| As a real estate professional, you know how important landscaping can be. In many cases, landscaping improvements can increase a home’s curb appeal and attract the attention of potential buyers. Read the full article here http://www.onlinehsa.com/mediacenter/19-08-26/5_Landscaping_Ideas_That_May_Increase_Property_Value.aspx |
Thank you Lexington & Central KY on voting us
your #1 FAVORITE
Real Estate Company in 2019!
That’s SIX YEARS IN A ROW! 2014-2019
We have to say that we wouldn’t be able to provide the level of care and service you’ve come to expect without our talented agents serving this area and great customers like you providing feedback on how we can better serve you!
Also, a BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO The Halfhill Auction Group for winning #1 Favorite Auction Company!
See the winners on the Herald-Leader, click the button below…
Four days of all-breed conformation and obedience competition sponsored by the Lexington Kennel Club Inc., the Northern Kentucky Kennel Club Inc., and the Mid-Kentucky Kennel Club Inc. This show will include competition for more than 150 breeds, best-in-show competition, junior showmanship classes, obedience and rally, AKC Owner-Handler Series, Canine Good Citizen Test, and much more!
Free live music every Friday and Saturday night May-September. With a beautiful covered dock, a fire pit hang out, amazing restaurants and shopping, and fun live music, you’ll want to linger with friends and family. Pets and lawn chairs are welcome.
Weekly on Friday, Saturday thru October 26, 2019
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
The greatest combination of live music, amazing food and a farm-fresh setting you could ever imagine! Head to Shaker Village for an evening on the lawn beside the historic Trustees’ Office and the Shaker Village garden. Music on the Lawn features live music, outdoor dining, drinks and specialty cocktails around the fire pits. Don’t forget to enjoy a marshmallow roast, grab a cocktail and then take in a special $5 after 5:00 tour. No admission is required, and music begins at 6:30 pm.
September 4, 2019 @ 7pm
My Old Kentucky Foam
Georgetown, KY
The vast majority of Central Kentucky homebuyers will want to have a thorough home inspection performed as soon as their offer is accepted by the seller. Here are five tips on how to ensure that when selling, you pass your home inspection with the fewest issues possible.
First tip to pass your home inspection, provide unfettered access to your electric panels, heating and cooling systems and your attic. The inspector will need to assess all of these areas, so it’s best to let them get in easily. Remember also to clean the space below your sinks so the inspector can easily assess your pipes.
Second, be sure to empty all your appliances to facilitate the inspection (except your refrigerator, of course). That means your washer, dryer, dishwasher and stove should all be fully empty and ready to test.
Next – if possible — provide full documentation of your appliances, systems and any work you’ve had done on them. For example, “if you’ve had an engineer inspect a crack in your foundation and there’s nothing wrong with your structure, display that report so the home inspector doesn’t have to be concerned about the crack,” says a local inspection company.
You can even attempt to provide the manuals for appliances by using online resources like GE’s Appliance Manual online center: http://www.geappliances.com/ge/service-and-support/literature.htm
One incredibly simple tip – replace ALL light bulbs so the inspector won’t have to worry about whether a burnt out bulb is really an issue with your wiring.
Last, get out of there! Think of the inspection as another home showing – you need to be out of sight and out of mind so the inspector can speak freely with the buyers and their agent. And if at all possible, take your pets with you or arrange for them to be visiting a friend or relative during the inspection time.
These tips are a great starting point to helping pass your home inspection. Remember, your real estate agent is your best resource throughout the entire listing process. They are there to guide you through each part of the transaction and answer any questions that you have. Rector Hayden REALTORS® are trained to handle the different situations that occur in our market and are dedicated to the success of your sale.
Although fall can be a challenging time of year to move if you’re a buyer or seller with school-aged children, fall buyers are typically highly-motivated — meaning that sellers could get a faster path to the closing table. Our gorgeous local fall scenery makes it easy to show off the natural beauty of a neighborhood and the homes within it!
