Columbus Real Estate Voice

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4

WORST Columbus MLS Home Photo of the Week 1-28
2008-01-29 15:23:00
There is another 2–for-1 special this week….. and it involves pavement.  Let’s remember the exterior photos are to sell the house, not the parking space (?) or the road in front of it…….   Bookmark this article:
More About: Photo , Home , Week , Columbus

WORST Columbus MLS Home Photo of the Week- 1/21
2008-01-22 01:22:00
There are TWO gems this week (and I thought it might be hard finding enough bad photos!) THIS is a distorted photo of part-floor, part-door, part-stairs that serves no purpose whatsoever. (Oh, and let’s not forget the rug…..)                       And this ‘lovely’ is for a home selling in the $430,000’s (been on the market over 250 days).  People– ...
More About: Photo , Home , Week , Columbus , The Ugly

New Albany Ohio Home Sales- 2007 and Current ReCap
2008-01-18 12:06:00
There’s two ways to look at New Albany home sales activity– one is ‘New Albany proper’… those homes with the New Albany mailing address, and the other is all homes with New Albany schools. New Albany has 162 current active listings, 25 homes in contract, and sold a total of 155 homes in 2007.  Those homes ...
More About: Ohio , Sales , Home , Current , Recap

Personal Resolve for 2008 in Real Estate
2008-01-17 13:11:00
“I intend to help 51 families buy or sell their home this year.”  That’s the statement I made after a round of personal business planning.  Looking at all the numbers, and trying to base a goal within reality, this was the number I came up with. After making this announcement to everyone in The Raines Group (the ...
More About: Personal , Estate , Real Estate , Real , The Good

WORST Columbus MLS Home Photo of the Week- 1/14
2008-01-14 23:33:00
OK… there are windows, and an empty room, and random furniture… and…. what?!? This doesn’t give the size of the room, a feel for the space, and the viewer is left confused.  Not an effective way to SELL a home…. If the photo doesn’t SELL the house, don’t post it for viewers to see– it’s not a ...
More About: Photo , Home , Week , Columbus , The Ugly

Searching for HUD and VA Owned Homes in Columbus Ohio
2008-01-14 23:12:00
Here’s a ‘short and skinny’ way to do it: 1. For HUD homes, go to http://sales.clfres.com/SearchListings.as px. 2. For VA homes, go to http://www.ocwen.com/reo/residential/reop roplist.cfm?statechosen=OH 3. This list is constantly changing.  To keep up with changes and get notification of new listings, talk to Sondra– she can create a search via email that will notify you of postings. Fast…easy…simple! Bookmark this article:
More About: Ohio , Homes , Owned , Columbus , Searching

Central Ohio School District Report Cards
2008-01-12 18:07:00
Want to know how your local school district is doing? It’s a known fact that most homeowners with children focus on the viability of their neighborhood’s school district, but even a good number of homeowners without children look at this since it impacts the sale and resale value of a home. A home in a great ...
More About: Ohio , School , Report , District , Central

WORST Columbus MLS Home Photo of the Week- 1/7
2008-01-06 20:32:00
This beauty is more common than it should be…. it’s a fine example of the heavily distorted photo that takes a small bed and makes it look king-size, and changes a small room into a spacious skating rink. Effective room photos accurately portray the room, and show the best features.  Seller tip– before listing your home, ...
More About: Photo , Home , Week , Columbus , The Ugly

Bad Columbus MLS Photo of The Week? 12/30
2007-12-30 20:07:00
THIS beauty takes the saying of ‘a drive-by shooting’ to a whole new level….. this condo has been For Sale for 150+ days so far, and this is the first photo the Internet buyer sees:        Want to guess why this property is still on the market? Bookmark this article:
More About: Photo , Week , Columbus , The Ugly

Bad Columbus MLS Home Photo of The Week 12-17
2007-12-19 00:35:00
Sondra note: I’m starting a new category based on part fun, part frustration.  Yes…. this photo DOES exist in the Columbus MLS– part of a series of photos that is SUPPOSED to help ‘sell’ a home. ‘Fun’ because we can all have a good chuckle; ‘frustration’ because I’m tired of seeing hideous photos out there that guarantees ...
More About: Photo , Home , Week , The Ugly

