subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Sun, Nov 08 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
email this story   E-mail this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


Globe/T. Rob Brown Donny Allen, a broker and officer with Keller Williams Realty and president of the Ozark Gateway Association of Realtors, calls attention to aspects of a luxury home in Grand Falls Estates. Real-estate agents say 38 Joplin-area homes valued at more than $500,000 each are now on the market.

Published August 08, 2008 12:38 am - Even in a sluggish real-estate market, houses change hands, sales are made, contracts are signed and moving trucks line up for the big move. But about once a month, a local Realtor makes a one-in-a-million sale.

Luxury still sells



By Melissa Dunson

mdunson@joplinglobe.com

Even in a sluggish real-estate market, houses change hands, sales are made, contracts are signed and moving trucks line up for the big move. But about once a month, a local Realtor makes a one-in-a-million sale.

“I think if someone actually knew how many million-dollar houses there are in the Joplin area, they would be blown away,” said Donny Allen, president of the Ozark Gateway Association of Realtors.

With one of the lowest costs of living in the country, the Joplin area still has 38 homes for sale currently listed at $500,000 or more — the real-estate definition of a “luxury home” — according to the Multiple List Service. It’s a posh subclass that remains mostly unseen by the rest of Joplin’s residents, but it can mean big opportunity and big stress for the area real-estate agents and builders who operate in that niche market.

Allen is trying to sell a house in the Grand Falls subdivision near Redings Mill for just less than $1 million. That price tag is unusual, considering that Ozark Gateway reports $109,906 was the average price for the 188 houses that sold in the area in June. Even nationally, a $1 million house is the exception. The National Association of Realtors reported that the average sale price for an existing home in June was $256,600.

‘They have the cash’

Doris Carlin, a Keller Williams Realtor specializing in luxury homes, said no homes listed at $1 million or more have sold in the past 30 days, but the average rate is about one a month for the Joplin area.

The economy seems to have little to do with it, Allen said.

“These houses exist here, and there’s a market for them,” he said. “You hear the national media talking about how bad the housing market is, but it doesn’t matter to them as much because they have a motor home that costs as much as the house. They have the cash.”

Allen said most of the clients who buy million-dollar homes aren’t concerned about the mortgage scandal or interest rates, because they’re paying in cash. If a buyer decided to take out a mortgage on a $1 million house and put 20 percent down, Allen said, the payments would be about $7,500 a month, and the buyer would have to make at least $300,000 a year to qualify.

“At that point, it’s about the amenities and the quality of life,” he said. “I don’t think the sluggish economy is going to make that much of a difference to them.”

All of the million-dollar homes in the Joplin area were custom-built for particular clients in the beginning, said Charlie Kuehn, owner of Four State Homes in Joplin, the builder of three million-dollar homes in Joplin just in the past year.

“Nobody in this area is building million-dollar spec houses,” Kuehn said. “But there are some in Springfield and Kansas City.”

With clients requesting such custom amenities as exercise pools in the basement and 11 bathrooms, Kuehn said nothing surprises him anymore. He said there are homes in Joplin that cost $15 million to build, have 18,000 square feet and took five years to complete.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!



Featured Jobs

3 BOOTH RENTALS
small salon atmosphere, lots of exposure, 15th/Main. 417-529-8646...>MORE

COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKER
COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKER, full time, providing support and case management for adults with chronic mental illness. BS/BA...>MORE

SERVICE COORDINATOR SUPERVISOR
SERVICE COORDINATOR SUPERVISOR full time, responsible for development and supervision of ongoing activities required to...>MORE

HAIR STYLIST
for Carthage salon.
417-388-2074.
...>MORE

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR
Work along side and direct physically and mentally challenged adults in a work setting. Starts $8.00-$10.00 per hour. Co...>MORE

SALES
NYSE and Co., opening a new division. Will train. Looking for full-time or part-time. Call Mike, (417)448-4732....>MORE

SEEKING MICROSOFT SYSTEMS ANALYST
Seeking Microsoft Systems Analyst. Candidate will assist with presales consulting, primary installation and support of W...>MORE

HIRING HAIR STYLIST
NOW HIRING HAIR STYLIST. Fun and energetic salon. 417-845-0555, Tanya....>MORE

MEMBER SERVICES ASSOCIATES
The Freeman Southwest Family YMCA in Neosho, MO has two openings for
Member Services Associates.
These part-t
...>MORE

SUNSHINE, INC

is currently accepting applications for Full time and part time evening evening shift and an awake overnight suppo
...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM
2 door, spoiler, automatic, cold air, CD, extra nice, $2400. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

