Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Real Estate BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts in the category - Knowledgehttps://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/Copyright CinciNKYRealEstate.com2024-02-21T07:38:52-07:00tag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13103Great Local Cincinnati Charities To Know About For #GivingTuesday<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Giving_Tuesday_copy.png" width="535" height="635" alt="giving tuesday cincinnati charities to consider" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Local Greater Cincinnati Charities To Know About For #GivingTuesday
After Thanksgiving comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and then Cyber Monday. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are all about buying something at a discount or buying local in anticipation of the upcoming holidays of Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, Festivus and more. Another day for consideration is <a href="https://www.givingtuesday.org/">#GivingTuesday</a>. With #GivingTuesday the idea is to contribute some money to a charity of your choosing so those who are in need can benefit as well from the holiday season. Being a personal fan of local charities I have compiled a number of local charities in this article. These charities operate in both the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area and Northern Kentucky areas. Take a look at the great things these local charities are doing and consider donating to them or becoming a volunteer.
La Soupe
<a href="https://www.lasoupecincinnati.com/our-story/" target="_blank">La Soupe</a> located at 4150 Round Bottom Road Cincinnati, OH 45244 and helps people get nutritious meals. Founded in 2014 by Chef Suzy DeYoung the goal of La Soupe is to repurpose excess food (that would otherwise be thrown out) to create tasty and nutritious soups and meals for those in need. Currently La Soupe rescues approximately 5000 pounds of food per week and with that is able to feed 2000 children in and around the Cincinnati area. La Soupe recently sent 23,000 pounds of food to assist with hurricane recovery efforts in Houston, Texas.
Not only does La Soupe give soup to those in need they also sell their soups to anyone wanting to buy their delicious soups. So in case you want to make a donation in person be sure to also buy some of their delicious soups as you won’t regret it. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lasoupecincinnati/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/LaSoupeCincy" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Freestore Foodbank
<a href="http://freestorefoodbank.org/about/">The Freestore Foodbank</a> serves the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana tri-state area by providing meals to those in need along with the help of over 400 local community partner agencies. Annually the Freestore Food Bank serves over 24 million meals! When Frank Gerson the founder of Freestore Foodbank saw the amount of good usable items were being thrown away at a local incinerator he worked at he decided to make a change. As a result Frank quit his job and founded the Free Store in 1971 where he gave to those in need. Eventually the Free Store morphed into the Freestore Foodbank.
In addition to providing meals for those in need the Freestore Foodbank provides many other services such as free tax preparation assistance, jobs training programs, clothing assistance, housing assistance and more. The Freestore Foodbank also has a Payee program that allows tenants in and around the Greater Cincinnati area to have their government assistance payments collected and directed to their primary need of housing so that there is less chance for people to get evicted from their housing. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreestoreFoodbank/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/freestorefb/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FreestoreFB" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Holly Hill Child & Family Solutions
Chartered as a home for orphaned children in 1884 by the Kentucky General Assembly <a href="http://hollyhill-ky.org/site/who-we-are/history/">Holly Hill Child & Family Solutions</a> eventually changed its mission over time to one of helping children in Northern Kentucky who suffer from emotional or behavioral problems (often caused by abuse). Holly Hill provides a number of different programs including therapy services, residential treatment for girls, promotion of life skills and more. As of 2016 Holly Hill has been providing services to 2,248 children and families in the Northern Kentucky area. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HollyHillChildFamilySolutions/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hollyhill_ky/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/donate_button.jpg" width="400" height="235" alt="donate button on keyboard" style="float: right;" />
Stepping Stones
<a href="https://steppingstonesohio.org/about/" target="_blank">Stepping Stones</a> was started by parents who were not able to find summer camp opportunities for their child with special needs. Their first summer camp for children was in 1963 and from then they have expanded greatly providing services to special needs children, teens, adults and their family members. Stepping Stones provides year round programs teaching life skills, social activities and more. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SteppingStonesOhio/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/steppingstonesohio/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.
Cincinnati Area Senior Services
<a href="http://cassdelivers.org/">Cincinnati Area Senior Services</a> assists senior citizens living in the Greater Cincinnati area by providing transportation, meals, guardianship assistance, financial management assistance and more. By providing transportation services to senior citizens they are able to live in their current home and still make it to medical appointments, go to the grocery store, go to social outings and more. Their Meals-On-Wheels services ensure senior citizens are getting nutritious meals and Cincinnati Area Senior Services is one of the largest Meals-On-Wheels provider in the area. Their financial management assistance services ensures senior citizens are able to take care of their finances and can help prevent fraud committed against seniors. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiAreaSeniorServices/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.
Greater Cincinnati SCORE
<a href="https://greatercincinnati.score.org" target="_blank">Greater Cincinnati SCORE</a> is an organization dedicated to helping small business and those with small business ideas start up and succeed in their endeavors. While SCORE stands for Service Corps Of Retired Executives there are both retired and non-retired individuals helping as small business mentors. SCORE is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization which is assisted in accomplishing its mission through the Small Business Administration. SCORE provides marketing, finance, legal, HR, networking and many more areas of support to small business by assigning them with their own mentor. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SCOREcincinnati/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CincinnatiSCORE" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
Melodic Connections
<a href="http://melodicconnections.org/about/">Melodic Connections</a> is a music therapy studio helping individuals of all ages learn music. Founded by Betsy Zenk Nuseibeh in 2008, Melodic Connections helps individuals seek out their musical talent with instruction tailored towards an individual’s specific needs. Melodic Connection’s mission is to “prepare our students for the community and prepare the community for our students”. Musical training is offered in local schools, through summer camps, afternoon classes, adult specific programs and more. Check<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/teacher_with_students.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="teacher with students" style="float: right;" /> them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MelodicConnections/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melodicconnections/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.
Milford Miami Ministry
<a href="http://mmministry.org/about.html">Milford Miami Ministry</a> consists of a number of churches in and around the Milford, Ohio and Miami Township, Ohio areas that provide food and financial assistance to those in the community who have need. Started in 1996 out of the Camp Dennison United Methodist Church the service expanded later on to operate as a standalone organization. Milford Miami Ministry provides food to over 150 families a month as well as provides financial aid for rent and utilities to more than 300 families annually. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MilfordMiamiMinistry/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.
SEM Food Pantry
The <a href="https://www.semfoodpantry.org" target="_blank">SEM Food Pantry</a> provides a somewhat different option for those who are facing food insecurity. Rather than handing out pre-packaged food the SEM Pantry allows people in need to come and select the foods that they need similar to a grocery store. SEM also provides assistance for those needing help for benefits they may qualify for through the Ohio Benefits Bank.
Reach Out Lakota
Started in 1992 <a href="https://www.reachoutlakota.org/about/">Reach Out Lakota</a> was established to help those in need in West Chester, Ohio and Liberty Township, Ohio. Reach Out Lakota provides food, clothing assistance, and back to school supplies. The organization is 100% community funded and serves over 2,500 families annually. Check them out on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ROLakota/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.
Final Thoughts
All of these charities not only accept monetary donations, which you should consider giving as part of #GivingTuesday, but also need the help of volunteers to help make their programs work. So there is more than one way to give on #GivingTuesday as volunteering to help these and other great organizations can be of tremendous value. Want to add some more great local Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky charities to the list? Put them in the comments below.
About the author: The above article “Great Local Cincinnati Charities To Know About For #GivingTuesday” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2023-11-28T05:00:00-07:002023-11-26T15:41:50-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:20661Storage Unit Rental Guide<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Storage_Rental_Guide.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="Storage Unit Rental Guide" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Storage Unit Rental Guide
Storage units are a great way to store household goods between moves, when you don’t have enough space in your home or businesses that need storage for items that their place of business cannot handle. Storage units come in different sizes and as well some storage companies offer climate-controlled storage units that may be better depending on what needs to be stored. Knowing what storage unit options are available and understanding the requirements of the storage unit itself is important. This guide will help one to get a proper understanding of the different types of storage units available, the costs of such storage units and more.
Why Might You Want a Storage Unit?
Whether you live in a place that does not have enough room for storage of you moved for a job and now have to temporarily <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/things-to-consider-before-downsizing/">downsize your house</a> renting a storage unit to store household goods until settled in a place that can hold everything may be the way to go. If you happen to be <a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/buying-house/" target="_blank">buying a new home</a> and had to sell your home prior to being able to close on the new home then renting a storage space might be needed in order to store a majority of your belongings until you close on the new house.
Businesses who have seasonal tools or goods that need to be stored off site can also make use of storage units. By keeping items out of the current location space can be utilized for existing business needs. Businesses may be able to deduct any monthly fees too paid for their storage unit and any extra insurance required.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Full_Garage_Reduced.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="full garage" style="float: right;" />
Types of Self-Storage Units
Self-storage units come in two types generally. Climate controlled and non-climate controlled. With climate-controlled units the units are kept at a stable temperature year-round regardless of the outdoor temperature. Especially if one is storing unique art, special furniture, musical instruments or something else that requires a stable environment then a climate-controlled storage unit is a better choice.
These climate-controlled storage units generally try to maintain a stable temperature and control the humidity. Humidity can cause all sorts of issues like wood rot, mold, moisture damage and more. By keeping humidity to acceptable levels items that are sensitive to high humidity can be preserved for longer. Climate controlled storage units will cost more than a non-climate controlled one.
Even though the units are climate controlled that does not mean the temperatures would be kept at the typical room temperature comfortable for humans. Generally these climate controlled storage facilities will set temperatures to an optimal temperature to help keep things stable and humidity down. If certain items to be stored need a particular temperature that must be kept with very little change then that needs to be discussed with the storage facility. Not all storage facilities with climate control are able to maintain that level of control of the temperature and a specialized storage company would be necessary.
Storage Unit Security
Most storage units offer some basic security in the form security gates with code access, 24-hour camera surveillance, capability of double locks and more. Depending on what one needs to store if more security is needed then storage facilities with better security should be sought. There are some storage facilities that the only security they offer is the lock that is on the storage unit itself. There will be no entry gate, perimeter security fencing might be limited so it pays to visit storage facilities to check out what type of security measures they have implemented.
Storage Unit Sizes
Storage unit sizes will vary by location as some storage unit facilities may only have smaller units depending on the needs of the local population and the size of their lot. Typically you will find the following sized storage units:
5’x5’
5’x10’
10’x10’
10’x15’
10’x20’
10’x30’
There may be different sizes as well other than the ones listed above depending on the company that offers the storage.
Which size of unit is needed depends on what is being stored. The largest of units can store the contents of a number of rooms in a home providing it is packed properly. One can’t simply take the entire contents of a home and expect them to fit in a storage unit without any adjustment. Things need to be packed in boxes, furniture needs to be disassembled, delicate items put on top and heavier items on the bottom. If access to certain items is needed whoever is doing the packing of the storage unit needs to know so they can fill the unit accordingly.
Storage Unit Location May Matter
If the storage unit is needed so the user can rent and store stuff while they live out of state or out of country then location is not really important as once the items are stored they usually will not be touched until back from the out of town stay. Whereas on the other hand where one is renting since they don’t have enough storage where they live then being close by the storage facility can be good especially if access is needed on a regular basis. One should drive the location to see how easy it is to access and is the location convenient to get to if it is important to have quick and regular access.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/magnify_dollar_sign.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="money savings" style="float: right;" />
Storage Unit Pricing
Storage unit pricing will depend on location and on the size of the unit. Rates are usually charged by the month and as noted below insurance will usually be extra. When opting for temperature-controlled storage units the prices in general will be higher than the equivalent sized non-temperature-controlled units. For the smaller units prices start in the $50-$75 dollar per month range and go up. On the upper end of the sizes the prices can be $150 per month and up for larger storage units
Storage Unit Insurance
While the storage facility is usually insured for their own equipment and facilities most storage units will charge extra for insurance if the storage unit renter is not bringing their own insurance. In many cases storage facilities require insurance to be maintained as a condition of renting from them since it not only protects the belongings of the person renting the unit but other people storing stuff in and around the storage unit. A fire in one unit caused by improper storage of something can quickly destroy items in other units. By requiring insurance, the storage facility company can spread the risk of loss/damage to the individual renters.
Renters should check with their home renter’s insurance or their homeowner’s insurance to see if their rental unit would be covered either directly by the insurance policy or with a rider that adds coverage. Usually insurance provided by an existing policy will be more cost effective than what is offered by the storage rental company. If the storage rental company allows outside insurance it may save money in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Whether a storage unit is needed for personal household goods or for storing extra business equipment getting the right type of storage is important. Security and climate control features will vary between different facilities so it is wise to visit the units before committing to any particular one.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/self-storage-rental/" target="_blank">What To Know About Self Storage</a> - Rent it right the first time in order to save money. The wrong storage unit can end up costing you money and through loss of personal items.
<a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/moving-hacks/" target="_blank">Super Moving Hacks</a> - Whem moving doing it right can help drop the stress level and make sure things get moved safely. Use the tips found in this article to make sure everything goes smoothly.
About the author: The above article “Storage Unit Rental Guide” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/fort-thomas/">Fort Thomas</a>, Hebron, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/hyde-park/">Hyde Park</a>, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/norwood/">Norwood</a>, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Storage_Rental_Guide_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="storage unit guide" />2023-03-16T13:00:00-07:002023-03-16T12:57:58-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:20547What is a Land Loan and How Do They Work?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Land_Loan.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="What is a Land Loan and How Do They Work?" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Different Land Loans Explained
If you’ve always dreamt of building your own home, the cost could be holding you back. But you can get loans for land to buy the plot to build your new construction.
Before looking for land loans, you should know a few things. We will look at the different <a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/buying-land-getting-loan/" target="_blank">types of land loans available to purchase land</a> when you want to build your own home.
How Does a Land Loan Work?
A land loan is simply a loan for land, and the type of loan you choose will depend on the plot and how you intend to use it. Primarily, these loans are used when the buyer does not intend to start building a home immediately.
The loan allows them to hold onto the land until everything is ready to begin construction. If you are ready to begin constructing your home immediately, it is <a href="https://original.newsbreak.com/@massrealty-1600066/2743928792496-construction-loan-vs-land-loan-which-is-right-for-you" target="_blank">better to choose a construction loan</a>.
A construction loan will let you finance the purchase of the lot and the cost of building the home. So if you have everything ready to go, including your blueprints and specifications, a loan for construction will be best.
Many folks have planning to do, so in that situation, a land loan will work best. A land loan can also be used for <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/commercial-real-estate-due-diligence/">buying commercial real estate</a> for a business too.
Let's look at the different land loans that are available:
Raw Land Loans
If the plot of land is entirely undeveloped without utilities or a road, a raw land loan will be the one to choose. Getting this type of loan is complex, and you must have a solid plan to prove to the lender you are a reasonable risk.
Undeveloped land is cheaper, but the lender might require a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/tips-for-saving-up-for-a-down-payment-on-a-home/">larger down payment</a> and charge high-interest rates on the loan.
If you are a first-time buyer or your credit score isn't as high as you'd like it to be, a raw land loan might be out of your reach.
Unimproved Land Loans
An unimproved land loan can be used for land that has access to utilities and other amenities. The plot of land may lack electric or natural gas meters, but it is still more developed and more accessible to build on than the previous option.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Man_with_Loan_Docs.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="man holding loan docs" style="float: right;" />
It is still challenging to get an unimproved land loan though not as tricky as a raw loan. You will need to have a detailed plan of the construction as well as money for the down payment. Your credit score needs to be good as well.
Unimproved land is less risky to lenders, so the interest rate isn't as high as with a completely undeveloped plot. Despite that, you can expect the loan to be more costly than many other types of lending.
Improved Land Loans
If the plot of land has access to utilities and a road and is almost ready to begin construction, it is considered improved. This type of land is more expensive, but getting a loan won't be as complicated or costly. The interest rate is likely lower, and the down payment requirement is less.
Even if you apply for this type of loan, you will still want a good credit score. This will make it as easy as possible to be accepted by the lender and could make the loan cheaper.
The land will need to appraise for the value of the property. Lenders are unlikely to allow an <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-is-an-appraisal-gap-clause/">appraisal gap</a> unless there is significant equity.
Approval for Land Loans
As well as having a good credit score and the money to pay a decent down payment, you need to have a detailed plan of what you will do with the plot of land.
You will need to know about zoning and any restrictions on what you can do on the land and put this in your plans. Your lender will also want to know about utility access, and they will probably require the land to be surveyed before they will approve the loan.
The lender does all of this to minimize the risk so that you do not default on the loan. There isn’t collateral with this type of lending, so the lender charges more to protect their investment.
Final Thoughts on Loans For Land
A land loan is an excellent option if you have found a plot of land to build your perfect home on but aren't quite ready to begin construction. Though if you are ready to begin building, a construction loan will give you the money for the land and to build the home.
Before you apply to a lender to give you the money to buy your plot of land, you need to be ready. It would be best if you had detailed plans of what you want to construct.
Make sure your finances are in order with a healthy credit score, and have the money available for the down payment.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/how-big-is-an-acre/" target="_blank">How Big is an Acre?</a> - An acre is a measure of land and most plots of land are listed with the acreage number at the top of the remarks. Knowing how much an acre is will be important for those wanting to build a new home so they can understand how much space they have.
<a href="https://realtybiznews.com/buying-land-to-build-a-house/98761590/" target="_blank">Buying Land For Building a Home</a> - When buying land for building a new home the buyer needs to pay attention to some important things as not every piece of land is readily suitable to build a home on.
<a href="https://birminghamappraisalblog.com/faqs/excess-land-vs-surplus-land-whats-the-difference/" target="_blank">What are Excess and Surplus Land?</a> - When buying land it is important to understand the different terminology used. This article explores the difference between excess and surplus land and how they are looked at on an appraisal.
About the author: The above article “What is a Land Loan and How Do They Work?” was provided by Commercial Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Land_Loan_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="What is a Land Loan and How Do They Work?" />
2023-02-09T08:00:00-07:002023-02-09T07:44:09-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:20488How Does A Recession Impact Real Estate?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Recession.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="How Does A Recession Impact Real Estate?" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Does A Recession Impact Real Estate?
In today's economy, it is essential to understand the impact of a recession on the real estate market. A recession can have a substantial effect on housing prices, rental rates and the availability of loans. It can also cause a decrease in construction and development. This article will explore how a recession can affect the real estate industry and what strategies investors and home buyers and sellers need to consider in order to stay ahead of these economic changes.
Are We in a Recession?
There seems to be some debate as to whether the US is in a recession as of the date of this article. Depending on where one looks there are claims that there is currently a recession whereas other sources say there is no recession. The official declaration of a recession usually comes after the economy has entered a recession and is made by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Per NBER <a href="https://www.nber.org/research/business-cycle-dating/business-cycle-dating-procedure-frequently-asked-questions" target="_blank">“The NBER's traditional definition of a recession is that it is a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.”</a> NBER looks at monthly data that includes personal spending, the employment rate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more. With employment rates and GDP being positive currently the consensus right now is that there is not an active recession today.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Man_holding_question_mark_copy.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="questioning recession" style="float: right;" />
How Does a Recession Impact Home Buyers and Sellers?
For homebuyers, a recession may lead to more affordable housing options. Home prices often fall during times of economic contraction and this can be beneficial for those looking for a bargain. Additionally, mortgage rates tend to remain low during recessions making it possible for people to buy property with lower monthly payments. The possible obstacle to buyers getting a mortgage to buy a home will be tighter lending conditions in general.
On the other hand, home sellers may not fare as well in a recessionary market. Many potential buyers may wait on purchasing until they feel more financially secure while others may be unable to obtain mortgages due to tightened credit standards imposed by lenders. This can mean fewer sales and lower-than-expected returns when selling property in uncertain financial times. Homeowners may face increasing pressures to sell from job loss, divorce, heavy debt loads becoming more expensive in this higher interest rate environment as well as inflation.
Recessions usually cause the unemployment rates to go up as businesses scale back headcount and hiring due to the economic downturn. As a result homeowners may find themselves under pressure to sell a home due to loss or job or cut back in pay/benefits which puts them in a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-house-poor/">house poor situation</a>. With not being able to make ends meet the homeowners will have to cut back on expenses and things like car payments, utility bills and house mortgage payments can suffer.
Usually the last to go is the house payment as everyone needs a place to live. But when faced with the possibility of foreclosure the homeowner may opt to sell and then move in to a cheaper apartment, move in with friends or relatives and/or move into a smaller more affordable house. These pressured sales can lead to the dropping of home prices which are further compounded when more and more sellers are forced to sell.
The pressured seller usually does not have the funds to fully improve their home in anticipation of sale and therefore must <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/selling-home-as-is/">sell their home as-is</a>. When selling a home as-is the seller must sell at a discount. Those discounted home sales are then used to price other similar homes for sale and can push the price downward for some time to come until the economy rebounds. Regardless of what interest rate a homeowner has if they can no longer afford the house payment they will have to sell or be foreclosed upon.
Recessions and Commercial Real Estate
When a recession comes all real estate assets are impacted. Commercial real estate is no exception. Much of commercial real estate relies on other businesses to pay the rent which drives the cash flows for investment real estate like retail strip centers, warehouses, office buildings, and multi-family housing. As a recession takes hold businesses either go out of business or have to cut back to save on money. The end result is less money being paid towards rents for commercial buildings which makes financing and re-financing much harder.
Loans for commercial real estate deals also become much harder to obtain. Interest rates for commercial deals go up along with the down payment requirements. The end result makes those <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/commercial-real-estate-due-diligence/">commercial deals harder to pencil out in terms of cash flow</a>. While appreciation is nice bonus an investor should be banking on cash flow and not appreciation. A property that does not cash flow with the current numbers should be hard pass unless the seller is willing to negotiate on price further and other numbers bring the deal in line with one that cash flows positively or will cash flow with some effort on the part of the buyer.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Empty_Commercial_Kitchen.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="empty commercial kitchen" style="float: right;" />Rents will also come down for residential rentals as more households consolidate in order to save money during a recessionary environment. This will put pressure on existing multi-family investments and where the borrower used a debt service coverage loan (DSCR) there are likely to be more issues. With DSCR loan the borrower is buying the property based the cash flows of the property and the ability to cover the debt payments based on those cash flows. Lenders will be keeping an eye on cash flows and where cash flows dip below the required cash flow level the owner could be forced to bring more cash to pay down the loan to within acceptable limits set by the lender.
Final Thoughts
While some might suggest there is a recession ongoing in the US the data seems to indicate otherwise. Recessions can have a great impact on the real estate market. Whether one is a home or investment property owner or looking to buy soon understanding the impact a recession can have on real estate is important to help for the future.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://sparkrental.com/real-estate-in-recessions/" target="_blank">How Do Rents and Home Values Perform in a Recession</a> - The data is there to back up what happens to real estate markets during times of recession. Depending on the severity of the recession all markets may not be able to escape the impact.<br /><a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/factors-to-consider-when-pricing-a-home-for-sale/" target="_blank">Home Pricing Tips For a Successful Sale</a> - Especially in a turning market getting the price right is important if a seller wants to sell their house. Priced too high homes will sit without buyer attention and no amount of marketing will be able to change that.<br /><a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/real-estate-scams/" target="_blank">Real Estate Scams to Avoid</a> - Scammers are always out and about looking for opportunities to take others people money. When times get rough scammers are more likley to target those who are facing stress and hardship.
About the author: The above article “How Does A Recession Impact Real Estate?” was provided by Commercial Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Recession_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="How Does A Recession Impact Real Estate?" />2023-01-19T05:00:00-07:002023-01-18T17:54:28-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:19553How Will Higher Interest Rates Impact Real Estate?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Interest_Rates.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="How Will Higher Interest Rates Impact Real Estate?" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Will Higher Interest Rates Impact Real Estate?
With inflation reaching forty-year highs the Federal Reserve (Fed) has started increasing the federal funds rate as part of an attempt to control inflation. As interest rates rise that does affect the cost of things like mortgages (both residential and commercial), credit card rates, auto loan rates and more. The thought process is that higher rates will soak up some of the excess money that is out there which is causing inflation to go up. This article looks at how buyers of commercial and residential real estate will be impacted by higher interest rates.
Homeowner
When it comes to the individual homeowner with a fixed 30-year mortgage they will not see any difference in the payment of the principal and interest portion of the payment since their interest rate is fixed for the entire term of the loan. The <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/mortgage-payment-changes/" target="_blank">mortgage payment can change with a 30 year fixed interest rate mortgage through taxes and/or insurance going up</a>. If the homeowner decides to refinance their mortgage they could see an increase in the amount of their mortgage payment if the new interest rate is higher than the old interest rate or they also take some cash out the home’s <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Payment_Reminder.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="payment reminder" style="float: right;" />equity thus increasing the loan amount. In the US adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) for homes are not very common as compared to the past where more home buyers had the option of buying a home with an ARM.
If a homeowner has a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) usually the interest rate is variable in those types of loans. With a HELOC the homeowner has a line of credit which they can borrow from if they want to. The money they borrow is usually subject to variable interest rates. Therefore if a homeowner already has money taken out of their HELOC and the interest rates rise their payments will also rise as the lender will adjust the interest rate of the HELOC upward (or even downward if rates are going down). Home Equity Loans usually have fixed interest rates but the money is immediately given to the homeowner upon them closing on the loan versus the HELOC where the homeowner has the option of taking some or all of the available amount now or in the future.
Homeowners will definitely notice an increase in interest rates with credit card debt. Credit cards usually have variable interest rates. Not only do credit cards have variable interest rates they also happen to have some of the highest interest rates around and therefore is not a good way to borrow money. When interest rates go up so will the credit card interest rates. Those with decent or better credit scores and who have a good history of on time payments can request that the credit card company the monthly interest rate. Any amount of reduction is better than nothing since that means <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/homeowners-save-money/">paying less interest overall to the credit card company</a>. The best approach would be to not carry balances at all on credit cards so one does not have to pay any interest to the credit card company. By keeping a balance on a credit card month after month and with the amount of interest credit card companies charge it is very hard to get ahead of that so it is best to not do it or get rid of that debt as soon as possible.
Commercial Real Estate
By the very nature of commercial mortgages their interest rates are variable. There can be small periods of fixed interest rates but after a certain amount of time the interest rate will be able to float. Therefore rising interest rates will have an impact on commercial real estate. How much those rates adjust and how often will be spelled out in the terms of the commercial mortgage. As a result it is important to read all the terms of the commercial mortgage to know when possible interest rates adjustments can happen, how often the adjustments can be made and how much increase is possible.
<a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/tips-for-buying-commercial-real-estate/">Commercial real estate investor</a>s buy properties based on the rents, current interest rate and expenses associated with owning the building. Changes in the interest rate can have a major impact on whether a particular piece of commercial real estate makes sense for investing in. In an increasing interest rate environment owners should be accounting for rate increases in the future as part of the decision making process for buying commercial investment real estate.
Commercial real estate loans also have shorter terms as compared to residential real estate which can have up to 30 years to pay back a mortgage. The maximum terms commercial investors will see are in the 20-25 year range and more likely to be shorter than that. If on a very short term or the commercial mortgage has a short period where the interest rate will not change refinancing may be in order if the owner wants to keep the building. During refinancing higher interest rates will be a factor along with additional closing costs for the new loan.
Renters – both commercial and residential
Interest rates don’t necessarily directly impact commercial or residential renters. As the cost of credit goes up though those increases will find their way into the rents paid. Some commercial tenants with long term leases will be less likely to see that increase until renewal time. Residential tenants on the<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Bucket_of_coins.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="bucket of coins" style="float: right;" /> other hand with their short-term leases can see rents go up much sooner due to increasing interest rates. Some commercial leases do contain provisions that can cause the rent rate to increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is a measure of the rate of inflation. So while not directly tied to interest rates the rent can go up based on the CPI and in order to control inflation the Fed uses higher rates to bring the CPI down.
Final Thoughts
In order to tame inflation higher interest rates will be needed and the increase has already started. Increases in interest rates will work their way into the real estate market. Homeowners and commercial real estate investors need to pay attention to whether interest rates will have an impact on them.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://blog.rismedia.com/2019/credit-scores-impact-interest-rate/" target="_blank">How Your Credit Score Effects The Interest Rate You Can Get</a> - The interest rate you will pay for certain loans will vary based on your credit score as this article explores.
<a href="https://frederickrealestateonline.com/rent-vs-buy-housing-affordability/" target="_blank">Is Housing Still Affordable?</a> - Home prices have been rising and still continue to rise even in light of higher interest rates. This article explores home prices and rent vs. buy aspect of housing.
<a href="https://www.realestatemortgageblog.com/real-estate/can-credit-cards-hurt-score/" target="_blank">How Credit Cards Can Hurt Your Credit Score</a> - Having too large of a balance or not paying on time can have a direct impact on your credit score and result in greater costs for borrowing money.
About the author: The above article “How Will Higher Interest Rates Impact Real Estate?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Interest_Rate_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="How Will Higher Interest Rates Impact Real Estate? pin" />2022-04-14T04:00:00-07:002022-04-13T09:26:21-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:19235How Will Inflation Effect Real Estate?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Inflation.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="How Will Inflation Effect Real Estate?" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Inflation Will Effect Real Estate
Inflation numbers have been steadily increasing month over month in 2021 which ends up making things more expensive for everyone. Those increased costs do find their way into real estate as well. The causes of inflation include supply chains that are clogged up, extra money floating around chasing fewer goods, cost of supplies going up and more. This article looks at how inflation will impact real estate homeowners, buyers, sellers and investors.
What Is Inflation?
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation" target="_blank">Wikipedia defines inflation</a> as “In economics, inflation refers to a general progressive increase in prices of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money.” Goods and services that relate to housing include lumber, paint, windows, carpet, the labor to install/maintain all of those items and more. The price of a new home will cost more to build as the costs for the parts of the home and the labor to put it together increase. Existing home prices can also increase with inflation because of cost to maintain them, update them or the cost to replace them is up as well.
While the official inflation rate for 2021 was 7%, not everything goes up by the same amount. That 7% number is based on different items that have different weighting in the inflation index. That means certain things are counted less and certain things are counter more towards the average inflation rate even though they may be individually inflating at different rates. Many real estate markets around the US had their housing inflate at much higher rates than 7%. <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/house_drawing_value.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="house price up" style="float: right;" />
Inflation and Buying a Home
As the price of homes rise if a buyer’s income does not also rise then they are able to afford less of a home in terms of dollar value. Even if their income does rise along with inflation the price of housing has been going up higher than the rate of inflation in many areas. Add to that the cost of other goods and services and buyers on their own may choose to buy lower than they are approved to buy to make sure their budget does not get squeezed.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) in order to control high inflation has the ability to raise interest rates and Fed Officials have stated that the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fed-interest-rate-annoucement-what-to-expect-2021-12-15/" target="_blank">Fed plans to raise interest rates three times in 2022</a>. Some are even expecting the Fed to raise rates at least four times during 2022 in order to make sure inflation is indeed brought in line with expectations. While mortgage interest rates are not set by the Fed the rates can go up or down based on how the Fed is moving the federal funds interest rate.
The <a href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2021/0826" target="_blank">Fed can buy mortgage backed securities</a> (MBS), which are basically a number of mortgages rolled into one package and sold to an investor so they have an investment that provides an income stream. By buying those securities the Fed can help keep mortgage rates down. If lenders cannot sell forward the mortgages they provide they will need to raise rates in order to find an investor who will buy it. By being the buyer of last resort, the Fed can help keep mortgage rates down.
With inflation running high the Fed also can back off from purchasing MBS which can cause mortgage rates to increase. As mortgage rates increase buyers are able to afford less home since the principal and interest portion of the mortgage will be higher resulting in a higher monthly payment. This could put downward pressure on housing prices which could help bring the rate of inflation down as well.
Inflation and Selling A Home
With inflation running high the cost of getting a home ready for sale will cost more than last year and may take longer if items are not available right away. Things like <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/home-renovation-supply-chain-problems/" target="_blank">windows, doors, lumber, appliances are in short supply</a>. This means if you need to <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/10-tips-selling-home/">get the home ready prior to selling</a> the time to do so is now if the plan is to sell the home in the spring. The longer one waits the chance of getting the home ready in time for the peak selling season will be harder.
Pricing of a home may play a bigger factor with buyers than last year. Last year with limited inventory of homes available for sale, eager buyers, and low mortgage interest rates meant buyers snapped up homes for more than the asking price. If the Fed slows down on their purchases of MBS thus allowing mortgage interest rates to rise buyers will have to be a little choosier with their home selection in order to make sure it fits their budget. With anticipation of the rise in mortgage interest rates home buyers may be ready to make the move now while rates are still low in hopes of locking in low rates for a 30-year time frame. So there may be a last minute rush of buyers before things slow down if interest rates do rise.
