Staging a home adds appeal. When potential buyers view your home you want them to see it as a home that could be theirs. You want them to feel like it could be their home and not someone else's.
I recently listed a home that was staged nicely and had "tons" of appeal. It was listed on April 6 and had a contract written on April 8.
The seller listened and understood the importance of preparing their home for the market. They also understood the importance of staging their home to give it that "warm and inviting" appeal.
http://www.JonWHome.com
Firestone Park dream home!
5bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 kitchens, finished basement, 3 car garage and more! You'll enjoy this spacious brick Cape Cod located in Firestone Park. Property includes a double lot.
Firestone Park is located in south Akron and is part of the rubber industry neighborhoods established in the early years of the Firetone Tire and Rubber Company. Firestone Country Club is located nearby and is also connected with the early years of Akron's Rubber Industry.
http://www.JonWHome.com
Funds are available for homebuyers through the Welcome Home Program. These funds may be used by any home buyers who qualify under income levels based on family size.
Below you will find a brief summary of the Welcome Home Program. For more details, you can go towww.fhlbcin.com
Welcome Home Program
Welcome Home funds may be used to fund down payments and closing costs when you purchase your home. You must occupy the home as your primary residence and have income that falls within the low and moderate income levels.
Lenders participating in the Welcome Home Program will have funds available beginning May 1, 2009.
Funds may be used only to assist households whose incomes are at or below 80% of the income limits adopted by the appropriate state housing finance agency (and are adjusted for family size).
Homebuyers must contribute at least $500 of their own funds toward down payment and closing costs (60% of these funds may be received as a gift). This requirement is waived if the homebuyer is disabled (additional documentation may be required).
First-time homebuyers must complete a homebuyer counseling program. The counseling program must cover the following:
Mortgage financing
Credit-worthiness
Household budgeting
Home maintenance
Counseling is not required of other home buyers.
The loan will be forgiven over five years, at a rate of $1,000 a year. In other words, a home owner who used Welcome Home funds to purchase a home and received a $5,000 grant must occupy the home for no less than five years in order to have the entire amount of the grant forgiven. Selling the home in less than five years may require the home owner to pay back a portion of this grant.
Contact your lender to see if they participate in the Welcome Home program.
I was invited to an open house by an Active Rain member and attended. Michael Hoffman invited me to attend an open he was having on a home that was going to auction shortly. I enjoy meeting Active Rain members in my area face-to-face and Michael is no exception. He was gracious enough to talk to me about his auctions and explain some of the processes involved. I must say I learned a little more through our discussions. As we spoke, a few investor clients came to mind who might have an interest in Michael's auctions. I'll email them the information and see if they have an interest.
What A Deal
This one will go fast. Check out the bargain on this 3-bedroom/2-bath condo located in Mill Run. This “free-standing” ranch home is within a short drive of local businesses and golf courses. You'll enjoy a beautiful master bedroom with walk-in closet and built-in shelves, master bath with corner garden tub, his and her sinks, impressive great room with fireplace, carpeting, casual family room, first floor laundry, 2 car garage, beautiful oak trim throughout, impressive crown molding and more!
You will enjoy morning coffee and cool summer evenings on your maintenance free vinyl deck located in the back just off the kitchen area.
I recently listed a home in "Historic Ridgewood." It was listed on April 6 and had an offer on April 8.
We don't often get a "quick" sale on our listings but every now and then we get a home that will move fast. What is the difference between this home and other listings I've had?
Four factors come in mind:
Location
Price
Staging
Preparation
Location: This home is located in Historic Ridgewood in Canton, Ohio. There are several different architectural designs in this area that make it unique. The area also has a great history; you can read more about it by following the link below:
Price: The seller understood the importance of pricing a home to sell. We looked at the comps and did an analysis of homes in the area that had recently sold. We also had the benefit of a recent appraisal; however, it was two years old.
Staging: The seller did a great job in staging this home. Everything was perfect and the home had "tons" of appeal.
Preparation: Before we listed this home we did a "walk through" and identified areas that needed to be addressed in order to get the home ready for the market. There was some painting to be done and some minor repairs to be made. The seller made a checklist of all the things he needed to do and followed up by doing the needed work.
We took the view that a home could have a great deal of positive factors that may impress a buyer but it only takes one negative to offset all the good. The seller did a great job of doing the things he needed to do in order to eliminate any "negatives."
Experience a wide variety of architectural designs in Historic Ridgewood. This “Cottage Style” home offers 4 bedrooms, 1 full bath, formal dining room, first floor office, and breakfast nook. It has painted cedar siding, new gutters and downspouts, and new roof (March 2009). You will also find a back patio, deck, fenced-in yard, 2 car garage, and concrete driveway.
