My
wife and I are long-time fans of the Kansas City Royals, and we try to hit a
home game whenever we can; it’s one of our favorite family pastimes. Currently,
the Royals are sitting 4th overall in the MLB’s American League Central (AL
Cent), but their performance isn’t the only thing fans are talking about and
sportscasters are reporting on.
After
much speculation, it’s been confirmed that the Kansas City Royals are being
sold to local businessman John Sherman, for $1 billion. The official
announcement was made by the Royals’ current owner David Glass and his family
on August 30th. While Glass explained to Kansas City fans how difficult this
decision was to make, there are high hopes that John Sherman will make an
excellent addition to the team.
A
season-ticket holder, minority owner of the Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City
native, John Sherman will be the third owner of the franchise since it was
founded in 1969 by Ewing Kauffman. While the prospect of new ownership is
daunting to fans, teammates, and management, John Sherman is certainly the
right man for the job. This change in ownership could mean a whole new ball
game for the Royals, and one that exudes success.
I
believe that Sherman will truly be an asset to the Royals, as his experience
speaks for itself. As a former minority owner of the Cleveland Indians, Sherman
has seen the operations of major league baseball–he knows how the system works
and the types of strategies that will evoke prosperity for the team and the
franchise as a whole. However, there has been some speculation that Dayton
Moore steps away from the general manager’s office while Ned Yost might also
make an abrupt departure.
We
can only wait to see what the final outcome will be, but it’s important to keep
in mind that the Royals have always been a strong and stable franchise–more
than any other franchise within the last decade. As a long-time fan, I have
hope that this new deal will bring forth a new era for the Kansas City Royals.
Some people call it “Paris of the Plains,” – others call it
the BBQ Capital of the World – or simply K.C. There are a lot of different
names for Kansas City, Missouri but I just call it home.
From its early days as a settlement for traders and trappers,
Kansas City has been a burgeoning center piece in the American story. Today, the
metro area is home to over 2 million people, and is a major business sector and
logistical hub in the heartland of the country.
Allow me to give you a short history of this great city.
Founding and Early Days
Kansas City became famous as a waypoint for traders, trappers and pioneers making their way westward.
The area around Kansas City was initially inhabited by
Native American tribes (primarily the Kansa Indians and the Shawnee tribe) in
its early days before its development by French traders and Missouri’s later
inclusion into the United States.
Kansas City itself was founded heavily by the activity of
settlers and pioneers who made their way along the Kansas and Missouri Rivers –
scouting out the land in search of animals, farmland and strategic points for
traders. A prominent merchant and missionary named John Calvin McCoy opened up
a store for fellow travelers, sprouting neighboring settlements and what would
eventually become Kansas City.
By mid-century, Kansas City had emerged as a key port along
the Missouri River, and had established itself as a primary point of interest for
travelers as the great westward expansion was underway. The budding town was
eventually incorporated into Missouri, although half of the metro still remains
in Kansas state to this day.
The Boom
In the late 1800’s to mid 1900’s, Kansas City went through a
boom. Due to its prime location as a crossroads to the west, the city became a
destination for travelers and newly arrived citizens which brought in some of
its most defining qualities.
In 1881, the state of Kansas enacted prohibition laws for
its residents – barring the consumption and selling of alcohol. Luckily for
those residents located on the western side of the Kansas River, they could get
a drink just over the bridge in Missouri where alcohol was still legal. This created
a boom in taverns and saloons throughout Kansas City (especially along our
famous 12th street.)
The explosion of profitability from these saloons brought in
other forms of business (banks, manufacturing, hotels, etc.) and led to the
expansion of Kansas City’s influence. The city soon gave birth to its own
distinct form of Jazz, as well as placing itself on the map for the world’s
best BBQ.
Current Day
Kansas City, Missouri
After the mid-1900’s Kansas City continued to develop along
with the rest of the United States. Population growth has continued to climb as
the city remains an attractive site for businesses, young professionals and
families in the Midwest.
Today, we are the country’s 29th most populous
metro area. We are home to a multitude of fabulous schools and universities. We
enjoy a multitude of sports teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas
City Royals – and yes, our BBQ is still number one.
We have more boulevards than Paris, filled with places to
see and things to do. If you should be so lucky to find yourself in this part
of the country, make sure to visit some of our most notable locations, like the
National WWI Museum and Memorial or the famous Union Station.
I love learning about the latest trends and seeing where the
market is going at any given time, and you can learn a lot by observing
industry changes on a macro scale. Like all fields of business, real estate is
constantly shifting with the times and the last place you want to end up is
behind the curve.
Plus, it’s just incredibly interesting to see how the latest
tech is being used for the benefit of the owner and seeker. Every year it seems
like there is something new that comes out to potentially revolutionize the
industry.
Today, I thought I’d share some of the most exciting things
to keep an eye on in the next year.
1.) Virtual and Augment Reality
Virtual reality (or VR) used to be a fantasy of the
not-so-distant past. I remember several various attempts at producing a viable
concept throughout the 80’s and 90’s, but it seems is if the tech has finally
arrived.
Maybe you’ve seen the demos at your local mall, or maybe
you’re living an alternate life in the comfort of your home – at either rate,
VR is an emerging technology that could revolutionize real estate as we know
it.
From experiencing a virtual tour of your place prior to
move-in, or seeing your dream home before building – there are several
attractive possibilities for this tool. Sure, there are some digital programs
out there that let you play around with various design concepts, but imagine a
fully realized creative platform that lets you see the end product before your
very eyes.
Property owners and builders can host instant and
always-available walk-throughs for prospective buyers. And buyers will be able
to plan for their future by knowing how their home will look and feel once they
move in. This also opens the door to interior/exterior design.
2.) Drone Photography
Drones came onto the scene just a few short years ago and
multiple industries quickly found use for flying tech. In real estate, the
drone has been adapted primarily to be used for photography and video recording
that would have been impossible in the past.
There are some amazing feats being accomplished with drone
photography, from a bird’s eye view of the property or neighborhood, to gliding
through open rooms. Check out this amazing video, shot with a drone equipped
with slow-motion capture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrlusuwPvcs
These little machines are controlled by manual or digital
remotes and can go upwards of 400 feet – getting amazing footage of land
properties or homes for sale. Some drones can be outfitted with expensive, HD
cameras that capture hyper-detailed images/video. A professional level drone
can cost anywhere between a couple hundred dollars and several thousand –
depending on what specs or quality is needed.
This new tech is certainly a game changer for owners trying
to showcase their properties, but it will also open up a whole area for
business. Costing a couple hundred dollars per flight – drone pilots can make
good money, while also offering a fair price for stellar photos.
3.) Improved Data and Platforms
Since the arrival of platforms like Zillow or Realtor.com,
buying and selling platforms have completely changed the real estate business.
Having properties listed on these platforms has never been more important and
can mean the difference between success and failure.
For buyers and sellers alike, it’s important to tap into the
massive market looking for specific requirements. One of the great features of these various
platforms is the ability to nail down the exact specifications that home buyers
are looking for – allowing them to sort through thousands of listings to
compare the most suitable matches.
Gone are the days of “searching and hoping” to find a home
that you can tolerate. Now, you can get the home of your dreams curated to your
profile and neatly organized by filter options. This dramatically cuts down on
the need for a third-party, and will continue to do so as personalized
algorithms become more advanced.
These are just a few of the latest technological
developments in real estate. It will be interesting to see how these develop
and what other advancements come into the fold, but I would choose these as the
big winners in innovation.
Scott Asner 