Inflation and Real Estate Investing
Real estate investors love it when their investment property goes up in value. On the other hand inflation in the cost of things that investors need to use to improve and/or update their investment will eat into the <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/5-smart-tips-for-buying-an-investment-property/">cash flow</a>. When inflation is up then the cost of labor also goes up which can put a <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Investment.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="investing in real estate" style="float: right;" />further crunch on cash flow.
Supply chains are certainly having their struggles in part due to the pandemic, shipping issues, labor issues and more. Broken windows cannot get replaced as quickly, parts for HVAC systems may take longer to obtain meaning relying on inefficient methods of heating and cooling a building. Vacant units may sit vacant for longer due to being unable to get the needed supplies to get those units rent ready.
Real estate investors do have the ability to raise rents on their tenants depending on lease terms (and assuming no rent controls) and rising rents all around the US also are included in the inflation numbers. Real estate investment owners can raise rents to what the market will bear. If tenants are not willing to pay the asking rent then the owners need to decide if the condition of their units need to be updated or rent needs to be reduced to bring in a tenant. Whether the tenant is a commercial or residential renter, similar rules apply.
Final Thoughts
Inflation is at 40-year highs as of the writing of this article, whether it remains high and for how long only time will tell. Whether one is buying or selling real estate to live in or invest in inflation will impact them in a number of different ways. Higher interest rates may slow down the buying and selling of real estate as buyers and sellers find things to be more expensive.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/debt-to-income-ratio/" target="_blank">Calculating Debt to Income Ratio </a>- When buying a home an important number considered by mortgage lenders is the debt to income ratio. Home buyers need to understand how the number is obtained so they can work on making sure their debt to income ratio meets lender requirements.
<a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/how-to-challenge-high-property-taxes/" target="_blank">Tips For Challenging Property Valuation</a> - When property values go up so can the taxes paid to the local governments. There may be cases though where the true value of a home may not be accurate and the homeowner could save some money by challenging the valuation.
<a href="https://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/budget-home-renovation/" target="_blank">Budgeting For A Home Renovation</a> - Now more than ever it is important to properly budget for a home renovation. With inflation as high as it is and supplies running low the total cost might be quite different than when a homeowner starts out with.
About the author: The above article “How Will Inflation Effect Real Estate?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Inflation_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="How Will Inflation Effect Real Estate?" />2022-01-13T07:15:00-07:002022-01-13T07:11:16-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:19037How Do I Ship or Transport My Car Across Country<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Ship_Car.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="How Do I Ship or Transport My Car Across Country" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Everything You Need to Know About Shipping a Car When Moving
If you need to ship a car across the country, there are many things to consider. Your focus might be on keeping the costs down, but other factors are essential as well. To ensure your car is transported safely and delivered when you want it, there are some things you should do to prepare.
<a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/car-shipping-auto-transportation-companies/" target="_blank">Car shipping</a> should not be taken lightly as it is easy to run into problems if you're not careful. To help you transport a car across the country, let's take an in-depth look at what you need to think about and do before committing with one of the car shipping companies.
Picking the right auto transport company will be a vital part of having a pleasant moving experience.
Choosing How to Transport Your Car
If you need to move your vehicle to the other side of the country, you have a few options. Don’t start researching auto shipping companies before thoroughly weighing up your options.
Driving
Often cars are shipped because their owners don’t like the idea of driving across the country. If you choose to drive your vehicle, you will face expenses, including gas, food, and lodging costs, if the journey is further than you can move in a day.
You will also pay for gas when you have your car shipped, and semi-trucks aren’t known for their excellent gas mileage. The truck driver has to be paid as well, as do the customer service representatives and the other people who work for the company. They have licensing and fees to pay too, and they still need to make a profit.
All of this might make shipping your car for shorter distances not worth the expense. But if you are relocating more than you can comfortably drive in a day, say 500 miles, it makes more sense.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_driving_car.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="woman driving car to new home" style="float: right;" />
Towing
If you rent a truck as part of your <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/8-smart-moving-tips/">moving arrangements</a>, you could choose to tow your car. You can also rent a dolly or car trailer from the same place you are renting the truck, and it is likely to be cheaper than using an auto transport company.
For example, for around a 1,000-mile journey, average car shipping costs will be more than $900. A car trailer will cost about half that, and a tow dolly will cost around half again, or about $230. Though the longer the journey is required, the better value auto shipping becomes.
However, towing a car on a dolly or a trailer isn’t easy. If you are also driving an unfamiliar truck, there is a greater risk of something serious going wrong on the journey.
Selling
You could always sell the car and buy another when you’ve <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/things-to-do-after-buying-home/">moved in</a>. You can use the money from the sale to help with your moving expenses, but it is only worth the trouble if you need the extra cash or are considering selling anyway.
Choosing to Ship Your Car
If you have decided to ship a car across the country, you should get at least three quotes to know you are getting a good deal. Prices between the most expensive and the cheapest companies could be hundreds of dollars, so spending a bit of time getting quotes could be time well spent.
What Type of Transport do You Need?
You can choose between open or enclosed transport. Selecting an open carrier is going to be cheaper but brings with it more risk to your car. It is more affordable because more cars will fit on the carrier, and they are less expensive for the shipping company to purchase.
Enclosed carriers have fewer cars and ensure the vehicles are protected from the weather, flying debris, and theft. But this extra protection comes at a cost. They typically cost car owners 60% more than open carriers.
It is easier to have your car transported on an open carrier since they are the majority of carriers that transport cars across the country. For these reasons, using an enclosed carrier is only really worth it if you have a classic or very valuable car to move.
How Expensive is Car Shipping?
An average cost for a 1,000-mile journey in an enclosed carrier will cost around $1,400, and in an open carrier, the price will be more like $900. Transporting a car across the country or about 2,750 miles will cost just over $1,000 in an open carrier and more than $1,500 for enclosed shipping.
Choosing an Auto Transport Company
Just like hiring a professional mover or <a href="http://www.huliq.com/13940/things-know-you-rent-moving-truck" target="_blank">renting a moving truck</a>, due diligence is essential. Think about investigating the car companies as you did when <a href="https://activerain.com/blogsview/5693983/what-should-i-do-for-research-when-buying-a-house" target="_blank">researching the house you want to buy</a>. Not doing so will lead to mistakes.
Once you have the quotes, you need to compare what else they are offering. Even though the price is essential, it might not be the most crucial factor to make shipping stress-free.
How fast does the shipping company transport your car? Sometimes lower-cost transport companies will unload your vehicle and leave it in a parking lot for a few days waiting for another carrier. If speed is essential, you will have to pay for it.
Check what other people think about the company before you schedule a pick-up for your car. This will show you if the company has good customer service and are reliable. While most companies will get a few negative comments, you need to look for patterns of multiple customers reporting similar concerns.
Insurance Coverage
Companies will offer different levels of cover for your vehicle. Some will have standard cover for up to $100,000, while others provide $250,000. Make sure you pick a company that offers enough <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Insurance_finger.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="insurance" style="float: right;" />protection for your car.
Preparing Your Car
Before your car is picked up, you need to make sure the vehicle is ready. The car should be driveable, with a reliable battery, good tires, and topped off fluids. Also, ensure there is enough gas in the car, but not a full tank, since too much gas is a hazard. Remove any unnecessary items as well as things like toll passes and bike racks.
Checking for Damage
When your car arrives at its delivery location, you need to check carefully for damage. You will be required to sign a document known as a bill of lading when the car is picked up to state the damage already on the vehicle. Upon delivery, you or the person acting on your behalf need to check for new damage.
If damage has occurred, this will need to be documented using photographs. Otherwise, the shipping company might claim it didn’t happen while it was in their care, and if that happens, good luck making an insurance claim.
Bottom Line
Due diligence when shipping a car is essential. Make sure you put in the time to work with a reputable car shipping company. Going for the lowest price isn't always the best decision. Ask a lot of questions on anything you are unsure about.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.realestatemortgageblog.com/real-estate/moving-mistakes/" target="_blank">Mistakes To Avoid On Moving Day</a> - Moving can be tough enough as it is but it can be tougher when mistakes are made. This article points out some mistakes that can cost time and money and how to avoid them.
<a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2021/09/23/moving-costs/" target="_blank">Money Saving Moving Tips!</a> - The tips in this article present some great ways to save money on the moving process.
<a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/how-to-ship-a-car" target="_blank">7 Tips For Shipping A Car </a>- Whether your car is being shipped a short distance or overseas know what to do can save time, money and headache. Cars are expensive to replace so when moving one you should work to get it right.
About the author: The above article “How Do I Ship or Transport My Car Across Country" was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/covington/">Covington</a>, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/fort-thomas/">Fort Thomas</a>, Hebron, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/hyde-park/">Hyde Park</a>, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/cincinnati/mt-adams-homes-for-sale/">Mt. Adams</a>, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Ship_Car_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="ship car across country" />2021-10-28T04:00:00-07:002021-10-27T11:34:39-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:18939Home Depot Truck Rental Prices and Reviews<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/HD_Truck_Rental.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="home depot truck rental article graphic" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
What to Know About Renting a Home Depot Truck
Are you wondering if renting a truck at Home Depot will be a good move? Remodeling and redesigning the interior of your home involves many ideas and hard work. Home Depot is a great place to get your home design work done.
If you are doing a significant amount of work to your property, renting one of their trucks could be extremely helpful.
The Home Depot truck rental service makes home projects an easy job when it comes to transportation. You'll find this to be true for large houses and small apartments. Where Home Depot really excels, though, is when you want to make a do-it-yourself move.
Many folks have discovered <a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/home-depot-truck-rental/" target="_blank">renting a Home Depot truck to be a much cheaper option</a> than hiring a professional moving company. You can save a substantial amount of money when making a local move.
The Home Depot rental trucks are such a handy tool, no matter the size of your project. Let's take a look at everything you need to know about their rental truck options.
Home Depot Truck Rental Fleet Overview
At Home Depot, you will discover an entire fleet. There is an appropriate vehicle for each need you might incur during your <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/8-smart-moving-tips/">moving process</a>.
You can choose among flatbed, cargo vans, box trucks, or large Penske trucks for moving operations. The trucks come in sizes from 12 feet up to 26 feet.
The rental locations are everywhere around the country, either at a Home Depot store or several other rental points.
Booking a Home Depot Vehicle
There are no reservations in advance for renting a vehicle. Instead, you can check online the availability of a specific type of truck at the closest Home depot point to your address. Then make the purchase and rent the truck immediately.
If you see no availability, we recommend you wait on your rental for a better date. Weekends are normally when rental trucks become harder to come by. More people choose to move during the weekend than during the middle of the week.
If you can take some time during the week, you can be sure to find immediately an available and <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Couple_Moving_copy.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="couple moving" style="float: right;" />appropriate truck to rent.
Penske Trucks Work Differently
There is a different procedure with the Penske trucks. You can book one in advance, depending on your moving dates. Plus, there are even more rental points. Not only can you book one at your local Home Depot, but also at several more drop-off areas. Thus moving becomes an easy, convenient job.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Home Depot Truck?
All rental rates of the vehicles from Home Depot are calculated according to the time you want to rent.
Here are some examples of rental prices. For a cargo van as well as for an F-250 flatbed, you will pay $19 for 75 minutes plus the extra $5 for every additional 15 minutes, or $129 for a whole day, and $903 for a whole week.
A box truck costs $29 per 75 minutes, $139 per day, and $973 per week. In both cases, you need to pay a deposit of $150.
Rental Rates for Home Depot Trucks
You also need to pay a deposit of $150 before renting the Penske truck.
However, the rental rates will vary depending on the size and time frame. Every time you need to rent one, you will fill in the number of days and the truck size: 12 feet, 16 feet, 22 feet, or 26 feet. Depending on the vehicle you choose, there will be a custom quote.
It should be noted that a Home Depot Truck provides you with a loading ramp. There is no dolly, so you need to rent one directly from Home depot when you load your items at the store.
You also need to purchase your moving boxes and safety elements to secure the cargo.
How Do You Choose Your Appropriate Home Depot Truck?
To decide upon the best vehicle for your project, here are some general comparison data.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Woman_with_a_question.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="question mark above woman" style="float: right;" />
The pickup trucks and cargo vans are appropriate for project materials. They both allow a maximum weight of 3000 lbs.
The box truck provided by Home Depot allows a maximum weight of 3850 lbs and allows you to upload approximately the contents of a studio or 1 bedroom apartment.
In the case of Penske trucks, you get a maximum of 3100 lbs for the 12 feet model, 4300 lbs for 16 feet, and 10,000 lbs for the 22 and 26 feet trucks.
When it comes to the approximate capacity, 12 feet includes 1 room, the 16 feet variant includes 2-3 rooms, the 22 feet model goes with 3-5 rooms, whereas the 26 feet truck has a capacity of 5-7 rooms.
You can take a look at some <a href="https://www.point2homes.com/news/tips-tricks/tips-for-renting-a-moving-truck.html">excellent tips for renting a moving truck</a> to help out further.
Pros and Cons of Renting a Home Depot Truck
Pros
The fleet is very versatile and responds to all possible needs, either redecoration or moving ones.
The vehicle availability is quite good, especially during weekdays.
The rental rates are affordable and clear for everybody. There are rates calculated per minute, by day, and weekly.
The rental process is easy, there is no hassle.
You can book your Penske truck in advance.
Cons
You need to pay an advance of 150$ for each vehicle you rent, no matter the type.
There is no reservation option for you to rent a flatbed, a cargo van, or a box truck.
As the rental rates are calculated depending on the rental time, you cannot control your budget precisely. Depending on the actual uploading/unloading actions, you might need to extend your estimated rental time. Thus, some extra fees might be added.
Who Are Home Depot's Truck Rental Competitors?
When it comes to Home Depot's competition in the do-it-yourself moving truck business, there is no doubt it is U-Haul. <a href="https://realtybiznews.com/cost-rent-uhaul-truck/98761054/" target="_blank">U-Haul has many truck rental locations</a>. When you are committed to making a move on your own, U-Haul will be worth making a comparison.
You might find that there is a better deal in your local area.
Home Depot Truck Reviews
Home Depot has an excellent network of locations in the most populated areas around the country. Finding a Home Depot near your location is usually fairly easy.
When it comes to moving yourself, the prices for renting a truck are reasonable. They also have an excellent fleet of vehicles to choose from. Unless you are moving your possessions from a huge home, you will find a suitable vehicle for your needs.
Home Depot gets favorable ratings from the majority of its clients. Keep in mind that moving is tough work. It won't be wise if you bite off more than you can chew.
Make sure you don't forget about all of the other myriads of tasks you'll need to get done, such as <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/who-should-be-notified-before-you-move/">notifying everyone of your move</a>. So many tasks can fall through the cracks when you're trying to do too much yourself.
Bottom Line
Home Depot truck rentals are a great way to get a truck to help move your things. Whether you are wanting to save money on furniture delivery fees or looking to move everything in the house Home Depot have truck options for you. By being prepared and understanding the costs and time frames for the rental you can save money on any move.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.destinpropertyexpert.com/blog/moving-checklist-remember-when-you-move/" target="_blank">The Ultimate Moving Checklist</a> - Helpful moving tips to make sure the move is done easy and as stress free as possible. By planning ahead and having checklists you are well on your way to a successful move.
<a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2021/02/05/moving-tips/" target="_blank">Money Saving Tips When Moving</a> - Save money and time when moving by utilizing the tips in this helpful article. Things like timing the move to less busy times, doing your own packing, using spare boxes and more can add up in the end.
About the author: The above article “Home Depot Truck Rental Prices and Reviews" was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/covington/">Covington</a>, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/fort-thomas/">Fort Thomas</a>, Hebron, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/hyde-park/">Hyde Park</a>, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/cincinnati/mt-adams-homes-for-sale/">Mt. Adams</a>, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/HD_Truck_Rental_PIN.jpg" width="1000" height="1500" alt="home depot truck rental" />2021-09-23T04:00:00-07:002021-09-22T11:07:08-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:17869Tips For Finding The Right Self Storage<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Self_Storage_Tips.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="tips for finding self storage near you" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Tips For Finding The Right Self Storage Options
There are many different brands of self-storage companies with each offering different types of options with how and where someone can store their belongings. Whether one is temporarily downsizing prior to a move to a new home, or moving location wise and need to store some of their belongings, self-storage is quite helpful and can sometimes the storage unit can even move with you. This article looks at the different self-storage options and what should be taking into account when looking for self-storage options.
What Types Of Self-Storage Options Are Available
Depending on the need there are a couple of different types of self-storage options available. The most common type of self-storage is unit without climate control. Most of the time the individual unit is secured by a keyed or combination lock that keeps the unit itself secure and there will be an entry security gate through which self-storage unit customers will need to access via security code. These units also generally are the cheapest available option for self-storage and work well where the items to be stored are not temperature sensitive.
In self-storage facilities that provide climate control the storage space is kept within a set temperature and humidity range. Generally these types of storage units are found indoors although there are some that offer climate controlled outdoor storage units as well. As many know <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/dealing-with-mold-when-selling-a-home/">moisture in a home can cause issues with mold</a>, wood rot, rust and more. Climate controlled storage facilities ensure items stored in the unit are not subject to high humidity and temperatures which can cause damage to the stored items. Items such as wood, leather, fabric furniture, artwork, photographs, collectibles, delicate clothing, musical instruments, electronics, medical supplies and more can benefit from <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/condensation.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="condensation" style="float: right;" />climate controlled self-storage units. Costs for climate controlled self-storage units are higher than units with without climate control.
Movable self-storage units are a more recent creation. With movable self-storage units the actual storage unit can be physically delivered to a home or place of business where it can be loaded by the customers and then once done the storage unit is transported back to a central warehouse. One of the big advantages with movable storage units is the unit and all items stored in it can move with the owner anywhere the storage company is able to move it to. That can make the <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/smart-tips-for-your-next-move/">home moving process</a> much easier since items packed away can be easily be moved to the new place of residence where it can be quickly unpacked. One downside is that items need to be carefully packed and secured in the storage unit. Since the units themselves are physically moved items within the unit are subject to shifting and moving around. Those who opt for the movable storage units need to make sure their things are packed properly and according to directions provided by the storage company.
Tips For Packing A Storage Unit
Storage units need to be packed properly in order to make the maximum use of the space. Some opt for a larger storage space for convenience but probably could get by with a smaller storage unit when items in the storage unit are packed away properly. Items that will not be accessed or not be needed by the owner should be packed away at the very back. Items and boxes that may need to be accessed should be packed towards the front of the storage unit. If everything in storage will stay in storage until the time comes to take it out then the packing strategy is different and allows for more effective use of smaller spaces. Things packed improperly could result in damage items that need to be thrown out. When in doubt hire professional movers to help with the packing and loading and let the movers know if anything will need to be available for access while in storage.
Tips For Choosing The Right Self-Storage Company
Some of the larger brands of self-storage companies options include <a href="https://www.uhaul.com/Storage/" target="_blank">U-Haul</a>, <a href="https://www.publicstorage.com/" target="_blank">Public Storage</a>, <a href="https://www.extraspace.com/" target="_blank">Extra Space Storage</a> and more. There are also smaller and local independent self-storage companies and the best way to find local storage is through a local internet search. Once local storage companies are found in the area that works best for you it pays to call around to find out rates, storage policies (i.e. access times, access methods, what can and can’t be stored etc), storage unit sizes and whether there are storage units available in the size desired. An in-person visit is always advisable to local storage places just to get an idea of the location as well to see how the facilities are managed. Asking for and reviewing a copy of the rental agreement prior to signing is also a wise thing to do to make sure the storage facility policies suits one’s needs One should also be looking at online reviews to see how others are rating particular self-storage facilities.
Do Self-Storage Companies Provide Insurance?
Generally most self-storage companies do not insure the contents of the storage units they rent, but they usually do offer for an extra costs insurance for those items in the storage unit. Those looking to rent storage units would be smart to inquire about their <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/podcast-homeowners-insurance-investors/">homeowners insurance</a> or renters insurance policy to see if that policy would cover items in the storage unit and what are the deductibles. If coverage is not available, the insurance company may be able to add extra coverage for items in a storage unit with a rider policy that may be cheaper than what the storage company is charging.
Determining The Need For Self-Storage
Sometimes getting rid of stuff may be a better option than putting them into self-storage. Especially if one is downsizing, putting items in self-storage that you plan on selling, donating or trashing in the future could be a waste of time and money now. What better time to start then now the process of determining what household items are no longer needed and are better served with someone else or better thrown out. Have boxes in your basement which have been untouched for years? Unless the boxes contain heirlooms being saved for future gifting to family members it might be best to look what is in those boxes and donate or trash as appropriate. If there are heirloom items that will be gifted why not gift them now as part of the downsizing/rightsizing process? It is possible that during the moving process items can be damaged and made unusable, by giving it away heirlooms now that can be avoided.
Most self-storage places will start off with introductory low monthly rental rates and then over time start to increase the rates and the increases can add up over time. The self-storage companies figure since it is not easy and cheap to move between storage units for better rates they have a captive customer and will collect rents accordingly. Downsizing/rightsizing of household goods means saving money by not having to pay for self-storage and possibly even saving some money on taxes through charitable donations.
Bottom Line
With the different types of self-storage options available it is helpful to explore different facilities in the local area to get an idea of pricing and features. Depending on one’s need, money can be saved over the long term by getting a unit that will fit everything perfectly rather than a larger unit with more room to move around, especially when access is not needed to the stored items on a regular basis. Proper packing in a storage unit is important in order to make the most effective use of space and can also help prevent items from getting damaged.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/renting-storage-unit/" target="_blank">What To Know About Storage Facilities</a> - This article looks at what are self-storage facilities and why someone would want to use one. Storage units come in different sizes and with different features, so understanding which one works best is important before making the move.
<a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2021/01/06/moving-to-a-new-city/" target="_blank">Tips For Moving To A New City</a> - Before moving to a new city one should get a lay of the land in the new place in order to make the transition easier. Learning about the local economy, jobs and the housing market can result in saved time and money.
<a href="https://www.springshomes.com/blog/storage-companies-that-allow-24-hour-access/" target="_blank">Storage Companies Which Have 24 Hour Access</a> - Not all storage companies allow 24 hour access due to having to staff and secure such a facility. There are providers though who do offer 24 hour access as this article explores.
About the author: The above article “Tips For Finding The Right Self Storage Options” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/covington/">Covington</a>, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/fort-thomas/">Fort Thomas</a>, Hebron, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/hyde-park/">Hyde Park</a>, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/cincinnati/mt-adams-homes-for-sale/">Mt. Adams</a>, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userFiles/584/image/Self_Storage_PIN.jpg" data-pin-url="”https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/renting-storage-unit/"" data-pin-media="https://assets.site-static.com/userFiles/584/image/Self_Storage_PIN.jpg" />2021-01-07T05:00:00-07:002021-01-06T16:55:21-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14068Great #RealEstate Accounts To Follow On Twitter<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Twitter.jpg" width="600" height="900" alt="great twitter people to follow" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Great #RealEstate People To Follow On Twitter
As much as some like to claim Twitter is no longer relevant compared to other social media platforms most active users know that is far from the truth. Twitter still has many active users with plenty of information to share. This list represents some of the top real estate related bloggers, social media experts and all around great people and companies to follow on Twitter. Not only are they sharing their own informative well written content they are sharing great real estate articles, tips and tricks from many different sources thus truly embracing the social nature of Twitter. If you are not following any of the accounts below be sure to add them to your feed and you won’t be disappointed!
1. <a href="https://twitter.com/massrealty" target="_blank">Bill Gassett</a>. One of the top 5 RE/MAX agents in MA for the last decade. Social media/SEO junkie. <a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/" target="_blank">Maxrealestateexposure.com</a>
2. <a href="https://twitter.com/Tewksbury_RE" target="_blank">Kevin Vitali</a>. Tewksbury MA- Realtor. Serving the Merrimack Valley home buyers and sellers. <a href="https://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/" target="_blank">MerrimackValleyRealEstate.com</a>.
3. <a href="https://twitter.com/365frederick" target="_blank">Chris & Karen Highland</a>. Frederick MD Realtors, Agent/Owners with eXp Realty. <a href="https://frederickrealestateonline.com/" target="_blank">FrederickRealEstateOnline.com</a>
4. <a href="https://twitter.com/WellingtonHomez" target="_blank">Michelle Gibson</a>. Wellington Florida REALTOR® assisting Buyers, Sellers & Renters with their residential real estate needs throughout Wellington and the surrounding area. <a href="https://wellingtonhometeam.com/" target="_blank">WellingtonHomeTeam.com</a>
5. <a href="https://twitter.com/LivingnSanDiego" target="_blank">Joy Bender</a>. Joy Bender & Robert Aumann - SothebysRealty #1 San Diego Luxury Real Estate Agent, Digital Marketer. <a href="http://luxurysocalrealty.com/" target="_blank">LuxurySoCalRealty.com</a>
6. <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleHiscockRE" target="_blank">Kyle Hiscock</a>. Born & Raised in <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rochester&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#Rochester</a> NY, Sport Fanatic, Traveling Aficionado, & #RealEstate Salesperson, REALTOR, e-Pro @ RE/MAX Realty Group & <a href="https://twitter.com/RochesterREBlog" target="_blank">RochesterREBlog</a>. Also follow their related accounts at <a href="https://twitter.com/HiscockSoldTeam" target="_blank">Hiscock Sold Team</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/keithchi" target="_blank">Keith Hiscock</a>. <a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/" target="_blank">RochesterRealEstateBlog.com</a>
7. <a href="https://twitter.com/XavierDeBuck" target="_blank">Xavier De Buck</a>. #RealEstateAgent with KellerWilliams #Realty | #SocialMediaJunkie | #ContentCurator | #EarlyAdopter. <a href="https://luxuryhomesjohannesburg.com/" target="_blank">LuxuryHomesJohannesburg.com</a>
8. <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulPsian" target="_blank">Paul Sian</a>. JD, MBA, technologist, and marketer. #Luxury Realtor in #Cincinnati, OH & #NKY #realestate. Read my blog at: <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/">https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/</a>. Also follow his related account <a href="https://twitter.com/CincyLuxury" target="_blank">Cincy Luxury</a>
9. <a href="https://twitter.com/JohninPhoenix" target="_blank">John Cunningham</a>. <a href="https://www.phoenixrealestateandhomes.com/" target="_blank">PhoenixRealEstateandHomes.com</a>
10. <a href="https://twitter.com/RealtorEileenA" target="_blank">Eileen Anderson</a>. Real Estate Agent, Digital Marketer, Residential Sales <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23realestate&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#realestate</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23garden&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#garden</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23photography&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#photography</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23HomeImprovement&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#HomeImprovement</a>, CT#0762060 <a href="https://www.eileenandersonrealtor.com/" target="_blank">EileenAndersonRealtor.com</a>
11. <a href="https://twitter.com/petranorris" target="_blank">Petra Norris</a>. Broker/Owner at Lakeland Real Estate Group, Inc., Lakeland Florida Realtor, Lakeland Homes, Lakeland Florida Real Estate <a href="https://lakelandfloridaliving.com/" target="_blank">LakelandFloridaLiving.com</a>.
12. <a href="https://twitter.com/MariaMastroRLTR" target="_blank">Maria Mastrolonardo</a>. Chicago Native, Naperville Area Realtor & Staging Consultant at RE/MAX of Naperville, Mom of 4, sharing Real Estate advice & Design tips. <a href="https://www.maria-mastrolonardo.com/" target="_blank">Maria-Masrolonardo.com</a>
13. <a href="https://twitter.com/LynnPineda" target="_blank">Lynn Pineda</a>. Doing what I love to do! Southeast FL Realtor delivering Real Estate promises, while selling homes from Boca Raton to Coral Springs & beyond. eXp Realty <a href="http://imagineyourhouse.com/" target="_blank">ImagineYourHouse.com</a>
14. <a href="https://twitter.com/MortgageUpdated" target="_blank">MortgageUpdated</a>. #MortgageUpdated strives to provide the best #RealEstate & #Mortgage information from the blogosphere! Follow their other accounts at <a href="https://twitter.com/MortgageRealty" target="_blank">MortgageRealty</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MadisonMortgage" target="_blank">MadisonMortgage</a>. <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/" target="_blank">MadisonMortgageGuys.com</a>
15. <a href="https://twitter.com/Springs_Homes" target="_blank">Joe Boylan</a>. There is nothing average about Springs Homes. Everything we do crackles with intention and intensity, because we believe that strategy always wins. <a href="https://www.springshomes.com/" target="_blank">SpringHomes.com</a>
16. <a href="https://twitter.com/SharonPaxson" target="_blank">Sharon Paxson</a>. Full time Realtor® with Compass in Newport Beach| Livin' & lovin' the beach! Check out my blog at <a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/" target="_blank">NewportBeachRealEstateCafe.com</a>.
17. <a href="https://twitter.com/conormacevilly" target="_blank">Conor MacEvilly</a>. Residential Realtor w/Keller Williams Greater Seattle. Former science guy, escaped from lab but harmless. Irish transplant. I do all my own stunts! <a href="https://www.myseattlehomesearch.com/" target="_blank">MySeattleHomeSearch.com</a>
18. <a href="https://twitter.com/FinneyLawFirm" target="_blank">Finney Law Firm</a>. Making a difference for our clients, profession & community, we are #commercial & #realestate #lawfirm serving #OH & #KY #lawyer #titleinsurance #cre #attorney <a href="http://www.finneylawfirm.com/" target="_blank">FinneyLawFirm.com</a>
19. <a href="https://twitter.com/IvyPointeTitle" target="_blank">Ivy Pointe Title LLC.</a> A title company for #OH, #KY & #IN that correctly, quickly & courteously gets commercial and residential #realestate #transactions closed. <a href="https://ivypointetitle.com/" target="_blank">IvyPointeTitle.com</a>
20. <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulSianJD" target="_blank">Paul Sian</a>. #Attorney licensed in OH & MI. Practice #realestate, #estateandgift, #landlordtenant #smallbusiness, Emp. Benefits, #socialmedia. #Lawyer #marketing specialist.
21. <a href="https://twitter.com/DebbieGartner" target="_blank">Debbie Gartner</a>. I'm The Flooring Girl and blog about Hardwood, carpet, tile, laminate, cork. We bring the store to your door. <a href="https://theflooringgirl.com/" target="_blank">TheFlooringGirl.com</a>
22. <a href="https://twitter.com/vegashomepro" target="_blank">Debbie Drummond</a>. Loves #Vegas desert: sunshine. swimming pools, shows, good food & wine. Full time Realtor delivering happiness one home at a time! <a href="https://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/" target="_blank">TheLasVegasLuxuryHomePro.com</a>
23. <a href="https://twitter.com/Anita_Clark" target="_blank">Anita Clark</a>. Residential real estate agent, helping both buyers and sellers with their middle GA real estate needs. My blog: <a href="http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/houston-county-ga/warner-robins/" target="_blank">SellingWarnerRobins.com</a>
24. <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisArienti" target="_blank">Christopher Arienti</a>. I am a father and a husband, first and foremost. After that... its all gravy. Real estate is my career, and helping others achieve their dreams is my passion. <a href="https://www.arientigroup.com/" target="_blank">ArientiGroup.com</a>
25. <a href="https://twitter.com/Gabe_StuartFL" target="_blank">Gabe Sanders</a>. Realtor at Real Estate of Florida <a href="https://www.gabesanders.com/" target="_blank">GabeSanders.com</a>
26. <a href="https://twitter.com/HomeZada" target="_blank">HomeZada</a>. Online & mobile solutions to manage the entire homeowner lifecycle including home improvement projects, home maintenance & home inventory. <a href="https://www.homezada.com/" target="_blank">HomeZada.com</a>
27. <a href="https://twitter.com/benutech" target="_blank">Benutech</a>. Brilliant Real Estate Solutions: An all inclusive software resource for the real estate market; everything you need to drive your competitive advantage. <a href="http://www.benutech.net/" target="_blank">Benutech.net</a>
28. <a href="https://twitter.com/SocialSMktg" target="_blank">Ruby Rusine</a>. Social Media Content Visibility & Engagement | FB Ads | 10+ years Social Media Marketing + B2B| books | travel | SMB SM Rep <a href="https://socialsuccessmarketing.com/" target="_blank">SocialSuccessMarketing.com</a>
29. <a href="https://twitter.com/chrisellaloans" target="_blank">Christy Soukhamneut</a>. SalesLeader-#Mortgage Lender-TurningPossibility intoReality-BuildingTeams-Empowering Individuals-POVareMe #withCertainty #PencilPoints. <a href="http://chrisellaloans.com/" target="_blank">ChrisellaLoans.com</a>
30. <a href="https://twitter.com/EricJ_NJ" target="_blank">Eric Jeanette</a>. The best alternative to LendingTree. Personal service and we connect you with just ONE lender depending upon your scenario. We can help! <a href="https://t.co/DcVjOCPtx6?amp=1" target="_blank" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-13gxpu9 r-1loqt21 r-4qtqp9 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-zso239 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">dreamhomefinancing.com</a>
31. <a href="https://twitter.com/jdpdxrealestate">Jamohl DeWald</a>. My goal is collecting life long clients and helping them preserve & grow wealth through real estate investments. <a href="https://t.co/Wh5KLRRK3M?amp=1" target="_blank" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-13gxpu9 r-1loqt21 r-4qtqp9 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-zso239 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Jdpdxrealestate.com</a>
32. <a href="https://twitter.com/SparkRental" target="_blank">Spark Rental</a>. Blogger for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Financialindependence&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#Financialindependence</a> through <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23RealEstate&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#RealEstate</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23investing&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#investing</a>. Want a better return on your <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23rental&src=hashtag_click" dir="ltr" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">#rental</a> properties, while automating the work? We're your people. <a href="https://t.co/IyqTaexxZS?amp=1" target="_blank" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-13gxpu9 r-1loqt21 r-4qtqp9 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-zso239 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">sparkrental.com/landlord-app/</a>
33. <a href="https://twitter.com/SoldByDanny">Danny Margagliano</a>. Luckiest Dad in the world. Real Estate information for Destin and South Walton Beach, FL. Realtor at 30a Local Properties and leader of Team Margagliano. <a href="https://destinpropertyexpert.com/" target="_blank" role="link" data-focusable="true" class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-13gxpu9 r-1loqt21 r-4qtqp9 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-zso239 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">DestinPropertyExpert.com</a>
Bottom Line
Know of any other great Twitter accounts to follow? Share them in the comments below and let us know why you find them to be a great account!