Columbus Ohio Real Estate and Economy 2007 Update- End of Year
2007-12-13 15:28:00
We’ve all heard the hubbub in the news about urgent housing issues… so how is the market really doing here in Central Ohio ? Here’s a few points to help get a perspective: Columbus’ unemployment rates are the lowest in the state, sitting at 4.7% at the end of October. Statewide, Ohio has one foreclosure for every 290 ...
More About: Economy , Estate , Real Estate , Update

Ohio FHA HUD Buyers Have a Great New Deal For Home Buying
2007-12-11 23:31:00
Looking for a great deal on a home?  Now Ohio homeowners can buy a HUD home using an FHA loan with only a $100 down payment. A HUD home is a property that was financed through a bank with an FHA loan, and is now bank owned.  The Federal Housing Administration oversees the process of selling ...
More About: Buying , Home , Great , Deal

Columbus Ohio Job Growth Will Offset Foreclosures? Impact
2007-11-30 14:50:00
The Columbus Gross Domestic Product, or GDP (which is a measure of the value of goods and services) is projected to grow 2.5% this next year.  The national GDP is projected to grow 1.9%.  This will offset the impact of upcoming foreclosures in the real estate home market, and adds to Forbes Magazine (Columbus is ...
More About: Foreclosures , Ohio , Growth , Offset

Seven Reasons to List Your Home During the Holidays
2007-11-18 21:49:00
1. Many people start new jobs at the beginning of the year. Relocating buyers need to see your home now in order to buy and make their move…. 2. Some people need to buy before the end of the year for tax reasons. 3. Your home will have that ‘warm and cozy feeling’ when it’s decorated for ...
More About: Holidays , Home , List , Reasons , The Holidays

The ?Subprime - Short Sale - Bank-Owned? Primer
2007-11-04 21:28:00
Here’s a short and sweet summary of links and info to fill you in on the many issues the title words conjure up: First off, if you’re caught in an adjustable subprime loan that is strangling you with upward spiraling house payments, check into FHA’s recent option to refinance called FHA Secure.  If a subprime borrower ...
More About: Sale , Owned , Bank , Short , Subprime

New Financing Options for First Time Home Buyers
2007-10-24 21:53:00
Now that the reign of No-Money-Down, Credit-Doesn’t-Matter loans are sinking into the sea, it’s getting a little tougher for first time home buyers and those credit-challenged buyers to get the financing to buy a home.  Here’s a couple of options: 1. Fannie Mae offers an Expanded Approval program– lenders can now say ‘yes’ to borrowers with ...
More About: Financing , Home Buyers , Time , Home , Options

Eric Clapton Likes Living in Columbus, Ohio- You Would, Too
2007-10-15 15:14:00
Yes, Eric Clapton has purchased real estate in Columbus , Ohio . While some of the jet-set crowd might wrinkle their noses and giggle at the derogatory nickname of “Cow-lumbus,” suggesting our city is not quite as sophisticated as the glam cities of the world, Eric and others smile and quietly enjoy a comfortable, private, and fulfilling ...
More About: Living

99.2% of Mortgages Are NOT In Foreclosure
2007-10-08 17:49:00
That’s a line from a report issued by Gary Watts, a real estate economist and forecaster for the real estate industry in California. There’s been a lot of buzz in the real estate blog world over his report he presented August 2007 in Monterey, CA at a Coldwell Banker retreat titled, “The Real State of ...
More About: Foreclosure , Mortgages , Mort , Not I , Ages

Why Big Media LOVES Bad Real Estate News
2007-10-05 19:28:00
There’s a great article written by Dillon Devereaux of the Triangle News in North Carolina regarding this topic.  It’s one I’ve often wondered about…. I mean, when was the last time you heard Big Media showin’ a little love when it comes to real estate? When real estate is rolling, there’s a lot of muttering ...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Big Media

