Welcome to the relaunch of RealEstate-Ink.com!

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Welcome to the relaunch of Real Estate Ink!

Today marks the relaunch of this real estate news site.  For many years this site provided some pretty good real estate information and promoted real estate homes for sale. With today’s relaunch this site becomes a leading resource for local real estate news and information.

You won’t be seeing a lot of homes for sale promotion, you can find that many different places on the internet.  I do have a great site for that if that is what you were looking for when you landed here.  If that is the case just click over to http://LowryTeam.com

What you will begin to see here are articles on the current happenings in the real estate market in our area.  All those national articles and news sources are fine, but they aren’t always very relative to our area.  National home prices and national sales levels are like getting a national weather report.  The high temperature today in the United States will be… 😀

I have left all of the old content on here, some of which still has value and some not so much. So just mostly ignore the old stuff and keep an eye out for a lot of new content.

About the author:  Eric Lowry is the founder and team leader of The Lowry Team – eXp Realty. Eric is 26+ year veteran of the real estate industry.

Most Expensive Home Sales in Butler County

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Just Listed Under $600,000 Under $700,000
Under $800,000 Under $900,000 All Luxury Homes in Butler County

Here is a list of the most expensive home sales in Butler County from the last year. Butler County Ohio is an expansive area that includes West Chester, Liberty Township, Fairfield Township, Fairfield, Monroe, Hamilton, and more. Butler County has homes that fit every budget. From homes under $100,000 to over $1,000,000, there is something for everyone.

The luxury home market in 2020 picked up a bit compared to previous years. In 2020, there were 161 luxury home sales compared to 134 luxury home sales in Butler County in 2019. There were only 109 luxury home sales in 2018.

The current inventory of luxury homes for sale in Butler County is on par with the luxury home inventory levels in other similar areas, illustrating the fact that the Butler County luxury market is pretty healthy.

Only one of these luxury home sales was a new construction home, which was sold in the Carriage Hill Subdivision which was the location of the Homearama luxury home show in both 2013 and 2014. In previous years, a fairly large part of the activity in the Butler County luxury home market had been driven by new construction. That is not the case for 2020.

The Top Ten Most Expensive Butler County Home Sales in 2020 (see below) were sold in a range from $830,000 – $1,599,500. In 2019, the range was $830,000 – $1,500,000.  Of these ten home sales, 4 were in Carriage Hill, 1 was in Reserves of Providence, 1 was in Tylers Reserve, and 4 were not located in subdivisions.

Enjoy browsing these beautiful homes. Call The Lowry Team at 513-368-3751 to buy or sell a home in Butler County.

Most Expensive Butler County Home Sales 2020

Address – Sale Price – Location

6209 Yankee Road – $1,599,500 – Liberty Township

7200 Carson Road – $1,550,000 – Lemon Township

6188 Carriage Oak Way – $1,200,000 – Liberty Township

5190 Stony Run Court – $1,160,000 – Liberty Township

6337 Carriage Oak Way – $980,000 – Liberty Township

6836 Southampton Lane – $915,000 – West Chester

4320 Tylers Estates Drive – $872,000 – West Chester

5242 Yankee Road – $862,500 – Liberty Township

6998 Lesourdsville West Chester Road – $840,000 – Liberty Township

6287 Carriage Oak Way – $830,000 –  Liberty Township

Questions about the Butler County Ohio Real Estate Market?
Call/text Eric Lowry  513-368-3751

You might also be interested in:

Cincinnati Real Estate Market Update – June 2022

Where Did All the Houses Go?

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Where Did All the Houses Go? 

The inventory of homes for sale right now is crazy low. The pandemic is definitely part of the reason, but it’s not the whole story. Let’s dive in and find out what exactly is causing this shortage.

According to a report on CNBC, so far in 2021 there were 207,000 homes that should have been listed across the country, that were not. There is definitely a record shattering decline in the number of homes for sale, or what we call the inventory.

It’s the result of years of steady erosion; this didn’t happen overnight. It’s just that it’s worse now. The shortage has certainly accelerated. The number of homes available for sale has dropped dramatically. So, where have all the houses gone? And why?

