Good News, Bad News for Louisville Real Estate
Mar 22, 2008 Residential
On Thursday we hear that Louisville’s “economy has declined in recent months.” They make sure to add that residential real estate has also “declined” (even though real estate was included in their previous comment). Ouch.
But then, on Friday the CJ follows up this sour news with something positive. Good for them!
Median home prices in the Louisville area rose 1.1 percent to $134,000 during the first two months of the year, compared with the same period in 2007, according to the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors.
That’s good news right? Sure! Louisville’s housing market doesn’t suffer the dizzying ups and downs of so many other markets in the U.S. In addition, because there is currently so much inventory, buyers have a larger selection to choose from. And once they find their favorite home, the odds of getting a better than average deal is quite good.
For the homeowner looking to sell, it still comes down to price first, property condition second. Speak with a real estate professional to find out which home improvement projects can optimize your property’s opportunity to sell.
The Ant vs. The Termite
Mar 17, 2008 Home Improvement
[The content below is posted with permission from the kind folks at the Home Improvement Blog.]
The saga continues as two of the most feared pests on Earth continue to battle each other over who will infest your home first! Check out this video from the Ant Institute of the Ant vs. the Termite which highlights the war between two of the most common household pests in the U.S.:
At the Termite Instituteâ„¢ (www.TermiteInstitute.com) and the Ant Instituteâ„¢ (www.AntInstitute.com), we have created the most comprehensive resources on the web to inform homeowners about these billion dollar pest problems.
When ant mating flights occur, homeowners often confuse the winged reproductive forms of ants with swarming, winged termites. As they battle each other for position in your home, it’s imperative that you find the correct solutions for treatment. On our websites you can learn the most common distinguishing characteristics between ants and termites.
- Both winged forms of ants and termites have two pairs of wings, but ants’ front wings are larger and longer than the back wings, while the termites’ four wings are all the same length and size.
- Ants have narrowed waists and elbowed antennae, while termites have thick waists and short, straight antennae that resemble strings of beads.
- Don’t be fooled by color or size. Ants can vary in size, and winged termites of various species can be yellowish, reddish, brown or black-like ants.
Visitors to both the Termite and Ant Institutes can learn, educate and explore with live web cams of ant and termite colonies that simulate what it would be like if these pests invaded a home. Check out extensive media libraries with high-resolutions photos and striking video of these creepy crawlers. There are also fascinating facts about these pests, and an interactive species map that pinpoints what species are prevalent in each state. Be sure to check out your state.
Energy Conscious Housing Grows More Popular
Mar 15, 2008 Commercial
With the recent award of the LEED Platinum certificate to Bernheim Arboretum Visitor Center (above), Kentucky now boasts multiple green developments. It’s certainly a trend that builders across the nation are embracing.
There are 33 LEED wannabes on the list, waiting for appraisal by the U.S. Green Building Council.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and according to Wikipedia, is a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. Builders need to comply with the standards, then apply to the council for certification. Here are their levels:
* Certified – 26-32 points
* Silver – 33-38 points
* Gold – 39-51 points
* Platinum – 52-69 points
If you’re interested, please read all of Diane Heilenman’s piece on this increasingly popular trend.
‘Louisville Neighborhoods’ Receives Some Press
Mar 7, 2008 News
Real estate is an interesting business, to say the least. At its very core, the idea is to simply bring two separate pieces together—a person and a property. Seems simple enough. But whenever money is involved, we all know that the proverbial wrench can be tossed in at any time.
For months now I’ve been building a Web site called Louisville Neighborhoods. This is one place where home buyers can learn not just about what homes are currently for sale, but about the neighborhood itself. What kind of homes does it contain? How large are the lots? Where is it situated? I even take photos of representative properties and landmarks.
It’s my goal for Louisville Neighborhoods to serve Louisville home buyers in their quest to find their dream home. Imagine my surprise when I received a call (and subsequent email) from representatives at Norton Commons demanding that I take down my page about their neighborhood.
Because the developers have trademarked the name, Norton Commons, they believe they are entitled to a have a say wherever it might be used. That’s likely a stretch considering the doctrine of Fair Use of Trademarks. But that’s not truly the point. The point is that my Web site is only going to promote their development to more potential customers. Said simply, I’m trying to bring them business.
This piece in the Courier talks about some incorrect information on my page, to which I respond, “Let me know about any needed corrections and I’ll be happy to include them.” The whole situation is a surprise to me. And if you think I’m surprised, how do you imagine Mr. Goldsmith feels?
Free, Online Mortgage Calculators
Mar 3, 2008 General
I just added a Mortgage Calculators page to my site. Trying to decide whether or not you should refinance? Want to know the real APR for a loan? There are 20 different, easy-to-use calculators that are free to use.
Head over and give it a go. Cheers!
February 2008 Home Sales in Louisville, KY
Mar 2, 2008 Trends/Statistics
There are 18 positive changes out of 30 on the sales/value side of things for February house sales here in Louisville, Kentucky. Eight of the 15 areas showed some improvement in Days on Market, a few drastically. So another good month, moving things in a postive directions.
Compare with January 2008 Home Sales in Louisville, KY if you like, and as always, please contact me with any questions you might have.
February 2008
| AREA | SALES | AVERAGE | DoM |
| 0 Central Downtown District | 9  |
$114,029 |
100 |
| 1 Downtwn/Old&WestLouisville/Shively | 76  |
$48,997 |
71 |
| 2 Butchertown/Highlands/Germantwn | 60 |
$164,788 |
65 |
| 3 Brownsboro/StMatthews | 41 |
$234,063 |
85 |
| 4 Pleasure Rdg/Valley Station | 51 |
$88,342 |
84 |
| 5 Auburndale/Fairdale/Iroquois Park | 48 |
$119,291 |
104 |
| 6 Buechel/Highview/Okolona/FernCreek | 100 |
$141,828 |
81 |
| 7 FernCrk/Hikes Point/Jeffersontown | 97 |
$182,717 |
88 |
| 8 Hurstbourne/Middletwn/Anchrg | 64 |
$246,964 |
66 |
| 9 Anchrg/Lyndn/Prospct/UpRvrRd | 58 |
$292,612 |
75 |
| 11 Bullitt Co. | 47 |
$154,927 |
77 |
| 19 Spencer Co. | 15 |
$158,163 |
101 |
| 20 Oldham Co. – North | 22 |
$237,684 |
88 |
| 21 Oldham Co. – South | 23 |
$272,665 |
113 |
| 30 Shelby Co. | 36 |
$194,398 |
123 |
Source: MetroSearch, Inc.
