Auditor's New Website

Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley was the guest speaking at our recent Highland County Board of Realtors meeting discussing the launching of the new website. The website now offers aerial maps and searching features to make doing business easier. The world now knows all about you! You can run but we will find you! To check out your new auditor's website click here.

Long Time Funeral Director Remembered

I was out of town celebrating my wedding anniversary with Karen when I got the news. The passing of Don Edgington. My earliest memories of Don were playing knothole baseball on a team in Mowrystown where he was the coach and Craig and I were players. He told me to go to right field and I did not know where right field was. Pretty good indication my future would not be in baseball.

Don encouraged me in my real estate career on numerous occasions and his words were always the same. He would say "Jeff, the word around town is that you work hard and are a hustler. Keep your nose clean and you will do just fine. He always stressed to me to keep my nose clean.

Don ... I'm doing the best I can. You will be missed.

We're Number One!

According to Wednesday, October 21st's issue of The Times Gazette, Highland County's jobless rate is now highest in Ohio. This is not a list we want to be on but it is were we now find ourselves.

Jobs...we need jobs. Until quality employment opportunites return to our area, the local economy is going to struggle at best...which includes real estate values. To get out of the slump we are in is going to take everyone's effort. We need your idea's ... money making, job creating ideas now. You community and your leaders need to hear from you now.

We, the people of Highland County, may not come out of this recession as quick as other parts of the country if we can not put our families back to work. My real estate collegues around the country who have experienced markets with major jobs losses say it will take 10 years to see recovery. Jobs...putting people back to work quickly is the key.

Ohio Fence Law Changes

Many landowners of Highland County real estate are not aware of the new fence law that took affect September 2008. You can now write your own fence agreements with your neighbors. You can agree to choose the type and kind of fence and who is paying for it. The old fence law of "equal shares" is all but gone. Changes have been made to the law when a despute occurs. To read more Click Here.

Rocky Fork Lake: ODNR Denies Request

I believe waterfront homes with access to docks at Rocky Fork Lake just became worth more. With ODNR continuing to hold off the Rocky Fork Golf Course project, it makes a statement to me that those who own waterfront homes with docks own something very special that there might not be any more of...at least in the near future. Only a half dozen or so waterfront homes sell each year now and most of those have limited views of the water with no access to a dock. If you own one...who knows what it might be worth? Click here to read more.

What's Behind Recent Increases in CAUV?

The government has been updating it's information used to calculate CAUV tax rates and the results are going to be increase taxes for farms. In some cases taxes may be increase significantly. CAUV tax rate for land owners is based on a formula that takes into consideration a number of factors such as soil type, yields, crop prices, production costs and whatever else to come up with a net profit per acre. There are 3500+ soil types alone in Ohio. Buckeye Farm News has a frotn page article in its online issue. Click here. YouTube.com video link explaning why are CAUV values increasing? Click Here.

Watson-Luman Closing on YouTube!

See our newest YouTube video: