The Community of Pleasant Ridge is going to come out ahead. The geography of the area is positive and is a middle ground between downtown/ Uptown and its booming development and Kenwood. I believe the biggest challenge is that they need to continue to embrace their unique nature and not try to be “like the rest”. Places like Pleasant Ridge can not compete with places like Oakley and Hyde Park/ Rookwood from a development standpoint, but they can and should compete within the secondary markets like Clifton, Northside, Price Hill, Blue Ash, Milford and Madeira.
An ambitious plan was presented back in 2014 and I hope that it doesnt come to reality. This community has plenty of space on the street and I don’t think this major shift is necessary! Check this out here.
Pleasant Ridge is a fantastic bedroom community within the Cincinnati Public School district. The houses there are a wonderful mix of starter home bungalow style and they go up to the typical Cincinnati mansion! This diversity of home is why this neighborhood will see another day, it will continue to attract and retain Buyers and Sellers.

Pleasant Ridge Montessori is a major reason why the community rallies. The second major theme in the area is the “All Star Readers” program by the community library.

Pleasant Ridge is now an “entertainment district” in the world of community development and they are developing many restaurants and brew pubs like Nine Giant. Nine Giant has had a great first few weeks and offers food and beers in a very welcoming environment. Nine Giant is in the process of sound mitigation as the volume within the building is LOUD since so many are enjoying the space/ beers!

The neighborhood has an active community group and a community development cooperation. They advocate for the correct development and they guide the renewal so that tenants like Check N Go and Dollar General don’t come in during their community’s transition!

Stop by and check this community out, take a run as its wonderfully hilly and take in the diverse neighborhood feeling and during the political season, count the Democratic yard signs!

Stay safe buying and selling real estate in Cincinnati and as always, please call the Payne Team to represent you on your next sale or purchase. Professionals are made and we are always working on being better at Real Estate and representing our clients. 513-500-7474 and www.sellandbuycincinnati.com

 This route was a great mix of hills– both up and down and offered shade throughout in this mature urban landscape. Check it out in the map!

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I had a short, but successful run in Mariemont which captured all that the immediate area has to offer! Mariemont is a community to the East of downtown, a historic community. The new development in Mariemont has been incredibly successful with the introduction of new high-end condominiums. These condos replaced the dated and under utilized “4 square” apartment structures one block from the downtown core that were built circa 1950-1960.

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Mariemont’s single family residential market is a unique one as it has premier streets like most areas of Cincinnati, but even on the secondary streets, owners are investing incredible money to make their homes masterful, the civic pride is evident in the environment that they maintain. I think the main reason for this is that the true community of Mariemont is quiet small, just .89 sq miles. Simple supply and demand.

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Mariemont Schools are rated in the State test under Acheivement an “A” rating . 

Mariemont is a walkable community with sidewalks on many streets, or the streets have a low enough volume of traffic to not warrant sidewalks. For a small geographical footprint, the area boasts many acres of parks. This is the Mary Emery tower at Dogwood Park. The area has a few grand streets/ boulevards like Center Street (pictured) which terminates at Mariemont Wall Park (pictured) which is a colonnade of landscape beauty!

Mariemont is the host of the Porsche Rallye every year and it’s a wonderful event. I would recommend putting it on your calendar.

Mariemont has a bright future in my opinion. It has a designed core with an amazing architectural vernacular unlike anything else in Cincinnati giving it instant recognition. The tax base is strong enough to support the municipal police, fire department and City Services. I believe people will continue to invest in the neighborhood and believe that the adjacent communities like Fairfax and Madisonville will thrive on the coat tails of this community.

Take a walk or run through this community so that you can see what it can add to your enjoyment of our City.

Your downsize is relative to your current lifestyle and the lifestyle that you want to create. For the sake of this exercise, lets assume that you are in a traditional 4 bedroom house that is 3000 sqft and you would like to transition to a 2000 sqft condo. Logically, you need to eliminate 1/3 of your everyday room items and you likely need to downsize long term storage by at least 50%.

Start with the kids. Memory boxes are distributed to the kids on their birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. Its your children’s responsibility to save what they cherish and its likely a large proportion of what you are carrying!

Second, the closets should be paired down by being honest to what you wear, fit in, and love. Our family likes to support different causes, but the Veterans will come and pick up your under used clothes and provide those to people who are more vulnerable.

Third, downsize your bedroom sets. If your children haven’t already taken the beds for apartments or their homes Now is the time to start asking them if they have interest in their old bed, dresser, rugs, etc. Clean out the room completely and either leave it empty or stage it as a home office, music room, playroom, etc.

