Ruby's Hearth

Recently, I received information about a local business, Ruby's Hearth, that provides accommodations in a "home away from home" atmosphere near downtown Hillsboro. In honor of Ruby Hedge Wicker, Ruby's Hearth operates as a service of compassion for the need to have a comfortable home environment, whether it be an emergency, business or pleasure.

The brochure explains that Ruby's Hearth is an upstairs private, furnished, two bedroom, one bathroom, furnished kitchen, apartment with all the comforts of home. Located only two blocks from downtown, a stay here provides easy access to many restaurants, stores, and health care facilities. It has a private entrance with a wrap around porch with table and chairs for enjoying the fresh air or dining outside. Ruby's Hearth has no handicap access and is a smoke free, drug free, alchohol free, pet free environment.

Buyers who are looking at and purchasing real estate are invited to make Ruby's Hearth a temporary "home" prior to moving in to your new home! To make reservations or to inquire about availability, please call Candy Hedge at 937.763.9979.

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Future Plans for Local Middle and High Schools

Recently, the Quandel Group Inc. provided an image showing the aerial view of where various facilities at the new Hillsboro High School and Middle School will be located. Actual construction is expected to begin in April of this year. The new facility is expected to provide 150 percent more room than it currently has for middle and high school students.

Check out the entire article and picture here.

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Ohio Home Sales Continue Cool Down

The state's largest Multiple Listing Services report that home sales throughout Ohio slowed in November. Overall performance of the 2006 market has been strong despite less than ideal conditions.

Favorable interest rates, a solid supply of housing in all price categories and improving housing affordability is providing a solid foundation upon which would-be buyers can become home owners.

The statistics (data provided to OAR) show there was a slight decrease in statewide sales of new and existing homes last year (Jan. - Nov.) as well as a slight decrease in the state's average sales price.

Patrick O'Neil, president of the Ohio Association of REALTORS, states that "at some point the housing market was going to return to levels that are typical by historical standards in the Buckeye State....and this past year provided that opportunity."

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Presidential Thoughts

As we say goodbye to a former US President, I am reminded that seven US presidents have come from Ohio. I am excited and proud to say that our state has had so many active citizens in the political process. During the 1800s, Ohio became a central part of the nations by providing a link between the older colonies and the growing western frontier. This led to a rapid rise in population and set the scene for more people to become involved.

The seven individuals who would emerge as leaders of our country are: U.S. Grant - 18th President, Rutherford B. Hayes - 19th President, James Garfield - 20th President, Benjamin Harrison - 23rd President, William McKinley - 25th President, William Howard Taft - 27th President, and Warren Harding - 29th President.

Our Ohio history is rich with details, including many of national interest!

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2006 - An Eventful Year

As 2006 comes to a close, my thoughts turn to personal and community accomplishments and events. The year 2006 has been a newsmaker for Highland County! A recent article highlighted the top stories for each month. I will share just a few of these:
January
Modular units were installed to provide temporary houseing for the offices contained in the Hillsboro Safety Building.
Michael Fogt of Hillsboro was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Martha Perry.
February
Errol Baker II was killed by an Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper during a traffic stop (it was ruled the trooper acted according to procedure). Baker was awaiting trail for his involvement in a drug ring that was run out of Charlie Davis Motos in Hillsboro.
March
Highland County Commom Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey Hoskins was indicted on 16 felony and misdemeanor counts for alleged illegal activities such as theft in office and tampering with records.
April
Trial began for 8 defendants surrounding the alleged drug ring and subsequent tri-county drug bust involving Charlie Davis Motors in Hillsboro.
May
Southern State Community College was granted a 10-yr. accreditation by the Higher Learning Commision.
June
Cyclists fromt he Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure rolled into Hillsboro for a two-day stay at the Highland County Fairgrounds.
July
Hillsboro celebrated the annual Festival of the Bells and Greenfield held its Wheels of Progress.
August
Morris Mitchum, an inmate housed in the Highland County Justice Center, was found dead in his cell after he allegedly hanged himself.
September
A Greenfield man, James Elliott, was convicted of raping an 8-year-old girl and sentenced to life in prison.
Beth Mains pleaded no contest to manslaughter in the 2004 death of Tina Bowling.
October
Residents of Concord Township protested the possible establishment of a junkyard off State Route 136.
The Rocky Fork Lake Alliance was formed to address overall improvement of the area.
November
The general election say longtime incumbent Russ Newman unseated by Gary Heaton.
December
Sherry Stout was named the fourth president of Southern State Community College following Larry Dukes' retirement after 11 years at the institution.

