Barb Szabo's Blog: December 2008

There's a lot to be said about staying in on New Year's Eve, with a nice bottle of wine, some of your very favorite appetizers and a great movie...

BUT

IF YOU WANT TO ENJOY A GREAT NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN, CHECK OUT ALL YOU CAN DO IN

DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND OHIO!

 

FAT FISH BLUE NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY

NAUTICA QUEEN NEW YEAR'S EVE GALA

HARD ROCK CAFE NEW YEAR'S EVE ROCKIN' BASH          

HOWL AT THE MOON

HOUSE OF BLUES

JOHN Q'S STEAKHOUSE

AND IN THE SUBURBS

BUDAPEST BLONDE, INDEPENDENCE

MAPLESIDE FARMS, BRUNSWICK

NEW YEAR'S EVE AT LANDERHAVEN, MAYFIELD HEIGHTS

STANCATO'S, PARMA

WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

I am often met with a look of surprise when I mention to someone that I am taking a class for continuing education to maintain my real estate license.

SO HERE IS WHAT IS REQUIRED OF EVERY OHIO REAL ESTATE AGENT IN ORDER FOR THAT AGENT TO MAINTAIN THEIR LICENSE  AS OUTLINED BY OHIO DIVISION OF REAL ESTATE:

Thirty hours of continuing education every 3 years which MUST include :

3 HOUR COURSE ON REAL ESTATE LAW
3 HOUR COURSE ON REAL ESTATE ETHICS
3 HOUR COURSE ON CIVIL RIGHTS

The remaining 21 hours are electives and may include additional education on the required courses or any other APPROVED course on such topics as the appraisal process, financing, home inspections, fha products, short sales, foreclosures, marketing, internet marketing, including the E-pro designation, and title work, just to name a few.

As a real estate agent for over 22 years I very much appreciate these continuing education requirements for a number of reasons:

Real estate, like so many other professions is constantly changing and evolving, so I must educate myself regarding these changes.

As a real estate professional, I am involved in not only the transaction itself, but also with other parties to the transaction, such as mortgage loan officers, appraisers, and home inpsectors, so I need to know what is changing in their fields as well.

More often than not the transaction is brokered by 2 agents and it is good to know that the other agent must be up to date on his or her continuing education.

I strive to honor the phrase REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL as do so many of my fellow realtors.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT BARB SZABO,FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO. I'D BE DELIGHTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU!

 

 

THE CHARTS BELOW INDICATE THE NUMBER OF CLOSED SALES PER MONTH IN 2007 VS. 2008

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR AREA PLEASE CONTACT ME AT:

http://www.barbaraszabo.com

The charts below indicate the closed sales per month in 2007 vs. 2008

THE CORRECT PRICE WILL BE KEY IN SELLING YOUR HOME IN 2009 AS IT WAS IN 2008.

FOR INFORMATION ON YOUR AREA PLEASE CONTACT ME AT:

http://www.barbaraszabo.com

THE CHARTS BELOW INDICATE THE NUMBER OF CLOSED SALES IN 2007 VS. 2008

THE CORRECT PRICE WILL BE KEY IN SELLING YOUR HOME IN 2009 AS IT WAS IN 2008.

For more information on your area please contact me at:

http://www.barbaraszabo.com

 

 

Like so many other states in our great nation, Ohio has been hit hard with foreclosures. While Ohio is no longer in the top 10 list of states with the highest foreclosure rates, it misses that distinction narrowly, coming in at #11. One out of every 8 homeowners in Ohio is behind on their mortgage payments or on their way to foreclosure. That's higher than the national average of 10%. I think I can speak for many realtors when I say that this saddens us. It is difficult to walk through a home that was clearly loved by the family that once owned it and to know they were forced out, often because of circumstances beyond their control.

                                   

For more information on Ohio foreclosures folllow this link.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20081205/BIZ01/312050046

B U T  T H E R E  I S  H E L P!

Today when I received my property tax bill, there was, along with the bill a brochure titled "SAVE OUR HOMES. Foreclosure Prevention Resources for Ohioans". I was happy to see this proactive measure to help those facing such a crisis.

These are some of the questions answered in the brochure:

What workout options could be available?

• Special Forebearance
• Mortgage modification
• Partial Claim
• Pre foreclosure sale
• deed in lieu of foreclosure

WHO CAN HELP ME NEGOTIATE WITH MY LENDER?

SHOULD I CONSIDER REFINANCING?

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I GET A FORECLOSURE NOTICE?

HOW LONG DOES A FORECLOSURE TAKE?

WHERE DO I GO TO FIND HELP?

• Call 211 for local information and referral services or call Save The Dream at 888-404-4674
• CAll ESOP, a non profit organization that facilitates workouts with lenders; 216-361-0718 or www.esop-cleveland.org.
• Go online to : http:// www.dontborrowtroublecc.org
• www.savethedream.ohio.gov
• www.hud.gov

WHEN DO I ACTUALLY HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE?

