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Increased Home Sales in December

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Increased Home Sales in December
by Matt Clark, Cincinnati Realtor
Cincinnati Real Estate

Many people think that no one buys a home during the winter, much less the event filled month of December, but there were actually 1,272 Cincinnati home sales last month. This was an 8% increase over November’s Cincinnati home sales. This is good news, but there is still a drastic oversupply of Cincinnati homes for sale.

We currently have approximately 10 months of inventory on the Cincinnati market. A balanced real estate market occurs when there is approximately 6 months of homes for sale. This means that it is a GREAT time to BUY in Cincinnati. This could possibly be the best time in decades to purchase a Cincinnati home.

In contrast, that does NOT mean you can’t sell your home right now. Like I said, over a thousand Cincinnati homes sold last month alone. Your home must be priced correctly, from day one. There is no “testing” this market. You must be priced more competitively than your competition, you must be staged better than your competition, and you must be ready to show your home on a moments notice. Buyers are looking for a great deal; this doesn’t mean they have to take you to the cleaners, but you do have to give them VALUE.

I’m not one for cold weather, but I’ve been out showing homes every weekend this January and I’m surprised at the amount of people that I see out looking at Cincinnati homes. I love this burst of energy that we’re about to see called SPRING. If you are planning on buying or selling this year, now is the time to involve your real estate professional.

The market may not be BOOMING, but CINCINNATI still has it good..

admin — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 04:29:00 +0000

[January 8, 2008 Press release from the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors]

November Pending Cincinnati Home Sales Off 8%
Compared to National Slide of 19%

Pending home sales in southwest Ohio and southeast Indiana in November were as follows:
Pending sales Nov. 2007 1,522
Pending sales Nov. 2006 1,656
Local Variance -8.1%
Nationwide Variance -19.2%

Pending sales are contracts written, but not yet closed. Closings typically occur 30-45 days
after contracts are accepted, with the exception of cash transactions, which close faster.
“November and December typically are our slower months,” said Karen Schlosser, president
of the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors. “Sales then pick up in January and are strongest
from March through August.”
Several factors have affected the market this past year, including subprime mortgage loans
and higher-than-usual housing inventory.
“Smart buyers now have a distinct advantage with the array of homes for their buying
consideration,” said Schlosser. “Add to that attractive prices and low mortgage rates.”

5 Energy Saving Ideas for the New Year

admin — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 04:44:00 +0000

One of the joys of owning a home in Cincinnati is that you can have the air conditioning on one day and need to turn the heat on the next. Although we can’t change the weather, there are some simple things we can do to reduce energy usage and save money.

Here are 5 EASY energy saving tips that will begin paying for themselves in no time!

Change your air filters

Cost = $30/year, Savings = $100/year, Skill Level = Amateur
Replacement filters cost less than $10 a piece and should be changed quarterly.

Install a programmable thermostat

Cost = $50, Savings = $100/year, Skill Level = Amateur
A smart thermostat will allow you to dial down the temp during hours when you’re sleeping or not home and then bring it back to your desired level throughout your waking hours.

Wrap your water heater in a blanket

Cost = $20, Savings = $34-54/year, Skill Level = Amateur
A water heater that is just a few years old can lose a few degrees per hour. Adding more insulation with a water heater blanket will pay for itself in a matter of a few months.

Use a smart power strip

Cost = $30, Savings = $30/year, Skill Level = Amateur

Can’t believe that a TV or stereo uses just as much energy when it’s turned off than when it’s in use? This blows my mind as well. Why go through the pain of unplugging all your electrical devices when not in use when a smart power strip will cut that energy usage for you.

Install compact fluorescent bulbs

Cost = $5, Savings = $5/year, Skill Level = Amateur
An energy efficient bulb can last ten times as long as a normal incandescent bulb and save almost $50 over the life of the bulb.

Start 2008 off by reducing your energy consumption; it’s good for the environment, and your wallet.