CincinnatiInPhotos.com

The Bump in the Road

Knowing that I am a Realtor, most people want to know..."How is the market?" or they ask..."What are my predictions for the upcoming year?"

I really don't have much of an answer for either question. We are all experiencing a very strange market in all aspects of day to day life. The times are tough for many Americans.

I am experiencing, on a daily basis, folks about to lose their homes to foreclosure. They could possibly be your next door neighbor, your cousin or aunt and uncle, or someone you see at church each week. It could be just about anyone and you wouldn't know it until it is too late. They are scared, angry and very embarrassed. They more than likely are in denial of the situation. Hoping that it will go away. But it will not unless they take the proper action.

This post is called "THE BUMP IN THE ROAD". When driving up Thornview Drive experiencing these bumps this idea came to me. I pictured this photo on this blog page and me writing about bumps in the road folks are experiencing.

If you know anyone facing foreclosure or simply behind in their mortgage payments. Have them call me for a confidential personal meeting to discuss their options. I have a lot of experience in this field. I have been helping people avoid foreclosure and the feeling is tremendous. To see the weight of the world lifted off their shoulders is a real rush.

Remember: Friends don't let friends go to Foreclosure.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Friday's are for fun

It's Friday and also the Eve of Halloween. Here are a few fun things to share for Halloween.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some neighborhood Halloween decorations. To put you in the holiday spirit.

Please be safe and watch out for those little ghosts and goblins. Make sure they are trick or treating safely.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Congratulations Ms. Johnson

Ms. Johnson is one happy lady today. The weight is off her shoulders.

I met Ms. Johnson in mid July of 2009. She came to me with a problem. This home that had been in her family for over 85 years had just became too much for her to take care of any longer. The box gutters and soffits had serious damage due to wood rot. To the extent that she couldn't live in the home any longer. She had moved out over a year ago but still had the mortgage looming down over her. She hadn't been able to make a payment for almost 24 months and was facing foreclosure.

I was able to step in, list her home considering all the work the home needed priced it at $45,000.00 and sold it within 10 days for full price.

The big mistake I made was to let another agent insist on their buyer using the FHA 203K loan. That is an FHA loan the allows the buyer to purchase a distressed property, borrowing the initial financing for the home and the additional funds for the rehab. The limits on an FHA 203K loan is $30,000 above the cost of the home. The paperwork is intense and the risk is very high do to government rules and regulations and the constant changes in todays unsettled market.

It was quite the venture for Mary Jo, Me and LRA, LLC who does all the negotiations for me with the banks. However we stayed with it holding on to the faith that this was the right thing to do.

Everyone hung in there and finally at 3:00 PM yesterday we were at the closing table and everyone left happy. It took exactly two and a half months to negotiate the short sale with this lender.

Yet another notch in my record for saving someone from the horrors of foreclosure.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Seasons change

 
This is a beautiful picture of the Little Miami River. I just took this photo two days ago. By now more leaves have changed color and soon they will all be off the trees leaving bare branches throughout the winter months.

Along with the leaves changing color it is getting dark earlier. That makes it difficult to show property. Many buyers plan to do their looking after work. That is usually sometime after 5:00 or 6:00 PM. It is pitch dark by 7:15 these days. That leaves very little time to view homes in daylight hours.

I suggest make plans and try to work in a vacation day or work late for a couple of days and try to get off early at least once a week. That will give yourself time to spend leisurely with out rushing through. You will be able to pay attention to more detail that way. Your time investment is very important in this stage of the home purchase.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Sunday's Church

 This Sunday I would like to highlight a special church. This is called the field mass and was celebrated by St Michael Church in Sharonville at Gower Park in the picnic grounds last Saturday October 3rd, 2009.

St Michael celebrates their 90th year anniversary this year and the outdoors mass in the woods is just one of the many special functions they held to bring the congregation together in a very special way. They brought out a portable alter, set up a sound system and staked off the center ilse.

Mass began at 4:00 pm and the congregation finished with a good ole fashion picnic directly after. They had over 400 people in attendance. The music was beautiful with Brian & Paul on guitars and the "Singing Mom's".

 God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Buyers time is running out for the tax credit.

The American dream is right around the corner for many buyers on the first go around in the home buying market.

Time is running out to take advantage of the $8,000.00 tax credit offered from the U.S. Federal Government. I wouldn't suggest waiting till the last minute for many reasons.

#1. The housing inventory is beginning to diminish. Not drastically, but significantly due to the time of the season. Fall typically is not the hotbed of the housing market even in a better economic market.

#2. I am speculating that interest rates will creep up the closer we get to the deadline. Just as gas prices mysteriously go up just before a traveling holiday weekend. I would count on that happening for sure.

#3. I suggest getting the closing over with well before the November 30 deadline. There will be a line of buyers with their new home to be just waiting for the big moment. That moment will be jeopardized by the lack of time available from the overworked title companies trying to accommodate the overabundance of first time buyer sales on those last couple of days. They may not have enough time to service everyone.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Apartment Specials

I have been helping a lot of folks that are underwater with their mortgage. What happens is they have been laid off from their job, can't get work and fall three, four and five months behind with their mortgage. The bank wants their money or they threaten to take the house back through foreclosure proceedings.

