Fort Dodge had an opportunity Monday to make a good first impression on a company that could be a major part of the community in the future.

The early results from the Hometown Tour by representatives of Kading Properties appear to be good. The company leaders had good things to say about Fort Dodge before they had even completed their tour.

And there are plenty of things in Fort Dodge and the surrounding area to say good good things about.

This is a community that has successfully revitalized the location where an old enclosed mall once stood. One Kading Properties official said he thought the redevelopment of the former Crossroads Mall into today’s Corridor Plaza was “awesome.”

Fort Dodge also has first rate recreation areas, a regional airport, a cutting edge industrial park called Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation and a major educational institution in Iowa Central Community College.

And Fort Dodge area residents enjoy a commute to work that is so quick people in many other parts of the nation wouldn’t even consider it to be an actual commute.

Does Fort Dodge have its share of problems? Absolutely. But none of them outweigh the community’s many advantages.

One of those problems is a shortage of housing. This is no surprise to anyone who pays attention to what’s going on around them.

Kading Properties, of Urbandale, can help with that problem. It is a family owned and operated company that develops, builds and manages market rate rental property. Its leaders came to Fort Dodge Monday to see if the community fits in with their future plans. The company has already committed to building 218 units in Webster City.

Fort Dodge should continue to put out the welcome mat for developers and other companies that are interested in the community.

And the residents of Fort Dodge, who are sometimes their own worst enemies when it comes to promoting their town, should remember all the good things we have here.