Popular Golfview Woods Subdivision. Mature trees every where! Two public golf courses within .5 miles. Close to OSU, Upper Arlington and downtown Columbus. Hilliard Schools with Columbus taxes. On a quiet cul-de-sac. Hardwood floors, updated bathrooms, new HVAC, spacious owner's suite with vaulted ceiling. Finished basement. Fenced yard. Motivated Sellers! Add this one to your list.

Do you have a backup for your personal belongings? Not that you need duplicates of all the items but do you have a journal listing of all the items with a description and their approximate values? That record becomes the backup that supports the claim for your insurance.

If a building sustains a total loss, the insurance company will usually pay the face amount of the policy. When it comes to personal property which might be 40% to 50% of the insured value of the dwelling, the insurance company is going to expect an accounting with receipts or at least, a relatively recent inventory.

The better your inventory, the less likely you'll have difficulty with the claim. Almost everyone has a digital camera that can take stills and probably even videos. The combination of the images as well as a written description will help you replace the belongings and serve as proof to the insurance company.

Once you've made the inventory, store it off site for safe keeping. Online storage in the "cloud" might be the best place to insure you'll always know where it is. Contact me for a free Home Inventory form; it's my way of helping you be a better homeowner.

Looking for some space/privacy close to amenities? This is it. Super location on just over an acre with Hilliard Schools. Only minutes to downtown, Upper Arlington and OSU. Updated Kitchen with granite counter tops and new cabinets. Enclosed breezeway features hot tub and is used as a family room/relaxation area. Spacious backyard is fenced (lot extends beyond fence) and features a multi level deck, above ground pool and lush landscaping. Add this one to your list!

A married homeowner filing jointly can have fully deductible interest on a mortgage of up to $1,000,000 of acquisition debt and up to an additional $100,000 of home equity debt. If the married couple files separately, each party is limited to deducting the interest on half of those maximum amounts.

The court case came about when two unmarried individuals who owned a home together as joint tenants felt that they were entitled to deduct the interest on $1.1 million of debt each. IRS did not agree with their understanding and neither did the Tax Court. The Court ruled that the limits apply per residence, not per taxpayer even if a home is co-owned by unmarried taxpayers.

The result for the taxpayers in this case was that their deduction was cut in half resulting in much more income tax due. While this situation only affects a few taxpayers, homeowners in this position should have a discussion with their tax professional.

Before you call the repairman next time, keep these things in mind to see if it is something simple:

• Disposer not working - check to see if the reset button has been thrown. It is usually on the bottom of the disposer. If the disposer is making a humming sound, the blades may be stuck. While the disposer is turned off, use a wooden broom handle as a lever to gently rotate the blades. Remove the broom handle and turn on the disposer to see if it works properly.
• Air conditioner not working - check to see if a breaker has thrown on your electric panel. You might need to flip the breaker completely off and flip it back on.
• Electrical outlets not working - Electrical plugs in bathrooms or outside, especially on a porch or patio, are many times connected to a ground fault interrupter. The GFI will be a wall outlet and it may be located in the garage. Locate the outlet and reset the button that may have tripped.
• Clogged drain - a simple way to correct a slow or clogged drain is to use the water pressure from a garden hose. You'll need a helper to turn on the water full-blast once you have safely placed the hose in the drain and are holding a hand-towel around the hose to direct the water to the drain. Be prepared to tell your helper to turn off the water when needed.

Whether it's preparing a home to market or arranging repairs required by the sale, REALTORS® know reputable, reasonable and reliable service contractors. We're here to share our contacts with you to help make home ownership better.

You can subscribe to the U.S. government's service to notify the public when recalls are made on vehicles, tires and child restraints through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on their site called SaferCar.gov.

You'll receive a notification by email when there is a new recall based on the type you selected. You can change your selections or unsubscribe at any time by going back to their website in the "Manage Your Notifications" section.

I'm committed to helping you be a better homeowner by providing information on items that can protect your home's value, reduce expenses, improve maintenance and increase the enjoyment of your home.

Normally, IRS considers partial or total debt forgiven by a lender to be treated as ordinary income. This not only affects foreclosures but even short sales where only part of the debt is forgiven would trigger additional taxes for the homeowner. There are exceptions that apply such as bankruptcy and insolvency.

The forgiveness is only applicable to taxpayers' principal residence and only acquisition debt used to buy, build or improve the home. The additional cash taken out when refinancing a home will not be eligible for the relief unless it is used for capital improvements.

The lender is required to submit a 1099 form to IRS and provide the homeowner a copy who will file the forgiven amount on Form 982 as part of their 1040 tax return. How this affects your individual situation may differ due to other circumstances and advice from a tax professional is recommended.

Welcome home! Inviting front porch. Many recent improvements/updates including Roof, Furnace, Air Conditioner, Carpet, Garage Door Opener, Refrigerator. Large fenced in back yard is perfect for entertaining. 3 season room , deck and shed. Finished basement plus a great workshop area. Hilliard schools are nearby. Great family friendly neighborhood. Add this one to your list.