These newsmaking stories were among the biggest in Highland County in 2006!

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Amish Buck - Newsmaker in 2006

As The Dickey Group sells more recreational properties, I become interested in the hunting articles of the newspaper's sports section. Those who enjoy the sport, may be fascinated to read about the Amish Buck that was taken with a crossbow in Adams County. It has officially scored 291-2/8 after deductions. Read more here!

If you are looking to buy or sell recreational property, The Dickey Group can help! Check out our website today!

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Elections Board Now Online

The Highland County Board of Elections recently announced the establishment of its website. They are now offering information online for access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Check out www.highlandcountyelections.com for lots of local election information!

The Dickey Group Inc., Realtors is always trying to provide relevant local information via our web presence! Let us know of other websites that can be shared with our community!

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Interest Rates May Hold Steady

It has been recently reported that The Federal Reserve may hold interest rates steady for a full year before making changes. Many economists are analyzing recent statements released by the Fed. The language used suggests that changes are not going to be made any time soon. With federal funds rates unchanged, the local banks' prime lending rate will also remain unchanged. This 8.25 percent rate is the benchmark for millions of consumer and business loans.

For local information regarding loan rates, visit our website and click on Local Mortgage Rates.

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New Household Sewage Treatment Rules

A recent article in the Times-Gazette discussed the new household sewage treatment rules that were recently adopted by the Public Health Council. These rules will take effect Jan. 1, 2007 replacing Ohio Administrative Code rules that have been in place nearly 30 years. These changes impact what homeowners will now be required to provide in order to receive approval for sewage systems as well as addressing some maintenance issues once a sewage system is in place. Click here to read this article, which has a lot of information for anyone interested in learning more. You may also call the Highland County Health Department with other questions 937-393-1941.

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Foreclosures Rising in Highland County

A recent article regarding Foreclosure Rates in Highland County appeared in the Times-Gazette. This is a topic of which to take note as it impacts all buyers and sellers within the real estate market. As the article states, Highland County is following a statewide trend of rising foreclosure rates. Reasons for this trend are numerous....to read more click here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Highland County, visit my website to view all real estate listings, get the current market value of your home and more.

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Top Tips For Selling A Home During The Holidays

-Consider potential buyers spiritual backgrounds in your market before decorating for a holiday.
-Minimize holiday decorations to keep focus on your home and its features and benefits.
-Less is more when decorating a home for the holidays while you are trying to sell. Streamline the amount of holiday specific decorations you display.
-Christmas trees and other large holiday decorations consume space that might make rooms appear smaller.
-Install and remove exterior holiday decorations 2 weeks before and after holiday.
-Turn off lighted holiday decorations before showings, buyers should focus on your home and not your decorations.
-If you are having out-of-town house guests, ask your agent to postpone showings until after your guests depart.
-Leave out a plate of home-made holiday treats for potential buyers.
-Display summer photos of home and gardens to inform buyers of the features of the home in other seasons.
-Before showings remove snow, ice and leaves from walkways and driveways. Don't overlook outside entrances to basements, garages, and porches.
-If you plan to close the purchase or sale of a home near a holiday, check with your agent, title, company and lender to verify two business days before closing that they have all the required documents and funds have been wired to complete the transaction.
-If you are closing on your new home, select a mid-week day, early in the day, to schedule your closing time, to accommodate last minute delays by a mortgage loan processor, insurance or title company.
-If you plan to move during the holidays, keep in mind that moving companies will require more notice and could charge additional fees for packing, moving and delivering household goods on week-ends and holidays.

Thinking of buying or selling Highland County real estate? Visit my website to view all real estate listings, get the current value of your home and more.