Here are some of the pros and cons you’ll want to consider as you make your decision.
Inventory in our local market is always higher in the spring and summer, and the number of homes for sale usually dips in the early fall. If you decide to list your home this autumn, it may stand out amidst the condensed inventory available.
Many families are hoping to accomplish their move by the holidays, or before the second half of the school year begins — so buyers looking in the fall tend to be highly motivated. You could benefit from buyers who are ready to move quickly.
While you’ll have to stay on top of raking and bagging your leaves, staging your home in the fall is relatively easy. The natural beauty of the changing leaves will do half the work for you, and staging tips from your Rector Hayden Agent will get you the rest of the way there.
For many, fall is the busiest time of year. It’s important to remember that the upkeep of your home’s interior and exterior will be critical to selling your home this season. Consider cutting back on other less significant plans and commitments so you’ll be up to the task.
If you’re a parent of a school-aged child, it can be difficult to move across districts in the middle of the school year. However, studies have shown that kids actually adapt very quickly when the transition is accomplished during the middle of the school year. Immediately having new friends and new experiences can be a good thing!
Whether you’re ready to list your home or want the insights of a local market expert, we can help. Contact your Rector Hayden Agent today!
Our local housing market continues to be very active! See all the latest info and trends, in our exclusive Monthly Market Report!
How can a homebuyer compete in this market?
See all the latest info and trends, in our exclusive Monthly Market Report!
Here are some of the events and activities we’re looking forward to this month.
August 24 @ 12-11pm – August 25 @ 12-7pm
Masterson Station Park
3051 Leestown Rd, Lexington KY
859-266-6537
August 17 – 18
Daily 10am – 5pm
FREE
859-254-7024
Shop over 200 artists, enjoy live music, Kentucky food, beer gardens, and create your own family art – all with free admission. Woodland Art Fair has received several national, regional & local honors including being voted a Top 200 Fine Art & Design Show in the nation in 2007-2012 by Sunshine Artist Magazine, a Top 20 Event by The Southeast Tourism Society & a Top 10 Festival by The Kentucky Travel Industry Association. Brought to you by WestBanco and co-produced by the Lexington Art League and Lexington Parks and Recreation.
Saturday, August 17
Nate’s Coffee
125 Cheapside, Lexington KY
PARTICIPANTS for 2019 (so far)
Roasters:
Greens Coffee +
BerserkerBrew +
City Roastery
Nate’s Coffee
Drinklings Coffee and Mugs
Cherry Seed Coffee Roastery
Smokin’ Aces Coffee Co.
Dry Stack Coffee
Happy People Coffee Company
Non-Roasters:
The Amsden +
Broomwagon Coffee + Bikes +
Lussi Brown Coffee Bar +
Carbon Coffee Cō +
Magee’s +
Barista Social +
Details here >>
Saturday, August 10 @ 12pm
August 11 @ 3pm
Keeneland
4201 Versailles Rd, Lexington KY
Music. Bourbon. Horses.
A Railbird is a horse racing enthusiast known for sticking close to the action, hanging on the rail as each contender comes barreling down the track.
This summer, the term will take on added meaning with a brand new music festival in Lexington, KY. 2 days. Multiple stages. World class artists. All at the historic grounds of Keeneland.
Railbird will celebrate the unrivaled culture and traditions of the Bluegrass State at the historic Keeneland Racecourse. A Kentucky experience, through and through, Railbird will be a truly one-of-a-kind event. The festival will be woven into the course grounds to create an unforgettable and immersive weekend centered around music, bourbon, equine culture and Lexington tradition.
Details here >>
August 22 – September 1 @ 6pm
Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center
141 E Main St, Lexington KY
859-429-1897
The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington is a unique week-long festival set among the beautiful Lexington area. Please join for a series of spectacular concerts, fun-filled pop-up events and an exciting Cabaret Night!
