We see a TON of lawncare being performed as well as utility bills, vandalism repair, cleaning, and other preservation tasks that are super expensive.  The only positive note is that several contractors and crews are being employed to conduct all this activity.  However some really take to the fact that they are a “government employee.”

–

On the subject of foreclosures, Jonathan Karl of ABC News/YahooNews reveals why taxpayers are paying millions of dollars to mow yards of government-owned vacant properties.

The housing bailout has already cost taxpayers $124 million, he said, and now they will spend millions more to fix up the properties for sale.

“Taxpayers also foot the bills to paint walls, fix cabinets, plant flowers and more — expenses that just last year, exceeded a half a billion dollars,” Karl reported.

See the full article here:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mickeymeece/2012/04/10/why-taxpayers-pay-millions-to-mow-lawns-and-maintain-foreclosed-homes/

Does this make sense to you?  Or should the government just push properties through quicker to avoid these tasks?  Would love to hear your thoughts below.

I am happy to announce that my episode of House Hunters aired on 2/7 and I got loads of positive feedback from friends and current/past clients! I definitely recommend you check out the episode when it re-airs on 2/27 at 9:30pm on HGTV. Here is a link to the episode:

http://www.hgtv.com/house-hunters/ohio-family-needs-more-space/index.html

If you or anyone you know could benefit from my experience and HGTV credibility, please let me know. The producers did ask that I come back to them with any clients who would make a great storyline – and that next buyer could be you!

Well beyond the world of real estate, which I fail to leave sometimes, there is a lot that has gone on in my life that has led me to ignore this site.  In fact, I found more inaccurate information than I ever imagined.  What I realized is that I have really developed some cool, innovative ideas but like day old bologna, some stick to the wall and some don’t.

I had a great opportunity to participate in a taping of the HGTV show “House Hunters” which should be airing in the spring/early summer.  That was quite an experience that will either make me out to be a great realtor or a complete idiot.  There was about 40 hours of footage, enough to go either way with it.

My “buyers” were awesome throughout the week long process and they did land the home of their dreams after all!  I will be sure to update this site for the exact date/time of the show’s airing.  Maybe this is a break I need to launch my idea for a reality show “$1000 Listing”.  Sure Million Dollar Listing on Bravo seems entertaining, but wait till you see what our listings under $5,000 look like!

I was also blessed with a second son, Clayton.  From a guy who thought he was destined to live in a house full of women, I couldn’t be prouder to have my two boys.  Even though one says “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” every five seconds and the other cries and poops every five seconds – I couldn’t imagine life without them.

TREO is still growing at an incredible pace as well.  Myself and my partner sold over 400 homes together last year, with much thanks to our incredible staff.   Look for us to unveil our new Premier Homes division, where we will exclusively focus on homes in Cincinnati’s top neighborhoods – with marketing, reporting, and service that will be unmatched by our competition.

2012 is posing to be a great year for me personally and professionally.  I hope that we can continue to serve you proudly throughout the year.

Am I the last person to find out about the football field size sink hole in Anderson Township?!?  Check it out for yourself. It’s on Beechmont Avenue behind Sibcy Cline.

Saw this in Westwood this week. Classic!

By: Julie Kelly

Writing about the seven “original” hills of Cincinnati has turned out to be a lot of fun. I lovemy crazy city of lumpy hills, great architecture and rich history. One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to herd my husband into the car, get a coffee from UDF and drive around the different neighborhoods. It’s inexpensive and there is so much to see, you won’t be disappointed!

Part five of my series is on the community of Fairview. If you asked most people in Cincinnati for directions to an address in Fairview, they would probably refer to the area just west of the University of Cincinnati, south of Martin Luther King Drive, North of Central Parkway and east of Interstate 75 as either Clifton or possibly even Over-the Rhine. But it is in fact Fairview. [Read More...]

Brett explains the steps one should take to succeed financially in selling AND buying a new home the new market.

Brett Keppler, Broker/Owner of TREO, Realtors in Cincinnati explains the pros and cons to listing your home for sale during the winter.

Central Fairmount School

When I started my series, Cincinnati, the City of Seven Hills, I had no idea one of the original hills was Fairmount. I’ve lived in Cincinnati most of my life (on the east side) and I don’t remember ever hearing the name, Fairmount. Apparently, Fairmount is a small area in the west part of Cincinnati, located between Glenway Avenue (to the South) and Western Northern Boulevard (to the North). And, it is subdivided into North Fairmount and South Fairmount.

When I told a friend I was writing about Fairmount, he said, “Why buy one house in Hyde Park when you can buy a dozen for the same price in Fairmount?” After thinking about what he said, I decided to put his comment to the test, and here’s what I learned… [Read More...]