Central Ohio Real Estate Market News

Should home buyers disclose their warts?

June 7, 2009 · 1 Comment

Should home buyers be required to provide a Disclosure similar to the Property Disclosure that is required of home sellers? This was a question posed by Jim Crawford, an Atlanta real estate agent in one of his blog posts. So far, the comments to that post have mostly been in support of the concept.

Currently home sellers are required to “tell all” about their homes – warts and all. Buyers have access to this information before they ever decide to write an offer on the home. Buyers can decide on their acceptance -or non acceptance – of those warts.

warts There is no such Disclosure required of home buyers. It’s not a level playing field, as Jim says. Should home buyers be required to provide home sellers with a Disclosure about the buyer’s warts BEFORE they decide to enter into a Purchase Contract with that buyer?

In real estate we use the term READY-WILLING-ABLE buyer. Should a Buyer Disclosure provide the seller with proof that the buyer truly is Ready-Willing-Able?

What might a Buyer Disclosure include?

Readiness To Buy
- Information on whether they have a home to sell first; whether that home is in-contract; the closing/possession date of that home’s contract.
- If renting, information on lease commitments (month-to-month, 30- or 60-day notices, etc.).
- Information on whether buyer has committed to a specific lender and will or will not be exploring other lenders for a better deal. (sellers need to know whether it’s a reputable lender since this is so critical to the actual sale of the home)
Ability To Buy
- Identification of the lender’s company that the buyer has committed to.
- Information on whether the buyer has provided all required papers to the lender (a yes/no answer).
- A Pre-Approval Letter that includes the maximum price the lender has approved the buyer to buy. (some buyers have been making offers on homes much higher priced than their approval and this causes later problems for all involved)
- Identification of any buyer-related contingencies to that Approval (i.e. getting funds for down payment).
- Information regarding the due dates the lender requires to execute a loan. (i.e. if a lender is taking 45 days to close, the buyer shouldn’t write an offer to close in 30-days)
Willingness To Buy
- The number of any previous Purchase Contracts entered into by the buyer and general reason as to why those Contracts were not executed. (can indicate financing issues or buyer’s remorse)
- Identification of the intended inspections the buyer plans to have conducted and the name of the inspection company they plan to use. (will they use Uncle Charlie because he’s good at “fixing” things)
- Is the buyer aware that they are entering into a legally binding Contract with potential penalties for non-performance?
Awareness of the Home Buying Process
- Is the buyer aware that they may be asked to forfeit their earnest money to cover the costs the seller incurred as a result of entering into the Contract with the buyer?
- Is the buyer aware that there are no perfect homes and that all homes require routine home maintenance?
- Why should the seller enter into a Contract with you? (an essay question)

One of the agents who responded to Jim’s post indicated he is already using a Buyer Disclosure. With Contracts falling out due to the buyer’s inability to secure financing or using a home inspection to get out of a Contract when they have “buyer’s remorse”, these Disclosures may become more customary to level the playing field between sellers and buyers.

Once burnt … twice shy

pay money It may also become more customary for sellers to ask to have the earnest money paid to them if the deal falls apart, in order to cover the expenses they incur to store their furniture, make their own deposits on a new home or temporary housing, etc., plus, the lost opportunity they suffered by having their home off the market. In Jim’s post, I commented that having a seller keep the earnest money can be viewed as a “restocking fee” that some retailers charge when customer’s return merchandise. Adding this Term into the Contract places some risk on the buyer and might minimize the casualness that some buyers have when they enter into a Contract.

The majority of buyers take their home-buying very seriously. They’re excited about buying and thoroughly understand what is taking place. They do all their homework in advance of writing a Purchase Offer. It’s too bad that a few may be ruining it for the honest, truthful, serious READY-WILLING-ABLE buyers.

Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

→ 1 CommentCategories: Buyers · Home buying process · Home selling process · Homes · Homes for sale · Sellers

Out with the old … in with the new

June 5, 2009 · 3 Comments

My real estate techie world is about to change … again. This industry has changed so much in the nearly 11 years I’ve been in this business. I’m in the process of implementing changes to better, more efficiently handle my day-to-day activities once again.

FAX MACHINE HAS DIED

no fax My 10-yr old combination fax/answering machine is 10-yrs old and needs trashed. Last year, I shopped for a replacement and learned that companies no longer make such a dual combination. The new units include a printer and scanner, neither of which I need or want as a combo unit. I haven’t received a fax from another real estate agent for months since most of us now use scanners to convert paper to pdf files for emailing. Much more legible and much easier way to get the paperwork to clients.

