Kris Cooper's Blog

Historic 3-story home!

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:05:24 -0700

3343 Woodburn Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45207
Historic 3-story with upwards of 2000 sq. ft.

Home

Kris Cooper

Office:	513/474-6767
Mobile:	513/519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Direct:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$39,231
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Square Foot	:	2,000
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1896
MLS Number	:	1273497

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Historic 3-story with upwards of 2000 sq. ft. Featuring 10 ft. ceilings and original moulding. Hardwood floors throughout.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 8291 Beechmont Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45255 : 513/474-6767

Custom Built 2500 sq. ft. Estate

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:47:47 -0700

3762 US Rt 52
Franklin Township, OH 45121
2500 sq. ft. Custom Built Estate!

Kris Cooper

Office:	513/474-6767
Mobile:	513/519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Direct:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$209,937
Bedrooms	:	4
Bathrooms	:	3
Square Foot	:	2,500
Lot Size	:	222,156
County	:	Clermont
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1996
MLS Number	:	1272750

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Custom-built estate featuring upwards of 2500 sq. ft. of living space wrap around porch and multi-tiered rear deck. Crafted on 5 level acres housing workshop building with over 1500 sq. ft. of covered work space. Peaceful space and brilliant setting.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 8291 Beechmont Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45255 : 513/474-6767

Just Listed!

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:26:18 -0700

10015 Menominee
Colerain Township, OH 45251
Updated in every room!

Kris Cooper

Office:	513/474-6767
Mobile:	513/519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Direct:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$61,732
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	1
Square Foot	:	925
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1965
MLS Number	:	1272351

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Updates in every room. Spacious ranch featuring nearly 1000 sq ft of living space. Crafted with large exterior entertaining space. Well maintained ready for occupancy on closing day.mage

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 8291 Beechmont Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45255 : 513/474-6767

Just Listed!

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:24:21 -0700

611 Harrison
Felicity, OH 45120
Nearly 1650 sq. ft. of pristine living space!

Kris Cooper

Office:	513/474-6767
Mobile:	513/519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Direct:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$81,000
Bedrooms	:	2
Bathrooms	:	1
Square Foot	:	1,650
Lot Size	:	8,276
County	:	Clermont
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1949
MLS Number	:	1272306

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

All exclusive featuring nearly 1650 sq ft of highly maintained decorated living space with 22x12 finished rec area in lower level! Interior cosmetic makeup flawlessly dynamic characteristics. Pristine & functionally designed for you.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 8291 Beechmont Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45255 : 513/474-6767

3 Levels of Dynamic & Prolific Living Space

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:11:30 -0800

1590 Creekside
Amelia, OH 45102
3 Levels of Dynamic and Prolific Living Space

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Re/Max Preferred Group

Direct:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$158,679
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Clermont
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	2002
MLS Number	:	1258260

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Dynamic and prolific featuring over 2000 sq. ft. of finished living space spanning 3 levels with fresh, flowing amenities. Crafted on over 1/2 an acre with private rear wood views. Full entertainment haven inside and out. Finished walkout lower level.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Dynamic Custom Built Ranch in West Chester

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:54:31 -0800

5262 Woodcliff Court
West Chester, OH 45062
Dynamic Custom Built Ranch

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$225,907
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	3
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Butler
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1991
MLS Number	:	1254614

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Absolutely dynamic custom built ranch featuring updates in every room. This ranch offers over 3000 sq. ft. of finished living space covering 2 stories. Crafted on a natural walkout lower level lot with brilliant golf course views. Amazing details!

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Pristine Design and Overflowing with Amenities

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:53:06 -0800

4061 Lenox Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45245
Pristine Design, Overflowing with Amenities

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Co-listed by:

Keri Pinger

Re/Max Preferred Group

Mobile:

513/312-7908

Price	:	$279,918
Bedrooms	:	4
Bathrooms	:	4
Lot Size	:	20,298
County	:	Clermont
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1996
MLS Number	:	1250945

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Pristine design overflowing with amenities. Featuring finished living space on 3 levels this detail-rich property lines itself brilliantly. Groomed for the full family entertainment, functionality and style. Spaces inside crafted for everyone.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Disclosures

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:37:11 -0800

What if you have a Buyer who asks the question, what recourse do I have if the condition of the property I just purchased is not what I thought it to be?

