Time For Some Summer Fun and Planning!

We get closer and closer to summer and I am still pondering what to do for fun this summer! Since most of us plan for our kids first, then the sports, then the camps, etc. I am looking through the summer schedule and thinking time is pretty tight- What about a mom and dad trip? Shouldn't we try to fit in a whole family trip too? It can be pretty tricky but I had fun figuring it out too! I looked around a bit and found some neat places to go that are close to the Toledo area. Since Real Estate is incredibly busy right now, we only take a few days at a time and traveling far away just isn't in the plan at the moment.

I hope you enjoy the following links and travel ideas as much as I did!

If the other ideas we found don't help you this website offers a lot of great ideas. I always find something new to do! There are so many great ideas in this website, good luck!

http://consumer.discoverohio.com/

Mohican State park and Loudonville Ohio 1 hour and 30 minutes SE of Toledo
Amish Country, hiking, horse backing riding, canoeing, camping and shopping. What a great get a way weekend or week for your family and friends. The State Park has a great lodge to stay at or there are many camp grounds to play and stay at.
Loudonville, Ohio

http://www.loudonville-mohican.com/

Pokagon State Park Indiana 1 hour and 30 minutes west of Toledo
Shopping, Potawatomi Inn, horse back riding, boat rides, hiking toboggan run.
I took my son Justin there not to long ago and had a great weekend. We rode horses, drove go carts, and just relaxed and spent great quality time together.
Angola, In

http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/inns/potawatomi/

Marblehead is a great fun get a way either for a day or a weekend. You can go and travel to the islands, visit a State Park or Cedar Point is always near by, with a lot of other activities near and around Sandusky Ohio.

The Marblehead Lighthouse Tour
1 hour and half hours east of Toledo
Monsoon Lagoon Water park, Wolcott House, Marblehead State park, Kelley’s Island, African Safari Wildlife Park
Marblehead, Ohio

http://www.marbleheadpeninsula.com/

Hocking Hills

A great place to just get away, with no cell phones. Cabins, hotels, State Parks, shopping, nature and scenery. My Husband and I really like to go and rent a cabin and relax. Last summer we did a last minute trip to Hocking Hills and what a great weekend we had. I highly recommend it!

3 and half hours south east of Toledo

http://www.hockinghills.com/

Kings Island

Kings Island! Do we really need to say anymore? Hotels, and other fun activities in and around Kings Island. I like this park a lot for the smaller kids than Cedar Point.

http://www.visitkingsisland.com/#actions

Geauga Lake’s Wildwater Kingdom. I have not been there in several years, but my kids really liked this area when they were younger lads.

http://www.wildwaterfun.com/


Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Cleveland is always a great time a lot of things to do down near the flats. I really like visiting the rock and roll hall of fame. Great memories back to my teenage years!

http://www.rockhall.com/

Football Hall of Fame

A sports fan must trip. There are other things to do while your in the area! Check it out and see what you think?

http://www.profootballhofef.com/


COSI Columbus, A great day to explore and be a kid again. COSI has things for kids of all ages. While in Columbus there is always visiting a great restaurant, or museum, or a sporting event! We have friends and family in Columbus it is always a good getaway.

http://www.cosi.org/

Just north of the border with in hours of Toledo there are a lot of fun places to travel too. Whether you like being on the water or camping, or maybe a museum, sporting activities, shopping, skiing and winter sports. Then Michigan has a lot to do. Such beautiful country!

Here is a useful website to check out our friends just north of us.

http://www.michigan.org/

One of our family fun get a ways for the day is the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

http://www.thehenryford.org/

Mackinac Island gives you the best of all worlds a great travel destination of all incomes and desires. It’s a bit of a drive! But well worth the trip! You’ll see what we mean.

http://www.mackinacisland.org/

If Mackinac is too far to travel then you might want to consider going to Ludington, Michigan. What a great place for the family or a couple looking for a romantic get a way, or maybe a group of friends just want to hang out and have fun on or near the water. The State parks are great. They offer camping and hiking, or just playing on the sand dunes. The dunes are a must see along with the light houses in the area.

Check out this website it may give you some other ideas,

http://www.ludingtoncvb.com/


Of Course you always have the big cities within three of four hours to go and party, check out great museums or just have a great dinner and relax and gamble a little or a lot. It all depends on you!

Detroit, Mi
Columbus, Oh
Cleveland, Oh
Cincinnati, Oh
Chicago, IL
Indianapolis, In
Toronto, Ont Canada

Each of these cities have great websites of fun things to do, most have professional Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey and or Soccer for other ideas.

We have planned our small weekend getaways for the summer-I hope you enjoy yours as well!!

Can I buy a foreclosure with FHA financing?

IS THIS HOUSE A DOG OR NOT?

I found the same confusion today talking to clients about FHA Homes and Mortgages!

I have a great question for you?

I am a first time home buyer-What type of home can I buy with FHA financing and can I buy a foreclosure home with FHA financing?

http://www.hud.gov/local/oh/news/fhaincentives.cfm

The best answer I have is-well, "maybe" and "that depends"

As a buyer, It truly depends on the type of repairs needed in the home, the type of financing you qualify for, and the home you are interested in.

If you are a buyer, the best step to take first is a pre-approval . The lender can guide you through the process of what type of property you qualify for and what options you have regarding foreclosure homes and what condition the home needs to be in as well.

I am a seller and I am not sure if I want to consider an FHA offer?

If you are a seller, don't be put off by the offer coming from the FHA buyer-times have changed and financing has changed with it!. Many of the first time home buyers in today's market are using an FHA product so be prepared to sell your home to any qualified buyer. Look at your bottom line-if you are happy with it, you may want to consider the offer.

What shape does the home need to be in to qualify for an FHA mortgage?

I have heard all types of discussion on this. Since we sell foreclosures on a weekly basis to FHA buyers, my answer to this question is always -well- "it depends and maybe!" There are foreclosures out there for FHA buyers. It just depends on the condition of the home, the loan you are qualified for, and the efforts of the professionals you are working with.

The lender makes the final determination according to what is marked on the appraisal. There are several guidelines outlined by HUD and other FHA websites where both buyers and sellers can get an idea of what to watch out for/repair prior to selling.

BIG TIP!! First time home Buyers may want to look into the FHA 203k program, USDA, and OFHA for lower down payment options and improvement options.

http://www.realtytrac.com/foreclosure/how-to-buy-foreclosures.html

Great information can also be found on Realty Trac

"Options are always possible, they just take more work and thought than the obvious!"

Should I sell my home right now?

If you are thinking about moving into a larger home for your family- then it could be a big yes-now is the time!

Why wouldn't you take advantage of purchasing a larger home at the current pricing with incredible interest rates?

Then I hear it-"But I will lose money on my current home in this market too"

Yes, you might not make as much as you would like on the current home. Many sellers are even bringing money to the table to get it done-all of that is true.

Let's take a minute to look at the big picture though.

Let's say your current home is in great shape-it is just too small for your family. You need to move to be comfortable into a larger home. You bought your home for 200k in 2005 and it is now worth 190k or less due to the drop in our market. The right buyer comes along and gives you 185k for your home so there is a 15k "loss" plus marketing fees and closing costs.

Most homeowners would think "Why would I want to do that?" sounds crazy so far doesn't it? "I think I will just stay put until the market changes." You will be there awhile!

Well let's think about this?

What if the larger homes you find yourself wishing for are currently priced 20-30% or more less than their value in a normal market? You are probly planning on staying the larger home for quite a few years. If you think about it in the long term, didn't we just make a profit?

You might notice the BOLD print on your current home being in great shape-it qualifies for an FHA buyer-that is what we are selling in this market. More on FHA Qualified home in my next post!

It is a great time to buy! Don't miss it!

Help us get the word out-stop foreclosures in Toledo!

It is still shocking to see how many homes are still going into default in Toledo! Especially with all the information and help available today! Realty Trac is showing an amazing number in Toledo-there are over 5000 homes in distress and foreclosure. Help us reach out to these homeowners and let them know there is help out there for them-they just need to know where to look and what to do.

One of my former clients has had great success with a local organization that is helping homeowners renegotiate with their current mortgage company. This client was able to save on their monthly payment and keep their home! You can find the information from a WTOL story at http://www.wtol.com/global/story.asp?S=9464967

Additional information is also available at my website http://www.perrysburg-homes.com