Real Estate Information

Consumer confidence falls in June.

I recently saw this article in the Toledo Blade about the slowing real estate market in Toledo, and I am going to quote a few lines from it.

Jun 30, 12:06 PM EDT

Though a housing rebound is far away, the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 major cities tumbled by 18.1 percent, the third consecutive month the decline was not a record. And yearly losses in 13 metros improved compared to March.

The 20-city index is off almost 33 percent from its peak in the second quarter of 2006, which means home values are now around 2003 levels. The 10-city index fell 18 percent from the year before.

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer

You can read the entire article by clicking this link.

As many people know this is happening all over Toledo.  It is very hard for home sellers to believe that this is actually happening to their home values.  These are very trying times. In many areas of the country housing values have always had big swings up and down. However, in Toledo, Ohio we have always had a very slow increase in property values. Our lows have never been very low and the highs never very high. This is the first time for our homeowners in Toledo to really feel a decrease in value.  It is a very hard pill to swallow. 

Now the Lucas County Auditors office is about the business of re-evaluating our property values. Here is a portion of an article on their website. 

AUDITOR SETS NEW VALUES FOR 2009

This year, the Auditor's office is required under the law to issue a new value for your property. This process is referred to as a Triennial Update, which occurs three years after a Revaluation (2006). Under the law, we review the market sales that have occurred over the past three years (2006, 2007, and 2008, with emphasis on 2008 sales).

You can read the entire article by clicking this link.

Notices will be sent out to Home Owners in Lucas County. 

The reason I am blogging about this situation is that myself and all the Realtors in the city are living with this everyday.  We talk to people everyday trying to explain why their home is not worth what they think.  So many have taken equity lines of credit against their mortgages and now they are "upside down".  Some are going into Foreclosure and some are able to sell Short of what they owe in a "short sale".

It may take some time before things start to get better.  Right now the area home prices are a moving target.  And right now that target is still moving down.  If you are selling you need to be better than the hundreds of other homes on the market.

If you have to have your home on the market, try to be realistic.  Hopefully you will make up the difference in the possible low price you get on the home you move to.

The Lohman Team ReMax Preferred Associates would be happy to talk to you about your real estate needs.

www.nancylohman.com  website

Nancy Lohman 419-360-4735    Bob Lohman  419-360-4437

Nancy Stemmle 419-867-3898   Bert Spangenthal  419-346-1458

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

KEEP A YOUNG MIND!

Don't believe the phrase "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Creativity isn't only for artists, writers, or musicians. Creativity isn't just what is represented by a canvas or a novel or a song. We can all be creative in our own way, and the most common way that we can all do this is through learning.

As long as we continue to learn and to try new things, we keep our minds fresh and young, and we engage in the act of "creating ourselves" continually. Today's world presents plenty of opportunities for learning, especially about the environment, other cultures, and technology. Technology itself provides ever-easier ways of accessing knowledge through computers and the Internet. And no one is too young or too old to start!

Look around you at the most vital and energetic seniors you know. What do they have in common? A continuing interest in learning and sharing their knowledge and experience with others - so they are engaged constantly in the process. They keep their minds challenged and young, and in so doing, feel younger in body and spirit. They are certainly different than in their youth, but they continue the learning that began there.

Each new phase of our lives brings us new challenges and opportunities for growth. Growing older necessarily means learning new things. We are constantly creating ourselves in this way, and we can adapt ourselves to any situation by that continuing act of creativity that keeps us young.

Call the Lohman Team for all your Toledo Ohio real estate needs. Nancy Lohman 419-360-4735  Bob Lohman 419-360-4437   Nancy Stemmle 419-867-3898  Bert Spangenthal  419-346-1458 

www.nancylohman.com 

JUST ASK DOROTHY!

You've probably seen it a dozen times - "The Wizard of Oz." It's a delightful tale of fantasy, complete with munchkins, a scarecrow in need of a brain, a yellow brick road, a wicked witch and a mythical wizard with the imagined power to send Dorothy back to Kansas.

Regardless of the fantasy, the beautiful color, the unusual characters, and the whimsical plot, there is a powerful message that comes as one of Dorothy's last lines as she prepares to leave Oz. She says, "If ever again I go looking for my heart's desire, I won't look any further than my own backyard." It's such a simple statement, yet it carries a lesson for all of us.