Finally, yes finally, its your personal belongings- your everyday couches, chairs, end tables, artwork, etc. Depending on personality and how you want to see your transition occur- an Auction could be a good option if you don’t want to micromanage. Locally, we have Everything But The House as the dominate force. Another option is to hire a local consignment shop to market them, or you can talk to regional antique dealer.

Emotionally and physically, this process is exhausting! Dealing with (sarcasm) your ungrateful children not wanting your perfectly fine ____, its never easy hearing someone doesn’t want what you have…

Ive found that once you are in a place mentally to accept the fact that your stuff is fine without you, it is a liberating and rewarding step towards your transition to a smaller home. I have heard from many people that liquid courage is a fine way to overcome hesitance!

As always, have fun with your move and be careful out there Selling and Buying Real Estate! Check out these condos in Hamilton County that are 2+ bedrooms and min. 2 car garage.

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During the offer period, it was noted in the disclosures that the house had a disclosed sewer backup in 2014 and that they have not had issue since. I also noticed that they had a mature, 25 year+ Silver maple in the front yard. I informed my client that it was my opinion that we inspect the sewer in addition to the house, which she was receptive too because she just replaced a sewer in her current house in Clifton.

The buyer hired Zins Plumbing, a local Cincinnati company to camera the drain. They discovered a major root intrusion and major break in the sewer line. Zins Plumbing was very professional and marked the location in the front yard and recommended that Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) to be called and they would see if the blockage went into their sewer main.

It is the homeowners responsibility to keep the house sewer to the street clear of roots. This is mentioned in multiple documents found on the public service website- http://www.msdgc.org

MSD only becomes involved when the pipe is compromised, cracked or shifted from alignment, within the Right of Way (ROW).

In our case, the pipe damage was deemed within the ROW and its depth was over 15’ below the surface. The estimate to perform this repair was well over $10k.

The cost of inspection was $200, the cost saved was peace of mind and over $9800. That’s a nice return on investment and something that in my opinion more Buyers and Sellers should investigate as they do maintenance on our homes. Knowledge is Power, and as always be careful out there buying and selling real estate!

I have changed my opinion within major sections of Cincinnati this last year. I believe within the Sellers market regions of Cincinnati, you buy equity in the neighborhood. Equity in a neighborhood is the upward mobility of your immediate area- your neighbors.

There are rules to this theory and I believe they are bound by these three rules: the market search of the neighborhood, how close the subject property is to the core of the neighborhood and does it have the housing features of the typical house in that neighborhood.

First, the market search is critical. People are not creative when purchasing a house, if they want Hyde Park- they don’t want Oakley, Evanston or Norwood. Some areas of Cincinnati’s MLS simply don’t get searched and their values do suffer because agents and the general public do not know what that neighborhood is named!

Second, how close the house is to the core of the neighborhood. Context is everything- your proximity to the center of the neighborhood is critical. A community core can be an obvious “square”, it can be “that house” on the block, it can be adjacent to an iconic park- it’s a place where people want to be.

Lastly, the housing features- these are critical. If you buy a 2 bedroom in a 4 bedroom neighborhood- it’s a out of market house! Buy the same style of house that everyone wants or has. If you buy a 2 bed in a 4 bedroom area, you should make sure to have the money to add those additional bedrooms and make it nicer than your neighbors.

So don’t get frustrated by the marketplace, accept it, negotiate nimbly within it, but don’t forget- its not a bad place to be on successes’ coat tails! Be careful buying out there!

The inspector does not include in the report how to correct, they do not recommend companies to do the repair. Your agent may have qualified persons from previous dealings or AngiesList is always an option.

The Buyer takes the information in the report and tells the agent what items within the report need to be repaired or resolved before they move forward with the purchase.

The Buyers agent provides this list of desired repairs to the Sellers agent on a “Post Inspection Addendum” boilerplate form. After the presentation of this form the Sellers have a negotiated time period to respond to the addendum. We usually write 3-5 days in the purchase contract.

The Sellers can negotiate from the Addendum. While it is a request of repair, it is formally a counter offer to the original purchase contract. As a buyer, you should understand that they can say “NO” to any item. Typically, if the request is reasonable, we get this negotiated pretty easily unless a structural or major mechanical system needs addressed. Sellers are hesitant to invest money in the house that they want to Sell, and Buyers are wanting a stable house to move into. It is critical that both agents understand their clients goals; Buyers Agent- Buyer needs a house; Sellers Agent- navigate the Owner to a successful Closing.

After everyone is satisfied, the Buyer and Seller sign the addendum and move forward to Closing!

If the Buyer and Seller can not be satisfied, then the Buyer is Released from the Contract and retains the Earnest Money deposit because they exited the contract using a negotiated contingency.