*An attorney always wants proof.
*Disclosures [forms] mean something if you can prove the issue.
*Someone can sell a home which is ready to collapse, but if they have no knowledge they have no liability.
*However, if they had knowledge and you can prove they had the knowledge, then they have liability. Knowledge can be proven through testimony or proof of work on the issue, like recent waterproofing or exterior drainage control measures.
*In this instance, the buyer can talk with neighbors, local waterproofing companies and/or inspectors.
*Who knows, the seller could be truthful. Funnier things have happened. Also, has the new owner done anything that could lead to the water issue, like change exterior water flow, or remove water protection items such as window well covers?
*Don't forget to check the sump.
*Proof is key in enforcing disclosure problems.

Nick
Nicholas D. Perrino
Attorney at Law
Prodigy Title Agency
8080 Beckett Center Dr. #318
West Chester, OH 45069
513 870-9070 PH

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Just Listed--Vibrant home in Anderson Township!

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:22:41 -0800

1352 Voll Road
Cincinnati, OH 45230
Vibrant Home with Park-like Setting

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$139,526
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Lot Size	:	18,295
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1959
MLS Number	:	1246457

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Vibrant and Brilliant details flow through this floor plan that features nearly 2000 sq Ft of finished living space. Updates flash in every room. Crafted on a lot adjoing Beech Acres Park-setting creates multi functional exterior entertaining area.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Beautiful Home in North College Hill

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:05:29 -0700

6784 Marvin Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45224
Nearly 2000 sq. ft. of dynamic living space

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$93,620
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1949

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Featuring Nearly 2000 sq ft of dynamic flawless living space. Created in the footprint of perfection, every room is a showcase of brilliant updates. Crafted with flowing taste, style and amenities for you. Behind every detail there's a detail.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Open House, Sunday, September 26, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:03:53 -0700

49 Rollingwood
Maineville, OH 45039
Bigger and better than most!

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$189,411
Bedrooms	:	4
Bathrooms	:	4
Lot Size	:	9,147
County	:	Warren
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	2000
MLS Number	:	1237450

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Featuring nearly 2500 sq. ft. of finished living space. Bigger and better than most. Fresh, new and updated interior in every room. Bright and vibrant finished lower level. $1,000 torwards your closing costs. Dynamic amenities: trails, pool, club house.

Open House Sunday, September 26, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Multi-level townhome for lease or purchase

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 16:01:53 -0700

1142 Telluride
Cincinnati, OH 45244
Multi-Level Townhouse Lease or Purchase

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$113,913
Bedrooms	:	2
Bathrooms	:	3
County	:	Clermont
Property Type	:	Condo or Townhouse
Year Built	:	2004
MLS Number	:	1240815

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Lease or Purchase this multi-level townhouse. Offer fresh, lively spaces crafted in nearly 1,100 sq. ft. of flowing dynamics. Convenient for many aspects of living. Both bedrooms feature walk-in closets and adjoining baths. Attached garage.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

HFN is broading its resources as the local Real Estate Examiner

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 10:21:44 -0700

The Home Finder Network is announcing our affiliation with Examiner.com as its exclusive Cincinnati Land Use real estate examiner. Our articles and perspectives will help enhance the knowledge of our local Real estate market to the public. The content will be informed subject matter on local neighborhoods, specific trends in real estate and detailed perspectives on current local conditions.

Offering "how to" and "review" articles on perspectives like Community amenities as well as the dynamics of Location, Location, Location series. Our analysis will be built with on hand expert knowledge as we construct and build our Case Studies for our clients. Every Case Study preformed will broken down into a format designed to inform buyers and sellers of the current market position inside their neighborhoods. Examples of our trial posting can be seen here: Community Review

We are very excited about aligning our knowledge with Examiner.com and sharing it with the public. For access to our landing page Click here, also you can subscribe to our works via email or RSS the feed from that page. We will also be updating our ActiveRain account in addition to our blog for those of you who subscribe to HomeFinderNetworBlog.com

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Duplex Investment Opportunity

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:30:46 -0700

1558 Tremont
Cincinnati, OH 45214
Duplex Investment Opportunity

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$30,000
Bedrooms	:	4
Bathrooms	:	2.5
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1895