CAN I CANCEL MY LAND LINE?

For many years now, my home land line has only been used for the fax machine and access to the CBR key pad overnight updates. Anyone that I want to talk to knows to call my ONE number to reach me. That number is always forwarded to my cell phone. The only calls to my home number are errant telemarketers or the political robo calls. Although it’s minor, it does bug me that Verizon charges me $5 every month for NOT making any long distance calls and another $3 for NOT making local toll calls. If I get rid of the fax machine and the keypad cradle, then I can cancel the land line.

NOT HAPPY WITH VERIZON VOYAGER

Last year I got a Verizon Voyager which is Verizon’s answer to AT&T’s I-Phone. While it’s not a bad phone, it didn’t do some of the things I wanted it to do … or at least it didn’t do them well. The two major detriments for me were that I couldn’t read email attachments (Purchase Offers) and it was cumbersome to access the Internet. It also wasn’t one of the phones that can be used to access CBR’s MLS system.

A BLACKBERRY SOLVES MY DILEMMA

Last week I swapped my Voyager for a Blackberry Curve and I LOVE it! I can easily read email attachments. It’s easy to access the Internet. I can access the CBR MLS system, PLUS, there is a little USB thingamajig that I ordered that will work with the Supra lockbox system, eliminating the need for the keypad – and the land line. I can easily check Twitter for news and weather feeds. It’s easier to take a photo plus it has a flash. It’s like having a handheld laptop. So, in a couple weeks I’ll be sending the fax machine to the trash, canceling the CBR keypad access, then eliminating the land line – thereby joining all the other folks that have done that.

ARE YOU LIKELY TO CANCEL YOUR LAND LINE?

→ 3 CommentsCategories: Commentary · Realtors® · Technology
Tagged: "Verizon Voyager", Blackberry Curve

It’s Muirfield Tournament week – naturally rain is forecasted

June 2, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Copyrighted leatherlips monument The folklore surrounding Chief Leatherlips and the Memorial Tournament, hosted at Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield Village in Dublin, seems to be in place once again this year.

Pop-up showers are forecast for this afternoon. Rain for Wednesday. More pop-ups predicted for Sunday afternoon. Yep … sounds like the Chief may be at it again.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Dublin Ohio · Franklin County · Golf course communities · Muirfield
Tagged: Chief Leatherlips folklore

You’re FIRED! Here’s your golden parachute.

May 30, 2009 · Leave a Comment

golden parachute Real Living, the nationally recognized innovative real estate company, has taken a page from the automotive world and is offering a PEACE OF MIND PLAN for home buyers. If you’ve been hesitant to purchase a home now – even though interest rates and prices are quite low – here’s a program that just might solve your dilemma.

If your heart is set on a new home, but you’re stressed about the economic realities we all face, Real Living HER has your answer. The Peace of Mind Plan is designed to provide the comfort you deserve and the confidence you need to make your move a reality.

Be sure to click on the above Peace Of Mind link for more details (it IS an insurance policy afterall), but a quick version is …

One-Year Coverage

Use a Real Living HER agent to represent you when buying a home, finance your mortgage with Real Living Mortgage, and you can be covered with ONE YEAR of insurance benefit to cover a monthly mortgage payment of up to $1,500 for up to 6-months if you become “involuntarily unemployed” during the first year you are in your new home.

Two-Year Coverage

Once you qualify for the One-Year Coverage, if the home you buy is a Real Living HER listing then the Peace Of Mind Plan extends for a second year.

I have an upscale listing that might be just the ticket for this type of program. At open houses that I’ve held for this home, some of the guests have been reluctant to move forward with purchasing, even though they really liked this home, because they were uncertain about the future of their employment. If those reluctant buyers are already working with one of the hundreds of Real Living HER Realtors® and they finance with Real Living Mortgage, then buying this home could earn them an extra year of coverage. Sounds like a winner to me!

Want to know more about this plan? Call June Zepp with Real Living Mortgage at 614-825-8806. She can give you ALL the details. Or call me at 614-825-8860 for assistance in finding YOUR next home or to learn more about this Hoover Reservoir home in the photo.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Buyers · Central Ohio · Delaware County · Galena Ohio · Home buying process · Home selling process · Homes · Homes for sale · Real Living HER · Realtors® · Sellers
Tagged: Peace of Mind home purchase plan

A magnificent garden … recession or not!

