Kevin's Blog

Aluminum Wiring

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:17:40 -0600

What do you tell your sellers or buyers about aluminum wiring if you find it in a home you are selling ?

It seem that there are 3 solutiuons to the discovery of aluminum wiring in a home.

Get the wiring replaced ( cost LOTSA $$$)
Get the wiring pigtailed (Still cost Mucha $$$)
Have a certified Electrician check each ourlet or fixture to verify that all wires are secured tightly.

In my 25 years of selling, I have had all 3 options occur. I am looking to see what you did with your last experience?

Short Sale Offer Dilemas, Did my offer get presented?

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:12:28 -0600

In today's world of residential sales you may find yourself waiting and waiting to get an answer on an offer from a seller and then approval from the bank. As a buyers agent, I submit the offer and hope to get an answer within a couple days or a week. The seller may be all in favor of the offer but may not have the $$ to pay off their mortgage. This is when we hope that the bank will agree to take less than the amount the current seller owes, also known as a short sale.

As a buyers agent, many times there is no reply from the owner. The listing agent may not give written feedback because the seller cannot agree unless the bank agrees to take less. In Ohio all offers must be presented to the owner. Many short sale listing agents do violate this law.

Suspicion quickly leads many agents and buyers to believe that their offer never was presented or it was shopped. If I as a buyers agent press for an answer, the listing agent could avoid me completely. This would not be ethical but it would take allot of time and effort to file an alleged ethics charge. If there is no violation then I really look like a fool, as well as having burned a relationship.

What to do! Your thoughts? Would you do anything different?

Earthquake in Cincinnati!

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 07:09:48 -0500

That was a first! We have heard that we lived near a fault line. Many years ago many people bought earthquake insurance. There was someone who predicted a quake but nothing happened in the predicted time frame.

About 5:30am the bed started shaking. My wife and I both sat up and then we could hear our glass mirror doors shaking. No damage at all. I was trying to figure out if the wash machine or dryer were on.

What did you feel?

The phone is not ringing. It is 8:15 AM

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:57:24 -0500

Do You know where your Real Estate agent is?

Please STOP! Do not send me any more Property Flyers, Reductions or Open Houses

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:13:20 -0500

I love email and the net but my email box is jammed full of property flyer's, price reductions, and open house flyers. I do not want to black list these agents but please, someone find me the no flyer spam box!!

Let me know if you have any suggestions! We have 5760 agents in our board at the moment.

Sincerly

Kevin Duffy

ReMax Unlimited

Cincinnati Ohio

A Snowy Day in Cincinnati

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:16:38 -0600

This is not a typical day in Cincinnati. However, today we may be having the largest snow of the 2008 winter. The forecast calls for 3-5 inches of snow today and 3-5 inches of snow tonight. Prior to this storm, we have had storms that brought less than 4 inches. Most of our snow does not last for more than 2 to 3 weeks before it melts.

This link will show the latest weather in Cincinnati as well as the normal weather cinditions for Cincinnati.

Anderson Ohio home sales and average sale price as of October 30 2007

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:47:46 -0600

Anderson Ohio residential sales. Look at the stability here. I would be surprised to see other communities beat this consistent average sale price increase.

Year	# of Sales	Average Price
2,000	598	$ 225,609
2,001	664	$ 218,585
2,002	674	$ 231,149
2,003	653	$ 243,670
2,004	641	$ 254,099
2,005	687	$ 263,252
2,006	615	$ 280,753
Year to date Oct 30 2007	487	YTD $289,368

What parents need to know about Facebook.com and other Social networks.

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:52:08 -0600

I have been doing a survey of my friends asking them if they have ever heard of Facebook.com . The responses are surprising. Most parents who have kids that are 9 years old or older know what Myspace and Facebook are about. If you talk to a teenager or college student most will tell you that they do not know any of their friends that do not have an account.

Listen here to hear why James uses Facebook.com http://www.utterz.com/~u-NTAwNzEyMA/utt.php

What ever you type, say or photograph is copied forever!