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Duplex investment opportunity with unobscured views of downtown Cincinnati. Unit 1 has 3 bedrooms/1.5 bathrooms. Unit 2 has 1 bedroom/1bathroom.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Nearly 2500 sq. ft. home in Maineville . . . bigger than most

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:28:52 -0700

49 Rollingwood
Maineville, OH 45039
Bigger and better than the norm!

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$189,411
Bedrooms	:	4
Bathrooms	:	4
Lot Size	:	9,147
County	:	Warren
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	2000
MLS Number	:	1237450

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Featuring over 2000 sq. ft. of finished living space. Bigger and better than the norm. Fresh, new and updated interior in every room. Bright and vibrant finished lower level. $1,000 torwards your closing costs. Dynamic amenities: trails, pool, club house.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Nearly 2000 sq. ft. of living space in North College Hill

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:26:53 -0700

6784 Marvin Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45224
Nearly 2000 sq. ft. of dynamic living space

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$93,620
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Lot Size	:	0
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1949

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Home in Loveland with Amazing Setting

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:24:54 -0700

1936 Stockton Drive
Loveland, OH 45140
Amazing Tranquil Setting

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$151,752
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	3
Square Foot	:	1,700
Lot Size	:	10,410
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1970
MLS Number	:	1231431

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Owners are releasing this home for the first time. Amazing tranquil setting preserved with dynamic appeal. Home features over 1700 sq ft of finished living space combined with multi level deck patio entertainment area creates one of kind home

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

North College Hill Home with Dynamic Lot

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:22:14 -0700

6582 Parrish Avenue
North College Hill, OH 45239
Nearly 1500 sq. ft. home crafted on a dynamic lot

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$79,561
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	1
Lot Size	:	10,018
County	:	Hamilton
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1929
MLS Number	:	1230056

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Crafted on a dynamic lot this home offers nearly 1500 sq ft over 3 levels of finished living space with updates in every room. The best way to protect your home's value is to buy one designed to keep it.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Dynamic Home in Fairfield

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:19:31 -0700

6533 Kristine
Fairfield Township, OH 45011
Dynamic, Open, Finished Living Space

Kris Cooper

Office:	513-533-4111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 513-533-4111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Mobile:	513-519-3912
Website:	Visit Website

Price	:	$158,842
Bedrooms	:	3
Bathrooms	:	2
Lot Size	:	8,973
County	:	Butler
Property Type	:	Detached
Year Built	:	1998
MLS Number	:	1215033

click for more information and pictures

Property Description

Featuring over 1300 sq. ft. of dynamic, open, finished living space this ranch creates a flowing lifestyle for ease of living*Maintained updated this gorgeous home can complete the expectations of your search*All appliances being offered

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Re/Max Preferred Group : 3522 Erie Avenue - Cincinnati OH 45208 : 513-533-4111

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Online Marketing tools (Using them to their Max!) Series 1

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:17:22 -0700

Using online marketing tools for your product or services surround you, even if you aren't aware of them. In our industry (Real Estate Marketing) we have studied the most effective online tools and re-sourcing for our product. Last year we received the CSM (Certified Social Media Marketer) designation and without doubt it gave us the arsenal and awareness to grow our business with internet marketing. Our business currently received 80% of its referral and lead database from out expansive internet marketing.

Understanding the volume of resources can be overwhelming, however understanding how to master the details of only a few tools is very obtainable. Todays series will focus on the only photo tool we use to share our marketing with clients. Picasa is googles online photos album and sharing resource. We use Picasa not as a home album host, but a business photo marketing host for clients and leads. Picasa has specific tools for marketing, google map tags to show where your services are, or in our case where our active properties are located. Links can be shared via twitter, facebook, and any other social media site. Specific notes about your products can be made in detail about the photo albums. For examples of how this tool works and looks, our albums can be viewed here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ktc629

Using this tool to the Max is simple. For your clients it's a great way to share photos of marketing that you have done with their friends and family. It is a very simple way to expose your product to the world. Most of all its a great way to express your business reputation. Picasa is a program that needs downloaded to your PC or laptop from www.picasa.com it will auto-capture photos from your photos albums. You will have ability to accept or reject photos added to your online album. Online sync can be preformed once the albums have been created also all details pertaining the specific album are all editable.

