What to Expect at Your Home Inspection – Part Two
Written by Jennifer Cox on March 13, 2009
One of the most important elements of the Cincinnati home buying experience, and perhaps the most stress inducing portion of the process, is the home inspection. In Part One of this series, I shared with you this thought: Just because the inspector wrote down a “problem”, that doesn’t make it so. Some “problems” are nothing more than items that can be fixed with a screw driver or by pushing the re-set button on the GFCI outlet. An inspection report that lists 5 or 6 of these types of “problems” nearly inevitably causes a nervous home buyer to doubt his purchase decision. Look objectively at the report. Dirty gas fireplaces can be easily cleaned by a homeowner. Smoke detectors can be installed after you move in. Wobbly banisters serve no real threat to your health. Just get out the screwdriver. Read more
What to Expect at Your Home Inspection – Part One
Written by Jennifer Cox on March 12, 2009
By this point, everyone agrees that a home inspection is a necessary part of the home buying and selling process in Cincinnati. I still firmly believe that before any one puts their home on the market they should invest in a home inspection, make the necessary repairs or collect estimates. There is just no argument. This will save the home seller money. I don’t understand why an individual homeowner believes he or she is immune from that phenomenon….but I’ll go on about that another day. As the majority of sellers are unwilling to jump on the bandwagon and put their home in order before selling, as a home buyer in Cincinnati, you might as well anticipate obtaining your own home inspection. There are so many misunderstandings about the scope of the home inspector’s practice, I thought I would share a horror story or two, (yes, all true) and put out a few ideas for discussion. Read more
The “Buyer’s Market” Pricing Conundrum
Written by Randy Hibbard on March 5, 2009
Pricing is a vexing issue for both sellers and potential buyers in this so called buyer’s market. One reason say “so called” is that there are many homes artificially inflating the number of homes on the market. They are not priced realistically and simply will not sell, at least not any time soon. The sellers are either unable or unwilling to grasp the reality of the current market or think it magically doesn’t apply to them. Their homes may as well not even be on the market because, in essence, they aren’t. They are wasting their own and other people’s time. Similarly, buyers who are trying to “steal” well priced homes by making insulting offers also are not actual buyers. They are time (as well as gas) wasters. Read more
Things to do in Cincinnati – March
Written by Jennifer Cox on March 2, 2009
The chill in the air today prompts no one but the lionhearted to venture out into the cold air. However, promises of “lamb-like” (is that a word?) weather is forecasted for this weekend. Highs in the 50’s and 60’s sound good to me! Need something to do to keep busy this month? Hopefully you’ll find a few good ideas below. Read more