May 27, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Have you planted your salad garden yet this spring? I noticed my neighbors added a small garden box a few weeks ago and were adding the plants over the weekend. I suspect more such gardens were created this year as people try to be more frugal AND to have better tasting veggies.

Vine ripened tomatoes and peppers simply have so much more flavor.

Now if you’re REALLY into gardening, you can build a large deer-proof enclosure if your deed restrictions allow, as this home has. This garden was designed by a landscape architect.

It contains raised beds for easier tending to the plants. Some boxes have covers that can be closed to protect early plants from late frosts that might damage them. That’s fresh spinach eagerly growing in the sunshine. The walkways between the beds provide mud-free paths.

April 26,09 005

The unique home that is connected to this magnificent garden also has a special plant preparation room complete with concrete floor and a sink for easy clean-up. Pretty cool, isn’t it!

April 26,09 003

There is also another room that provides a cool place to store the produce, such as potatoes and onions, for the winter.

If you’re into gardening AND looking for a spectacular home, give me a call. You’re going to love this setting!

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Galena Ohio · Homes · Homes for sale
Tagged: Hoover Reservoir, architect

Enjoy your Memorial Day holiday … I plan to

May 23, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Have you made your holiday weekend plans? Or are you staying flexible so you can enjoy last minute fun?

I’m hoping to work in my yard. Haven’t had the chance to do that this year. Every time I’ve thought I’d take a few hours off to do it, I get a phone call that changed my plans. I’ve bought the weed killer and the lawn fertilizer. I have a few annuals to put in, complete with the special soil mix to hold the water.

I may have to dig up some ornamental grasses that didn’t make it through this past harsh winter. Others really need to be divided, but I tried that last year and wasn’t strong enough to get the shovel through the base. Thankfully, I don’t have to mow lawn anymore. That’s my one splurge … I hire it done. It takes them a matter of minutes to do what it took me a good hour and half to do.

Many people may be planning to save money by staying close to home. If you’re looking for some suggestions perhaps some of these previous posts will give you some ideas.

Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay (Powell OH). It’s not free but it’s local and fun for the whole family. My family went there for Mother’s Day and had a great time.

Highbanks Metro Park (Lewis Center OH) is a great place to hike the trails or gather for a family picnic. Stroll through the woods or meander along the Olentangy River. There’s one trail that dogs can walk on, but they can be at the picnic places. Keep them on a leash and of course, pick up the doo-doo.

Alum Creek Reservoir (Lewis Center OH) has something for everyone. There’s a beach, picnic areas, boat launches, camping areas and a dog park with its own beach.

If you just want to relax along water, southern Delaware County has four such waterways: Hoover Reservoir, Alum Creek Reservoir, the Olentangy River, and the Scioto River.

If golfing is more your thing, there are LOTS of opportunities.

If you’re short on time or have only an hour or two, you can visit Hayden Run Falls where you can walk through a wooded area to see the falls, or get a unique view of the Scioto River. You’ll forget that you’re in the heart of a busy city.

If you need a reminder of why we have this 3-day weekend, be sure to read Missy Caulk’s blog post. She has included many great quotes from past politicians when patriotism was perhaps a little more prevalent than it is now. Plus, she honors her son who is now serving in the Navy.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you take some time to recharge your batteries, get re-acquainted with your family, enjoy a little nature, and just RELAX. Oh, and I’ll be the one with the sore muscles come Tuesday.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Ballantrae · Brookside Village · Central Ohio · Columbus Ohio · Delaware County · Dublin Ohio · Franklin County · Galena Ohio · Golf Village, Kinsale · Golf course communities · Lewis Center Ohio · Muirfield · Powell Ohio · Scioto Reserve · Water fun · Wedgewood · Worthington Hills · Worthington Ohio
Tagged: Columbus Zoo, Alum Creek Reservoir, Alum Creek dog park, central ohio real estate market, Highbanks metro park, Hayden Run Falls

NAR 2009 Member Profile survey results

May 17, 2009 · 2 Comments

The National Association of Realtors® has just released its 2009 Member Profile results. It’s always an interesting read and this year’s version isn’t too surprising given the market conditions this past year. Notably, NAR membership declined 10.5% from Dec 2007 to Dec 2008. It has dropped another 6.4% so far through April 2009. With our membership dues coming up for payment in June, it is expected even more will leave the industry.