Easy, simple and effective: Picasa is powerful online photo album fully customizable and easy to use. Thinking out of the box at maximizing the usage of a photo album are endless.

Visit our blog at The Home Finder Network Blog

Unemployment Data Update July 2010 Ohio

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:15:02 -0700

Ohio by County break down Map Ohio and U.S. Employment Situation (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's unemployment rate was 10.3 percent in July, down slightly from 10.5 percent in June, according to data released this morning by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment increased 1,800 over the month, from the revised 5,045,000 in June to 5,046,800 in July.

"The number of unemployed Ohioans declined in July, and the unemployment rate decreased to 10.3 percent," ODJFS Director Douglas Lumpkin said. "Job gains in the private sector were partially offset by continuing jobs losses among government workers."

The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 614,000, down from 625,000 in June. The number of unemployed has decreased by 22,000 in the past 12 months from 636,000. The July unemployment rate for Ohio was down from 10.6 percent in July 2009.

The U.S. unemployment rate for July was 9.5 percent, unchanged from June.

Total Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (Seasonally Adjusted)

Ohio's nonfarm wage and salary employment rose 1,800 over the month, from 5,045,000 in June to 5,046,800 in July, according to the latest business establishment survey conducted by ODJFS.

Employment in goods-producing industries, at 814,700, advanced 4,200. The workforce in construction increased 3,300. Manufacturing added 1,000 jobs as a gain in nondurable goods (+1,300) exceeded a decrease in durable goods (-300). Mining and logging slipped 100. Service-providing industries declined 2,400 to 4,232,100. The largest decrease occurred in government (-8,700). Employment was also down in trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,000), other services (-900), financial activities (-500), and information (-200). Professional and business services rose 5,200 over the month. Employment also increased in educational and health services (+2,600) and leisure and hospitality (+1,100).

Over the past 12 months, nonfarm payroll employment rose 5,800. Goods-producing industries were 10,500 higher. Gains in durable goods (+13,000) and nondurable goods (+1,500) boosted manufacturing employment 14,500. Construction was 3,800 lower, while mining and logging lost 200 jobs. Service-providing industries dropped 4,700 over the year. The largest decreases were posted in trade, transportation, and utilities (-12,700) and financial activities (-12,000). Declines also occurred in information (-4,500), other services (-4,100), and government (-1,900). Employment increased over the year in professional and business services (+20,900), leisure and hospitality (+5,800), and educational and health services (+3,800).

EDITOR'S NOTE: All data cited are produced in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Labor. Data sources include Current Population Survey (U.S. data); Current Employment Statistics Program (nonagricultural wage and salary employment data); and Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (Ohio unemployment rates). More complete listings of the data appear in the monthly Ohio Labor Market Review. Unemployment rates for all Ohio counties as well as cities with populations of 50,000 or more are presented in the monthly ODJFS Civilian Labor Force Estimates publication. Updated statewide historical data may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Labor Market Information at (614) 752-9494 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (614) 752-9494 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (614) 752-9494 end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Ohioans can access tens of thousands of job openings, for positions ranging from file clerks to CEOs, at www.ohiomeansjobs.com.

News release dates

A calendar of 2010 release dates is available online at http://OhioLMI.com/laus/releases.htm County, city and metropolitan area unemployment rates for July 2010 will be posted online at http://OhioLMI.com/laus/current.htm on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. August 2010 unemployment rates and nonagricultural wage and salary data for Ohio will be released by ODJFS on Friday, September 17, 2010. This information and the monthly statistical summaries it is based on are also available at http://jfs.ohio.gov/releases.

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FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums Update

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:11:53 -0700

The new FHA MORTGAGE INSURANCE PREMIUMS go into effect for CASE NUMBERS assigned on or after 10/4/10

NOW is the time to contact your potential FHA buyers & clients (especially those possible FHA streamline refinances) and get word out. If they want a choice of options, they need to get a purchase contract and/or a loan application in NOW. The new MIP has merits in that it will be a lesser loan amount financed and therefore less loan to pay off when people sell their house. However, it causes a HIGHER PITI payment that may not be appealing to people.

