One More Good Reason to Inspect Before You List – Your Buyer’s Timely Loan Approval
Written by Jennifer Cox on November 4, 2009
More Mortgage Changes!
Having just missed Halloween, I may be a little late to try to scare you with a horror story or two. But hey! There’s never a moment when a good story to shake things up isn’t welcome. Today, I wanted to share a potential trend that a few of us have experienced in the “wonderful world of real estate”: the lenders becoming involved in the home inspection negotiation process. If that doesn’t scare the living daylights out of you, maybe it should. Read more
The Invisible Deck and the “Unfinished” Finished Basement
Written by Jennifer Cox on May 24, 2009
While we are at it, let’s imagine a pool in the yard, because this beautiful, private cull de sac lot is perfect for a pool! If we squint, we can imagine the gleaming hardwood vs. the beat up, 50 year old floors that haven’t been tended to since the home was built. There’s no dishwasher here, BUT you could put a dishwasher in. Don’t see a garage? No problem! There’s plenty of room to build a detached garage on the property. Is there a theme to this article? Absolutely.
You Must Sell What You Have. Don’t Try to Sell Your Vision Read more
Serious Sellers Satisfaction Package!
Written by Jennifer Cox on April 27, 2009
The Real Cincy Group with RE/MAX Unlimited Introduces the “Serious Sellers” Satisfaction Package!
Are you ready to Get Serious and get your home SOLD in 2009?
Great! ….Here’s How! Read more
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
1st Time Home Buyers of Cincinnati Real Estate -This is for you!
Written by Jennifer Cox on February 20, 2009
With all attention on the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or more widely known as the Stimulus Package, prospective home buyers may be wondering how this will impact the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit that was created in July 2008. With the recent revisions, the federal government has maintained a huge incentive for first time buyers to take advantage of lower home prices, historically low interest rates, and an all-important tax credit! Read more
Stage a Star….Simple…Affordable Staging Solutions
Written by Jennifer Cox on February 4, 2009
Gracious readers have seen that I go on and on (and on and on) about staging your home before putting it on the market. I want to recommend a talented home stager, Teresa Meyer of Stage a Star. Teresa has been helping home “list-ers” become successful home sellers since 2005. Teresa’s experience and expertise building didn’t just start in 2005. She received her accreditation and training with the top real estate staging company “Staged Homes” in Concord, CA. She holds an ASP, Accredited Staging Professional, and is a member of IAHSP, International Association of Home Staging Professionals. She also has 10+ years as a real estate investor under her belt, so she knows what it takes to get a home sold. Her Average Days on Market is 36!! You read that right! 36! So tell me, why in the world would we NOT be tapping into her creative genius??! Read more
Help for Cincinnati Homeowners! The RealCincy Guaranteed Sale Program
Written by Jennifer Cox on January 23, 2009
Home sales are moving at a slow pace. We would all like to see the pace pick up a bit. There are so many homeowners that want to, need to, move to a new construction home, a larger home or upscale condo. But they are stuck. They don’t want to juggle house payments for an indefinite length of time. They don’t QUALIFY for two house payments. Maybe we can help. Read more
203K Rehabilitation Program – Breaking it down into 12 Easy Steps
Written by Jennifer Cox on January 16, 2009
I toured a home with a friend of mine the other day. She is tired of apartment living and with low, low interest rates, and a record number of homes in foreclosure, she realizes that now might just be a good time to make a move. Do you think that might have anything to do with hanging out with me? Nope. Me either. Anyway, we toured one home that, with a little love and a lot of work, will be a real good investment. We saw several issues commonly found in lender owned homes. Then we went to the lower level and saw the “big problem”. This home has a block foundation that is cracking horizontally, shifting, and needs attention…pronto. It’s a perfect contender for the 203k. Read more