Remember, when reading about income, it’s important to keep in mind that Realtors® are self-employed. All expenses for marketing, office supplies, equipment, medical insurance, professional dues are paid by us. Agents also must pay monthly fees to their broker for being associated with them, plus the broker takes a chunk (up to 50%) of the commission when a home sells. We also pay our FICA tax at 15% since there’s no employer.

INCOME results

The median gross income dropped 14% in 2008 to $36,700.
Median net income (after taxes & expenses) also fell 14% to 23,200.
Those with 2 or fewer years in the business had a median gross income of $8,600.
Those in the business 16 years or more had a median gross income of $53,900.

AGE results

The median age increased from 52 to 54 yrs old.

EXPERIENCE results

The average years of experience increased from 8 to 10 years.
Three-fourths said real estate was their only occupation but less than half said it was the main source of their household income. (spouse’s occupation)

OPEN HOUSE results

90% of the agents get less than 10% of their business from open houses.
61% of the agents get no business from open houses.

TECHNOLOGY USE results

Only 42% use a smart phone (those phones with email & Internet ability)
Agents with less experience in the business were more likely to use smart phones.
Only 7% of the agents have a blog. (I’m a cutting edge early-adaptor. LOL)
35% are involved in social networking (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, etc.)
81% put their listings on their broker’s site; 80% put listings on Realtor.com; 66% put them on their MLS; 46% put listings on their own web site; and 16% put listings on other broker’s sites (reciprocity).

How can you use this info? Well, first of all think twice before you ask your agent to cut their commission. They need to have enough funds to be able to spend time and marketing monies to properly market your home. Second, is to ask if your agent is working another job because if they are, they won’t have much time to spend working on your home and once in-contract, will apt to be unaccessible for handling the timing details. Third, ask your agent how many homes they’ve sold the past year. If they’ve only sold one or two homes, they may not be as sharp on their skills as they should be. Fourth, look into their techie skills. Without them, they won’t know how to properly market your home on the Internet or to easily communicate with you.

Recognize the type of market we’re in, and make sure you select a winning agent.

→ 2 CommentsCategories: Realtors® · Surveys
Tagged: National Association of Realtors

Get off my Ash … update #7

May 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Well, it is obvious that the ash tree in front of my home has succumbed to the emerald ash borer.

This is what the tree looked like two years ago when I first started blogging about the borer’s damage.

June 2007

This is what the tree looks like now. Only a few limbs have any sign of leaves.

May 2009

The tree to the west of this tree has also succumbed. The tree to the east was already cut down in Jan 2008. Many others on this side of the street to the east are looking the same way. The trees further down the west side of the street seem as though they’ll start to weather the onslaught for another year. There seems to be different varieties of ash trees – male and female? – so I wonder if that is making a difference as to why some have been attacked earlier than others.

This is so sad!

Read all my ash borer articles.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Ash Trees · Central Ohio · Delaware County
Tagged: Emerald Ash Borer

Poking fun at Realtors®

May 15, 2009 · Leave a Comment

dunce Real estate agents often make fun of ourselves. We type goofy things in the descriptive copy of the MLS listing, although usually it made sense at the time. We take bad photos then use them to promote the home. Lots of these goofs fall in the category of “what were they thinking?”. Numerous agents have written posts that included some of these hilarious bad photos … like the bathroom photo of an agent taking a photo of themselves taking a photo in the bathroom mirror.

Some of these funny copy phrases are the result of having a limited number of character spaces in which to write. So we shorten, use abbreviations or acronyms to convey the true meaning.

My most memorable goof was when I was writing about a large pantry in the kitchen. It was nearly midnight when I entered the data into the MLS so my eyes or fingers were tired. When finished, I emailed a copy to my seller for approval. He called me early the next morning, laughing, and told me to read what I had written. It seems I had written, “… large panty in the kitchen”. Every time I write that word now, I always make sure I’ve included the ‘r’.

Gwen Banta, who is one of the writers on the Agent Genius group blog, has done a post on some of the funny things she has found. If you want a good chuckle on this nice Friday, read Gwen’s post here. Her extra comments are in the parenthesis and are as funny as the original blooper.

The Murph’s favorites:

Dog runs on one side (Maybe he only has 2 legs)
Diamond in the Ruff (Well, pump the poor dog’s stomach!)
Bar-B-Q Pet in Back Yard (Apparently Ruff didn’t survive.)