August 8 – September 5 @ 5pm – 8pm
5/3 Pavilion at Cheapside Park
251 W Main Street, Lexington KY
FREE
Get downtown every Thursday! Join thousands of your closest friends for live music, local food and beverage vendors, and the hottest party in town. The event takes place each week at the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion at Cheapside Park. This event is rain or shine!
When a lender reviews your loan application, their main job is to verify that you are a low-risk candidate who will be able to cover your monthly housing expenses for the full life of the loan. To do this, they will first calculate your monthly PITI:
While every lender is different, and every loan application is reviewed independently, the general rule of thumb is that your monthly PITI should be between 28-35 percent of your monthly income before taxes. This number is known as your front-end debt-to-income ratio.
Of course, you may have other long-term loans or debt obligations that you pay each month. Lenders will also take these debts into consideration as they review your loan application.
The easiest way to think of a debt obligation is to consider who you are paying back. Common debt obligations include:
To calculate your back-end debt-to-income ratio, the lender will add up your monthly debt obligations, including your hypothetical monthly PITI. They will divide that by your total monthly income before taxes.
Typically, lenders are looking for a back-end debt-to-income ratio of 35-45 percent. But again, every lender varies and your personal financial history and income history will also be factored in.
You have daily, weekly and monthly expenses that won’t necessarily be taken into account by a lender — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about them as you begin the path to home ownership.
Before you apply for a mortgage, take stock of your monthly expenses, including:
It’s likely that you could tighten up one or two of your spending categories without too much effort. Your lender may not notice, but you’ll find it easier to afford your monthly PITI and debt obligations when you minimize your other expenses.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use tool that takes into account your front-end and back-end debt-to-income ratios, check out these great calculators from Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC.
In today’s market, sellers have the upper hand and buyers are competing over a shortage of inventory. While it’s advantageous for your home to stand out, you can likely get a great offer by making smart, minimal repairs.
Work with your Rector Hayden Agent to determine what changes they’d recommend and see if they agree that you could focus on low-cost upgrades like new light fixtures, fresh paint, replaced hardware, and some fresh spring landscaping.
Some sellers, especially those who aren’t in a hurry to move, fight to list their home at a price higher than the fair market value. Their idea is that by listing high, they may snag a high-bidding buyer — and if they don’t, they can simply lower the price later on.
This is a dangerous plan for a few reasons:
The most common reason to sell a home “For Sale by Owner,” or FSBO, is to avoid paying a commission for a real estate agent. While we understand that it can be tough to part with any money from your hard-earned home sale, the reality is that sellers who use a Realtor end up earning more on their home sale, even when the commission is considered.
In 2018, the median selling price of a FSBO home in the U.S. was $185,000, while the median selling price of an agent-assisted home was $245,000. This large gap may be why the National Association of REALTORS® reports that FSBO sellers have dwindled to their lowest number in more than 35 years.
In short, the act of listing a home for a fair price is best handled by a true market expert who has deep insights on your community, recent sales, housing trends and more.
It’s interesting to see that homes priced at a round number price point — like $150,000 or $400,000 — often sell faster than homes listed at $149,000 or $399,000.
Why? It’s really a matter of buyer exposure to online listings. Today’s homebuyers mostly shop online, and they enter in search parameters based on price. If you list your home at $299,000 instead of $300,000, buyers who are searching between $300,000-$350,000 won’t end up seeing your property.
That small pricing change can make a massive difference when it comes to online exposure. Homes with round number pricing showed up in search results 58 percent more than those that were listed at a “discount” price.
What more tips for buying and selling in the Central Kentucky Market? Get in touch with your Rector Hayden Realtor or join our eNewsletter mailing list!
It’s been a strong real estate market so far in 2019! If you’re a local buyer or seller, you’ve probably experienced just how quickly things are moving. The number of properties for sale in Lexington and Central Kentucky continues to be lower than the demand, resulting in an average home price increase of over 3% for the first half of the year.
How can a homebuyer compete in this market?
See all the latest info and trends, in our exclusive Monthly Market Report!