The WeSellLouisville.com Louisville Real Estate Blog

Louisville Home Sales for April 2012 climb!

2012-05-01T20:14:00-07:00

Where is the News Media when you need them? One of the biggest Louisville stories of the past 2 years and the media is absent, missing, nowhere to be found! Louisville Home Sales for the month of April were red hot. The number of homes going under contract in April was up 16 percent over the same period a year before. The number of homes sold during the same time period up almost 13 percent. The reasons for the increase in Louisville Real Estate prices is simple: Interest rates are at an all time low. In fact last month after a slight rise above 5 percent on a 30 year fixed loan, the rate actually dropped. Home prices are starting to climb in some areas of Louisville. In fact the average sales price jumped from $155,406 in April of 2011 to $169,552 last month. There is a tremendous amount of pent up buying power! Let’s face it a number of buyers sitting on the fence waiting for the price of homes to bottom out. Well as of now, based on price trends, we have passed the bottom and heading up the hill. How busy are we? We planed for 13 home sales in April. We hit 22 sales during the last week of April and carried another 5 over to May. We’ve sold several homes and condos in days not weeks or months. If the media ever picks up on the story home sales may pick up even more. Thinking of selling? Let us know and we’ll put together a CMA to check the value of your Homes Under Contract Homes Sold and Closed Average Selling Price Average Days On Market Median Sales Price April 2012 1452 1055 $169,552 89 138,000 April 2011 1222 921 $155,406 85 127,000

Louisville Home Sales Update for April 2012

2012-04-03T20:24:00-07:00

During an unusual month that featured a slight increase in interest rates, higher than normal temperatures and heavy rainstorms the Louisville housing market continued recover. The average sales price for a Louisville home increased $10,000 dollars in March 2012 compared to March 2011. For the most part, the reason for the increase can be directly tied to fewer short sales and foreclosures coming onto the market. The number of Louisville homes going under contract increased by 1.8% in March over the same period in 2011. The good news continued for the Louisville Real Estate market, the number of homes going under contract also increased by the same amount over the same period of time. It all points to a Louisville market recovery even thought interest rates increased to between 4 and 4.25 percent for a 30 year fixed loan. There are some mortgages still available below 4 percent but they are becoming hard to find. The market has heated up.. You may not have heard about it you because the media hasn’t gotten wind of the story. We know for a fact that underwriters at banks around the country were inundated with loans at the end of March. Approvals were delayed and closings that were supposed to occur in March were pushed to April. Homes Under Contract Homes Sold and Closed Average Selling Price Average Days On Market Median Sales Price March 2012 1398 907 162,583 92 135,500 March 2011 1374 891 152840 87 130,000

February 2012 Louisville Home Sales UP!

2012-03-01T21:58:00-07:00

In a month typically reserved for shoveling show and chipping at ice, Louisville home sellers are seeing their own small landslide of Home Sales. Bolstered by low interest rates and a lower than normal Louisville Housing Inventory (7578 as of this post), homes priced to sell are doing just that, Selling! Homes going under contract are up more than 16 percent over February 2011. The number of homes that actually closed was up over 10 percent over the same period. The numbers continue to point to a recovering housing market. Other good news for home sellers is the average selling price was up almost $5,000 and the Median sales price increased $7,000. The only down side to the statistics is the number of days homes are spending on the market. DOM increased 15 percent (from 85 to 98 days), which could be an indication the flood of foreclosures coming onto the market is at last slowing down. One theory is that as foreclosures slow down, so do investor purchases. With that portion of the market slowed the average DOM increases. For buyers sitting on the fence waiting for a sign the housing slump is over the numbers tell the story. The phones in our Medley Sokoler Team offices continue to ring. Internet activity has almost doubled what we saw last year at this time. In the past 2 weeks, 3 of homes we just listed have already sold. Our office expansion is just about completed. We’ve doubled the size of our offices and our team continues to exceed expectations. Our goal in the slower month of January was to put 10 homes under contract. We blew that number out of the water with 19 homes. In February we raised the bar with a hope of putting 15 homes under contract. Again we just about hit that number mid month and by the end of February we had 20 homes under contract. We can only hope March will continue to out perform expectations. Homes Under Contract Homes Sold and Closed Average Selling Price Average Days On Market Median Sales Price February 2012 1226 773 157,891 98 132,000 February 2011 1026 614 153,416 85 125,000

Who is Bob Sokoler and what did he do before Louisville Real Estate

2012-02-24T20:36:00-07:00

As full service Realtors in Louisville Kentucky go Bob Sokoler is ranked number 1 for volume. But before Bob became a Louisville Realtor he was a reporter and anchor for a number of TV stations around the United States. With 2 Emmy's on his fireplace mantle, Bob is proud of his past and recently uploaded part of his old resume tape from WCPX-TV in Orlando and WXIA-TV in Atlanta. For more information about Bob Sokoler or Louisville Real Estate or to work with the hardest working Real Estate Team in Louisville Kentucky 'The Medley Sokoler Team' head to Louisville Real Estate

Louisville Home Sales Start strong for 2012

2012-02-01T14:37:00-07:00

Yea, Yea, Yea you may say it’s too early to tell if the housing market has really recovered. I’ll put my neck on the line out right now and tell you the worst of the home sale slump is behind us. Unless there’s a major shift in consumer interest in homes because of some future unknown event Louisville home sales in 2012 are back on track for much of our area. Here’s why: Home sales for January 2012 are up 12.5% over a year ago. The number of homes going under contract are up 14.2% over January of last year as well. The median home sales price remained constant at $125,000 between the same 2 months. The number of homes on the market as of February 1, 2012 as of this writing was 7,550. That’s one of the lowest numbers in years. Additionally we are watching buyer activity online reaching new records. Specifically we’re seeing more people return to home sale websites than ever before. Our phones are ringing off the hook and we sold 18 homes in January a month that in past years averaged 6-8 homes sold. We finished 2011 far ahead of what we had anticipated selling 130 homes and making us the number 1 full service realtor in Louisville for total volume. We re so busy we’ve added 4 agents to our team to handle the requests for showings of our homes.Add everything up and the forecast for Louisville Home Sales in 2012 is good. If you’re a buyer now is the time to contact us to target your search and get out with us to see homes. For Sellers, it’s time to call to set an appointment with us to review a CMA, stage your home and get it listed. For more information about Louisville Real Estate or to work with the hardest working Real Estate Team in Louisville Kentucky “The Medley Sokoler Team” head to http://www.WeSellLouisville.com or call Bob Sokoler (502) 376-5483. For your information, the median sales price is the price that lies in the middle of the list of prices of homes sold, ranked in order of amount (lowest to highest or vice versa). In other words, half the homes in your area sold for more, half sold for less. January 2012 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 1043Last month: 830This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 742Last month: 860This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $154,606Last month: $160,402This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 89Last month: 96This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 125,000 January 2011 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 895Last month: 711This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 657Last month: 847This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $154,236Last month: $172,640This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 93Last month: 86This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 125,000

What Animal are you ? Surviving Your Serengeti will help your relationships!

2012-01-30T10:58:00-07:00

I’m at my 1st international Cyberstars MasterMind and thrilled to be a member, While here I met Stefan Swanepoel who is the author of “Surviving Your Serengeti” or as I call it “Surviving The Serengeti”. It’s a great concept, identify who you are as an animal and learn what your wife, husband friends and business associates are so you can interact with them and understand them on their level. The concept is not new, what is new is the comparison to animals in the Serengeti. It’s a process that allows you to easily identify personality traits. Watch the interview and visit www.whatanimalami.com to determine your animal type. Then visit http://www.serengetibook.com/your-safari/what-animal-am-i/ to see what the type of animal means. For more information about the concept, about the book or to have Stefan speak at your event (he’s a great speaker) head to www.serengetibook.com. For more information about Louisville Real Estate or to work with the hardest working Real Estate Team in Louisville Kentucky “The Medley Sokoler Team” head to http://www.WeSellLouisville.com or call Bob Sokoler (502) 376-5483

Ford Employee Brian and Wife Jessica buy a Louisville Home

2012-01-29T07:05:00-07:00

Ford Employee Brian and wife Jessica buy a Louisville Home. Real Estate Agent Bob Sokoler from We Sell Louisville and owner of The Medley Sokoler Team at REMAX Properties East talk to Brian and Jessica about thier home buying experience. For anyone moving to Louisville this is a great video to watch. You'll get a head start on the Louisville home buying experience.Starting with Brian and Jessica's experience with the Dave Ramsey Show to buying Louisville Real Estate. Dave Ramsey can be heard on radio stations throughout the U.S. http://www.daveramsey.com/home/. For more information on the hardest working Real Estate Team in Louisville Kentucky “The Medley Sokoler Team” head to http://www.weselllouisville.com/about/

Louisville Realtor Bob Sokoler speaks at the Optimist Club of Louisville

2012-01-25T08:35:00-07:00

Louisville Realtor Bob Sokoler speaks at the Optimist Club of Louisville

Bob Sokoler on 970 Wgtk with Dan Cassin

2012-01-09T08:57:00-07:00

Bob Sokoler onthe air at 970 Wgtk with Dan Cassin

Louisville Home Sales for 2011 finish strong

2012-01-01T17:53:00-07:00

Despite a very slight increase in interest rates, the number of homes going under contract in December 2011 was up some 15 percent when compared to December 2010. The number of homes sold was up about 1.5 percent. December is notoriously slow for home sales so even a small increase is a positive sign as we head into 2012. The outlook for this New Year seams very positive. Interest rates look as if they will stay in the high 3 or low 4 %. The price of homes continues at a 4 plus year low. The median sales price of homes sold in the Louisville area (the price that lies in the middle of the list of prices of homes sold) was down almost 10 percent from a year ago. We may have seen home prices bottom out in 2011. Over the next 6 months we’ll be tracking the median and average home sale prices. There appears to be pent-up buyer demand from people who have sat on the fence waiting to buy a home. Our phones and websites have had heavy traffic with buyer questions and searches of homes. Looking back at 2011, The Medley Sokoler Team actually saw a 20 percent increase in the number of homes we sold. We’re actually seeing so much buyer activity on our websites, we’re adding 4 new agents to our team. Look for a announcement later this month. December 2011 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 830Last month: 1024This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 860Last month: 870This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $160,403Last month: $156,903This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 96Last month: 86This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 130,500 December 2010 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 711Last month: 843This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 847Last month: 772This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $172,640Last month: $173,166This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 86Last month: 82This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 142,500 For more information\ about Louisville Real Estate or to work with the hardest working Real Estate Team in Louisville Kentucky “The Medley Sokoler Team” head to http://www.WeSellLouisville.com

Spend the Winter getting Your Louisville Home Ready to Sell!

