Buying a House “As-Is” With Right to Inspect In this new age of foreclosures and short sales, more and more homes are offered “as-is.” For the prospective homebuyer, it’s now essential to understand what this means. Buying a home as-is sounds like it would be a disadvantage, but it also has a number of benefits that could play to your favor. First, what does it mean to buy a home as-is? It means that you are buying a home exactly in the condition that it appears, and the sellers aren’t making any warranties about the condition of the property. If there are things wrong with the house, from cosmetic damage to major structural issues, they will be the responsibility of the buyer to repair. In other words, as the house’s new owner, its problems are you... 04/01/2012

Oxymoron Diaries | Cheap Gas. The only thing I need to say about this oxymoron is ... $4.19 a gallon in Toledo, OH today. NOT cheap gas.   Click here to Like The Oxymoron Diaries on Facebook Click here to Subscribe to The Oxymoron Diaries Click here for an excerpt of The Oxymoron Diaries "Twelve Ounce Poundcake". Click here to purchase The Oxymoron Diaries on Kindle. Click here to purchase The Oxymoron Diaries on Nook. Click here for a FREE Kindle download for your PC, iPad or smartphone. Click here for Oxymoron Diaries on Youtube 03/23/2012

Here's an interesting article by by Duke Chung:  Duke Chung co-founded Parature in 2000 with a vision to provide superior customer support software accessible via the Internet. Today, Parature’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product suite supports millions of end users worldwide in diverse industries from national associations, leading educational institutions, gaming & interactive media, manufacturing, services, and technology companies. Prior to Parature, Duke co-founded Limespot, a company focused on providing students vital campus information over the Internet. Social Media You’ve been monitoring your Facebook wall and Twitterpages, responding to customer inquiries. But what are the next steps you should take to stay abreast of the latest trends in social service?…                   ... 03/02/2012

Book Review | The Oxymoron Diaries | Twelve Ounce Poundcake. Recent reviews: From N.B.N. - "If sarcasm and an acid-tongue top your list of fiction prerequisites, then look no further. What I thought would be solely a work of fiction for the kinder and gentler sex turned into one laugh after another, with more than ample cringes thrown in for good measure for this macho man. Ms. O'Neil's use of oxymora as inspiration is brilliant and highly entertaining. In between the humor is pain and sadness, but never far behind is another humorous jab in the funny bone. " From Doris - I loved "The Oxymoron Diaries"! I was expecting it to be funny, light and a bit acerbic, hey with a title like The Oxymoron Diaries, what do you expect? Well, what I got was all of the above, but so much more! As the ... 03/02/2012

What Does Short Sale Mean? Buying Short Sales: What You Need to Know As the real estate market remains volatile, one of the best options for many new homebuyers is purchasing a short sale home. But, what does ôshort saleö mean? A short sale is when lenders have the opportunity to sell a property before the bank forecloses on the home rather than after. While buying short sales creates the opportunity for real estate investors to pay well-below-average housing prices for properties within ideal locations, there are still drawbacks. If you're interested in buying short sales, here are a few things you need to be aware of: Why Banks Short Sale Pre-Foreclosure Homes The last thing a bank wants to do is own a property secured by the bank's loans. When a property owner is in default and owes ... 02/28/2012

Whether or not one believes global warming is an issue to be concerned about, it’s hard to refute the evidence that the world’s carbon dioxide production is the main cause of the warming of our planet. To slow the effect, more individuals and corporations are doing their part to minimize their carbon footprint. Recent advancements in and an explosion of research on alternative, or renewable, energy are making it possible for homeowners to lessen the impact of their energy usage. Increasingly, there are more options that provide comparable or better performance to current energy sources. Three of the more common renewable energy sources are solar power, wind power and hydro power. Note that while these are “more common,” they are not necessarily widely used in homes … yet. Solar power is... 02/28/2012