How often do we look outside our own world of home and family for "our heart's desire?" There are so many distractions that lure us out of our own backyard: careers, shopping, powerful people, sports, clubs, TV, committees, the Internet, and the list goes on. There's so much to do and so little time. Then one day we look and our own backyard no longer seems to exist.

We should take time to smell the roses in our own garden, rather than looking over the fence and down the yellow brick road to see the roses of others. We need to let go of the imagined - the tin man, lion, and scarecrow of our own making - and appreciate the real Auntie Em's in our lives. If we don't, we may wake up one day to realize we're "not in Kansas anymore."

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

BE IMPULSIVE!

There seems to be a lot of anger in the world today. Forget the national and global squabbles, and just take a look closer to home - on your TV, in the schools, among fellow employees - right in your own backyard

There's another attitude issue that could stand some help - disrespect. It seems like the days are gone when youngsters (even 20-somethings) value their elders, social customs, even the laws of the land. Common courtesy and politeness, even among adults, seems non-existent at times.

Want to be a changing force in your personal world? It's easy, costs nothing, and goes a long way towards making a meaningful contribution for the better. It's accomplished with an electrical impulse. Really. Consider your brain. Everything you think of, each idea you have, each action you take begins with an electrical impulse - a single thought. The thought required to cause change is called an "expectation."

Teachers use this thought daily in their classrooms. They EXPECT students to listen, to observe silence, to walk single-file, to not cut in line, and to learn. They EXPECT not to be challenged, disrespected, or ignored when they speak. The best among them EXPECT nothing less than excellence. Know what? Their students respond positively to those expectations.

The electrical impulse called "expectation" is simple to enact, yet more difficult to enforce. You have to really mean it. As a country, a people, even families, we've grown soft on expectations - and it shows. Fear of offending someone seems the rule. Why not be "impulsive" for the next 30 days with those you love by setting a new, higher standard of expectations. The results will both amaze and delight!

Nancy Lohman and the Lohman Team are here to help you with your real estate needs. Whether it be Homes for Sale, or any real estate in the greater Toledo area, we can help. 

Nancy Lohman 419-360-4735       Bob Lohman  419-360-4437

Nancy Stemmmle  419-867-3898  Bert Spangenthal   419-346-1458

OPEN HOUSE THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH, 2 -4 PM.  CALL TODAY OR EMAIL WITH QUESTIONS. THE LOHMAN TEAM  419-867-3898   TO SEE A GREAT VIRTUAL TOUR OF THIS HOME CLICK HERE!

OPEN HOUSE THIS SUNDAY JUNE 14TH, 2-4 PM   THE LOHMAN TEAM REMAX PREFERRED ASSOCIATES    419-360-4437  SEE THE VIRTUAL TOUR BY CLICKING HERE!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

GIVE IT AWAY!

Here's a "feel good" idea that pays big dividends to both giver and receiver: "Give something away every day!"

We all get caught up in our day-to-day routines and responsibilities. Between family and home, work and leisure, our daily schedules are usually packed with the things we do for ourselves. Managing to squeeze in a little time for others is often out of the question.

In the big picture, however, it is not what we do for ourselves but for others that really matters in life. We're not just talking about those who are "less fortunate" in this context. The world of "others" includes family members, associates, the elderly, those experiencing illness, those in our geographical, social, or church community, or the less fortunate.

So . . . what do you give away? Are we talking big money to charities or an endowment to the local university? Nope! What you give away is up to you. It might just be your time - something as simple as taking your grandchild for a walk, offering to take an aging neighbor grocery shopping, or donating a Saturday to Habitat for Humanity. On days when you lack ideas, just give away a smile, a compliment, or some encouragement.

Maybe you give away some of your material possessions. That might include a piece of furniture, an antique, a piece of family heirloom jewelry, or the like-new clothing in your closet that never fit right. Why not donate some of the kids' toys to a day-care center?

Whatever you decide to give away, do it quietly - and anonymously when possible. Make it a habit. It will bring you the special joy of knowing you've made a difference.

