1. Brenda Swigert likes WCPO - 9 On Your Side Create your Like Badge West Chester, OH Named Top 100 Places To Live West Chester, OH was named in Money Magazine's Top 100 Places to Live at #32 in the rankings!  These terrific small cities -- even now -- boast plenty of jobs, great schools, safe streets, low crime, lots to do, charm, and other features that make a town great for raising a family.  Click here to read the whole story:  http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2010/index.html  Buying? Selling? Large or Small...give me a call! You deserve to be represented by a Realtor who has experience and offers Outstanding Personal Service! Brenda's Cell 513-378-1461 I answer my calls!!! Saving Family Homes From Foreclosure Brenda Helps Ohio! Are You Facing Hardship? Concerned You Will End Up In Foreclosure? Once you miss your first payment, the clock starts ticking and it doesn't stop! Call Me Today or visit this web-site for more information! Don't wait.. time is what we need to get the help you want and need! http://hosted.cdpe.com/BrendaHelpsOhio/Home.aspx What is a Home Affordable Refinance? If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owns your mortgage, you may be eligible for a Home Affordable Refinance. This will allow you to refinance your home and often lower your payments. What are the qualifications for a Home Affordable Refinance? According to the resources released by the government, following are a list of qualifications: You are the owner occupant of a one- to four-unit home The loan on your property is owned or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac At the time you apply, you are current on your mortgage payments (you haven’t been more than 30 days late on your mortgage payment in the last 12 months, or if you have had the loan for less than 12 months, you have never missed a payment) You believe that the amount you owe on your first mortgage is about the same or slightly less than the current value of your house You have income sufficient to support the new mortgage payments, and the refinance improves the long-term affordability or stability of your loan What is a CDPE? A Certified Distressed Property Expert® is a real estate professional with specific understanding of the complex issues confronting the real estate industry, and the foreclosure avoidance options available to homeowners. Through comprehensive training and experience, CDPEs are able to provide solutions for homeowners facing hardships in today’s market, specifically short sales. The prospect of foreclosure can be financially and emotionally devastating, and often homeowners proceed without guidance of any kind. The developers of the CDPE Designation believe that the best course of action for a homeowner in distress is to speak with a well-informed, licensed real estate professional. They have the tools needed to help homeowners find the best solution for their situation. Often, when other options have been exhausted, CDPEs can help homeowners avoid foreclosure through the efficient execution of a short sale. While enduring financial difficulties is challenging for any family, the process of finding a qualified real estate professional should not be. Selecting an agent with the CDPE Designation ensures you are dealing with a professional trained to address your specific needs. For more information, contact Brenda Swigert at 513-378-1461 today. CDPEs don’t merely assist in selling properties, they serve and help save their clients in need. Helpful links: Mortgage Modification Resources The Home Affordable Refinance Program www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov HOPE NOW www.HopeNow.com Fannie Mae Loan Lookup http://loanlookup.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/ Freddie Mac Loan Lookup https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate HUD Approved Counselors Catholic Charities USA© www.catholiccharitiesusa.org Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, Inc. www.chapa.org Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Atlanta™ www.cccsatl.org HomeFree-USA© www.homefreeusa.org Homeownership Preservation Foundation© www.995hope.org The Housing Partnership Network© www.housingpartnership.net     Moving Up?  Moving Down?  Moving In Or Out Of Town?  Whatever direction you’re headed, you may be eligible for a tax credit up to $8,000 when buying your next home.  Call for details. No games, no gimmicks just honest, reliable service. Call me today! You can count on great service!   