Here is a link to an article in the Heights Observer about changes in the Cleveland Heights School system:
http://heightsobserver.org/read/3/3/chuh-schools-announce-new-assistant-superintendent-and-principal-reassignments
Friday, March 26, 2010
Encouraging Signs in Cleveland Heights Real Estate
After a very difficult period in the Cleveland Heights real estate market I see encouraging signs. According to Trendgraphix, which collates and measures MLS data, the following encouraging signs have been seen in the Heights market in the price range of $80,000 or higher. I have excluded less expensive home because these tend to be distressed home that distort the market picture. For the period February 2009-2010:
The number of homes for sale declined 8.1%, the sold price per square foot increased 11.7%, the average sold price increased 42%, and the months of inventory (meaning how many months would it take to sell everything on the market at the present rate of sales) dropped 40.9%. Days on market increased 10.2%, meaning it is taking a little longer to sell homes in this price range than a year ago. How could the average sold price rise 42% and the average per square foot price rise only 11.7%? That probably means that the larger homes are selling more as the economy recovers somewhat.
So, we have a decline in the number of homes for sale and rising prices. The two areas of concern are one, the fact that the federal government is ending its intervention in the housing market (by buying up mortgage-backed securities) at the end of this week and two, that the MIP (Mortgage Insurance Premium) for FHA loans will rise from 1.75% ot 2.25% on new loans on or after April 5th. This means mortgage rates will probably rise and FHA loans will become a bit more more expensive.
HOMEBUYERS TAX CREDIT- We still have five more weeks before the homebuyers tax credit program ends. That combined with the prospect of rising mortgage rates, upward price pressure, and the influx of new residents and doctors coming to the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals means we will probably see in increase of sales in April. What happens after that remains to be seen. Overall I would say that this is still a historically great time to buy or move up to a larger home.
I hope you are enjoying the milder weather and looking forward to spring!
The number of homes for sale declined 8.1%, the sold price per square foot increased 11.7%, the average sold price increased 42%, and the months of inventory (meaning how many months would it take to sell everything on the market at the present rate of sales) dropped 40.9%. Days on market increased 10.2%, meaning it is taking a little longer to sell homes in this price range than a year ago. How could the average sold price rise 42% and the average per square foot price rise only 11.7%? That probably means that the larger homes are selling more as the economy recovers somewhat.
So, we have a decline in the number of homes for sale and rising prices. The two areas of concern are one, the fact that the federal government is ending its intervention in the housing market (by buying up mortgage-backed securities) at the end of this week and two, that the MIP (Mortgage Insurance Premium) for FHA loans will rise from 1.75% ot 2.25% on new loans on or after April 5th. This means mortgage rates will probably rise and FHA loans will become a bit more more expensive.
HOMEBUYERS TAX CREDIT- We still have five more weeks before the homebuyers tax credit program ends. That combined with the prospect of rising mortgage rates, upward price pressure, and the influx of new residents and doctors coming to the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals means we will probably see in increase of sales in April. What happens after that remains to be seen. Overall I would say that this is still a historically great time to buy or move up to a larger home.
I hope you are enjoying the milder weather and looking forward to spring!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Cleveland Heights Restaurants
For a nice guide to Cleveland Heights restaurants, click on the link:
http://www.clevelandheights.com/pdfs/CH_Restaurants.pdf
http://www.clevelandheights.com/pdfs/CH_Restaurants.pdf
Cleveland Orchestra resolves strike, goes to Florida!
The Cleveland Orchestra musicians went on a short strike last Monday that was resolved Tuesday and today we begin our 9-day residency in Miami. Most of the concerts will take place at the Knight Concert Hall, part of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. We will also perform at the Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School in Hialeah. I'm really enjoying the break from the Cleveland weather! Composers to be performed include Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, Ades, Strauss, and Bernstein. If you are going to Miami in the next few days here is a link for tickets http://www.arshtcenter.org/tickets/calendar.aspx.
Just before leaving I got a Cleveland Heights under contract, so I'll have something to work on when I get back!
Just before leaving I got a Cleveland Heights under contract, so I'll have something to work on when I get back!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
BACK FROM EUROPE! CONCERTS & REAL ESTATE!
Well, after returning from Europe a week and a half ago I finally had the chance to catch up on my sleep, pay the bills, and visit with my daughter who was home on break from college. We returned a week ago Wednesday but only had two days off before a rehearsal on Saturday for a program of music by John Williams (Star Wars, E.T., 1941, etc.). Of course the house was packed and the audience loved it. Sunday I taught all day at Oberlin and last Tuesday rehearsals started for this past weekend of concerts, which included Brahms' Tragic Overture, John Adams "Dr. Atomic" Symphony, and the Brahms' 2nd piano concerto. Nice concert!
REAL ESTATE: Had a low-ball offer on one of my listings and negotiations are at that eerily quiet stage (are we losing momentum?) Have a look: http://2505meadowbrookblvd.howardhanna.com/
Another agent threatened to make an offer.. Where is it?? Two other agents showed it this weekend, so maybe we'll get a sale.. Another listing that hasn't gone into the MLS yet should go on this week.