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The Headline Says It All

I was recently enjoying the Sports section of our local newspaper, the Times Gazette, to find the headline: Still Perfect, Buckeyes Head to National Championship. The Buckeyes just defeated the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines to advance to the national championship. On Jan. 8th the Buckeyes will play in Glendale, Arizona. I'm sure this game will be watched by even more enthusiastic viewers than ever before! The recent victory drew the biggest television audience for any regular-season game in 13 years (as reported in a side story). Over 21.77 million viewers (according to Nielson Media Research) tuned in to the game. The ability of a game to bring so many people together in one spirit, one enthusiasm, one celebration is amazing! The Buckeyes are the perfect way to enjoy football and community!

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Should You Try to Sell Your Home During the Holiday Season?

A common misconception is that trying to sell a home during the holidays is a bad idea. If you are serious about selling, it can be an excellent time to list. During the holidays buyers are more serious. They have a different motivation like using vacation time to search for property. They're doing that because they have to buy, rather than want to buy. Remember Thanksgiving and Christmas is one day a piece not two months.

10 reasons why you should list your home during the holidays

1. Most November and December buyers are particularly serious and very likely facing some sort of deadline.
2. January is the biggest transfer month of the year and job transferee’s use the holidays to house hunt.
3. Many people want to buy before the end of the year for financial and tax reasons. Investors usually want to close escrow by year-end for tax purposes.
4. Most sellers wait until spring or summer to list their home. This means that during the winter months your property will have far less competition versus any other time of the year.
5. Homes show well when decorated for the holidays creating a sense of family and people are much more emotionally drawn to the house, emotion sells.
6. Many people take vacation around the holidays allowing more time to look for a home.
7. Remodeling, decorating, appliance installation and other services are more available and at less of a premium.
8. There is plenty of mortgage money available for buyers.
9. Lenders aren't as busy and can process loans faster.
10. Showings will be fewer and less intrusive, but more likely to be fruitful with motivated, qualified buyers.

Thinking of buying or selling Highland County real estate? Visit my website to view all real estate listings, get the current value of your home and more.

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Thankful

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we reflect upon the clients and customers that have helped us grow. We are truly thankful for the support shown to us over the years. This support is what has made our success possible. As we continue to take market share, we realize the important role that loyal and valuable clients play. It is through the constancy of their relationships with us that we can create a company that strives to make a significant impact in our community. We say Thank You for this opportunity to grow with you! Happy Thanksgiving!

Visit our website to learn more!

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Information About Flip Transactions and Mortgage Fraud

I recently received a memorandum from Gregory Van Zant, a local attorney regarding information about properties being collateralized in FHA insured mortgages. This timely information is available here. Check it out!

Tags: Attorney, FHA Insured Mortgages, Flip Transactions, Mortgage Fraud, Resales of Homes

Our Interactive Voice Response System

We at The Dickey Group Realtors use an interactive voice response system. This toll free 800 number service is used to market our homes. I’d like to tell you about it.

If you notice on all our signs and marketing materials, there is a toll free 800 number. This number has free recorded information about the homes we have for sale. The awesome thing about this service is you can get information about our homes from anywhere at anytime – even when the office is closed and without having to talk to anyone.

Ninety percent of people in the world today have cell phones. That means you can be sitting outside the property and call to listen to me or one of my team members tell you about the home.

Regardless if it’s a holiday, after hours, or on the weekend, anyone can receive information about our homes. All you have to do is dial the 800 number and enter the extension number that has been assigned to the property, relax and listen! An extension number is dedicated to each home so that you can hear about that specific house.

We use this 800 number system on all our marketing materials: from postcards, flyers, newspapers, and signs - to our comprehensive website. Our houses are being marketed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the entire listing period!

We encourage you to try our toll free 800 number service today and see what it can do for you!

Tags: 800 Number, Marketing

Residential Property Disclosure

Let me start by saying, it is law in the state of Ohio that a seller must disclose what works and what doesn’t work with their home and the way the seller communicates this to a buyer is by completing a Residential Property Disclosure Form. This form has been in effect for several years now; however, the form has been expanded to 4 pages of questions that a seller must complete prior to selling their home.