Current upfront mortgage insurance premium - 2.25 bps ~ On or after 10/4/2010 - 1.00 bps ~ LOWER!

Current monthly MIP - .55 bps ~ On or after 10/4/10 - .90 on LTV's > 95% ~ HIGHER!

Take a look at the attached analysis here: FHA_Premium_Changes_Analysis[1] to see the significant difference this change will make on a $150,000 purchase price. You will notice the lower UMIP will mean an $1800 lower loan amount. But, the much higher monthly MIP would increase the monthly payment $32! This is going to have an impact on borrowers and their financing options. Call or email me with questions! We are closing FHA loans in 30 days!

Courtesy of Kathy Lamb, Union Saving Bank

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Market Update: Interest Rates

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:09:06 -0700

*4.25%

30 Year Fixed Rate

Normal Closing costs

*4.375%

30 Year Fixed Rate

$500 Closing Cost Special

*3.25%

5 Year ARM

Normal Closing Costs

*3.75%

15 Year Fixed Rate

Normal Closing costs

*3.875%

15 Year Fixed Rate

$500 Closing Cost Special

*4.25%

FHA/VA 30 Year Fixed

0 Points

Other loan programs available. Please call for details

TR Wise

Sales Manager

1st National Bank

7451 Mason-Montgomery Road

Mason, Ohio 45040

Office/Cell (513) 238-0999

Fax (513) 672-0479

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Home buyers need to buy for the right reasons!

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:02:20 -0700

Home buyers need to buy for right reasons

By John Rebchook on August 27, 2010 · 1 Comment · ShareThis

(Editor’s Note: I normally write about keynote speakers at real estate events. But this morning, I was the keynote speaker at the Aurora Board of Realtors. Following is my speech, with a few tweaks. John Rebchook)

The stars are aligned in a way to create the best conditions for home-buying I have seen in almost 30 years of writing about real estate.

You all know the reasons.

Mortgage rates are at historic lows, hovering around 4.3 percent for a 30-year-fixed rate loan.

Sellers, whether they are individual or banks, are motivated, providing bargains for qualified buyers. Many homes, especially at the higher price ranges, are selling for not only far less than what they commanded three or four years ago, but less than the replacement cost.

The number of unsold homes on the market, while still low by historic standards, rose 14.6 percent in July from July 2009, giving buyers more choices.

No sense of urgency

Yet, I have never seen a time when there appears to be more home buyer apathy in the Denver area. The key ingredient of a robust buying market is missing: A sense of urgency.

Of course, the reluctance to sign on the dotted line goes well beyond Denver.

Everyone here saw the report by National Association of Realtors this week that dominated headlines. To recap: Nationwide, existing home sales in July fell 25 percent from a year ago and 27 percent from July 2009. In Denver, existing home sales were down 19.5 percent from June and 26.6 percent from July.

MUF-bust

Blame it on what I’m calling the MUF – Media, Unemployment and Fear

The fear factor, of course, is fed by the lack of consumer confidence, which is a nice way of saying that for the vast majority of people, there is no guarantee of that they will be able to hold on to keep your job. And while the unemployment rate is 8 percent in the Denver area, slightly better than the nation’s, earlier this year I attended a conference where the chief economist for the Colorado of Department of Labor and Employment said when you include people who are severely under-employed, or who have just given up on trying to find a job, the actual unemployment rate is probably at least twice what the official statistics show.

All of that, of course, impacts peoples’ ability to take advantage of great mortgage rates and attractive home prices. In addition, a recent RE/MAX International report said that 29 percent of the homes in the Denver area are underwater. In other words, almost a third of the homeowners don’t have any equity in their homes, making it very difficult to move-up.

Beyond all of those fundamentals conspiring against buyers, there is the media, which largely missed the housing melt-down, and doesn’t plan to make that mistake again. It’s trying to get ahead of the curve, whether that is a double-dip recession, deflation, inflation or all of the above.

There are more reports in the media, including InsideRealEstateNews, my blog, about the downside of buying homes than I have ever seen.

Shooting messenger doesn’t help

But don’t shoot the messenger.

It’s simplistic to say just because there are critical stories about homeownership in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Denver Post or InsideRealEstateNews, for that matter, they are driving away buyers.