In the Sellers market that Cincinnati saw the summers of 2014 and 2015, I saw many contracts being emotionally written and then the buyers agents’ used the inspection period to negotiate the transaction to the real market price. It was a tactic used to emotionally invest the Buyer and Seller, then you leverage the fear of the Sellers that the house would look defective if they couldn’t negotiate with the Buyers. It is something to be aware of during the transaction!

In the competitive world I think of cab drivers and Uber, Kroger and farmers markets and Realtors and Facebook. Each has their appeal and place in the market, but do you as the consumer know the difference? Let me tell you.

I’ll leave cabs, Uber and Grocery alone- you can watch the news for that headline. Real Estate and Facebook, or social media, has never had higher stakes in my businesses.

National data from the National Association of Realtors, 9% of home sales were FSBO in 2013. The typical home sold for $184,000 compared to $230,000 for agent assisted home sales. Source- NAR website. That information doesn’t tell you anything definitive, but it does tell you that the spread between the two is $46,000 and the commissions paid would have profited the consumer who used the agent assisted method.

If you have a house under $250,000 or you live in a neighborhood that sells within 14 days of being on the market, you are thinking “I can Sell this myself”. I am here to say, maybe, but I can do it better and it may not cost you anything more once the transaction is complete.

I want to Market, Negotiate, and Shepherd you to a successful Closing. Call me to get more information about how I can get you your equity! 513-500-7474.

Generation Y and the Millennial have grown up with the internet at their finger tips. I am one of them and since Ive had a mobile phone with internet connection, Ive not let an unanswered question leave my mind without a search. I can accomplish anything with my smart phone and opposable thumbs!

The baby boomers are internet savvy but they have grown up with a physical rolodex of professionals. They grew up with a physical white or yellow pages!?

My hypothesis is past clients and personal referrals create loyalty. “Access to information” hinders loyalty or the perception of need for professional service- the DIY society.

I am a Realtor^® and I work with a hundred plus clients a year. I end up Closing transactions with approximately 50 clients per year. The difference between the numbers is because I consult with more people than sell or buy. I help people get their renovations correct, make sure that people don’t over-improve without knowing, I introduce contractors with clients because I’ve been blessed to work with amazing professionals during my life of working. I am a professional. I belong in your rolodex.

I have had a few clients recently in the Generation Y category work with me, gain knowledge, spend my time and simply go trailblazing on their own- without any trigger. In my industry, they are mostly switching and working with the Listing agent. The reasons are to “Streamline” or “simplify” because they don’t want a communicator, advocate in their camp… it’s frustrating to say the least!

Contrary, I have several clients over the age of 50 who send me a steady stream of clients because they have either first hand, or second hand heard that my level of service is a must. Compliments like “You cant do this without John”!

I just shared some of my frustrations on this topic with a dear friend who is also in the service business- financial planning/ investments. His opinion is that you need to be clear with your value added and leverage your “raving fans” to continue to gain client base. If you have the choice of 10,000 agents, a friend’s recommendation will set you apart. I am on the phone with past clients now, asking for referral business, because they are experienced!

How do you gain loyalty in your industry? Do you see the difference between generations and what I reference as “loyalty”. You can leave a comment, or post a comment on Twitter @RealtorPayne call me 513-500-7474 or email me john@payne-team.com

The reasons in general why they stress people is because it stress tests your finances, you need to make so many decisions, and you are trusting a new team of experts. The reasons why it is enjoyable is because you get to create your dream- one selection at a time!

The process of building a house is easier than renovating, but more complicated than buying an existing house. You need to identify your lot, your builder, your budget and timeline. Some communities have builders who are well financed, or self financed. That means that these builders have enough money on deposit, or a good enough profit margin that they can borrow the money to build the house and still sell it to you for a profit after recouping their “cost of money”.

If your builder does not finance the properties, or it’s a semi custom or full custom home, you will be required to get “construction financing” or pay Cash. Construction financing is done by banks who do traditional financing- Locally, I like to use a group of experienced banks, call me 513-500-7474 to get a list of Lenders. The banks manage the construction “draws” and are another protection for you- the consumer.

There are two contracts that can be used in buying new construction. The two are- lawyer drawn contract that binds the builder and customer together, or a State of Ohio Realtor Board Contract that binds the brokers to their clients and then attaches addendums to the contract. It doesn’t matter which is used, but if the first is used, I would hire a real estate or contract lawyer to review the contract and explain the details and position of the contract. Whoever draws up the contract will be protected more than who is bound by the contract!

Typically, the construction schedule is a 6-8 month schedule and I would always recommend building with a well laid out schedule. Materials can overcome some of mother natures curveballs, but you need to make sure that your specifications match your environmental risks.

For all of your site/ builder identification, negotiations and building representation needs, please contact John Payne at 513-500-7474.