now that some repeat buyers are also eligible it will certainly continue to have an effect on the North Liberty real estate market as we head towards spring. And remember, for this tax credit buyers need to have an accepted offer on a home by April 30, 2010, so this will mean a lively couple of months coming up in North Liberty.

Buying or selling a home in North Liberty, we have an interesting market right now. I'm all for getting information out there, so why not keep up to date and subscribe to my blog below? It's an easy way to get regular updates on the real estate market in North Liberty and the greater Iowa City area.

The more you know before you buy or sell a home, the better shape you'll be in when it comes to either listing a home for sale or making an offer on a home that's currently on the market.




*Oxford and Tiffin are included in the MLS data for North Liberty. 1 house sold in Tiffin and 1 in Oxford in February.