Serving Up Summertime…In February

It’s not too early to thing warm, happy thoughts!!  Yes, it is only February, but the Summer Camp Guides are already out.  Recently, Cincinnati Family Magazine posted its 2012 Guide to Summer Camps.  This annual report published by Cincinnati Family Magazine, routinely showcases the area’s best inventory of summer camps available for children of all ages.  From day camps to overnight camps, local and remote locations, this comprehensive guide gives parents an overview of reputable camps for their children to attend.  Many of the camps are booked by the end of March to be sure to view the link below soon and create a summer of laughter and memories for you and your family.

http://cincinnatifamilymagazine.com/activities/2012-guide-to-camps

Other areas to look for summer camp information include your child’s school, your church organization (many local organizations offer Vacation Bible School at extremely affordable rates), your gym or health club, the local parks and your local library.  Often, these groups offer camps that are either reduced rates or free to members or residents of the specified area.

In addition to Summer camp opportunities, many of these same institutions offer Spring Break camps. This is a perfect option for working parents or those who do not leave Cincinnati at Spring Break.  That being said, there are camp opportunities for everyone so don’t overlook the chance create the summer (or Spring Break) of a lifetime!

Do It Yourself (DIY) Network’s  popular series “Desperate Landscapes” made a visit to Oakley to help some of Pete’s clients tackle a nightmare landscaping project … and they even let Pete be on camera! Enjoy watching this video to see how Pete does and, more importantly, see how the community in Oakley pulls together as friends and neighbors stop by to help with the project.

Ever wonder when the best time is to list your home? A new study shows that listing your home on a Friday may help lure the most visitors and bring the best price. Why is this so? The theory is that since most buyers tend to view homes on Saturdays and Sunday (weekends tend to produce up to 2.5 times as many home tours and weekdays) homes listed on Friday are freshest in buyers’ minds as they make their plans. Data also showed that home buyers sort their “must see” list by date listed, wanting to view the freshest homes on the market first to ensure they have first shot at a good deal and do not miss out on an opportunity. To see the full article and learn how they came up with these statistics, please check out Redfin’s site here.

Of course it all comes down to the individual market and what’s happening in your area. The findings are not definitive and several other factors affect how well a listing does. Price, location, local market activity, condition of the home and the marketing efforts of your Realtor all play a part in the sale of your home. To learn more about the Cincinnatil real estate market and market activity in your home, feel free to call The Kopf Team and we will be happy to assist you!

 Local home sales for October – at 1,382 units — were up 25.1% over October 2010. It was the fourth month in a row of increased sales on a year-over-year basis. Last month’s average price was $142,893, compared to a year prior of $158,832. Average price for the first 10 months of 2011 was $152,188 compared to $159,228 the same 10 months a year ago.

homeownership also “enhances civic pride, improves voter turnout, increases personal happiness, reduces crime, and provides a better family environment.” “This is no surprise to our Realtor members,” said Kopf. “That is why we do what we do, promoting the benefits and affordability of homeownership.” The average interest rate in Cincinnati today is 4.02% for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, according to Bankrate.com. Nationally, the average interest rate is 4.24%. A buyer with a good credit score has a tremendous opportunity to find the home of their choice within the current housing inventory. At a current interest rate of 4.02% for 30 years, the monthly payment for an average, locally priced home of $143,000 would be $684. When you add in the income tax benefits, it only makes sense to buy instead of rent,” says Kopf. “Interest rates today are very low and today’s buyers are taking advantage of these rates while they last.”

What are the driving forces behind the increase in sales this month? “Home affordability and low interest rates,” said Pete Kopf, president of the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors. “Economic uncertainty continues to hamper the housing market, but this is a great time for first-time home buyers, move-up buyers and even investors to take advantage of our extremely affordable market.” The following study, Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing 2010, claims that the Cincinnati area housing market currently has 9 months of available inventory compared to nearly13 months a year ago. A balanced housing market has 6 months of inventory. Therefore, buyers have the advantage in today’s market. This means that sellers must reasonably price their homes to compete with other sellers and their property should to be kept in tip-top condition to generate buyers interest.