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Commentary · Humor · Realtors®
Tagged: Realtor bloopers

Road projects for Delaware County

May 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Ever so often we receive a newsletter from the Delaware County Engineer’s office detailing their projects. I enjoy reading this newsletter as it has a lot of good info in it. This month, Chris Bauserman, informed us of the results of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act – the stimulus bill. He explains why so many local government agencies are skeptical and discouraged about the true impact of the ARRA.

Aside from the ARRA, some projects are already underway for the county. Some of them will affect the areas I frequently drive through:

Sawmill Pkwy extension to Hyatts Rd – complete Sep 09.
Orange Rd bridge over the Olentangy River – complete Aug 2009.
Orange Rd & Rt 315 roundabout – Aug to Oct 09
Liberty Rd realignment at Home Rd – Jun 09 to Aug 2010
S Old State & Lewis Center Rd intersection widening – May to Nov 09
Red Bank Rd bridge over Hoover Reservoir south of Sunbury Rd – Jun to Nov

There is a complete list of the projects at the Engineer’s web site.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Galena Ohio · Lewis Center Ohio · Powell Ohio · Transportation
Tagged: central ohio real estate market news, engineer's office

Mother’s Day at the Columbus Zoo in Powell

May 10, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I spent Mother’s Day with half my family at the Columbus Zoo which is located in Powell (map). I hadn’t been to the zoo in eons, so I really enjoyed it since it has undergone so many improvements over the years.

We were hoping to see the new baby elephant but that line was over an hour long. Instead we had a Pizza for the Pachyderms lunch. During the lunch, they showed a video of Phoebe (the new mom) illustrating what a good mom she is by showing how she trains her babies to be elephants. After the lunch, there were door prizes. I happened to win 4 general admission tickets, so I think I’ll give them away at an open house.

If you plan to go to the zoo or Zoombezi Bay, you can go to their web site and get some discounted tickets.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Central Ohio · Columbus Ohio · Delaware County · Franklin County · Powell Ohio
Tagged: Columbus Zoo

I’m Going To Wait For Housing Prices To Hit The Bottom …

May 9, 2009 · 6 Comments

In Central Ohio, real estate agents frequently hear home buyers say they’re going to wait until the market prices hit the bottom before they buy. Not a bad strategy since no one wants to pay a too-high price for anything – not just homes.

The big question regarding this strategy is “HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN THE MARKET HAS HIT THE BOTTOM“?

Even the economical experts don’t have a good answer on this. Bernacke recently said that he “expects” the market to improve by 3rd quarter. The 3rd Qtr is only two months away. If a home buyer starts their home buying process NOW – getting pre-approved for a loan, shopping for a home, entering into a contract to buy, waiting 30 days to close – then the two months are here!

The obvious answer to the “how will you know” question is ……. YOU’LL KNOW WHEN THE PRICES START TO INCREASE! Oops!

Market Bottom So let’s assume your price range is around $200,000. Right now, prices are depressed and interest rates are very low. Sellers are nervous and may be willing to negotiate to make sure they capture one of the few buyers that are shopping now.

The reason there are fewer buyers now, is because other buyers are sitting on the fence just as you are.

Builders have reduced the number of homes they’re building. Resale inventories are relatively low compared to past years. So overall inventory has or is, stabilizing here to more closely match the lower buyer demand.

We’re coming to the time of year when demand normally increases because families want to move during the summer months when kiddies are out of school. What do you think will happen when that demand increases?

The sellers may be less willing to negotiate because there are more buyers looking at their home.
The increased demand generally increases interest rates.
You’ll be competing with more buyers for the lower inventory and may need to pay closer to list price for the home.
Higher demand will increase prices. Remember your Econ 101 class!

The most important factor in the above is the increasing interest rates. You may end up paying $195,000 on either side of the curve but if the interest rate you pay is 5.5% on the rising side versus 4.75% on the declining side, then you’ve lost for the long term. A higher interest rate, spread over 30 years makes a substantial difference in your total cost.

Refer to the article I wrote a couple days ago to see that even though fewer homes were sold this past Jan-Apr, the prices didn’t decline nearly as much as the unit volume sold. If you wait hoping that prices will decline another 5%, you may just find you waited too long. Nobody knows.

The one thing we DO know is that you may have missed buying your favorite home and enjoying spending the summer living in that new home versus spending the time in that cramped apartment or too-small home.