Homebuyer Help- Ten Tips to Assure Your Home Loan Approval
2007-10-01 20:20:00
Barb Collier of Metrocities Mortgage graciously allowed me to share these important credit tips for all buyers who want to have their loan close: 1. Do NOT apply for new credit– your credit score can lose points each time a creditor or lender pulls your credit report. 2. Do NOT pay off collections or ‘charge offs’– ...
More About: Tips , Home , Loan , Home Loan

Stress Reliever for Home Buyers and Sellers
2007-09-28 00:42:00
Here’s a great way to put a little fun in your stressful transaction… Bookmark this article:
More About: Home Buyers , Home , Stress , Sellers , Buyers

Foreclosure Statistics in Columbus Ohio Area
2007-09-18 21:38:00
We’ve heard the doom and gloom of foreclosed homes in this country. Here’s some real numbers and stats of what’s happening in Columbus and central Ohio , courtesy of the Columbus Dispatch: For Franklin county and all the surrounding counties, there were 6000 foreclosed homes in 2005, 10,000 in 2006, and 8,485 for the first 6 months ...
More About: Foreclosure , Statistics , Area

What?!? GOOD News in the Columbus Housing Market?!?
2007-09-12 16:39:00
I know folks… it’s HARD to believe.  In spite of all the doom and gloom the national newsbies are crowing about at every turn in regards to home sales, mortgages, blah, blah, blah, our LOCAL housing statistics will add a spot of brightness to your day. Columbus Ohio and area home sales increased 5% in the ...
More About: News , Market , Good News , Housing , Good

Animoto Presents New Possibilities for Showcasing Homes
2007-09-10 22:00:00
Want a little creativity in the selling of your home?  Www.animoto.com offers a new and easy way to mix it up a bit. Take a look:   Bookmark this article:
More About: Presents , Homes , Ossi , Casing , Resent

What Could POSSIBLY Go Wrong With My Home Sale Or Purchase?
2007-09-08 14:40:00
Ask that and ye shall receive. I’ve referred to this general story before, but this update from blogger Doug Quance is a great saga of how something that should be right can go so horribly wrong, and what the not-so-subtle impact of the developing mortgage drama is causing. The bottom line: 1. If you’re thinking you’ll be ...
More About: Home , Sale , Wrong , Purchase , Ossi

When Is The Right Time to Sell A Home?
2007-09-07 15:35:00
Teresa Boardman is a realtor in St. Paul Minnesota who also writes a real estate blog.  She’s posted a great article called ‘Timing Is Everything.’ Teresa writes: “Somehow people have gotten the idea that buying and selling real estate frequently is a good idea, or even a way to get rich.  It didn’t used to be ...
More About: Time , Home , Sell

HEY! Respect My ?Housework?, PLEASE!
2007-08-28 16:53:00
(Also known as… How A**holes Blow Off Good Realtors) I’m a Good Realtor. I complete lots of sales (experience), have happy clients, take ongoing Continuing Ed classes, get involved in the Realtor community with committees, etc. etc.   I ALSO communicate well, get back to people quickly whenever they have a need I can help with, know ...
More About: Respect , Ework

August Mortgage Loan Panic in Full Bloom
2007-08-17 22:12:00
Well, it’s just past the halfway mark in a hot, dry August , and Life in the home financing industry is suffering through a drought of its own.  American Home Mortgage , the 9th largest mortgage lender in the USA, suddenly closed their doors at the start of the month, leaving thousands of buyers sitting at the ...
More About: Loan , Full , Panic

How to Get a New Roof Without Replacing It
2007-08-14 22:37:00
I just had a great experience with a company who can make a black, streaky, icky roof look brand new!  (Think about increasing your sales price and dramatically improving your curb appeal to get the buyers in the door….) Roof Clean Inc. is run by George Gilliland, who has many years in the roof replacement business.  ...

Home Privacy- Personal Privacy- How to Get It
2007-08-04 16:12:00
Tired of all the phone calls and junk email?  Wondering how others can track you down? Here’s a few tips to make it all better…..   1. Get on the Do Not Call Registry. Either call 888–382–1222 (from the phone number you want to register) or go to www.DoNotCall.gov.  Once registered, it can take about 31 days ...
More About: Personal , Home , Privacy , Persona , Sona