About the author: The above article “Great #RealEstate Accounts To Follow On Twitter” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2020-02-20T05:00:00-07:002021-02-21T08:32:16-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:15672Fun Christmas Time Activities To Do In Cincinnati<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cinci_Holiday.jpg" width="535" height="635" alt="FUN HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES TO DO IN CINCINNATI" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Fun Holiday Activities To Do In Cincinnati
Take a look at some of the fun things to do during the holiday and Christmas season in the Greater Cincinnati area. If Christmas markets, holiday light shows, and great food and drink are what you crave then check out some of the things to do below.
Coney Island Christmas Night of Lights
The <a href="https://coneyislandpark.com" target="_blank">Coney Island Christmas Night of Lights</a> features over one million lights synchronized to Christmas music that viewers can hear through their car radio. The light show is approximately 2.5 miles and is enjoyed from the comfort of your car as you drive through the path. Great for all ages and runs through the beginning of January.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4m9Q42nFsc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Christmas Nights of Lights kicks off tonight! Veterans and their families are encouraged to join us for the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign Kickoff tonight where our nominated veteran will "Flip the Switch" for the 2019 Christmas Nights of Lights Show. Veterans receive free admission to Christmas Nights of Lights Nov. 9-10. Join us at 5:30pm tonight at the Backstage Cafe to honor our veterans and to kickoff the 2019 Christmas Nights of Lights!</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/coneyislandpark/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Coney Island Park</a> (@coneyislandpark) on Nov 8, 2019 at 7:00am PST
Christmas Sangerfest
Visit the <a href="https://www.americanlegacytours.com/saengerfest">Christmas Sangerfest</a> (singing music festival) in the Over The Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati on December 6 and 7th. The Sangerfest features over twenty different musical groups at six different venues all within walking distance of each other.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BqSYdkuFqDN/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Join us for Christmas Saengerfest 2018. Seven amazing venues, 21 amazing performances, November 30 & December 1.</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/americanlegacycincy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> American Legacy Tours</a> (@americanlegacycincy) on Nov 17, 2018 at 7:54am PST
Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights
Check out the zoo under a different light. The <a href="http://cincinnatizoo.org/events/festival-of-lights/">Cincinnati Zoo transforms itself</a> into a holiday wonder land with over three million led lights to celebrate the holiday season. They also offer s’more stands, Santa visits and more.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Yw8a3jfep/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">The PNC Festival of Lights is open every night except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Come marvel at over 3 million lights, animal lanterns, Fiona fairies and more! Buy your tickets online to save! Vote for us for Best Zoo Lights (link in profile)</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cincinnatizoo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Zoo</a> (@cincinnatizoo) on Nov 27, 2019 at 3:15pm PST
Kings Island Winterfest
Kings Island is still very active after the roller coaster ride season has ended. At the <a href="https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/winterfest/attractions">Kings Island Winterfest</a> guests can check out ice sculptures, ride a carousel, view some shows, enjoy some holiday treats and more.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jg1vMhJ1F/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">WinterFest is a place where memories of holidays past are present; a place where memories of new holiday activities are waiting to be made. Open select nights through Dec. 31. #KingsIsland #KIWinterFest</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kingsislandpr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Kings Island</a> (@kingsislandpr) on Dec 1, 2019 at 7:26pm PST
Holiday Light On The Hills
Located in the city of Hamilton just north west of Cincinnati this holiday light display features two miles of lights on trees, lighted decorations and more. <a href="https://www.pyramidhill.org/holiday-lights-on-the-hill">Holiday Light On The Hills</a> runs through early January.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4XuTxGgTAP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Holiday Lights on the Hill is rounding the corner! Mark your calendars, it is about to be the most wonderful time of the year. Follow the link in our bio for more details! . . . #holidays #holidaylights #experienceartandnature #hamilton #ohio #pyramidhill #sculpture</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pyramidhill/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park</a> (@pyramidhill) on Nov 2, 2019 at 10:01am PDT
The Nutcracker
The Cincinnati Ballet in conjunction with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra puts on the annual presentation of <a href="https://cballet.org/the-nutcracker-1920/">The Nutcracker</a> during the holiday season. Presented at Cincinnati Music Hall the performance runs for a limited performance of 14 shows.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jBVGVAnnP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Happy December! ‘Tis the season for The Nutcracker presented by Frisch’s Big Boy. ?❄️We open in just 1️⃣8️⃣ days and have also added performances after Christmas. Experience the magic at Music Hall Dec. 19 through 29. ?: Peter Mueller Photography; Cincinnati Ballet dancers #tistheseason #nutcracker #thenutcracker #holidaymagic #december #ballet #cbapplause</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cincinnatiballet/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Cincinnati Ballet</a> (@cincinnatiballet) on Dec 1, 2019 at 2:50pm PST
A Zinzinnati Holiday
The Krohn Conservatory features a tour of Cincinnati’s German history entitled <a href="https://www.cincinnatiparks.com/krohn/">A Zinzinnati Holiday</a> with miniature representation of buildings in and around Cincinnati. The Conservatory also features over 3500 plant species from all over the world.
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BdGZdtAAEgs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Krohn's winter wonderland by @applied.imagination is truly magical. If you're in the @eastwalnuthills neighborhood be sure to check it out! ?? #krohnconservatory #eastwalnuthills #cincygram #cincyigers #cincinnati #krohn #cincinnatichoochoo #krohnelfieselfie #edenpark</a>
A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/krohnconservatory/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Krohn Conservatory</a> (@krohnconservatory) on Dec 24, 2017 at 1:24pm PST
Light Up The Fair
If synchronized music lights are your thing then be sure to also check out <a href="https://www.lightupthefair.com/">Light Up The Fair</a> at the Boone County, Kentucky fair grounds. Featuring over 500,000 lights on a 1.5 mile driving trail it is sure to entertain the family.
Bottom Line
Plenty of holiday activities to keep you busy until the New Year. Know of any other great events or displays to attend in Great Cincinnati? Feel free to mention them in the comments below and they could be featured next year.
About the author: The above article “Fun Christmas Time Activities To Do In Cincinnati” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@RealCincy.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-12-05T05:00:00-07:002021-02-20T13:09:02-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14627Should You Remodel Your Garage?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Garage_Remodel.png" width="535" height="635" alt="garage remodel" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Should You Remodel Your Garage?
Sometimes homeowners may consider the option of converting their garage to living space in order to expand the living space of the home. Maybe the current homeowners don’t use their garage much, or mainly use it for storage and the cars are parked outside due to space limits in the garage. Or maybe there is not much extra land to build on to extend a house so the garage becomes an easy area which when converted can allow additions to a home. Depending where the house is located and how many garage spaces are available converting a garage to permanent living space can actually reduce the value of a home.
Garages Are Still Essential Feature Of A Home
Just like reducing the bedroom count or bathroom count for a home can reduce the value of a home so can removing garage space from a home. While converting the garage space could be adding square footage to the home that additional living space may not always offset the reduction in price. If a home has three or more garage spaces then converting one of the garage spaces into living space could be acceptable as most homeowners are expecting at least two garage spaces where it is common for the neighborhood. Of course if your home is in a neighborhood where almost every home has a three car garage the reduction of a garage space would likely reduce the value of your home.
When buyers are shopping for a home they will be comparing any home on sale to similar homes in the neighborhood. Homes with fewer features as compared to other homes in the neighborhood will generally be valued less. On the other hand if you are in a neighborhood where most homes have no garage, by the fact your home has a garage that home will likely be valued higher than homes without a garage especially where street parking is tight or where street parking requires a permit from the city to park. In the neighborhood where on street parking is common the conversion of a garage to living <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/garage_band.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="garage band" style="float: right;" />space won’t necessarily mean a big boost in value for the home through the additional square footage. Instead that loss of a garage could hurt the home value more than the increase in square footage would allow the price to increase by. As real estate is very location dependent so are the value or loss in value of upgrades dependent on the location.
Appraiser Home Value and the Garage
When <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/podcast-9-real-estate-and-appraisals/">appraisers look at homes to provide an estimate of value</a> they will be comparing to similar homes in and around the neighborhood. The lack of a garage in a neighborhood where no other homes have a garage should not cause much change in the estimated value. On the other hand if every home in the neighborhood has a two-car garage and part of a garage in a home was converted to living space the appraiser will have to look at both the value of the additional living space and also consider the loss of the garage space.
Additional problems could arise if the garage <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/why-homeowners-should-get-permits-when-doing-a-home-remodel/">conversion was done without the proper permits</a>. In many areas city or municipality permission is required for additions made to a home. The permit requirement includes converting non-living space like that found in a garage to livable space even though the footprint of the home was not changed. Lack of permits could result in the appraiser not being able to count the additional square footage to the living area or being required to comment in the appraisal repost as to how the lack of permit would affect the overall value of the home.
What Kind Of Garage Remodeling Makes Sense?
Rather than converting an entire garage space to living space thus permanently taking it away, a better idea is to add more storage options to a garage to make it more functional. If a garage has attic space above it then consider bolstering the garage ceiling so that items can be stored inside the garage attic. Adding a drop down ladder or a spiral staircase to get into the garage attic space can make it pretty easy to get in and out of that space to access anything that is stored above.
Garages can also benefit by adding ceiling mounted storage solutions. Some options allow the storage shelves to be raised putting them out of the way and then lowered either with a manual hand crank or <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/property_value_concept.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="property value" style="float: right;" />an electric one making it easy to get access when needed. Garage wall shelving and storage add-ons can help make the storage of tools and other household items easy and kept out of the way while still leaving room in the garage for cars to park.
Additional garage remodeling features include painting the floors or adding garage flooring that makes it easier to clean the garage. Some flooring types include vinyl or linoleum are very durable and can accept the full weight of a car without much issue. A upgraded garage which still retains the primary function of parking cars can enhance the value of a home and make it more desirable for potential homebuyers.
Bottom Line
Removing garage space to add living space in most cases will not result in an increase in the value of your home. More likely with the smaller garage space the home suffer a decline in price. Garage updates that include more storage space and more utility as a garage are more likely to add value to a home.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/price-per-square-foot-is-a-poor-value-indicator/" target="_blank">Price Per Square Foot Is Not An Accurate Way To Price A Home</a> by Bill Gassett
<a href="http://sacramentoappraisalblog.com/2014/11/04/what-do-appraisers-do-when-there-are-no-permits-on-an-addition/" target="_blank">Appraisals and No Permit Additions To A Home</a> by Ryan Lundquist
<a href="https://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/understanding-fair-market-value/" target="_blank">Price vs Value: What Is Your Home Actually Worth</a> by Kevin Vitali
<a href="https://www.familyhandyman.com/garage/garage-makeover/view-all/" target="_blank">11 Cost Effective Garage Updates</a> at The Family Handyman
About the author: The above article “Should You Remodel Your Garage” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-01-31T05:00:00-07:002019-11-19T11:19:50-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14609How Driverless Cars Will Change Real Estate and The Homes We Live In<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Driverless.png" width="535" height="635" alt="HOW DRIVERLESS CARS WILL CHANGE REAL ESTATE & THE HOME" />
How Driverless Cars Will Change Real Estate and The Homes We Live In
Driverless or autonomous vehicles are currently on the road today making multiple trips in certain test areas. While many of these cars are test vehicles and have a human driver sitting behind the wheel to take over in case a problem happens some of them are completely driverless. Companies like Uber, Apple, Google, Toyota, GM, Tesla and more are researching and investing in driverless car technology. Driverless cars will change the face of real estate as we know it and even the very home and neighborhoods we live in will be impacted by driverless vehicle technologies. This article explores some of the impact driverless vehicles will have on where we live and work.
Will We Even Need To Own A Car?
Just as many are learning to get by without a car by using public transportation and services like Lyft, Uber or Turo driverless cars will make it even less likely someone will need to own a car. A driverless car can be parked anywhere and can be ordered on demand at a moment’s notice. Yes it will take time for the car to arrive from where it is parked to the person requesting a ride but that time is easily accounted for by scheduling ahead of time when a car is needed just like done with Lyft and Uber. The person wanting a ride will not have to worry about getting a driver who is overly tired from driving all night. With a few clicks on a smartphone app a car can be at a person’s location and ready to take them where they want to go. Driverless cars can get people to the airport or to other central transit location points so one can hop on the subway to take them to work downtown. With the <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/total-cost-owning-car/" target="_blank">average cost of owning a car</a> being around $8,500.00 dollars a year, driverless cars could save some people money over the long term by not having to own too many cars.
In addition to financial savings homeowners can realize space savings as well with driverless cars and owning fewer cars. Houses with garages may not need the typical two car garage when more of the residents are catching driverless rides on demand when they need. Homeowners can convert the garage space into living space, extra storage space or something else. Houses of the future may not even have a garage as part of the house plan if more people adopt the attitude that car ownership is not for them. Urban areas where off street parking is a premium may also find the streets less crowded with parked cars as driverless cars don’t always need to park on a residential street since they can be summoned when needed.
Driverless Vehicles Will Change The Way We Shop
Companies are already working on plans to allow people to shop for items from the comfort of their front yard. Imagine not having to drive to the grocery store but instead requesting the grocery store come to you. That is exactly what could happen with autonomous vehicles. Your <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielknoebel/2019/01/23/robot-grocery-stores-evolve-the-home-grocery-delivery-model/#230d711d79bd" target="_blank">local grocery store will come to you</a> in a driverless vehicle allowing you to pick and choose the produce and food options you need for the day or even for the week. These driverless vehicles can even be stocked with different items based on your desires. Or there can be different vehicles, one with fresh produce, the one with snack foods, another with beverages and more. With the lack of need of a physical grocery store that land <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Truck_Key_on_Keyboard.jpg" width="400" height="268" alt="ordering automated delivery truck" style="float: right;" />could be freed up for other uses like residential housing or entertainment and recreation centers.
Anything small enough to fit into a truck could be delivered to your door. Shoes, shirts, dresses, electronics, toys and more. Trucks can even be equipped with fitting rooms for the customer to try on before they buy any clothing items that interest them. The possibilities would be endless and the retail space would experience another change as a result.
Long Haul Travel Would Change
Anyone wanting to drive to a location more than 5-6 hours away has to take into account the discomfort of sitting and driving for that long a period of time. Even with stops long drives can be quite tiring and boring which can lead to accidents. With driverless cars people wanting to travel can even schedule drives during the night while they will be sleeping and let the car handle the commute. Airline travel which is a bit more convenient than long drives (not by much though considering the lines, security hassles and cost) could find themselves in less demand when people can drive to a far destination while sleeping in the comfort of their cars.
Comfort and cars do not currently go hand in hand always. For short term rides cars are able to only allow so much comfort and are designed so the driver does not get too comfortable where they end up getting distracted or falling asleep. With driverless cars the interior cabin will change dramatically. Rather than everyone sitting facing forward seats can instead be changed to allow people to face each other. Or the seats can rotate as need be. Rotate to see each other or rotate so everyone can see the screen in their car and watch the latest game. Either way with driverless cars there will be a need to change how passengers interact with the car and with each other while in the car.
With a preference towards taking a car for long haul travel motels might not get as much use if people <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_in_car.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="woman being driven in car" style="float: right;" />are able to sleep in the car while their vehicle gets them to their destination. So unless a hotel or motel is located in a destination area their use might change as that transition takes place. Places that transition to entertainment areas with multiple options (bars, movie theaters, dining, night clubs, recreation centers and more) are likely to be common gathering areas for people to meet and hang out.
Safety Considerations With Driverless Vehicles
One of the big concerns with driverless vehicles is how will they be able to distinguish between an inanimate object (like a trash can) being blown across the street versus a child darting into the street? Can a driverless vehicle react with quick enough timing in order to prevent from hurting someone? On the other side a driverless vehicle won’t have the distracted driver who is trying to drive and respond to a text on their smartphone at the same time. A driverless vehicle will not drive drunk or while under the influence of drugs. A driverless vehicle will not feel sleepy after having been on the road for eight plus hours so things may be safer on that case. This also depends on how many human driver controlled cars are on the road at the same time, with more human drivers the chances of accidents between human and autonomous cars are greater than if there were just autonomous cars.
Being computer driven, will driverless cars be subject to hackers taking over control of a car and causing mass chaos? What sort of back up protections will there be in a driverless car that does not have a steering wheel if the system driving the car fails. A human will not be able to take over in that situation. Roads will also be need to be modified to prevent humans and animals for getting on those roads where driverless cars are operating at very high rates of speeds. That will require the adjustment of our current roadway system which in turn will impact the real estate developments associated with the major roadways.
Bottom Line
Driverless cars are currently being tested and it is only a matter of time before their adoption and use becomes more widespread. With driverless cars people will be freer to do other things rather than focus on the road and travelling by car may become much easier. There are still some safety and design concerns to be worked out in order to make sure it is a safe and effective means of travel.
Addtional Resources
<a href="https://www.realestatemortgageblog.com/home-buyers/things-to-consider-when-buying-house/?fbclid=IwAR310frVvnfhH5BvrGdpESkMNNF8WcsW8gN4dyWh8KgRFMd9X5yZk4oiy4E" target="_blank">Things To Consider When Buying A Home</a> by Luke Skar
<a href="https://futurism.com/waymo-approval-open-driverless-car-factory-michigan" target="_blank">Waymo Opens Autonomous Car Factory In Michigan</a> at Futurism.com
<a href="https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/short-commute-time-affect-home-buying/" target="_blank">How Your Commute Time Should Affect Where You Live</a> at Realtor.com
About the author: The above article “How Driverless Cars Will Change Real Estate and The Homes We Live In” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-01-24T05:00:00-07:002019-01-23T18:56:33-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14598Tips For Building Up An Emergency Savings Fund<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Emergency_Fund.png" width="535" height="635" alt="tips for building up an emergency savings fund" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Tips For Building Up An Emergency Fund
Whether you own a house or live in rented living space having an emergency fund is smart thing to do. An emergency fund is there to help you in case you encounter some unexpected expense. As a homeowner if your furnace goes out in the dead of winter you will need to have it fixed so you don’t freeze or don’t damage your house in the from frozen pipes later bursting and causing water damage. If windows to your home are damaged by a storm having the money to get those windows replaced are critical to keeping your house safe and secure. Even as someone living in a rented home while your furnace and broken windows should be covered by the owner of the home, other things like your car breaking down, major medical expenses (flu or injury) can quickly set your budget behind. This article provides tips for how anyone can build up an emergency fund so if something bad does happen you can financially weather the challenge.
How Much and Where To Save
At a minimum people should be saving at least three months of living expenses and on the maximum side of things saving up to 12 months of living expenses gives you enough of a cushion that you won’t feel very stressed if something major does happen like a job loss. Savings in your 401(k) and IRA accounts should not be counted towards this emergency fund. Certainly you may be able to take hardship withdrawals from your 401(k), withdraw with penalty from your traditional IRA or withdraw original contributions from your Roth IRA but that does not mean you should be doing so. Most of the money in the retirement accounts will likely be tied up in stocks and/or bond investments making them not easy to get access to right away. Instead the cash you save up for your rainy day fund should be kept in a simple cash savings accounts.
Certificates of Deposit or CDs would be an acceptable savings account for your cash since at most you would lose only a couple months of interest (depending on bank or credit union rules for early CD withdrawal) and the principal would be safe when withdrawing the money early. Investing your emergency saving funds into stocks or bonds while may get you a higher rate of return is not a wise choice since when the time comes all the money you saved may not be there if the value of the stock you own is below your original purchase price. The fact your three months of saved funds is now only enough to support you for one month due to stock market losses will not help you rest easy at night. One of the main reasons for having the emergency fund is peace of mind and keeping the emergency fund in a cash savings account is a great way to do that.
Start Small
Not everyone can afford to put away three months or more of living expenses at one time. For those who cannot they should start by saving small and on a regular basis. Start with taking $25 dollars out of every paycheck and putting it into a savings account. Even better is to have that $25 directly deposited into the savings account if your employer allows for such allocation of the paycheck. Ask your bank if <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Crashed_car.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="crash car needs money to repair" style="float: right;" />they have savings accounts that can automatically deduct money from your checking account. Many banks offer savings accounts that can automatically take the money and set it aside or you can setup an auto pay system from your checking account to make a regular deposit to your savings account.
By starting to save on a regular basis and making it a habit of not counting on that $25 that you have set aside you build up the habit of saving. When you get a raise or if you get a bonus a portion of that raise should be set aside to automatically go into the savings account. So rather than $25 per paycheck put $30 per paycheck for all future post raise paychecks. Do not use that saved money for anything other than emergency purposes. Early on the temptation may be high to use that money to buy new clothes, go out with friends, or splurge on something you have been eyeing for a while. Those are not emergencies that that savings account were setup for and when a real emergency comes not having the savings ready to go could cause things to be worse.
The question may arise is what if you have other debts like credit card debts, auto loans or other high interest rate debts. Should you pay that off first and then focus on building an emergency fund? The answer to that is usually no, you should still have some cash saved up even though the interest rates you will be paid on CDs or savings accounts will be much lower than the rates you are paying for the high interest rates debt. An emergency fund is just that money used to keep you going when there is an emergency. Using your credit cards to fund for emergencies is not a great strategy since the credit card interest rates are high and the possibility you may not have the credit line to cover the full cost of an emergency. Many credit cards charge over the limit fees that can quickly add up.
Look At Your Spending Habits To Find Money To Save
Many will be looking at what they have at the end of the month after all paychecks and bills have been paid and say they have no room in their budget to set aside money to save in the rainy day fund. That may be the case based on current spending patterns but a close look at what the money is being spent on reveals more often than not that people do have the ability to cut back on all the Starbucks drinks, or the one extra night of going out and hanging out with friends. Your friends won’t miss you if you are not able to make it for the one night out of five you may be hanging out with them. That one night you did not go out and spend money on drinks and food then can become the start of your emergency fund.
Are you subscribing to the full package of cable TV but only watch a couple of channels at most? Cut the cord and find streaming options that may suit you and cost much less than a $100 plus dollar a <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/money_and_calculator.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="money and calculator" style="float: right;" />month cable or satellite package. Rather than getting coffee from the coffee place everyday buy a coffee machine and make your own. Or skip the coffee drinks with all the add-ons and go with straight coffee. The money you save by not getting the double shot caramel macchiato and instead opting for the straight coffee with cream could mean saving three to four dollars per drink. Three dollars per drink per month is $60 a month (one drink a day times five days a week times four weeks in a month) and that $60 dollars a month is a good way to start building your rainy day fund now.
Bottom Line
Saving up money in an rainy day fund for actual emergencies is a great way to take care of your financial future. Whether you own a home or not an emergency fund is a must have. By using the tips for saving up that extra money you can build the habit of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/4-things-that-can-sap-your-cash-savings-and-your-wealth/">saving money</a> which is also a great long term habit that can lead to more financial stability.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.realestatemortgageblog.com/home-buyers/saving-for-a-down-payment/" target="_blank">Saving For A Home Down Payment</a> by Luke Skar
<a href="http://massrealestatenews.com/money-saving-tips-for-first-time-home-buyers/" target="_blank">Home Buyer Money Saving Tips</a> at MassRealEstateNews.com
<a href="https://wellingtonhometeam.com/9-easy-ways-to-save-energy-at-home/" target="_blank">Energy Saving Tips To Help You Save Money</a> by Michelle Gibson
<a href="https://www.thebalance.com/how-much-should-i-have-in-my-emergency-fund-2388353" target="_blank">How Much Should I Save For My Emergency Fund</a> at TheBalance.com
About the author: The above article “Tips For Building Up An Emergency Savings Fund” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-01-17T05:00:00-07:002019-01-16T18:52:42-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14579How Artificial Intelligence Will Change The Home<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/AI_Home.png" width="535" height="635" alt="artificial intelligence to change the home" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Artificial Intelligence Will Change The Home
With <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/how-to-turn-your-home-into-a-smart-home/">Smart Home technology taking off</a> and smart home assistants (like Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple Siri) becoming more prevalent in homes the start of a new home technology revolution is underway. Homeowners can monitor and control the house heating and cooling systems, security systems, door locks, garage doors and more all from where ever they have access to internet on their smartphone. Artificial intelligence (AI) will add to that ability by allowing decisions about the home to be made without the need of direct input from the homeowner. For instance a trusted dog walker walks up to the front door during their scheduled time to take Fido out for a walk. The dog walker’s face is seen via camera which an artificial intelligence assistant recognizes and knows they are there during the correct time and allows the door to be unlocked so Fido can enjoy some outdoor time while the homeowner is away. This article explores both the positive and negative impacts of artificial intelligence for the homeowner.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Intelligence is defined <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence" target="_blank">“…as the ability to perceive or infer information, and to retain it as knowledge to be applied towards adaptive behaviors within an environment or context.”</a> Basically put it means using learned information in and around us to make choices. With regards to human behavior we make choices every day based on what we know. We decide to wake up early on work days because we know we need to go to work to earn a paycheck to live. On weekends or other days where we don’t work we know we do not need to wake up very early as we do on a workday and hence may sleep in. Decisions are made based on conditions and choices. The artificial aspect comes into play in that we are giving a non-living thing like a machine the ability to learn, decide and make choices. Most of the choices made are simple choices such as when to turn the heat on or off or when to open the door (some trusted relatives may be okay to open a door for when no one is home but for any other random person we would not want the door opened).
In the example of getting up to go to work there is always the option of not going to work. Whether we call in sick, take a day off or just plain skip work humans know the variables that are involved with making that choice. Those variables need to be programmed into a machine in order to give them the intelligence they need to make a decision. Current versions of consumer available artificial intelligence systems are limited mainly due to being so new and trying not to do too many things at once.
Most of the current smart home assistants like Alexa must be connected to the internet so inquiries made to it can be cross referenced with an extensive list of similar inquiries in order to provide a correct answer. These smart home assistants do not necessarily approach the level of being a true artificial intelligence and instead are advanced cloud (internet based) computers that use voice input to interface with the computer. Obviously artificial intelligence is much more advanced than described above and beyond the scope of this article. For more in depth reading about artificial intelligence be sure to check out the additional resources below.
Artificial Intelligence and The Home
Certainly with the pairing of many smart devices homes can have many AI like features. Smart thermostats can automatically turn down when the homeowner leaves the house with their smart phone. When the owner returns to the house the smart thermostat can warm up the house or cool down the house based on the season as the homeowner gets closer to the house. So there is somewhat intelligent operation of the heating and cooling system. But what if you have more than one homeowner and each has their own preference in terms of how cool or warm they prefer it? An artificial intelligence could know based on who is coming home whether the house needs to be warmer or cooler based on preference of a particular individual. When both or more residents of the home are at home the AI can adjust the temperature to try and make everyone feel comfortable. The end result is a more energy efficient home that is comfortable when people are in the home based on the AIs choosing.
Another example of artificial intelligence in the home could be robotic vacuums. Most robotic vacuums operate on a fixed schedule set by the homeowner regardless of how clean or dirty the home is. On a day after a dinner party a longer vacuuming cycle may be needed or during the warmer months when the windows are more likely to be open the extra dust or pollen may need more time to be cleaned up. Current robot vacuums won’t be able to adjust cleaning time or cleaning location absent user input, with a whole home AI the AI can have the vacuum operate more in a particular area or operate for longer <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_on_computer.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="woman on computer" style="float: right;" />overall.
One of the key aspects needed for an AI to operate in a home are sensors. Just as humans have their five senses an AI will need sensors (senses) to keep an eye on things in the home. Visual senses through a camera can allow for security as well as monitoring the condition of the house (more cleaning, less cleaning, obstacle avoidance etc.). Audio sensors are also helpful for security and other purposes. Being technology based AI systems have many more sensors that can be used in the home to learn more about the home’s environment such as air quality sensors, water quality sensor, and the need of light based sensors. Certain systems that operate within the house like a robot vacuum or the HVAC system can share their sensor data with an AI system in order to allow it to make better decisions. The AI then becomes a whole house computer tying together all aspects of the home to make home life better for it’s occupants.
Privacy and Security Concerns With Artificial Intelligence In The Home
Just as with anything technology related there comes with it the aspect of some abusing the technology in order to further their own gains. As we have seen with recent news about certain social media giants the use of information we share on social media to sell to us or to sway our political beliefs can be unsettling since these companies go beyond just looking at what we write on the platform and instead aggregate information from multiple sources. Credit reporting agencies and other data collection companies are more than happy to sell what they know about us individually to the highest bidder. The same will be true of any AI system that monitors our house for our benefit, it becomes a point of data collection about our everyday lives.
Smart phones can track where we are at, how long we are there, and can even sometimes tell who else was with us at the time based on the constant on internet connections. Similar are the smart home assistants (Alexa, Siri, etc.) which also require an always on internet connection so the device can talk<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Man_Listening.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="man eavesdropping" style="float: right;" /> with the central server in order to get an answer to the question or request posed to it. One of the main reasons for the always on internet connection for the smart home assistant is so the devices can become smarter and answer faster. People will generally ask the same question as others. From what is the weather going to be like today, or what actors played Batman during the 1990s? By collecting all the types of questions being asked, better answers can be tailored and be available faster for those asking. After all with technology people want the convenience as well. They don’t want to wait for an answer but want the answer right now.
Home based AI systems will likely require an always on internet connection in order for it to provide all the services and decision making that will be required of it. Do you want the floor plan of your house to be shared with any and every marketer that was uploaded from a map made by your robotic vacuum? Anytime you move furniture or add a new piece of furniture you could find yourself being targeted by advertisers offering furniture cleaning or carpet services. Having air quality monitored by a central house AI could mean once the quality data is shared you will then get advertisements for HVAC cleaning services or air filter manufacturers. Some are not comfortable with that level of knowledge that will be put into the hands of marketers all in the aim of selling something.
Another concern with having a fully connected home with an AI controlling many of the systems of the home is hackers taking over. Without adequate security for the systems, hackers can easily gain control and demand money in return for turning control back over to the homeowner. If the homeowner refuses to pay the hackers can run the HVAC system until it burns out or unlock all doors when no one is around and allow their local person to take what they want. Without good solid security protocols the AI home of the future can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Bottom Line
The AI home of the future can automate many features of the home and make home life much more comfortable for the occupants. At the same time security and privacy risks may dampen the desire for the technology. Time will tell if homeowners are willing to bring in advanced AI systems to run their home for convenience sake and what privacy/security tradeoffs there might be.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://becominghuman.ai/how-ai-is-transforming-home-automation-56085cb275b" target="_blank">How AI Is Transforming Home Automation</a> at BecomingHuman
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ePf9rue1Ao" target="_blank">What Is Artifical Intelligence</a> at YouTube.com
<a href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/artificial-intelligence-for-the-real-world#comment-section" target="_blank">Artificial Intelligence For The Real World</a> at Harvard Business Review
About the author: The above article “How Artificial Intelligence Will Change The Home” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-01-10T05:00:00-07:002021-04-26T04:48:26-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14557Predictions For The 2019 Real Estate Market<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/2019_Predictions.png" width="535" height="635" alt="2019 real estate predictions" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Predictions For The 2019 Real Estate Market
The real estate market has been on an upward trend for a number of years now. The stock market has also been on a bull market run for a record amount of time and based on recently volatility that upwards trend is being strongly challenged. With interest rates being raised by the Federal Reserve that has pushed mortgage rates up as well which in turn is putting pressure on home pricing. With higher interest rates the price of a home will need to be lower in order for buyers to afford the home at the same monthly payment or they will look for lower priced homes that meet their requirements. This article will look at the current real estate market trends and attempt to make some guesses for the future.
