2012 was a great year for Cleveland!

Click on the link to see why 2012 was a fantastic year for Cleveland!

http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/13-reasons-2012-was-clevelands-best-year-ever/Content?oid=3119706

Good news for the holidays - US housing sales jump!

Housing is recovering... click on the link to read about it!

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/money/business_news/us-home-sales-jump-to-highest-level-in-3-years#ixzz2FbsU1fUy

How NOT to ruin your mortgage application!

If you are purchasing property with a mortgage here are some great tips to follow before closing to avoid having that mortgage fall through!

http://activerain.com/blogsview/3560444/the-10-commandments-for-buyers-who-need-to-get-a-mortgage

Buying can be cheaper than renting!

Check out this article from Trulia.com.  If you have avoided buying a home this may change your mind!

http://pro.truliablog.com/industry-2/rent-vs-buy-q3-2012/?ecampaign=tnews&eurl=pro.truliablog.com%2Findustry-2%2Frent-vs-buy-q3-2012

Update on Cleveland's real estate numbers...(applause, please!)

Nat’l Assoc. of Realtors

Housing Affordability Index- up to a record high of 205.9 for the spring quarter (100 means median-income family can afford median-priced home with 20% down and 25% of income devoted to principal and interest payments)

Bureau of Labor Statistics (July 2012)

Unemployment in the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor area dropped from 8% the previous quarter to 7.3%

U.S. Census Bureau (July 2012)

Nationally, sales of single family homes rose 3.6% over June and 25.3% over July of 2011

Rental and Home vacancies drop from 8.8% the first quarter of 2012 to 8.6% the second quarter (Rentals- down from 8.8% to 8.6%, homes- down from 2.2% to 2.1%)

Northern Ohio Regional Listing Service – changes from 2011 to 2012

All Property Types

New Listings  -4.1%

Sold Listings +16.8%

Dollar amount, sold listings  +22.3%

Average Sale Price  +4.7%

Case/Schiller Index for Cleveland  +.9%

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Unemployment

2011      8%

2012      7.3%

National Association of Home Builders – Builders Confidence Index

(50 or higher means builders are confident about the housing market)

Up from 29 to 37.  Not great, but moving in the right direction.

In summary, listed homes are down, sales are up, prices are up, unemployment has come down, and builder confidence is improving, so the real estate market has definitely lifted off its bottom and is moving up.

All information is deemed correct but not guaranteed.

Selling your home? Here are some suggestions to make it look great!

If you go out on a date you try to look your best.  If you are selling your home you are, in essence, trying to get a buyer to "marry" your home.  Here are some basic suggestions on tidying things up to make it look more attractive to a buyer!

Perfect House for a Buyer with a Green Thumb!

Come see this special 3 Bedroom 1.5 Bath green-thumber's colonial! Wonderful heated greenhouse attached to the back of the house (2002)! Beautiful Thermal Industries wood casement windows and hardwood floors in Living Room & Dining Room. Built-in wood shelving in Living Room, stone mantel fireplace w/gas wall furnace insert. Bright kitchen with ceramic floors, Jenn-Air dual fuel oven and eat-in area. The luxury master bath is a must-see with white ceramic tile, whirlpool tub, heated towel bars, over sized glamor medicine cabinet. Finished basement with an office area & built-in desk and shelving for your home office. New concrete driveway and 2-car garage in 2011!! New roof in 2006. Many plantings in backyard. Deck. Available immediately!   Click on the link for pictures and more information:

http://1164plainfieldrd.howardhanna.com/