Vance Team Realtors - Your Trusted Local Real Estate Experts
Southern Ohio Real Estate News, Market Trends & Home Buying Tips
Welcome to the Vance Team Realtors blog — your go-to resource for Southern Ohio real estate news, local market trends, and practical advice for buyers and sellers across Highland County and beyond.
Whether you are searching for homes for sale in Hillsboro, Ohio, trying to understand what the current market means for your home's value, or looking for honest guidance on buying or selling a home in Southern Ohio — you will find straightforward, locally focused content here written by people who actually live and work in this community.
Our blog covers a wide range of topics, including:
Highland County and Southern Ohio market updates — real numbers, real trends, no fluff
Home buying tips — from getting pre-approved to making your first offer
Home selling strategies — how to price, prepare, and market your home for the best result
Community spotlights — what makes Hillsboro and Southern Ohio such a great place to call home
Real estate news — what is happening in the broader market and what it means locally
Bryan and Rene Vance have been serving buyers and sellers across Highland, Clinton, Adams, Brown, Ross, Fayette, and Pike County since 2015. Every post on this blog reflects real local knowledge from agents who are active in this market every single day.
Have a question about the Southern Ohio real estate market, or ready to take the next step? We would love to hear from you.
In our last blog post, "Is Now A Good Time To Sell A House," we discussed the recent National Association Of Realtors data showing home values rising 4%. It is a great time to buy or sell real estate. If you are selling, your profits are going to be higher. If you buy now, the market is increasing, so you can expect positive equity.
You need to find a real estate agent before you can do either. We are Vance Team Realtors @ Home Experts Realty Hillsboro. We are the premier real estate agents in Highland County. We welcome the opportunity to serve you when you are ready.
What do you do next?
If you are considering selling your existing home, contact us to schedule a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis). A CMA will show you how much you can expect to sell your home for.
If you are considering buying a home, contact one of our preferred lenders to get pre-approved. Being pre-approved helps us to find you the right house. Get pre-approved here.
It is a great time to sell. Inventory is low, and demand is still strong. If you need to downsize, upsize, or move to another area and have a home to sell, buyers are waiting for you.
According to recent data from the National Association of Realtors, home values across the United States have increased by an average of 4% over the past year. This is excellent news for homeowners looking to sell their properties, as they can expect a higher return on their investment. Additionally, this increase in home values is a positive sign for the overall health of the housing market, as it suggests that demand for homes is strong and buyers are willing to pay more for properties. Of course, there are always regional variations in home values, so it's essential to consult with a local real estate agent to get a more accurate picture of what's happening in your area. Overall, the trend of increasing home values is promising for anyone interested in buying or selling a home.
When buying or selling real estate, it is good to understand how the price is determined.
What Determines Listing Price?
There are a lot of things that need to be done *just right* when selling your home – pricing it well & competitively is one of the most important. What are the key factors that go into finding the right listing price? When listing a home for sale, we prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) first. The CMA compares the subject home to others in the area that have sold over the past three to six months. How your home compares to homes with similar square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size, and features is the best way to come up with a listing price.
"We should start high and come down." "We can come down, but we can't go up."
You might be making a mistake if you list your house for sale with that strategy in mind. Research has shown that over-priced houses stay on the market longer, costing the seller more in lost profit. Your best chance to find a buyer is within the first thirty days. Read more about the Dangers Of Overpricing Your Home.
Are you curious to know how much your home might be worth? Try our online automated home valuation tool to determine how much your home is worth. For a more detailed estimate, call us and schedule a time for us to do a comparable market analysis (CMA).
Finding the perfect home is like embarking on a thrilling adventure! Whether you choose a move-in ready gem, a fixer-upper with untapped potential, or a house built from scratch, each option brings pros and cons. When you begin the hunt for your perfect nest, We will be here to help!
The summer buying season has kicked off, and we still have more buyers than sellers. That has been the trend for almost three years. We thought higher interest rates would cool the market down, and we would start to see an increase in inventory. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Inventory is low, so competition for existing homes is fierce.
How Should You Proceed If You Are A Buyer?
Some buyers have decided to sit on the sidelines and wait for the "crash." We don't believe a crash is coming, and don't suggest getting out of the market if you want to buy a home. Connect with us immediately to help get you on the path to home ownership.
How Should You Proceed If You Want To Sell?
The time is right to sell your home. Values are holding steady and rising in some areas. We start by looking at your home and preparing a professional market analysis to show you how much it might sell for if you put it on the market. After that, we will walk you through the selling process. We even help you find your next home if you stay in the area. Try our Property Valuation Website for a quick estimated property value.
Home Experts Realty started in Dayton, Ohio, in 2011. Since 2011 the company has grown to the third largest real estate company in Dayton, has expanded to the Cincinnati market, and opened numerous satellite offices throughout South West Ohio. The newest location opened in Hillsboro, Ohio, in April 2023. The Hillsboro office is at 108 Trimble Place, Suite A, Hillsboro, Ohio, 45133.
We are seeking new talent to join us at the Hillsboro office. Bryan & Rene Vance (Vance Team Realtors) manages and operates the Hillsboro office. If you have ever considered a career in real estate or are currently licensed and looking for a change, we would love to discuss joining us.
Contact us today to learn more about our office and company. We look forward to hearing from you.
Bryan 937-776-3405 Rene 937-205-6513
Watch This Short Video, And Then Call Us To Get Started!