2011-12-27T20:57:00-07:00

Starting just days from now and continuing thru early March Louisville Home Sellers will be thinking about selling their Kentuckiana homes. If you're one of them don't spend the winter months thinking about it. Spend the time preparing your home. Even if you don't want to sell you'll be thank full you spent the time fixing and cleaning it up. The peak buying time in Louisville starts in March and continues through late July and into August. So waiting for March to start preparing your house is already too late! So well before you put up the 'For Sale' sign in the front yard spend the winter doing a little spring cleaning. 1) DE-Clutter - Get rid of the things you don't want to move to the new house. 2) Pack up deer heads, favorite collections, photographs, trophies, stuffed animals. 3) Clean out the closets, basements, garages, and attics. 4) Get rid of personal pictures of you and the family. It will keep a buyers attention on the space in the house and keep them from trying to figure out if they know you. 5) Make a list of the items you need to repair.... and go to work: a) All items that need calking and painting. ( Baseboards, walls, around the sink, tub and shower, dirty or mildewed grout in the bathroom tile). b) Re-paint rooms with bright colors, Ceiling stains. c) Re-paint sloppy lines where walls meet ceiling d) Any items that are broken or don't work (Ceiling fans, lights, drippy faucets, garage door). Never ask friends what they think of your home. You'll never get a straight answer if they care about your feelings. Instead call a Louisville real estate agent, we look for problem areas and make suggestions. Remember most buyers, especially first time buyers are looking for a move-in ready home and don't want to spend money on repairs. If a buyer is looking for a fix-er-upper they will look at short sales and foreclosures. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

DO NOT CLICK ON THAT COMPLAINT REPORT!

2011-12-22T19:35:00-07:00

Thousands of people around the country are receiving phony e-mails from a company claiming to be the Better Business Bureau with notice of a written complaint (see a copy of the e-mail below with the link removed). Charlie Mattingly of the Louisville Better Business Bureau tells me “This is a malicious message that has been widely distributed in recent weeks. We've been doing our best to get the word out”! The slime ball(s) behind this latest attack on our computers must think its funny. The letter claims a complaint has been filed from a customer of yours. When you click on the complaint link you apparently infect your computer with a worm or virus. I tried clicking on the link on the link with my Mac to see what happens (knowing the Mac is immune to those types of attacks). Nothing happened. But I did track the link to digitusmarketing.com. The company website claims to help companies create full scale social marketing. I’m not sure if they are behind the malicious e-mail but the results will not have a lot of people pointing their middle fingers at the company. If you receive an e-mail from a friend saying their e-mail had been hacked and it was sending out e-mails without permission you are probably looking at the results of this phony complaint e-mail. Letter I received: Attn: Owner/Manager Here with the Better Business Bureau notifies you that we have been sent a complaint (ID 71185521) from your customer related to their dealership with you. Please open the COMPLAINT REPORT below to obtain the details on this matter and inform us about your position as soon as possible. We hope to hear from you very soon. Faithfully, Arnold Melendez Dispute Counselor?Better Business Bureau Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Could Louisville Kentucky be the tastiest town in the South?

2011-12-20T06:49:00-07:00

Anyone who lives here knows Louisville has some fantastic restaurants.Now the rest of the world may soon know about them as well. Southernliving magazine is asking its readers 'what's the tastiest town in theSouth'? According to its online page, Southern Living editors and experts gatheredfor a summit in their test kitchen and reduced the number of nominees to 10. LouisvilleKentucky, along with cities like Baltimore , New Orleans, Charlottesville and Houston made it into that top 10 list. According to the magazine, the voting by readers will beginDecember 23. I'm not sure how they going to keep this from becoming apopularity contest, if you can vote as many times as possible, cities like Houston,with a larger population will have a definite advantage. If the voting is basedon merit, restaurants like Seviche, Vincenzo's and Lynn's Paradise Café couldhelp to put Louisville in the number one spot. The online magazine webpage doesn't say when the resultswill be made public, but as slow as the news cycle is over the next few weeks,a story about which city in the South is the tastiest could make national newsvery quickly. That will mean lots ofpublicity for the winning city and the nine runner ups which naturallycould translate into more customers for all of Louisville's restaurants! Of course as the saying goes, Louisville's a winner for justbeing mentioned in the top 10 list of tastiest cities. But a win would beanother great feather in the cap of this great town! Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Louisville Real Estate does not slow down for the holidays!

2011-12-11T18:27:00-07:00

“Keep it on or take it off”? Our sellers always ask that question this time of year. “ Should we take our Louisville home off the market during the holidays and cold weather months”? Let’s face it; selling your home during the holiday season can be difficult. You need to keep the house show ready during the time you may be getting ready for a holiday party or when the kids are home from school and have made a mess. As Louisville Realtor ranked 5th for volume of sales, my advice to our sellers is (unless you have no way to keep it clean) always leave the home on the market during the holiday season. Why? Because right now, even during the colder weather, there are people out there who really need to buy a piece of Louisville Real Estate. The fact that some sellers are advised to take their home off the market means a smaller inventory for those buyers to choose from there-by increasing the odds for your home to be chosen. The advice is especially important this year with hundreds of Ford employees moving to the Louisville area for new jobs. In fact, we were out this weekend with a Ford employees looking at homes in several areas of town. We’ve also already sold a number of Louisville homes this month to those buyers who really need a home. I bet my clients are glad they took my advice to stay on the market. Need to sell your home? The Medley Sokoler Team can help. We’re setting new records this year for home sales. See what makes us different at www.WeSellLouisville.com or call me (502) 376-5483. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Doug and his Family buy a new Louisville Home

2011-12-04T20:10:00-07:00

Doug and his wife have been looking for a home for months. Our Medley Sokoler Team was thrilled to help Doug and his family find the perfect piece of Louisville Real Estate. For more on Doug's search watch the video. For info on The Medley Sokoler team head to http://weselllouisville.com/

Louisville Home Sales continue to gain momentum!

