Just a word to the bargain hunters today--it is indeed the time to make your move and geat a great deal on the property of your dreams.  Never have the choices been greater or the prices more competitive than they are right now.  If you are among the fortunate few who have money to spend on a home, it will go farther now and make a much better investment for you in the long run.  HOWEVER, don't shoot yourselves in the foot!  Unless you are strictly an investor for whom price is the only consideration, it's likely that you'll fall in love with one house and set your heart on making it yours.  Remember that no matter how "bad" the market is, the nicest, best, prettiest houses with the most attractive amenities will likely go first.  If you love a property, chances are that another shopper... 08/23/2008

As a longtime fan of the humorous writings of Erma Bombeck, I've always been able to relate to her stories and frequently get a real belly laugh out of them.  One of her books was titled The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank, and I can tell you that while I really enjoyed the book, the reality isn't quite as amusing. I recently sold a home to a buyer client  that had never been hooked up to public sewers.  It's an older home (50 years) that was part of a farm.  Now it's almost completely surrounded by subdivision homes, but it isn't close enough to the sewer tap in to make it convenient.  Anyway, as part of the inspection process we found that the septic tank was completely full and overflowing.  The grass was DEFINATELY greener, if you get my drift.  The seller had it pumped... 08/19/2008

I thought that by this time, everyone knew how tough the market is these days if you are a seller.  In my market, we have at least a 9 month supply of listed properties, and the competition is fierce.  In order to sell now, you have the be the most perfect package in your price range.  That means not only do the mechanicals have to be updated and in good working order, but the cosmetics have to be pleasing too.  Today's buyers want things to be priced well and move-in ready.  They can and will find something already decorated to their taste if your offering isn't. There are still investors and "Flip That House" enthusiasts out there that just don't get it.  I was called on this week to list a rehabbed house.  Yes, there were some smart updates.  Yes, the house has potential for those wh... 08/15/2008

I took a client out to view a lender owned property. As part of what I do if there is a strong interest in the property I research the history of the subject property. The previous owner had purchased the property in 1995 and had taken out a loan for 110,000.00. A few cash out refinances later the last loan on the property was just over 170,000.00 in 2005 and that one was forclosed on. As close as I can figure if the initial loan was held and paid in a timely manner the outstanding balance would be about 60,000.00. If someone were to ask the old owner what did you do with the 110,000.00 dollars you recieved from the refinance over the years I bet you would get this type of response. We never got 110,000.00!!!!! We never could have spent that much money!!!!! What 110,000.00??????? People... 08/10/2008

See whole article theCincyBlog 08/07/2008

Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man? "Why can't a woman be more like a man?" That was the question posed about Eliza Doolittle by Professor Henry Higgins in the play/movie "My Fair Lady." Sometimes it seems very appropriate in today's real estate market. Owners in West Chester, Cincinnati and Fairfield have "done the drill" of preparing their home for sale: preinspection home staging touch up/clean up home warranty de-cluttering In short- everything required to neutralize a "home" to become a "house" in order to make it appealing for the next "home owner". As a seller, you are mentally ready to move on. So who gets emotional when a very low offer to purchase arrives- usually (but not always) the woman. See the whole article at thecincyblog 07/30/2008

Is Congress imitating a cartoon "Super Hero" rescuing struggling homeowners from foreclosure or just another comic book character hoping for a happy ending? Read more. 07/28/2008

The cost of gas has everyone's attention today. For those thinking about moving to West Chester, Fairfield or Liberty Township and working in Cincinnati (or commuting the other way) weighing the benefits of commuting against mortgage payments can be a real eye opener. Try looking at homes closer to work or public transportation and reduce your transportation costs.