Today’s Real Estate Market
In many markets average home prices have reached or surpassed the prices that were in play prior to the 2007 real estate market crash. While some may argue that today’s market is more stable since the exotic no document loans or 125% mortgages are not present that does not mean a financial house of cards does not exist that could bring both the real estate market and the stock market crumbling down. Just as happened in the past <a href="https://www.housingwire.com/articles/47410-banks-continue-to-ease-mortgage-lending-standards-but-its-not-helping" target="_blank">mortgage lenders are reducing their lending standards</a> in order to issue more mortgages and that is not a good thing.
Whereas in the immediate past there were higher requirements with regards to debt ratios versus income those have been relaxed allowing those with more debt to buy a house. The problem comes when buyers do overbuy on a house and while they may be able to handle the payments now, as interest rates increase that pushes the cost of other debts payments with variable interest rates higher. So a consumer with variable rate credit card debt, variable rate home equity line of credit (HELOC), variable rate car loans will find their monthly payments increasing along with interest rates which will put a squeeze on their budgets.
Many buyers feeling flush with cash from stock market gains also may mistakenly over estimate their ability to keep up with all the other bill payments by thinking if worse comes to worse they can borrow from retirement accounts or liquidate stocks in order to keep up. Those with stock accounts using margin (borrowing to buy stocks) will experience budget shock if margin calls are made during stock market drops and they are forced to put cash into their accounts in order to meet the minimum margin <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/pointing_calculator.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="pointing at calculator" style="float: right;" />requirements. That cash that would have been normally used to pay the monthly mortgage payments, pay the credit cards bills now must either be paid to keep stock accounts liquid or the owners risk having their stock sold in order to meet margin call requirements.
One of the main drivers for reducing lending standards is the lower demand for mortgages. Reduced demand for mortgages also indicates buyers are increasingly getting priced out of the market and opt not to buy or upgrade their home. Mortgage lenders want to keep lending since a majority of lenders do not hold the loan once it is complete. Instead those lenders will sell the loan individually or as a package to other investors including government sponsored entities (FNMA, FHLMC and more). As a result there is a strong incentive to push the line as much as possible and offer anyone who is potentially qualified a mortgage all in the name of homeownership. <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-house-poor/">While homeownership can be great it is not for everyone and can quickly turn into a nightmare for some especially when the economy turns</a>.
Basically many consumer budgets are stretched to their limit with very little room for adjustment and with very little savings a decrease in the value of stocks or a decrease in value of homes (no more HELOC borrowing) will put a big pinch in household spending. In essence today’s economy and real estate market is still a house of cards that could collapse causing widespread pain along with it.
Predictions for the Greater Cincinnati Real Estate Market
During the last housing correction the Cincinnati market did not suffer much as a whole since the market never ran up as much as other markets did. This time though there is more focus on Cincinnati due to its lower cost of living and recent urban core redevelopment. Over The Rhine or the OTR area is talked about nationally due to the turnaround from an area nobody wanted to visit to now where condos in excess of half a million dollars are common all due to the <a href="https://urbanland.uli.org/industry-sectors/public-spaces/u-s-cities-learning-cincinnatis-downtown-revival/" target="_blank">redevelopment done in the area</a>. With that and combined with the recent statistic that Cincinnati has become the number one economy in the state of Ohio compared to its other cities out of state investors have taken notice. As a result the Greater Cincinnati has seen its fair share of investors from all over the world putting money towards real estate redevelopment projects and housing purchases. There is a lot of out of state money chasing Greater Cincinnati property values up which when a correction happens will mean the properties prices will have more room to fall.
Many of these investors are deploying cash from stock market gains, easy money from mortgage and bank lending. As the stock market corrects which it inevitably will and banks are forced to become strict again with their lending standards where are investors more likely to pull back from? Local investors <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/hand_pointing_at_future.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="hand pointing at future" style="float: right;" />may indeed keep their money parked locally but out of state investors are more likely to pull money they invested remotely to cover shortfalls in their stock accounts and when lenders become strict with loans. Especially where remote investors were hoping for high returns from cash flow and appreciation a market correction will force them to pull their cash back when times are tight.
The end result will be lower prices and deals to be had. Local Cincinnati investors and residents would be wise to pay down high rate debt and save up cash if they are interested in acquiring real estate for personal or investment purposes. Those who intend to move or want to cash out of existing holdings should look to selling early in 2019 while the market is still showing some signs of strength. If possible real estate buyers may want to take a wait and see approach before buying. If you need to purchase now, then even though prices may be lower in the future comfort can be taken that interest rates should be pushed down by the Federal Reserve in attempts to orchestrate a soft landing. If you are in a position to refinance to a lower rate then by all means one should do so in order to reduce lifetime interest costs on long term real estate loans.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://moneymaven.io/mishtalk/economics/curses-foiled-again-continued-bounce-in-existing-homes-sales-seems-unlikely-Ycs69yFt0ky5doQk7KhECA/" target="_blank">Bounce In Existing Home Sales Unlikely To Happen</a> by Mike Shedlock
<a href="https://aaronlayman.com/2018/12/hyper-financialized-dfw-housing-market-will-get-worse/" target="_blank">Hyper-Financialized Housing Will Only Get Worse</a> by Aaron Layman
<a href="https://moneymaven.io/mishtalk/economics/184t-in-global-debt-in-2017-247t-through-q2-2018-what-can-possibly-go-wrong-ysz9ZECM2UeLV2_NITYWdg/?replyPage=1" target="_blank">A Look At Global Debt Totals</a> by Mike Shedlock
<a href="https://www.americanbanker.com/news/consumer-debt-is-at-an-all-time-high-should-banks-be-worried" target="_blank">Consumer Debt At All Time High</a> at AmercianBanker.com
About the author: The above article “Predictions For The 2019 Real Estate Market” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2019-01-03T08:00:00-07:002019-01-03T15:07:45-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14153Should You Transfer Your Real Estate Into An LLC?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Real_Estate_LLC.png" width="535" height="635" alt="should you have your real estate in an llc?" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Should You Transfer Your Real Estate Into An LLC?
An LLC or Limited Liability Company is a business structure similar to a corporate form like S Corporation found in many states that allows for a business owner to run a business and limit their liability exposure to just the business assets itself. If the business owner were to be sued for something that the business did then the business owner’s personal assets should be protected from the lawsuit if they were to lose the case. Where a business owner runs a business without an LLC, then they run the risk that if they are sued a court can use any and all of their assets to satisfy a lawsuit judgment. LLCs are commonly used by small business owners, are sometimes used by real estate owners and investors. This article explores whether it makes sense to have your real estate in an LLC.
How Is Real Estate Usually Owned?
All real estate is registered to the owners (can be individual, LLC, corporation, trust and more) name with a deed. The deed is generally put in the name of the buyers as the current owners of the property and recorded at the local government office where records of deeds are kept. In order to get the best protection, deeds should be registered with the local registrar/recorder but it is not a requirement to do so when purchasing real estate with cash. If the real estate is purchased with a loan the lender will require the purchaser to have the deed registered and recorded in their name with the local government in order to put everyone on notice that the property is subject to a mortgage lien. By providing notice of a mortgage liens lenders can be assured that the homeowner cannot get too far into debt on property by asking for more loans against it.
Deeds are generally recorded in the individual name of a buyer if a single person is the owner or in the name of a married couple if the property was purchased while the couple is married. <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/real-estate-deeds/">There are various types of deeds</a> with different types of successor ownership that can be created and basically governs how the ownership in the real estate is to transfer in the event of the death of one or more of the owners listed on the deed. Always consult with your real estate attorney to determine which deed language will work best in your situation.
Why Might You Want To Transfer Or Buy Real Estate In An LLC?
As noted above one of the biggest protections of having real estate in an LLC is that it protects other assets from lawsuits that arise as a result of activities associated with the real estate. For instance if you purchase a multi-family rental home and one of the tenants happens to get injured and they decide to sue you as the owner of the property (which happens to be direclty in your name) the courts can go after any assets you own in order to payoff any judgments against you in the event liabilty is found. On<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/man_grabbing_money.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="man grabbing money" style="float: right;" /> the other hand if the real estate is in an LLC and a tenant decides to sue the owner LLC, then the courts will only be able at most to use whatever the LLC owns directly in order to satisfy a legal judgment in a lawsuit.
So if the LLC owns the real estate, and some personal property items within the building (such as lawnmowers, hand tools, etc.) then those items can be sold in order to satisfy a legal judgment. Everything else that the owner of the LLC owns (their own personal cars, their personal home, retirement accounts and more) should be safe since they are not assets of the LLC. Now of course if it can be shown that the LLC was improperly setup and operated then courts may be willing to look beyond the LLC for collecting on judgments though it is not very common. Still it is highly advisable to have an attorney draw up your LLC documents and to have the LLC operations reviewed on a regular basis in order to make sure you are operating it properly and limiting your liability accordingly.
Another advantage of having real estate in an LLC is it can be much easier to sell than if the real estate is owned in a person’s name. When owned by a person the real estate then must be transferred to the new buyer which usually is done with a sales contract and recording instruments that record the new ownership with the local government. On the other hand if real estate is owned by an LLC, ownership of the LLC can change with the simple use of a sales contract and no change will need to be made on the deed since the real estate itself is still owned by the LLC that was sold.
Why You Might Not Want An LLC For Your Real Estate
With all of the protections that an LLC can afford for real estate the question may become why shouldn't you move all your real estate into an LLC and protect your assets accordingly? The answer is that sometimes you cannot move your real estate into an LLC or you cannot purchase it directly into an LLC if you are using conventional financing. Most conventional real estate mortgage loans require the name of the deed be the same as the borrower. The lenders are trying to protect their loans by making sure only the borrower is the owner of the property.
Often conventional mortgages contain “Due On Sale” clauses that can force a borrower to pay back the entire amount of the loan immediately when the property is sold or transferred. So a transfer real estate to an LLC after taking out a mortgage to buy it can trigger the due on sale clause and require the owner to pay back the loan immediately. Mortgage lenders agree to extend credit to buy a home to a particular person and do not want a new person to take the original borrowers place without their permission.
If you happened to purchase real estate with cash directly into an LLC (which can be done pretty easily) if there ever comes a time where you would like to borrow against the property with a conventional <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/money_secure_in_suitcase.jpg" width="400" height="266" alt="money secure in suitcase" style="float: right;" />mortgage loan the lender will require the ownership of the real estate to revert back to the individual owners name out of the LLC. Commercial mortgages or commercial loans can lend money to LLCs to purchase real estate and do so all the time. The problem is that commercial loans do not have as favorable terms as conventional real estate mortgages do.
Bottom Line
Individual real estate owners, especially those who own real estate for income producing purposes would do well to place their real estate in the name of an LLC in order to protect their assets. Depending on the loan type being used to purchase the real estate not every lender will allow the property to be transferred into an LLC. If an owner of property decides to transfer it to an LLC after purchasing it with a conventional loan they run the risk of being forced to pay back the entire amount of the loan immediately.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://imagineyourhouse.com/buyer/7-things-to-know-about-buying-rental-property/" target="_blank">7 Things To Consider About Buying Investment Real Estate</a> by Joy Bender
<a href="https://jdpdxrealestate.com/mistakes-first-time-house-flippers-make/" target="_blank">First Time Home Flipper Mistakes To Avoid</a> by Jamohl DeWald
<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/121015/real-estate-trust-or-llc-helping-landlords-choose.asp" target="_blank">Real Estate Trusts Or LLCs</a> at Investopdia
About the author: The above article “Should You Transfer Your Real Estate Into An LLC?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2018-09-20T04:00:00-07:002021-02-21T08:49:44-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:14130What Is An Escrow Holdback?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/What_Is_An_Escrow_Holdback.png" width="535" height="635" alt="what is an escrow holdback?" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
What Is An Escrow Holdback?
During the final stages of buying or selling a home generally the homebuyer will be performing a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/final-walkthrough-when-buying-a-home/">final walkthough </a>and the home sellers should be in the final stages of moving everything out of the house. If certain repairs were not completed prior to closing or maybe the seller has been slow in moving out there are options that can be used to help protect the homebuyer and make sure the home seller completes the requirements called for by the contract. One of the options a homebuyer may be able to use is called an escrow holdback. This article looks at the escrow holdback and some of the situations where it may make sense to use it.
Escrow Holdback Explained
An escrow holdback is simply money held from a real estate transaction in an escrow account. The escrow account used is usually owned by the title company since they are a neutral party to the transaction. So for instance a home is being purchased by homebuyers for $200,000 dollars. The home sellers owe $150,000 on the mortgage and are expecting to receive $40,000 directly back to them (after commissions and closing costs). So in a transaction without any escrow holdback the title company will transfer $150,000 of the total sale amount to the mortgage company who holds the mortgage on the property being sold and then will provide the remaining amount from the sale to the sellers.
If the sellers were not able to complete some agreed upon repairs prior to closing, have not fully moved out of the house yet or caused some damage to the home while moving out for which they have agreed to repair, money can be held back from the seller’s portion of funds that they will receive at closing. So rather than receiving the full $40,000 as mentioned above the sellers may only receive back $30,000 or $35,000 or another amount as agreed to by both the seller and the buyer. Once the repairs or move out are complete the buyer will then be asked to agree to release the money to the sellers in writing. If the <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/stressed_woman_moving_out.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="stressed woman on move out day" style="float: right;" />homebuyer does not agree to release the money and the seller feels that they have lived up to their end of the bargain the sellers would have to go to court in order to get the release of the money.
An escrow holdback could not be used in the situation where all of the money from the sale is being used to pay the mortgage, closing costs and commissions and no money is going to the sellers. If the sellers need to bring cash to the closing table in order to pay off the mortgage or the sellers are in an <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-when-a-home-is-listed-as-short-sale/">approved short sale </a>where they are selling the home for less than the amount of the mortgage an escrow holdback could not be used. There must be enough extra money within the transaction that would be going to the sellers in order for an escrow holdback to be allowed. A mortgage company will not allow for release of their mortgage lien if they are not getting paid in full. If a short sale is happening then the mortgage company is unlikely to agree to having any money held in escrow as generally short sale homes are being sold as-is.
What Types Of Situations Should You Use An Escrow Holdback?
Probably one of the most common situations where an escrow holdback makes sense is where the home seller agreed to make a repair after inspection and the repair has not been completed before the date of closing. One option is to delay closing but if both the buyer and the seller already have movers scheduled than this can be very difficult to do since often times scheduling movers must be done weeks in advance. The alternative rather than delaying closing is to have some money held in escrow until the work is completed. Having money held in escrow is not the end of the world for the seller. Once the work is completed and the homebuyer is happy with the work the homebuyer can sign a release to allow the money to be released.
Another situation where the escrow holdback may be helpful is where for whatever reason the home seller has not completely moved out yet. If the agreement to purchase a house states that occupancy is given upon closing that means once all paperwork is signed ownership transfers over to the buyer and the buyer is then allowed to occupy the house. In some purchase contracts it is not unheard of for sellers to ask for extra occupancy time. For instance the sellers may want to stay in the home an extra 30 days after closing in order to give them time to move out or time to close on their new home.
Where the seller has asked for extra time to move out the buyer may be willing to allow them extra time but only under the provision that some money be retained in escrow holdback to either account for rent of the property while the seller is still living in the home after closing or to account for damage done to the home. Damage done by the seller could be intentional or not but the fact remains once closing has taken place the ownership of a house is now with the buyers. The buyers would like to have a home in as good condition as they observed during the final walkthrough right before closing. If there were damages due to the seller moving out or some other reason, money held in escrow could be used to cover some of the repairs. Absent some sort of escrow holdback post-closing occupancy is usually not recommended since if a seller refuses to move the only choice for the homebuyers will be to file for eviction which can be a rather lengthy process. So in order to make sure the escrow holdback has some teeth to it when allowing post-closing occupancy. the amount held in escrow should be substantial in order to encourage the sellers to move out when required in order to get access to the remainder of funds from the sale of their home.
In the situation for where the seller has not moved out completely prior to closing and there is no agreement for post-closing occupancy the homebuyer can allow the seller extra time to move out and request an escrow holdback to account for any possible damage from the move. This situation is a trickier though since often times the homebuyer has already scheduled their move and may be ready to move the day of or the day after closing. Depending on how much stuff the seller still has to move this can stop the buyer’s move so rather than using an escrow holdback the buyer and seller may want to agree to delay the closing, the buyer may ask for a reduction in the house’s price due to having <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/money_secure_in_suitcase.jpg" width="450" height="299" alt="money in suitcase" style="float: right;" />reschedule movers or some other agreement must be worked out in order to keep the closing on track.
Bottom Line
An escrow holdback is commonly used for homebuyers to be protected when repairs of the home have not been completed in time for closing, when the sellers want to stay in the home for some time after closing. The escrow holdback ensures there is some money that can be reached by the buyers in case the home seller does not complete repairs or overstays in the home. Agreements for escrow holdback need to be prepared ahead of time and be agreed to by both the sellers and the buyers.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://sellingwarnerrobins.com/how-to-negotiate-after-a-home-inspection/" target="_blank">Negotiating After The Inspection</a> by Anita Clark
<a href="https://www.phoenixrealestateandhomes.com/marketing/common-real-estate-contingencies-explained/" target="_blank">Common REal Estate Contingencies Explored</a> by John Cunningham
<a href="https://www.sellmyhomeinmetrowestma.com/Home_Buying_Tips/page_2687196.html" target="_blank">Helpful Home Buying Advice</a> by Bill Gassett
<a href="https://www.realestatemortgageblog.com/home-sellers/home-inspection-tips-for-sellers/" target="_blank">Home Inspection Tips For Sellers</a> by Luke Skar
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escrow" target="_blank">Escrow</a> at Wikipedia
About the author: The above article “What Is An Escrow Holdback?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2018-09-13T04:00:00-07:002019-09-14T07:36:34-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:139854 Things That Can Sap Your Cash Savings And Your Wealth<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Wealth.png" width="535" height="635" alt="4 things that can sap your cash flow" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
4 Things That Can Sap Your Cash Flow And Your Wealth
There are a number of factors that can affect your cash and wealth position. One of the big things that can have a great impact on your cash and wealth is real estate. Real estate can both positively and negatively affect your ability to build wealth and can be a slow grind on your finances if you are not careful. It is your wealth that will sustain you when the economy is down and will keep growing when the economy is great. This article explores some of the major expenses that can quickly sap your cash flow and hurt your overall wealth position.
What Is Wealth And Cash Flow
Cash flow is a term often used in real estate investor circles to describe how much money a rental building is bringing in after all expenses have been paid. Cash flow for an individual is similar in that it is how much money are you saving at the end of the month after all bills have been paid. Wealth is the accumulation of resources including cash. So if you do have a positive cash flow at the end of the month overtime as you accumulate that cash (whether as plain old cash, investments in stocks, bonds, real estate or something else) you build wealth. Now keep in mind if you have more debts than you have cash or assets that does not necessarily mean you have much wealth. The type of debt is also a big factor. More credit card debt is not a good thing. Debt that was used to purchase investment real estate is not a bad thing so long as the cash flow from the real estate can keep up with all the expenses.
Things That Can Destroy Your Cash Flow And Wealth
Owning More Home Than You Can Afford
While the mortgage lenders are willing to lend you a certain amount that does not mean you should necessarily be using the entire amount to purchase a home. If you are the type of homebuyer who prefers to spend more time out going to restaurants and going on vacations, buying a home at the maximum amount you are pre-approved for can be a sure fire way to reduce your cash flow and eventually reduce your wealth. Your mortgage payment is more than just principal and interest but also includes insurance and taxes. If you are paying those via escrow then your overall mortgage payment will be higher than you may have anticipated.
As you pay off your home’s mortgage you are building wealth in the home itself through the form of home equity. If you are in a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-be-house-poor/">house poor situation</a> because you bought more home than you could afford then you may also be deferring maintenance on the home which means the value of your home will decrease. The end result is that your home which is considered an asset that adds to your wealth now has lost value and you may be stuck in a proverbial trap if you can’t sell the home since the value is lower than what you owe on the mortgage. To avoid a home and mortgage destroying your cash flow and your wealth it is best to buy a home that is affordable to you and your lifestyle.
Credit Card Debt
If you carry any amount of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/5-things-to-do-prior-to-buying-a-home-to-ensure-success/">credit card debt </a>that is not paid off in full each month you are definitely eating into your monthly cash flow. Think about it, the interest you pay on credit cards is usually within the 16% to 22% range which means on a $5000 credit card balance if you are paying the minimum per month with 18% interest rate you are paying $500 a year in interest to the credit card company. That could have been money otherwise in your pocket rather than the credit card company. While $500 may not seem like a lot consider that the average American has close to $17,000 in credit card debt. That $500 dollar number will quickly grow and depending on how fast you pay off the credit card it will be <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_calling_credit_card_company.jpg" width="400" height="275" alt="woman calling credit card company" style="float: right;" />much more than $500 per year being paid in interest to the credit card companies. If you do have a credit card make it a plan to not charge on your credit card unless you absolutely have to and pay off all balances before the end of the billing cycle. Work towards paying off all your credit card debt so that money you would have paid as interest to the credit card company stays in your pocket instead.
Your Car
Your car is a major expense, which unless you plan on keeping for a very long time (20 or more years) and in pristine condition, that will instantly depreciate the moment you drive it off the lot. Your car may help you get to and from work but if work in a big downtown area you will find yourself spending money for gas, maintenance and parking to get to your job. Not to mention automobile insurance whose rates can increase based the more mileage you put on the vehicle per year. Get into an accident or get a ticket for a moving violation and your insurance rates can go up even further. Fancy sports cars or large SUVs will suck up more of your cash flow as well for both maintenance and gas.
Having to buy the latest and greatest car every few years or leasing a car just to get something new every few years is also a quick way to burn money on something which is only helping you get from point A to point B. Maybe if you have a job where you need to drive clients around in a fancy vehicle it might make sense, but even older well kept vehicles show well and don’t require you to spend an arm and a leg every few years to get something new. Especially if you live in a big city and don’t really have a need for a car there are plenty of alternatives like Lyft, Uber or even Zipcar which lets you rent a car by the hour for a relatively low price and are found in many larger cities.
If your city has it taking the bus, subway or train is a great alternative to driving your car every day to and from work. Not only do you not have to worry about driving in heavy traffic you don’t have to spend too much either while on public transportation. Just sit back and relax and let the driver worry about traffic. While taking public transportation you can enjoy a good book, chat with your fellow bus riders, or take a nap. By not driving to work that means less mileage on your car, less money spent on gas, no money spent on parking downtown, and maybe even lower insurance rates due to putting fewer miles on your car. In some case employers may give you money to use the local mass transit system or you may qualify for tax credits when you purchase fare to ride. Ask your HR office if they offer any mass transit subsidies or if you have any local government tax benefits for riding the bus and put the money you save into your cash flow and into building your wealth instead.
Your Entertainment Spending
Whether you like going out to eat, going to bars to try the latest microbrew, or subscribe to the full package of cable/satellite TV and have other streaming services it all adds up in the end. Go out to a bar with friends and the tab can rack up to $40-50 dollars per person. Multiply that times 3-4 times a week and you are looking at spending $600-800 a month on going out. Some full cable TV packages <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Man_Holding_Empty_Pockets.jpg" width="400" height="263" alt="man holding empty pockets" style="float: right;" />can run in the $150-$175 dollar range. Per year that is $1800 at a minimum being spent on many channels you probably don’t watch or even know about.
Instead of spending all that money on a cable bill cut the cord and just get the high speed internet along with some of the slim internet streamed channel packages consisting of the channels that you mainly watch. Get a good set of rabbit ears or a good aerial antenna and tune in locally to high definition sports broadcasts available in your area. Rather than going out to a bar 3-4 times a week invite your friends over and buy beer by the bottle or buy a growler or two and save the money you would have spent rather than going out. Less money spent eating out and on expensive TV packages means more cash flow for you and a better ability to build up your wealth overtime.
Bottom Line
There are many activities in life that don’t really help with your wealth and cash position but instead serve as a major sinkhole. Getting out of a debt cycle takes a lot of effort but by trimming expenses you don’t necessarily need you can increase your wealth. After all for many of us the last thing we want to do is be forced to work late in life since our current savings cannot really sustain our lifestyles.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://frederickrealestateonline.com/home-ownership-key-to-wealth-building/" target="_blank">How Home Ownership Is The Key To Building Wealth</a> by Karen Highland
<a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/12-tips-improve-credit-score-to-buy-home/" target="_blank">12 Tips For Improving Your Credit Score</a> by Kyle Hiscock
<a href="https://www.creditkarma.com/calculators/debtrepayment" target="_blank">Debt Repayment Calculator</a> at Credit Karma
About the author: The above article “4 Things That Can Sap Your Cash Flow And Your Wealth and How To Avoid Them” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2018-08-02T04:00:00-07:002021-02-21T08:50:44-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13911How Is The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Real Estate Market Doing For Residential and Investment Properties?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cinci_and_NKY_Market_Info.png" width="535" height="635" alt="cincicinnati and northern kentucky real estate market overview" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Is The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Real Estate Market Doing For Residential and Investment Properties?
The real estate market in general all over the United States has been experiencing gains with houses in and around many large cities selling at a quick pace once they hit the market. The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky markets are no different and have been seeing rapid sales of homes in areas where demand is high. Residential and investment property have been seeing brisk sales and price gains over the past few years. Even with the increase in mortgage interest rates the market has not slowed down much.
Residential Real Estate In The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Markets
The Greater Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky markets generally go hand in hand with each other and many residents of Northern Kentucky commute daily into Cincinnati as well as vice versa. The south east portion of Indiana is also considered part of the Greater Cincinnati tri-state area and is connected to the region by the I-275 loop which goes through all three states. On the Indiana side homes tend to have more land available there and the area is not as densely populated as the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas are.
The Greater Cincinnati, Ohio consists of Hamilton, Clermont, Warren and Butler counties. In Northern Kentucky Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties are the northern most counties closest to Cincinnati. Due to more land availability new construction homes are more readily available in the Clermont, Warren and Butler counties as well as in Boone and Campbell counties. Hamilton and Kenton county being more established counties don’t have as much land available for development and in some cases certain parts of those counties are seeing teardown activity in order to build new, larger and more expensive homes.
Greater Cincinnati, Ohio homes are up around 4% in price gains since 2017 and homes continue to sell at record pace with no signs of slowing down. Northern Kentucky has experienced price gains in the range of 10% since 2017 and continues to show strength in 2018. With the potential for mortgage interest rates increasing some of the demand can be attributed to buyers deciding to get off the sidelines before interest rates reduce their purchasing power. The new tax laws also do not have that great of an impact in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area where average home prices are below $200,000.
Luxury Residential Real Estate
While luxury home sales in some areas is mixed Greater Cincinnati luxury sales have been maintaining a steady pace. Spring 2018 luxury home sales have overall been good. Median prices for luxury homes have fluctuated as the sales count has increased throughout the year.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/June_2018_Luxury_RE_Report.png" width="800" height="800" alt="june 2018 luxury real estate statistics for Greater Cincinnati" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Investment Real Estate
Investment real estate in the Greater Cincinnati area continues to receive national and even international attention due to lower costs compared to high cost of living cities. Investors are purchasing multi-unit buildings in all of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities where there is inventory. Bidding wars between investors is also not uncommon in the investment real estate market in the Cincinnati area with rehab homes especially receiving multiple offers from bidders who are hoping to purchase, rehab and then rent out or sell.
Some neighborhoods are experiencing 10-15% gains year over year due to the out of state investor interest in Cincinnati investment real estate. Cincinnati as a whole is experiencing population growth and the Cincinnati area has passed Columbus, Ohio to become the number one economy in the state of Ohio with a value of $132 billion dollars in 2017. Due to the population and economic gains Cincinnati is see a large inflow of investor dollars which has helped boost real estate prices.
Bottom Line
There has never been a better time to buy real estate in the Greater Cincinnati and/or Northern Kentucky areas than now. The Cincinnati region as a whole is growing and there are plenty of inexpensive options for both homebuyers and investors alike.
<a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2017/11/13/greater-cincinnatis-economy-fastest-growing-midwest/840139001/" target="_blank">Greater Cincinnati Economy Fastest Growing In The Midwest</a>
<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/06/07/cincinnati-named-most-affordable-rental-market.html" target="_blank">Cincinnati Rentals Among Most Affordable </a>
<a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/06/22/cincinnati-homes-among-most-affordable-in-u.html" target="_blank">Cincinnati Mortgages Among Most Affordable</a>
<a href="http://cincyluxuryrealestate.com/may-2018-greater-cincinnati-luxury-real-estate-market-report/" target="_blank">May 2018 Greater Cincinnati Luxury Real Estate Report</a>
About the author: The above article “How Is The Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Real Estate Market Doing For Residential and Investment Properties?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2018-07-06T04:00:00-07:002018-07-05T18:21:26-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13842What Sorts Of Environmental Issues Can Affect Real Estate<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Enviro_Issues.png" width="535" height="635" alt="What Sorts Of Environmental Issues Can Affect Real Estate" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
What Sorts Of Environmental Issues Can Affect Your Home
When you own real estate you own a piece of land that really cannot be moved. As a result when certain environmental hazards present themselves it is not as easy as jumping in a car and driving off to avoid the hazard. Instead with land being locked in place it is subject to whatever happens to come by. As a result environmental issues can have a great impact on real estate affecting everything from its value to its livability. This article explores some common environmental issues that can affect real estate and what if anything can be done about it.
Air Pollution
While most don’t think of air pollution as something that can affect land it can. Directly air pollution can affect the health of those living on the land and can affect vegetation on the land as well. If someone wanted to farm the land yet the air pollution resulted in chemicals being deposited on the land (think airborne soot or aerosolized droplets of chemicals that eventually settle on the ground) could have a huge impact on any animals or vegetation on the land used for farming. The quality of the soil and the health of any farms animals will slowly go down over time.
Unfortunately there is no cost effective way to avoid air pollution with regards to real estate. Humans could attempt to seal up their home air tight and <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/indoor-air-quality-test-done/">install air filtration systems</a> so that outdoor air pollution effects are minimized but the expense to do so would be quite high. Additionally the residents would be forced to confine themselves indoors almost 24 hours a day in order to avoid air pollution effects. <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_wearing_gas_mask.jpg" width="400" height="600" alt="woman wearing gas mask" style="float: right;" />
If the air pollution source is very close to the real estate the owners of real estate surrounding the source could ask their local governments to restrict the types of pollution being emitted or they can sue the polluter in hopes a court will compensate them for the air pollution which could encourage the polluter to try and control their pollution. Often times a court may not be as willing to fine or require a polluter to stop their activity if they were using the land first and the surrounding real estate owners came later unless of course the overall land use around the air pollution source has completely changed. Where there has been a complete change in the land use from say industrial to residential and one industrial source of pollution remains a court may require the polluter to better control their source of pollution and/or to compensate the other owners for the pollution.
Where the source of the air pollution is not close to the land then the options for real estate owners becomes very limited into what they can do to control the pollution. Better options for air pollution control then lie with elected officials who could be persuaded to enact tougher laws on pollution that affects the region as a whole. If the state where air pollution is an issue relies heavily on the industries for jobs and other sources of income there will be less of a desire to force those industries to control their pollution especially when the costs would be seen as being very high.
Water Pollution
While not every piece of real estate will directly touch a surface facing body of water many areas have underground water that could be subject to pollution that then in turn can impact the land. Those pieces of land with direct frontage to water can experience the effects of water based pollution when the contaminated water comes into contact with the land. The soils and sands on the property absorb water and anything that is also disolved in the water. Eventually over time the toxicity from pollution can build up causing harm to residents who rely on the water for irrigation or for household use.
Even air pollution can end up as water pollution when rains absorb pollutants from the air and bring it down to the ground. Sometimes called acid rain, this rain mixes with local bodies of water or directly affects the land it comes to final rest upon. In many places ground water flows beneath the soil and can take on a toxic nature when it comes into contact with pollution. Whether the pollution was from past industrial activities, illegal dumping, or landowners dumping harsh toxic chemicals in their backyard without consideration of the long term effect the ground water below the surface can quickly spread the pollution to other areas.
Just as with air pollution water based pollution can affect all living things connected to the land. Humans, crops, pets, farm animals and more can be exposed to harmful pollutants anytime they have contact with polluted water. Methods of preventing harm from polluted water include using water from only trusted sources or filtering water at the point of use. Depending on the amount of water used the <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/man_with_toxic_goo_smaller.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="man with toxic goo" style="float: right;" />cost for getting clean water can be very high. If land owners know of illegal disposal of chemicals in waterways then that illegal acts should be reported to the proper authorities.
Radioactive Pollution
When one thinks of radioactivity they often think of dangerous levels of radioactive materials that even with a few seconds of exposure can lead to death or permanent injury. Much of the dangerous radioactive substances are not found in nature and often times needs industrial processing in order to get it to very powerful levels. Radon gas on the other hand can be common in many parts of the world and does accumulate in enclosed spaces like a home. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has been shown to cause lung cancer in humans after prolonged exposure. On the positive side radon is easily detectible and easily remedied with radon mitigation systems which involve pumping air out of the basement or crawl spaces.
Mold Contamination
Mold is a natural fungus that feeds off of any organic matter. Mold is everywhere in small quantities. When given the ideal environment mold can quickly take hold and begin to consume the organic matter it is living on. Mold will feed on food, wood, drywall and more with the right conditions. Conditions for proper mold growth include water and/or high humidity. Excessive amounts of mold can cause severe allergic reactions in humans and animals as well as can be lethal. <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/dealing-with-mold-when-selling-a-home/">Mold can be avoided</a> by making sure you have a properly ventilated home (run the AC in the warm humid months or make sure there is sufficient airflow) and that all water leaks in the home are adequately dealt with.
Bottom Line
Real estate while valuable can quickly lose value when exposed to certain environmental issues. Many of the environmental issues are hard to prevent but those seeking to buy real estate can attempt to avoid locations that may suffer from those issues. Some environmental impacts can have a great effect on the real estate depending on its intended use.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/get-most-out-of-contractors/" target="_blank">Getting The Most Out Of Your Contractors</a> by Kevin Vitali
<a href="http://massrealestatenews.com/removing-radon-from-well-water/" target="_blank">Removing Radon From Well Water </a>by Bill Gassett
<a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2017/11/08/selling-a-home-where-mold-grows-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank">What You Need To Know About Mold</a> by Sharon Paxson
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/priceonomics/2017/11/07/the-most-and-least-toxic-places-in-america/#60e87324ac1b" target="_blank">The Most Toxic Places In The U.S.</a> by Forbes
About the author: The above article “What Sorts Of Environmental Issues Can Affect Real Estate” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2018-06-14T05:00:00-07:002019-10-19T06:00:18-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13644How Real Estate Agents Should Be Representing Their Clients<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/How_Real_Estate_Agents_Should_Be_Representing_Their_Clients.png" width="535" height="635" alt="how real estate agents should be representing their clients" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Real Estate Agents Should Be Representing Their Clients
Real estate representation can be one of those tricky things as many homebuyers and sellers do not understand how real estate agents are supposed to represent their clients. Real estate agents owe certain duties to their clients that are required under state laws as well as local and national ethics rules. These duties are meant to protect clients and give them the confidence that their best interest is being taken to account when the agent is carrying out tasks on behalf of their clients. This article explores what those duties are and provides some examples of agents upholding those duties for their clients.
Duties To A Client
The basic duties owed by a real estate agent, also known as fiduciary duty, to their client includes the duty of loyalty, confidentiality, obedience, candor/disclosure, reasonable care and diligence, and accounting. These duties are required through state laws and are also a part of the Canon of Ethics that every Realtor is bound to. Not every real estate agent is a Realtor and is not required to be. Those real estate agents who wish to use the title of Realtor must join a local Realtor association and join the National Association of Realtors. Some local boards and multiple listing systems (MLS) to which real estate agents can join in order to market their client’s real estate may be required to join the local and national Realtor association groups as part of membership requirements.
With the duty of loyalty the real estate agent is required to put their client’s interests before their own. If an agent has interests that compete with a potential client then that agent should advise the client to seek another agent to represent them. For instance if an agent happens to be a member of lending pool that lends money to investors to purchase properties for rehab purposes that agent should not represent an investor who borrowed money from the lending pool and now needs to sell their property at a loss via a short sale due to unforeseen circumstances. In that situation the agent could potentially<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/handshake_with_lock_and_chain.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="secure handshake" style="float: right;" /> lose money from the investor selling their property via short sale and could theoretically stand to benefit by not getting the best offer that works for the seller.
The duty of confidentiality requires the real estate agent keep confidential all information provided to the agent with some exceptions. If a client is getting a divorce and must sell their house since they can not afford to live in it without their spouse’s income their agent should not be disclosing that fact to potential buyers as the buyers may view the sellers as desperate to sell. Agents should not be disclosing their buyer client’s full pre-approval amount to the seller as that could encourage the seller to take a harder line in negotiating over the price of a home. While a buyer may be pre-approved to buy a $250,000.00 dollar home and they only want to buy a $200,000 dollar home, by disclosing the fact that a buyer is approved to borrow up to $250,000 could prevent a seller from being as flexible on their price negotiations. The exception to the duty of confidentiality is that the agent cannot withhold material facts with regards to a seller’s property condition as <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/what-to-know-about-the-real-estate-residential-property-disclosure-form/">property disclosure laws will trump the duty of confidentiality</a> in that situation.
Duty to disclose means the agent must disclose to their client all relevant facts that they know of. Sometimes this duty can be stretched to require disclosure of all facts the agent should have known of as well. For example in the situation of a real estate agent representing a home seller the agent must inform the seller of all offers made. Regardless of whether the offer was verbal or even extremely low offers. If the agent learns the buyer can afford to pay more than is offered or is ready to buy the house at all costs that is something the agent must disclose to their client as it can have an impact on how the seller will decide to proceed with negotiations.
Under the Obedience Duty real estate agents must follow all legal instructions of their client. If their client wants their home priced at $500,000.00, only allow showings every third Saturday of the month, and the agent must be in attendance for all showings then the agent must follow those instructions of their client. If a buyer client only wants to see homes priced between $150,000 and $175,000 and only in certain specified neighborhoods then their agent should respect those wishes as well under the duty of obedience. When it comes to illegal instructions such as do not show a seller’s home to a person of a particular gender or ethnicity then the agent should not follow those directions and in fact could lose their license, face fines and civil lawsuits if they do. The duty of obedience does not extend to acts which are illegal under the law.
The duty of reasonable care and competency means agents must act properly and in accordance with their training. Agents should not be giving legal advice to clients unless they are also an attorney. Agents should not be representing clients in a residential transaction if their only expertise is in retail commercial transactions. The agent should be representing clients who best match their experience level and should seek outside help if the client’s needs extend beyond what the agent normally is able to do. The agent needs to disclose to their client that the needs of the client extend beyond the scope of their experience and they will seek outside help in order to meet the client’s needs.
Duty of accounting to a client requires the real estate agent to ensure accurate records are kept with regards to all client money and property held on behalf of the client. If a real estate agent is serving as <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/happy_accountant.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="happy accountant delivering good news" style="float: right;" />a property manager then the agent must keep track of all rents incoming and outgoing as well as any expenditures made on behalf of the client and provide that information to the client on a regular basis. When selling real estate for clients the agent must keep safe all legal documents related to the sale that are in their possession.
Bottom Line
Since the act of serving as a real estate agent for a client involves plenty of trust and responsibility, agents are required to adhere to certain fiduciary duties under laws and real estate ethics rules. These duties require agents to keep the client interests above their own, follow the legal instructions of the client, keep track of client monies and more. Clients of real estate agents should expect their agents to follow their duties to them so that they can know they are being taken care of in the best way possible.
Additional resources
<a href="http://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/dual-agency-massachusetts-real-estate/" target="_blank">What Is Dual Agency</a> by Kevin Vitali
<a href="https://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2017/04/20/how-a-seller-handles-multiple-offers/" target="_blank">How A Seller Handles Multiple Offers</a> by Sharon Paxson
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/things-realtors-do-everyone-hates-bill-gassett-realtor/" target="_blank">Things That Realtors Do That Everyone Hates</a> by Bill Gassett
<a href="https://www.nar.realtor/about-nar/governing-documents/the-code-of-ethics" target="_blank">National Association Of Realtors Code Of Ethics</a>
About the author: The above article “How Real Estate Agents Should Be Representing Their Clients” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2018-04-19T04:00:00-07:002018-04-26T08:21:10-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13273How Will The New Tax Changes Impact Real Estate?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/How_Will_The_New_Tax_Changes_Impact_Real_Estate.png" width="535" height="635" alt="how will the new tax changes impact real estate" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Will The New Tax Changes Impact Cincinnati Real Estate?
The recent changes to the tax law will have an impact on Greater Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky real estate and real estate in other areas as well. The law makes changes to the tax deductions homeowners and property investors can use. This article explores what the changes are and how they may impact real estate owners in general. As this covers the changes more generally it should not be relied upon for tax advice. Everyone’s <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/tax-benefits-owning-home/">tax situation when owning a home</a> is different and for specific tax information related to your situation you should speak with a local tax professional for guidance on what works best for you.
Changes In Mortgage Interest Deduction
Prior to the change in the tax laws married homeowners filing jointly could <a href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/home-ownership/deducting-mortgage-interest-faqs/L4a9KF9mI" target="_blank">deduct mortgage interest </a>for mortgages up to one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) in value. A non-married individual or married filing separately could only claim mortgage interest deductions on a mortgage amount of no more than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00). Any interest amounts paid above those limits were not deductible.
Under the new law the mortgage limit is now seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00) for married homeowners filing jointly and three hundred seventy five thousand dollars ($375,000.00) for single filers. Therefore if a married couple have a total mortgage amount in excess of $750,000 they can only deduct interest that goes up to the $750,000 limit. Any interest that is paid due to having a mortgage in excess of that amount would not be deductible on federal income taxes. This change in mortgage deduction limits applies to any house purchased on or after December 15, 2017. For homes purchased prior to that date the $1,000,000/$500,000 mortgage deduction limit still applies.
Home Equity Loan Deductions
Prior to the new tax law changes married homeowners could deduct interest on home equity loan at $100,000 or less from their taxes. Single homeowners could deduct based on home equity loans at $50,000 or less. Under the new tax law all home equity loan interest is non-deductible. There is no grandfathering for the interest deduction either. Regardless of when the home equity loan was initially taken, starting with the 2018 tax year home equity loan interest will no longer be deductible. Those with outstanding home equity loans may want to look into paying off the loan or refinancing the house mortgage in order to incorporate the home equity loan into a deductible mortgage if there is sufficient <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/couple_outside_of_a_home_for_sale.jpg" width="350" height="525" alt="couple standing in front of their purchased home pondering taxes" style="float: right;" />home equity to do so.
Home equity loans primary function was for homeowners to borrow easily to make improvements on a home by using the value of the home to make a loan against. Overtime homeowners got creative with home equity loans and used them to purchase vehicles, vacations and more and the interest was tax deductible as a result regardless of what the money was used for. With the removal of home equity loan tax deduction there may be reduced incentive to use a home equity loan. Although with the interest rates on home equity loan being what they currently are it may make more sense to borrow from home equity versus other borrowing options that have much higher interest rates.
Property Tax Deduction Changes
Prior to the recent tax change there was no limit on the amount of property tax, income and sales tax (state and local taxes also referred to as SALT) that homeowners could use to deduct on federal taxes. Under the new tax law there is a limit of $10,000 SALT and local property taxes that homeowners can use to deduct under federal taxes. Therefore homeowners with local sales, income and property taxes in excess of $10,000 may end up owing more in taxes than in previous years. The standard deductions have risen to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married filing jointly. The increased standard deduction may help offset the decrease in the amount of SALT and property tax deductions allowed in the new tax plan for some filers.
Home Sellers Tax Exemption
The one real estate related thing that did not change is the tax exemption on gains from the sale of an owner occupied home. The current law which stays in effect allows married homeowners to exempt up to $500,000.00 ($250,000.00 for single filers) in gains from the sale of a home on their taxes if they lived in the home as their primary residence for at least two of the last five years. There was talk of increasing the time frame for living in the home to five of the last eight years. That change was not made and as a result the rules stay the same for this area, homeowners can still claim as tax exempt any gains of up to $500,000.00 on the sale of their home.
Deductions For Moving
In the past and based on some detailed criteria homeowners who sold their home and moved for a job a certain distance could deduct the moving expenses. The new tax law does away with that deduction for all but active duty members of the military. Any moving expenses incurred due to moving during the year 2018 and after are no longer deductible for a majority of taxpayers.
Permanency Of The Tax Changes
In passing the tax law changes Congress did include some expiration dates for certain provisions. For the Mortgage Interest Deduction the limits revert back to $1,000,000.00 ($500,000 single filer) in 2025 unless extended. The home equity loan interest deduction will also be allowed again in 2025 unless <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/hammer_over_piggy_bank.jpg" width="300" height="450" alt="hammer ready to break piggy bank" style="float: right;" />extended by Congress. Additionally the SALT, property tax caps as well as the increase in standard deductions will also revert back to what was used during the 2017 tax year.
What Sort Of Effect Will The Tax Law Have On Real Estate?
Property values may be put into a downward trend with these new tax laws. While those with the money will buy a house regardless of the tax implications, there are those who might have been considering selling and trading up into a bigger home who may now opt to stay put due to the new tax changes. Cincinnati neighborhoods with homes in the price range of $750,000.00 could see slower gains overall as the tax changes discourage the purchasing of higher priced homes. Many of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky neighborhoods have home prices below the $750,000 threshold and therefore the mortgage interest deduction limits will have very little impact there.
Bottom Line
The tax changes have been enacted by Congress and signed into law by the President which means they are in effect for the 2018 tax year. Those who believe their taxes will be impacted by the changes should consult with their tax professionals in order to adjust their current tax payments or withholding. Waiting until the last few days of 2018 to figure out more taxes was owed than was paid is a plan for penalties paid to the IRS.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/your-money/tax-plan-changes.html" target="_blank">Tax Plan Changes Examined</a> at New York Times
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2018/01/09/what-in-the-final-tax-bill-could-impact-your-housing-costs/">The Tax Plan Impact On Housing Costs</a> at Forbes
<a href="https://finneylawfirm.com/2018/01/09/tis-season-property-tax-reduction/" target="_blank">Ohio Property Tax Reduction Tips</a> by Chris Finney
About the author: The above article “How Will The New Tax Changes Impact Real Estate?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2018-01-11T05:00:00-07:002018-01-16T07:55:39-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13227Great Real Estate Blogs From 2017<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Great_Real_Estate_Blogs_From_2017.png" width="535" height="635" alt="great real estate blogs from 2017" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
Great Real Estate Blogs From 2017
With the increase in social media use and the sharing of videos, pictures, audio podcasts and more there is still something to be said for the written word. Whether the reader wants to read something on the bus while headed to work or is taking a quiet break to catchup on the news humans like to read to gain their knowledge. There is no rewinding or fast forwarding to get to the good part of an article. It is all just there for the reader to absorb. Hence I put together this list of great real estate blog articles from 2017 that are must reads for the homebuyer, home seller, home owner and more. Not only are the articles great but the bloggers who wrote the articles also know quite a bit about real estate and are happy to share their thoughts with readers. Check out all the articles in the post below and be sure to read the other great articles from the bloggers mentioned here.
Do You Know What Dual Agency Is?
One of the best blogs of 2017 was Bill Gassett’s article on <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/dual-agency-why-avoid-it/" target="_blank">dual agency</a>. For those who are not familiar with the term, dual agency in real estate is when one agent represents both the buyer and seller in a transaction. Frankly, dual agency is one of the worst things possible for consumers. The only person who benefits from dual agency is the real estate agent who makes a double commission. Whether you are a buyer or a seller when you agree to dual agency you lose the person you hired to represent you!
Here is an example. You hire the best agent in town to sell your home for you. Your confidence is real high in hiring this agent because they are extremely knowledgeable and know they will have your best interests at heart. You don’t mind paying this Realtor a $25,000 commission because you know you’ll be getting your monies worth with their expertise. Well guess what if you agree to dual agency you won’t be getting any of the traditional services a seller’s agent provides. When you agree to dual agency your agent becomes a neutral party.
By law the agent is no longer able to counsel you when an offer comes in or at any other time you may need help. Yes you are reading this correctly – that is how dual agency works. What’s even worse about dual agency is some real estate agents sugar coat what I have just told you. There are a percentage of real estate agents that would love for you to believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with dual agency. They will tell you they do it all the time with no problem.
Unfortunately, for some real estate agents money is a driving force for their decisions on how they do business. Dual agency is a choice. When you meet with a real estate agent you have the ability to say you want nothing to do with dual agency. Some sellers are duped, however, because the agent explaining it to them has a vested interested in getting a YES I am fine with it.
Do yourself a favor and read Bill’s article on why you never want to agree to dual agency. You’ll be glad you did.
The One Step Every Homebuyer Should Be Taking When Buying Their Home
There are many steps involved in the home buying process and sometimes these steps vary from state to state, county to county and even city to city. However there is one step in the home buying process that is pretty universal no matter where a buyer is purchasing a home and that is having the option to do a home inspection.
Now, a majority of home buyer's will want to perform a home inspection to determine the condition of the home they're purchasing and depending on the terms of the contract they may have the ability to receive a repair credit or have the seller fix certain items listed on the inspection report. However some home buyer's question whether or not they really need to spend the time and money having an <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/magnifying_glass_coins.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="magnifying glass looking at coins as point for home inspection" style="float: right;" />inspection and a few even wonder if they should just waive the inspection period all together.
Michelle Gibson, <a href="http://wellingtonhometeam.com/palm-beach-county/wellington-fl-real-estate/" target="_blank">a top Wellington Florida Realtor</a>, recently wrote an excellent article, <a href="http://wellingtonhometeam.com/home-buyers-get-home-inspection/" target="_blank">Do Home Buyer's have to get a Home Inspection?</a>, where she answers this very popular home buying question. In addition to providing the answer she also provides home buyer's with a detailed explanation of why they should or should not have a home inspection.
<br />Benefits Of Owning A Home
Owning a home is often referred to as the "American Dream." There are tons of great benefits that come with owning a home!
In this article from Kyle Hiscock, an experienced <a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/greater-rochester-ny-area/irondequoit-ny-real-estate/" target="_blank">Irondequoit NY real estate agent</a>, you're going to find out the many benefits of home ownership! As Kyle discusses in his article, there are some benefits that are well known and others that aren't as obvious.
One of the benefits of owning a home that Kyle describes as well known is that owning real estate is often a great investment. When buying a house, you have the ability to gain "equity" in your home. Equity is the difference between a homes market value and the remaining amount left on any mortgages. As the years go by, your homes mortgage balance should decrease while the market value will hopefully increase. This can lead to nice profits when the time comes to sell your home!
One of the benefits to home ownership that Kyle discusses in his article that isn't as obvious are potential tax advantages that come with owning a home. Tax advantages such as mortgage interest tax deductions are one of the most popular that many buyers don't consider when thinking about all of the benefits of owning a home!
These are only 2 of the 10 <a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/benefits-owning-a-home/" target="_blank">benefits of owning a home</a> that Kyle discusses in this fantastic article. Make sure you check it out if you're trying to determine if there are enough benefits of home ownership!
10 Easy Home Staging Tips
I reached out to Sharon Paxson a <a href="http://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/newport-beach-ca-real-estate/" target="_blank">top Newport Beach Realtor </a>about her suggestions for selling a home. Sharon shared an article about 10 easy home staging tips which would help prepare the home to sell and yield the highest dollar amount in the shortest period of time.
Objectivity
In this article about staging, it has been emphasized the importance being objective and viewing the real estate sales process as a business transaction versus selling your home where memories have been made. Also, the suggestion for sellers to think like they are buyers to become more objective in the home selling process is recommended to the sellers.
De-Clutter & De-Personalize
The importance of preparing the home for sale and includes valuable tips and recommendations uch as decluttering to minimize the visual clutter when a potential buyer comes into the home. Depersonalizing is another key consideration when getting ready to sell and taking down personal photographs to allow a buyer to imagine themselves living in the property.
First Impressions
Curb appeal is another necessary consideration when preparing a home to sell, and the article talks about the home having one chance to make a good first impression when a potential buyer arrives at the property. The very first impressions are the exterior, flower beds, landscaping, the entryway and the front door. In this article, the recommendations are to spruce up the exterior landscaping and entryway to make the home inviting to a buyer.
Less is More
Consider the space in the property, and having open space and perhaps removing some larger pieces of furnishings that take up too much space. Overall this will help the room size and flow of the floor plan to be more open. And having less in a property allows a buyer to imagine themselves living there with <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/luxury_living_room_copy_3.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="luxury living room properly staged" style="float: right;" />their own furnishings.
Consider the Outdoors
Depending upon the climate and time of year of where you are selling, it is significant to consider the outdoor space or patio. In today's times, many homeowners like to cook or grill outdoors so creating an inviting outdoor space is important when selling.
For other easy staging tips and recommendations, be sure to check out this article on <a href="http://newportbeachrealestatecafe.com/2017/10/24/10-easy-home-staging-tips/" target="_blank">10 Easy Home Staging Tips!</a>
Real Estate myths explored
Nothing is worse than being lead astray. We all want to know the truth in order to make an informed decision, particularly when it comes time to sell a home or buy a home. Here in one of Lynn Pineda’s popular real estate articles from 2017, she discusses just that, revealing the truth behind several common myths in Real Estate focusing on Real Estate revelations to separate fact from fiction.
Lynn’s article discusses home values, open houses, mathematically imposed algorithms for pricing a home, and required down payments when buying a home.
One of Lynn’s revelations regarding home values is that you simply can’t plug in a formula and find the resulting number to be as good as gold, when it comes to pricing a home for sale. Nothing can be further from the truth. How does a mathematical algorithm know what is behind the home’s front door? They don’t! And what is behind the front door can make a huge difference to a home’s value; good or bad.
Discover more within Lynn’s article where she unfolds the remaining truths to get you in the know when it comes to the truth in Real Estate. Read more on Lynn’s article, the <a href="http://imagineyourhouse.com/buyer/top-4-fake-real-estate-revelations-truth-revealed/" target="_blank">Top 4 Fake Real Estate Revelations</a>; this featured article was written by Real Estate professional, Lynn Pineda with Keller Williams Realty who has been selling homes in Southeast Florida from Coral Springs to Boca Raton since 2005.
Home Staging Tips For The Savvy Home Seller
Luke Skar wrote a great piece for his website covering <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/home-staging-tips/" target="_blank">Top Home Staging Tips</a> that really covers a lot of solid information.
Luke begins the article by providing tips for getting the outside of the home ready. Since the goal of staging a home is to attract buyers, it makes sense that focusing at least some attention on the exterior would make sense. Tips for improving the curb appeal, and making the yard tidy should help catch the eyes of more than a few possible buyers.
Next, Luke’s focus switches to the inside of the home. This is generally where most professional stagers spend the majority of their time. There is a bit of art to making a home look appealing without making it look like it belongs to someone else. These tips will help you not only clean the home, but also arrange furniture, and decorations in order to create the right ambiance for potential buyers. There are also some ideas about the most overlooked features of a home, and how to make them ready for the next buyer.
Speaking of professional stagers, Luke Skar also tapped into his network to get insight from people who make a living staging homes. These people are experts in interior decorating as well as home staging in some of the country’s biggest markets. They have provided tips from their real-world experience in order to help you make the right adjustments to your property.
Finally, Luke has broken the information into two sections. There are tips designed for people currently living in the home as well as tips for people that need to sell a vacant home. Although it may seem like staging a property would be the same whether it is vacant or not, there are some subtle differences. Luke’s info can help you regardless of your situations.
How A Buyers Agent Can Help You
Hot seller's markets make for panicked home buyers. Ironically this is exactly what buyers should not be doing. Serious home buyers need to take a step back and find a good buyers agent. In his article about buyer agency, Joe Boylan talks about the importance of our own <a href="https://www.springshomes.com/blog/buyer-agency" title="Buyer Agency" target="_blank">real estate superheroes the buyer agent</a>.
A good buyer's agent knows the real estate market landscape, they have relationships with other agents and know how to work with them. A good buyer's agent is going to get you in a position of strength, especially when dealing with multiple offer situations.
In Joe's article, you'll find out how to get pre-qualified with the right lender so you can look like the strongest choice for the listing agent and subsequently the home sellers. This is super important, especially when the listing agent is sitting at the table trying the council the sellers into choosing the strongest offer.
In what might be the most important reason to work with a good buyer agent, Boylan talks about the importance of not overpaying for your home. The buyer agent should provide strong empirical data as to what the true price of the home should be.They will understand when and more importantly how to use the escalation clause. The agent will also have a good sense of whether or not more inventory will be available, in other words is this the last house before prices Skyrocket?
You certainly don't want to overpay for a house only to find out there are a ton of repairs needed. Sometimes it's more prudent to negotiate reasonable price knowing there are pending repairs. The Talented buyer's agent knows how to handle this type of negotiation.
In this article, Joe talks about real-world examples of Agents that one the day without selling the farm. if you're thinking about buying a home, you owe it to yourself to read this article.
Tips For Hiring The Right Real Estate Agent
Are you looking to hire a top realtor to buy or sell a home? Don’t rely on your gut to choose a professional agent. Eileen Anderson of Berkshire Hathaway has provided a list of <a href="http://Www.eileenandersonrealtor.com/hire-top-real-estate-agents">21 questions for you to ask when interviewing a real estate agent</a> to sell your home. If you are buying or selling your home it is critical to your success to be asking the right questions to interview and hire a professional agent.
Eileen’s article highlights important qualities to look for in a Top Real Estate Agent such as:
Market Knowledge<br /> Availability and Communication Skills<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/couple_with_agent.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="couple with perfect real estate agent" style="float: right;" /><br /> Negotiation Skills<br /> Technology Savvy<br /> Social Media Marketing Knowledge<br /> Home Staging Expertise<br /> Pricing your Home to Sell<br /> Level and Years of Experience<br /> Quality References
This article about tips for hiring a top agent is a must read and share!
9 Things Home Sellers Do That Drive Real Estate Agents Crazy
How can home sellers possibly drive real estate agents crazy? Well, as it turns out, there are a number of things they’re doing that can make agents go bunkers! (And just to make sure we don’t misunderstand one another, agents undoubtedly can do the same to the sellers!)
In his article, Xavier De Buck, from Johannesburg (South Africa), provides a 9-point shortlist and explains in detail how one might understand the agent’s reaction when certain actions are performed by the seller. While emotions can sometimes get the better of anyone, home sellers, in particular, will not always understand the rather subjective (or business-like) approach agents take to the entire home selling activity. And, as you can imagine, this can lead to quite a few ‘misunderstandings’ between the two parties!
This could pertain to the advice given by the agent as to how to go about preparing the home for the marketing, having the sellers stick around for showings, or falsely promising certain upgrades which never get done (yet that info was passed on to the interested buyers). And yes, Xavier easily expanded that list by mentioning how selling one’s home with pets might influence things, or how some ‘unusual’ odors in the house will negatively affect the showings, and of course, leaving the house in a total state of chaos upon handover of keys!
At the end of the day, the agent got called in to assist the home seller with the marketing (and sale) of his property. The agent will try to sell the home for the highest price possible, in the least amount of time, and for the least amount of trouble, yet the home seller might not always see it that way. As Xavier correctly argues throughout his article, the home seller oftentimes becomes his own worst enemy, making the entire home selling experience more difficult than need be!
Having read some of the things that home sellers do that <a href="http://luxuryhomesjohannesburg.com/real-estate-blog/drive-real-estate-agents-crazy/" target="_blank">drive real estate agents crazy</a>, I believe Xavier has succeeded in making us more aware of how some of the home seller actions might affect the agent’s job!
First Time Home Buyer
One of our best of 2017 articles that you can't afford to miss is this <a href="https://www.uphomes.com/blog/first-time-home-buyer.html" target="_blank">First Time Home Buyer article</a> comes from our Realtor® friends in Charlotte, North Carolina, uphomes.
The article is written by Charlotte area Real Estate Agent Ryan Fitzgerald who blogs about a lot of the benefits and programs available for first time home buyers! If you're buying a home for the first time this is a must read as it will likely save you thousands of dollars. Most people are unaware and even some Realtors® are unaware of all the great incentives first time buyers have!
If you want to learn more about buying a home for the first time OR simply learn more about the steps in buying a home, you will find this article most useful. Along with the combination of great mortgage, advice comes a 10 step guide to get you to the closing table with clear expectations of the home buying process.
One take away from this article is that it contains both information on North Carolina first time home buying programs as well as national home buying programs! You'll want to be sure to check your state incentives along with these national incentives that are available.
Keep in mind this article is intended for folks in Charlotte, NC so it may not be the exact same in your state (every state varies) though, with that being said you will find great home buying information that is useful across the board.
Grab a cold drink, fire up some popcorn and tune into what is sure to be one of the most valuable articles you will read for your home buying experience!
Best Paint color for selling your home
When it comes to selling a house, the color of the walls are an important aspect. It often creates the first impression and can impact the value and desirability of the home. Paint can impact the selling price of a home and yes some colors can actually reduce the price you get for your home. Other paint colors can make your home look more inviting and stylish so that you get a higher offer...and get one sooner.
This article from Debbie Gartner covers the <a href="http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/best-paint-colors-selling-house/" target="_blank">do’s and don’t for painting your home when putting it up for sale</a>. Pick the wrong color and buyers may cringe when they see the home and will prevent them from seeing the true potential of a home. Unfortunately that is the way the world works. On the other hand pick the right neutral color and buyers will be able to see the true home as they want it to be which means more buyers ready to make an offer.
If you are thinking white is a neutral color that would be incorrect. White in fact is not considered a neutral color and there are other colors that are better seen as neutral in the buyer’s eyes. Debbie explores the various colors that will help you sell your home.
The 5 Types of Buyers Who Probably Should Not Buy a Home
Buying a home is high on the list for many people once they grow up and escape the parental nest. Owning your own home has a lot of benefits. It gives you a chance to build some equity, gives you a sense of community, and you get to dump your landlord. However, in this article from <a href="http://www.myseattlehomesearch.com/">Seattle Realtor Conor MacEvilly</a>, he covers the <a href="http://www.myseattlehomesearch.com/blog/5-types-of-people-who-probably-should-not-buy-a-home/">5 types of buyers who should probably not buy a home </a>or at least, should wait a while longer.
For example, a buyer who only purchase a home because they expect to make a quick profit and sell the home in 2 years. Nobody but nobody knows with certainty what the market will do after you have closed on a home. Remember 2007? Another group who should probably be dissuaded from buying a home are those who already know that they will be relocating in the near future. If the home hasn’t gone up in value to cover at a minimum the costs associated with selling the home, then that’s not a good short term purchase. Plus if you can’t rent out the home, like many condos, you could be left with a real financial mess.
First time buyers in particular will be trying to squeeze into the market and barely scrape together the downpayment required for a home purchase. Once they get that first mortgage payment, many might second guess themselves and realize that being house-rich but cash-poor is completely over-rated. When you buy a home, it needs to be the right time financially and emotionally for you and it needs to fit in with your both short and longer term life plans. There’s nothing wrong with renting and waiting a while longer. There’s more to life than owning a home at any and all costs.
The Decision To Sell Your Home
Although there are a few of us who have no choice to sell because of divorce, relocation, etc....most need a bit of a budge over the fence. Jeff Nelson's article on <a href="https://www.livegulfshoreslocal.com/2017/12/11/step-1-deciding-to-sell-your-home/" target="_blank">Deciding to Sell</a> covers everything. Jeff covers the basic questions homeowners should be asking themselves prior to selling. Questions pertaining to home equity, does the home meet your needs, can you afford to buy a new home and more.
For those who aren't necessarily forced to sell their home but have a few needs or wants, this article is for you. Jeff has been their in his own life. He had a 7 bedroom home that he slowly down-sized over the past few years to accommodate his family needs.
Turn your home into a smart home
Smart home technology is the latest and greatest feature homebuyers are wanting when buying a home. Even if you are not selling your home, smart home technology can help automate your homes features not only helping homeowners save time but also save money. In this article by Greater Cincinnati Realtor Paul Sian he discusses the great <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/how-to-turn-your-home-into-a-smart-home/">new smart home technology that is available today</a>.
Smart home tech like smart robotic vacuums can be set to clean your home while you are away so you don't have to vacuum as much. Newer smart cleaning robots can even wash your non carpeted floors <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_holding_smart_phone.jpg" width="400" height="319" alt="woman holding smart phone for smart home" style="float: right;" />as well. Smart thermostats can turn on the heating and cooling system right before you reach home so you reach a nice and comfortable home and adjust temperatures to save money when no one is home. Smart lighting allows homeowners to turn on and off lights from anywhere there is an internet connection so no more worrying about whether you turned off the light or worrying about forgetting to turn on lights during the evening for security. It can all be done from the palm of your hand with your smart phone. Check out the article and learn about what smart home features you can use today to not only make it easier to be a homeowner but to also improve the feature set for potential future buyers.