Deciding to sell your home is a big decision. Where do you start? We recommend starting with hiring an expert real estate agent that is more interested in serving you than they are earning a commission.
We start by looking at your house and preparing a detailed comparative market analysis (CMA). We also make recommendations on any repairs that might cause issues with the appraisal.
There are three things a homeowner can do that will help with a smooth transaction.
Identify Liens And Disputes: After you accept an offer on the house, the title company will perform a title search. The title search will check public records to ensure that you have the legal right to sell the property and that there are no liens against it. Note if you have had any IRS, property tax, spousal, child support, or bankruptcy issues. If so, there may be a lien against the property, which must be released before the sale. The title company can pay liens out of the seller's proceeds at closing.
Check Your Loan Documents: You will want to find the following items in your loan paperwork. An assumable clause (an assumable loan is a good selling point). How the title is held. Check for a pre-payment penalty. Who else is on the deed? That person will need to be present at closing to sign the deed. Check the loan balance.
Take Stock: Decide if you will sell "As Is" or make some repairs. "As Is" can prevent certain loans from being used to finance the home. This will reduce your pool of possible buyers.
We welcome the opportunity to walk with you through the process. We are Endorsed Local Providers for Ramsey Solutions (The Dave Ramsey Show). If you want to know how important that is, check out what it means to be Ramsey Trusted Here.
If you would like a PDF version of today's content, click here.
The last quarter of 2022 brought increased interest rates, slowing down real estate buyer activity. For a while, it looked like the higher interest rates would cool the market down and start to push housing prices lower. As we enter the summer buying season, the market activity reports show values are holding steady in most areas, with some areas seeing modest increases.
To find out how the market is performing in your area, click the link below for your city. If you don't see your city listed, don't hesitate to contact us, and we will share a customized market report with you.
So you are considering listing your home for sale this summer and wondering what could go wrong. Buying and selling real estate can be complicated. Many factors go into a successful sale. Today we will look at possible things that can go wrong once your home is under contract. As always, feel free to download the full report at the end of this article.
Yes, it is true; some home sales don't close. One of the worst calls an agent makes is informing a seller that a deal is falling apart. The positive news is about 91% of deals make it to the closing table. Those are good odds.
Common Reasons Deals Fail
Inspection Results - This is the most common reason deals fall apart. Inspections are to protect the buyer, and the results do not pass or fail. The results have to be satisfactory to the buyer. Satisfactory to one buyer might be an absolute not for another buyer. As a seller, be prepared to remedy some of the items found in the home inspection. This is the best way to keep a deal alive.
Appraisal Issues - The appraiser might determine the value of your home is lower than the contract price. When this happens, a seller has two choices. Go back on the market or renegotiate the price of the contract.
Buyer Financing Falls Through - The buyer occasionally gets turned down for their loan. This one hurts when it happens because, most times, it occurs late in the process. Loan officers do their best to pre-approve buyers, but the underwriter ultimately has the final say.
If you are ready to sell, we are the Highland County Real Estate Agents you can trust to help you choose the right offer.
Five Reasons Your House May Not Sell As Quickly As You Want - Plus bonus content from Dave Ramsey regarding recent interest rate changes.
Why Isn't Your Home Selling?
There are several reasons houses don't sell fast when they are listed for sale. Today we will take a brief look at five of the top reasons. As always, feel free to download the full report at the end of this article.
Location - They say in real estate, you should always consider three things—location, Location, and Location. Regardless of where your property is located, there is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace. It might take a little longer to find that buyer.
Condition - Making a good first impression is vital in selling a property. Check out our previous blog post, Three Easy Improvements That Help Sell Homes, for more information on how to make a great first impression with buyers.
Price - One of the biggest mistakes sellers can make is to price the house too high. A very important statistic to look at when pricing your property is the average sales price of similar homes sold within the past six months.
Terms - Are you flexible about possession? Are you open to helping a buyer with closing costs? Are you open to making repairs based on the home inspection results?
The Agent You Choose - Not all agents are equal. We take selling your home seriously. We do much more than put a sign in the yard and put the house on the MLS. Call us today, and we will evaluate your house honestly and share our proven marketing systems.
With higher interest rates and less buyer activity, sellers may need to take some extra steps to get their homes sold quickly and for top dollar. The right improvement projects may be one of the steps you'll need to consider.
We are happy to share our knowledge of what is popular with homebuyers. Here are three tips that will help. Most of these upgrades are DIY jobs. By doing the work yourself, you can increase your return on investment when your house sells.
You Had Me At The Curb - What do people see first when they pull up to your house? A good first impression is vital to getting potential buyers through the front door. Here are few tips, clean up the flower beds, remove debris, get the lawn in shape, prune trees, spread mulch, clean the gutters, and paint the trim, railings, and door.
You Can't Go Wrong With Fresh Paint - Fresh paint on the interior walls can make a difference. Remember, it is best to stay with neutral colors, such as white, off-white, or gray. Brick or barn red in the kitchen is a NO-No—homes with this color scheme sold for over $2300 less than the list price.
Kitchen And Bathroom Upgrades Are A Great Place To Focus - Paint is the first step. Then consider a few other little jobs that can update the look of the kitchen and bathrooms. Here are some tips - replace the faucets, refinish the cabinets, add new knobs and pulls on the cabinets and drawers, re-caulk the tub and toilet, and ensure the lighting isn't outdated.