Whether or not one believes global warming is an issue to be concerned about, it’s hard to refute the evidence that the world’s carbon dioxide production is the main cause of the warming of our planet. To slow the effect, more individuals and corporations are doing their part to minimize their carbon footprint. Recent advancements in and an explosion of research on alternative, or renewable, energy are making it possible for homeowners to lessen the impact of their energy usage. Increasingly, there are more options that provide comparable or better performance to current energy sources. Three of the more common renewable energy sources are solar power, wind power and hydro power. Note that while these are “more common,” they are not necessarily widely used in homes … yet. Solar power is... 02/19/2012

Three forms of renewable energy (the most common) are solar, wind and hydro. Less-known are tidal (sea waves), geothermal (natural heat), biomass (decomposed matter), fuel cell (hydrogen and oxygen) and nuclear energy. We continue here with a look at wind power for home use, along with sources for further research and information. Why is wind power important? Simply put, it's good for your pocketbook and for the environment. At a time when saving money is on top of everyone's mind, regardless of an individual's financial health, opportunities to reduce the cost of basic expenses such as utilities are worth considering. And just as wind is a renewable resource, the savings on wind power are sustainable for the life of your home. Natural gas power vs. wind power From a short-term cost pe... 02/19/2012

                                                                                       Selling a Home with Vermiculite Vermiculite is a mineral substance that is often found in attics, especially as insulation in the spaces between joists. The product, which looks like course sand or gravel, is made by heating tiny mineral flakes to create puffy particles with fire-resistant and insulating properties. While vermiculite insulation can be excellent at retaining heat, it can also be dangerous: before 1990, most of the U.S. vermiculite supply came from an asbestos-contaminated mine. The mine, near Libby, Montana, produced vermiculite under the brand name Zonolite. Since so much vermiculite was produced at the Libby, Montana mine and is contaminated with asbestos fibers, it is generally advi... 02/18/2012

                                                                                                        Selling a Home with Asbestos Siding As in the case of cement asbestos tiles, asbestos siding is dangerous when it's damaged, crushed, or turned to dust. As long as the asbestos siding on your home is intact and in good repair, buyers may wish to cover rather than replace the siding. Whether or not you cover asbestos tiles before selling your home, you are required by law to disclose their presence to any potential buyers. Buyers may want to know what condition the tiles are in, and many inspectors will recommend simply covering asbestos tiles with vinyl or HardiPlank siding rather than undertaking an expensive removal process. The most common management procedure for undamaged asbesto... 02/18/2012

                  Selling a Home Treated for Termites Selling a home that's been treated for termites should not be particularly hard if you can demonstrate how the problem has been controlled, how the damage was repaired, and how you've continued to protect the home from ongoing termite damage. Potential buyers may ask to see paperwork, which could include descriptions of the termite damage, bills from termite treatment professionals, or inspection reports showing the extent of termite damage. If the buyer's certified termite inspection reveals untreated termite infestations or previously undetected termite damage, steps will generally need to be taken to control the problem before the sale can go through. Termite abatement should be handled by a skilled professional for reasons of saf... 02/18/2012

Selling a home may seem like a challenge for the homeowner who has discovered termite damage, vermiculite, or asbestos components. A home that contains harmful building materials or that has been treated for termites can be sold, however, if certain steps are taken. If you know your home has been treated for termites or contains vermiculite insulation, asbestos siding, or asbestos cement tiles, or if the buyer's inspection reveals one of these issues, knowing the facts can help make your sale go more smoothly. As a seller, you're generally required by law to disclose what you know about your home's termite damage, asbestos tiles, vermiculite insulation, or asbestos siding. The regulations governing disclosures of material facts vary from state to state, but most sales do require a signe... 02/18/2012

                                                            What is a Property Survey? A property survey is a carefully measured drawing that shows the land that is for sale and all structures on the property. It shows how large all the structures are and how far they are from each other and the borders of the property. Most importantly, it shows setbacks and easement lines. Wait, what? It seems like the property lines and structures should be most important, but they are not. The setbacks and easement restrictions are actually the most critical elements of the survey because those are usually where the biggest problems are found.                                          What is a Setback? A setback is the required distance between the house you wish to buy and other property features. ... 02/18/2012

What is a Property Survey? A property survey is a carefully measured drawing that shows the land that is for sale and all structures on the property. It shows how large all the structures are and how far they are from each other and the borders of the property. Most importantly, it shows setbacks and easement lines. Wait, what? It seems like the property lines and structures should be most important, but they are not. The setbacks and easement restrictions are actually the most critical elements of the survey because those are usually where the biggest problems are found. 02/17/2012

What is Title Insurance? Title insurance is just another line item expense when purchasing your house, paid for one time at closing. Essentially, it is protection for you and your mortgage company that the person selling you the house has full and clear title to the property and was able to legally pass it to you. The title insurance company investigates the ownership of the property and then insures their work. If the seller didn’t rightfully own the home, and someone else does, the mortgage company and the homebuyer are financially protected. Fortunately, issues of title defects are relatively rare, meaning that title insurance isn’t too expensive and really not something to worry about. 02/17/2012

What are Easement Restrictions? How to Ensure Clear Title on a Property When buying a home you’re bound to encounter some things that you don’t know anything about. They are things that outside of the home buying process you won’t ever run into. And since the average homebuyer only goes through this process a few times in his or her lifetime, it’s understandable that these things would be unfamiliar. A couple of items that seem to be perplexing are title insurance and the property survey, specifically how easements are represented. When purchasing a home with a mortgage you need to get title insurance and a survey. This is required for all financed home purchases. An attorney or title company typically orders property surveys. Though the buyer has to pay for this service they usually do... 02/17/2012

Finally Some Snow for Cappy Callahan the Goldendoodle. Having brought Cappy Callahan the Goldendoodle home last May, he had yet to enjoy the fun of a NW Ohio snowstorm. Finally Mother Nature took pity on him and gave him his wish - a romp in the snow. As a real estate professional (R Squared Coach) I hear from agents all the time how the weather can interfere with their day. Appointments cancelled, cold toes in vacant properties (it's usually colder INSIDE a vacant property than OUTSIDE!), unshovelled drives and sidewalks, plus a variety of other headaches. It's nice to be able to dwell on the positive and be grateful for some white stuff for once. Take a look at Cappy having some fun ... 02/12/2012

Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay). By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing and sold property prices are calculated based on the market activity each month. Some sales are not immediately available from public records. As they become available, the data are updated. Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay). By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing and sold property prices are calculated based on the market activity each month. Some sales are not immediately available f... 01/18/2012

Understand the difference between "listing prices" (what sellers are asking for) and "sold prices" (what buyers are willing to pay). By comparing these price trends, you'll have a good idea of where the market is heading. The median listing and sold property prices are calculated based on the market activity each month. Some sales are not immediately available from public records. As they become available, the data are updated. 01/18/2012

Today I want to share with you the 2011 year-end results for the Heatherdowns area in South Toledo.  For the year 2011 there were 291 completed sales in the Heatherdowns area.                                                                     Market Analysis Report   Property Type: Single Family Status: Sold Number of Properties: 291  LADOMBedroomsBath (Total)Approx SqftSP$/SqFtLP$/SFSP/LP %List PriceSale Price High 609 5 3 3,166 $105.73 $111.93 130.00 $239,900 $235,000 Low 0 2 0 592 $12.18 $11.52 57.14 $0 $15,000 Average 136 3 2 1,570 $55.05 $59.45 93.76 $89,745 $87,504 Median 105 3 1 1,525 $57.55 $62.24 94.41 $88,000 $83,000 Search Criteria Property Category SFM Status S Status Change Date between 1/1/2011 - 12/31/2011 Area 023   This is compared to 261 homes sold in the Heatherdowns... 01/09/2012