January 2008 Home Sales For West Chester & Liberty Township, Ohio

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January 2008 Home Sales For West Chester & Liberty Township, Ohio

 
 

January 2007

January 2008

+ / –

Closed Units

82

58

-29.27%

Average Sale Price

$228,572

$219,688

-3.89%

Average Days On Market

78

70

-10.26%

Average List to Sale Price %

95.86%

95.10%

-.76%

In review…

The number of closed units fell by 29.27% which continues to show a weak market for home sales.  We are seeing sporadic increases of showing activity by buyers, however these showings are not resulting in increased sales as of yet.  This just re-inforces the need to price a home very competitively to get it sold.  There are homes selling,  as evidence by these homes which sold in 35 DAYS, 38 DAYS, 18 DAYS and 28 DAYS!

The average sale price was $219,688 in January.  As I have stated before this is probably the most over examined statistic in real estate today.  This month it does reflect a lower average sale price than what was seen in January of 2007.  It is 3.89% lower than 2007.  This is certainly not surprising.

The average days on market came down to an average of 70 days on market which is a huge improvement over the average of 102 days that we saw on the homes that closed in December and it is also lower than the average for January 2007.  This can be looked at as a positive sign, however it is based on the smallest sampling of sales that we have seen in some time and we do still have an increasing inventory of homes for sale.

The list price to sale price ratio was considerably lower again in January 2008 as compared to January 2007.  It fell .76 basis points from the prior year and .62 points when compared to December 2007.

For a bit of really good news…  we continue to look to mortgage rates which are hovering around 5.65% for a thirty year fixed rate mortgage.  These are unbelievable times to be buying a home!

As always I will continue to monitor these market numbers  for West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio and will share them as they become available.  Should you have particular questions about these numbers please let me know!

If you would like to learn the current market value of your home I would be happy to provide you with it.

I would love to hear your thoughts as well!

Absentee Voting for the Primary Election Begins

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Absentee voting for the March 4th Ohio primary election begins on Friday.

Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot.  Many voters request a ballot due to being out of town on election day or for a variety of other reasons, but simply wanting to vote early is more than enough reason.

Read an article on absentee voting in Butler, Warren and Hamilton counties here.

Whether you vote with an absentee ballot or in person on March 4th, please remember to vote.

Get more election information here:

Ohio Secretary of State’s site

Butler County Board of Elections site

As always, I would love to hear your comments!

Home Selling Tips for West Chester Spring Buyer’s Market

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If you’re planning to put your home on the market in time for spring, now’s the time to get it ready to show.

But wait, it’s still a buyer’s market. What can you do to catch the buyer’s eye and get them to make an offer? Here are some home selling tips:

It’s going to take more than a fresh coat of paint and a new welcome mat. A buyer’s market raises the stakes, and you’ll find you need to do a lot more work on your home than you think, if you want to get the highest price possible.

You’ve heard that you should clean, paint and repair, but that may not be enough. If your home is cluttered and in disrepair, buyers won’t pay top dollar.

Knowing how buyers reason should help you pick which updates are most likely to help you sell your home.

Let’s take the most basic selling suggestions and explore why these are such important mantras.

  • Boost your curb appeal. A clean house with cosmetic upgrades like painting and planting flowers can help form a fantastic first impression of your home.

    Why? Eighty-four percent of homebuyers use the Internet to search for homes. One-third of homebuyers use the Internet first, before any other source. That means that people are making decisions whether or not to even drive by your home based on how it looks in video, virtual tours and photographs…

    Click here to Read The Entire Article in my February newsletter.

    Wondering what your home is worth? Click here to find out!

Homes For Sale In West Chester & Liberty Township Ohio

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The supply of homes for sale in West Chester and Liberty Township increased again.

As of the beginning of February the selection of homes for sale in West Chester rose 5.91% when compared to the beginning of January 2008 and a whopping 15.41% when compared to the same time in 2007.

The story is much the same in Liberty Township with the number of homes for sale increasing 6.99% as of the beginning of February when compared to the beginning of January 2008.  The percentage increase of 10.25% when compared to the beginning of February 2007 is more favorable than the West Chester increase.

The selection of homes to buy right now is terrific if you are thinking of buying.  Get out and take a look at the opportunities that are out there right now.

Interest rates are hovering around 5.50% right now for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage, which are much lower than they were just a few months ago

Opportunities for first time homebuyers are particularly good right now, especially when you consider the great rates and down payment options provided by the FHA Loan program.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts!

New Listing In West Chester, Ohio

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My New Listing In West Chester …

7988 Millwheel Way, West Chester, Ohio 45069

7988 Millwheel Way

West Chester, Ohio 45069

Lakota Schools

$235,000  – Four Bedrooms – Two Full and Half Baths

Immaculate Two Story Home Features Newer Hardwood Floors In The Family Room, Kitchen & Foyer. New Windows, Shutters, Carpet ’07, Newer Roof & More!  Warm, Inviting Family Room w/ Fireplace, Large Master, Large Deck Great For Entertaining, Overlooks Large Lot w/ Many trees. One Year Home Warranty.

Interest Rates, Home Showings, Builders & More

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This post is a little bit about a number of things…

First interest rates;  today a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is 5.49% compared to 5.95% just over two weeks ago (and a full 1.00% below what it was 18 months ago).  As I have said many times recently, and yes I probably do sound like a broken record, these rates are unbelievable.

I spent the weekend showing homes and made several observations to share as I went around this weekend.  There are a large number of vacant homes and condos for sale right now (motivated sellers).  And this should come as no surprise, the builders are very aggressive and very motivated right now.  There are lots of incentives out there and not all are advertised.  If you are thinking about new construction whether it’s building or simply buying a market home, it is a great time to do so.

A buyer asked me the other day;  “How will I know when the housing market has bottomed?”   My answer:  You won’t.  The only sure way to know that the market has bottomed out is when it’s on the way back up, and if it’s on the way up, it’s too late.  What I do know is the market has dipped and we are at the bottom of that curve.  It’s okay to buy down here.

 

Finally in the last two weeks there have been 116 new listings come on the market in West Chester and Liberty Township, Ohio and there have been 41 pending sales in that time.  So things are selling and we are continuing to see a great deal of new listings.