Hyde Park School will be re-opening for the 2012–2013 school year and, according to Cincinnati Public Schools, the recent interest in HPS has been considerable. To reduce any confusion that you may have regarding its boundary lines, see the below map to gain a better understanding of the boundary lines that have been updated and released by CPS. To learn more about these new boundaries (as well as HPS), don’t miss Hyde Park School’s open house, which takes place tomorrow, April 14, from 10am until 2pm. There you will be able to attend information sessions, tour the facility, learn... [more...]

During a short sale, homeowners sell their house for less than the amount they owe on their mortgage loan and avoid the more damaging effects of foreclosure. Purchasing a short sale home can come with risks but can have a financial payoff if everything works in the buyer’s favor. We’d like to take you through some general information about short sale homes and why it’s often a less than ideal choice for most interested buyers. With a home purchase you most likely have a lender and a realtor. However, by attempting to purchase a foreclosure or short sale, you are completely eliminating... [more...]

Medical and dental professionals often have medical school debt and have unique challenges when it comes to securing a home loan. One of the many benefits of working with the AmyBSells Team is that they have a group of trusted partners to help guide you through the entire buying experience. One of those trusted partners is Drew Stacey at First Place Bank.   First Place Bank is one of the few banks in the country to offer special financing for doctors and it’s the only locally based company to make this offer. They offer 100% financing, up to $1,000,000, with 0% down. And, Drew Stacey... [more...]

By Carrie Driehaus This week in Cincinnati, OH., I set out to learn what goes into the process of buying a home. What I learned is that there are a lot of things that have to happen before you get to choose your paint colors and unpack your boxes. This can seem like a daunting process. How in the world do you find “The House”? What neighborhood? School district? How far from work, how close to school? How many bedrooms, how many bathrooms? And where do you begin? There are bankers to meet with, loans to acquire, offers to be written and inspections to be had. Now I’m starting... [more...]

Protect the Value of One of Your Largest Investments It can be exciting and overwhelming when you are relocating for work.  The last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your house will sell and making sure there is as little stress as possible placed on the family. Most companies offer employees contact with local agents to help them sell their house.  But, that doesn’t always mean you’ll get the best price or that they are the best option out there. The Amy B Sells Team received a letter from Will and Kelly McDonald who had been through the relocation process numerous... [more...]

If you’re lucky enough to receive a monetary gift to use as a down payment on your new home, you need to know the right way to deposit it and document it.  We recommend choosing a lender to guide you through the rules and regulations to make sure that you can use the gift to purchase your new home without any issues.  To get you started, we asked our official lender, Mortgage Consultant Drew Stacey of First Place Bank, a few questions to get the basics down. Q: Who can gift money for a down payment on a house? A: Fannie Mae guidelines say that it must be a relative   Q: Does the timing... [more...]

According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales rose in June, up a surprising 2.4%. This number was also up in May (from April.) This is up 20% from June 2010, which as right after the expiration of the home buyer tax credits. This data reflects pending contracts, not closings. A Reuters poll of economists had predicted a 2 percent drop in June, so this number came as a surprise. However, contract cancellations are also up. Credit is still tight and loans are hard to get for some buyers. It’s also possible more buyers are postponing their home buying decisions during... [more...]

More Americans prefer living in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods with easy access to local amenities, according to a recent Community Preference Survey by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. More than half (56 percent) of respondents say they preferred living in a walkable neighborhood over one that requires more driving between work, home and recreation. When considering a home purchase, 77 percent of respondents say they would look for locations that had abundant sidewalks, while 50 percent say they would rather see improvements to the existing public transit system than initiatives to... [more...]

Moving can be hard on young children, but there are ways to make it more fun for the whole family. Here are some ideas to make moving to a new house a memorable experience for families. 1.) Pack a Special Box. Your child can pack a special ‘treasure box’ of their most special items. Give him or her a box to decorate and pack with favorite things. The box can be kept close, like in the car, and unpacked in the new house quickly. 2.) Prepare maps and pictures. Draw maps and show pictures of your new place to your kids before the move to make the idea more concrete. Making it seem like... [more...]

CNN Money has assessed 10 cities as “Rent” or “Buy.” With the volatile housing market, some areas are better primed for renters today, but in Cincinnati it’s time to BUY. CNN Money says, “The big reason that homebuying is the better choice for most people is the low home values. With a median price at just $156,000, mortgage payments can be almost as low as rents and the historical home appreciation rate is more than 3.5%.” Cincinnati joins Milwaukee, Seattle, Pittsburgh and Chicago as a city to Buy. Dallas, Houston, Honolulu, Boston and New York fall... [more...]

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