Every real estate season brings its own challenges in Cincinnati. Fall in particular it is an opporunity to make small improvements and efforts that will go a long way in the spring. It takes a lot of vision to know that you are going to want to list you house in the spring, and if you know now you can start to prepare!
Lowe’s has some great tips on Fall maintenance-
1. Clean out the gutters – after the leaves are all done falling clean out the gutters so that when the winter snows melt and the spring rains come that water will have somewhere to go aside from into your attic!
2. Move your Potted plants and Potters – Bring in your smaller potted plants so they do not freeze over the winter and make sure that any empty potter are moved into the garage or somewhere they will not freeze and crack.
3. Rake your leaves – because if they sit on your lawn they will leave unsightly brown patches. They block the sun damage the grass underneath them. If you have a mulching mower you can also mow the leaves a number of times to chop them up very fine and the material will compost into your yard. Just make sure they are dry when you do it!
4. Weed and Feed – your lawn will rebound faster if you feed it in the late fall. Also take the opportunity to pull out the crabgrass and spray the dandelions that are still hanging around.
If you take care of these things in the fall your lawn and home will look its best in the spring!
Cincinnati Realtors Comey and Shepherd were voted number one in the greater Cincinnati area by the local Community Press. As a Comey agent I continue to provide my clients with the exceptional customer service that made the agency #1.
As an agency we have the highest sales average in the city and consistently hire full time professional and experienced agents. I am proud to be affiliated with Comey and Shepherd because of the public recognitions we receive for the level of service we deliver to our clients.
Over the past two years numerous Cincinnati developers defaulted on subdivisions and stranded homeowners with 1/2 finished communities. The primary cause is the slowed pace of new construction growth and the tightening of credit.
Cincinnati.com highlights a common practice that allows land developers to form LLC corporations to protect their interests so that in the case that the development fails they can still walk away without major financial loss.
Meanwhile the initial homeowners who purchased the first homes have to live in a partially finished subdivision with little prospect of seeing the remaining lots developed into homes. Vacant overgrown lots, they say, are having a negative impact on their home values making it difficult to sell their homes. One consideration when purchasing a home is how many open lots are there? This fact can have an impact on your home value for years to come if it is not built on.
The Cincinnati Real Estate market is regaining some of it value according to an article in the Cincinnati Business Journal. The local market ranked #14 out of 50 national metropolitan areas based on value increases over the second quarter. Nationally home values are up almost 8% in the second quarter vs the first quarter. However Cincinnati gained 10%. As a region the Midwest has seen the strongest price increases in real estate compared to last year.
The challenge continues to be that all real estate is local. Some desirable areas of Cincinnati actually appreciated as the housing bubble burst and continue to hold their value. This situation speak volumes about the strength of our community and our local market
Effective June 1, 2010 Fannie Mae is mandating a number of additional qualifications for each mortgage application. These additional mandates are intended to ensure that the information collected from buyers when they apply for a mortgage are the same as when they go to close. Fannie Mae is requiring lenders to re-verify a number of pieces of buyer data including their credit scores, employment, and making sure the borrowers are not on the ‘un-approved’ list maintained by the General Services Administration.
As a Cincinnati real estate agent I have a responsibility to guide buyers through the application process, ensuring that they provide accurate information on all of the documents. Because the lenders are re-checking the information if any of it changes it could cause the loan to go through another round of underwriting. To protect my buyers I am advising them to work very closely with their lenders to keep their information current.
249 Hastings offered at $189,900
249 Hastings is a 2 bed 3 bath townhome situated on a quiet cul-de-sac. Walk to the University of Cincinnati, and live just minutes to downtown., Both bedroom have private baths and walk-in closets. Enjoy 180 degree panoramic city & river views from the two tier deck. The kitchen is complete with new granite counters, a breakfast nook, and a large pantry. There is a large lower level study with a separate laundry area and a 2-car garage.
Offered at $99,900
Enjoy the luxuries of a high end home at a low price on quiet gaslit street min from 71 & shopping in Kenwood! Take in the summer breezes on the quaint covered porch. There are 2 oversized bedrooms, walk-in closets and an immaculate master bathroom. The dining room and living room feature a wood burning fireplace. The home has fresh neutral paint and carpet with hardwood floors underneath. There is a walk-in Butlers pantry, a one car attached garage and a back patio.
500 residents in East Hyde Park are being told that, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati, they live in Oakley. That’s because the Hamilton County Auditor map lists the 500 homes in Hyde Park, but the Multiple Listing Service (or MLS), what Realtors use, puts the homes in Oakley. So homeowners who bought homes in Hyde Park now have to sell their homes with Oakley addresses according to Fox 19.
Realtors are required to market homes according to how the MLS service classifies their home. 490 homeowners have signed a petition to the Hyde Park Community Council and the Oakley Community Council to address and resolve the discrepancy. Lawmakers said they can amend the council community boundaries map if both community councils agree on the changes and put it in writing.
The easiest solution would be for the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors to amend the MLS system to include a new suburb code called ‘East Hyde Park’ that would cover these homeowners.
Congress — both the U.S. House and Senate — passed the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010 (HR 5623), which extends the Closing Deadline for Homebuyer-Tax-Credit eligible transactions to September 30, 2010 (instead of June 30).
This extension of the Closing Deadline applies only to transactions with ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010 but not yet closed.
Up to 180,000 homebuyers nationwide (including approx. 8,500 in Ohio) would have lost their tax credit had Congress not passed this extension.
What happened
The Senate approved the legislation – by unanimous consent – last night at 9:40 pm.
The House approved the legislation on Tuesday, June 29 by a vote of 409-5.
The legislation provides a seamless transition. There is no “gap” between June 30 and the time when the bill will be signed into law by President Obama (likely to occur today).
Government Affairs staff from the National Association of REALTORSâ worked vigorously with Congressional leaders on both sides of the political spectrum to get this legislation enacted.
The outdoor kitchen is becoming a gathering spot for family and friends especially in a city like Cincinnati that tends to have good weather 8 months a year. The trend picks up where the back yard grill leaves off. The stand alone grill is getting replaced by a fully functioning kitchen complete with all of the comforts and appliances found inside.
The centerpiece of any outdoor kitchen is the grill. RSI media says that the one place to stretch your budget is on making sure you have a durable, and great performing grill. Gas, wood, or charcoal – doesn’t matter. Other appliances that are common are sinks, refrigerators, and in some cases keg taps, wine chillers, and even ice makers. In some instances homeowners are replacing the grill with a pizza oven!
When designing your outdoor kitchen consider the utilities, including water, gas, and electricity. Placing the kitchen near the home will give you better access. In addition consider the materials carefully. Color is important but also consider how hot your counters get in the sun, and how slick the flooring is if you spill BBQ sauce on it.
Outdoor kitchens help increase a home’s overall appeal to buyers. When you install you remember not to over-personalize it. Aim for a balance between function and pure aesthetics. remember to