The Pandemic is Partially to Blame

The pandemic has certainly caused some of this. I’m sure we’ve all heard or thought, “Who wants to sell a house in the middle of a pandemic? Who wants a bunch of strangers trampling through the house?” There is certainly a part of the population that just doesn’t want that, so they just have not even considered putting their home on the market.

A lot of home owners are baby boomers, and they are a group of people that are at a higher risk in this pandemic. A good amount of them just weren’t coming to market out of an abundance of caution. To be clear though, these folks aren’t the only ones who think and feel this way. They just happen to be the largest portion of the home owners that might have listed but did not.

The Vicious Cycle of Low Inventory

Another contributing factor is the vicious cycle where many people who might sell their home aren’t doing it because they don’t know where they’d go. They don’t know that they’d be able to find a house they would buy if they sell theirs. So they don’t put their home on the market because there is nothing for them to buy. Thus the vicious cycle, the downward spiral, continues with another home that doesn’t go on the market because of the market. It just keeps perpetuating itself continuing to reduce the potential inventory that might otherwise have come on the market.

Current Interest Rates

Another factor to consider in this whole equation is the exceptionally low interest rates we’ve seen over the past year. A tremendous amount of homeowners have refinanced their home loans to take advantage of these historically low rates. So these people now have a low mortgage rate and a low monthly payment, and that could be making people happy enough in their current homes that there isn’t a lot of motivation for those people to sell any time soon.

The New Construction Factor

You also need to give thought to the new construction factor. In the past, home builders were building a lot of homes that fed the supply of homes for sale. There would be a lot of market homes in a wide variety of price ranges. Today, with the quickly rising cost of building materials, new construction homes prices have escalated significantly. Meaning, in the entry level and first-move-up price points, there is just isn’t really any new construction happening in a lot of these areas.

Long Term Effects of Institutional Investors

Institutional investors are another thing contributing to this decline in inventory over time. Institutional investors are large companies that over the course of a number of years are buying up large blocks of single family homes and renting them out. They are not flipping these homes, they are holding them to rent. These investors have taken thousands and thousands of homes out of the real estate market that will not be coming up for sale. There could be a point where home prices get high enough that they might consider selling, but there are not current indications of this happening. They are content to hold onto these properties whose asset value is increasing dramatically.

What’s Going to Change this Situation?

So what’s going to change this current low inventory situation? More new construction would certainly help, but honestly I don’t think that’s going to happen. Certainly not in the price ranges where we really need the increased inventory.

As the end of the pandemic nears, there probably will be a few more listings come on the market, but most likely not a dramatic amount, and certainly not enough to meet the demand of all the buyers that are in the market right now.

For the foreseeable future, this severe shortage of inventory of homes for sale, I don’t see it changing much. So for now, this is just the market we’re in; it’s today’s reality. We will always continue to watch for trends and indicators that things are changing, but for now, what we see is a pretty hot real estate market.

It’s unbelievably hot if you’re a seller, in a really great way. If you’re a buyer, you really just have to see the opportunity here is that while you might be buying a home for more than you’d like to be paying for it, you’re borrowing the money at such a cheap level with the low, low interest rates that you can at least say from one perspective you got a good deal there.

If you have any questions about the real estate market, please feel free to reach out to us at 513-368-3751.

Articles you may be interested in:

Cincinnati Real Estate Market Update – March 2021

Dayton Real Estate Market Update – March 2021

Springfield Real Estate Market Update – March 2021

REAL ESTATE NOW Springfield Market Update – March 2021

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Just Listed Under $150,000 Under $200,000
Under $300,000 Under $400,000 Luxury Homes in Springfield


What’s going on in real estate now? Find out in this Springfield market update!

As you probably know, the Springfield real estate market right now in most areas and price ranges is going absolutely crazy. Homes are selling in just hours after being listed, getting numerous offers, and are selling above list price. Sometimes by quite a large amount! Not to mention the fact that there is a major shortage of homes for sale. It’s an unprecedented situation, so let’s dive into the details.

