I see so many good things happening in the Mentor, Ohio real estate market these days.  Although our market here in NorthEast Ohio was never as bad as many of the other areas of the country, I see improvements in just about every city's market that I serve. The phones are ringing... demanding attention that I have not seen in quite a while.  More folks have finally found themselves getting off the fence, and back into the market again. More sellers have decided that it is finally time to get their homes up for sale... and the great degree of those sellers are NOT short sales.  They are mostly move-up buyers. So many positive things have happened during the past year... including my move to Keller Williams Realty on Center Street in Mentor... just barely North of Mentor Avenue on 615. Bu... 07/01/2012

 Pummel's Home Furnishings, Inc. Rocks! Two weeks ago today I wrote a post titled When you got it, you got it! Kudos to the professionals!  A little issue about fabric for a couch my cousins ordered being discontinued and how they handled it.  Well I've had three fabric samples that would all work on the couch for two weeks, but yesterday was the first opportunity I had to get together with my cousins to show them what we found.  All three fabrics would have boosted the price of the couch a considerable amount. Suffice it to say, Roberta Fulton the owner did the right thing when I went back into the store yesterday with their new selection.  She made us a deal and everyone's happy.  Win/Win. You don't run a successful family owned business since 1954 without providing stellar customer s... 05/09/2012

Top 5 Improvements Buyers Will Look for in Mentor Homes for Sale this Spring Market   Putting your Mentor Home for Sale up in this Spring market has many sellers asking What are the Top 5 Improvements Buyers will look for in Mentor Homes for Sale this Spring.       How can a Mentor Home for Sale attract the most buyers and bring about an offer?       When I am working with Mentor Home Buyers I find they are really looking to do as little as possible with the Mentor Home for Sale.  Even buyers who say they are willing to fix up a house end up being much more attracted to those Mentor Homes for Sale that need little or no work --especially when the houses are within a few thousand $$ of each other.   With the amount of houses on sale, the inventory is large which makes it very easy for a... 04/01/2012

Just a quick shout out for a fabulous furniture store in my area.   The owner, Roberta Fulton is an amazing lady and her staff is friendly, knowledgeable and a true pleasure to work with...........I highly recommend the store and the fine lines of quality furniture that they carry. Pummel's Home Furnishings, Inc.       Pummel's Home Furnishings 8666 Mentor Ave. Mentor, Ohio 44060 440.255.9787   Store HoursTuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 10:00am till 8:00PM Friday & Saturday 10:00am till 6:00PM Closed Sunday & Monday 03/21/2012

The Mentor Ohio Homes for Sale Market Report for 2011     In 2011 there were 719 Homes for Sale in Mentor   of the 719 Mentor Homes for Sale 394 sold   home buyers rejected 227 of the Mentor Homes for Sale and the listings expired   98 of the Mentor Homes for Sale carried over to 2012   The average Mentor home for sale has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths   average list price for a Home for Sale in Mentor is $168,773 and the average selling price is $146,772 and it takes on average 204 days to get a Mentor Home for Sale Sold Listings per Status    Minimum, Average, Maximum    Days On Market Analysis    Listing Price\Selling Price         All information herein has not been verified and is not guaranteedU.S. Patent 6,910,045 Copyright © by Christine Pappas 2012 **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED** **The Men... 03/16/2012

Please stop by Sunday July 10 at the OPEN HOUSE from 1:00 to 4:00 PM for the Mentor Ohio 3 Bedroom - 2 Bath Home for Sale.   Walk in - Say Wow and Fall in Love!  Mentor Ohio 3 bedroom - 2 bath home is really fabulous.   3 bedroom - 2 bath Mentor Ohio Home for Sale stands out from the rest and really shines.   You can take a sneak peek of the Mentor Ohio Home for Sale with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths on Sunday, July 10 at 11:30 am on Fox 8 Real Estate Showcase TV. Mentor Ohio Home For Sale - 3 Bedrooms - 2 Baths Overview Maps Photos Description Open House Market Stats $189,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1500 sqftLot: 0.42 acre(s) Location 7555 Lake Shore BlvdMentor, OH 44060USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "... 07/09/2011

