First the interest rate drop.  Interest rates have dropped considerably in the last week and a half with the 30 year fixed rate mortgage falling from 6.20% to just 5.60%.  A more than welcome decrease.  Interest rates do continue to be very volitale.  This article on the CNBC website provides more details on the volitility.  FHA financing is the new trend in home mortages.  I will provide an update and more information on this in the next few days.

And what a little bit of paint can do for the appearance of a home listed for sale.  Especially in today’s real estate market, anything that can be done to make your home show better an dbe more appealing should be done. The freshness of a new coat of paint both visually and in the fresh smell when you walk in the door are hard to deny.  This is a great home in West Chester, Ohio, listed for $165,000 and is now freshly painted throughout most of the interior.  Click here to checkit out.

Living Room before:

Living Room after:

Lower Level Family Room before:

Lower Level Family Room after:

And finally… I saw this video on Seth Godin’s blog this week and had to pass it on:

Your comments and questions are always welcome!

Are these really secrets?  No, but they are certainly the keys to selling a home in this market!

Secret #1:

Your home must standout!  The condition of your home must be great, (good doesn’t cut it).  The decor must be tasteful, it must be clean and fresh.  Your home must be updated;  for example, new countertops and appliances in the kitchen, new carpet, maybe a new or re-finished deck, etc.  Spring is coming, (I think), so look at the front of your home.  Is it clean, freshly mulched, no weeds, etc.?  

Need more information on this, email me and I will send you my checklist, "20 Steps To Help You Sell Your Home".   Have questions call me.

There are so many homes for sale right now that the homes that are cluttered, dark and out-dated are being and will continue to be overlooked by today’s buyers.  And, these homes will continue to sit on the market for sale.

Secret #2:

Your home must be priced right!  The price of your home must be great, (good doesn’t cut it).  "Trying a little higher price" on your home for a while has never been a good strategy, now in this real estate market in West Chester and Liberty Township, Ohio it is a really bad strategy.  The homes that are selling are priced agressively.  This may be hard for some homeowners to accept, but it is the truth!

So…  these aren’t really secrets, but they are the answers to the question "What will it take to get my home sold in this market in West Chester and Liberty Township, Ohio?".

Wondering what your home is worth?   Click here to find out!

Your comments and questions are always welcome!

Absentee voting for the March 4th Ohio primary election begins on Friday.

Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot.  Many voters request a ballot due to being out of town on election day or for a variety of other reasons, but simply wanting to vote early is more than enough reason.

Read an article on absentee voting in Butler, Warren and Hamilton counties here.

Whether you vote with an absentee ballot or in person on March 4th, please remember to vote.

Get more election information here:

Ohio Secretary of State’s site

Butler County Board of Elections site

As always, I would love to hear your comments!

If you’re planning to put your home on the market in time for spring, now’s the time to get it ready to show.

But wait, it’s still a buyer’s market. What can you do to catch the buyer’s eye and get them to make an offer?

It’s going to take more than a fresh coat of paint and a new welcome mat. A buyer’s market raises the stakes, and you’ll find you need to do a lot more work on your home than you think, if you want to get the highest price possible.

You’ve heard that you should clean, paint and repair, but that may not be enough. If your home is cluttered and in disrepair, buyers won’t pay top dollar.

Knowing how buyers reason should help you pick which updates are most likely to help you sell your home.

Let’s take the most basic selling suggestions and explore why these are such important mantras.

The supply of homes for sale in West Chester and Liberty Township increased again.

As of the beginning of February the selection of homes for sale in West Chester rose 5.91% when compared to the beginning of January 2008 and a whopping 15.41% when compared to the same time in 2007.

The story is much the same in Liberty Township with the number of homes for sale increasing 6.99% as of the beginning of February when compared to the beginning of January 2008.  The percentage increase of 10.25% when compared to the beginning of February 2007 is more favorable than the West Chester increase.

The selection of homes to buy right now is terrific if you are thinking of buying.  Get out and take a look at the opportunities that are out there right now.

Interest rates are hovering around 5.50% right now for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, which are much lower than they were just a few months ago

Opportunities for first time homebuyers are particularly good right now, especially when you consider the great rates and downpayment options provided by the FHA Loan program.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

My Newest Listing…

7988 Millwheel Way

West Chester, Ohio 45069

Lakota Schools

$235,000  – Four Bedrooms – Two Full and Half Baths

Immaculate Two Story Home Features Newer Hardwood Floors In The Family Room, Kitchen & Foyer. New Windows, Shutters, Carpet ’07, Newer Roof & More!  Warm, Inviting Family Room w/ Fireplace, Large Master, Large Deck Great For Entertaining, Overlooks Large Lot w/ Many trees. One Year Home Warranty.

To see more information on this home including many more photos and a virtual tour click here

This post is a little bit about a number of things…

First interest rates;  today a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is 5.49% compared to 5.95% just over two weeks ago (and a full 1.00% below what it was 18 months ago).  As I have said many times recently, and yes I probably do sound like a broken record, these rates are unbelievable.

I spent the weekend showing homes and made several observations to share as I went around this weekend.  There are a large number of vacant homes and condos for sale right now (motivated sellers).  And this should come as no surprise, the builders are very aggressive and very motivated right now.  There are lots of incentives out there and not all are advertised.  If you are thinking about new construction whether it’s building or simply buying a market home, it is a great time to do so.

A buyer asked me the other day;  "How will I know when the housing market has bottomed?"   My answer:  You won’t.  The only sure way to know that the market has bottomed out is when it’s on the way back up, and if it’s on the way up, it’s too late.  What I do know is the market has dipped and we are at the bottom of that curve.  It’s okay to buy down here.

Finally in the last two weeks there have been 116 new listings come on the market in West Chester and Liberty Township, Ohio and there have been 41 pending sales in that time.  So things are selling and we are continuing to see a great deal of new listings.

December 2007 Home Sales For West Chester & Liberty Township, Ohio

So, one by one let’s review…

Number of closed units, not good.  Down by 21.00% is not a good sign at all.  Yes, it was December, but that is compared to December of 2006.

Average sale price was up to $253,213 in December.  This is probably the most over examined statistic in real estate today.  What is doesn’t mean is that prices are rising, they are not.  What it simply means is, the average price of the homes that did sell, was higher.

The average days on market moved up to an average of 102 days on the homes that closed in December.  A very large increase over December 2006 that really bears watching.

The list price to sale price ratio was considerably lower in December.  In December of 2006 homes that sold in West Chester and Liberty Township sold for an average of 97.54% of list price vs. 95.72% in December of 2007.

For a bit of really good news…  look to mortgage rates which are hovering around 5.65% for a thirty year fixed rate mortgage.  These are unbelievable times to be buying a home!

I will continue to monitor these market numbers  for West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio and will share them as they become available.

I would love to hear your thoughts as well!