NAR grants optional ban on the words MLS and Multiple Listing Service

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:31:59 -0600

The National Association of REALTORS Board of Directors approved a provision that allows REALTOR-affiliated multiple listing services to ban members' use of the terms "MLS" and "Multiple Listing Service" in Web site addresses, company names, e-mail addresses and other marketing materials.

NAR is giving the local Realtor affiliated multiple listing services the OPTION to enact this ban.

Are you kidding me? Realtors are the good guys! For the past ten years, hundreds of businesses have found ways to sell Realtors leads off our own listings. Outlawing these terms gives the outside lions new domains that Realtors are not allowed to use anymore. With this new provision, NAR is allowing every large broker driven power hungry MLS become a Barney Fife of the internet. The truth is that some agents and brokers have been out done in regards to exposure and lead generation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBuPQgV8yBM

SOLD!! For the right price marketing,and condition!

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:16:55 -0500

This week I had a house in Pierce township, ohio at 1107 Lang go pending after 14 showings. This took less than 5 days. I think this just proves that if you have the right price and condition and marketing. Reguardless of how bad people say the market is there are buyers!

Hyde Park Ohio average sale prices as of May 2007

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Wed, 16 May 2007 22:59:23 -0500

As a I am a Realtor that sells homes in Hyde Park in Cincinnati Ohio, I would like to keep you up to date on the latest in the current sales trends in Cincinnati suburbs and neighborhood real estate home sales.

In 2005 there were 266 single family home sales. In 2006 there were 246 single family home sales. Up until May 16 2007 there have been 76 home sales reported with an average sale price of $476,467. This average sale price is one of the highest areas in Cincinnati, Hamilton County Ohio.

For more specific Anderson Township information or Forest Hills School information call 513-602-6000 or emaik Kevin at Kevin@KevinDuffy.com

Anderson Township Ohio Home Sales

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Wed, 16 May 2007 22:32:45 -0500

As a Realtor in Anderson Township in Cincinnati Ohio, I would like to keep you up to date on the latest in the current sales trends in Cincinnati Real Estate home sales.

In 2005 there were 690 single family home sales. In 2006 there were 617 single family home sales. Up until May 16 2007 there have been 180 home sales reported with an average sale price of $260,638. This number of sales may go up as many sales are reported late.

For more specific Anderson Township information or Forest Hills School information call 513-602-6000 or emaik Kevin at Kevin@KevinDuffy.com

Occupancy Customs in Cincinnati Home Sales

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Tue, 15 May 2007 19:05:14 -0500

Do you know what the norm for occupancy in Cincinnati 15 years ago? It was 30 days after closing that the buyer would get the keys to move into the house. That was back when all agents represented the seller, before the current laws that promote buyer agency for buyers, aka buyer representation. On the Cincinnati MLS there is an entry for occupancy. The current options are 30 days after closing, immediate, at closing, or negotiable. Most listings today list negotiable.

Anderson Township Ohio statistics

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Mon, 14 May 2007 11:40:02 -0500

Did you know that Mls of Greater Cincinnati reports that in 2005 there were 690 sales with an average sale price of $265,202 and in 2006 there were 617 sales with an average price of $282,015.

Foer more information in Anderson Township, call or email Kevin at 513-602-6000 , email is kevin@kevinduffy.com

Cincinnati Home Market Conditions

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 06:42:06 -0500

Everyday I am asked, "How is the market?" I would like to say "Good if you price your home less than your competition!" There are alot of sales happening, but we have a 2 fold situation. first our inventory is more than 10 to 25 % higher than it was last year, and the number of home sales are about 5 to 10 % less than last year.

Just like stocks at the right price it will sell!!

Cincinnati Market sales as of February 28 2007

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:57:41 -0500

Home sales were 1.9% lower in January 2007 vs January 2006. In Cincinnati there were 27 fewer home sales. This is reported by the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors, as well as the Ohio Association of Realtors. Reports say that Ohio sales overall were 4.2% higher than last year. There are 19,120 homes currently for sale.

Check out Cincinnatihomeblog.com

Kevin Duffy (RE/MAX Unlimited) — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 15:28:38 -0600

Not to be repetative but check out http://www.cincinnatihomeblog.com/