Mentor Ohio 3 Bedroom - 2 Bath - Open House Sunday 6/26/11   An exceptional home that is on tour to the public for the first time --Sunday Open House from 12 Noon to 2:00 pm   Be sure to take note of how clean the home is, the open layout that lets in lots of natural light, the big bedrooms, finished basement and fabulous back yard.         Mentor Ohio Home For Sale - 3 Bedrooms - 2 Baths Overview Maps Photos Description Open House Market Stats $189,000 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1500 sqftLot: 0.42 acre(s) Location 7555 Lake Shore BlvdMentor, OH 44060USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Christine Pappas Keller Williams Greater Cleveland NE(216) 956.7635cpappasrealestate@gmail.comhttp:/... 06/25/2011

bellanina Facelift Massage with Elaine Templeton, LMT I recently met local Mentor, Ohio business owner, Elaine Templeton Licensed Massage Therapist at my monthly Heart Link Networking Event.   During the networking event I learned of the bellanina Facelift Massage offered by Elaine Templeton, LMT.    I love, love, love, LOVE massages!  So, I thought I would meet with Elaine Templeton learn more about her business and get a bellanina Facelift Massage! WOW!!!!    The bellanina Facelift Massage by Elaine Templeton was FABULOUS!!!  Extremely relaxing while leaving my face feeling soft and invigorated.   90 minutes of pure down time! I was feeling utterly guilty for spending so much time away from the everyday chaos.  Once Elaine started with the bellanina Facelift Massage, all guilt vanishe... 12/20/2010

  AvoidForeclosureReport.com       Here is my helpful website for homeowners struggling with mortgage payments:  avoidforeclosurereport.com  explains the  differences between foreclosure and short sales.   At  avoidforeclosurereport.com   you'll find  an informational report comparing the consequences of a short sale and foreclosure.   The report  provides a thorough explanation of how a short sale may potentially improve a homeowner’s future financial stability.   A short sale can be a positive step to rebuilding your future   Considering how damaging foreclosure can be for the homeowner  it is important for a distressed homeowner to know  all of the alternatives available.     There is a lot of useful information on my website,  AvoidForeclosureReport.com  for a  distressed homeowner ... 11/08/2010

Short sales in Cleveland may be smooth and nice, and we've got numerous proves to this. Few of our short sales in Mentor, Mentor-on-the-Lake, and other Greater Cleveland neighborhoods went so good that you would never tell the difference between these Short sales and normal, regular sales. Actually, we've just closed another Short sale deal in Mentor yesterday. I am really happy for my clients, the sellers, and I wish the best to the new owners who purchased a wonderful home in a great condition for a very attractive price. I like to analyze the successful closings because they create a pattern and raise the bar for the future sales. I  don't consider myself a real master of the short sales but I work on doing as good job for my clients as it's possible. Analysis of successful sales hel... 11/06/2010

Oh, what oh what is a girl supposed to do ?  This is typical of what I have been so used to seeing over the past month or six weeks here in the beautiful city and countryside in Mentor, Ohio. The leaves have been just gorgeous.  The trees... just brilliant with the changing of the leaves... well... it could not have been prettier if it had been painted by an artist. But, then again... it HAS been painted by one of my all-time favorite artists... Mother Nature !  She uses such beautiful colors. The last six weeks or so has been such a great time to take walks... again, both in the neighborhood here in Mentor, and all around the beautiful countryside here in NorthEastern Ohio. Such beauty is so hard to say good-bye to.  But it appears that I may have to be using sad words of farewell to ... 11/05/2010

Looking for something fun and interesting to do in Mentor Ohio?                                                 /image_store/uploads/1/8/1/1/5/ar128553594751181.jpg" height="90" alt="Garfield Museum" width="120" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" />   Take some time to visit the James A. Garfield National Museum.  James A. Garfield was our 20th president and was from Mentor, Ohio.               A Fun Fact - Ohio is known as the "Mother of Presidents"  as EIGHT Ohioans have become presidents.       The James A. Garfield Museum is located in the heart of Mentor on Mentor Avenue. The museum underwent extensive renovation and is just beautiful!                 There is also a great park adjacent to the museum.  65-acres, one of our largest parks, has a Community Recreation Center, an Outdo... 09/26/2010

                                                                                        Take care to eliminate buyer disappointment!     Home selling websites have gone to great lengths to increase the number of pictures one can view and the amount of information that can be shared with the viewing public.  Our local area multiple listing   service increased the amount of pictures we can upload and the amount of information  that we can input, allowing us to showcase the property better.   And all of this information is open and available to the buying public in many different avenues.  I liken the Internet to the old Sunday car lot shopping days.  When I was younger, our family would walk up the street to the local car dealers, there were 2 side by side, on a Sunday and walk around the... 09/05/2010

