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.

Barn of the Year

We would like to congratulate Bill Fling for his award winning "Barn of the Year" as designated by the Friends of Ohio Barns organization. Winning Barn of the Year for Adaptive Use, the Fling Barn is used to host receptions and conferences. The activities at the farm include many demonstrations and displays. This barn was built by Fling's great-grandfather and is relaxing sancutary for all who visit.

To learn more.... visit www.flingbarn.com or click here.

Annual Chamber of Commerce Dinner

The annual Chamber of Commerce Dinner was held on April 23rd. Over 200 people attended to network, enjoy local catering, and laugh - Drew Hastings provided entertainment for the evening.

The Highland County Chamber of Commerce is a membership driven business organization dedicated to representing and providing assistance for the local business community. For more information, call 393-1111 or go to http://www.highlandcountychamber.com/.

To read the entire article that appears in the Times-Gazette, click here.

Fall Festival of the Leaves

This weekend Bainbridge will host the 41st annual celebration - Fall Festival of the Leaves! With music and entertainment, food, arts & crafts, flea market areas, contests, rides, and much more, this festival is sure to have something for everyone. Please support our local events!

Read more in the The Highland County Press.

DHL Leaving Town!

Rumors are flying that the overnight freight company DHL may be leaving Wilmington. Phone calls are coming into our office daily wanting to know how this may affect the future real estate market. Here's my thoughts: If DHL leaves our area, a significant down pressure on home values will be created. My counsel is that if you have been planning to make move, now will probably be better to sell than later. With approx. 6000 employees facing job loss, approx. 2500 of which live in Highland County, it is unknown at this time how many homes will be entering the market to be sold. Inventory levels will most likely significantly increase forcing prices downward as families compete for a smaller pool of buyers. If you do not need to sell and plan on staying in the area for many years to come, don't worry about DHL. If my house goes up in value, so does yours, if your house goes down in value, so does mine. Whatever happens, we're all in it together! This is home!

Another Step Forward for Hobart Drive/S.R. 73 connector

The Highland County Board of Commissioners announced this funding has been approved to begin the first phase in building a link between U.S. 62 and state Route 73.

Briefly discussed during the meeting was a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) that will enable the county to move forward on plans to extend Hobart Drive to reach state Route 73.

To read the full article, click HERE.

New Shoe Store in Town

Last weekend saw the addition of a new business in town - Shoe Sensation opened its doors! With over 6,500 sq. ft., more than 10,000 pairs of shoes and a partnership with Factory Connection, area residents can now shop for a variety of shoes and clothing! The local store offers names brands at lower-than-department-store prices and is located in the Hillsboro Plaza Shopping Center.

We welcome a new business to town!

To read more, click here.

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Hillsboro Housing Project Receives $400,000 Tax Credit

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) has awarded nearly $400,000 to the Hillsboro Senior Apartments project. This project calls for a development to be built on State Route 73 just north of Pea Ridge Road. This project is sponsored by Frontier Community Services and will be built by Leatherwood and Associates. This project is expected to be well received by the public. The same company developed the Pants Factory Apartments which have been full since their beginning.

To learn more, click here.

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Highland County Water Company Enters New Facility

A new 13, 525-square-foot building, next door to the old building is now being used by the Highland County Water Company (HCWC). This move will improve the overall operations of the water company as there was no space remaining in the old building.

Funding from the USDA Rural Development program helped make it possible for this new facility to be built. It has 8,800 square feet of office space room, a water meter room, and a lot of storage. Everyone at the HCWC is looking forward to working in the new facility in order to provide better service to their customers.

We are excited for the HCWC to grow and be better able to help the residents of Highland County.

Click here to read more!

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