2011-12-01T20:43:00-07:00

Call it an early holiday present for some Louisville Home Sellers. The number of homes going under contract in November 2011 compared to one year ago was up a whopping 24.47 percent. Similarly the number of homes actually closed and sold was up 12.69 percent from November 2010. The home sale numbers are a good sign that the Louisville housing recovery may be here to stay. There was a disturbing trend in the numbers, the average selling price of a home was down from $173,766 last year to $156,903 in November 2011. Homes are also on the market on average several days longer from 82 to 86 days. The reasons for the decrease of the average and increase of days on market can be attributed to one or several items: 1) More short sale and foreclosures are on the market and selling. 2) More first time homebuyers are back in the home buying market. 3) Homes sellers have dropped prices to attract buyers. Whatever the reason the overall impact is important to the housing recovery. More home sales will clear inventory. The shadow inventory (homes that are in foreclosure or should be in foreclosure but are still lived in by owners who are not making mortgage payments) will start to shrink. Home prices will begin to rise. With interest rates continuing to hover in the area of 4%, the stock market seeing a surge and increase in Louisville Real Estate sales, the worst may be behind us. With a presidential election ahead, you would think the recovery was orchestrated. I really don’t care why, too many people are suffering. A full recovery will be a welcome relief to Americans! Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate. November 2011 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1024 Last month: 1058 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 870 Last month: 883 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $156,903 Last month: $162,581 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 86 Last month: 96 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 132,000 November 2010 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 843 Last month: 947 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 772 Last month: 798 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $173,166 Last month: $169,025 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 82 Last month: 90 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 139,900

Signs of Louisville trouble!

2011-11-29T14:57:00-07:00

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know rain in, aroundand East of Louisville spells trouble for the Ohio River. Tuesday morning thewater in the Ohio was just starting to overflow its banks. It's not an unusualproblem for the Louisville area, but it can cause plenty of headaches foranyone traveling along the banks of the Ohio. This year because of the ShermanMinton bridge being closed down and the rerouting of traffic along I 64 and I71, River Road is especially busy. If the water levels rise high enough, RiverRoad will be put out of commission. As a Louisville realtor, I'm always concerned about thehomes along or near the Ohio River. We have one listed there now that could bein the direct path of an angry Ohio River. The good news is that any damage iscovered by flood insurance. The bad news is up until this year the Ohio Riverhad not hit our listing along River Road for some 10 years. So the fact thatthis gorgeous house may be hit twice in the same year is unfortunate. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned LouisvilleRealtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team inLouisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Louisville Realtor Bob Sokoler from REMAX Properties East visits Wave 3 Listens

2011-11-21T14:35:00-07:00

Viewers of the popular TV talk show 'WAVE 3 Listens' (11am weekdays on WAVE 3) saw the reuniting of 2 old friends today. Bob Sokoler (former Co-Anchor of WHAS-TV's Louisville Tonight Live and morning host/anchor of 84 WHAS Radios' Morning Show visited Cindi Sullivan on her WAVE 3 Listens program. Bob and Cindi worked together at 84 WHAS radio and Cindi was the subject of several stories on Louisville Tonight Live. Since leaving Broadcasting 8 years ago Bob has become one of the top Louisville Real Estate agents in Kentucky and is co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team at RE/MAX Properties East. Bob was ranked 5th for volume in 2010 for selling Louisville homes among more than 3,000 fellow Louisville Real Estate Agents.

Westchester N.Y. Realtors Suck-O-Meter shows how selling your home can suck!

2011-11-18T19:40:00-07:00

Selling your home can be difficult is any city. From Real Estate in Louisville Kentucky, to Los Angles California to Westchester N.Y home sales are at best slow. Sometimes it’s the market your, in sometimes it’s the lack of marketing from the realtor you choose. As a Louisville KY Realtor selling more than 100 Louisville homes a year I hear about the problem from fellow Realtors all across the country. So I had to smile when my friend and Westchester N.Y. Realtor Mark Seiden created the Suck-O-Meter to show home sellers why selling their home can be difficult. The meter is part of a website Mark created a website called Selling My Home Sucks. One of the sections of the website asks home owners to take the “Why Didn’t Your Home Sell” test. It’s a cute idea that starts with a basic question like “Did your agent sell 25... 20... Okay, how about At Least 15 properties last year?” Based on your answer the “Suck-O-Meter: begins to move. The questions continue” When Your Agent Was Sick, On Vacation Or Just Plain Unavailable, Was There Anyone Else Around To Answer Your Questions or Take Care of Your Needs?” The final question of the test asks” Did Your Agent Have The Necessary Skills and Resources To Get Your Home Sold In This Market? (A Winning Smile or Walking your Dog For You When You Were On Vacation Does Not Qualify)” Marks’ website doesn’t stop there. Another test asks how long you’re home has been on the market. You then compare your answer to Mark’s track record. The added bonus has a cartoon drawing of a man standing next to the number. The longer your home has been on the market the less clothes and skin the guy has on. When you hit the 150-day mark the man turns into a skeleton! The website then goes on to promote the differences between Mark’s services and other realtors in the area. By pointing out in a graphic way Mark has found a cute and entertaining way to show the differences between Real Estate Agents. The end result points to the difference between realtors. Surely not all realtors are not going to be happy with the website, especially the ones who simply put a sign in the ground, put the home on the MLS and prey (we call it the 3 P’s). But the website points the fact that all realtors are not created equal. In tough selling markets sellers need to know about those of us who go well beyond the 3 P’s. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

What's wrong with this Louisville Real Estate picture?

2011-11-15T14:01:00-07:00

It's happening all around the country and someone, somewhere needs to step in and stop it! Lending institutions and appraisers are out of control and our government is only making the problem worse! As a realtor in Louisville Kentucky I see the problem every day but it's just got worse. We have buyers coming in from out-of-town and need to buy a home. In fact we were out with them this weekend and looked at least 10 homes. Their pick was a foreclosure that had a number of small problems but nothing that couldn't be fixed. Naturally the realtor handling the foreclosure for the bank wasn't available by phone all weekend so there was no way to know that five other offers had already been put in on this house and that the bank that held the deed was stalling, waiting for a better offer. I won't go into the ethical or moral concerns I have with the bank playing that game other than to say it's a shame. We made a (conventional 30 year fixed mortgage) offer on the home (with preapproval letter attached) this past Sunday at $500 over list price just in case there were other offers coming in on it. I learned Monday about the other offers (no, I did not chastise the agent or his office for not answering the phone on a Sunday but I sure would've liked to). When we found out about the other offers our buyer uped his offer by another $9500. Today I learned the bank had finally picked a buyer who offered less money than ours, but that buyer would be paying in cash. There really is something wrong with this picture. The reason the bank went with the cash offer is because it was hassle free. Meaning the bank would not have to worry about an appraiser picking apart the sale of the home over price or condition. So there lies the basic problem that many of us as real estate agents are having! 1) Even the banks are afraid of appraisers destroying a sale for variety of reasons. The banks would rather take the cash and not risk an appraisal by another banks appraiser. Really? Have appraisers got that much power. The answer is yes! I've personally seen an appraiser put a stop to a sale of a home because of gutter was not cleaned out. 2) The problem is so bad banks are willing to give up thousands of dollars (making back some of their loss) because of the risk of an appraiser finding a problem with the home and destroying a sale. There's no real fast solution to this. Appraisers have run amok! They become their own judge and jury and they've decided that they alone can interpret what constitutes a viable mortgage investment. What's worse is this sets up an even bigger problem that has yet to be talked about. Because of the appraisal problem and a banks fear of it, mortgage companies with foreclosed properties are more willing to take cash offers from investors than offers a hard-working family with a mortgages attached to it. What has happened to the American dream? It now seems that people with money will continue to make more money by purchasing and flipping homes and the people who deserve or need those homes are left out the cold. Some of the banks that own the foreclosures will tell you they first open up the bidding process for a foreclosure to owner occupants. But even then those people will have to secure mortgages and go through an appraisal process. Yeah you might say how about an FHA 203K loan, right ? Have you tried an FHA 203K loan lately? The loans are supposed to help hard-working Americans purchase properties in need of repair. But we're hearing horror stories from people who have tried the FHA 203K loan program. Contractors have walked out on projects and the buyer is left holding the bag. On top of that the cost to renovate some of these foreclosures with an FHA 203K loan ends up costing more than buying a home that was not in foreclosure. The appraisers will tell you they're afraid of losing their job and they're just following government orders. Really? That once again the complete overhaul of the appraisal process is needed, this time by someone or a group of people who understand the problems and have a solution. The future is clear, until someone takes the appraisers to task, changes the rules and regulations will continue to have this problem. I don't know what will happen with our clients who are moving into the area hopefully they'll find another property I just hope it's not a foreclosure! Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Updated and Roomy Louisville Real Estate in Autumn Woods at 10510 Pebblestone Circle Louisville Ky

2011-11-10T12:43:00-07:00

10510 Pebblestone Circle - AUTUMN WOODS - LOUISVILLE, KY 40229Updated, Roomy and a large fenced in back yard! This all brick, maintenance free 3 b3droom 2 bath ranch is loaded with features! Walk into a beautiful living room includes a shelled tray ceiling and paddle fan. Next into an oversized eat-in kitchen with bay window, center island, ceiling fan, Stove, Refrigerator w/ice maker, dishwasher and oven range microwave remain! Large master bedroom features a shelled tray ceiling with fan, a private bath and his & hers Closets. There are 2 other good sized bedroom as well! Need more space to entertain? No problem... In the backyard you will find 10x10' deck that opens up to a large backyard and a 6' privacy fence around entire backyard! In addition there is an 8x12' storage shed that will stay. Well cared for and ready for you to move right in!For more information on this listing or to work with the hottest real estate team in Louisville go to http://www.weselllouisville.com

October 2011 Louisville Home Sales Up!

2011-10-02T08:20:00-07:00

Ford employees transferring to Louisville may be playing a small part in keeping Louisville homes sales moving upward! The number of Louisville Homes going under contract in September 2011 was up 4.8% over September 2010. Additionally the number of homes that sold and closed during the same period was up 15%. On the surface those numbers are encouraging, but remember last year at this time we were still suffering from the tax credit whiplash. Many people who were going to buy during the 2nd and 3rd quarter of 2010 jumped in the housing market early to take advantage of the tax credits. The point is it’s not terribly difficult to beat last year’s home sale numbers. Still the influx of Ford employees could help keep Louisville area home sales moving in a positive direction. Many of those employees are looking for homes in the $150,000-$250,000 price range with some acreage. But almost all want deals because they are coming from towns where they’re selling their homes for less than appraised values expecting to make up their loss on this end. The homes they will buy will be perceived as the best values in the area. The same can be said about all buyers moving to Louisville from other towns. If you’re a seller you need to have your home looking near perfect, staged properly, de-cluttered, priced at the lower 1/3 of the comparable homes in your area. Any deviation from that formula and you’ll sit on the market. A point of interest for you, that formula works! Most of our our sellers who followed that formula have sold. In July we put 19 homes under contract, in August 21 homes under contract and in September 14 homes under contract. We’re ahead of our goals and on target to set a new record. If your thinking of selling or buying we’d love to help! September 2011 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 1093Last month: 1272This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 976Last month: 1133This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $164,662Last month: $169,023This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 88Last month: 86This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 135,000 September 2010 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 1041Last month: 1092This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 826Last month: 935This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $165,562Last month: $172,949This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 75Last month: 74This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 137,500 September 2009 Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 1215Last month: 1211This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 1160Last month: 1074This month last year: 0 Average Selling PriceThis month: $150,847Last month: $166,106This month last year: $0 Average Days on MarketThis month: 86Last month: 84This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 132,000 Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

The Louisville Real Estate Sky is NOT Falling!

2011-08-05T05:30:00-07:00

Despite record temperatures and fear of a faltering economy, Louisville Homes going under contract for the month of July 2011 actually increased almost 11 percent from the year before (see data below). The numbers may be artificially low for July of 2010 because many homebuyers had purchased a home earlier in the year thanks to federal tax incentives. Still the trend from year to year shows some positive signs. For example the July 2011 homes going under contract numbers are only off 2.5 percent from July 2009. Better yet 2011was actually up 20 percent from 2008. You can make the argument that these are the bad years, recession, foreclosures, short sales and bank bailouts. But The past 3 years are actually the new normal. The good old days are gone, we can only hope for their return. So imagine my surprise tonight when I read a fellow realtors’ blog explaining to his clients that home prices are off 15% over the past 2 years. Maybe in select sections of Louisville, but according to the new Greater Louisville Association of Realtors data released today, July 2010-2011 median home prices remained the same. Additionally the average sales price of homes increased almost $3000. The numbers are not all good! The number of homes that closed was actually down 5 percent from July 2010-2011. That may be a sign of a bigger problem. We’re seeing a disturbing trend with appraisers. Appraisals are coming in low in some areas of town. That’s a concern because even if a home sells for a decent price, an appraiser may feel the property is not worth the value of the contract. We’ve had it happen to us 6 times in the past year. I’ve had to challenge the appraisal each time and I’ve won 5 out of the 6 times. So to all my fellow realtors here’s the recipe to challenge a low appraisal. Ask the buyers agent and buyer if you can challenge the appraisal to the bank and appraiser. If the answer is yes, ask your seller to immediately put together a list of all upgrades they’ve done to the home while they owned it (in a list form) with the cost of the upgrades. Check the comps used by the appraiser for foreclosures and short sales. If necessary call the listing agent on those comps to find undisclosed data. Nicely put together an e-mail showing your comps and an explanation of why they should be used along with the upgrade sheet provided by the seller. Remember as my mom use to say you get more with honey than you do with vinegar. The appraisers are use to people yelling and arguing with them. Be nice, explain your case, it may save the deal. July 2011 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1252 Last month: 1341 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 1048 Last month: 1137 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $179,662 Last month: $174,466 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 84 Last month: 79 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 145,000 July 2010 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1119 Last month: 1118 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 999 Last month: 1477 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $176,838 Last month: $170,039 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 79 Last month: 76 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 145,000 July 2009 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1284 Last month: 1331 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 1276 Last month: 1174 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $171,793 Last month: $166,023 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 89 Last month: 84 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 140,000 July 2008 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 998 Last month: 932 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 1015 Last month: 1191 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $173,521 Last month: $182,971 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 92 Last month: 88 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 141,000

Louisville Home sales increase as prices appear to bottom out.

2011-11-01T07:39:00-07:00

New Louisville Home Sales Numbers for October 2011 show an encouraging trend. The number of homes that closed last month increased 10.7 percent over the year before. Additionally the number of Louisville homes going under contract last month increased by 11.7 percent (see raw data below). On the negative side of this month's report, the number of days a Louisville Home sat on the market in Louisville increased 6.6 % from 90 days on average in October 2010 to 96 days in 2011. Most importantly for Louisville home owners the average price of a Louisville home slipped almost 4% between October 2010 and October 2011. The increase in the number of homes being sold is really due to 3 factors. 1) There were fewer homes sold towards the end of 2010 because many home buyers had already purchased a home thanks to the first-time home buyer tax credit during the first quarter of 2010. 2) New Ford employees moving into the area have started to purchase homes. Granted some of those employees will have to wait to sell the home they currently own in the city they're transferring from. But there are some employees who will either rent their old home and buy here or have already sold their home. 3) The final factor is the most important one. Louisville Home sale prices have bottomed out, and buyers are starting to come back into the market. In October 2011 our Medley Sokoler Team hit a new sales record. Normally we look to sell anywhere between six and eight homes in October. This year we put a record 20 homes under contract. We continue to list and sell homes and were looking for an even better 2012. Some of the factors were keeping a close eye on include: 1) Interest rates are just about as low as we've seen them, hovering between 4% and 4.25%. 2) There are media reports including the Wall Street Journal and Louisville's Courier Journal indicating that now is the time to start buying because homes prices have hit rock bottom in most parts of the country. 3) The jobs recovery will mean more people in the workforce. 4) 2012 is an election year and the party in power will pull out all stops to show a growing economy. 5) Europe seems to have settled its problems with the Greece bailout leading to the prospect of a stabilized U.S. Stock Market. As of this report there were 8,793 homes on the market in the Louisville Kentucky area. The one thing we have not seen yet, is a return to new home construction. Builders are still on the fence, waiting for signs that the economy has in fact recovered. That may take more time because until we have show continual growth and home sales, builders may be leery of investing money into a spec home that may just sit on the market. As of right now Louisville has 4 months of positive home sales growth under our belts, but we're heading into a slower time for home sales. The question is can we continue the growth over the winter. Stay tuned. October 2011 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1058 Last month: 1092 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 884 Last month: 975 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $162,603 Last month: $163,908 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 96 Last month: 88 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 130,000 October 2010 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 947 Last month: 1041 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 798 Last month: 826 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $169,025 Last month: $165,562 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 90 Last month: 75 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 134,000

