The Lowry Team Keller Williams Shares The 6 Most Essential Home Buyer Tips

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Home Buying TipsThe Lowry Team Keller Williams Shares The 6 Most Essential Home Buyer Tips

In this modern world, everything we think we need to know is right at our fingertips, at the click of a button. The internet has become our primary source for information.  However, when buying a home, too much information can be confusing and overwhelming.  Market Leader surveyed 400 real estate agents to discover what tips they considered to be the best advice for the home buyer.

First, get a home inspection.  Have a professional check the safety and condition of the home. Second, get pre-approved.  Pre-approval will determine your price range. The corresponding pre-approval letter will put you in a  better position when writing an offer .  Third, any communication with the seller should be done through your real estate agent.  Fourth, get absolutely everything in writing.  For your protection, verbal agreements must get put into writing. Fifth, include any contingencies with your offer. Financing and inspections need to be written into the contract.   Lastly, before you begin looking for a home, make a realistic wish list.  Consider the size home and amenities you would like to have.

The best tip of all is to use a real estate agent when buying a home.  A professional agent will provide you with the best and most current information to assist you in your home search. The agent can discuss financing options, know whether a home is reasonably priced, and negotiate the best deal for you.

If you are considering buying a home, contact The Lowry Team. 513-874-1830

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The Lowry Team – Keller Williams Realty is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team is “Different By Design”… taking a team approach to home buying and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team.  The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team Keller Williams at 513-874-1830.

Other Articles You May Be Interested In:

Search the entire Cincinnati MLS for Homes For Sale

Find Out The Current Market Value Of Your Home

A Complete Guide to Buying a Home

What does it take to buy a home in today’s market?

Buy a Home With a Low Down Payment

Buying a Home Step 1: Get Pre Approved

Connect with us on Facebook

Connect with us on YouTube

Connect with us on Twitter

The Lowry Team Keller Williams Real Estate Recommends Investing in Real Estate

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The Lowry Team Keller Williams Real Estate Recommends Investing in Real Estate

Looking for a return on your investment?  Studies show that the stock market is not doing as well as real estate.  Gallup’s Economy and Personal Finances Poll surveyed Americans on what they thought was the best option for a long term investment. Those surveyed were asked to choose from real estate, gold, stocks and mutual funds, savings accounts and CD’s, and bonds.  30% chose real estate, followed with a tie at 24% for gold and stocks/mutual funds.  14% of American chose savings accounts and only 6% chose bonds.  Why do Americans feel that real estate is the best choice for a long term investment?  The housing market is improving and house prices are rising.

Break the numbers down by age and every single age group from 18 years to over 65 chose real estate as the wisest investment. If you look at each group according to income level, upper income levels were  more likely to choose real estate. A reason for this could  be that members of the higher income group already own their own home and realize their home’s worth.

Whether you are considering buying your very first home or your dream home, it is worth the investment.  Vacation home sales are up 29.7% so you may want to consider buying a home to rent or a place for your family to vacation.  Regardless of what type of home you are looking to buy, The Lowry Team Keller Williams are the professionals to help you find the right home to invest in.

Vacation Home Sales Are UpThe Lowry Team – Keller Williams Realty is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team is “Different By Design”… taking a team approach to home buying and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team.  The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team Keller Williams at 513-874-1830.

Other Articles You May Be Interested In:

Search the entire Cincinnati MLS for Homes For Sale

Find Out The Current Market Value Of Your Home

A Complete Guide to Buying a Home

What does it take to buy a home in today’s market?

Buy a Home With a Low Down Payment

Buying a Home Step 1: Get Pre Approved

Connect with us on Facebook

Connect with us on YouTube

Connect with us on Twitter

The Lowry Team Likes EnterTRAINment Junction in West Chester Ohio

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Entertrainment JunctionThe Lowry Team Likes EnterTRAINment Junction

In West Chester, Ohio.

EnterTrainment Junction is a fun place for the whole family.  The 80,000  square foot indoor attraction is located at 7379 Squire Court in West Chester, Ohio.  Attractions include a funhouse, mini Coney Island and the world’s largest indoor  model train display.  There is also a play area and hand cranked railroad cars that can move along a track.