I have a confession to make. I know this is going to sound silly, but I contend with it every day when I sign on to Active Rain. I guess I could be called what some of my friends at RE/MAX call "balloon heads." I have heard others call those of us who look like this... members of the Blue Man Group. I am even considering going to my dermatologist to see if perhaps, without knowing it, I have developed some sort of "skin condition." So yes, I guess I AM... a balloon head.  And yes, I guess I DO belong to the Blue Chick Group.                                                   Oh... the shame of it all.  Ostracized everywhere I go.  I went to Dillards the other day... and I guess I got just a little too close to the Clinique counter.  Some of the girls... you know, those pretty young thing... 08/31/2010

I was looking through the available homes today.  I have a buyer who is very "kitchen conscious."  I guess you could easily say that having a nice spacious kitchen is one of her top "hot buttons." So you can just imagine how "up" I felt when I read in the comments... all about the "gourmet kitchen" with all the 42-inch hanging cabinets, the oodles of counter space, and the over-sized gourmet food-prep island.                                    If you can imagine all of that... you can then probably imagine how UN-excited I was when I saw the actual picture of this wonderful, spacious gourmet kitchen.  And... just as was written... it has its very own "over-sized gourmet food-prep island." Ummmm... anybody see an island here ?  I think there's one her somewhere.  I am guessing that neith... 08/26/2010

So often when I am talking to young buyers, one of their primary complaints is that they think they don't have enough money to buy a home.  They have all heard the stories about how loans are harder to get, that down payment requirements have increased, and lots of other scary stuff. This is where my past experience as a Realtor can be extremely helpful...  both to first time buyers, and to just about anyone who is buying a home in today's market. If you can come up with about 3.5% of the selling price for a down payment, that SHOULD be just about all the money you will need to buy your new home, and get you moved in. Why so little ?  Well, sure, you will need closing costs... and closing costs generally run another three to four percent of the purchase price.  But, instead of having th... 07/25/2010

In a recently published study, a consumer advocate who is also a spokesperson for Federal Loan Modification Law Center, released a list dispelling the top 5 myths about loan modification.  I think Ralph's study is quite valuable, considering today's housing situation, so I am sharing some of his great ideas with you. My goal is to better educate homeowners in the Mentor, and Lake County, Ohio area who might be facing the prospect of losing their home to foreclosure.  The following list clears up some of the most common misconceptions surrounding what lenders refer to as the loan modification process. Myth# 1:  My bank wants me out of my house. My bank wants my home. Wrong:  Banks and other lending institutions do not want to foreclose. They make more money if you make your payments. Myt... 07/23/2010

What an incredible place Mentor, Ohio is.  What a great place to live and raise a family, or to just buy a home for yourself.  Why do I say that?  Here is some proof ! I was reading some real estate articles this morning, and came across the house below.  It is NOT located in Mentor.  Not even in OHIO.  Where is it?  I will share the answer in a few paragraphs, but first... some "different" info. How much would a home like this cost in Mentor ?  Well... first of all, this home is much larger than it appears.  It looks like a home that could be in "Old Mentor" near Mentor Avenue and Rt 615.  Or, it could be a home between 20 and 84... perhaps between 306 and 615... on either side of Great Lakes Mall. IF... it was about as big as this one looks like it might be... 1,800 square feet... and... 07/23/2010

Out of Area Title Company?  Caution!!!   Please use Caution when working with an Out of Area Title Company! Often there are stipulations with foreclosured properties that are being sold by the bank.  Many times the bank's that are selling the foreclosed home require the buyer to use their title company and if you don't use their title company than the buyer has to pay for all of the title and escrow fees for both buyer and seller.  Hardly seems right, yet I've seen this requirement over and over again.  (I won't even ask where RESPA is on this one!)   I recently had a sale on a foreclosed property where the bank required the buyer to use their title company that is out of our area.  Of course the buyer agreed so they would not incur additional cost for the closing fees.  The sale procee... 07/21/2010

Occasionally folks will ask me a question that we all here from time to time.  I am asked... "When IS the best time to put my home up for sale ?" The answer to this question, is similar to the answer to most questions.  "It all depends." There are so many reasons why people move.  If we started with the first of the year, we could go completely through the entire year and come up with a great reason why "that particular month" would be a great time to move. Want to move, and get settled in time for your kids to go to school?  If so, now is really the time to do something. If your home is priced "within reason"... which means it is priced right about where it will appraise when the mortgage company sends out their appraiser... it should sell fairly quickly in the general Mentor, Ohio rea... 07/19/2010