513-378-1461 Brenda's Direct Line _________________________________ The Ohio Association of REALTORS® Celebrates 100 Years in 2010   Consumers across the country can now take advantage of a Federal Housing Administration program to allow qualified home buyers to apply the $8,000 tax credit when purchasing a home. Also for current homeowners who have lived in their current home as their primary residence for 5 years may qualify for a $6,000 tax credit when purchasing a home! FHA will now permit its lenders to provide a short-term bridge loan that will let qualified home buyers use the tax credit to either make a larger downpayment above the FHA required 3.5 percent, cover closing costs, or buy down their interest rate. Shaun Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development stated in May that HUD would allow the first-time buyer tax credit to be used for a down payment or closing costs, at least for FHA-backed loans. Under the program, borrowers using the FHA for their first mortgage financing can apply for a bridge loan that uses their tax-credit proceeds as collateral. The loan can be used to cover their closing costs, buy down their interest rate, and cover their down payment over and above the FHA’s required 3.5 percent minimum. They’ll still have to cover the minimum down payment themselves or tap other assistance. Need to justify to yourself why now is the perfect time to buy? Here are six reasons why now is the time to jump into the market. 1. Uncle Sam is willing to help. First-time buyers (defined as anyone who hasn't owned a home in the last three years) are entitled to a maximum $8,000 tax credit; interest rates are at record lows; and the Federal Reserve is doing its best to make mortgage loans available. (Sign-up for a Webinar to learn more about the home buyer tax credit) 2. People have to live somewhere. About 800,000 new households are formed each year in this country, ensuring that the housing market will tighten, even if the economy doesn't soar. 3. Borrowers leverage their investment. If you put $10,000 into the stock market and it earns 10 percent, you've earned $1,000. If you put $10,000 down on a home and its value increases 10 percent, you've made $10,000. 4. When prices come back up, you'll have instant equity. In parts of the country where foreclosures have driven down prices, better times will mean the price of the home you buy will rise rapidly. 5. Mortgage costs stay the same. If you get a fixed-rate mortgage, the monthly payment stays the same--while everything else, including rent, goes upward. 6. You own it. There is something comforting in the notion that your home is your own. You can paint it any color . Source: The Wall Street Journal ------------------------------------------------   Are you relocating and wondering what the neighborhoods in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas offer?  According to Forbes: Forbes Magazine has ranked Cincinnati the sixth most stable housing market in the country. The study was based on several factors, including local economies, new construction contracts and foreclosure rates. Experts say real estate sales here are stronger than the rest of the nation. Money Magazine also ranked Cincinnati as one of the top places to live in 2008!   Please search my website's option "Community Profiles". You will find links to surrounding townships, and cities that have a web-site. This will give you a peek at their neighborhood without ever stepping inside. So stroll through the communities and then search the homes through the website's option "Listings" to view all homes on the market currently listed with the Cincinnati MLS. Check back often for new listings and new material. Brenda's Notes On The Market.... Stay Tuned.... WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKET? NEED TO SELL YOUR HOUSE? The median days a house was on the market as of April 13, 2010 in the West Chester and Liberty Twp areas is 88 days for 4 bedrooms 3 baths. There have been 183 sales this year to date in West Chester and Liberty Township combined. The median price of a 4 bedroom home for the past 4 months in West Chester and Liberty Twp is $242,023 The average list to sale ratio is 95.04%. Sellers need to be prepared to be priced right from the start, and to have their homes in great shape when they hit the market. One way of accomplishing this is to take a walk around the house with a pen and a pad of paper, make a list of repairs needed, of course paint touch-ups needed, and spaces that need de-cluttering. Don't forget the front door! Paint it! Make it fresh.  It is the first thing the buyers see when they approach your home. Curb appeal often determines whether buyers will come in or not. Take the time to put a fresh coat of paint on the door and make the area around the door clean. A nice basket of seasonal flowers will be a great burst of color to welcome your buyers to their new home! The most common issues on inspections for this area are: roof, furnace, gutters/fascia, fireplace and inappropriate soil grading around the house.  Smart sellers will make sure these 5 items are in good shape.  For instance, we get a lot of hail and storms, and if hail damage is found, sellers can get a brand-new roof and just pay the deductible. It's better to get that done before there's a 'For Sale' sign in the yard, though. So I advise sellers to have their roof inspected before they list it if possible. They should also have the furnace cleaned and inspected, so they're not at the mercy of an inspector working for the buyer and covering his own assets. Stay Tuned.... and thanks for spending some time with me today! Phone numbers below! Please email me your questions anytime at BrendaSwigert@gmail.com ~Brenda Your Neighborhood Realtor Cell 513-378-1461 Fax 513-332-9643   One Of My Favorite Homes That I've Sold! I'd like to put your's here too!

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