In the cold of a Midwest winter, it’s easy to hibernate at home. But this year, skip the Netflix and instead, use your downtime in a productive way - by making your house more energy efficient. Not only is this better for the environment, but it also can lower your monthly electricity bill. Saving the planet AND saving money? We call that a win-win. To best tackle a home energy makeover, we spoke to a sustainability engineer about the top tips to lower your energy consumption. Read on for her expert suggestions to make your home more energy efficient!

Photo by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash

1. Set your thermostat conservatively. In winter, 68 degrees is the recommended temperature, while summertime calls for 74 degrees for maximum savings. Each

According to new data released by the Great Plains Regional MLS for November 2020, the Omaha area real estate market is still very strong.

Home values continue to rise while selling quickly (on average in just 15 days).

Inventory is very low so it looks like homes will continue to sell very quickly as prices continue to rise. It remains a seller's market in Omaha.

November 2020 Omaha Area Real Estate Statistics

Average Sold Price: $271,189 (Up 8.4% from November 2019)
Homes Sold: 1,207 (Up 7.8% from November 2019)
New Listings: 1,061 (Down 8.5% from November 2019)
Pending Listings: 958 (Down 0.6% from November 2019)
Days on the Market: 15 Days (Down 31.8% from November 2019)

All data from Great Plains Regional MLS. Report © 2020

A handmade wreath tied with ribbon and bells. A festive snowman stationed in your yard. Twinkling lights that adorn your home. All of these can signal that the holiday season has arrived, but only one of these can cause intense frustration year after year. Putting up outdoor lighting is always a chore, but in some years due to weather, it can actually be quite dangerous. For homeowners who’ve considered outsourcing this tedious task, we’ve done the legwork for you! 

Courtesy of Brite Ideas 

To learn all about outdoor holiday lighting and more, we chatted with Josh Scearcy, the Vice President of Business Development at Brite Ideas Decorating. Brite Ideas is actually a longtime Omaha landmark; the company was founded in Omaha by Travis

The time has come to make your list and check in twice...and that means shopping for holiday gifts for all your loved ones. Luckily for all of us who call Omaha our “homaha”, there are tons of independent small businesses that make unique gifting a breeze. Read on for ten of our team’s favorite small shops in Omaha and beyond.

Courtesy of Chocolat Abeille

Sweet Favorite: Chocolat Abeille

This Old Market chocolate shop offers almost too pretty to eat morsels along with locally-sourced honey and other specialties. Their top seller lately? The internet famous hot cocoa bombs, which can be picked up locally or shipped nationwide. Stop into Chocolat Abeille for all of your elevated sweets needs!

Courtesy of Made in Omaha

All Local

At a time when people are desperate for some holiday cheer,  Santa’s Rock N Lights is here! 

Werner Park is hosting a drive-thru animated light show that is socially safe and touch-free. Me, my wife, and 18-month old son went last week, and he loved it!

Courtesy of Santa’s Rock N Lights

To make it even more fun this year, the number of lights has been doubled, and the routes were made longer in every location. Layout has been re-imagined with themed worlds of light including a dinosaur world. You get to enjoy over 700 feet of tunnels including their new techno rainbow tunnel.

Courtesy of Santa’s Rock N Lights

Make it your family’s socially-distanced touch-free experience-from-the-safety-of-your-car holiday tradition. The

Especially this year, it can make a huge difference to a community to spend money at locally-owned, independent businesses. When it comes to filling your home with holiday spirit and decor, there’s no better option in Omaha than North Downtown’s Prairie in Bloom Marketplace. To learn more about decorating tips and trends, we tapped owners Mark Kanitz and Lukas Rix. Read on for Prairie in Bloom’s pro suggestions for decking the halls.  

Courtesy of Prairie in Bloom 

Keep it Classic

Good quality faux greenery never goes out of style. Whether it’s a simple spray or Garland piece, you’ll always be able to layer new trends into simple, timeless greens. They make a rich base layer to start from for any seasonal decor vignettes, according to Kanitz and

Starting next week, you will start using the new trash cans in Omaha. 

I created a video to answer some common questions people have been having. 

If your question wasn’t answered or if you haven’t gotten your new containers, visit https://wasteline.org/ or call 402-444-5238.

Are you interested in buying a condo in Omaha? There are a bunch of different buildings to choose from. Each building has different features, amenities, rules, etc.

You could tour every building to see if you like the location, the unit, etc. But, to help you save time, I've decided to do some video tours of some of these different condos. 

The first condo is Beebe Runyan in downtown Omaha. I do a walkthrough of the building, the amenities, the parking garage, the rooftop, and even tour a condo.

I hope this helps! Please let me know what you think. And if you are interested in buying a condo, please reach out to me.

A wood-burning fire crackling in the living room. The first batch of chili stewing in the crockpot. Pumpkins brightening up the porch.

It’s the most magical time of the year, as the fall foliage unfolds and cooler temperatures wash over the Great Plains. But how do you embrace the season with your own home decor scheme?

For some quick and easy ways to slide into fall, check out what two local designers had to say.

Brand new to Omaha is designer Nikki Njeri Klugh, CEO and Principal Designer of her own company. She shares that with shorter days and hibernation season approaching, it’s important to pay special attention to how your home can help keep you in a sunny, happy mood. That can be especially true in a sometimes harsh climate like the

As the temperatures begin to dip and the leaves begin to change, it’s prime time to explore Omaha’s thriving local coffee scene. With tons of cool shops sprinkled all over the city, from downtown to North O to out west and beyond, there are almost too many options out there. Check out some of our team’s favorite fall offerings from local Omaha coffee shops, sure to add a pep to your step on autumn mornings.

Stir Coffee Bar

The newest shop to open in the area, Legacy’s Stir Coffee Bar is a female-founded triumph in West Omaha. Their signature autumnal drink is the extra smooth S'mores Latte. Ingredients include espresso, milk of your choice, chocolate syrup, hickory wood smoked honey, and marshmallows. There are even graham crackers included,