WHERE CAN I FILE A COMPLAINT IF I BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF PREDATORY LENDING?

• www.ag.state.oh.us

THERE IS HELP. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE YOUR HOME.

Please contact me if you think I may be of assistance.

http://www.barbaraszabo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 The following charts represent the number of closed sales in 2007 versus 2008.

While we would much rather see the reverse of this, these are the facts as obtained from NORMLS (Northeast Ohio Regional Multiple Listing Service).

Look for upcoming mortgage information on the LOWER interest rates!

THE KEY TO SELLING YOUR HOME IN 2009 WILL STILL BE CORRECT PRICING AS IT WAS IN 2008. Feel free to contact me at 440-263-7496 or visit my website at http://www.barbaraszabo.com

B R E C K S V I L L E

 

B R O A D V I E W  H E I G H T S

 

The lovely Broadview Heights became a city in 1926 and since then has enjoyed slow, but steady growth.  It has emerged as a family friendly place one can easily call home. The city slogan is "The Highest of The Heights", so named because the southern part of the city has the highest elevation in Cuyahoga County.

For more information on Broadview Heights go to:

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=16409

Broadview Heights shares a school system with its neighbor Brecksville, and it is a school sytem which continually receives the highest awards for its achievements.

For more information on the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school system go to:

http://www.bbhcsd.org

Here is the city all dressed up for the holidays at the corner of Route 82 and I76 (Broadview Rd.)

Not far from the above corner you will find this plaza which offers the Boneyard Restaurant, homemade chocolates and ice cream, the Wellpoint Pavilion (Parma Hospital) and so much more!

Across the street you can enjoy a latte at the Coffe Club or some pizza, window shop or treat yourself to something from the jewelry store or take your kids to the pediatrician.

Here is the entrance to the city hall. This sign is flanked by an identical one on the left.

The city hall, which also houses the recreation center complete with indoor pool, fitness room, basketball, and more!

Although you can't see their smiling faces right now, you will when summer is here and you can watch hundreds of kids play baseball on one of 7 diamonds (soon to be eight) and afterwards enjoy Bosse's best ice cream (and it is)! The above playground is about in the middle of the fields and to the left is a pavillion that can be used for picnics.

This is just a small sampling of the beautiful Broadview Heights.

For more information on Broadview Heights and surrounding suburbs please visit my website at:

http://www.barbaraszabo.com

Here in Cleveland Ohio agents are afforded the opportunity to see a great many homes in their market area every Tuesday by attending a broker's open house. The listing agent will hold it open anywhere from 10-2 and often serves a snack or light lunch.

                                          

This is meant to be  a means of exposure for the seller, and a by product is an education on market conditions, and pricing for the agents who come to preview the property. This is so much more than going to lunch.  Every house I see is another one in my arsenal.  How many times have you been dead on with your price on a listing appointment because you had seen so many homes in the area? How many times have you thought a list agent was wrong about the price because you had seen so many homes in the area? Of course we can 't look at them all because that's unrealistic, but we can look at the ones for which we may have a buyer or for which we may have a competing listing down the road. The idea is to see enough so that you get a good feel for the neighborhood.

THIS CAN BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOMES IN WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE OR WOULD LIKE TO BE YOUR MARKET AREA

For me it's a valuable tool. What do you think?

When a seller asks you "Have you seen the other 4 homes for sale on my street?" what will your answer be?

 

This information is re-posted with the permission of Marie DeMio Chicago Title.

With Temperatures and Interest Rates Dropping

 It's A Great Time To

"Warm Up" To Investors

Our Gifts will surely "melt" their hearts!

 

Investors will surely appreciate a GREEN CHRISTMAS  

Chicago Title Offers Investor Rates Saving Investors $$$

$50 Exam/$50 Escrow Rate

 

STRUCTURED SALES will surely please all The Investors on your Christmas List

Chicago Title along with IPX work together to provide the latest in Tax Deferred Solutions with Structured Sales which are not limited to Investment Properties - but can include such goodies as

BOATS, ART WORK, and even RACE HORSES!

 

And Don't Forget About Our Experienced Escrow "ELVES" who work their magic on all your deals, RESIDENTIAL RESALE, SHORT SALES, REO's,  - making sure to keep you on your Client's "nice" List!!!!

Because at CHICAGO TITLE we realize the best gift you can get is a REFERRAL!

 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful."

Norman Vincent Peale quotes

 

 Marie DeMio

Chicago Title Insurance Company

Phone 216-924-1160 

FOR INFORMATION ON REAL ESTATE IN YOUR AREA PLEASE VISIT MY WEBSITE AT:

http://www.barbaraszabo.com