Tim Bradford - AMMCorp.net

If you are relocating to Solon, Ohio, rest assured, there is plenty of shopping in and around the area. You will be able to keep up with the latest fashions and the local dining is sure to please even the most finicky of palates. The grocery shopping caters to all types of diets as well.

Solon offers grocery shopping at Giant Eagle in Solar Shopping Center, and Mustard Seed Market and Café. Giant Eagle is a traditional grocery store while Mustard Seed is more known for natural and organic foods. Mustard Seed also offers prepared meals and has an eat-in restaurant inside.

Solon offers some unique stores as well. Paper Palaceis a specialty store for scrapbookers.

Located next to Mustard Seed in Uptown Shopping Center, Play Matters is a specialty toy store with personalized service. This is a great place to get a birthday gift or just take the kids to play.

Alesci's Place is an Italian specialty store with great carry out, catering, bakery, and more!

A few other places to highlight are: Sunny Asian Food & Spices, located in Sears Center and Stein Mart, a popular discount clothing retailer.

Nearby Market Place shopping center,located just outside the Solon city limits on Aurora Road, is also a convenient location to shop at some of your favorite places such as  Home Depot, Pet Smart, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, Michaels, Dick's Sporting Goods, Babies "R"Us, Marshalls, Linens-n-Things, The Flower Vendor, and many other stores. 

Aurora Farms Premium Outlets provides a great opportunity to get name brand items as a huge discount.

  

Within minutes of Solon are some of the best shopping destinations in the  Cleveland Metropolitan area, and perhaps the entire state of Ohio.

Beachwood Place  has long been considered northeast Ohio's premier fashion destination for the best in shopping, entertainment and dining. Beachwood Place has anchor stores of Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Dillards, along with name brand stores, a food court, and restaurants for fine dining.

Legacy Village is a lifestyle center located just outside Beachwood in Lyndhurst that was built within the last 5 years. Legacy Village offers  a wide assortment of shops, restaurants and scheduled events that offers fun for everyone. Legacy Village has it all. Popular stores here are Dick's Sporting Goods, Nordstrom Rack, Arhaus furniture, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, and Starbucks Coffee. 

 

We realize that people relocating to Solon are leaving their familiar surroundings and starting all over in a new city. Keep an open mind and you will be pleasantly surprised with the abundance of shopping and dining that you will find here. Within no time, you will have your favorite restaurants and stores and will be happy to call Solon home.

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About The Authors:

Dan and Amy Schuman reside in Solon, Ohio and are relocation specialists. They use their home staging expertise to sell listings quicker and for more money. The average home in the Cleveland area sold in over 100 days in 2008 and the Schuman Team's listings sold in less than 60 days. They also work extensively with buyers and sellers who are relocating in or out of the area.

The Schuman Team also specializes in luxury homes and are members of the Luxury Home Consultants of Keller Williams Realty Greater Cleveland and of the prestigious Institute for Luxury Home Marketing,the premier independent authority in training and certification for real estate agents working in the luxury home market.

If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Bainbridge,Beachwood, Moreland Hills, Orange, Pepper Pike, Solon or the surrounding Eastern suburbs of Cleveland, please contact the Schuman Team as they would be happy to show you why people love working with them.

To see all homes currently on the market in the Cleveland Ohio area, click here. For a personal consultation or to speak directly to The Schuman Team, call 216-346-3235.

Check out the award-winning website, www.schumanteam.com .

 or CLICK HERE to visit the Schuman Team blog and then save it as one of your favorites.

All content is the property of The Schuman Team and may not be duplicated or used without their written consent. ©2009

 

What an exciting time to be a 1^st Time home buyer.  Everything is on sale and your rich Uncle Sam is going to give you a tax credit of $8000 dollars as an incentive to stop renting and go out and buy your dream home.. However, before you rush off to take advantage of that credit take a second to review the tips and advice here.

Do Your Homework

When you are looking through homes they all look great just ask anyone who has done a home search,   Often after you close and move in things still look pretty good and then you start to notice the "little" things. You start to question how you could have totally over looked this and that.   There may be things that you knew to be on the lookout for but somehow were missed each time you walked through. This is why it is so important to have your Central Ohio home thoroughly inspected by a professional home inspector.

Avoid Last Minute Surprises

Issues with Title can not only cause you heartburn on closing day they can totally derail the transaction and cause you to be without a home.  I was recently made aware of a situation where a couple sold their home and had to move out so that the new owners could move in.  The couple had title issues with their new home and was forced to find somewhere else to live until the title issues were resolved.  Title is not the sexiest part of the home buying and selling process to think or talk about but it is a vital part and by working with your agent you can find a reputable title company that can help you avoid any last minute surprise during the home closing process.

Don't be a Victim of Rookie Mistakes

Outside of the typical problems that will likely be uncovered by a good home inspection there are a few typical first time buyer mistakes that you will want to avoid, a few of which include:

•·         Underestimating the cost of fixing up an older home.

•·         Failing to negotiate better terms and conditions.

•·         The full impact of a long commute and how to decide how far is too far.

You want your home buying experience to be exhilarating, fun and exciting and it will be providing you work with professionals that can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Whether you need a recommendation for a professional lender, home inspector or contractor for your Central Ohio property, I can help.  Call me at (614)273-6406 or email me at Vanessa.simmons@realliving.com

LINKS:

$8000 Stimulus Plan:  http://centralohiorealestateinformation.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-stimulus-bill-can-help-you-get-your.html

Professional home inspector:  http://www.ashi.org/

Home closing process:  http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/qt/101107_homclose.htm

First time buyer mistakes: http://www.realtor.org/rmosales_and_marketing/handoutsforcustomers/handouts/buyer12

  Are you thinking about refinancing?  One of the most important things that it takes to get a new mortgage loan is getting your home appraised.  Now before you say that your neighborhood has not experienced a decline in value and you just put $20,000 into upgrades of your home, you must first understand how the 'value' of your home is determined for your transaction.  How a Bank perceives the 'value' of your home is SIGNIFICANTLY different than how you perceive the 'value' of your home.

  There are 3 approaches which an appraiser can use to determine your property value (I am sure the appraisers on Active Rain can add more specifics to these approaches, but these are the basic, eeeeeeeasy to follow ones):

1)  The cost approach -- how much does it cost to re-build or replace the house?  This is where your fancy windows, countertops and other indulgences will help you out.  Unfortunately, Fannie Mae does not use this approach when determining value, so throw this one out the window.

2)  The income approach -- This approach is used to determine the value of a home using market rent and some other fancy schmancy words.  Again, Fannie Mae does not use this approach (so do not waste your time telling me that this would be a great "income" property).  Toss this one out the window.

3)  THE SALES COMPARISON APPROACH -- ding ding ding.  This is the approach used by Fannie Mae to determine the 'value' of the home. 

The guts of the Sales Comparison Approach are these 4 key factors.  Here is my disclaimer -- there are definitely other factors involved also, but these are the most important, blah blah blah.

a)  Comparables 'should' be within 20% of the square footage of your home

b)  Comparables 'should' be the same style as your home

c)  Comparables 'should' be within a reasonable distance of your home relative to where you live (urban, suburban, rural)

d)  Comparables 'should' have SOLD within the last 90 days even though it is possible to use sales from 6-12 months back.  Due to the sharp decline in home values, sales from 90-180 days ago are not considered accurate sales relative to today's 'values'.

  Notice that I keep using the words "should".  There are no absolutes and every single person can always find an exception to the rule.  As for 99% of America, those are the 4 main criteria to help an appraiser determine your property "value".  On refinances, everything pretty much rides on the appraisal.  Understanding the basics of appraising can help you better understand the refinancing process. 

  If you have questions or are wondering how home improvements help the 'value' of your home, feel free to call me anytime at 1-440-838-5291!

Many myths and prejudices surround the topic of Reverse Mortgages.  While it is true that these types of loans are not for every senior, in some instances they can provide well-needed benefits to some.  With the consultation that is required for seniors thinking of utilizing this form of lending, seniors and their caregivers should be well-versed and educated about the benefits and drawbacks associated with their loan by the time a decision is to be made. 

Following is a short synopsis and outline of many of the features of these loans.  If you or a loved one of yours is of this age and you wish to plan for the future, please take the time to read and consider the information contained.  The next step is to contact a qualified mortgage banker for clarification of any questions you have and additional information you require.  Special certification is required to provide this type of loan, so make sure that you are working with someone that has the necessary education and certification demanded.   

If you are 62 years of age or older, own your own home and reside within that home more than one-half  of the year, you may be eligible for a Reverse Mortgage. 