The entrance to the Fun House has the  look and feel of an old time circus  midway. The lights, sounds and attractions take you back in time.  An old fashioned fortune teller machine is just one example of its features.  There are five sideshow circus tents.  Tents include Curtain Chaos, Clown College, Mirror Maze, Crazy Caper and Outer Limits:  Journey Through the Black Hole.

The mini Coney Island display is 1,000 square feet and reminiscent of 1965 Coney Island. Although it is a miniature display it is still quite large.  The ferris wheel stands over four feet tall in this display.  It also has a working trolley line that shows trolleys shuttling people up Kellogg Avenue to the main entrance of Coney Island.  Interactive buttons make the display come alive with lights, sound and  movement.

The indoor  model train display is over 25,000 square feet with more than two miles of track. Ninety large, G scale trains depict over three different time periods beginning with the early steam engine and ending with the modern day diesel locomotive.  The display is historically accurate and extremely detailed.

From  now through May 18th, EnterTRAINment Junction is having a Spring Celebration.  You receive a return visit for free when you purchase a “Buy One, Do it All” ticket.

For more information on the West Chester, Ohio area and it’s housing market, contact a member of The Lowry Team.

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The Lowry Team – Keller Williams Realty is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team is “Different By Design”… taking a team approach to home buying and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team.  The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team Keller Williams at 513-874-1830.

Other Articles You May Be Interested In:

Search the entire Cincinnati MLS for Homes For Sale

Find Out The Current Market Value Of Your Home

A Complete Guide to Buying a Home

What does it take to buy a home in today’s market?

Buy a Home With a Low Down Payment

Buying a Home Step 1: Get Pre Approved

Connect with us on Facebook

Connect with us on YouTube

Connect with us on Twitter

The Lowry Team Real Estate Offers Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

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Spring FlowersThe Lowry Team Real Estate Offers Spring Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

Whether you are preparing your home to sell or simply trying to get organized this Spring, The Lowry Team West Chester Ohio has tips for you.  Keeping up on your  house’s interior and exterior maintenance could save you time and money in the future.

There a number of  things to do to maintain the exterior of your home. Each Spring you should check your roof for any damage such as missing shingles.  Also, clean leaves and debris from the gutters and downspouts.  Walk around your home’s foundation and take note of any large cracks that could lead to water or foundation damage.  Spring is a good time to have the driveway re-sealed, filling in any cracks that appeared over the cold Winter.  Clean all of your windows and screens. Put those storm windows away for the Summer!  Have a HVAC company check and tune up your air conditioner.  Use a power washer to clean patios, decks and siding.  Stain and seal your deck in preparation for grilling out with friends and family.

Inside your home, vacuum and clean the rugs  and carpets.  Wipe down walls, baseboards and crown moldings.  Take down all of your window treatments.  Depending on the type of fabric you may be able to wash them yourself or you may need to have them cleaned professionally. Dust ceiling fans and reverse the blades direction for Spring.  Clean lampshades and replace light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs.  Spring is a perfect time to clean and sort out your pantry, medicine cabinets and closets.  Wipe down shelves and throw away expired medicine. Put Winter clothes away and sort through items that can be donated.

There are items in this article that you may want to hire a professional for.  The Lowry Team has a list of approved vendors to choose from.  The Lowry Team compiled a list of vendors that they themselves, their friends, family and clients have used.  Vendors have delivered exceptional service in order to be included on the list.

For more information on the West Chester, Ohio area and it’s housing market, contact a member of The Lowry Team.

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The Lowry Team – Keller Williams Realty is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team is “Different By Design”… taking a team approach to home buying and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team.  The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team Keller Williams at 513-874-1830.

Other Articles You May Be Interested In:

Search the entire Cincinnati MLS for Homes For Sale

Find Out The Current Market Value Of Your Home

A Complete Guide to Buying a Home

What does it take to buy a home in today’s market?

Buy a Home With a Low Down Payment

Buying a Home Step 1: Get Pre Approved

Connect with us on Facebook

Connect with us on YouTube

Connect with us on Twitter

West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio Real Estate Market Report

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West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio Real Estate Market Report

Home SalesWest Chester and Liberty Township Township Ohio Home Sales were down 34.78% in March when compared to the sales in West Chester and Liberty Township in March 2013.  This decline is extremely large, especially when compared to the recent sales increases that we have seen over the last year.  The extremely cold Winter is likely playing a big part in this decline in home sales.  Also likely playing a part in the decline in home sales in our area is a lack of homes available for sale.  The inventory of homes for sale remains very low.

West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio Average Sale Prices were up 4.52% in March when compared to the average sale price in West Chester and Liberty Township in March 2013.  Home prices continue to see slow and steady improvement.  Future increases will likely be fueled by the shortage of homes for sale.

Find Your Home’s Current Market Value Right Here.

Days On Market for West Chester and Liberty Township Homes that closed in March 2014 was 78.  This is a dramatic improvement from the 103 days in March 2013.Avg. Sales Price

List to Sale Price Ratio for homes sold in West Chester and Liberty Township Ohio in March 2014 was 96.24% compared to 97.09% in March of 2013.  The list to sale price ratio is simply the percent of the current (last) list price of a home that it actually sells and closes for.  The list to sale price ratio can be a pretty good indicator of a real estate markets overall strength.  

The Inventory of Homes for Sale in West Chester and Liberty Township remains at very low levels.  Currently in the West Chester and Liberty Township real estate market there is just under 5 months of inventory. This represents a slight sellers market for the overall market.  This measure of the  inventory of homes for sale varies greatly depending on List vs Saleprice range.  The entry level 1st time home buyer market is much lower in inventory and is a very strong seller market.

Interest Rates in the West Chester and Liberty Township area remain very low and have largely been very stable.  The current rate for a 30 year fixed rate loan is approximately 4.5% for a conventional loan and approximately 4.25% for an FHA loan.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Tips to Add Curb Appeal To Your Home

5 Easy Home Improvements To Increase Home Value

West Chester Ohio Homes for Sale

Find Your West Chester Home Value

Find Your Liberty Township Home Value

Cincinnati Ohio Schools Rank High Nationally

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High SchoolCincinnati Ohio Schools Rank High Nationally

US News and World Report just released their annual report ranking Public High Schools in the United States and the District of Columbia.  Together with the American Institutes for Research, they analyzed over 19,400 public high schools to determine if they  met the needs of all students in the student body.  Findings are based on state assessment performance and how well they prepared students for college. The top 4 public high schools in Ohio are all located in the city of Cincinnati.

The top four are Walnut Hills High School, Wyoming High School, Indian Hill High School and Madeira High School respectively.  The schools all placed in the top 150  nationally.  Three of the four  high schools had a  smaller than average student  to teacher ratio.  All four schools were higher than the Ohio average in college readiness and reading and math proficiency.

Walnut Hills High School is located on Victory Parkway in the city of Cincinnati.  The schools serves over 2,300 students in grades 5-12. There is a 22:1 student/teacher ratio.  92% of their students take advanced placement courses.  Wyoming High School is located in a suburb of Cincinnati. The High School has approximately 650 students in grades 9-12.  The student/teacher ratio is 15:1.  Indian Hill High School serves close to 720 students with a student/teacher ratio of 14:1. The high school is located in Indian Hill Exempted Village which is a suburb of Cincinnati.  81% of their students take advanced placement courses. Madeira High School is located in the City of Madeira, a small suburb of Cincinnati.  There are about 450 students in grades 9-12. Student/teacher ratio is 14:1.

If you are considering a move to or within Cincinnati, Ohio,  The Lowry Team of Keller Williams can help you!

The Lowry Team is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team’s culture is that of a fun, high energy group who prides themselves on providing, personal, professional real estate service.

The Lowry Team is “Different by Design”…taking a team approach to home buying  and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team.  The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team – Keller Williams at 513-874-1830.