TAX CREDIT- The extension and expansion of the tax credit for home buyers until next spring is a welcome development that hopefully will help get the real estate market back on its feet. Please note: THE TAX CREDIT HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO SECOND-TIME BUYERS AND THE INCOME CAP HAS BEEN RAISED. CALL ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!!
Have a great week and please visit my sites at http://www.scotthaigh.com/ and http://www.scotthaigh.howardhanna.com/
REAL ESTATE: Had a low-ball offer on one of my listings and negotiations are at that eerily quiet stage (are we losing momentum?) Have a look: http://2505meadowbrookblvd.howardhanna.com/
Another agent threatened to make an offer.. Where is it?? Two other agents showed it this weekend, so maybe we'll get a sale.. Another listing that hasn't gone into the MLS yet should go on this week.
TAX CREDIT- The extension and expansion of the tax credit for home buyers until next spring is a welcome development that hopefully will help get the real estate market back on its feet. Please note: THE TAX CREDIT HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO SECOND-TIME BUYERS AND THE INCOME CAP HAS BEEN RAISED. CALL ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!!
Have a great week and please visit my sites at http://www.scotthaigh.com/ and http://www.scotthaigh.howardhanna.com/
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Vienna Update....
Last night the Cleveland Orchestra performed the Beethoven Piano Concerto #4 with Mitsuko Uchida as soloist and after intermission a searing rendition of Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Prelude to Act I Wagner’s Lohengrin was the encore. The audience loved it and demanded numerous curtain calls. For those of you who know a little about music history, you might be interested to know that Gustav Mahler’s grand-daughter was in the audience during our Thursday night concert and loved it! Only in Vienna…
This morning at the Wiener Musikvereinsaal the orchestra rehearsed a little bit of a new piece that we have played several times call “Chor” by Jorge Widmann and then spent the rest of the rehearsal on the Brahms Requiem with the Wiener Singverein (Viennese Singing Society) and soloists. The Singverein sang really beautifully and it is not surprising, considering they are the chorus for the Vienna Philharmonic and they were singing in their native language of German. The soloists were Simon Keenlyside, a wonderful singer, and the fabulous Malin Hartelius, who sang so stunningly beautifully in the Cleveland Orchestra’s production of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro last spring. The concert for this program is tonight and tomorrow night. On Tuesday the orchestra will take a train to Linz to perform our last concert of the tour. Linz is the hometown of our music director Franz Welser-Most, so it will be a homecoming for him.
Today I’m taking a day off the day from sight-seeing to nap, stay away pastries, and write this blog!
To follow the orchestra’s tour online, go to www.clevelandorchestrablog.com
This morning at the Wiener Musikvereinsaal the orchestra rehearsed a little bit of a new piece that we have played several times call “Chor” by Jorge Widmann and then spent the rest of the rehearsal on the Brahms Requiem with the Wiener Singverein (Viennese Singing Society) and soloists. The Singverein sang really beautifully and it is not surprising, considering they are the chorus for the Vienna Philharmonic and they were singing in their native language of German. The soloists were Simon Keenlyside, a wonderful singer, and the fabulous Malin Hartelius, who sang so stunningly beautifully in the Cleveland Orchestra’s production of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro last spring. The concert for this program is tonight and tomorrow night. On Tuesday the orchestra will take a train to Linz to perform our last concert of the tour. Linz is the hometown of our music director Franz Welser-Most, so it will be a homecoming for him.
Today I’m taking a day off the day from sight-seeing to nap, stay away pastries, and write this blog!
To follow the orchestra’s tour online, go to www.clevelandorchestrablog.com
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wiener Schnitzel and Sachertorte
Greetings from Vienna! In one week the orchestra has visited Toronto, Paris, Luxembourg, and now we are in the beautiful city of Vienna. Last night we performed the first of three concerts here in the famous Musikvereinsaal, the home of the Vienna Philharmonic. With it's gold leaf on the statues lining the hall and it's fabulous acoustics, the orchestra sounded beautiful and the audience loved it. We must have had about 6 curtain calls and we played an encore- the overture to the 3rd act of Wagner's "Lohengrin". This morning I visited the Leopold Museum and saw a very interest exhibit of Edvard Munch (famous for "The Scream") paintings as well as paintings by Viennese secessionists such at Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, etc. We were lucky to have excellent weather in Paris and I had the opportunity to take a boat ride along the Seine River, taking in all the important sites, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, etc. Don't miss visiting this gorgeous city!
Luxembourg, though quieter, is also a beautiful city with a lot of wealth. (It's a banking center) It has beautiful shops and pedestrian malls and I toured the walls that once protected this city a thousand years ago. There is a an excellent new concert hall there and I heard rumors that we will be returning on a regular basis. We have two more concerts in Vienna to play and then one in Linz, and then home.. I will update this blog in a few days..
Luxembourg, though quieter, is also a beautiful city with a lot of wealth. (It's a banking center) It has beautiful shops and pedestrian malls and I toured the walls that once protected this city a thousand years ago. There is a an excellent new concert hall there and I heard rumors that we will be returning on a regular basis. We have two more concerts in Vienna to play and then one in Linz, and then home.. I will update this blog in a few days..
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