January is in the history books, and here are the results according to the MLS of Greater Cincinnati: During the month of January, there were 455 active listings, 29 properties that sold, and 54 properties that were pending at the end of the month for the area including Milford, Miami Township, and Goshen Township in Ohio. The average list price for the month was $242,244, while the average sale price was $186,855. The average number of days on the market for the month was 132. The average number of bedrooms was 3, while the average number of baths was between 2 1/2 and 3. (Is that possible?)   In all of Clermont County for the month of January, there were 1,384 active listings, 80 properties that sold, and 207 that were pending. The average list price for Clermont County was $204,632, ... 02/07/2009

Tax season is here! Will you be taking advantage of the First-Time Homebuyer tax credit? Here are some things to remember: Any "first-time homebuyer" who purchases a home between August 9, 2008 and July 1, 2009 qualifies. (A first-time homebuyer is anyone who has not owned a home for the 3 years prior to purchase.) The tax credit amount is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home (maximum $7500), and it does have a payback of 6.67% ($502.50) per year over 15 years. For this reason, some have considered it to be more like an interest-free loan. If you sell your home prior to the end of the payback period, the balance of the credit that is owed will come out of the proceeds of the sale-unless you sell the home for a loss. Before you take advantage of the tax credit, find out more in... 01/12/2009

  According to the NAR, curb appeal is the feature of your home that will give the biggest return on investment- for the second year in a row. We've all heard for years that kitchens and baths were the areas that give the most bang for your buck, but not anymore. Now there is a focus on the exterior, and decks rule the day. While kitchens still come in near the top, baths do not seem to be a "dealbreaker" anymore. As a woman who seeks out the tub in the Master Bath of any home that I go into, I find that hard to believe. I must admit though, when it came time to buying a home 3 years ago, even I sacrificed " the tub" for a large kitchen, a huge deck, a screened porch, and a beautiful wooded lot.  (My husband has promised me "the tub" someday.) I attribute this focus on the outdoors to H... 01/09/2009

Thanks to all of those who brought their buck to help Milford Miami Minstries on December 13th, we were able to raise $668. This amount went toward helping many families in the Milford/Miami Township area with food and utilities during the holidays. 01/08/2009

Back in September, the remnants of Hurricane Ike blew through the Cincinnati area like a very bad dream. There was extensive damage, and the power was out in some areas for a week. As difficult as that time period was for some of the people in this area, it was but a drop in the bucket compared to what people went through in New Orleans a few years ago during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Last night, there was a television program on PBS that completely captivated my attention. The focus of the story was on a man named Mr. Gettis and his struggle to rebuild his home after the wind from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the resulting floods, brought ruin to his home and scattered his family.  While he worked on rebuilding the home, with just a little help from volunteers, he battl... 01/07/2009

As I am writing this post, I am looking down at a computer screen. Every once in a while, I look up and find that my 2-year-old daughter is pretending that a launcher for one of her brother's rockets is a microphone. She is singing and dancing til her heart's content, and I am looking down at this screen. I can only imagine the things that I am missing since I am so busy looking down. For the last several weeks, I have been reading about the historically low interest rates that are now being offered. This week, I read a rate sheet that put interest rates between 4.9% and 5.25%! This has triggered an increase in the number of mortgage applications, which had slowed down considerably before the holidays.  Combining this with a huge supply of homes on the market and a small demand, NOW is ... 01/03/2009

If you live in the Milford, OH area, you are invited to "Bring a Buck" to help your community on Saturday, Dec. 13th from 12:00 noon to 1:30 PM. The event will be held at the Milford Christian Church (844 St. Rt. 131 Milford, OH 45150). Please come with your dollar and make a difference in your community. Proceeds will go to Milford Miami Ministries in their efforts to help families from the community with food and utilities during this tough time. This event is being organized by the Milford office of Coldwell Banker West Shell. 12/10/2008

Trees begin as providers to our eco system. They make Oxygen and burn Carbon Dioxide thus helping our systems. They serve a good purpose in our lives till they die, and then have to be replaced. Before the replacement they have to be removed. Removing is a job that has to be done right or else a new root can sprout and ruin the balance that we want in the landscaping. Removal is a job best left to professionals who know what they are doing; amateurs can ruin the whole thing and cause more problems than solutions. They provide shade for other bushes and people while they live. They have roots that extend quite a long way into the ground. Thus they hold the soil that they are planted on. The roots are required to bring water and nutrients for the use of the trees for proper development. S... 12/08/2008

Trees need to be trimmed every so often to keep them looking good and growing right. They live a long time so it is important that they be well taken care of. It could be there for shade or looks but either way it is our duty to take care of it. The branches and leaves grow, sometimes too much and in a direction that is unwanted. Tree trimming requires proper attention to detail and the right knowledge of the tree itself. If not done right it can scar and harm the tree and then it is hard for it to fulfill its purpose. Tree trimming is like operating on a tree. It requires precise knowledge as to how the tree grows and at what points it needs to be trimmed. Therefore it is important that professionals do the work because an amateur can harm and botch the job. It is not random cuts that ... 12/08/2008

Tree stump removal takes skill, muscle and the proper tools. With that it is a cinch or else you could hack away at it for hours without achieving much. A proper company will remove the stump and you will never be able to tell, except by prior knowledge, that a stump was ever in the place before. Tree removal is only complete when the stump is removed roots and all. There is a skill involved in stump removal and that is the reason you need a professional to take care of it, otherwise you could end up spending much more time with little to show for it. If all the roots are not removed, there is a chance that they could sprout again and you could end up with either two kinds of trees or you would again have to remove what comes up. Thoroughness is very important in stump removal, as is th... 12/08/2008

Presented by Kim Schieldknecht - LO.002028.000, MB.802245.000 of Clermont Financial LLC Mortgage Market Update: Fixed mortgage rates rose a tenth of a percent during the final week of December, according to a survey of national lenders. While the national average for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage hovered around 6 and a quarter percent, fluctuations have been modest through most of 2007. As economists monitor inflation and its effects on long term US Treasury yields, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are both proposing new fees for mortgages they guarantee. Accordinging to these companies, these fees are in direct response to the inherent risks associated with guaranteeing loans. The National Association of Realtors reported a slight upturn in the number of existing home sales in November with ... 01/08/2008

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