This article is part of a series devoted to giving pertinent, professional advice to Louisville's homebuyers and sellers. Others include:  • Top 10 Things to Consider When Contemplating a FSBO  • Top 10 Mistakes To Avoid When Selling Your Home  • Top 10 Things to Consider When Planning a Time to Sell  • Top 10 Tips for Relocating to Louisville  • Top 10 Ways to Prepare Your Property For Sale Updated: 5/15/2009 Buying a house can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be! Here at Louisville Homes Blog we've compiled the Top 10 Tips f

Due to a delay in a study on home sale prices, the deadline for Clark County property taxes is going to be pushed back. Paying taxes later? I say, that's a good thing.

While it's merely a dip in the growing trend, it's still good to see that: Foreclosures in Kentucky dropped 3.2 percent from November to December 2006... even while: ...but rose nearly 40 percent from December 2005 to December 2006, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac. [link] As our country continues to increase their total debt, we'll continue to see more and more families lose their homes to foreclosure.

The Courier is reporting that home prices in the Greater Louisville area are growing faster than a typical worker's salary: To afford a median-priced house in the Louisville area in 2003, a buyer needed to make at least $41,141, according to the housing policy center. That amount had increased by 6 percent to $43,764 in 2005 and by 19 percent to $48,816 last year. The median salary for a worker in the metro area was $27,269 in 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It rose by 3.5 percent to $28,226 by 2005, the most recent year for which data are available. Builders shoul

Steve McLinden is a Real Estate Advisor with Bankrate and he feels that '07 is going to be a huge year for buyers of real estate. So for the sellers among us, he's put together a list of 7 Selling Tips for the Down Cycle: 1. Price to sell. 2. Consider all credible offers. 3. Offer to proffer. 4. Catch the wave at the source. 5. Preserve your equity. 6. Gain in a sell-buy scenario. 7. Stay if possible. #1 is always the most important factor in selling a home and it's even more important when there is high inventory like we currently have now in the Greater Louisville area. His

Looks like we'll have our answer one way or another in the next few weeks as a suit brought by California real estate brokers Marcus & Millichap will be given to U.S. District Judge Charles R. Simpson III for judgement. They claim our current practices (which are common to many states, by the way) are protectionist. "I would expect in short order the judge would order (oral) argument and then take it under submission," said assistant state Attorney General Robert Jones. [link] What's so difficult to understand about the rule? If you want to buy or sell property in a state (unless it's yo

According to this article by author Tom Kelly, here are some of the hot items on the slate for 2007: Savvy buyers: Taking advantage of the continued buyer's market. Better pricing: Sellers will realize that the asking price is your #1 selling advantage. Upscale garages: A 3-car garage is the new black. Caving: Personalized space for a single person. Dual home offices: Maybe not this year, but we're headed in that direction. What's on the way out? How about: Selling a home "as is". Lazy sellers won't be maximizing anything. Buyer incentives: Not sure I agree with

There are literally hundreds of ways to enhance your property's image for prospective buyers. Here at Louisville Homes Blog, we've identified the Top 10 Ways to Prepare Your Property For Sale to save time and get you closer to your goal of selling your home.

According to a United Van Lines migration study, Kentucky's population is holding steady. Tennessee has been gaining, whereas, Indiana and Ohio are losing population, according to the movers research. Our neighbor, Tennessee, has consistently held a tax advantage which draws in more businesses, which in turn, draws working families. So if Governor Fletcher can gain some support for his tax reforms, Kentucky could gain even more ground.

Now that McDonald's are joining the Internet revolution, real estate professionals are getting another access point to their clients and the information their clients demand. Steve Stratton, a McDonald's franchisee with restaurants in Prospect, Ky., and Memphis, Ind., said the service has become popular with real estate agents meeting with clients. He said the flat-screen TVs are so popular with sports fans that he would never again build a restaurant without them. You got that right Steve. Wendy's? Are you listening?

Personally, I think it's a great idea—a blog devoted to Real Estate here in Louisville. Which is why, of course, I started this one last month. Looks like someone else likes my idea as well. But you might want to have an expert take a look at these technical problems as some images aren't displaying and when you try to view them, you'll get a scary warning like this:

While looking at things nationally, economists are expecting 2007 to be a better year for real estate. Louisville didn't experience the big downturn of the major cities, so as they'll experience a larger uptick, we should see small but steady improvement as sellers look for new and creative ways to make the deal. After all, rates are still at historically low marks.