For the past year you've probably heard the media and real estate experts talk about the crash that will follow the first part of the decade's real estate boom. The housing bubble will burst, home value averages will fall and selling or buying a home will be tougher than ever. These gloomy predictions have caused a bit of a panic in the real estate world, but so far, they've fallen a bit short of tragedy. The real estate market is slower than it's been in a while, but it certainly hasn't crashed. These predictions were looking at the state of the market on a national level, and to be frank, knowing the number of sales per month or the average home value in the nation won't be of much help when you're looking to buy or sell. (By the way, the national median home value in 2006 was $221,900).

Real estate is an investment and it's important to put your investment in a place where it has an opportunity to grow over the years. In order to get an idea of whether your new home will increase in home value, or whether there will be a flood of new people wanting to move into the area, you've got to examine specific factors of the area you're living in or would like to move to. Specifically, take a look at the area's past home value averages and rate of sales, as well as its economy, job market, and attractions to outside visitors. These factors will have an affect on whether your home value is likely to rise or fall over the years.

Kansas, with it's capital city of Topeka, has long flown under the radar of the American public – there's just not much talk about the Heart of America's West. But Kansas has a bit more to offer than most people would think. To start, Kansas has a fairly large population compared to most Midwestern states: 2,764,075 people reside in the state. Kansas has an economy based strongly on agricultural products such as cattle, wheat, sorghum, soybeans, hogs and of course, corn. Its industry sectors include a large aircraft manufacturing section, food processing, printing and publishing, chemical production, machinery, apparel, petroleum and mining. So many varied employment opportunities has led Kansas to a stable real estate market, with home value averages steadily rising.

Although tourism is not a major industry for Kansas, the state still has plenty to offer travelers, with a history steeped in the American Old West and flavored with the adventurous pioneer spirit. There are plenty of outdoor activities for adventurers: hiking, biking, camping, fishing, boating, visiting dude ranches etc. Lewis and Clark made part of the famous journey to the West through Kansas, and the state also has a strong Native American heritage. There are plenty of historic landmarks to visit, including Pony Express stations, Mine Creek Battlefield (one of the biggest calvary battles of the Civil War), Constitution Hall and various frontier forts to explore. The two major cities of Topeka and Kansas City offer plenty of nightlife experience such as dining, clubbing, breweries, shopping and other “city slicker” activities.

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