Here is where my expertise comes in. I will list their home, sell it to a buyer within a couple of weeks and the company I partner with, Loss Reductions Associates, LLC will then negotiate a short payoff. That is where the bank will accept less than what is owed and forgive the rest.

 

   

These folks will then need to find someplace to live for a while and move.

This character is advertising the apartments at McCaulley Crossings apartments. They are offering specials as low as $99.00 first months rent to get you to sign up. However, you may want to do some investigation before you sign up. Some of the reviews are not all that good.

Of course if you can purchase a home that is the best recommendation I can offer. If you are one of the unfortunates that suffered through a short sale and need to rent then do your investigation.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

igations first.

 

Where's Goober Pyle?

This is Friday and Fridays are for fun. How fun is this?

Village Lube in Newtown. I titled this photo "Mayberry Newtown".

Have a nice weekend.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

New equipment can be a challenge

My Cannon Power Shot S60 point and shoot camera died. It was 4 years old. Time for newer technology. The one benefit of the S60 was that it came with a 28 mm wide angle lens. I hate to look at house photos on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and all they can fit into the photo is part of a wall and a chair. That is because the photographer (usually the listing agent) is using a standard 40 mm lens.

I searched and researched and found a terrific camera with all the latest stuff. A Panasonic DMC-ZS3. This camera is a 10 mega pixel, 25 - 300 mm wide angle to 12x optical zoom. The real cool thing about this camera is it records HD movies in stereo with an active zoom. This is tremendous for a very small hand held point and shoot. It is so automatic there are very few self settings available. It does everything automatically. And it does it well too.

I call this photo "Fresh Picked Peppers" That is what they are right out of my garden. Boy are they hot. Jalapeno, Habenero, Holy Moley, Cayenne, little Hot Chilies and Hot banana. I love it spicy and hot.

This camera can fit an entire room into a small photo. Watch for my next listing and see how much of a room will fit into my photos.

It's not just about how much content you can fit into a photo, but the lighting and staging has everything to do with a pleasing photo. This basket of peppers is a very pleasing photo. Don't you think it could be framed and hung on the kitchen wall somewhere? I did not use the flash. This is all natural. Nice mixture of colors and different shapes filling the basket just so.

Here is my segway back to a real estate topic... I like my real estate hot too. And the market is really heating up. I am now working with a full complement of buyers. From first timers planing to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit to investors who are looking to take advantage of the buyers market and wholesale a few handyman special rehab style homes for some quick cash.

There is a deal out there for everyone. You need to know where to look and that is where my expertise comes in. I know where to find them. If they are out there I will find them.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.

Congratulations Kelli

I met Kelli two years ago. Owning a home was but a far reaching lofty dream for her. I suggested she at least talk to a mortgage lender and see what she would qualify for. She did and was quite surprised.

We looked at several homes and she fell in love with this home in Norwood and bought it. This turned out to be the longest pending sale of my career.

As it turned out the mortgage lending qualifications changed drastically in October 2008 and many including Kelli were caught in a catch 22. Her credit scores didn't meet the new minimum requirement just before the closing was to happen.

Kelli was lucky. She was working with understanding, motivated sellers willing to work things out with her. So they let her move into the house as a tenant until she was able to obtain financing.

A couple of months turned into almost an eternity to Kelli. In fact she was ready to give up several times. I had to assure her things were going to work out. I needed some magic about now.

Kelli was a hard worker, responsible, caring and very honest. She also was a very good trumpet player in her spare time. That is where I met her. She sat in with a few members of the West Chester Symphony Orchestra in a small dixieland ensemble for our fundraiser two years ago.

What I did was refer Kelli to Joe Frey of The Credit Store dba TR & Associates Credit Services. Joe is not a fly by night credit fixing ripoff. He is licensed with the State of Ohio Division of Consumer Finance. He will actually find discrepancies on your credit report and take the necessary measures to get the items corrected. Then follow through until your credit scores are at an acceptable number. He took Kelli from 548 to 600 in less than two months. The lender was then able to finance her with a straight FHA loan. Seller had agreed to pay up to 3% in closing costs so we were able to close on this last Friday September 11, 2009. Only a year and a month after the original closing date was negotiated.

Kelli is one happy lady. And I learned a great deal through this ordeal. I'm very glad I joined Tri-State Business Network. That is where I met Joe. And he is a miracle worker to Kelli and in my humble opinion also.

God Bless You and pray for all of our troops to come home safe and for our Country leaders to make the right choices to help us get through this turmoil.

Did you know I have my license in both states, Ohio & Kentucky?...So Please call me if you need help around the house or maybe to buy a new home. I will gladly say THANK YOU! Gary Rossignol, the Realtor with integrity. 513-777-2402 email Gary@GaryRossignol.com.

Also, My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Interest Rates, National Real Estate News, Mortgage Advice, Question & Answers. Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes each week.