The University of Akron stepped up and played great basketball in their first NCAA Tournament game against Gonzaga last night; at least for the first 28 minutes. The Zips led at halftime 38 - 35 in a game that had upset written all over it. However, Gonzaga had different thoughts and came out fired up for the second half.
Akron led 52 - 51 with 9:43 left in the game but then Gonzaga burst their bubble with a 26 - 12 run from that point to the final buzzer.
The results did not surprise many people around the country who fully expected Gonzaga to win this game. I'm not sure it even surprised many Zip fans who knew they were facing a huge challenge against a powerful and talented Gonzaga team. Hope did rise to a high level as both teams went into the locker rooms at half time; the Zips were actually leading this game. They appeared to be standing up very well against a powerful opponent. Could they do it for the entire game? That was the questions.
Obviously, Akron was unable to keep up their tempo in the second half and quickly fell behind. They went a span of 13 minutes without scoring from the field and shot around 25% in the second half compared to a 42% shooting percentage in the first half.
It was the "Tale of Two Halves" and the second half was a dismal one for the Zips.
However, there is hope for this team and the Akron program. Four of the five starters will be back next year and they will add a 7 foot center next year to bolster their program and team. All of who follow Akron sports are hoping to see the team make another appearance in the NCAA tournament next year.
Ohio is still represented in the tournament by Ohio State, Cleveland State, Dayton, and Xavier.
The University of Akron has made the NCAA tournament by virtue of winning the Mid American Conference (MAC) championship. They were ranked fifth in the tournament and had to go through number 1 seed Bowling Green and number 2 seed Buffalo to earn the championship. Bowling Green and Buffalo were co-champions of the MAC regular season.
They accomplished this task by playing five games in seven days; but that's the stress teams play under in tournament competition.
They are going to the NCAA tournament for the fist time since 1986. The coach of the 1986 team was Bob Huggins. Yes, the same Bob Huggins that brought Cincinnati to the tournament several times and is now coaching West Virginia.
In my view, Bob Huggins is an outstanding basketball coach. During his years at Akron they consistently won 20 games or more each year; he raised the level of basketball at the university during his time there.
I had the good fortune to meet Bob just before his spot on a local sports radio talk show. I was heavily involved with soccer in the Akron area and Ohio at the time and appeared on a program with commentator Steve French that was devoted to talking about soccer and its development in our area. The "Bob Huggins Show" went on shortly after my spot and I had the opportunity to meet and speak with him before he went on. I've followed his career after he left Akron and have enjoyed his successes.
Now back to the NCAA tournament. Akron (ranked 13 in their bracket) drew number 4 Gonzaga for their first game. Most of us never heard of Gonzaga until Jerry "The Shark" brought them to the forefront of national attention with a serious run in the tournament many years ago. They have a strong program and are expected to put Akron away in the first round.
Of course, miracles do happen and those of us who follow Akron University sports are hoping for a good game and, yes, a victory. We will watch the game with interest and hope for the best. Gonzaga will be a huge test for this growing Akron University basketball program.
Residential home sales in Green, Ohio increased slightly from the period January - February 2009. January sales for 2009 were double the sales recorded in January 2008 while February sales were slightly lower in 2009 than they were for the same period in 2008.
Total sales for January and February 2009 were slightly higher than the same period in 2008.
Typically, sales in December and January have been low in this market with increased sales beginning in the second month (February) of each year. 2009 sales for the first two months of the year exceeded sales recorded in each of the previous years going back to 2005. Even though this early trend is positive for the Green, Ohio market, sales data for months to follow will need to be monitored to determine if a positive market trend is beginning.
Summit County, Ohio sales data for the same period showed similar trends as Green, Ohio for most years dating back to 2005. However, Green, Ohio is demonstrating stronger levels of growth in it's historical sales than the county measures indicate.
Green, Ohio is a growing community and its sales data will most likely reflect it's growth in the months to come.
My blog will include a variety of items including Real Estate Shows for my listings as well as questions and items of interest. There are issues, we encounter on a daily basis and I am interested in getting your feedback to improve my information base and share your thoughts with others in our profession.
<!-- Site Meter -->
<!-- Copyright (c)2006 Site Meter -->
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
Staging: The seller did a great job in staging this home. Everything was perfect and the home had "tons" of appeal. 
days; but that's the stress teams play under in tournament competition.
ack to the NCAA tournament. Akron (ranked 13 in their bracket) drew number 4 Gonzaga for their first game. Most of us never heard of Gonzaga until Jerry "The Shark" brought them to the forefront of national attention with a serious run in the tournament many years ago. They have a strong program and are expected to put Akron away in the first round.
the Green, Ohio market, sales data for months to follow will need to be monitored to determine if a positive market trend is beginning.
;)
;)