Final Thoughts
2017 was a great year for real estate content and the above article only represent a small fraction of what is available. If you have any articles you feel are noteworthy feel free to share in the comments below.
Also if you enjoyed this post please consider sharing socially with others who may find it useful.
Additional Collections To Consider
<a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-home-improvement-blogs-2017/" target="_blank">2017 Best Home Improvement Blogs</a> at Rochester Real Estate Blog
<a href="http://luxuryhomesjohannesburg.com/real-estate-blog/category/misc/" target="_blank">202 Must Follow Real Estate Pros</a> at Luxury Homes Johannesburg
<a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/best-home-selling-blogs-2017/" target="_blank">2017 Best Home Selling Blogs</a> at Rochester Real Estate Blog
About the author: The above article “Great Real Estate Blogs From 2017” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2018-01-04T05:00:00-07:002019-11-02T05:05:37-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13174Moving To Cincinnati, Ohio? 14 Reasons You’ll Love Living HereRelocating to Cincinnati, Ohio? 14 Reasons You’ll Love It!!!
Planning on relocating to Cincinnati, OH? Here are some reasons why you will love the Greater Cincinnati Area which encompasses parts of Indiana, Ohio and Northern Kentucky. You can travel between the three states and still be close to your home. Cincinnati has lots to offer for anyone looking to relocated here, where you want hip uptown living, suburban neighborhoods or rural living. Be sure to check out the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/cincinnatilife/" target="_blank">Cincinnati Life Facebook group</a> to get up to date information and check out the wide range of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/idx/search-form/" target="_blank">homes for sale in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky</a>.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Moving_To_Cincinnati_Ohio-2.png" width="800" height="2000" alt="reasons to move to Cincinnati" /><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Moving_To_Cincinnati_Ohio-2.png" width="800" height="2000" alt="Moving To Cincinnati" />
1. Community
Cincinnati has a vibrant community with plenty of places to go, meet and be social. Whether you want to join a local club, attend classes to enhance your knowledge, attend the theater, or more you are bound to find someone with mutual interests. The different neighborhoods in Cincinnati have a lot of different options to offer. Whether you want the Downtown Cincinnati feel, the Over The Rhine hip place to be, or prefer a more relaxed living in neighborhoods like Anderson, Delhi, Alexandria, Florence or more Greater Cincinnati has what you are looking for.<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cincinnati_At_Sunrise.jpg" width="400" height="265" alt="cincinnati at dusk" style="float: right;" />
2. Cincinnati Is A Food Lovers Paradise
For the past few years a number of Cincinnati eating establishments have been ranking pretty high in the nation. In fact <a href="https://www.opentable.com/m/best-restaurants-in-america/" target="_blank">OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants In America For 2017</a> includes three Ohio restaurants all of which are located in Cincinnati! The restaurants are <a href="http://www.orchidsatpalmcourt.com/" target="_blank">Orchids at Palm Court</a>, <a href="https://www.lcincinnati.com/" target="_blank">Restaurant L</a> and <a href="http://sottocincinnati.com/" target="_blank">Sotto</a>. The local casual dining options are also impressive in Cincinnati. Whether you want to try the Cincinnati take on chili (it takes a few times before you truly appreciate it) from Skyline or Goldstar, you want some top ranked in the nation barbecue from <a href="http://www.elisbarbeque.com/" target="_blank">Eli’s Barbecue</a> or you are looking for a great deli style of eat in place there is Izzy’s. Cincinnati also has a large variety of <a href="http://cincinnatifoodtruckassociation.org/trucks/our-members/" target="_blank">food truck options</a> that offer great food at different locations around the tristate area.
To get a great selection of fresh fruits, vegetables, produce and more be sure to check out some of the local farmer’s markets many of the communities sponsor in their locations. The well-known farmer’s market Findlay Market in the Over The Rhine area of Cincinnati has plenty of options where you can get fresh fruits, local beers, vegetables, local honey, produce and more. Not to mention all the food cooked while you wait options available at the <a href="http://www.findlaymarket.org/" target="_blank">Findlay Market</a>.
3. Jobs
<a href="http://fortune.com/2017/09/13/best-cities-to-find-a-job-2017/" target="_blank">Cincinnati was reported to be number 8 out of 25 best US cities for finding a job that you will like</a>. Cincinnati is home to 9 companies that are on the Fortune 500 list so there are plenty of different types of jobs available where you can put your education and training to work. Glassdoor shows over 25,000+ job openings in and around the Greater Cincinnati area. Top employers headquartered in the Cincinnati area include Procter & Gamble, Kroger Corporation, Macy’s, Fifth Third Bank, Wester & Southern Financial Group, AK Steel, and more. The largest employers by numbers of employees in the Greater Cincinnati area include The Kroger Co., University of Cincinnati, Children’s Hospital, Procter & Gamble, and TriHealth Inc. all with over 10,000 employees each. There are plenty of employment opportunities to choose from in Greater Cincinnati.
4. Affordability
Cincinnati has been ranked number 14 of the <a href="https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/slideshows/the-25-best-affordable-places-to-live-in-the-us-in-2017?slide=13" target="_blank">The 25 Best Affordable Places to live in 2017 by US News Magazine</a>. This means your cost of living is low as well as housing costs which can help you keep all your hard earned money for yourself rather than the mortgage lender. So whether you are looking to move to an area with a great variety in housing or an overall lower cost of living Cincinnati will have <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cincinnati_Aerial_Pic.jpg" width="400" height="225" alt="cincinnati aerial picture" style="float: right;" />what you are looking for.
5. Education
Cincinnati has several universities and colleges, including a number which are nationally recognized for some of their programs. Well known universities in the Greater Cincinnati area include <a href="http://www.uc.edu/" target="_blank">University of Cincinnati,</a> <a href="https://www.miamioh.edu/" target="_blank">Miami University</a> and <a href="https://www.xavier.edu/" target="_blank">Xavier University</a> (which was <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/xavier-university-3144" target="_blank">rated #4 best college for Veteran’s by U.S. News & World Reports</a>).
For local Cincinnati area school districts there are a number of local districts whose high schools are top ranked in Ohio and some even rank amongst the top 100 high schools in the US! For more information on the school districts in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area be sure to check out <a href="https://www.greatschools.org/ohio/cincinnati/schools/" target="_blank">GreatSchools.org</a>.
Want to search for a home based on school districts in the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area? I have created this page for you listing some of the <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/search-greater-cincinnati-oh-homes-for-sale-by-school-district/" target="_blank">Greater Cincinnati area school districts</a>.
6. Sports
Cincinnatians love their sports teams. From the Cincinnati Bengals football team to the Cincinnati Reds baseball team Cincinnati has two newer stadiums to house both the Bengals and the Reds. The <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/in_front_of_reds_stadium.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="in front of cincinnati reds stadium" style="float: right;" /><br />college sports scene is also pretty hot in Cincinnati whether you want to bleed blue for the University of Kentucky Basketball team or are a diehard fan for the Cincinnati Bearcats there is always some sporting event to attend and enjoy.
For those that enjoy horse racing there are a number of horse racing tracks that have live racing or telecast live races going on. The Belterra Gaming & Entertainment Center in Anderson Township, Ohio offers live and simulcast horse racing, casino gambling, dining options and more. Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky also offers live and simulcast horse racing.
7. Hospitals/Medical
Cincinnati has a number of highly rated hospitals and medical clinics. University of Cincinnati Hospital is nationally ranked in both Ears, Nose Throat and Urology specialties. Mercy Health Hospital is rated high in knee replacement surgery on a national level. Coming in at number three nationally is Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Cincinnati Children’s is ranked nationally for Neonatology, Pediatric Cancer, Cardiology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Orthopedics, Neurology, Pulmonology and more. There is no shortage of high quality medical care in the Cincinnati region.
8. Nightlife
Night time entertainment options abound in Cincinnati. You can gamble the night away in downtown Cincinnati at the Jack Casino, gamble on the east side in the Belterra casino or gamble on the Indiana riverboat casino, you have options. The Over the Rhine area close to downtown Cincinnati offers many dining and drinking options to keep the night owls happy and busy. In fact Cushman & Wakefield named the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-Rhine" target="_blank">Over the Rhine area of Cincinnati one of the top 15 cool neighborhoods to hang out it in</a>. With all these eateries and drink establishments you will find a variety of live music options to keep you entertained.
9. Beer on Tap and More Great Pours
Cincinnati has experienced a resurgence in the brewing businesses and a number of Greater Cincinnati beers are nationally recognized. Beers like Rhinegeist, Morlein, Mt. Carmel, and more are great local beers to enjoy in brewery’s own tap houses located in and around Cincinnati. If you are looking for something a little stronger then you need not go very far as Northern Kentucky and Kentucky in general are known around the world for their great bourbons. Northern Kentucky is a stopping point in the <a href="https://kybourbontrail.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour</a> where you can try bourbon from the New Riff Distillery in Newport, Kentucky and then head a little south to the Boone County Distilling Co. There are many great options in the Greater Cincinnati area for the beer and bourbon connoisseurs.
10. Ohio River
The Ohio River runs the full 451 miles length of Ohio’s southern border and flows along the borders of six different states. As a result those who enjoy boating or want to take out the jet skis don’t need to travel very far to enjoy all the river has to offer. During Labor Day many boaters gather close to downtown Cincinnati to watch the annual fireworks which are launched off of river barges on the Ohio <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cincinnati_Labor_Day_Fireworks.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="cincinnati labor day fireworks on ohio river" style="float: right;" />River.
Don’t have a boat or not interested in jet skiing but still want to enjoy the river? There are a number of riverboat tours that provide dining options, live entertainment and sightseeing tours on the Ohio River and depart from the Cincinnati area. Prefer to enjoy the river from land? There are plenty of parks, walking paths and more along the Ohio River on both the Ohio and Kentucky sides.
11. Music/Entertainment
Cincinnati is host to many live music events all throughout the year. Indoor venues like U.S. Bank Arena have been host to many popular rock, pop, country and R&B performers. Cincinnati Music Hall hosts the Cincinnati Symphony and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras as well as ballet and opera events. For those looking for an outdoor concert experience there is Riverbend Music Center towards the east of Cincinnati in Anderson Township and a number of other smaller outdoor venues in and around Cincinnati.
12. Theater/Art, Museums
Cincinnati has plenty of live theater events at the Taft Theater, Aronoff Theater, Children’s Theater, and at other smaller venues. For the art lovers there are a number of places to go to get the full experience of art. If you enjoy contemporary arts the Contemporary Arts center in downtown Cincinnati is a delight. The Taft Museum of Art and Cincinnati Art Museum offer a number of different art collections and exhibitions from all over the world.
The Cincinnati Museum Center in addition to offering special rotating exhibits has three museums to choose from. For the little ones the Duke Energy Children’s Museum (part of the Cincinnati Museum Center) is a fanciful playground where kids can get hands on with science, art, nature and more to explore. The Museum also features a Cincinnati History Museum as well as a Museum of Natural History & Science. Additionally the museum has a giant dome OMNIMAX Theater for an immersive movie viewing experience.
13. Weather In Cincinnati
Cincinnati provides all four seasons but the in winter time all that heavy snow they get further north does not come much to this area. Yes it does snow in Cincinnati and it can accumulate but usually within a week all the snow on the ground is gone. So yes there are four seasons here in Cincinnati, the winters can be cold and the summers warm but no extremes of hot and humid nor ice cold and snow.
So whether you want to enjoy the open air on a boat or while riding a motorcycle in summer you can get that in Cincinnati or want some cool weather at times you can get that too.
14. Golf
If you love to golf and want to enjoy some time on the greens Cincinnati has what you need. The Greater Cincinnati area has over 80 plus golf courses and driving ranges. Average green fees in and around the Cincinnati area is $30-$35 dollars.
If you are interested in joining a private club there are a number of clubs to choose from. Many of the clubs offer golf, tennis, swimming facilities and more. If you are looking for a challenging course then you should check out the private Camargo Golf Club in Indian Hill, Ohio whose course was ranked at <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Cincinnati_Ohio_on_map.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="cincinnati ohio on the map" style="float: right;" />number 31 out of 100 courses in the U.S.!
Final Thoughts On Relocating To Cincinnati
As someone who is a Cincinnati transplant myself, I can attest to the great location that Cincinnati is. Whether you want to hang out locally or travel a few hours to some of the close by cities you are within easy reach of many options. Cincinnati offers many great food, entertainment and recreational options. To find out more about Cincinnati be sure to join the Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/cincinnatilife/" target="_blank">Cincinnati Life</a> that I created just for that purpose and feel free to reach out to me at <a href="mailto:Paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com">Paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> to ask any questions or to learn more about what Cincinnati and its neighborhoods have to offer.
Hopefully you enjoyed learning about why Cincinnati is a great place to live. If you did, please consider sharing this article with your friends.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/7-smarts-things-to-do-prior-to-buying-a-home/">7 Smart Steps To Take Prior To Buying A Home</a>
<a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/where-can-i-find-homes-for-sale/">Where Can I Find Homes For Sale In My Area?</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/GreaterCincyHomes4Sale/" target="_blank">Greater Cincinnati Homes For Sale And For Rent Facebook Group</a>
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2017-12-14T05:00:00-07:002022-05-29T12:53:33-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:13122How Residential Real Estate Differs From Commercial Real Estate Transactions<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/How_Residential_Real_Estate_Differs.png" width="535" height="635" alt="How Residential Real Estate Differs From Commercial Real Estate Transactions" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
How Residential Real Estate Differs From Commercial Real Estate Transactions
When people hear the term real estate it is often meant to cover broadly real estate in general. Basically the land and anything attached to the land like a building, home, factory, warehouse or something else. Within the real estate world itself residential and commercial real estate are generally looked at differently. Frequently agents specialize in residential or in commercial real estate since the way each are sold can be quite different. Residential real estate often has many more federal, state and local laws and regulations that govern the transaction whereas commercial real estate usually does not have as many restrictions. This article takes a look at some of the differences in residential and commercial real estate.
Financing Differences Between Residential and Commercial Real Estate
One of the big differences encountered in commercial versus residential real estate is that with residential real estate there are a number of government programs and loans that allow buyers to purchase residential real estate for low to zero money down and have low interest rates. With credit scores as low as 580-600 in some cases homebuyers can buy a home with little money down with a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. With commercial real estate on the other hand buyer’s credit scores are closely looked at and lenders want to see strong credit as well as sufficient assets to protect in case of default on the loan. Commercial lenders do not have the same government loan programs and instead will offer loans with high interest rates and shorter terms (15-20 year loans sometimes with a balloon <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/drawing_money.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="drawing money" style="float: right;" />payment due at the end). Additionally commercial lenders are looking for minimum 20% down payments for those with excellent credit but will more likely be required to put down 30% or more of the purchase price in order to get a loan.
In order to encourage homeownership the U.S. Government setup a number of programs to help individuals buy homes. There are loan programs for military veterans (VA loan), buyers in rural areas (USDA loan), and programs for those with little money for a down payment (FHA loans). In addition the government setup secondary entities whose sole purposes is to <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/20-important-mortgage-terms-to-know/">buy mortgage loans from lenders</a> so that the lenders have additional money to lend to others in need of a mortgage. This secondary market for mortgages ensures banks can provide loans to qualified buyers and in turn sell the loan to a purchasing agency like FHMA (FannieMae) or FHLMC (FreddieMac). The mortgage payment terms stay the same for the borrower. Residential mortgages are available for single family homes and for four unit or fewer multi-family homes (residential buildings of five units or more require a commercial loan). In the case of VA, USDA and FHA loans the federal government will guarantee those loans in case the buyer stops paying on the loan.
With commercial real estate it is more a principal of allowing the most successful use of the property to succeed so what that means is there is no government guarantee program for those loans. Therefore commercial lenders have a higher level of scrutiny for commercial loans since their only security in case of default is the actual real estate itself which is being purchased with the commercial loans. As a result commercial loan lenders want to make sure borrowers are credit worthy, can put enough of their own money towards a down payment and have an excellent business case for use of the property. Lenders can and will examine existing business financials or will look at the business plan of a new business and are likely to seek additional collateral (such as personal residence, vehicles, other real estate or more) in order to secure the loan.
Advertising Differences Between Residential and Commercial Real Estate
Generally with residential real estate most of the real estate listings for sale are found on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS in turn pushes out those listings and shares to other websites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, local real estate websites (like <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com">CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a>) and more. When most homebuyers are looking for a home they will use websites that get their information from the MLS. Certain For Sale By Owner (FSBO) homes for sale may be on the MLS or Zillow depending on what type of service the FSBO homeowner is using.
While some commercial real estate is found on the MLS a majority of commercial property listings are found on non-MLS sites. The MLS may contain commercial listings for residential buildings or buildings that serve both residential and commercial purposes under one roof. The MLS may also show some office space and retail space for lease or for sale. One of the larger commercial listing websites is <a href="http://www.loopnet.com" target="_blank">Loopnet.com</a>. Commercial listings also may be found on local commercial real estate broker websites. With the nature of commercial real estate the way it is, marketing is done for it through the large commercial real estate portals and word of mouth working with buyers and sellers.
Differences Between Residential and Commercial Real Estate Agents
A residential real estate agent needs to specialize in marketing a home to buyers who are looking for a great place to stay. Today a majority of buyers are looking for move in ready homes with little post move in work to do. As a result home sellers should be talking with real estate agents to understand what they need to do in order to get their <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/science-selling-home/">home ready for sale</a>. Residential real estate agents should excel at marketing, photography, videography, staging and more in order to make sure as many buyers see the home online and thus have an interest in visiting in person.
On the other hand with commercial real estate it is the less frequent occasion that a buyer wants a commercial property as is without customization for their business. In the case of commercial residential real estate or investment real estate then yes the buyer may not care as much how the <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/woman_in_store.jpg" width="400" height="267" alt="woman buying from a store" style="float: right;" />apartments or buildings look and can leave them as is unless they are looking to increase rents through having the units updated after they make the purchase. For most other commercial properties like office space or retail space the floor plan and layout will need to be modified for the specific use of the buyer. As a result the current interior look of a commercial real estate property does not matter as much since it will likely be changed anyways to suit the needs of the buyer. The buyer is more looking to the quality of the building and the suitability of the interior for the changes they will need to make based on their use of it. The marketing skills a commercial real estate agent needs will be quite different than the skills needed by a residential real estate agent.
While some do succeed at being both a residential and commercial real estate agent the skill sets are different enough that sellers of whichever type of real estate should make sure their agent primarily works with one or the other. Residential real estate sellers where the property is to be occupied by the owner for their living space should use a real estate agent who knows how to market single family homes. Someone selling commercial real estate should work with a commercial real estate agent who has a deep network of business contacts and knows who to call in order to find another business owner who needs the exact type of building being sold.
Bottom Line
From financing and marketing to the type of real estate agent involved there are a number of differences between residential and commercial real estate. Sellers of real estate should make sure their agent knows how to properly market the type of property they want to sell. While some agents may be willing to cross over to sell residential when they primarily sell commercial (or vice versa) the skill set used to sell one type may not properly apply to the other.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/reasons-sellers-fire-real-estate-agent/" target="_blank">Reasons Why A Real Estate May Get Fired By Their Client</a> by Bill Gassett
<a href="http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/purchasing-a-fixer-upper-property/" target="_blank">Purchasing A Fixxer Upper Property</a> by Anita Clark
<a href="https://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-finding-choosing-mortgage-broker-lender/" target="_blank">Tips For Choosing A Mortgage Broker Or Lender</a> by Kyle Hiscock
<a href="http://www.eileenandersonrealtor.com/understanding-agency-representation-real-estate/" target="_blank">Who Does A Real Estate Agent Represent?</a> by Eileen Anderson
About the author: The above article “How Residential Real Estate Differs From Commercial Real Estate Transactions” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2017-11-30T05:00:00-07:002018-01-16T08:03:58-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11796What Is A Tiny Home?<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Information_About_Tiny_Homes.png" width="435" height="635" alt="information about tiny homes" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
What Is A Tiny Home?
You may have heard of the Tiny Home movement and been curious about what exactly is a tiny home and why would anyone want one. A tiny home generally is a home that is generally under 500 square feet. Tiny homes contain all the features of a regular home including bathroom, kitchen, dining and sleeping areas. Tiny homes are generally designed to be energy efficient and usually built with green materials. One of the goal of the tiny home movement is to reduce the environmental impact of housing both in terms of the actual building of the home as well as through reduced energy consumption while the home is in use.
Not only is money saved through energy efficiency but the total overall cost of the tiny home can be much lower than that of a traditional house. The average cost of a tiny house can start at $5000.00 and go up to $70,000.00 which is much cheaper than the average suburban home. At the lower end of the pricing scale many may not even need a mortgage, whereas at the higher end a mortgage may be desired.
Tiny homes are generally built to last as long as a traditional home would. Some tiny home owners have built the homes themselves using kits that contain most everything needed to assemble the basic home. Additionally tiny homes builders and developers are working to put tiny homes on wheels so <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/construction_worker.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="construction worker building a tiny home" style="float: right;" />they are more mobile.
Tiny Homes and Zoning
Since tiny homes is a relatively new movement in relation to the current housing market many cities and municipalities may not have the proper zoning laws to deal with tiny homes. In many residential neighborhoods homes have minimum setbacks from which the home must be situated away from the property line. Therefore a development of exclusively tiny houses may face some <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/real-estate-zoning-laws/" target="_blank">challenges from zoning boards and committees</a> especially if the houses are meant to be set up more densely than permitted by zoning laws.
Further zoning challenges may be present when a person wanting to build a tiny home chooses a neighborhood with existing homes that are not considered tiny. There may be deed restrictions on the type and size of homes that may be built on particular land and zoning boards/commissions may deny permission to build a tiny home in those established areas in order to maintain the look of particular neighborhoods. Therefore prior to buying land for a tiny home one should consider how zoning laws will have an impact. Discuss any plans with city and municipal employees in the zoning department is a smart way to make sure your plans can work under the current zoning rules.
Tiny Home Building Codes
Another thing to consider with tiny houses is that building codes for many local municipalities may not be updated or may have rules and regulations that will prevent the building of many tiny homes. Under most building codes building for residential use have many minimum requirements such as minimum square footage, minimum room size, minimum bathroom size, minimum ceiling height and more. Therefore if you plan on building a tiny home be sure to discuss your plans with the local building department to see if the regulations do allow for the building of a tiny home or just a rather small house. A small house may defeat the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish with building a tiny home so it may be better to try and petition both the Building department and Zoning if need be in order to get a variance or exception to build your tiny home.
Part of the appeal with tiny homes is that you are living in a reduced footprint home with lower overall energy consumption. It is possible that <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/green-home-features-can-improve-value-home/" target="_blank">tiny homes can be powered with solar</a> and use water recycling systems in order to reduce the amount of water consumed and the amount of money spent on utilities. Building codes may thwart those plans by requiring mandatory hookups for all residential structures to utilities so that is another thing to check as part of your plan. You may be able to power your home with solar and have a water recycling system but still be required to hook into local utilities.
Other Tiny Home Considerations
Many large cities around the world have designated areas where tiny homes can be put into use and increasingly more cities are revising their zoning and building codes to allow for tiny homes. But does this mean it is right for you? With tiny homes often times the same room will serve multiple purposes. A kitchen may be within direct line of sight of the sleeping area which also doubles as the living/entertainment area. The upside is you don’t have to go very far to get to the kitchen and a potential downside is when you burn that toast you can’t but help smell it everywhere in your house <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/pointing_to_insurance.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="insurance for a tiny house" style="float: right;" />along with any other food smell. Due to the size you are pretty limited in how many people can be in one particular area at a given time. Issues like those could be taken care of with proper ventilation but it is still something to consider.
Insurance may also be an issue with tiny homes. Insurance companies generally rely on comparing properties with other like properties and then reviewing risks involved to provide an insurance premium. In areas where tiny homes may not be present it may be difficult to get insurance on your tiny home. In other areas if you had to get a variance to build the tiny home an insurance company may not be willing to insure the home at all due to it not being built in accordance with code. These are all facts to consider when buying a tiny home.
Tiny Homes In The Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Area
As of today the only <a href="http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/05/26/tiny-houses-come-otr/27787571/" target="_blank">tiny homes available in the Greater Cincinnati Area are found in the Over The Rhine</a> area just north of downtown. The homes in this area sit on 250 square feet of land and with three levels provide 690 square feet of living space.
Bottom Line
Tiny homes are a new style of living that many are embracing in order to reduce their impact on the environment and have a compact living area that is easy to maintain and keep clean. Whether the tiny home movement stays around or the movement encourages home building in general to reduce in footprint (both physical size and energy consumption) remains to be seen. The research and development being done with tiny homes can easily translate into larger homes resulting in energy savings and better building ideas.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/home-insurance-first-time-buyer/" target="_blank">Home Insurance Tips For Homeowners</a> by Bill Gassett
<a href="http://www.wisebread.com/3-ways-to-finance-a-tiny-house" target="_blank">3 Ways To Finance A Tiny Home Purchase</a> at WiseBread
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/tiny-house-big-benefitsfreedom-from-a-mortgage--and-stuff/2015/06/23/f8f706f0-0acc-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.html?utm_term=.3f8a96ac13ee" target="_blank">Tiny Houses: Benefits and Problems</a> at The Washington Post
About the author: The above article “What Is A Tiny Home?” was provided by Luxury Real Estate Specialist Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/terrace-park/" target="_blank">Terrace Park</a>, Union Township, and Villa Hills.
2017-01-26T05:00:00-07:002024-02-21T07:38:52-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11725A Look Back At Some Of The Great Real Estate Articles From 2016<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/A_Look_Back_From_2016.png" width="435" height="635" alt="a look back at some of the great real estate articles from 2016" style="vertical-align: middle; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" />
A Look Back At Some Of The Great Real Estate Articles From 2016
The year 2016 saw many real estate related articles published with the intent of informing readers about various issues in the real estate area. Some articles while trying to be informative may miss the mark and instead up trying to sell something rather than inform. Many other articles though succeed in informing readers so that they have the latest and greatest knowledge needed to help them with their real estate. In this article I highlight some of those great articles from 2016 and hope you enjoy them as much as many others did.
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best Articles from 2016 for home sellers
Best Way To Remove Wallpaper
One of my favorite articles from 2016 was a very helpful post from Bill Gassett, one of the top <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/ma-re/worcester-county/southboro-ma-real-estate/" target="_blank">real estate agents in Southborough Mass</a>. One of the things Realtors are constantly doing for their clients is recommending improvements that can be made that either help the salability of a home or bring more money. One of the features that impacts the sale of a home in a negative way more than any other is wallpaper. Unfortunately, wallpaper dates a home! It is a very personal choice that is almost always a love or hate thing. Far more often, however, people hate wallpaper. A good real estate agent should be able to communicate this effectively to their clients. Those owners that “get it” and are willing to listen will work towards having their wallpaper taken down.
This leads homeowners to ask the <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/how-to-remove-wallpaper/" target="_blank">best ways to remove wallpaper</a>. Nobody likes the thought of getting rid of wallpaper because it is hard work. In the article, Bill does a great job explaining the easiest ways to remove wallpaper based on what is on the walls.
By getting rid of the wallpaper and painting the rooms with a light neutral tone, sellers are almost always able to put more money in their pocket. First impressions are everything. Buyers today are willing to pay more for turn-key homes. Those home that need a lot of work get punished in the market. Buyers love to overestimate the cost of home improvement projects.
PREVENTING HOME SALE MISTAKES
Wendy Weir a real estate agent in Michigan tells us that selling a home in today’s market can be overwhelming. There are so many articles on what to do when you are considering selling your home. Interest rates have just gone up, and the predictions all over the news is they may be raised three time more in 2017. Be sure that you enlist all the possible <a href="http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/how-to-prevent-mistakes-selling-your-home/%20" target="_blank">tips and strategies to (prevent mistakes)</a>, that could prevent buyers from wanting to see your home, could turn buyers away from making an offer, or possibly loose a sale after the inspection.
First and foremost is choosing the best Realtor for your area. They need a great marketing plan, experience, and must have a strong presence on social media where your property can be hi-lighted in many different forms. Many Realtors, sit back after listing your home, and you never hear from them – unless you call. Be sure to check out their website, and references – wherever they are active, to make sure they are getting positive comments from past clients and other Realtors too!
From here the list only grows. It is crucial in today’s market to have an inspection on your home before putting it on the market. This can be the difference between selling your home or the deal falling through. Not only will you know in advance what the Buyer’s inspection report will say – but you have the opportunity to fix or replace any items you may not be aware of, that will be red flagged when they get their report. This is also to your benefit if you don’t have the money to do the work. In this case – you work closely with your Realtor and have the advantage of really pricing the home accordingly, in the event it needs a new roof, furnace, plumbing, heating, electrical or foundation issues. Of course there are many additional items to prevent mistakes when selling your home. Wendy have included resources from some of the Top Realtors across the country so you have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal.
DEPERSONALIZE YOUR HOME
Kevin Vitali- <a href="http://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/tewksbury-ma-real-estate-tewksbury-ma-realtor/" target="_blank">Real Estate in Tewksbury MA</a>- wrote an article previously this year on the topic of <a href="http://merrimackvalleymarealestate.com/depersonalize-home/" target="_blank">why it is important to de-personalize your home when selling</a>. Often home sellers will hear agents and stagers tell them you need to “de-personalize” your home. What does de-personalize mean?
Basically, it means you need to take out what makes your home your home! When selling your house you want to neutralize it’s décor so that you give a broad appeal to a larger group of home buyers. This means pare down furniture, remove personal photos, and neutralized highly stylized décor. Remember, they are buying a house not all of the “stuff” that go along with making it your home. You want home buyers to see themselves in the home not you.
There are many advantages to de-personalizing your home with selling. When you give your home a broader appeal it may lead to quicker and higher offers. It also gives you a jump start on packing…. You are moving anyways.
Take the time to take yourself and your style out of your home. It gives a clean palette to the home buyers to visualize your house as their home. Remember most home buying is done with emotion. Allow the home buyers to “take possession” of your home as they are viewing it. When home buyers are discussing where their furniture goes and how the home works the way it is, there is a much better chance of them putting in an offer.
HOME STAGING AND SELLING YOUR HOME
Real Estate Staging is one part creativity, one part renovation and all parts design to present a home so that prospective buyers can imagine themselves living in. It’s important to stop thinking like a seller and start focusing on what a buyer wants.
As a home stager, we’re familiar with appealing to a variety of homebuyer groups especially millennials who continue to flood the housing market. This generation makes up 35-percent of all buyers and they’re looking for very specific features that a home seller needs to pay attention to in order to wow them on the inside and compete with neighboring homes on the market.
Homebuilders are already complying to these requests designing new homes millennials covets and <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/luxury_kitchen_wood.jpg" width="300" height="201" alt="luxury kitchen" style="float: right;" />making it tough for older homes to stand out. Is your home ready for the next generation? If you live in a flourishing area, embracing the younger generations lifestyle here are some can’t miss <a href="http://toritoth.com/home-selling-tips-young-buyers/" target="_blank">home selling tips for millennials</a> to get your home prepared for sale. The above article comes from Tori Toth of Stage 2 Sell Strategy & Stylish Stagers, Inc.
HOME SELLING MARKETING STRATEGIES
The real estate industry has changed drastically over the past several years. The internet has been around and well for over a decade, but as of the past several years it has been drastically changing how homes are being sold.
Now that 2017 is here, it’s important to understand that if you’re selling a home, you understand what real estate marketing strategies are being used to sell homes. <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/greater-rochester-ny-area/rochester-ny-real-estate/" target="_blank">Rochester NY Realtor</a>, Kyle Hiscock, wrote a fantastic article in 2016 covering many of the real estate marketing techniques that are being used nowadays to sell homes.
The days of putting a sign in front of a home and throwing a couple ads in the newspaper are over. This simply will not get a home sold. The Internet is where todays buyers are shopping for their next home.
In this article, Kyle covers many of the best <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/what-real-estate-marketing-strategies-should-my-agent-be-using/" target="_blank">real estate marketing strategies for selling homes</a>. Marketing strategies such as using high quality photos and videos, effectively using social media, and utilizing content curation are a few of the necessary techniques Kyle discusses in his article.
As we progress throughout 2017 and beyond, if you’re selling a home, it must be exposed everywhere online. Without maximum online exposure, sellers are potentially leaving money on the table when it comes time to sell their home.
How Much Should You Pay To Sell Your Home?