Volume/Distance Units? mi/gal L/km Current Cost of Fuel $ Commuting Details Current One Way Commute Distance (Mi) Work Hours per Week Commutes per Month Value of Car $ AVG MPG of Car Annual Gross Income (more info) $ Add More Commuters (more info)

Add this calculator to your site. Download it here. Glen Allen VA real estate Clearwater B... 07/21/2008

Buyers beware! Some sellers don't want you to spend much time looking at their property! If you live in West Chester, Cincinnati, Fairfield or anywhere in the area and your home is currently on the market this summer- keep the air conditioning running. Many sellers are allowing the temperature in their homes to rise to uncomfortable levels. As southeastern Ohio's weather heats up and buyers are running in and out of properties- a hot house is a quick turn off! No matter how cute your house or condo may be- nobody enjoys gasping for breath or, do I dare say "sweating" as they walk through the property. Keep buyers comfortable to ensure they really take the time to "fall in love" with your house or condo. Need more easy ways to prep your property prior to listing- call or email. 07/17/2008

What an awesome day! (Extreme Makeover Home Edition in Cincinnati: I'm volunteering tomorrow!")  To be a part of it was really cool!  Not only was it amazing to see how fast this house was built....it's beautiful inside and out!   Just thought I'd share some pictures and show you who I bumped into while I was there!     Paige (one of the designers for Extreme Makeover) is a real sweetheart...and of course, decked out in her pink tool belt! This is the ranch style house being built...it's about 3500 square feet.  There's an inground pool in the backyard. To read more about the Akers Family...click here.To see the latest video/news: Extreme Makeover Home Edition West Chester, OH.   07/16/2008

There is good news for real estate sales in the Lakota School District. Lakota School District Single Family Average Price Days on Market Condos Average Price Days on Market Actives 803 $322,961 114 114 $122,253 99 Pendings 148 $253,381 87 19 $ 104,431 48 Closed (01/01/08-05/11/08) 547 $244,431 83 62 $ 92,523 91 Data from Greater Cincinnati Multiple Listing Service Almost every category has increased - slightly. Average price and Sale pricefor homes and condos went up. Pending sale price on homes dropped slightly and increased on condos. Need more information- call or email. Related Article: Lakota Real Estate Stats for May; June Stats for Mason; June Stats for Fairfield 07/10/2008

  I have a confession to make.....I love Martha Stewart! I have admired her homemaking skills for a number of years. Although I could never live up to those kind of expectations with my busy family and 2 dogs, I have always longed to be that organized one day!   When I look at those beautiful pictures of simple, perfectly organized closets and drawers, well...it makes me feel good and I'm motivated to strive to live this way.   How I react to this is no different than potential buyers react when viewing a home for sale.  Organized closets and cabinets are a must when selling your home. Potential buyers will be opening and looking through them all to make sure there is enough space for everything.  I tell my clients to make it look like “Martha Stewart” lives here.   Use bins and baskets... 07/05/2008

Here I am trying to drive to an appointment- dead stop- just idling in the express lane on eastbound I-275 - going nowhere. A thought crossed my mind about how many of today's sellers must feel the same way when they try to sell their house. They whip the property into good shape, complete the paperwork, sign is in the yard, lock box on the door and.......nothing. Dead stop, no activity- nada. Just like the traffic problems on the freeway, you want to move forward but you have no idea what is causing the stalled traffic. What's happening? A reality check of today's market reflects many sellers gravitating toward the slow lane when they first enter the real estate market and never get up enough speed reach their desired destination. Imagine you just listed your property-and you're mergi... 06/17/2008

As a home owner I have come to view my home's eccentric features as charming. Buyers may not be as enchanted with these "problems". As a Realtor if I a potential listing had mini maple trees growing out of the deck, because the owner didn't bother to sweep up the seeds - well that would cleaned up prior to listing the property. Cupboard doors that stick, a bedroom door that won't stay open, an electric outlet that doesn't work...all these items and more would be on a giant "honey do" list to be fixed before the property is offered for sale. It is so easy to "miss" little problems, I strongly suggest that sellers have a home inspection performed and fix the problems. This is a win/win for both the sellers and buyers. Having completed an inspection, the sellers knows what needs fixing. B... 05/19/2008