Most Realtors have this form completed at the time that they list your home. The Residential Property Disclosure Form is usually presented by the Realtor to a buyer during a showing of the property or prior to the writing of the Purchase Contract. To give you an idea of the types of questions a seller must answer, you are asked “do you know of any current leaks or problems with your roof?" In another question, you are asked about structural components such as foundation, basement/crawl space, and wall related issues, and the questions reads; "do you know of any movement, shifting, deterioration, cracks & settling problems?" Another question deals with Wood boring insects and termites, "does your home have bugs?" New questions added to the form this year are related to quality and quantity of your water supply. The seller now has to disclose that his well goes dry every August and that his water smells like rotten eggs! A new question that is interesting is “are you in a flood plain?" With the unpredictable large amounts of rain that we have experienced over the last few years many areas have flooded that have never before experienced high water. As a result the seller now has to answer flood related questions. You are now asked 6 Bounty line/ encroachment and shared driveway questions. You ask “What is an encroachment?” and the best way to explain an encroachment is to give you an example. The seller now has to disclose the fact that his garage was built 6’ over his property line onto the neighbor’s lot. This is an encroachment. Many new questions have been added to the form.

For a copy of the questions that a seller must answer call or email our office and we’ll fax or email you a copy.

Tags: Residential Property Disclosure, Real Estate Forms, Sellers

Vacation

Lake Tahoe in the Fall! Karen and I spent a week vacationing in Lake Tahoe during mid-October.

Karen and I flew into Reno, rented an SUV and headed for the Sierra Nevada Mountains!

Lake Tahoe is located on the California/Nevada line at approximately 6200 ft. elevation surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Average depth of the lake is 100 feet of the purest water on planet Earth! The lake is 12 miles wide and 22 miles long. Waterfront real estate is owned by prominent business people and movie stars and can be purchased in the 7-8 digit range. We stayed in the Mariott at South Shore across from Tahoe Tom's Gas Station where Tom Cruise made a movie. Outstanding dining with spectacular views of the lake made for enjoyable evenings. The Edgewood and The Chart House were our favorites!

We visited Virginia City where we walked the streets of the old desert western town. Karen and I took a train ride through the countryside and toured the largest silver mine ever discovered in Nevada, the Comstock Load.

We visited Yosemite Valley and National Forest for two days. Karen took 8 rolls of pictures of trees and rocks! The Sequoia trees were amazing! The Tioga Highway winding through the 750,000 acres was breathtaking! Glacier Point is a must see! El Capitan and Half-Dome were my favorite rocks. The waterfalls were incredible!

A visit to the Apple Hill area allowed us to enjoy the Fall Harvest Festival. Apple cider, apple fritters, apple pies, apple wine....everything apples!

The most memorable event of the trip......being stuck on a gondola for 35 minutes! No cell phone service, no communication with anyone.....I decided to take a nap!

We highly recommend this amazing trip to anyone with an adventurous spirit!

Tags: Vacation, Lake Tahoe, Trip, Adventure

Home Inspections Increase Confidence in Your Purchase

You’ve found the perfect home. You’re excited and ready to make a written offer, but how can you be sure there are no hidden defects or unseen items requiring repair or replacement?

The answer is – have the home professionally inspected. In your purchase contract, include a clause or contingency that calls for inspection of the home within a stated time period by a certified home inspector. In our area, there are several reputable whole house inspection companies. Call our office and we would be happy to provide names and numbers.

I’ve been selling real estate in Highland County for 16 years and I personally would not buy a house without having a whole house inspection performed.

Most inspections include structural components, such as roof and floor systems, and foundations. Plumbing, electrical, heating/air conditioning, and appliances are also carefully checked. Upon completion of the inspection, the inspector will provide a written report about 14 pages long listing all defects found in the home. I insist the buyer be present for the inspection so that the buyer has a first-hand understanding of the inspector’s findings.

A home inspection allows the buyer to sit down at the closing and sign those loan papers with confidence knowing exactly what they are getting for their money.

Tags: Home Inspections, Purchasing a Home, Buyers

New Team Member

The Dickey Group would like to welcome a new team member - Joy Current!

Joy has been a licensed real estate agent since 1983 and a broker since 1988. Joy has a background in finance and management and has the distinguished honor of being a top ten producer in Greene County, Ohio. Twenty plus years in real estate and still going strong! With a GRI designation and a recipient of the Million Dollar Club award, we are excited to have her call The Dickey Group, Inc., home!

Please call 1-937-393-7222 or email Joy today!

Tags: Team