CHEVROLET, 2004 SILVERADO SS,
all high gloss black paint with full bed cover, 20” chrome wheels, white face gauges, 6.0 liter engine, all wheel drive,...>MORE

2007 NISSAN MURANO
All wheel drive, 47,000 miles, leather, excellent condition, received a company car and do not need extra vehicle. $17,9...>MORE

2005 HONDA PILOT EXL-DVD
4 door, 4x4, red with tan leather, 8 passenger, 89,000 miles, new tires, $14,500. (918)961-8995....>MORE

PONTIAC, 1997 SUNFIRE,
2 door, automatic, low miles, very nice, $2650. 434-7382....>MORE

2005 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER
LS, 4X4, 80,000 miles, priced to sell, $9,000 or best offer. 417-529-1957....>MORE

2008 HONDA RUCKUS
black, low mileage, $1500. 918-961-8995....>MORE

2008 NISSAN VERSA
4-door, 4500 miles, 4 cylinder, automatic, power steering, air, AM/FM CD, power windows/locks, silver with black interio...>MORE

2002 KIA OPTIMA EX
KIA, 2002 Optima EX, 4 door, leather, loaded, cold air, sunroof, CD, extra nice, $3200. 1317 Schifferdecker, Joplin....>MORE

2005 SAAB 9-3 TURBO
leather, automatic, 83,000 miles, $6800. (417)438-5487....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

OPEN HOUSE 2-4 P.M.
3 br, 2 ba, 2-car gar., 1660 sq. ft. with lots of amenities, 2228 W. 29th. $129,900. 417-825-0557....>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

1219 XENIA COURT
OPEN SUNDAY 2-4 P.M. 3 br, 2 ba, $84,000. 629-6135....>MORE

BRIARBROOK
3 BR, 2.5 ba, 1 year lease $725/$700, no pets. 417-310-0056....>MORE

3 BR, 7 YEAR OLD
like new, all electric, 10 minutes to Neosho, 20 minutes to Joplin. No Smoking, No Pets, $700 Month, $350 Deposit. (417)...>MORE

ATTRACTIVE, COMFORTABLE 4 BR
3 ba, 2-level, 2600 sq. ft. home. Greystone Subdivision, $194,900. 103 Jason Blvd., Oronogo, MO. Open house, Sunday 11 a...>MORE

3 BR, 2 BA, FIREPLACE
2 car attached, corner lot. Royal Heights area. $103,500. 417-434-0502 or 417-673-5584....>MORE

OPEN SATURDAY 9 A.M.-4 P.M.
Sunday 1-4 p.m. 3 br on 2 lots, central heat/air, vinyl siding/windows. See to appreciate. $29,900. 823 S. Sergeant. (91...>MORE

BY OWNER REDUCED PRICE!
3 br, 2 ba, 1840 sq. ft., remodeled, all new interior, new roof, $79,900. 436 N. Wall, Joplin. 240-432-8336....>MORE

2 BR, 2 BA
trash/sewer provided. Quiet park. No Pets. $375/250. 417-673-7437....>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

TWO LIVING ESTATE SALES, ONE SITE

Saturday, November 7, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
28245 Fir Road, Carl Junction, MO.
Follow signs.
Downsizing
...>MORE

CHIHUAHUAS
Chorkies, WaPoos, Shih-Tzus, just in time for Christmas. $85 to $250. Registered and shots 417-438-6057...>MORE

2008 POLARIS TRAILBLAZER 330
2 wheel drive, like new, $2300. (918)961-8995....>MORE

BOW FLEX EXTREME HOME GYM

(417)438-9041
...>MORE

WANENMACHER’S WORLD’S LARGEST
GUN SHOW -November 14 and 15. Tulsa Fairgrounds, Saturday, 8-6 p.m., Sunday 8-4 p.m. www.tulsaarmsshow.com....>MORE

COFFEE, END AND ENTRY TABLE
coffee, end and entry tables, Nordic Track Walk Fit, sewing machine desk, (417)206-4958....>MORE

2 CREMATION NICHES
2 CREMATION NICHES Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, moving must sell quick. Call Carolyn, (417)624-3017....>MORE

CHEAP PUPPIES
Border Terriers, Dachshunds, Italian Greyhound, Lhasas, Morkies, Norwich Terriers, Shih-Tzus, Standard Poodles (chocolat...>MORE

1950S CAVALIER COKE MACHINE
in working order, $350. (417)782-2751....>MORE

COUCH
full size, with pillows, light pastel colors, lavender and blue, no cats, no dogs, no kids, $150 or offer. 624-2197....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition