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.

Free Money

There is only four months left to recieve an $8,000 tax credit for purchasing a new home! You must have your home closed by November 30, 2009 when the tax credit expires! To close by November 30 you need to go on contract to buy a home no later than September! Call us for details!

Home Prices on the Rise

It's always good to read something positive in the newspaper....

According to a recent article published in the Wall Street Journal, home prices in the U.S. are on the rise. Home prices in major U.S. cities registered the first monthly gain in nearly three years. This is an indication that the severe U.S. housing downturn could be easing.This is good news!

To read more, click here.

$8000 Tax Credit

Hot off the press!
Your government, through the new stimulus package, is offering an $8000 Tax Credit if you buy a home before Dec. 1, 2009! This is like the government giving you an $8000 down payment to buy a home at the time you file your taxes. Tell all friends and family members to check this out!
We are excited help families take advantage of this new offer!
To read more visit these websites:
IRS - US Dept. of Treasury
Homebuyer Tax Credit Chart
First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit FAQs

The Christmas Gift

I read this and thought of our family, friends and clients....

The Christmas Gift of Knowing You
The Christmas season fills our hearts with joy;
Bright, happy days bring special kinds of pleasure.
We're wrapped in the excitement of it all,
The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes we treasure.

Yet when we have some quiet time to think
About our finest blessings all year through,
We focus on our family and our friends,
And appreciate the gift of knowing you!

By Joanna Fuchs

Homebuyer Tax Credit

H.R. 3221, the “Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008,” passed the House on July 23, 2008, by a vote of 272-152. On Saturday, July 26, 2008, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 72-13. The President signed the bill on July 30, 2008. The bill includes the following provisions:

Homebuyer Tax Credit - a $7500 tax credit that would be would be available for any qualified purchase between April 8, 2008 and June 30, 2009. The credit is repayable over 15 years (making it, in effect, an interest free loan).

Click here to read more! Please call The Dickey Group if we can help you in purchasing a home!

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!

Hillsboro Gets A New Road!

According to Highland County Engineer Dean Otworth, Hobart Drive will extend by approximately 7100 feet to reach St. Rt. 73. Unanimously approved by the Highland County Commissioners. The read more click here.

Pay Less Property Tax

If you believe your property value has decreased since the market has been adjusting...so should your property taxes! To check out how to pay less property tax click here. USA Weekend has an article half way down the page.

Skyrocketing cropland prices shackle some farmers

Average cropland values in the U.S. rose by 13 percent to $2,700 per acre this year, up from $2,390 last year, according to the Department of Agriculture. In Ohio, the price jumped 10.7 percent, to $3,920 an acre.

The increasing value of cropland is being fueled by higher prices for commodities such as soybeans, wheat and corn, which is getting an extra bump by the popularity of the corn-based fuel additive ethanol.

To read this full article, click HERE.

Housing slump likely to worsen

The problems in housing have been a serious drag on the overall economy - slashing more than a full percentage point off growth in some quarters. This major slump began in late 2005, and isn't expected to get better for another year or so.

The Joint Economic Committee estimates there will be 1.3 million foreclosures from mid-2007 through 2009 in sub prime mortgages. These loans are provided to borrowers with weak credit histories. Those foreclosures will wipe out an estimated $71 billion in housing wealth directly and another $32 billion indirectly....

To read the full article, click HERE..

County Increase in Foreclosures

A recent article published in The Times Gazette addressed a very real concern for a lot of families in Highland County: foreclosure. This article reported that the number of homes in foreclosure has and continues to increase across the nation, state and within our county. The Highland County Clerk of Courts office reports that over the past two years, the number of foreclosures has gone up and a large number reported up to mid-August may indicate another increase.

This increase in foreclosures is attributed to two main reasons according to Paulette Donley, the Cleark of Courts: 1. Appraisals for the property were made at a higher cost than what the property is actually worth in order to get the loan. Payments on the home cannot be made and when foreclosure happens, the property value isn't even enough to cover the loan. 2. Most families rely on two incomes to make payments. When a major life change occurs (illness, job loss, divorce), it puts a major strain on the family's financial situation.

The midwest, including Ohio, was hit hard by heavy job losses, especially in manufacturing. This, along with problems with subprime mortgages, Ohio's foreclosure rate and late payment rate is more than twice the national average.

To read this article, click here.

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New Home Sales in April - Highest Monthly Gain in 14 Years

Sales of new homes surged in April by the biggest amount in 14 years. However, the median price of a new home dropped by the largest amount on record. These mixed signals left no clear picture of whether the worst of the nation's housing slump is over.