First, just because they are exposing the downside, or potential downside, of buying a home, doesn’t mean they are wrong. And frankly, with my blog at least, I’ve devoted far more space to fundamental reasons that bolster the case for now being a good time to buy a house than the reverse.

And be aware that the press tends to be much more of a mirror, reflecting what is going on, then an engine that powers a trend.

Yes, undoubtedly some people are reluctant to buy a home, because of nasty headline, and there have been plenty of them. A recent one in the New York Times shouted: “Housing Fades as a Means to Build Wealth, Analyst Says.”

And closer to home, I recently wrote about a report from the Everitt Real Estate Center at CSU, in conjunction with the Colorado Association of Realtors, which claimed that overall, homes in the six-county Denver area have only appreciated 7.1 percent from 1999 to 2009.

In other words, if you bought a home for $100,000 in 1999, 10 years later, that same home would only be worth $107,100.

Other reports, whether from Metrolist, S&P/Case-Shiller, or the U.S. Government’s Federal Housing Finance Agency, have reported long-term gains many times 7 percent during that period.

But if the CSU analysis is accurate, it is particularly chilling in a couple of respects. The most obvious reason is that homeownership has long been pitched as a good, long-term investment. As the late Texas developer giant Trammell Crow once said: “The secret to great wealth is to own real estate and live a long time.”

Are homes long-term investments?

But if you dig a little deeper, if the conclustions from CSU are correct, it is even more ominous. During that stretch of time, the inflation rate was 28.8 percent. In other words, if your home after 10 years of ownership is worth only $7,000 more than what you paid, you’ve actually lost close to $22,000 in real dollars – without even including the cost of buying and selling. That is because your $100,000 in 1999 dollars has the same buying power as $129,000 in 2009 dollars.

The CSU analysis concludes that only Douglas County and Broomfield County, with a 10-year appreciation rate of 26.3 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively, came close to matching the inflation rate. In Arapahoe County, the long-term gain amounted only to a half of one percent, and Adams County saw a 2.7 percent decline.

But to be fair to homeownership, and put it in perspective, there were not a lot of investment opportunities that performed well during that period. The S&P 500, for example, lost almost 10 percent from 1999 to 2009.

That said, buying a home is not like owning a broad-based index like the S&P 500. No one owns an “average” home, just like no one has an average kid. Buying a home is much more akin to buying an individual stock. In other words, make the right purchase, and your individual investment can soar, no matter how the overall market performs. And unlike a stock, something made of bricks and sticks, very seldom falls to zero.

Still, for generations raised on the notion that home prices can only move one way – up – the recent downturn is jaw-dropping.

$6 trillion in home values lost

Nationwide, it’s been estimated that $6 trillion dollars of housing wealth has evaporated since 2005. SIX TRILLION DOLLARS. To put that in perspective, that is about a trillion dollars more than the economies of either China or Japan. In my book, it’s pretty staggering to have lost more in home values than the GDPs of the world’s second and third largest economies!

And if you use a conservative, back-of-the envelope calculation, Colorado’s share of that $6 trillion loss equates to about $120 billion. (Colorado accounts for about 1.7 percent of the owner-occupied homes in the U.S., but the median price of a home in the Denvr area is about 31 percent higher than the national medium) In other words, the loss in home values is more than six times the size of the State of Colorado’s budget of $19.2 billion.

Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a think-tank in Washington, D.C., estimates it will take two decades to recoup that $6 trillion, and when adjusted for inflation, we will never again see the peaks we experienced in 2005 and 2006.

That’s a lot of doom and gloom. And when you include the so-called “shadow market,” of unsold homes being held by banks, which haven’t hit the market yet, there is concern that home prices will tumble yet again, as sellers are forced to compete with another wave of distressed properties. In other words, another reason not to buy today.

Yet, you would think that given all of the negatives in the market that no one is buying a home. And that is simply not true.

Sales volume rising

In the first seven months of the year, buyers paid $6.2 billion for homes in the Denver-area, almost 7 percent more than the $5.8 billion during the same period in January. Granted, 2009 was a terrible year, and much of the activity was fueled by the federal home buying credits, even though the subsequent drop in interest rates will far surpass the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers. Still, this marks the first time since 2006 that Denver has experienced a year-over-year improvement in sales volume.

Earlier, I talked about the CSU analysis that traced home appreciation in the Denver area starting in 1999.

Now, let’s visit another metric: Home ownership rates.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the homeownership rate in Denver stood at 52.5 percent, a decade ago. By contrast, the homeownership rate in Archuletta County 70.6 percent in rural Baca County, 67.1 percent. Now, part of that, might be due to family owned ranches.

Making money not only reason to buy

But consider other parts of the country. In New York City, a decade ago, the homeowership rate was a meager 30.2 percent. In Buffalo, where home prices basically never rise, the homeownership rate was 43.5 percent.

In Chicago, the homeowership rate was 43.8 percent, while in Freeport, Ill., a rural town of about 25,000, the homeownership rate stood at 68.2 percent. The overall home ownership rate in California was 56.9 percent, but only 35 percent in San Francisco.

When the 2010 Census data comes out, the percentages are sure to be different, but I’m betting the delta between homeownership rates in rural areas, where real estate appreciation is typically not the reality, will remain far higher than in bigger, wealthier metropolitan areas.

Certainly, many people are priced out the housing markets in places such as New York or San Francisco. Even if you have a good income in those places, you may not be able to buy a home, unless the market goes your way and you can use the increased value in your existing home to trade up. But to do that, you have to get in the game – take the plunge and all the risk accompanying buying a first-home.

But the flip side of that, and I apologize for taking so long to get to my point, is that people buy homes in places where they don’t look at theme as a growth stock, destined to go through the roof. If you talk to people who live in small towns across the country, they will tell you the same story. Unless something happens that makes the town a trendy tourist attraction, or a big company move in and goes on a hiring spree, their only appreciation comes from paying down their mortgage. Yet, that does not deter them from buying, instead or renting

Although I in no way have a crystal ball, I suspect once people weather this current part of the housing cycle, they will continue to buy homes in the Denver area. But they won’t buy homes with dollar signs blurring their vision.

Instead, they will buy a home because the it meets the needs of their family, it is in the price range, they like the street, they like the school district, it is convenient to work. While they won’t ignore the potential for appreciation, it won’t be the driving force, either. When people start buying for the right reasons, they may buy more homes than ever.

Weekly Economic Update

Kris Cooper (Re/Max Preferred Group) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:08:57 -0700

Weekly Economic Summary - July 23, 2010 OVERVIEW ~ July 12 through 16 ~ The optimism that pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) higher through Thursday, July 15, lost whatever power it had by Friday, July 16, when it fell more than 266 points to 10097.90. As the DJIA lost ground, interest rates also edged lower. The 10-year Treasury note, which began the week at 3.24%, fell to 2.94% at the close of the week; the HSH average 30-year mortgage rate (which includes jumbo rates) held at 4.98%; and the Freddie Mac average rate edged down to 4.57%. And, indicative of slackening confidence in our nation’s economic recovery, the dollar lost ground against the euro all week. FOCUS ~ Analysts had been suggesting the stock markets would benefit from higher corporate earnings reports, but the belief (or, at least, hope) that improving corporate earnings data would be announced last week faded by Friday.

Instead of reigniting the markets with good news about earnings and, indeed, proving that the markets had overreacted to increased worries about the economic recovery, corporate earnings and corporate revenue reports were mostly lower than expected. By the end of Friday, all thirty stocks in the DJIA had lost value.

This can be read, in part, as a decline in confidence in stocks. Not surprisingly, the indicators that suggest what is happening in the real estate market are similarly weak. The purchase money loan applications component of the Mortgage Bankers Association indices of mortgage applications fell another 3.1% to 163.3, down 36.9% from a year ago. And the July National Association of Home Builders Market Index, measuring the relative optimism (and pessimism) among builders about the new-home market, was down 12.5% from the Association’s June reading, and 17.6% from its year-ago reading.

We have seen, on a nearly weekly basis, the inclination of this market to turn around, rising when analysts were most certain that it would continue falling, and falling when it seemed certain to rise.

The week does demonstrate one thing, however. When market conditions weaken, interest rates decline still more. Home (and other) financing simply becomes more affordable, and that fact continues to support the markets in this uncertain

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