Posts in category 'Ycar'

Everyone always says, "Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it." Well, I asked
for your questions in my last article. And, boy, did you respond! The amount of questions that
have come in over the past two weeks are more than I even imagined. With every email, I felt
like Sally Field standing at the podium holding her award saying, "You like me! You really like
me!" So, thanks for that.

I filtered through the questions and I'm excited to answer a few in this week's column. I say,
"filtered," because when I said to ask me anything, well, some of you took that to the extreme.
While I'm sure my color underwear, whether the Buckeye's are going to cover the point spread
this weekend or what my favorite pizza is in the Mahoning Valley are the talk of the water
cooler on Monday's after my column, I'm going to refrain stick with the real estate questions.
Maybe we'll save those questions and answers for my last column of the year. Who...

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For the last 20 months, you've welcomed me into your home and let me rant and rave about the state of the real estate market here in the Mahoning Valley. From tips and information to laughs and foreshadowing, every other week, you have had the opportunity to hear what I have to say.

Well now…I want to hear from you!

That's right! I'm opening up the floodgates and giving you the opportunity to ask me anything…yes, ANYTHING. From housing market tips and trends to thoughts on improvements and selling your house, nothing is off-limits.

I'll either reply to you directly or share some of these questions and responses in the remaining articles we have this year.

I have been telling you what I think you need to hear. Now, it's time for you to tell me what you want to hear!

So, simply email me at ThePrez@ycar.org and I'll be sure to get back to each one of you.

Now, who's first?

From masks to hand sanitizers and safe social distancing, the world around us has changed thanks to the fight to dampen the Covid-19 curve.  One of the areas that has felt the effects of the virus is in contracting services for home improvements.  Some projects are more challenging than others, whether it is getting on the schedule of backed up contractors or following the guidelines for a safe environment for people to work, deciding what projects you should tackle to increase your home value now has to contend with Covid-19 challenges.  But don't worry, I'm here to help…as always!

Reaping the payoff rewards of a home improvement is always a challenge.   While completing a big-ticket project in a time of economic uncertainty is now even more difficult, if you're a seller with a house in need of a little TLC, you should redirect your attention to lower-budget upgrades that yield a return an...

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There are few things in my life that I can say, without certain, that I know what I'm talking about.  Racing cars? Most definitely.  What my wife is thinking?  Not so much.  Real estate?  One hundred and ten thousand percent yes.  

Do you remember back in March the article I published here called, "The Waiting Game?"  It talked about the pitfalls you may run into by waiting to purchase or sell your home now instead of acting now and taking advantage of where the market is?  Yeah, that one!  

Well, told ya so.

The housing market has continued to sprout like an adolescent teenager going through a growth spurt.  One minute they aren't tall enough to ride "Fireball" at the Canfield Fair, and the next minute they are the starting Center on their AAU basketball team.  

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The new car smell. The feeling of a new pair of jeans. The sounds of a new beverage can being opened. Let's be honest, who doesn't love getting something that's brand new, especially if it was designed and built just for you? While many people hear "custom" and think "crazy expensive," the value of having something that is exactly right may outweigh the costs involved, especially when it comes to building a new home.

Whether you build a new home or buy an existing one, the financial obligation of owning any home is too great to not make the right decision. As many people come up empty-handed in looking for the home of their dreams on the market, building a custom home or villa has become an option for many. If you are unsure if you should build a home, here are some things to consider before making that choice.

BUILT WITH YOU IN MIND

One of the best reasons to build a home is because it is customized to you. You'll get most of everything you are looking for,...

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