• Reverse Mortgages eliminate & payoff monthly payments or debt
• Reverse Mortgages never include monthly payments
• Reverse Mortgages are for those 62 yrs. & older
• Reverse Mortgage-holders retain title/ownership of home
• Reverse Mortgage-holders can receive a monthly, lump sum, or combination payment 
• Reverse Mortgages DO NOT interfere with inheritances
• Reverse Mortgage consultation is FREE                    

Reverse Mortgages turn the value of a home into cash without making a move from the owner's  home necessary.   No income is needed from an applicant in order to qualify for a Reverse Mortgage. No monthly repayment of the loan is scheduled or needed.  Cash proceeds received from a Reverse Mortgage can be paid out in several ways to a senior home owner.  A one-time lump sum cash disbursement can be made. 

A monthly "payment" advance or an account with a "creditline" are also options from which to choose and offer flexibility of timing and dollar disbursement amounts.  A combination of payment methods is possible and an option for consideration.  Typically, Reverse Mortgages are repayable upon death, the sale of the home, or permanently moving from the home.              

Many older Americans are concerned about their relatives/caregivers migration to distant locales, increasing personal health issues, rising health care costs, financial legacy and estate taxation.  Reverse Mortgages can provide alternatives and solid solutions  to address many of these important concerns.  For older children involved in the care and management of aging parents or relatives, the utilization of a Reverse Mortgage option can provide welcome financial and personal assistance to a family and budget stressed by health and monetary concerns.  It can also make it possible to keep a loved one within their familiar and well-loved family home when it would be impossible to do so otherwise. 

For seniors with health concerns, the flexibility, benefits and peace-of-mind reaped by securing this type of loan can be enormous.  The usage of Reverse Mortgage proceeds can become a key component to estate planning.    Seniors, or their caregivers, considering a Reverse Mortgage should consult with a qualified tax advisor, financial planner and their professional mortgage banker to discover their best individual and   personal financial options and benefits. 

                            "Mortgage Update & News"  -  Gene Mundt, Chicago Bancorp        www.genemundt.com

BANK OWNED HOMES

Much has been written about the rising number of foreclosures around the nation and especially in the Cleveland real estate market. While there are a ton of foreclosed homes located within the City of Cleveland, the local suburbs certainly all have their fair share of bank owned homes as well.

Here is a partial list of all bank owned homes in Solon. *Indicates pre-foreclosure or estate sale. Current list price is given along with the most recent sales history, if available:

 

 ADDRESS                          LIST PRICE                PRIOR SALE

 

6922 Elmwood	$62,500
35645 Aurora Rd	$82,800
38420 Aurora Rd	$102,500	$167,900 March '05
35675 Pettibone Road*	$129,900
5275 Brainard	$140,000	$350,000 May '05
5696 SOM Center Road	$159,900	$176,000 March '07
6644 Forest Glen	$169,900
6280 Sunnywood Drive	$180,000	$250,000 Nov '03
34011 Summerset	$250,000	$265,000 July '02
7381 Vahalla Drive	$475,000	$800,000 Feb '05
7403 Capilano Drive	$525,000	$699,999 March '06
38480 Flanders*	$625,000	$765,000 April '07
39755 Lochmoor	$729,000	$975,000 Aug '06

While many bank owned homes in Solon have sold in recent months, there are still great bargains to be had for a few special buyers, including homes located in Solon area luxury home communities such as Signature of Solon and Thornbury.

For a complete list of bank owned homes in Solon or surrounding areas, please contact us and we will be happy to email you. 

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If you are looking to buy or sell a home in Beachwood, Moreland Hills, Orange, Pepper Pike, Solon or the surrounding Eastern suburbs, please contact us as we would be happy to show you why people love working with the Schuman Team.

Dan and Amy Schuman are Solon residents. We use our home staging expertise to sell listings quicker and for more money. The average home in the Cleveland area sold in over 100 days in 2008 and our listings sold in less than 60 days. The Schuman Team specializes in luxury homes and are members of the Luxury Home Consultants of Keller Williams Realty Greater Cleveland and of the prestigious Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, the premier independent authority in training and certification for real estate agents working in the luxury home market. We also work extensively with buyers and sellers who are relocating in or out of the area.

To see all homes currently on the market in the Cleveland area, click here. For a personal consultation or to speak directly to The Schuman Team, call 216-346-3235.