New Apple iPhone 4s helps Louisville Realtor work more efficiently!

2011-10-15T06:17:00-07:00

I’ve been underground the past few days trying to absorb the Apple changes from OS to iPods to Phones. I’m afraid I’m still learning, but one thing is for sure, any fears that the new Apple iPhone 4s would be a disappointment are gone. Apple hit a grand slam home run with this new phone. Yes there were problems upgrading to the new software for many of us. But that was because of a major overload on apple servers. I pre-ordered my phone last week and sure enough watched it ship from China on Monday with UPS and make is way across the world during the week. Friday at about 10:15 am in walks our UPS guy with the phone. What a time saver over standing in line waiting to buy a phone. Activation was a bit of a challenge. It took a number of tries to activate it. My office manager tried for the better part of a day to activate her phone, a call to Apple and she was told there was a 5-hour backlog of people trying to activate their phones. She finally got it done about 4pm on Friday As a Louisville Realtor “Siri” gives me the ability to dictate e-mails, Text messages, and a reminder! If I need to remind myself to call a client I simply tell “Siri” to remind me to do it. She instantly adds the entry into the new reminder App! Add to that a new 8-megapixel-rear camera, 1080p video and faster processor and you have a big win for Apple. iCloud takes a little setting up and I’m still working on getting it installed on all my computers (both mac and pc). But it will become a must have option for most of us within a year or two. The new IOS 5, which will also work with iPhone 4’s, includes several neat additions including info at a glance. Want an update on weather, stocks, messages, appointments and more swipe down the length of the iPhone 4s and it all appears on one scrollable screen. I’d like to spend more time telling you about the features but I’m still playing with the phone. I’ll update this soon. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Iphone4s Pre-Orders crash online Apple Store

2011-10-07T13:52:00-07:00

By Bob Sokoler, www.weselllouisville.com Wondering if the Apple 4s iPhone laid an egg? If pre-orders are any indication the answer is a resounding NO! Pre-Orders of the Apple 4s iphone began online at midnight October 7, 2011 Pacific time. By morning the apple website had slowed to a crawl. By mid afternoon part of the order site was down. A quick call to apple (when we were able to get through) assured us they were working on the problem. For The Medley Sokoler Team, as Louisville Real Estate Agents, pre-ordering the iphone 4s and having it shipped to our office will save us tons of time. I’ve spent many, many hours online waiting on lines outside my local apple store in Louisville waiting to get iphones and ipads. The “Siri” component of the iphone 4s and faster processor alone is more than enough to make the cost worthwhile. Being able to dictate text messages, e-mails and more while driving is a slam-dunk. I’ll have 3 iphones ordered by tonight for myself, my wife and office manager (if the site comes back up). Unfortunately todays problems with the Apple website (at least for me) included limiting orders to 1 at a time and not being able to change shipping address to my office (apple will require a signature for delivery). So was the slowdown and crash or the Apple order website a publicity stunt to make us think there’s an overwhelming demand for the 4s? I don’t think so. We’ll all know when Apple announces the pre-order numbers. Bob Sokoler is a former Anchor/Reporter turned Louisville Realtor 7 years ago, and co-owner of The Medley Sokoler Team in Louisville Kentucky. You can learn more about Bob, his Team by clicking Louisville Real Estate.

Ford Employees Call Louisville, Kentucky home!