A 16.2 percent increase in new homes sales has been reported by the Commerce Department. The median price fell a record 11.1 percent decline from the previous month. The big price decline indicated that builders are slashing prices in an effort to move a huge overhang of unsold homes.

A recent steep slump in housing continues to weigh on the economy's performance. Analysts are hoping that spending by consumers and businesses will be able to overcome the weakness in housing and keep the county out of a recession.

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Sale of City Property Being Explored

The Hillsboro City Council met recently to discuss the possibility of selling some of the city's property. A bus garage being used by Hillsboro City Schools and 14 acres of property on Homestead Avenue are sites that some council members feel could generate some profit to be used by the city. This project is in the exploration stages as many legal issues could be involved with the sale of these properties.

To read more, click here.

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Home Repair Loans Available to Local Residents

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has announced they are accepting applications for their home repair program for 2007. Many programs are available. For information, call the Hillsboro area office at 937.393.1921 or visit the website.

To learn more about available homes in our area, visit our website or call our office today 937.393.7222!

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Tips To Sell Your Highland County Home In February

Spring is the prime selling season, but buyers who are house hunting in the middle of winter are serious buyers. They may be transferring from out of the area and have a deadline to get settled and on the job or their lease is up and they need to move.

Whatever the reason, there are things sellers can do to make their home more attractive to this group of serious buyers.

1. Keep walks and driveways free of ice and snow. Buyers don't want to navigate treacherous terrain getting to your front door.

2. Don't skimp on the heat. Buyers like a warm and comfortable atmosphere. If your home is cold they will think the heat doesn't work properly.

3. Make your home as light as possible. Keep curtains and blinds open. Use the highest wattage bulbs and have all the lights on during showings. Hose off the outside of your windows to show your house is well cared for.

4. Set the mood. Play soft music and have a plate of fresh baked cookies out for the buyers. There is nothing like the smell of newly baked cookies and buyers get hungry looking at houses.

5. Ask buyers to remove their shoes. This conveys a pride of ownership and keeps the house ready for the next buyer going through.

For more information about how The Dickey Group can help you sell your home, please let us know! Visit our website for more information!

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New Home Sales Statistics

Statistics about new home sales trends can be very beneficial in learning about the current real estate market. New home sales combined with the sales of previously owned homes reflect an even greater picture of our country's economy.

To learn more about the most recent history of new home sales statistics, click here. If you are interested in buying or selling, click here.

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Rocky Fork Lake Alliance

The Rocky Fork Lake Alliance, a newly formed organization made up of 12 directors, is examining the "potential" that is available at one of Ohio's most physically beautiful park resorts. The RFL alliance is looking into making this area more alluring so people want to use it more by building support for the economic and social value at Rocky Fork Lake.

This alliance is going to address many areas and concerns that are currently present at the lake. The goal is to improve opportunities in the lake region. Many homes are available at or near Rocky Fork Lake, to view complete listings of available properties, visit our comprehensive website. It would be our pleasure to help you become part of scenic Rocky Fork Lake!

To read more about Rocky Fork Lake, click here. To read more about the RFL Alliance, click here.

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2006 Third Best Year for Sales

The National Association of Realtors® reports existing-home sales eased but prices stabilized as inventories tightened in December, while 2006 was the third-highest sales year on record.

Total existing-home sales – Total existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – eased 0.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.22 million units in December from a level of 6.27 million in November. Sales were 7.9 percent lower than a 6.75 million-unit pace in December 2005. There were 6,480,000 existing-home sales in all of 2006, down 8.4 percent from a record 7,075,000 in 2005. The second highest total was 6,779,000 in 2004; NAR began tracking home sales in 1968.

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Paying Points Doesn't Pay

FreddieMac.com reported interest rates inched up within the past few weeks. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was around 6.21 percent compared to previous rates of 6.18 percent.

When rates inch up, borrowers become more interested in paying upfront discount points to reduce their interest rate over the life of the loan. One discount point is equal to one percent of the loan balance and is paid at the time of closing.

A new study by MarketWatch.com indicates that paying upfront points rarely saves the borrower money. You must weigh the upfront costs against the long term savings and most borrowers over-estimate the amount of time they will pay on the loan without refinancing or actually own the house.

If you are thinking of buying a home and are weighing your options concerning paying discount points, contact me. I'm glad to discuss this with you and assist with you with making a good home buying decision.

Also, visit TheDickeyGroup.com to receive new Highland County real estate listings as they hit the market. It's fast, easy, convenient and FREE.

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