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?

Waiting for your ship to come in? Think you need to win the lottery to become a millionaire? Waiting for your inheritance to come through? Dream on - but don't hold your breath. The truth is that "steady as she goes" is the watchword for accumulating real wealth. In baseball terms, the method would be to hit plenty of "singles" and "doubles" and forget about the "home runs."

Consider this method for becoming a millionaire: At age 25, begin setting aside just $100 each month. Invest the money at 12% - yes that is do-able! At age 65, you would have accumulated $1,176,477. In other words, if you never increased the $100 per month, regardless of all the raises and increases in income you experienced over your lifetime, you would have over $1,000,000 in your investment account.

Now let's say you received a very modest $1,000 per year increase in pay over your 40 year working life. By putting aside an additional $250 each year (just 25% of your yearly raise), an additional $191,772 would be added to your million-plus nest egg.

Better yet, here's the easiest method. Beginning at age 20, put $2,000 per year into an IRA for just three years. Never add another nickel to the account. At age 65, the account would be worth $1,153,180.

What if you're already 45 years old (the average age at which Americans begin saving)? You would need to put aside $1,100 each month for 20 years at 12% - giving you $1,187,106 at age 65.

Financial security requires patience, persistence, and self-discipline (sort of like real-life). Spend less than you earn, and put the rest to work for you. It's a simple formula that few ever attempt, yet it yields unfailing results!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

PLEASE RELEASE ME!

Remember the song "Please release me, let me go"? If you've ever felt that someone or something had a hold on you and wouldn't let go, perhaps you needed an "attitude adjustment."

Why? Unless you are literally chained to a wall, people and things don't have a "hold" on you. It is you who have taken hold of them, and refuse to let go. It's so easy to latch on to the situations, relationships, and baggage of others - believing it possible to have some control over their outcome.

The result is never-ending worry, sleeplessness, feelings of helplessness, and other symptoms of being "out-of-control." Anger is another matter - there seems to be so much of it today. TV shows are full of it. Anger is directed at family, the boss, the spouse, or anyone else in sight. Yet anger results from feeling that things or people are not doing what you think should be done. Anger is felt when you can't control the outcome.

The truth is we are only in control of our own lives and actions - nothing more. Buddha had it right when he said, "Learn to let go." Martin Luther said, "Let go and let God." Regardless of who said it, or how it was said, letting go will open many doors of happiness in your future.

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

THESE SHOES ARE MADE FOR WALKING!!

Remember one of the ancient sayings from your first-grade teacher? It went something like this: "We learn to do by doing."
So . . . from "Chicken Soup" comes this story by John Holt:

"Not many years ago I began playing the cello. Most people would say that what I am doing is 'learning to play' the cello. But these words carry into our minds the strange idea that there exist two very different processes: 1) learning to play the cello; and 2) playing the cello. They imply that I will do the first until I have completed it, at which point I will stop the first process and begin the second. In short, I will go on 'learning to play' until I have 'learned to play' and then I will begin to play. Of course, this is nonsense. There are not two processes, but one. We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way."

How do we learn to swim? Do we get the basics in a classroom, taught to us on a chalkboard, and then hit the pool like Mark Spitz or Esther Williams? How about riding a bike? Do we study the laws of physics, the effects of gravitational pull, or other Einstein-like theories, and then launch ourselves into the top spot in the "Tour de France?" No - we just fall down and scrape our knees a lot.

Want to add new direction to your life? Begin walking in that direction. Put one foot in front of the other. In other words, "Just do it!" It all begins with your imagination harnessing the power of your mind and the energy of your body. Once you choose a new role for your life, don't learn the part - act the part. One other thing - don't let that "single thorn of experience" deter you!

The Lohman Team - ReMax Preferred would be happy to help you with your real estate needs. We are experienced in listing homes and helping people find their perfect dream home. We sell homes for sale in Toledo, Sylvania, Perrysberg, Holland, Monclova, Maumee, Whitehouse, Swanton and the greater Toledo Ohio area.

Nancy Lohman  419-360-4735   Bob Lohman    419-360-4437

Nancy Stemmle 419-867-3898  Bert Spangenthal  419-346-1458