2011-10-03T11:22:00-07:00

If you're one of the several thousand Ford employees planning to move to Louisville over the next six months be prepared for plenty of smiles, a great quality of life and a lower cost-of-living. I can tell you that from personal experience because 17 years ago my wife Norine and I also moved here from Atlanta. At the time I was a television anchor/reporter, I became a Louisville Realtor about eight years ago and haven't looked back. In the past few months our Medley Sokoler Team has been working with a number of Ford employees and their families were moving here. In fact, we just help one great family buy a brand-new home this past week. (See the video below). Some of my past Louisville Real Estate clients also include Ford employees who moved here five years ago from the Atlanta area. I just got off the phone with one of them talking about what Ford employees who are moving here from all parts of the country will find. I thought parts of the conversation might help ease fears for anybody moving here with families. Number one on the list is the ease of getting around Louisville. Up until a month ago traffic wasn't a serious concern, but then the Sherman Minton Bridge closed down and traffic between Kentucky and Indiana has become a nightmare! The good news is the bridge is expected to be repaired within six months. Still, we're finding a number of our clients deciding not to move to southern Indiana because of the problem. Bridge aside, it only takes about 20 minutes to get anywhere in Louisville. For those of us who have moved here from another location like Atlanta, where traffic can be a nightmare on a good day, that's one great feature of the city. For anyone with families and kids, the school systems in the Louisville area are good and we can say with some certainty getting better. Louisville has a new superintendent of schools, and there's a new drive to prove the quality of education. Louisville has a lot of things to do, from the Louisville Science Museum to the Kentucky Center for the performing arts, sports and dining out! The number of different types of restaurants is off-the-wall. Everything and then some with some real specialty restaurants as well. In my former life as a TV reporter and anchor in Louisville, I did dining out stories, so if you ever want a tip on where to go to eat pick up a phone call me. For example, if you like lobster, Louisville is actually the lobster capital of the central United States. Really! Because our airport is an international club for UPS, Clearwater Fine Foods import's Nova Scotia lobsters and then exports those lobsters to all parts of North America. The advantage for anyone living in Louisville is knowing that Clearwater sells wholesale to the public. Expect to pay $7.99 to $11.99 a pound for live lobster! If you ever get tired of Louisville your only an hour and a half or two from some other great cities to explore. Nashville, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana, are all easy day trips. Heck, Chicago, Illinois and Memphis, Tennessee are only five hours away by car. Another advantage is the cost of living, for the most part utility bills are less, the price of a home is typically less than in other parts of the country, property taxes are less, and heating and cooling bills are less than up north. For those of you coming up from Atlanta, the heating and cooling bills may be a bit more but you'll find a trade-off with more distinct seasons. If you're one of the thousands of Ford employees coming to Louisville and haven't looked up with a Louisville realtor as of yet, please don't hesitate to give us a call. Would love to help you and your family find the right place to settle down and enjoy this great town we call Louisville! You can reach Bob Sokoler anytime - Day or Night at (502) 376-5483 or bob@bobsokoler.com.

Louisville Home Sales show signs of improvement!

2011-07-06T13:48:00-07:00

By Bob Sokoler You have to use a microscope to see it, but examine the Louisville Home Sales numbers long enough and there are small signs of improvement for the Louisville home sale market. The number of homes going under contract in June 2011 compared to a year earlier increased 19.9 percent. Normally that would be an obvious increase. But remember last year we were coming off a first time buyer and move up $8000 tax credit. The market had slowed because anyone who planned to buy had bought by the end of April. But the fact that we're seeing an almost 20% increase over last year is an enormous increase any way you slice and dice it. The number of homes sold last month was way off from a year ago. A difference of 24% may sound like the sky is falling, but remember the numbers were artificially high because of those same tax credits. National media reports of a possible double-digit recessions, fear of home prices dropping and the hope that interest rates would decline further have kept potential home buyers on the fence. But it’s not all doom and gloom there are signs of improvement. Just last week there were reports of home prices going up in Washington D.C and a handful of other states. When will the good news hit Louisville? Well remember the old saying trends are slow to get to our part of the country? It will be the same with the return of the housing market. But the one thing buyers have to be careful of is you can never tell when prices are going up until it’s already happened. The buyers are watching a number of items like interest rates (which ticked up a bit this past week) and media reports that prices have dropped falling. The writing is on the wall for the buyers, it’s now just a matter of time (baring any other disasters, wars, gas prices or the sky falling) for home sales to pickup in Louisville. June 2011 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1341 Last month: 1284 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 1137 Last month: 987 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $175,087 Last month: $163,788 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 79 Last month: 93 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 141,000 June 2010 Number of Houses Under Contract This month: 1118 Last month: 1204 This month last year: 0 Number of Houses Sold & Closed This month: 1477 Last month: 1345 This month last year: 0 Average Selling Price This month: $170,039 Last month: $160,609 This month last year: $0 Average Days on Market This month: 76 Last month: 81 This month last year: 0 Median Sales Price 141,000

Louisville Ranked One of Top 10 Cities for Families!

2011-06-23T12:10:00-07:00

Site of the Kentucky Derby, the famous thoroughbred horse race, Louisville offers both pasture-rich grasslands and Midwestern city culture. The affordable housing means you can live comfortably amid lots of parkland and top-notch schools. Home to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, the Kentucky State Fair, and Americana arts and crafts, Louisville is also known as the “City of Parks.” And it's making a fourth appearance on the America's Promise Alliance's list of 100 Best Communities for Young People. In the past Louisville ranked in these categories: “Best Place for Relocating Families”,(ERC & Primacy Relocation and Sperlings Best Places, 2009) “Best City for Small Business Growth”(Entrepreneur Magazine, 2003) “Top 10 Safest Cities in the Country”(Morgan Quito Survey, 2010)

Tips to Save Energy and Add Value

2011-05-27T09:00:00-07:00

When it comes to energy efficiency, look for smart features and expertise to help you save energy and money and add value to your home. 1. Begin with a Right-Sized Home. If the home you buy is simply too large for you or your family’s needs or plans, you stand a good chance of wasting energy through excessive heating and cooling costs. If it’s too small, you’ll feel cramped and uncomfortable. It’s a big investment, so seek balance and buy it “right” from the outset. 2. Purchase Energy Star Appliances Such as Your TV, Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer, and Microwave. And especially the refrigerator, as it alone contributes about 10 percent of the energy use in a home. Also, unplug electronics not in use or turn off power strips to avoid phantom charges. 3. Install Efficient Lighting Such as Compact Flourescent (CLF) or LED Bulbs in Every Fixture. Lighting accounts for about 6 percent of an energy bill each year. 4. Get an Energy Audit and Have Tests Performed to Identify Ways of Improving Your Efficiency. You can always upgrade your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system as well as your thermal envelope, which includes insulation, windows, and doors and the seals or weather stripping around them. Visit energy.gov/energytips for more tips.