Ron Cadieux - Here to Help

The Raines Group is well-known for their knowledge of and ability to sell luxury homes in Central Ohio. Being ranked #1 in the state of Ohio by The Wall Street Journal and LORE magazine is a distinction they enjoy having. Recently, one of the team members, Ron Cadieux, has branched out to another area by becoming a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE). He is offering his services to homeowners who may need them.

Through extensive training, Ron has gained a wealth of knowledge for homeowners facing complex real estate situations, and can illustrate options for foreclosure avoidance. Financial difficulties can be burdensome to any family, but the process of foreclosure can be avoided. It is imperative for homeowners to understand their options, and Ron is available to help determine the best course of action.

Please contact Ron Cadieux if you are interested in using expertise of a professional to avoid foreclosure.  Contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

With stability on the cards at the moment, lowest levels of inventory since 2005 along with fantastic low rate fixed rate loans what could be missing?

Well, according to the National Association of Realtors, the availability of those loans.

Banks are being overly cautious in their lending practices, requesting that borrowers have perfect credit scores and not being lenient when borrowers find errors on their credit report by giving them a chance to fix the errors. With extra layers of the process being created and extra checks being carried out many mortgage loans are falling down and many purchasers not buying as the process is taking too long or is too bureaucratic. Also owners wishing to refinance to prevent foreclosure are finding it hard despite being well qualified and having good credit. NAR has called for the banks and lenders to work with borrowers in making a loan and making products more available.

Of course, no body wants to see a return to careless lending practices but a little free up of capital in the market is in need to ensure that housing recovers in a timely fashion. NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yuan estimates that is rates stay around the 5% range where they are currently, there could be a 10-15% increase in home sales in 2009!

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417

The statistics are in for November 2008 and have been published by the Columbus Board of Realtors.

The board have noted that the fall in interest rates lately should spur a flurry of buyers who are currently debating on purchasing – what is calls, “sideline” buyers. These are buyers who are on the fence so to speak. Are you one of these? Then now is the time to get off the fence! With 1153 single family homes and condominiums sold in November properties are being snapped up.

The best chance in decades to buy a home with a low rate 30 year fixed loan is now here! With many rates under 5% and a great selection of inventory available the chance is too good to pass up.

With 14,418 homes on the market in November 2008, the number for sale dropped to the lowest level since 2005 so the opportunity to purchase is slowly passing!

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417

The Federal Reserve Board have lowered rates again! The new target range for rates is now between a historic 0% and 0.25%.

The National Association of Realtors has praised the moved by the Federal Reserve Board to lower interest rates further to a near record breaking level. In the third quarter of this year mortgage rates had averaged 6.3% but have now fallen to around 4% in some parts of the United States – this means that te rates really are some of the best rates that have been seen for decades! The American people would have to travel back 50 years to see rates this low!

All in all it really means that those who are thinking about purchasing a new home, including first time buyers and investors, if they choose a low fixed rate loan, combined with the great selection of property available on the market , they are getting the best deal in years! Also, the cuts, asides from giving the economy and the housing market a much needed shot in the arm are expected to create an increase of homeowners refinancing.

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany Ohio or the surrounding area in Central Ohio such as Gahanna, Plain Township or New Albany itself, then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the region. The Raines Group are more than happy to assist you in your real estate needs. Contact them today via their online contact form or by calling Sandy Raines on: 614-418-7417

It is shocking to think that housing discrimination still occurs, however sadly you hear stories where it still does.

Of course, it is extremely rare and the National Association of Realtors and its members do their utmost to ensure fair housing for all. In fact, NAR themselves have recently praised the Fair Housing Commission and its advocates for its work on heightening awareness of the issue and lobbying the government to make legislative changes to protect consumers from the problem.

Together, the National Association of Realtors and its backing from its regional associations and individual members and the Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity have drawn a road map dubbed “The Future of Fair Housing”. Despite the issue being complex, many local associations have implemented local programs to ensure and promote diversity.

With a such a great range of property in New Albany and the surrounding area, there really is diversity in real estate!

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany Ohio or the surrounding area in Central Ohio such as Gahanna, Plain Township or New Albany itself, then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the region. The Raines Group are more than happy to assist you in your real estate needs. Contact them today via their online contact form or by calling Sandy Raines on: 614-418-7417

After a nice period of pending home sales generally increasing nationwide, the National Association of Realtors predicts that the pending home sales index numbers should remain in the stable range – that wonderful area which everyone has been longing for, hopefully bringing confidence back to the markets.

For instance; The Pending Home Sales Index, in October, slipped 0.7 percent to 88.9 from an upwardly revised reading of 89.5 in September, and is 1.0 percent below October 2007 when it was 89.8. Showing a nice leveling out period.

