Harrison is Growing!
Check out this recent article from the Cincinnati Enquirer

HARRISON - The pavement on Harrison Avenue is so new, the lanes haven't even been painted yet. Orange construction barrels line the sides of the road.

A Kroger Marketplace rises across the street from a large parcel of farmland, also being cleared for development.At a time when more than half of Hamilton County's communities are losing residents, Harrison is seeing a growth spurt and flocks of young, higher-income families moving into the city.Harrison, Mayor Joel McGuire said, will no longer be the small town tucked in the corner of Hamilton County. In his eyes, Harrison will be the "new center of the West Side." He compares the growth to that of West Chester and Liberty Township, areas that have seen a fury of commercial and residential development. City officials tout over $20 million in private investments and over 250 new jobs in the past 10 months. The city annexed 400 acres from Crosby Township in 2006, increasing its size by 14 percent. Since then, the city's population has also grown by about seven percent every year, they said, to about 10,000 today. But with 93,000 people within 10 miles, it's the "downtown" for much of northwest Hamilton County and parts of Dearborn County, Ind. According to population figures from 2000 to 2008 released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has seen a 25 percent increase, from about 7,500 to almost 9,400 - making it the second-fastest growing area in Hamilton County after Newtown. "Right in the middle of a recession, we have this sort of growth going on," said Economic Development Director Jennifer Ekey. "We're in the right place at the right time.

"Harrison is located off Interstate 74 and is one of the last cities in the county with open space to build new business - about 150 acres within city limits to be exact. The city is about five square miles but that number is deceiving, McGuire said. Through agreements with neighboring townships, city officials actually have input over development on land in what they call "Greater Harrison," which includes surrounding Harrison, Crosby and Whitewater townships.In 2008, McGuire, 38, an attorney, became the youngest mayor in Harrison history. (It was incorporated in 1850 but didn't become a city until 1981.) The city also recently hired its first economic development director and paid $12,000 for a temporary public relations specialist. About $15,000 was spent last year to create a brand campaign and new slogan "Boundless.

"In addition to the Kroger Marketplace, set to open next spring, Harrison will also be home to the one of the largest public ATV/Motocross tracks in the Midwest, which should open by spring, a new dog park and bike trails and relocation of Fresh Sausage Specialists headquarters, a rare example of a business moving from Butler County into Hamilton County. Soon, McGuire promises, residents will start to see what he calls "goodies," which means popular new restaurants, entertainment and retail stores, although he wouldn't name them.Resident Judy Larison, 57, has lived in Harrison for more than 30 years and remembers when it was all farmland. Back then, she said, there was one store.Now, Harrison is drawing nearby Indiana residents and overflow from the Greater Cincinnati area.Re-creating the city's long-standing image of being a homely country town may prove to be a hard task. In the mix of residents are those who settled decades ago, those drawn to Harrison well before any development was there, those who love the area for its small-town charms and personal touches.

Joni Huber has been working at her father's Pet Center store since she was a little girl. "I don't think a Crate and Barrel will be moving here anytime soon," she said. "But I like it that way."One resident, Belinda Borne, 44, worries as development takes hold, the perks of commercialism will also come with heavy traffic and crime. What if, she says, she no longer knows each customer by name who comes into the salon where she works. What if, she said, "we won't be a small town anymore?"Tracy Tallon, 38, doesn't have such worries. She helps run Off Main Consignment, a store that opened at the Harrison Square shopping center less than a week ago. The growth excites her."I think it's positive and it's needed," she said. "Development is a good thing and you have to compete with other cities. The more this city grows the more business it'll bring to my store."Peeking out the window of the store, you can see the orange construction barrels along Harrison Avenue. It's difficult to tell what the area will look like in the next few years but Tallon is sure of one thing: "This isn't the country anymore."

Pending Home Sales on a Roll, Up for Sixth Straight Month

RISMEDIA, September 2, 2009—Contract activity for pending home sales has risen for six straight months, a pattern not seen in the history of the index since it began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in July, increased 3.2% to 97.6 from a reading of 94.6 in June, and is 12.0% higher than July 2008 when it was 87.1.The index is at the highest level since June 2007 when it was 100.7.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market momentum has clearly turned for the better. “The recovery is broad-based across many parts of the country. Housing affordability has been at record highs this year with the added stimulus of a first-time buyer tax credit,” he said. “Other buyers are taking advantage of low home values before prices turn higher. Nationally, the typical mortgage payment now takes less than 25% of a middle-income family’s monthly income to buy a median priced home, with payment percentages so far in 2009 being the lowest on record dating back to 1970. As long as home buyers stay within their budget, mortgage payments will be very manageable,” Yun said.

NAR estimates that about 1.8 to 2.0 million first-time buyers will take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit this year, with approximately 350,000 additional sales that would not have taken place without the credit. Buyers have little time to act because they must complete the transaction by November 30, 2009 to qualify for the credit. Unless extended, contracts signed but not completed by that date will not be eligible- it is taking approximately two months to complete home sales in the current market.

The Pending Home Sales Index in the Northeast declined 3.0% to 78.8 in July but is 4.7% higher than July 2008. In the Midwest the index slipped 2.0% to 88.1 but is 8.1% above a year ago. In the South, pending home sales activity rose 3.1% to an index of 103.8 in July and is 12.0% above July 2008. In the West the index jumped 12.1% to 112.5 and is 20.0% above a year ago.
NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said Congress needs to keep the momentum going. “Even with a good recovery taking place, the market is not yet back to normal. With a gradual absorption of inventory, we are on the cusp of a general stabilization in home prices,” he said. “To ensure that housing has a broad stimulus to the overall economy and stays on sound footing, we’re encouraging Congress to extend the tax credit into 2010, and to expand it to all buyers of primary residences. The faster we stabilize home prices, the fewer families will face foreclosure and the quicker credit can be extended to other sectors of the economy,” McMillan said.
NAR’s Housing Affordability Index (HAI) stood at 158.5 in July, below the peak set in April but is still 36.0 percentage points higher than a year ago. The HAI is a broad measure of housing affordability using consistent values and assumptions over time, which examines the relationship between home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income.

Yun expects existing-home sales to rise through the fourth quarter. “Unless the tax credit is extended, no one should be surprised to see home sales drop in the first quarter of next year,” he said. “However, the fundamentals of the housing market and the economy are trending up, and we expect home sales to generally pick up in the second quarter of 2010. The buyer psychology may be shifting from, ‘Why buy now when I can purchase later,’ to ‘I don’t want to miss out on a recovery.’”

For more information, visit http://www.realtor.org/.

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-09-01/pending-home-sales-on-a-roll-up-for-sixth-straight-month/#ixzz0Pzi5QXCs

Harrison Community Yard Sale
Saturday, September 12th 7am - 2pm

Radon Gas

Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors®

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas produced by the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil, rock and water. It usually enters a home by seeping through cracks in the basement, foundation, sump pit or around pipes. Radon has been found in homes all over the United States. Approximately 1 out of every 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels. Radon is suspected to be a carcinogen. Radon can be detected through proper testing.

Testing for radon is not difficult. Do-it-yourself kits are available (but make sure the lab is still in business and is licensed in Ohio). These passive devices, such as charcoal canister, are sent away to a lab after the test is conducted and a single average test result is provided. Reading for radon levels can be affected by interference from such factors as air movement (which includes opening and closing windows/doors), cigarette smoke, water table levels, barometric pressure and even the season of the year. Therefore, it is important that directions are carefully followed to ensure the most accurate results.

Most professionals use an active test device, such as a continuous radon monitor, that prints out hourly average radon levels. This is useful in revealing abnormal swings, trying to determine if the test was interfered with and how much variability there is in a radon level. Although these tests may cost more, they ensure a more reliable result.

Whichever testing method you decide to employ, make sure the test is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and/or the Ohio Department of Health and, when hiring a professional, that the testing company you choose is licensed with the state.

Once you know the level of radon in your home, find out what should be done to mitigate any problem that may be present. The EPA says you need to fix the problem if the radon level is 4.0 pCi/l or higher. Consult the Ohio Department of Health if the radon level is a concern to you.

When testing for radon as part of a real estate transaction, the EPA indicates that mitigation decisions should be based on either one active test or two passive tests (conducted either side-by-side or back-to-back). If the transaction is related to new construction, the buyer and builder should discuss whether the test should take place prior to occupancy or after the buyer has moved into the home. In either case, specific terms should be agreed to for handling mitigation if the need arises.

In the event elevated levels of radon are discovered in a home, there are relatively easy and inexpensive ways to mitigate when compared to correcting other environmental problems. Radon reduction begins with blocking the gas from entering the home: sealing cracks, covering crawl space floors, sealing sump pit openings, etc. The EPA also recommends installing a subslab ventilation system that pulls the radon gas out from under the floor and vents it above the eaves of the house so it does not re-enter the home. The piping of these systems sometimes runs along the outside of the house or can, many times, be run through he garage for a more cosmetic appearance. The state law requires that an Ohio licensed mitigator be used. Builders are exempt from this law, however.

Below are some responses to radon myths:

Myth: Radon is only a problem in certain parts of the country.

Fact: High radon levels have been found in every state. Radon problems do vary from area to area, but the only way to know the home’s radon level is to test.

Myth: A neighbor’s test result is a good indication of whether your home has a radon problem.

Fact: It is not. Radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it.

Myth: It is difficult to sell a home where radon problems have been discovered.

Fact: Where radon problems have been fixed, home sales have not been blocked. The added protection could be a good selling point; especially for people being relocated to the area.

Myth: Short-term tests cannot be used for making a decision about whether to reduce the home’s high radon levels.

Fact: Short-term tests may be used to decide whether to reduce the home’s high radon levels. However, the closer the short term testing result is to 4 pCi/L, the less certainty there is about whether the home’s year-round average is above or below that level. Keep in mind that radon levels can be reduced in some homes to 2 pCi/L or below.

If you have any additional questions concerning radon or its mitigation, contact the following agencies:

EPA’s Information on Radon: www.epa.gov/iaq/radon

EPA’s List of Radon Publications: www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/pubs

EPA’s List of testers and Mitigators: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/radontest.html

(Not required by Ohio Law)

Ohio Department of Health (Manages Ohio Licensing)

Public Information 1 (800) 523-4439

Licensure & Technical 1 (614) 466-0061

Coldwell Banker CEO on Housing Upturn

Coldwell Banker CEO on Housing Upturn

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Top 5 places to retire

Our exclusive list examines small cities that offer big value.

By Reyhaneh Fathieh

With 401(k)s taking a hit, Americans are in no rush to retire now. But that doesn't mean they're not planning for their golden years. A recent survey of real estate agents, by Coldwell Banker, finds that many 50-somethings are buying their retirement homes now, well before they retire.

Driving trend: plummeting home prices and low interest rates. "The areas hardest hit by the recession can be prime spots for second-home seekers," says Jim Gillespie, Coldwell Banker CEO. Among them: Cape Coral-Fort Myers in Florida, where prices have dropped 59.1% in the last year; California's San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos area, down 29.6%; and Las Vegas-Paradise in Nevada, down 37.3%.

Below is our surprising list of the top five cities for young retirees (55 to 59), compiled exclusively for USA WEEKEND by Coldwell Banker and data experts Onboard Informatics. Rankings are weighted, in order, based on recreation, weather, health resources, crime and cost of living (in all five towns, it's below the national average).

Buy now, retire later in these hot markets

1. Helena, Mont. (pop. 28,726): This town has a local symphony and fine-art galleries. Nature lovers can trek 1,000-plus miles of mountain and forest trails. Median home price: $191,500.

2. Pensacola, Fla. (pop. 54,283): The sun always shines on its white beaches, it's super-safe (the crime rate is well below the national average), and the American Association baseball team boosts hometown spirit. Median home price: $137,200.

3. Creve Coeur, Mo. (pop. 16,933): Its 320-acre lake is a boating haven surrounded by picnic sites and an archery range. And St. Louis is a half-hour drive away. Median home price: $355,000.

4. Traverse City, Mich. (pop. 14,339): The "cherry capital" is famous for its vineyards. Plus, its health services are top-notch; the Munson Medical Center is consistently named one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation. Median home price: $129,500.

5. Butte-Silver Bow, Mont. (pop. 31,967): This area's 29 recreational facilities (golf courses, parks, pools) keep residents active. And Butte will host the National Folk Festival again next summer. Median home price: $108,500.

Source: Onboard Informatics for USA WEEKEND

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Here is what is happening in Harrison this summer...

Summer Concert Series

The Summer Concert Series kicks off this year on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m. Come join us every Tuesday night throughout the summer for an evening of live music, beer, burgers, and FUN!! Take a look at the lineup and mark your calendars!!!! (Please check website for up to date information)June 23 • Chuck Brisbin & the Tuna Project (Blues)

June 30 • One Night Stand (80s Rock)
July 7 • Back Street (Oldies/Country)
July 14 • Renegades (Country/Rock)
July 21 • Six Pack (Rock)
July 28 • Pure Grain & Peppertown (2 Bands in one - Rock)
August 4 • The Boomers (Formerly Flashback - Oldies)
August 11 • The Polecats (Rock)

Friday Night Summer Movies

The Friday Night Summer Movies are back!!! June 12, 2009 we will be featuring Beverly Hills Chihuahua at the Community Center at dusk. Come join us great movies and FUN!!

June 12 • Beverly Hills Chihuahua
June 26 • Bolt
July 10 • Bedtime Stories
July 24 • Wall E
August 7 • The Tales of Despereaux
August 21 • Hotel for Dogs

My very first Blog...

I am new to the blogging world but I am trying to keep up with technology the best that I can! I am 31 years old, married with two children and I have lived in Harrison, Ohio most of my life. I have been a Realtor for over 8 years, marketing and selling homes on the West side of Cincinnati (Harrison, Ross, Colerain, Western Hills, etc.) as well as Southeastern Indiana (Lawrenceburg, West Harrison, Aurora, Sunman, etc.). I really enjoy my job and enjoy working with people and helping them find a New Home! I can truly say that I learn something new with every transaction which keeps me on my toes and makes for an exciting career! I am hoping to use this blogging opportunity to share information pertaining to Real Estate and as a local community guide! I hope you sign up to follow my blogs and I invite you to provide any feedback or suggestions that you may have!

~Tricia