Is now a good time to sell my Springfield home?

In the last three months, home sales are up anywhere from 12-20% over the same period in 2020. This is a huge increase for our area! It’s important to note that same period last year was also a very strong period in real estate. So if you have been considering possibly selling your home, now is the very best time to find out what it might sell for in today’s market, and what the best timing and strategy might be for that.

You can get an idea of what your home might sell for at www.SpringfieldOhHomeValues.com. This home valuation tool will give you a starting point for estimating what your home might be currently worth.

However, a better solution would be to schedule a time for us to come out and give you an actual market analysis. You’ll get a more detailed, accurate idea of what your home will sell for in today’s market, and what the optimal strategy is to get you the best price possible. Right now is very likely the best time we are going to see this year to get top dollar for selling your home.

The best time to sell is when there are plenty of buyers and when the competition is very low. And right now we are at such a low level of homes available for sale, it’s unprecedented. Meaning, if you’ve got a home to sell, you are a hot commodity, completely in command. You will be able to dictate terms and get the very top dollar for your home.

Everyone wants to sell at the top, and currently 2021 is as near the top as we will probably get. In 23 years of selling real estate, I have never seen anything like this. However, it’s not something that will likely be sustainable long term. So, if you have a home to sell, this is your moment.

Is now a good time to buy a house in Springfield?

Now, if you’re a buyer, you may be thinking, “Well this doesn’t sound so good for me right now.” But actually that’s not true. There are couple things you have to keep in mind when buying in today’s market.

The first thing – low interest rates. Rates are historically low right now. These crazy low rates that we’re seeing are definitely fueling the market and the activity, but they are also a historic opportunity to borrow money at a significantly lower cost. Low interest rates dramatically lower monthly payments, making homes more affordable even though we are seeing higher prices.

The other thing to think about is if you’re thinking of delaying your purchase until the market “cools down”, you will be buying a home when the interest rates are potentially significantly higher. And the home that you might have bought this year will cost more in a year or two years. Thus you are paying more for the home, and you are paying more for the money you’re borrowing to get the home. That means your monthly mortgage payment would be significantly higher than if you buy today. So the moral of the story is, waiting will cost you money.

So if you’re thinking about buying a home or selling a home, please reach out to us and let us know what we can do to assist you.

Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.

REAL ESTATE NOW Dayton Market Update – March 2021

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513-368-3751 to Connect with a Top Real Estate Agent in Dayton

Home Values Map Search Contact Us
Just Listed Under $150,000 Under $200,000
Under $300,000 Under $400,000 Luxury Homes in Dayton

What’s going on in real estate now? Find out in this Dayton market update!

As you probably know, the Dayton real estate market right now in most areas and price ranges is going absolutely crazy. Homes are selling in just hours after being listed, getting numerous offers, and are selling above list price. Sometimes by quite a significant amount! Not to mention the fact that there is a major shortage of homes for sale. It’s an unprecedented situation, so let’s dive into the details.

Is now a good time to sell my Dayton house?

In the last three months, home sales are up anywhere from 12-20% over the same period in 2020. This is a huge increase for our area! It’s important to note that same period last year was also a very strong period in real estate. So if you have been considering possibly selling your home, now is the very best time to find out what it might sell for in today’s market, and what the best timing and strategy might be for that.

You can get an idea of what your home might sell for at www.DaytonOhHomeValues.com. This home valuation tool will give you a starting point for estimating what your home might be currently worth.

However, a better solution would be to schedule a time for us to come out and give you an actual market analysis. You’ll get a more detailed, accurate idea of what your home will sell for in today’s market, and what the optimal strategy is to get you the best price possible. Right now is very likely the best time we are going to see this year to get top dollar for selling your home.

The best time to sell is when there are plenty of buyers and when the competition is very low. And right now we are at such a low level of homes available for sale, it’s unprecedented. Meaning, if you’ve got a home to sell, you are a hot commodity, completely in command. You will be able to dictate terms and get the very top dollar for your home.

Everyone wants to sell at the top, and currently 2021 is as near the top as we will probably get. In 23 years of selling real estate, I have never seen anything like this. However, it’s not something that will likely be sustainable long term. So, if you have a home to sell, this is your moment.

