Sure, they’re wildly entertaining and can sometimes teach a novice a few things. But you must have some perspective if you are watching a lot of real estate shows as prep for buying or selling a home! It’s Entertainment First and foremost, these shows are designed to entertain. You wouldn’t watch them if they were not entertaining, right? The producers of these shows will cut a lot of corners to keep them entertaining. (Trust me, if you saw every detail of my job, you would not be all that entertained!) Whether it’s a design show or a home-buying show, there’s a lot of details they don’t... [more...]

You may have noticed that the vicious media had no problem touting the decrease in real estate sales in December of 2008 (BizJournals).  “Sales were down at record numbers, blah blah blah.”  Typically, our local media picks up on this information and perpetuates the fear.  But, don”t let these national numbers scare you if you are in the Cincinnati area. Active inventory for Single Family Residential (and condominiums) is down 9% from December 2007, and has trended down 5.71% from 2007 to 2008 (entire years).  That is a good thing.  As the number of homes for sale decrease,... [more...]

We’re seeing it happen — local businesses sometimes can’t withstand an economic downturn and must shutter their doors. Here’s a little common-sense advice. Help your home values by buying local. Think about it: If your local businesses thrive it keeps your neighborhood vibrant. A vibrant neighborhood helps your property values! The rough economy forces many of us to drive out to the big box stores and grab dinner at the national chain restaurants. Nothing wrong with it, of course, and it may help you save a few dollars. However, keep in mind that you can find many of the things you... [more...]

It’s a new hot button issue: Who chooses an appraiser for your listing? With the recent break-downs in the mortgage industry, regulations are tightening all over the place. Last December Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced an adoption of a revised version of an earlier settlement. The original plan from last spring agreed to a set of strict guidelines that regulated appraisals on all mortgages. The original procedures were heavily criticized by banks, mortgage companies and others, which led to the revised version. But this new plan is already being met with controversy and may end up as an... [more...]

The good news: The new Obama administration is quickly working to push through the newest stimulus plan through both houses. The “bad” news: It may not do all that much to help housing. Both the National Association of Realtors and the National Builders’ Association would like to see more help for the housing industry in this new plan. Like an extension of the $7,500 credit for ALL buyers, and more and larger tax credits for home buyers. However, there are a couple of things to be positive about. While the plan focuses on other things like tax credits and infrastructure projects (like improving... [more...]

…well at least all her listings taken in 2008! How many you ask… well, the average agent with the Cincy MLS sells 3-5 homes a year. This year, I sold 37. I sold 16 listings and helped 21 buyers. Focusing on the listing side of things, I think you may find my statistics to be quite interesting, even in this difficult market. I sold 16 listings in 2008 (I have 2 more currently Pending that were taken in 2008) The median days on the market for my 16 sold listings was 43 days! That is less than 2 months on the market. Do you have any friends or family that currently have or have had... [more...]

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I just received a Press Release from the Cincinnati Home Builders associated regarding the new plan for Homearama© 2009.We covered the cancellation of the 2009 Long Cove Homearama site back in November.\nPress Release from the Cincinnati Home Builders Association: Annual home show slated for Carmelle subdivision CINCINNATI – The Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, in conjunction with Robert C. Rhein Interests, is pleased to announce that HOMEARAMA© 2009 will take place at the Rhein Signature community of Carmelle in the City of Mason. The show is slated for September... [more...]

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage group is providing a very helpful, very free seminar for individuals looking to become first time buyers. My lender, Sharon Natarus, provided these details for me to pass along to you. Date and Time: Oakley January 21 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Oakley Community Center 3882 Paxton Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45209 View Map Western Hills January 22 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Nathaniel Greene Lodge – Mulberry Room 6394 Wesselman Road Cincinnati, OH 45248 View Map Florence, KY January 22 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Northern KY Association of REALTORS 7660 Turfway Rd, Suite 100 Florence,... [more...]

Efficiency is becoming a huge issue for people in this rough economy. At the Annual International Builders Show in Las Vegas, manufacturers are showing off some of their new “green” innovations that are designed to save energy — meaning MONEY — and the environment. I found a great article about this in the Wall Street Journal, from which I pulled these highlights. Solar HVAC: Lennox Industries is showing the industry’s first integrated solar-assisted heating, cooling and ventilation system for homes. It uses a small mounted solar panel, which can reduce the need for electricity... [more...]

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