→ 6 CommentsCategories: Buyers · Central Ohio · Home buying process · Home prices · Homes · Homes for sale
Tagged: central ohio real estate market

Don’t forget, Sunday is Mother’s Day

May 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The weather is supposed to be nice – NOT raining – on Sunday, so there will be no excuses for not doing something for or with your Mom.

I’m really looking forward to MY plans. I’m going to the zoo with my daughter, son-in-law, and 3 granddaughters. I drive by the zoo all the time, but haven’t been there for many years.

Mom’s get in free when tickets are purchased for kids. We’re also doing “Pizza with the Pachyderms” to celebrate the new baby elephant. At 2:00, they’ll be revealing the name of the new little boy elephant recently born.

I pre-ordered our tickets online at columbuszoo.org. The general admission tickets are $11 and if ordered online, they’re supposed to be $1 off. Don’t know if the $11 is already $1 off but no additional discount was given during the checkout process. I also ordered the lunch tickets ($5 per) and a parking ticket ($5). It’s a great web site!

If you see me there with my kids, be sure to say ‘hi’. Otherwise, be nice to YOUR Mom and give her something nice … like a big hug and tell her how much you love and appreciate her. After all she put up with you during your teens …….

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Powell Ohio
Tagged: Columbus Zoo, Mother's Day

Jan-Apr Comparison of Homes Sold & Prices

May 5, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Some of our subdivisions in Central Ohio aren’t doing too bad versus last year, but the home sales in total in the key school districts that I usually report on are still softer than last year. Far fewer homes have been sold Jan-Apr 2009 than were sold in the same period for 2008. However, the average prices in most of the districts are only slightly down. Remember, first-time buyers, who may buy less expensive homes, and flippers picking up REO or short-sale properties can reduce the average price of an area. If there are more of them than move-up buyers, the overall average will decline. That’s the problem with “averages”. Please, keep that in mind.

The following two graphs show the number of homes sold along side the average price (in thousands) for the YTD comparison of 2009 vs 2008. One chart shows the data for three school districts in Delaware County. The other chart shows the data for five districts that are primarily in Franklin County. The percent difference is provided for each of the appropriate columns.

Delaware County, Jan-Apr Homes Sold & Average Prices for 2009 vs 2008

Click to enlarge chart

Franklin County, Jan-Apr Homes Sold & Average Prices for 2009 vs 2008

Click to enlarge chart

Compared with the chart I provided in early May that showed the number of homes currently for sale, these results should indicate to buyers that they have a very good buying opportunity and to sellers that their home needs to be in top notch condition at very competitive prices.

It’s still a buyer’s market and with the very low mortgage rates, if a buyer is financially able to buy, they really should consider doing so. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Buyers · Central Ohio · Delaware County · Delaware Ohio · Dublin Ohio · Franklin County · Galena Ohio · Hilliard Ohio · Home prices · Homes · Housing stats · Lewis Center Ohio · Powell Ohio · Sellers · Worthington Ohio
Tagged: central ohio real estate market news, home sales by school district

Finally, positive national news on the housing market

May 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The stock market has reported gains this morning based on good news from the National Association of Realtors®. You can read the good news here. Now, let’s hope other national media pick up on the story and stop reporting the “doom & gloom”.

Nationally, Mar PENDING sales were up 3.2% from Feb and up 1.1% vs Mar 08.
South was up 8.5% vs Feb and up 7.7% vs Mar 08.
West was up 3.9% vs Feb and up 1.7% vs Mar 08.
Northeast fell 5.7% vs Feb and was below Mar 08 by 8.2%.
Midwest was down 1% vs Feb but up 8.2% vs Mar 08.

→ Leave a CommentCategories: Homes · Homes for sale · Housing stats · Media · Television
Tagged: central ohio real estate market news

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June 7, 2009 · 1 Comment

What might a Buyer Disclosure include?

June 5, 2009 · 3 Comments

FAX MACHINE HAS DIED

CAN I CANCEL MY LAND LINE?

NOT HAPPY WITH VERIZON VOYAGER

A BLACKBERRY SOLVES MY DILEMMA

ARE YOU LIKELY TO CANCEL YOUR LAND LINE?

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Delaware County, Jan-Apr Homes Sold & Average Prices for 2009 vs 2008

Franklin County, Jan-Apr Homes Sold & Average Prices for 2009 vs 2008

May 4, 2009 · Leave a Comment

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