Is now a good time to buy a house in Dayton?

Now, if you’re a buyer, you may be thinking, “Well this doesn’t sound so good for me right now.” But actually that’s not true. There are couple things you have to keep in mind when buying in today’s market.

The first thing – low interest rates. Rates are historically low right now. These crazy low rates that we’re seeing are definitely fueling the market and the activity, but they are also a historic opportunity to borrow money at a significantly lower cost. Low interest rates dramatically lower monthly payments, making homes more affordable even though we are seeing higher prices.

The other thing to think about is if you’re thinking of delaying your purchase until the market “cools down”, you will be buying a home when the interest rates are potentially significantly higher. And the home that you might have bought this year will cost more in a year or two years. Thus you are paying more for the home, and you are paying more for the money you’re borrowing to get the home. That means your monthly mortgage payment would be significantly higher than if you buy today. So the moral of the story is, waiting will cost you money.

So if you’re thinking about buying a home or selling a home, please reach out to us and let us know what we can do to assist you.

Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.

REAL ESTATE NOW Cincinnati Market Update – March 2021

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513-368-3751 to Connect with a Top Real Estate Agent in Cincinnati

Home Values Map Search Contact Us
Just Listed Under $150,000 Under $200,000
Under $300,000 Under $400,000 Luxury Homes in Cincinnati

What’s going on in real estate now? Find out in this Cincinnati market update!

As you probably know, the Cincinnati real estate market right now in most areas and price ranges is going absolutely crazy. Homes are selling in just hours after being listed, getting numerous offers, and are selling above list price. Sometimes by quite a large amount! Not to mention the fact that there is a major shortage of homes for sale. It’s an unprecedented situation, so let’s dive into the details.

Is now a good time to sell my Cincinnati home?

In the last three months, home sales are up anywhere from 12-20% over the same period in 2020. This is a huge increase for our area! It’s important to note that same period last year was also a very strong period in real estate. So if you have been considering possibly selling your home, now is the very best time to find out what it might sell for in today’s market, and what the best timing and strategy might be for that.

You can get an idea of what your home might sell for at www.CincyHomeValuesNow.com. This home valuation tool will give you a starting point for estimating what your home might be currently worth.

However, a better solution would be to schedule a time for us to come out and give you an actual market analysis. You’ll get a more detailed, accurate idea of what your home will sell for in today’s market, and what the optimal strategy is to get you the best price possible. Right now is very likely the best time we are going to see this year to get top dollar for selling your home.

The best time to sell is when there are plenty of buyers and when the competition is very low. And right now we are at such a low level of homes available for sale, it’s unprecedented. Meaning, if you’ve got a home to sell, you are a hot commodity, completely in command. You will be able to dictate terms and get the very top dollar for your home.

Everyone wants to sell at the top, and currently 2021 is as near the top as we will probably get. In 23 years of selling real estate, I have never seen anything like this. However, it’s not something that will likely be sustainable long term. So, if you have a home to sell, this is your moment.

Is now a good time to buy a house in Cincinnati?

Now, if you’re a buyer, you may be thinking, “Well this doesn’t sound so good for me right now.” But actually that’s not true. There are couple things you have to keep in mind when buying in today’s market.

The first thing – low interest rates. Rates are historically low right now. These crazy low rates that we’re seeing are definitely fueling the market and the activity, but they are also a historic opportunity to borrow money at a significantly lower cost. Low interest rates dramatically lower monthly payments, making homes more affordable even though we are seeing higher prices.

The other thing to think about is if you’re thinking of delaying your purchase until the market “cools down”, you will be buying a home when the interest rates are potentially significantly higher. And the home that you might have bought this year will cost more in a year or two years. Thus you are paying more for the home, and you are paying more for the money you’re borrowing to get the home. That means your monthly mortgage payment would be significantly higher than if you buy today. So the moral of the story is, waiting will cost you money.

So if you’re thinking about buying a home or selling a home, please reach out to us and let us know what we can do to assist you.

Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.