    If you live in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area and have yourproperty on the market or plan on putting your home up for sale- don't miss "Super Sunday" on May 4th. There is a city wide push to have as many open houses as possible.  Most of the agents ( and I am assuming For Sale By Owners) will have their doors open to potential buyers.Super Sunday is a great opportunity to peruse homes in the area you have been thinking about - or just to see how you neighbor's houses compare to your home.If you are unsure about the current mortgage situation-or are not sure if you qualify for a mortgage, contact a reputable mortgage broker or mortgage company to obtain the details. Contact me (513-300-4090) if you need the name of a reliable lender.Take advantage of the spring weather and take a ... 04/28/2008

This morning's Wall Street Journal had an interesting article on "Why Lenders Are Leery of Short Sales". In articles posted to "thecincyblog" I have tried to educate consumers on: "Crucial Sort Sale Advice for the Greater Cincinnati Area", "Foreclosure Assistance", "How To Understand The Mortgage Mess" and "4 Truths About the Subprime Bailout". And while the article in the Wall Street Journal fairly represents the lender's point of view, I think it fails to address the failure of mortgage servicers and their investors to look at the "big picture" and act accordingly. 3 reasons Lenders should jump at short sales are: A bird in the hand is worth- what? Lenders who stall on short sales and ultimately lose the buyer(s) are not only losing money they are losing equity. The National Associat... 04/17/2008

  This past weekend I had the pleasure of working with F.F.T.H.B.'s.  No this is not some new real estate program, or a tour bus driving around looking at foreclosures...I was working with "Focused First Time Home Buyers". In today's housing market many buyers are hovering waiting for a better deal to come along.  The home of their dreams sells to somebody else, because it was priced right and a Savvy Buyer jumped on it.  If you believe everything you read and hear about today's real estate, buyers think that homes can be purchased for about half of what they are worth.While that may be true in many markets, Cincinnati, West Chester, Mason , Fairfield and the surrounding markets in southwest Ohio have been not experienced the horrible losses (nor have we had quantum leaps in appreciatio... 04/10/2008

Spring is in the air and here at Stage a Star, we've been quite busy working with homeowners as they prepare their homes for the spring selling season.If you are going to sell your home, Spring is the best time to take full advantage of the increased number of buyers out shopping for a new home. This is also a time that you will have the most competition since many other sellers have waited until Spring to sell too.We are in a completely different market now and you are going to have to work harder in preparing your home so it looks better than all the other homes on the market within your neighborhood and price range. It is smart to get on the internet and do a quick search within the MLS (multiple listings service) and really look at what you are up against. Remember...a house that is... 03/24/2008

Okay....here in West Chester, Ohio (where I live!) and a growing suburb of Cincinnati....IKEA has arrived and making its GRAND entrance into our lives TODAY!I am not one of the campers pictured above....I know folks love IKEA but I just couldn't brave the cold weather and comfort of my own home so I could get a free chair.    I may get up the courage to sit in the traffic for an hour or so...brave the crowds and take a peek at what IKEA has to offer and have some swedish meatballs later today. :)UPDATE: Ikea is officially my new fave. store! There are many elements Ikea offers that can be used in staging homes inexpensively. The key is balance here.  When staging a home, always take in consideration the type of buyer for your property. Staging in all Ikea may not appeal to everyone.Cons... 03/12/2008

For eons consumers have been brain washed into believing the 3 key words in real estate are location, location, location!Conventional wisdom stated that if you purchased a home in the right location-the sky was the limit when you decided to sell.  It would appear the number of  properties stagnating in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) defies the wisdom of this type of thinking.Real estate has always been about price!Priced right- the "worst" home in any neighborhood is defying the odds and selling in under 60 days. Why? According to NAR (National Association of Realtors) 77% of buyers start their home buying search online.  They are comparison shopping before they actually walk into a home.  If your home is one of many on the market, with essentially the same square footage, number of... 03/05/2008