One of the best things about the Internet age is how it opens up our options. You can order a book and have it delivered to your tablet in a few minutes or less. You can do your grocery shopping online. I’ve even purchased parrot food online and had it delivered within a couple of days.
It’s only natural that technology will change the way we sell our homes. For decades we’ve seen a variety of fee structures. They range from the FSBO where you won’t even co-operate with the buyer’s agent to more. The fees are usually based on services rendered.
For many years, FSBO and “Flat Fee” services have been an option. For some home sellers they may actually be worth considering. For others, probably not a good idea.
"<a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/blog/flat-fee-mls-listings-are-they-worth-it.html" target="_blank">Should You Use a Flat Fee Listing Service</a>?” takes an objective look at the pros and cons of “Flat Fee” listings and whether they are right for you. For many of us, it’s worth the money to let the home be listed with someone who does real estate 24/7. For a few, it may be worthwhile to use one of the flat fee services. This article by Debbie Drummond will help you figure out which is best for you.
TOUGH PILLS TO SWALLOW WHEN PUTTING YOUR HOME UP FOR SALE
As a Real Estate Agent servicing clients from Coral Springs to Boca Raton Florida, Lynn Pineda highlights that when you get ready to sell a home there are some pretty significant realizations that have to be made if you plan on having any bit of success in selling a home. Hence, 10 tough pills to swallow when selling a home was created by Lynn.
Lynn writes about some of the toughest pills you’ll be exposed to, such as, what can you expect from all of those beautiful upgrades that you’ve made to your home. You’ve made $40,000 in upgrades, can you simply add those costs onto what you paid for your home? What about the effect of eliminating your garage in a neighboring area where Buyers expect a garage in a home? Discover the answers to these and many more tough pill dilemma's in her article detailing <a href="http://imagineyourhouse.com/seller/10-tough-pills-to-swallow-when-selling-a-home-3/" target="_blank">ten tough pills to swallow when selling your home</a>.
What you’ll learn is that once you know what to expect, what really are the tough pills to selling a home and what planning is involved, you’ll be that much better equipped to survive the home selling process. It will be easier to swallow and that’s a good thing. Happy home selling.
5 OBJECTIONS TO SETTING A REALISTIC PRICE FOR HOME
Tina Israelson a top real estate agent from Orlando, Florida talks about the <a href="http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/blog/5-common-objections-realistic-listing-price/" target="_blank">main objections some sellers may have to setting a proper price for their home</a>. The listing price of a home is a major determining factor for how successful the process will be. Overpricing a home is one of the reasons a home will take longer to sell, costing the seller, time and money. Some of the reasons Tina includes are “I am not giving my house away”, “I can always drop the price later”, “I did a lot of upgrades in the home” and more. While the excuses can be plenty the reality is by over pricing a home you run a very high risk that your home will not sell.
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BEST ARTICLES FROM 2016 FOR HOME buyers
VA LOAN Second Tier Entitlement
Luke Skar of Inlanta Mortgage Madison tells about the VA home mortgage. The VA home mortgage is a well-known way to buy a home among veterans and other people associated with the military. However, the <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/va-second-tier-entitlement/" target="_blank">VA second-tier entitlement</a> is not as well-known but can be just as important. This product will give a qualifying veteran another way to buy a home under the VA mortgage guidelines.
One of the main ways that a qualifying veteran or active duty member can use the second-tier entitlement is to allow them to buy another home due to a PCS order. Most of these people would like to retain their current property and rent it out while they relocate to a new base and buy another home.
The lender will be very careful to make sure the veteran meets the specific debt to income guidelines without any special considerations.
Another reason why a person may wish to use the VA second tier entitlement is in an effort to recover from a financially difficult time. If the veteran can provide documented proof that their income and credit has recovered from the hardship, it is possible to get approved for a 2nd VA home mortgage after going through a bankruptcy or foreclosure.
Although the name sounds slightly different, the VA second-tier entitlement has all of the benefits of a VA home loan, including no down payment requirement, no private mortgage insurance, and competitive interest rates.
How Home Buyers Should Be Dealing With A Multiple Offer Situation
For would-be homebuyers, competing against multiple offers to win the home of your dreams can be a very stressful time. It can be especially difficult if you're not adequately prepared with the right multiple offer strategies. Now, if you're working with an experienced Realtor who's been down this road before, then you shouldn't have to worry too much about what those strategies are and which ones might be best to employ in a given situation. Every situation is different and may require a different approach, so be sure to surround yourself with a good team of professionals.
As is the case here and in many markets throughout the United States are experiencing what we call in the real estate industry a "Seller's Market". As a Buyer, you know you're shopping for your next dream home, in a seller's market, when inventory levels are drastically low and there are not enough houses <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/scale_with_home_and_piggy_bank.jpg" width="300" height="406" alt="scale with home and piggy bank" style="float: right;" />available for a large number of potential buyers. This often leads to homes selling much quicker than normal and at a much higher price. The price is commonly inflated due to multiple offers coming from multiple buyers. Basically, it all boils down to the basic economic principle of Supply vs. Demand. If demand is high but the supply is low then prices go up!
In the following article, Justin Culley gives you 5 of the Best and Most Successful Multiple Offer Strategies that you can use to beat those other competing home buyers and win the home of your dreams! Buying a home can be a very emotional process with lots of twists and turns, especially when competing against multiple offers. Make sure you've got a good team around you, with great negotiating strategies, and you might just win the home of your dreams!
Buying A Home In Canada
Without any doubt, the US elections were the highlight of 2016. It has stirred, shaken and even upset some people. Including many celebrities, a multitude of people had threatened to move to Canada. It's clear that many people prefer certainty and a bright future. Perhaps moving across the border is one of the many options. In any case, considering ahead of time the pros and cons of <a href="https://www.joesamson.com/blog/how-to-buy-real-estate-in-canada.html" target="_blank">buying a home in Canada</a> is a wise thing to do.
Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world, which means it has many different types of real estate markets. While in one city the economy might be on crutches, in other locations the real estate market can be running out of control. In certain cities and provinces, homeowners have to pay extra fees to buy or sell a property. It pays to learn about the different perks and setbacks of the area where you might be heading.
This article by Joe Samson, a top Canadian Real Estate Agent will show you what non-residents of Canada need to be aware of when owning real estate in Canada. You will learn about some of the surprises that you want to steer clear of as a foreign investor.
THE DUBIOUS JOYS OF WAITING AND HOW TO STAY SANE DURING REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS.
Whatever side of the home sale transaction you are on, either as the buyer or the seller, the whole process is undeniably a bit stressful. The most excruciating aspect of the whole process can be the WAITING! Waiting for this to happen, waiting for that to happen. Can feel like Waiting for Godot!
Conor MacEvilly a <a href="http://www.myseattlehomesearch.com/about/" target="_blank">Seattle real estate agent</a>, describes how in home sales, there are many steps, each of which comes with its own little, (or not so little), bungle of waiting joy. The buyer anxiously waits to see if their offer gets accepted, the sellers anxiously wait for the buyer’s inspection report and both parties chew on their finger nails (assuming there’s any left at that state) waiting for the dreaded <img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/picture_of_an_emotional_man.jpg" width="300" height="210" alt="emotional man screaming over real estate issues" style="float: right;" />appraisal report to come back. The latter can drag on for two whole weeks.
So how can you, home buyers and sellers of the world, <a href="http://www.myseattlehomesearch.com/blog/buying-and-selling-a-home-and-the-joys-of-waiting-how-to-stay-sane/" target="_blank">retain your sanity during home sales</a> that would test anyone’s patience? Being familiar and educating yourself on the whole transaction process and knowing when each step will take place and how long it will take will help you prepare for the emotional roller coaster ride that lies ahead. For buyers, make sure you familiarize yourself with the mortgage approval process. Making an offer on a home is just part of the process. Knowledge is power…and sanity! Conor also provides you with some completely useless pursuits to keep you distracted and hopefully make time move a little faster. Stay strong!
Smart tips for buying a luxury home
When buying a luxury home one will still go through similar steps as buying a regular home since some of the process is similar. If a luxury home is to be purchased with cash then having proper documentation as to the source and location of the cash is important when presenting an offer to the seller. The seller is interested in seeing that the cash is readily available and in liquid form as opposed to being tied up in stocks or other assets that may take time to sell in order to obtain the liquid cash. If you plan on obtaining financing for the luxury home then the process of getting a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender who specializes in Jumbo Mortgages should be done before you begin visiting homes. By having a pre-approval ready in hand an offer can be submitted at anytime without further delay of having to wait to obtain pre-approval.
Other critical factors include working with a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/about/" target="_blank">Realtor who understand the luxury home</a> market and can help guide your through the maze of paperwork that is invovled with making an offer on a home. A home inspection is a must for any luxury home purchase whether the home is new construction or an existing home. Since the home about to be purchased is a large invesmtent by having an inspection done you are making sure the home is in the best condition it should be as reflected by it's price. You can find other tips for purchasing a luxury home at <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/expert-tips-for-buying-a-luxury-home/" target="_blank">Expert Tips For Buying A Luxury Home</a> by Paul Sian.
Making Your Kitchen Safe For The Kids
Deb Rhodes provides some excellent safety tips for making sure your kitchen is safe for young children. The kitchen is typically the busiest room in the house. It is also the most dangerous and most likely area where a child is at risk for injury. We are all aware of some general ways to child-proof our homes using baby gates, safety latches, plug and knob covers. However, the kitchen has some hidden dangers and needs increased attention to make sure the kids are safe.
Our children and grandchildren are curious little beings and the kitchen is an exciting place to explore and discover. Unfortunately, what is intriguing for a two-year old, can also be quite dangerous. Behind every cabinet door and kitchen drawer lurks possibility of an injury. It's time to take a real look at the <a href="http://blog.debrhodeschathamhomes.com/childproofing-tips-for-the-kitchen/" target="_blank">dangers in your kitchen area</a> and make all the necessary changes to keep those little ones safe
Bottom Line
In 2016 real estate blogging and blogging in general continued at its breathtaking pace. While plenty of aritcles get burried in the avalanche of content I have tried to pull together some of the more notable content from 2016 here. If you found any other great real estate articles from 2016 please feel free to share them in the comment section below.
About the author: The above article “A Look Back At Some Of The Great Real Estate Articles From 2016” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. If you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/sellers/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/buyers/" target="_blank">buying</a> your investment or commercial business property I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I work in the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/indian-hill/" target="_blank">Indian Hill</a>, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2017-01-12T05:00:00-07:002021-03-02T12:14:34-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11445Real Estate Zoning Laws<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2359" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Real_Estate_Zoning_Laws.png" alt="real estate zoning laws picture of downtown cincinnati" width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Real Estate Zoning Laws
Zoning laws are the rules and regulations set by local government to control what types of buildings (residential, commercial, industrial, retail) can be built and where. In order to keep some uniformity and consistency many governments restrict areas so that they are only residential, commercial or industrial in order to avoid conflicts between the different land uses and in order to better provide for allocation of services like utilities, roads, police and fire functions. For instance an industrial plastics factory being built right next to a residential area can cause problems with the people living in those homes since the smell of plastic could affect their property value and quality of living. Additionally a high density residential area will require more services in terms of utilities and roads than an industrial area where there are a few large buildings but with fewer people present.
By controlling land use through zoning governments can ensure property values remain consistent, making a city or town more appealing for existing and new residents. By having uniform sections where only one type of zoning use can be put into place the government ensures a new farm or industrial factory won’t setup next door to nice homes and chase away the residents. Stable property values also leads to a stable tax base which the government can use for more consistent planning of city services and functions. Not only does uniform zoning benefit residential areas it also benefits commercial retail establishments located in one area by helping to shape traffic flows through road construction. Retail centers can be put into places where the streets and roads can handle heavier vehicle traffic versus having lighter use roads in residential areas.
Different Types of Zoning You Will Commonly Find
The basic types of zoning you will find in most every city that have zoning controls are Residential, Commercial and Industrial. Residential zones cover a variety of different types of residences from high density housing like apartment buildings, condo complexes to low density housing like single family residences. Commercial zones cover activities like office spaces, retail outlets, service operations, hotels and similar activities. Industrial zones are areas where manufacturing, warehousing, distribution centers and the like operate.
These basic zoning categories can be further broken down into sub categories in order to further restrict the types of buildings that can be contained within certain zones. For example residential zoning can have sub-categories like R1, R2, R3 which break down residential zones even further. R1 zones might be high density residential like apartment buildings, high rise condominium units, or other clustered residential units. Next R2 may limit residential buildings to smaller apartment buildings with no more <br /><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Picture_of_downtown_area_upload_size.jpg" width="300" height="203" alt="picture of downtown buildings" style="float: right;" />than 4-5 separate family living units per building with R3 being single family residences only. The sub-categories of zoning can also apply to commercial and industrial with similar effect like the residential sub-categories mentioned above.
Some other types of zoning classifications you may find include Agriculture, Rural, Historic, and Combined Zoning which can be a mix of any of the above zoning restrictions. These additional types of zoning classifications depend on the area they are found in. A county with heavily developed residential and commercial zoning may have little to no agriculture or industrial zoning areas simply due to the lack of land available for those purposes.
Occasionally you may find buildings that are being used in a way contrary to the existing zoning rules. If the non-conforming use is being done without the permission of the local zoning board chances are the owner will be forced to comply with the existing zoning uses and may also face fines for the non-conforming use. Other times the non-conforming use may either be grandfathered in since the use predates the change in zoning or the use was approved by the zoning board for something other than as currently zoned. If you are considering purchasing a property whose zoning use is different than what is permitted you should get further information from the zoning board on whether or not the non-conforming use is permitted and therefore legal before making an offer. This is an ideal situation where <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/when-should-you-hire-a-real-estate-attorney/" target="_blank">contacting an attorney who specializes in real estate law and zoning would be a wise thing to do</a>.
Can I Request Zoning Changes For Land I Own?
Local governments usually have zoning boards which decide on how land should be zoned and also hear petitions for zoning changes from the public. These zoning boards can be elected officials, government employees or citizen volunteers with knowledge about the zoning process. Vacant undeveloped land may have been set as a certain type of zoning in the past but due to the changing nature of people and business migration zoning boards generally want the highest and best use of the land without causing harm to other landowners in the same jurisdiction. Therefore if it can be shown that the land is better suited for office buildings instead of industrial zoning the boards are often willing to rezone land to help establish a better use.
In order to have the zoning restriction on land you own changed you will have to file a request with the local zoning board and present your reason as to why you think the zoning should be changed. If your land happens to be land where every other parcel has a single family home you can expect your request for zoning change to commercial or industrial to be denied. On the other hand if you live in a downtown area and your single family home is on a main street that you want to convert into a coffee shop or other business, by showing the economic boost that will happen to the downtown area your request for a zoning change is more likely to be approved.
Zoning and my Home
When you purchase a home chances are the home is located in a residential zoned area. In certain areas residences can be mixed with commercial retail and/or office spaces. This is more often found in downtown areas which have a mix of commercial retail and office spaces as well as residences. The residences found in these areas are more likely to be multi-family apartments and condominiums with the less common single family residences. Sometimes you will find mixed zoning outside of downtown
<img class="alignright wp-image-2362 size-medium" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/magnifying_glass_house.jpg" alt="magnifying glass looking at house" width="300" height="193" style="float: right;" />
areas where zoning boundaries were not present in the past and commercial retail or office space remains in place and was not changed due to grandfathering rules which allow them to continue their business as originally started.
It is always wise to check the zoning plan of the area where you plan to buy a home. If you are looking for an area that is strictly single family residential with no corner stores then you should check the zoning maps for the city where you want to buy a home to see what it has been set as and where the boundaries lie for the different zones. Additionally you should also drive the neighborhood to see if there are any prior use buildings that are still being used for commercial purposes that don’t need to change due to grandfathering rules. Those prior use buildings could affect the enjoyment you might have in your home as compared to an area that does not have any non-conforming zoned buildings.
Bottom Line
Zoning laws govern the types of buildings that can be put up in certain areas and help keep a consistent look to land development. Whether you are buying a home for yourself or looking to purchase a business understanding zoning for your local area is important to help make sure your purchase is something that works well for your needs.
Additional Resources
<a href="https://dwslaterco.blogspot.com/2016/02/how-zoning-can-impact-property-values.html" target="_blank">Zoning's Impact On Property Value</a> by Shannon Slater<br /><a href="https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/building-vacant-land-zoning-issues-you-might-face.html">Vacant Land And Zoning Issues</a> at NOLO.com<br /><a href="http://www.realtor.org/field-guides/field-guide-to-zoning-laws-ordinances" target="_blank">Zoning Field Guide</a> at Realtor.com
About the author: The above article “Real Estate Zoning Laws” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 12+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a> a home, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2016-07-14T19:25:00-07:002018-02-05T10:22:13-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11443The Real Estate Professionals Who Help With Selling Your Home<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2329" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/The_Real_Estate_Professionals_Who_Help_With_Selling_Your_Home.png" alt="the real estate professionals who help with selling you home" width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
The Real Estate Partners Who Help You With Your Home Sale
The process of selling your home is a complicated process with a lot of different activities going on at the same time. Many of the activities are dependent on each other in that the success in one will allow the other to be successful as well. For instance prior to the mortgage lender being able to fund the loan commitment the house must appraise at or above the amount that is being borrowed to purchase the home. In the end though all the activities associated with selling your home do go to one end point and that is the actual sale of your home to the buyers. This article will explain to you the partners who will be working with you and your buyers to help get your home sold.
Putting Home On Market and Purchase Offer
When putting a home on sale a majority of home sellers (more than 85%) use Realtors to list and market their home for sale. Realtors partner with home sellers in order to provide input and guidance on home preparation, home staging, pricing and more in order to put the home in the best possible light for home buyers. Once the preparation stage of the home is complete the home is put on the market through the <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/10-important-real-estate-seller-terms-know/" target="_blank">Multiple Listing Service</a>.
A Realtor will submit an offer on your home in a majority of situations on behalf of their buyer clients. The offer will contain the purchase amount, how the purchase will be made (cash, financing, some other means) and will contain contingencies conditioning the purchase of the home upon home inspection, <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2325" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/keys_paperwork.jpg" alt="real estate contract picture " width="300" height="200" style="float: right;" />appraisal, the obtaining of financing, delivery of clear title and more. When you are selling your home and receive an offer you and the Realtor representing you should review and discuss the terms and conditions of the offer and whether it suits your needs for selling the house.
If you as the home seller or home buyer are not working with a Realtor then it is in your best interest to have a <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/when-should-you-hire-a-real-estate-attorney/" target="_blank">real estate attorney look over the offer</a>. By having an attorney look over an offer you are making sure the offer you get is legally sufficient and is not getting you into a contract to sell your home that you will live to regret. As a buyer you should have an attorney draft up your offer on a home in order to make sure you are protected in your purchase. If any contingency like home inspection, appraisal, financing or more are missing you could find yourself in a contract to buy a home even though the home inspection failed and all because you did not put in the right contingency language in your purchase offer.
Mortgage Lender
The <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/pre-approval-vs-pre-qualification/" target="_blank">mortgage lender should have provided a pre-approval letter for the home purchaser</a> to include with their purchase offer. The mortgage lender will run a credit check and in depth income/debt analysis to ensure the buyer can afford to purchase the home they are making an offer on. Once the buyer and seller are in contract the mortgage lender works behind the scenes with the buyer, buyer’s agent, appraiser and closing company to process the loan and prepare it for funding.
Appraisal
During an <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/podcast-9-real-estate-and-appraisals/" target="_blank">appraisal a licensed Appraiser will come out and examine your home and it’s condition to give the mortgage lender an opinion of the value of the home</a>. If the opinion of value is for more than the amount being borrowed to buy the home then the mortgage lender can proceed onto the next step in their lending process. If the home is appraised for less than the amount that is being borrowed then the contract to purchase the home may be cancelled, the appraisal can be appealed or the buyer and seller can negotiate on how to adjust the home sale price or contribute cash towards reducing the loan amount.
Home Inspector
During a home inspection a home inspector will examine the condition and mechanical functions of the house you are selling in order to advise the seller of any major issues or concerns that need to be further looked at. Depending on your state your home inspector may or may not be required to have a license. Ohio does not have home inspector licensing requirements whereas Kentucky does require home inspectors to be licensed.
The home inspectors report may suggest further evaluation be conducted in areas they find of concern but are unable to give an opinion on. Common areas where further evaluation by professional contractors is recommended include the HVAC system, roof, foundation, garage doors, and plumbing. After the home inspector provides the inspection report the buyers can ask for repairs to be made if needed, ask for a reduction in sales price to account for the condition or can cancel the contract to purchase the home completely if they believe the repairs are too much to deal with.
Title Company
The <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/podcast-3-topic-what-does-a-title-company-do/" target="_blank">Title Company usually gets involved early in house transaction process</a> after an offer to buy a home has been accepted. The title company begins their process by researching the title/deed history of the property to make sure a freely transferable title can be transferred. Often times title companies are owned by attorneys or have attorneys on staff to provide opinions of titles. A clear title is needed for title insurance to be able to be purchased. A mortgage company will not lend for the purchase of a property if title insurance cannot be obtained.
In addition to making sure the title is freely transferable the title company works with the mortgage lenders of the seller and buyer for the transfer of money upon closing day. If the seller has a mortgage
<img class="alignright wp-image-2330 size-medium" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/possible.jpg" alt="man writing possible on glass" width="300" height="216" style="float: right;" />
the title company will obtain a pay off quote for the seller’s mortgage. The title company will also work with the buyer’s mortgage company providing information with regards to the title work, title insurance and by obtaining the mortgage loan check and preparing their own checks for distributing funds to the seller’s mortgage company, Realtors, Home Warranty company, tax authorities and any other bills that may be outstanding on the property.
Bottom Line
As you can see there are many partners involved in a transaction to sell you home. By understanding who is involved in the home sale process you can keep yourself on track and be ready at each step of the way. As mentioned above many of these steps are interdependent on each other so if one step is skipped that could result in your entire home sale falling apart.
Additional Resources
<a href="http://www.joesamson.com/blog/guide-to-choosing-a-trustworthy-home-inspector.html" target="_blank">Guide To Choosing A Great Home Inspector</a> by Joe Samson<br /><a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/difference-between-an-appraisal-and-a-home-inspection/" target="_blank">Bank Appraisal vs. Home Inspection</a> by Kyle Hiscock<br /><a href="http://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/sellers-must-pay-closing-costs-too/" target="_blank">Seller Paid Closing Costs</a> at Realtor.com<br /><a href="http://www.titlesource.com/blog/2016/05/the-home-appraisal-process/" target="_blank">The Home Appraisal Process Infographic</a> at TitleSource.com
About the author: The above article “Tips For Picking The Right Realtor” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 10+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a> a home, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise to help you. Contact me today!
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2016-06-30T18:34:00-07:002016-10-25T19:21:22-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11429Superb Springtime Real Estate Articles For May 2016<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2229" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Superb_Springtime_Real_Estate_Articles_For_May_2016.png" alt="picture of lady with laptop for superb real estate articles" width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Superb Springtime Real Estate Articles For May 2016
May can be a busy month for everyone. School is coming to a close so vacation planning may start or some may be in the midst of moving themselves and may miss some of the great real estate articles presented here on this list. When things do settle down make sure to catch up on all the great real estate reads from real estate bloggers around the world in order to enhance your own knowledge and understanding.
Should You Buy A Fixer Upper?
Yes you may find a good deal on a fixer upper but are you truly ready to undertake what could be many countless hours and plenty of money to fix up the home you are considering? If you buy the wrong home it could end up costing you big time in the long run if everything needed to be fixed up requires a licensed contractor and/or permits. There is a smart way to buy a fixer upper as Ryan Fitzgerald points out in his excellent article "Don't Buy a Fixer Upper (Until you Read This!)". Ryan takes you through many excellent points and smart moves in order to make sure <a href="http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/blog/fixer-upper.html" target="_blank">your purchase of a fixer upper is a smart financial move </a>and does not turn into a big money loser.
Is There A Secret Plan To Selling A Home Fast?
In fact there is a way to sell your home fast and it does not necessarily involve any magic or secret as Lynn Pineda expertly points out in her article entitled "How Can I Sell My Home Fast?" Lynn takes you through the <a href="http://imagineyourhouse.com/seller/how-can-i-sell-my-home-fast/" target="_blank">right approach to selling a home fast</a> and includes detailed information on how best to price your home, how best to present your home, how the marketing should be handled and much more.
Reasons To Get A Home Inspection Before Buying That Home
In this fast pace real estate market many home buyers may think it may be a good move to forgo the home inspection as part of their offer in order to win the battle of multiple offers. While this may seem like a smart move at the time, when you do move into the house and find major problems requiring big dollars up front to fix you may regret making an offer and waiving inspections. Xavier De Buck in his great article "8 Reasons To Get A Home Inspection Before You Buy A House" takes you through some <a href="http://northcliffrealestate.com/real-estate-blog/8-reasons-to-get-a-home-inspection-before-you-buy-a-house/" target="_blank">solid reasoning about how the home inspection can help prevent your dream home from becoming a nightmare</a> by getting it inspected.
Important Contact Numbers To Have
Whether your interest is in real estate or not this article from Teresa Cowart is a great knowledge sharing piece for anyone. Entitled "27 Important Contact Numbers Every Homeowner Should Have On-Hand" it lists out <a href="http://www.teresacowart.com/blog/2016/05/10/27-important-contact-numbers-every-homeowner-should-have-hand" target="_blank">key numbers homeowners should have on-hand in case of emergency</a>. Not only for homeowners though, this list is great for anyone to keep on hand so they don't have to waste time trying to look up the number when the need is immediate.
Does LinkedIn Have Real Estate People I Can Follow
LinkedIn is a great social networking site where you don't have to worry about reading about what people ate or the fact that their sleep patterns are off for some reason. Instead LinkedIn is about people sharing their successes in their careers and sharing the latest greatest articles from many different industries. <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/whos-real-estate-industry-follow-social-media-linkedin/" target="_blank">The real estate people on this great list</a> compiled by Kyle Hiscock entitled "Top Real Estate People To Follow On LinkedIn" is no different in that they share awesome content and up to date information to help those of you interested in real estate.
Next Steps After Seller Rejects Your Offer
Writing on Examiner.com Anita Clark in her article "What Should You Do if The Seller Rejects Your Offer" covers the thought process and ideas you should be considering in case a <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/what-should-you-do-if-the-seller-rejects-your-offer" target="_blank">seller rejects your offer to purchase a home</a>. While rejection is never a pleasant thing there may be takeaways from the rejection <img class="size-medium wp-image-2230 alignright" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/trash_dump_on_man.jpg" alt="woman dumping trash on man" width="300" height="452" style="float: right;" />that lead to you coming back with a stronger offer or maybe finding some better home that suits your needs.
Sold Your Home And Now Time For Packing?
If you sold your home and now are facing the daunting task of packing rest assured that Ferris Property Group has you covered with some "Clever Packing Tips for a Stress-Free Move". While having recently gone through the packing and moving process myself I would argue it could hardly be stress free unless you are in Hawaii enjoying the beach and have paid someone to move you while you are gone. If that is not the case and you do have to move yourself Ferris Property Group provide some <a href="http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com/blog/clever-packing-tips/" target="_blank">great tips to help you pack</a>.
Staging Your Home For Sale
Studies have shown that <a href="http://searchsaltlake.com/real-estate-blog/4-tips-for-staging-your-house-for-spring-showings/" target="_blank">properly staging your home</a> prior to selling results in more buyer interest and the selling price is usually higher as compared to a un-staged home. In "4 Easy Tips for Staging Your House For Sale" Dustin Brohm provides some excellent tips and guidance on some basic home staging tips you should be doing prior to putting your home up for sale. Once staged your home should not only look better in pictures but as well should look better in person when the buyers come to see it in person.
What If Your Home Sucks?
Ok that may be harsh, but what if indeed your home has issues and you are having difficulty selling it? That does not mean all bets are off and you will not be able to sell it as Debbie Drummond expertly discusses in her article "How To Sell The House Nobody Likes". There are many things to consider when selling your home and certain things you do can help you position your home better so that you are able to <a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/blog/how-to-sell-the-house-nobody-likes.html" target="_blank">find that buyer who is ready to make an offer</a>.
Radon And Selling Your Home
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that can cause cancer through prolonged exposure over time. No one intentionally does anything to attract radon into a home like someone letting moisture accumulate and cause mold problems. But radon does happen and buyers often will check to see if there is radon present in a home. The presence of radon in and of itself is not a deal killer as it can be effectively dealt with as expertly pointed out by Marty Snyder in his <a href="http://www.swohiorealestate.com/blog/radon.html" target="_blank">radon article</a>. If you as a buyer get results stating that the a home you are interested does have radon, don't let that end the deal for you as the technology available today can effectively eliminate radon risk in most homes.
Should You Sell Your Home In The Summer?
When done right you can sell your home anytime of year as Bill Gassett will tell you. In his article Summer Home Selling Tips Bill provides <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/summer-home-selling-tips/" target="_blank">ten great tips for selling your home in the summer.</a> From making sure you landscaping does not look dried out and dead to making sure you AC is in peak operating condition and can keep things cool inside you cannot go wrong with the tips he provides.
Credit Score And Mortgage Rates
By <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/how-to-boost-your-credit-score-prior-to-applying-for-a-mortgage-loan/" target="_blank">working to improve your credit score prior to applying for a mortgage</a> you can lower the interest rate you pay over time and be offered better terms and conditions than if your credit score is not that great. In my article How To Boost Your Credit Score Prior To Applying For A Mortgage Loan I take you through the important steps needed to boost your credit score so you can save money when you buy a home.
Bottom Line
May 2016 was an excellent month for real estate related articles. Whether selling, buying or you are just interested in real estate there is plenty of content in this list to keep you educated and informed.
About the author: The above article “Superb Springtime Real Estate Articles For May 2016” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul@CinciNKYRealEstate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 10+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a>, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise.
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2016-05-26T19:41:00-07:002018-02-05T10:27:52-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11395Great Social Media Platforms To Use For Real Estate<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1722" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Great_Social_Media_Platforms_To_Use_For_Real_Estate.png" alt="Great Social Media Platforms To Use For Real Estate graphic" width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Great Social Media Platforms To Use For Real Estate
Being a social media aficionado I find myself with many social media apps on my smartphone and using those many different social media platforms to share my knowledge. Social media is great in that it allows direct interaction and sharing of knowledge and information with anyone. As an active blogger I try use social media to help spread the word about the articles I have written so that someone out there may find some answers to a problem they are having or to a situation they have encountered. Not only do I share my own content on social media and I am also sharing the content of other experts through my social media accounts as can be seen by my articles <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/top-35-bloggers-social-media-real-estate-power-players/" target="_blank">35 Top Bloggers and Social Media Power Players</a> and by my <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/blog/best-real-estate-blog-articles-2015/" target="_blank">Best of 2015 Real Estate Articles</a>. There is a lot of great information out there on the internet and social media is a great way to share the best content.
Content curation social networks like List.ly, Scoop.it, and others help social media sharers organize the content they want to share in one easy location. The advantage with many of these networks is your ability to organize groups of articles into topics to make it easy to find. This allows you to have a real estate section, a YouTube video section, a podcast section or a combination of that and more. It is a great way to share the stuff you find to be valuable and informative in one location. Take a look at these platforms and decide which ones can help you share the content you enjoy.
Social Media Platforms You May Not Be Familiar With
Scoop.it is great social media platform to organize and collect articles, stories and videos that you find interesting. Scoop.it allows contributors to add their own input as to why an article is interesting to read. I use my Scoop.it account to pull together all the interesting real estate content that I find or have written about. This allows readers to read through my Scoops and see which article might be of interest to them. <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1727" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/phone_with_social_media_apps.jpg" alt="phone with social media apps" width="300" height="218" style="float: right;" />A reader interested in selling a home can skip the Scoops about buying a home and only focus on the home selling articles that look interesting to them. It saves the reader from having to go back and forth between different sites. <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/real-estate-by-paul-sian">You can visit my Scoop.It page here</a>.
Storify lets users create stories or timelines by sharing content from other social media platforms. You can create a story by selecting Instagram pictures, Facebook posts, Twitter tweets, YouTube videos and more. Once you select the posts from the source sites you can then organize in the order you want and add captions to describe the progression in your story. The user interface is very easy to use. I use Storify to organize my podcasts and the YouTube versions of the same podcasts. <a href="https://storify.com/PaulPsian">Check out my Storify page here</a>.
