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...]

When the very idea of organizing toys or cleaning up the pile of shoes at your door makes you weary, consider designating 10 minutes a day to moving your household toward a more organized destination. We rarely have an hour to set aside to clean out the hall closet that you can’t open without risking a landslide. But, you can spend 10 minutes each day, for a week, to work toward your goal. If it’s just more organizing that needs to happen, consider getting storage containers and labeling. You could, for example, designate a bin for the art/craft supplies that are currently strewn... [more...]

Did you buy a house in 2011? Property taxes are based on a quick assessment of how much your house is worth, which doesn’t always reflect the fair market value. If you purchased a new home in 2011, now is the time to check your auditor’s website to see if your tax rate is higher than what you paid for the house. If you find that it is higher, you have until March 31, 2012 to appeal the value with very little trouble. To get started, go to the auditors website and search for the Board of Revision. There will be a form called the “Complaint Against The Valuation of Real Property”.... [more...]

Whether you are new to the area or just looking for a new school for your child, Greater Cincinnati has a wide variety of education choices with many resources available to help you decide. We’ve provided some links below to get you started! Cincinnati Magazine’s Schools Guide 2011 is a fantastic source of easy to read details about nearly 400 schools in the Cincinnati area, including data from Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.  The site requires you to join the “Cincinnati Magazine Insiders”, which is a free service that allows you to receive emails only for the topics you... [more...]

  When you’ve done everything to get your home ready to sell and it just isn’t moving, it’s time to think about your next move.  It’s important to know when to adjust the price, especially in declining markets and buyers’ markets. In his Real Estate Blog, LeRoy Houser provides some clues that it’s time to drop your listing price. The house has not been shown in the first 2 weeks of the listing. When more than two potential buyers or realtors tell you or your realtor that the house is overpriced. The property has been shown four times without an offer. You... [more...]

Welcome to Green Tip Tuesday! Each Tuesday, we’ll give you one tip (big or small) to help you be a little greener in Cincinnati. Many holiday gifts require batteries, and this is an easy opportunity to go green and save a little green too!  Using rechargeable batteries has less impact on the environment than disposable/alkaline batteries.  Rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times which reduces the need for repeated manufacturing, transporting and packaging for sale.  Though rechargeable batteries have a higher initial cost (you also have to purchase the charger), the average... [more...]

Welcome to Green Tip Tuesday! Each Tuesday, we’ll give you one tip (big or small) to help you be a little greener in Cincinnati. Looking for Green holiday gifts?  Check out Park + Vine, located at 1202 Main Street, downtown Cincinnati.  Park + Vine offers a wide variety of eco-friendly merchandise that minimizes the use of natural resources and animal byproducts. Products include reusable bottles, bags and food carriers, non-toxic cleaning and paint supplies, natural baby and parenting supplies, a growing selection of foodstuff, and lots more. http://www.parkandvine.com/ Check back each... [more...]

Welcome to Green Tip Tuesday! Each Tuesday, we’ll give you one tip (big or small) to help you be a little greener in Cincinnati.  So, be sure to check back each week for new ideas. To get us started, we called Duke Energy to find out about their free energy assessment.  Duke Energy’s Home Energy House Call Program helps qualified customers learn how to increase their energy efficiency and reduce their energy bill.  Once you’ve qualified and the appointment is set up, Duke Energy will send an energy specialist to your house to analyze your total home energy usage, check... [more...]

Everybody has them and nobody wants them. Overflowing drawers, a bedroom closet you’d be embarrassed for your mom to see, and the storage closet that explodes when you open the door. Whether you’re preparing your home for sale and need to clear some things out or you’re just doing a little spring (or fall) cleaning, we’ve got a list of local charities who would love to receive your clutter. I mean, treasures. Most of us have heard about the major organizations such as Vietnam Veterans of America, Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul. But, did you know you can schedule pick-ups online?... [more...]

It’s that time of year! Time to head to Kroger and purchase your ducks for the Freestore Foodbank Rubber Duck Regatta (presented by Dawn). Ducks are $5 and also available online. Buy 5 ducks and get one free ($25), 10 ducks and get 2 free ($50), or 20 ducks and get 4 free ($100). On Saturday, September 4 at 3 p.m. the ducks will be launched into the Ohio River from the Purple People Bridge. The event precedes the annual Cincinnati-Bell/WEBN fireworks display. The owner of the first duck to cross the finish line will win a 2012 Honda Civic Sedan LX from Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Honda... [more...]

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