I have lived and loved being in the Ozarks over the past 10 years. Previously, my career path was in telecommunications which relocated me all over the countryside, so I have become a "relocation expert" by experience. Traveling to such great resort areas throughout the country  helped me to see the value of this area, which makes it very easy for me to appreciate our real estate market!

Being a part of the home buying or selling process is more of a "passion" with me. Home ownership is an integral part of who we are and is also one of our biggest financial resources, making it a very personal and important transaction in our lives.

When I am not working with clients (which is rare), I spend it with my family. My family (which somehow interacts in my real estate periodically) include: Mark, my husband and best friend; 3 grown and happy girls; Megan, Natasha, & Nichole; 1 cat (Gracie) and 1 dog, a Golden Retriever/Lab (Beddie). Kayaking in the streams, antiquing, shopping flea markets, gardening and just cooking out with friends while taking in the natural beauty of the Ozark hills are just part of the reason we chose to call Branson home.

There is soooo much more... friendly people, small town with big city amenities at your fingertips, relaxed lifestyle, not too many stoplights, directions are given by landmarks still, and you can wear your jeans to most places.

What are you waiting for? Call me today, and we'll find you just the right spot where you can put your feet up, watch the fish jump, listen to the crickets chirp, and smell the "fresh" mountain air. If you are moving here from another state, call me for some great places to stay while you are shopping for your home!

As a life long resident of Taney County I know the way around the Branson-Lakes Area as well as knowing the up and coming developments. I have been serving Real Estate needs since 2006. Specializing in Single family homes, Homes with land, Lake view and Lake front homes makes my job rewarding because I get to actively work with people like you to achieve the American Dream of Home Ownership. I am a hard working REALTOR with commitment to Excellence and a high standard of service. I look forward to talking to you and helping you with your next investment.

Q: What do the Batmobile, Bent Baby Bottles and Branson have in common? A: Jim Stephenson! Thanks for taking time to visit my bio page. I’ll do my best to be informative and brief. I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. In 1973, I moved to Southern California where my career in custom auto fabrication began. This included working on and building a wide variety of custom cars for movies and TV like the Batmobile. While working on an “exploding” car for Evil Knievel , I became close friends with an up and coming stunt man. Over the next ten years or so, this friendship led to a variety of new and different behind the scenes jobs in the movie and TV industry. In 1986 I went in an entirely new direction and patented the “bent” baby bottle. My soon to be wife Karyl and I formed a start-up company to manufacture and market this new invention. We eventually licensed the patents to Johnson & Johnson, and in 1993 we moved to Phoenix, AZ. It was there that we started our family when we were blessed with the birth of our daughter, Shelby. Once again I found myself looking into new frontiers. Having been self-employed in one way or another most of my life, I decided to try my hand at real estate. I found the freedoms and challenges of my new career exciting and stimulating, and really began to enjoy the diversity of this new venture. In 1996, we visited Branson for the first time on a family reunion vacation. We were so impressed with the area and the people that we decided to make Branson our new home. We moved here in 1997, and I can honestly say that I have never felt more “at home” in any other place. For us, the quality of life this area offers is second to none. As a family, we are actively involved in our church as well as a variety of school related activities with Shelby. I enjoy Bass fishing and Fly fishing, and in 2005 Shelby and I took up Scuba Diving. This has really turned out to be a great father/daughter activity that we both have fun with. Karyl’s passion is photography, and we all enjoy getting away on weekend trips and exploring new places when time permits. Being in the real estate business, I have the opportunity of talking every day with like-minded people who are being drawn to the Branson area. For more and more of them, their definition of success is being able to enjoy living in a comfortable community. There is a new wave of growth coming to Branson, and it is being driven as much by young families as any other group. With all of the new and exciting things that are taking place here, Karyl and I decided that it was time to take our real estate business to the next level. Together with our partners DeLisa and Mark DeLay, we opened Realty Executives of Branson in March of 2005. We strive to provide our clients with the absolute best possible service without compromising our principals or integrity. Based on the reception we have received so far in our community, it would appear that we are doing it right! Once again I thank you for your time in visiting our site. Please feel free to contact us with any questions, or should we be of any service whatsoever. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Buying a home is a really big deal! As one of your most important assets, it holds great emotional and financial value for you. So finding the right agent to work with means finding someone you can trust and who will represent you and your best interests with confidence and a smile!

Cold-calling and hard sales are not my game. Exceptional customer service and selling something I believe in are! I moved to the Branson-Lakes area from New Jersey in 1990 and have never looked back. I fell in love with the land, crystal clear lakes, sense of community and life's simple pleasures. I take education and my profession very seriously and stand confident and well-versed to offer my clients the service they deserve. I love the Ozarks and sharing its back-roads, local hot spots and best-kept secrets. My best day is when we find the place you've been dreaming of. Know that I will do everything on my end to make your real estate venture a smooth, comfortable and worry-free experience. I'll be working hard....so you won't have to!

A few accomplishments I'm very proud of...BA-Social Relations, Lehigh University 1986; Lakes Area Leadership Graduate 2002; ACS Relay For Life 2003 Event Chair; Branson Believers To Love award 2008; Realtor Designations: Accredited Buyer Representative. Graduate, REALTOR Institute. Senior Real Estate Specialist.

Ten Tips For Buying Missouri Real Estate

1.When comparing the price and value of a property, compare it to other comparable properties in the immediate area – NOT properties in your previous location.

2.Ask for a property disclosure. While these aren’t mandatory in Missouri, many sellers complete them. In addition you may wish to ask the current owners for a printout of their last year’s bills from the utility provider. While this isn’t a guarantee of future bills, extremely high useage may indicate a potential problem.

3.Many counties in Missouri do not have building codes and zoning regulations. Ask your Realtor about zoning and other codes in the areas you are considering.

4.Have a home inspection done by a qualified inspection firm. Your Realtor should recommend three firms. Be sure a termite inspection is a part of the process. Ask for a copy of the survey of the property. If the current owner doesn’t have one and the property is a part of a platted subdivision, the recorder’s office at the county seat will have a copy of the survey. If the property has never been surveyed you may want to have a survey done (either at your expense or that of the seller) to determine that you are indeed buying what you think you are.

5.If the property information suggests that a future boat dock or slip is possible, verify that information with the proper authorities – the Corp of Engineer’s office for a private dock and the dock owner/association in the case of a public or community dock.

6.If the property is in a development, obtain a copy of the Covenants & Restrictions and By-laws so you know what the rules are, i.e. are nightly rentals allowed, what are the Home Owners Association or Condominium Owners Association fees, are special assessments anticipated, etc.

7.Make sure the property is insurable. Is the property in a flood plain, has the previous owner had excessive claims, etc.

8.Residential real estate taxes are usually based on 19 percent of assessed valuation. Remember that assessors’ offices usually do not have actual sales data as sales prices are not always public information in Missouri. A home’s square footage, condition, etc. are what determines the assessed valuation. Assessors do not go inside the home.

9.If you are considering new construction or having a home built for you, ask the builder for the names of three customers he has previously built for. Visit the Property Owners Association office if applicable and ask for their list of allowed builders. Ask if there is ongoing or past litigation involving any of the builders. Contractors are not required to be licensed in the State of Missouri.

10.Hire an agent with education and experience because (a) they either know the pertinent information about the area or know where to find it, (b) they know what active comparable properties are priced at and the history of comparable solds, (c) they know current real estate conditions (average days on market, average per square foot cost, ratios of list-to-sold prices, etc.)