List.ly is a social media platform allowing you to create lists out of other social media posts. Not only can you create lists on your own you can also create lists collaboratively with others. List.ly has different layouts with which to display the collection of content you have assembled. <a href="http://list.ly/paul-sian/lists">Here is a link to a couple of my lists.</a>
The Bundlr social media platform allows you to gather together videos, web links and more and bundle them into a common themed collection to share with your readers. It is very easy to use and relatively inexpensive to sign-up for their premium features. <a href="http://bundlr.com/u/paulpsian">You can find my Bundlr page over here</a>.
Tumblr is kind of like an all in one package of social media sharing and blog platform in one. It is quite easy to use and you can setup different blog pages on different topics. After signing up for Tumblr you can create pages based on the topic of your choosing and then start to blog however you want to blog. If you want to start a blog without any initial money upfront Tumblr is a place you should visit. To visit my real estate Tumblr blog <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/cincinkyrealestate" target="_blank">click here</a>.
Quora is a question and answer type of social media site. If you have a question that you would like an expert to answer, post it on Quora and depending on the question you should get a number of answers from experts around the world. The beauty of Quora is that the best answers get voted up and are prominently shown under the question. Other answers are present so you can get differing view points as well. <a href="https://www.quora.com/profile/Paul-Sian" target="_blank">You can visit my Quora page here</a>.
Slideshare is a social media platform where you can share your slide presentations with others. Whether your slide presentation is about a new product, your services or something else, you can upload your slides into Slideshare and share with anyone you want. It is a pretty easy platform to use. Create your slides in a slide program and upload them into Slideshare for sharing with your audience. To see some examples of my slides that I have shared check out my <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/paulsian" target="_blank">Slideshare page here</a>.
BagTheWeb is another content curation type social media platform where you can collect stories from around the internet and organize them into "bags" for sharing with others. So say for instance you would like to collect all blog articles about mortgages in one place to share with others, with BagTheWeb you would add the links to the various stories in a bag and use that as a way to share with others who may be interested. BagTheWeb is pretty easy to use and straightforward in its approach to collect and share information from around the internet. <a href="http://www.bagtheweb.com/u/cincinkyrealestate/bags" target="_blank">You can find my BagTheWeb profile here</a>.
About.me is kind of like a one stop shop for connecting all your social media accounts. You can link your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and more accounts in one place. You bio page on About.me is <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1725" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Pick_Your_Platform_For_Success.png" alt="Picture of keyboard with social media buttons" width="300" height="300" style="float: right;" />where you can tell the world about yourself and how to find your other accounts. <a href="https://about.me/psian">You can find my About.me page here</a>.
The Popular Social Networks
Twitter is probably my favorite social network to use because of its simplicity and the limited character count for each post forces one to focus on a particular point and not overload extra information. Twitter is a very fast network in that depending on how many people you follow you may see lots of tweets in your stream. Because of the speed of Twitter though repeating tweets periodically is not viewed as a bad thing. Of course it you are auto tweeting the same listing or the same tweet over and over every few seconds you will either get shut down as a spammer or you will get unfollowed by people who are annoyed at you filling up their feed with the same message. <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulPsian">Click here to follow me on Twitter.</a>
Google+(also known as G+) is a social network created by Google that combines some of the best features of Twitter and Facebook. In G+ you have the ability to “circle” people that you want to follow and interact with. The G+ circles can be broken down into categories. So you can have one circle for friends, one for family members, one for business contacts, and similar for other categories you create. The G+ circles allow you to then control which circle you can view in your newsfeed. So if you don’t want to see everything all at once then you can just view the information from your family or friends circle to catch up with what they are doing. The circle feature is very helpful in controlling the amount of updates you see and making it only so you see the ones you want to see as opposed to other social media platforms which just hit you with everything. You may hear some people say that G+ is dead or a ghost town but that is quite far from the truth. G+ is a highly engaged social media network that you should check out and see what it has to offer. <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PaulSian/posts">Here is the link to my G+ page where you can add me to one of your circles.</a>
Facebook is a social network where the conversation is more casual as compared to some of the other platforms. Many Facebook users connect with friends to keep up to date on what they are doing, life events, local happenings, places to meet and more. Being overly sales oriented gets one ignored or worse unfriended. So with Facebook one should be sharing helpful information and content to connect with people. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/realtorpaulsian/">Here is the link where you can like my Facebook Page and get updates on when I post a new blog article</a>.
LinkedIn is the social network for professionals. You will find more posts on business happenings, training classes, career moves, skill sets as opposed to what you just had for lunch. LinkedIn is a more formal network where many pictures are of people in their professional work attire. Posts on LinkedIn have a tendency to be short, sweet and to the point. It is a great place to connect with other people and just network. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sian-9701906">Click here for my LinkedIn profile</a>.
YouTube is a social media platform for sharing videos. For those who may not have the time to read articles, or instead prefer to watch something visual YouTube fills that need. Considering the amount of video content there is on YouTube on almost every topic imaginable it is no wonder that YouTube is considered the second largest search engine on the Internet. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulSianRealtorwithHERRealtorsCincinnati">Visit my YouTube channel here</a>.
Pinterest is more of a visual social network where text has a less important role compared to the actual image that is being shared. People on Pinterest “pin” images to their boards and use that to link to products, pages, websites, information and more. There are shared community boards on Pinterest where those invited can pin their pins to the community boards and interact with others in that community. Pinterest is a great social network for visual discovery. Find some pinned image that grabs your eye and then click on the pin to get taken to a website that can give you more information about the topic you are interested in. <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/paulsian/" target="_blank">My Pinterest profile page is found here</a>.
Instagram is mainly a social picture sharing platform. Take a picture and share it to Instagram for others to see, comment on, or like. Instagram has the ability to share your pictures to other social media platforms as well. So you not only can publish a picture to Instagram you can also share to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and more at the same time. Instagram also provides basic easy to use photo editing tools and filters for you to customize your picture to your liking. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cincinkyrealestate/" target="_blank">Here is the link to my Instagram profile page</a>.
Bottom Line
Social media is about sharing knowledge and information. With the many different social media platforms the act organizing and sharing that information can be a challenge. But with some of the social media platforms mentioned above you should be able to share the articles you love with those connected to you.
Additional Resources
For more knowledge on social media platforms to use with real estate check out the following:
<a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/top-marketing-tips-20-real-estate-social-media-professionals/" target="_blank">Top Marketing Tips From 20 Real Estate and Social Media Professionals</a> by Bill Gassett at MaxRealEstateExposure.com
<a href="http://blog.resaas.com/articles/2015/11/what-to-post-on-facebook-twitter-linkedin-pinterest-and-instagram-for-real-estate" target="_blank">What to Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram for Real Estate</a> by Katherine Tattersfield posting on RESAAS.com
<a href="http://www.point2.com/blog/2015/01/19/3-tips-social-media-success-real-estate-agents/" target="_blank">3 Tips for Social Media Success for Real Estate Agents</a> by Kyle Hiscock posting on Point2.com
<a href="https://www.easyagentpro.com/blog/real-estate-social-media-marketing/" target="_blank">30 Effective Real Estate Social Media Marketing Tactics To Work Smarter [INFOGRAPHIC]</a> by Tyler Zey posting on EasyAgentPro.com
About the author: The above article “Great Social Media Platforms To Use For Real Estate” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul.sian@herrealtors.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 10+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a>, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise.
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2015-12-24T10:34:00-07:002018-02-05T10:48:53-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11393Best Real Estate Blog Articles For 2015<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1690" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Best_Real_Estate_Articles_For_2015.png" alt="Image with text that says Best Real Estate Blog Articles For 2015." width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Best Real Estate Blog Articles of 2015
There are many blogs out there and with the amount of content produced daily it can be overwhelming to find good sources of information. With that in mind I put together a list of the best real estate blog articles for 2015. These are articles that I find to be thoughtful, insightful or informative. The bloggers who wrote these articles go out of their way to share the latest information with any reader who is wanting to be up to date in real estate. These articles are presented in no particular order and cover a wide variety of real estate topics.
The List
Bill Gassett of <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/ma/featured-articles/" target="_blank">MaxRealEstateExposure.com</a> wrote about <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/tax-advantages-of-owning-a-home-2/" target="_blank">home ownership tax advantages</a> in 2015 and it is a good time to get refreshed on this topic with tax season right around the corner. Knowing what tax benefits home ownership gets you is important so you are not leaving money on the table.
<a href="http://www.debrhodeschathamhomes.com/#!Garage-Sale-Tips-Tricks/c6w1/5557cd240cf21fee139496bc" target="_blank">Need some garage sale suggestions</a>? Well Deb Rhodes of <a href="http://www.debrhodeschathamhomes.com/" target="_blank">DebRhodesChathamHomes.com</a> has you covered. When getting your home ready for sale reducing clutter and getting rid of unwanted items should be a goal. This article by Deb gets you on the road to having a successful garage sale that will help your home look better when it comes time to put it on the market.
When it comes time to buy a home, getting a mortgage is a key part of the process. Having all your paperwork ready and knowing what to expect will help make the process smoother. Kyle Hiscock of <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/real-estate-blog/" target="_blank">RochesterRealEstateBlog.com</a> put together this <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/top-10-frequently-asked-questions-regarding-mortgages/" target="_blank">10 FAQs about mortgages</a> to help buyers understand the mortgage process.
Anita Clark at <a href="http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/" target="_blank">SellingWarnerRobbins.com</a> wrote about <a href="http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/2015/12/overpricing-home-bad-idea/" target="_blank">why an overpriced home may lead to failure</a>. In her article she talks about the reasons why some people overprice and what can happen in the long term when you have an overpriced home. Her article is a great read for anyone gearing up to sell their home in the spring.
Luke Skar of <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/blog/" target="_blank">MadisonMortgageGuys.com</a> wrote about <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/converting-primary-residence-to-rental-property/" target="_blank">converting a home to a rental</a>. The reason someone may want to do that is to add an income property to their investment mix, or maybe they want to rent the home to a family member and move somewhere else. Whatever the reason, it is doable and <img class="alignright wp-image-1403 size-medium" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/bilnds.jpg" alt="laptop computer window blinds " width="300" height="200" style="float: right;" />you have options to consider for buying another home.
For those planning to sell their home during 2016 getting an idea of who should sell the home is an important question that should be answered. Lynn Pineda of <a href="http://www.imagineyourhouse.com/" target="_blank">ImagineYourHouse.com</a> wrote about <a href="http://www.imagineyourhouse.com/2015/05/15/4-methods-to-selling-a-home-which-works-best/#more-9524" target="_blank">the different methods to selling your home</a> where she talks about the different methods to selling your home and what each entails.
Knowing what is involved in the real estate sales contract is important information since when combined with a mortgage you are looking at a very long term commitment. Chris Finney of <a href="http://finneylawfirm.com/" target="_blank">FinneyLawFirm.com</a> wrote this excellent article on <a href="http://finneylawfirm.com/2015/08/29/real-estate-101-contract-basics/" target="_blank">real estate contract basics</a>. The article does a great job of boiling down the legal terms of a real estate sales contract and making it easier to understand what is involved.
Karen Highland of <a href="http://frederickrealestateonline.com/" target="_blank">FrederickRealEstateOnline.com</a> looks at the <a href="http://frederickrealestateonline.com/why-zestimates-are-zillows-weak-spot/" target="_blank">issues with the Zestimates</a> that Zillow provides to people who come to look at homes on their website. The Zestimates provided by Zillow are based on a computer program and do not take into account real differences in homes like upgrades, wear and tear, quality of materials and more. Be wary about using Zestimates to price your home or to make an offer on a home as the amount you you use could end up costing you more than it has to.
Jeff Knox of <a href="http://www.knoxre.com/" target="_blank">KnoxRE.com</a> put together a great comprehensive guide <a href="http://www.knoxre.com/blog/how-to-buy-a-house-from-start-to-finish.html" target="_blank">on how to buy a home from start to the end</a>. If you are unfamiliar with the home buying process or need to learn about a certain part of the buying process then this is a must read article. Packed full of information and an easy to read Infographic you will get off on the right foot in the home buying process with Jeff’s article.
The thought process of should one <a href="http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/increase-your-square-footage-by-moving-or-renovating/" target="_blank">sell their home and move or renovate</a> and stay is expertly covered by Wendy Weir of <a href="http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/" target="_blank">WendyWeirRelocation.com</a>. The thought of renovating one’s home may not be that appealing due to the amount of work or costs involved. In Wendy’s article she talks about one home renovation where the renovation was done without affecting the main parts of the home until towards the end of the project thus making the whole process easier on the homeowners.
Just because your credit history may not be perfect does not mean you should write off home ownership. In fact with interest rates still at historical lows, buying a home now is quite affordable and you may find that your rent payment might just be the same amount as your mortgage payment. Tim Lucas of <a href="http://mymortgageinsider.com/" target="_blank">MyMortgageInsider.com</a> writes that a <a href="http://mymortgageinsider.com/new-fha-policy-for-low-credit-home-buyers-7494/" target="_blank">low credit score</a> may not hurt you under new FHA guidelines. With buying a home being as affordable as it is you should seriously consider if homeownership is the thing for you.
Earnest money in the home buying process is an important step to take since it shows the seriousness of an offer. <a href="http://madhomesutah.com/fine/real/estate/blog/22347" target="_blank">Understanding what earnest money is and how it is applied</a> to the home purchase is expertly described by Angela Duong of <a href="http://madhomesutah.com/" target="_blank">MadHomesUtah.com</a>. Whether you are buying or selling knowing about earnest money is important.
Ryan Fitzgerald of <a href="http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/" target="_blank">RaleighRealtyHomes.com</a> takes you <a href="http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/blog/7-cost-nothing-tips-to-sell-your-home-faster.html" target="_blank">through some quick and easy tips</a> to get your home ready for sale. Follow the tips Ryan presents and you put your home in better position to sell faster and take home a higher amount.
For sellers when putting your home on the market it is key to disclose information that is required by law. Often times not clear what should be disclosed. Debbie Drummond of <a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/" target="_blank">TheLasVegasLuxuryHomePro.com</a> has an article dealing specifically with <a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/blog/what-should-you-disclose-when-selling-your-home.html" target="_blank">what you need to disclose</a> and the potential risk of not disclosing. Disclosure issues can wind up in court and the issues can take their time to get fully resolved.
When buying a home, it is important to make sure the home you are getting is ready to be moved into and won’t give you any surprises in the future. With that idea in mind Andrew Fortune of <a href="http://www.greatcoloradohomes.com/" target="_blank">GreatColoradoHomes.com</a> created a wrote a great article and included a great infographic giving you a home buyers checklist of <a href="http://www.greatcoloradohomes.com/blog/10-items-to-check-before-falling-in-love-with-a-house-for-sale-in-colorado-springs.html" target="_blank">10 items you should look into before buying a home</a>.
If your home expired and you are looking to reset and figure out what could be done better the next time then Tina Israelson of <a href="http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/" target="_blank">OrlandoTinaRealtor.com</a> has just the blog article for you. In her blog article Tina <a href="http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/blog/8-reasons-why-your-home-still-market/" target="_blank">discusses 8 areas</a> where you may find room for improvement that should help your home sell the next time your list for sale.
Looking for a list of things not to do while your home is on the market? Then take a look over at <a href="http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com/" target="_blank">FerrisPropertyGroup.com</a> writing about <a href="http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com/blog/7-deadly-home-seller-sins/" target="_blank">7 deadly sins to avoid</a> while trying to sell your home. Miss any of these steps and you may turn off potential buyers resulting in no sale.
When buying a home usually everything goes smoothly and you can move into the home after closing. What happens if after the closing the seller is still in the home is not moving out? That situation becomes<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1685" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/home_in_hand.jpg" alt="home in hand" width="300" height="259" style="float: right;" /> trickier. Teresa Cowart at <a href="http://teresacowart.com/" target="_blank">TeresaCowart.com</a> runs through the scenario of <a href="http://www.teresacowart.com/blog/2015/09/22/how-handle-seller-wont-move-out" target="_blank">how to handle the seller who won’t leave</a> and provides some good advice for buyers facing that situation.
Interested in buying a new construction home and not sure of the process? Michael Roberts Custom Homes at <a href="http://robertscc.com/blog/" target="_blank">RobertsCC.com </a>explains <a href="http://robertscc.com/whats-different-about-buying-new-construction/" target="_blank">What's Different About Buying New Construction</a>. From the ability to pick the features you want, financing differences, to the warranties offered the blog article on their web site provides a great explanation of what is different and what you should be expecting.
When is the best time to change/work on any flooring? When the furniture is not around. For buyers who just bought their home changing the carpet or <a href="http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/when-is-the-best-time-to-sand-and-refinish-hardwood-floors.html" target="_blank">refinishing hardwood floors</a> as noted by Debbie Gartner of <a href="http://theflooringgirl.com/" target="_blank">TheFlooringGirl.com</a> should be done prior to moving in. That way none of your belongings are affected by the dust or smells that come from the refinishing process.
When buying land you may want to consider the land value as an appraiser would consider it. Shannon Slater at <a href="http://www.dwslaterco.com/" target="_blank">DWSlaterCo.com</a> in an article talks exactly about that. Taking you through <a href="http://www.dwslaterco.com/#!Lets-Talk-Some-Dirt-A-Look-at-Land-Values-in-Real-Estate/ccs2/550e8d840cf23050bc8b97b0" target="_blank">the steps of determining the value of land</a> Shannon's excellent article goes through the steps of how an appraiser looks at land value.
Bottom Line
I hope you find the articles on the list to be as informative as I do. Feel free to add your comments or add suggestions as to which other real estate articles you think were great ones in 2015.
About the author: The above article “Best Real Estate Blog Articles For 2015” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul@cincinkyrealestate.com">paul@cincinkyrealestate.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 10+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/ready-sell-home/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a>, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise.
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/anderson-township-ohio/" target="_blank">Anderson Township</a>, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2015-12-17T10:26:00-07:002018-02-05T10:51:36-07:00Paul Siantag:cincinkyrealestate.com,2012-09-20:11353Top 35 Bloggers & Social Media Real Estate Power Players<img class="alignright wp-image-1247 size-full" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Top_35_Bloggers__Social_Media_Power_Players.png" alt="Picture of people Working together top social media real estate agents" width="800" height="800" style="vertical-align: middle;" />
Top 35 Bloggers & Social Media Power Players in the Real Estate Industry
We live in a world where things start and often end with the Internet. Real estate is no different in that people looking to buy or sell a home begin their search online. Whether searching for information on how to sell a home or looking for a real estate agent to help them out the Internet is where it is at. With this recent posting of mine I am compiling a list of the Top 35 Bloggers and Social Media Real Estate Power Players on the Internet. Many of these bloggers and social media users are very active in spreading and sharing knowledge to anyone and everyone who needs it. I would recommend you follow, connect, circle, or like all of these people in the list in order to learn from those willing to teach or to get assistance from those willing to help.
Real Estate Agents
Bill Gassett at <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/">http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/</a> is a top Massachusetts real estate agent, very active blogger, highly active social media personality, 28 year real estate industry veteran and all around great sharer of knowledge and information. If there is any topic in real estate you want to know more about Bill has probably written about it on his blog. Bill is very active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more. Bill’s recent article on <a href="http://www.maxrealestateexposure.com/what-is-an-escrow-holdback/" target="_blank">escrow holdback</a> is a great read.
Anita Clark at <a href="http://www.sellingwarnerrobins.com/" target="_blank">http://www.sellingwarnerrobins.com/</a> is a top real estate agent and blogger in the Warner Robins and Houston County, Georgia area. Anita is very active on social media and you can find her sharing great information and knowledge on Google+, Twitter, Pinterest and more. Anita's recent article on <a href="http://sellingwarnerrobins.com/2015/08/amenities-every-luxury-home-needs/" target="_blank">features every luxury home</a> is a great read.
Debbie Drummond at <a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/">http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/</a> is a top Las Vegas, Nevada real estate agent and blogger who is very active on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and more. Debbie knows the ins and outs of how to get a luxury home sold as demonstrated by her great blog posts. Debbie's recent article on <a href="http://www.thelasvegasluxuryhomepro.com/blog/what-should-you-disclose-when-selling-your-home.html" target="_blank">home disclosure issues</a> is a great read.
Kyle Hiscock at <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/">http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/</a> is a top Rochester, New York real estate agent and blogger who works in a Father Son team with his dad Keith Hiscock. Both Kyle and Keith have over 30 years of real estate experience combined and that experience is readily seen through their information packed blog posts. Kyle's recent article on <a href="http://www.rochesterrealestateblog.com/tips-for-selling-a-home-with-kids/" target="_blank">selling a home when kids are involved</a> is a great read.
Karen Highland at <a href="http://frederickrealestateonline.com/">http://frederickrealestateonline.com/</a> is a top Maryland real estate agent, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Karen and her husband Chris Highland are a dynamic duo when it comes to representing their clients real estate needs in the Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Howard & Washington Counties of Maryland since 1993. Karen's recent article on <a href="http://frederickrealestateonline.com/five-mortgage-mishaps-to-avoid/ Her" target="_blank">mortgage mishaps</a> to avoid is a great read.
Lynn Pineda at <a href="http://www.imagineyourhouse.com/">http://www.imagineyourhouse.com/</a> is a top Southeast Florida real estate agent, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Lynn is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and more. Lynn's recent article on <a href="http://www.imagineyourhouse.com/2015/08/08/decoding-buyer-feedback-when-selling-a-home/#more-9770" target="_blank">understanding buyer feedback</a> is a great read.
Ryan Fitzgerald at <a href="http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/">http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/</a> is a top Raleigh, North Carolina real estate agent, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Ryan is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Ryan's recent article on <a href="http://www.raleighrealtyhomes.com/blog/sell-your-home-for-more-money-than-your-neighbors.html" target="_blank">how to sell your home for more than your neighbor</a> is a great read.
Andrew Fortune at <a href="http://www.greatcoloradohomes.com/">http://www.greatcoloradohomes.com/</a> is a top Colorado Springs real estate broker, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Andrew is active on Google+, Twitter and more. Andrew's recent article on the new <a href="http://www.greatcoloradohomes.com/blog/game-changing-new-cfpb-real-estate-regulations-part-1-who-chooses-the-title-company.html" target="_blank">CFPB regulations</a> is a great read.
Jeff Knox at <a href="http://www.knoxre.com/">http://www.knoxre.com/</a> is a Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas real estate broker/owner of Knox & Associates, and active blogger. Jeff is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Jeff's recent article on <a href="http://www.knoxre.com/blog/nine-reasons-why-listing-with-a-realtor-beats-fsbo.html" target="_blank">reasons why a FSBO is not the way to go</a> is a great read.
Wendy Weir at <a href="http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/">http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/</a> is a top Oakland County, Michigan real estate agent, blogger and social media enthusiast. Wendy is active of Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Wendy's recent article on <a href="http://www.wendyweirrelocation.com/5-tips-to-help-you-nail-a-top-home-service-pros/" target="_blank">getting the best service professional</a> is a great read.
Xavier De Buck at <a href="http://www.immoafrica.net/">http://www.immoafrica.net/</a> is a top Northclif, Johannesburg real estate agent, blogger and social media enthusiast. Xavier is active on Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter and more. Xavier's recent article on <a href="http://www.immoafrica.net/resources/7-home-seller-mistakes-to-avoid-when-choosing-an-estate-agent/" target="_blank">7 mistakes to avoid which choosing an estate agent</a> is a great read.
Teresa Cowart at <a href="http://teresacowart.com/">http://teresacowart.com/</a> is a top Savannah, Georgia real estate agent, blogger and social media enthusiast. Teresa can be found on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and more. Teresa's recent article on <a href="http://teresacowart.com/designing-an-outdoor-kitchen/" target="_blank">designing an outdoor kitchen</a> is a great read.
Dan Miller at <a href="http://www.madcitydreamhomes.com/">http://www.madcitydreamhomes.com/</a> is a top Madison, Wisconsin real estate agent, blogger and social media enthusiast. Dan is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Dan's recent article on <a href="http://www.madcitydreamhomes.com/blog/its-time-to-prepare-for-next-years-listing.html" target="_blank">getting ready to list next year</a> is a great read.
Tina Israelson at <a href="http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/">http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/</a> is a top Orlando, Florida real estate agent, blogger and social media enthusiast. Tina is active on Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook and more. Tina's recent post on <a href="http://www.orlandotinarealtor.com/what-a-realtor-does-for-a-home-buyer-that-zillow-cannot/" target="_blank">what a real estate agent can do that Zillow does not</a> is a great read.
Jeff Gould at <a href="http://www.fishhawkranchrealestate.net" target="_blank">http://www.fishhawkranchrealestate.net</a> is a top Tampa Bay, Florida real estate agent, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Jeff is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and more. Jeff's recent article on <a href="http://www.fishhawkranchrealestate.net/preparing-your-fishhawk-ranch-home-for-property-showings/" target="_blank">preparing your home for showings</a> is a great read.
Ferris Property Group at <a href="http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com" target="_blank">http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com</a> is a top Indianapolis, Indiana real estate group, active in blogging and social media. Ferris Property Group is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and more. Their recent article giving <a href="http://www.ferrispropertygroup.com/blog/living-room-design-tips/" target="_blank">5 design tips for your living room</a> is a great read.
Barb Bottitta at <a href="http://www.lvhomeexpert.com/">http://www.lvhomeexpert.com/</a> is a top Allentown, Pennsylvania real estate agent and social media enthusiast. Barb is active on Google+, Twitter and more.
Mark Brian at <a href="http://uglybuthonest.com" target="_blank">http://uglybuthonest.com</a> is a top real estate agent in Anderson, South Carolina, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Mark is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and more.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-1249" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/man_social_media_icons.jpg" alt="picture of blocks spelling out blog." width="400" height="276" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; vertical-align: middle;" />
Attorney
Chris Finney at <a href="http://finneylawfirm.com/">http://finneylawfirm.com/</a> and <a href="https://ivypointetitle.com/">https://ivypointetitle.com/</a> is an Ohio and Kentucky licensed attorney, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Chris focuses on commercial, public interest, real estate law in his practice. He was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to sit down with me and record a podcast on <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/podcast-3-topic-what-does-a-title-company-do/" target="_blank">What A Title Company Does</a>. Chris's recent article on <a href="http://finneylawfirm.com/2015/08/16/advanced-commercial-real-estate-options-to-purchase/" target="_blank">commercial real estate options to purchase</a> is a great read.
Home Inspectors
Todd Engle at <a href="http://www.goodeyeinspections.com/">http://www.goodeyeinspections.com/</a> is a Cincinnati, Ohio home inspector and active social media enthusiast. Todd is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and more. Todd was kind enough to sit down with me for one of my podcasts about <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/podcast-1-topic-home-inspections/" target="_blank">Home Inspections</a>.
Structure Tech at <a href="http://www.structuretech1.com/">http://www.structuretech1.com/</a> is a St. Louis Park, Minnesota home inspection company. Active in blogging and social media Structure Tech can be found on Google+, Facebook and more. Their recent article on <a href="http://www.structuretech1.com/2015/08/air-conditioners-in-attics-leaks-make-a-big-mess/" target="_blank">air conditioners leaking in attics</a> is a great read.
Mike Chamberlain at <a href="http://www.mc2inspections.com/">http://www.mc2inspections.com/</a> is a Denver, Colorado home inspector, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Mike is active on Google+, Twitter and more. Mike's recently shared post on <a href="http://www.mc2inspections.com/our-blog/water-damage-common-interior-sources" target="_blank">interior sources of water damage</a> is a very informative video.
Real Estate Appraisers
Ryan Lundquist at http://www.sacramentoappraisalblog.com is a Sacramento, California real estate appraiser, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Ryan is active on Google+. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and more. Ryan's recent article on <a href="http://www.sacramentoappraisalblog.com" target="_blank">including two separate plots in one appraisal</a> is a great read.
Shannon Slater at <a href="http://dwslaterco.blogspot.com/">http://dwslaterco.blogspot.com/</a> is a Dallas, Texas real estate appraiser, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Shannon is active on Google+, Twitter and more. Shannon's recent article on <a href="http://dwslaterco.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-real-estate-appraising-is-like.html" target="_blank">appraising is Like a Track Meet</a> is a great read.
Tom Horn is a residential real estate appraiser in Birmingham, Alabama, active blogger and social media enthusiast. Tom's recent post on <a href="http://birminghamappraisalblog.com/appraisal/does-the-reason-for-the-loan-determine-the-homes-value/" target="_blank">home loan as related to value</a> is a great read.
Real Estate Investment Bloggers
Seth Williams at <a href="http://retipster.com/">http://retipster.com/</a> is a top blogger and social media enthusiast in the real estate investment area. Seth is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and more. Seth's recent post on <a href="http://retipster.com/offer-accepted-now-what/" target="_blank">what happens after an offer is accepted</a> is a great read.
Mark Ferguson at <a href="http://investfourmore.com/">http://investfourmore.com/</a> is a top blogger and social media enthusiast in the real estate investment area. Mark is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Mark's recent post on <a href="http://investfourmore.com/2015/08/much-money-real-estate-agents-make-first-year-3/" target="_blank">how much a real estate agent makes in their first year</a> is a great read.
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-1250" src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/584/image/Peace.jpg" alt="Picture of homes on a field and quote from Kofi Annan Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. " width="400" height="250" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; vertical-align: middle;" />
Mortgage Professionals
Luke Skar at <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/">https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/</a> is the web developer, web master, SEO specialist and a top blogger for Inlanta Mortgage – Madison. Luke is stellar at what he does and great at helping others achieve great results. Luke is active on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Luke's recent post about <a href="https://www.madisonmortgageguys.com/converting-primary-residence-to-rental-property/" target="_blank">converting a primary residence into a rental</a> is a great read.
Michael Mann at <a href="http://themichaelmannteam.com/">http://themichaelmannteam.com/</a> is a top mortgage planner, blogger and social media enthusiast. Michael is active on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more. Michael's recent post about <a href="https://workhardplayhardweekly.wordpress.com/2015/08/17/where-are-mortgage-rates-headed-this-fall-next-year/" target="_blank">where mortgage rates are headed in the near future</a> is a great read.
Home Improvement
Debbie Gartner at <a href="http://theflooringgirl.com/">http://theflooringgirl.com/</a> is a top flooring expert based out of West Chester County, New York. Debbie is also very active in blogging and in social media. Debbie is active on Google+, Twitter and more. Debbie's recent article on <a href="http://theflooringgirl.com/blog/dark-floors-vs-light-floors-pros-and-cons.html" target="_blank">dark floors vs light floors</a> is a great read.
Real Estate Related
Abacoa Homes at <a href="http://www.jupiterabacoahomes.us/">http://www.jupiterabacoahomes.us/</a> is a real estate portal and guide for homes in Jupiter, Florida. Abacoa Homes is active on Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and more.
Ballenisles Homes at <a href="http://www.ballenislesre.com/">http://www.ballenislesre.com/</a> is a real estate portal and guide for homes in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Ballenisles Homes is active on Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and more.
Mizner Country Club Real Estate at <a href="http://www.waterfront-properties.com/delraybeachmiznercountryclub.php" target="_blank">http://www.waterfront-properties.com/delraybeachmiznercountryclub.php</a> is a real estate portal and guide for homes in Delray Beach, Florida. Mizner is active on Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and more.
Tyler Zey at <a href="https://www.easyagentpro.com/blog/">https://www.easyagentpro.com/blog/</a> is a real estate marketing expert and blogger helping real estate agents build leads with great internet marketing ideas. Tyler is active on Google+, Twitter and more.
Adrienne Hollis at <a href="http://www.google.com/+AdrienneHollis">http://www.google.com/+AdrienneHollis</a> is a real estate administrator and social media enthusiast. Adrienne is a prolific sharer of real estate blogs, statistics and more. Adrienne can be found on Google+, Twitter and more.
Anyone I missed on the list? Please mention them in the comments below. Looking for a real estate professional in your area? Get in touch with me and I can help you find someone to help you out!
About the author: The above article “Top 35 Bloggers & Social Media Power Players in the Real Estate Industry” was provided by Paul Sian. Paul can be reached at <a href="mailto:paul.sian@herrealtors.com">paul.sian@herrealtors.com</a> or by phone at 513-560-8002. With over 10+ years experience, if you’re thinking of <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/home-value/" target="_blank">selling</a> or <a href="https://www.cincinkyrealestate.com/find-home-now/" target="_blank">buying</a>, I would love to share my marketing knowledge and expertise.
I service the following Greater Cincinnati, OH and Northern KY areas: Alexandria, Amberly, Amelia, Anderson Township, Cincinnati, Batavia, Blue Ash, Covington, Edgewood, Florence, Fort Mitchell, Fort Thomas, Hebron, Hyde Park, Indian Hill, Kenwood, Madeira, Mariemont, Milford, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, Newport, Newtown, Norwood, Taylor Mill, Terrace Park, Union Township, and Villa Hills.2015-08-25T15:45:00-07:002021-03-16T08:38:40-07:00Paul Sian