This leveling out period followed a spike in numbers in August when mortgage conditions were first eased for borrowers. The US Treasury’s reaction to the credit crunch has helped show investors that there is capital there and that is just starting to be freed up. It is expected that Mortgage rates in 2009 will dip slightly to the mid 5′s and then hover around the low 6′s. Stability is definitely expected to be on the cards.

Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtors Chief Economist, expects growth in the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) to contract through the first half of 2009, then stabilize and expand in latter part of the year – lifted by a home sales recovery. The estimates for existing home sales are as follows: Sales are forecast to total 4.96 million this year, and then increase to 5.19 million in 2009 and 5.55 million in 2010.

What is for sure is that with low rates and a great selection of property out there – now really is the best time to invest in a new home, second home or investment property.

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany Ohio or the surrounding area in Central Ohio such as Gahanna, Plain Township or New Albany itself, then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the region. The Raines Group are more than happy to assist you in your real estate needs. Contact them today via their online contact form or by calling Sandy Raines on: 614-418-7417

The National Association of Realtors has commended the Federal Government for announcing this week that aside from the purchase of mortgage backed securities from the banks on Wall Street the rescue package has morphed into allowing $500 billion to purchase home loans from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.

The move has been commended by NAR as is will provide stability to the market by instilling confidence in Wall Street as well as Main Street USA.  Also, the move will mean lower interest rates for home loans for the longer term stabilizing the market. NAR says that just a one percentage point reduction in Home Loan rates can spur an extra 500,000 home sales which is a much needed shot in the arm for the industry as well as the economy.

It is thought that the infusion of capital and aggressive implementation time line will enable the scheme to be successful since the nationalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany Ohio or the surrounding area in Central Ohio such as Gahanna, Plain Township or New Albany itself, then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the region. The Raines Group are more than happy to assist you in your real estate needs. Contact them today via their online contact form or by calling Sandy Raines on: 614-418-7417

Could this be signs that the market is turning around? Last month buyers took advantage of the new measures put in place to stimulate the housing market and snapped up a whole bunch of real estate!

The rise is a seasonally adjusted 5.5% which represents around 5.18 million units! Higher than Augusts 4.91 million and even September 2007′s 5.11 million!

This is excellent news and could be signs of a market starting to recover. The increase in sales started in California and is spreading across the nation.  Despite some doubts about Credit being as freely available as previous it does not seem to be stopping buyers who are wowed by the selection of homes on the market.

Total national inventory fell by 1.67% and is now only a 9.9 month supply of around 4.27 million existing units available. Contrary to popular belief most purchasers are not investors, they are buyers shopping for a primary residence as home affodability has risen.

If you are thinking this is a great time to invest and you are thinking about purchasing a home in New Albany or the surrounding Central Ohio/Columbus Metropolitan area then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice.

The National Association of Realtors can help you if you are thinking of buying or selling a property in the current real estate market.

Their "newly" designed website, www.housingmarketfacts.com is a great resource for all involved in the real estate industry as well as consumers looking at buying or selling real estate. It shows you the facts about homeownership that many forget to remember as well as give you a true indication for the market around the country.

Homeowners who purchased their homes six years ago, they have seen their property values increase by an incredible 24.3% – even after taking into account the recent market challenges! That is a great return on investment! Homeownership truly is a long term investment for your personal and financial future, all part of the key in building a solid base for your own wealth.

Naturally the website shows the benefits of using a Realtor over non-Realtors as members are bound by a strict code of ethics which professionalize the industry and help protect buyers and sellers.  The time is right to take advantage of the market, particularly with the low rates for financing and wide selection of properties available in the area. The Housing Stimulus Package also is going to assist in giving buyers more choice and flexibility.

Want to know more about the market and how to buy or sell?

If you are looking at purchasing a home in New Albany or the surrounding central Ohio communities then please contact the Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the Columbus Metro area. You can contact them through their very informative website: www.therainesgroup.com

Its that time of the month again where the National Association of Realtors looks at the pending home sales index again and gives us the latest on the current market trends and conditions. This month, the verdict is that the market has changed very little. Stability is in the air with the market oscillating between up and down in the last few months it appears that things have levelled out.

With the nationalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced last weekend it is thought that like the surge in interest in Banking shares on the stock market that this will be a much needed boost for the national housing picture as in the previous months the stringesnt FNMA and FHLMC criteria had stifled the market slightly. However with the expansion of the FHA program since the Housing Stimulus Package came into effect has really been amazing with a surge in FHA applications.

With a economy still showing positive growth and historically low inflation, as well as low mortgage rates now is the time to buy property before it increases in the coming quarters. 

If you are considering purchasing a property in New Albany or the surrounding Central Ohio Columbus Metro Area communities then please contact the Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice.