‘People really enjoy it’: Near South Neighborhood hosts Tour of Lincoln Homes

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Lincolnites were able to get a glimpse of some historic homes in the Near South Neighborhood on Sunday.

Hundreds of people showed up to view seven different homes from South Street to D Street.

Casey Mills, the chairman for the Near South Tour of Homes Committee, said the community response to the tour is all positive.

“I’ve had a number of people already email me that said they had a really great time on the tour,” he said. “They said it was a really great experience, we have good tour guides, good volunteers that are knowledgeable and passionate about the neighborhood. People really enjoy it.”

To get a better understanding of what the housing market is like in Lancaster County, Channel 8 spoke to Joanne McCoy, an agent at Woods Bros Realty.

She said there has been an increase in prices, but also an increase in the number of homes available.

“It might shock some people but the average home price for a new construction home in Lancaster County is around a half-a-million dollars right now. If you’re looking at existing homes, the price to buy has gone up maybe 50%,” she said.

According to McCoy, the average price of a home in 2015 was $138,000, while in 2025, it’s around $286,000.

But around Lincoln, some homeowners say it isn’t always about the money.

“I think this kind of thing encourages people to come and buy houses. Understand that it’s not just the monetary value of the house, it’s more than that. It’s the way in which we live our lives and how homes can kind of enhance the experiences in our day-to-day life,” Jason Griffiths, a Lincoln native, said.