You want to get the most profit from an investment and your home, as one of the biggest investments you make, is no exception. In this Buyer’s market, recent sales show that homes are selling, but are taking longer to sell and selling at a lower price than comparable homes a few years ago. This is great for those buying homes, but more challenging for home sellers...

What do the experts say about the housing market in 2008?

John West owned 700 acres just south of Rockport. His land ultimately became known as “West’s Park” because of his installation of many beautiful plantings, a man-made lake and manicured lawns...

John West owned 700 acres just south of Rockport. His land ultimately became known as “West’s Park” because of his installation of many beautiful plantings, a man-made lake and manicured lawns...

"What is a Home Warranty?"

A home warranty is a service contract paid for by either the Buyer or the Seller, usually at closing. The cost in this area is a bargain at approximately $500 or less. In today’s buyer’s market, many Sellers are choosing to offer a home warranty with the purchase of their home to potential buyers...

Spring IS in the air! Although we haven’t put in the screens yet, the front door stands ajar for a little fresh air that doesn’t feel frigid. I’ll even admit to washing interior windows while the last big snow kept me indoors. I’ve walked the exterior perimeter, picked up twigs, welcomed the leafy green shoots of the season's first crocuses and daffodils and noted the robin’s nestbuilding activities well under way...

"Why Buy instead of Rent?"

Spring is a season of renewal. Birds are singing and the flowers are beginning to burst into bloom. The days are getting longer and people are getting outdoors again. So not surprisingly, real estate activity begins to swing into high gear. The weather is more cooperative and families are looking to move during the summer break. If you are considering putting your home on the market, now's a good time to do some spring maintenance to make sure your home is in tip-top shape. Even if you aren't planning to sell your home, you should still add these chores to your list to help preserve your home's value and help avoid major repairs later on...

"What is Appraised Value?"

People come to Lakewood for its walkability, its proximity to the lake and its easy commute to downtown. But most of all, people come to Lakewood for the charm and character of our antique houses. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the fashionable updates were to paint that dark old woodwork, carpet those bare floors and replace light fixtures with trendy items of the day. Today, natural woodwork, leaded glass windows & doors, and gleaming hardwood floors are as highly prized by homebuyers as they were by the original owners...

Thomas Hird, an uneducated young man who came to the United States from England in 1818, was hired to manage 320 acres of the Richard Lord estate near W. 117th Street. Thomas fell in love with the wealthy landowner’s niece, Hope Randal Lord, but the family disapproved of the courtship because of Thomas’s lower-class upbringing and lack of education...

"What is radiant heating & cooling?"..

The process of buying a home may seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never done it before. The route to getting into your new home seems much more manageable by looking at the basic stages...

"Why is it recommended that I put away family photos when selling my home?"

Theodor Kundtz, one of Cleveland’s most successful industrialists, owned a lumberyard west of Giel Avenue between Clifton Blvd. and Detroit Ave. During the early years of the 20th century, the Kundtz enterprise was the largest user of hardwood in the state, making sewing machine cabinets, church furnishings and thousands of school desks each month...

"Is it true that when temperatures drop, home fires increase?"

The ad reads "Come Quickly, Won’t Last, FREE this, ALLOWANCE for that, BONUS back!" You’ve spruced and painted, refreshed and remodeled, trimmed the shrubs or shoveled the driveway. The porch light is on and there’s a candle burning in the kitchen. The "FOR RENT" sign is up in the front yard...

I am frequently asked questions about the many foreclosures in Northeast Ohio. In this issue I’ve asked Khash Saghafi, president of Cardinal Banc & Mortgage Corporation, and regular instructor of free seminars on Real Estate loan topics to answer two common questions...

2007 brought with it a year filled with articles and updates about the prevalence of foreclosures in the Greater Cleveland area. In this very negative atmosphere, it’s worth taking a look at the positive side of this situation...

Andrews, French, and Virginia Avenues are connected - not only by Andrews Lane - but by the relationships between the French and Andrews families. Collins French, the son of one of Lakewood’s earliest settlers, married Rosetta Saxton in 1832...

Dec. 27, 2007 – First Federal of Lakewood and the City of Lakewood officially unveiled the newly completed, converted home at 2227 Bunts Rd., at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 11...

Now is the time to buy a house in Lakewood!...