Wow! This is a really nice home. You will not be disappointed. Priced for a quick sale, so don't delay. Great Kitchen with stainless steel appliances and stylish back splash. Cozy Family Room with Fireplace. Neutral, move-in condition. Huge deck enclosed for privacy. Fenced yard is perfect for your dog. Shed for storage. Easy access to shopping and freeway. Add this one to your list.

At the far end of the subdivision on a quiet low traffic court. Nice Kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances and tile floors. Massive Family Room with bamboo flooring. 1st floor laundry including washer & dryer. Finished basement with built-ins and plenty of storage. Spacious Master with soaking tub, shower and walk-in closet. Private Deck. This home offers possession at closing.

The Housing Affordability Index was developed over thirty years ago to help consumers determine when it is a good time to buy a home. It's considered advantageous to the buyer when the index is over 100 because a median income family can qualify for a median price home.

Recent figures released by the National Association of REALTORS' economic department show that the 2011 index of 184.5 is the highest annual average since it has been calculated. The most recent month released, December 2011, was 194.9. The index is also broken down into four regions of the country.

The two major components that contribute to the index are home prices and mortgage interest rates which are lower than they've been in the last five years which account for the dramatic rise in the index since 2006.

The Housing Affordability Index is another indication that this is a good time to buy a home for people who have good credit, a down payment and want a home. It may be the best time we'll see in our lifetimes.

FHA has raised the annual Mortgage Insurance Premium to 1.25% beginning April 1st.  MIP is required on all FHA loans and used to fund losses by lenders for borrowers who default on their mortgages.  As of June 1st, FHA loans in excess of the standard maximum of $625,500, in high-cost areas, will have a premium of 1.5% of the loan amount.

In addition to the increase in the annual MIP, FHA also announced it plans to raise the fee on the up-front MIP from 1.00% to 1.75%.  No date was reported for its implementation.

The bottom line will result in a borrower’s payments going up.  However, it might not be restricted to the MIP.  Freddie Mac’sPrimary Mortgage Market Survey showed that both 30 year and 15 year mortgages have gone up too.

One way to avoid the increase is to have a completed sales contract and have your lender order the FHA commitment prior to April 1, 2012.  If you plan on buying a home this spring, there is a reason to do it earlier rather than later.

Soft contemporary M/I Brennen floor plan. Spacious Kitchen with center island, corian counters and eat-in area. 1st floor laundry. Vaulted owner's suite with walk-in closet. Loft overlooks Great Room with cozy gas log fireplace. Finished basement. Fresh interior paint. New roof. Park in subdivision. Huge deck overlooks nice open space. See deck view picture. Neat, clean and ready to go! Add this one to your list.

Neat, clean, neutral and ready to go! Nothing to do but move in. New high efficiency furnace. New flooring throughout most of home. New roof in 2007. 2nd floor laundry. Spacious Master with walk-in closet. Backs to the Scioto Woods park! Close to OSU, Upper Arlington, downtown Columbus and several golf courses! See it!

Not your average "cookie cutter" floor plan. Soft contemporay flair. 17' ceilings in Family Room with cozy fireplace. Spacious kitchen with island, granite, large eat-in area and Sun Room! 2nd floor laundry. Vaulted Master w/plant ledge and deluxe bath that includes soaking tub, shower & double sinks.Finished basement includes 3 additional rooms-a lounge/TV area, a workout area and a Buckeye Room complete with pool table that could be yours with the purchase of this home. Plumbed for bathroom.

Proximity to the subject property is one of the first elements to an accurate CMA (Comparable Market Analysis). We want to use homes that are in the same subdivision, school district or zip code.

Style of home would be one of the next factors. We want to compare ranch home to ranch homes, two stories to two stories, etc. The market/marketability of a one story is much different than a two story.

Overall square feet would be next. I try to keep this number around 10%. In other words, if I have  2000 square foot home that I’m trying to do a CMA for, I’ll go from 1800-2200 square feet for possible comparables.

Amenities are next. Number of bedrooms, bathrooms, finished basement, size of garage, size of lot, deck, landscaping and quality of updates/ finishes. This is where it gets a bit more complicated and subjective. This is where an experienced realtor can really help.

Other factors that affect the calculations that go into a good CMA and selecting good comparables are: age of home, subdivision amenities, area amenities, age of major mechanicals, age of roof, size of lot, lot amenities,  etc.

Comparables are much easier to find in an established neighborhood of “like kind” homes. This is much more difficult in rural areas and areas of upscale custom homes.

Always remember that the purpose of a CMA is to approximate the market value of your property. It is not written in stone. Ultimately your property will be sell for what a ready, willing and able Buyer is willing to pay in the current market conditions. You will maximize the potential selling price by fully exposing the property to as many qualified purchasers as possible. This can best be achieved by incorporating various types of marketing, including the internet, MLS, direct mail, print advertising, word of mouth, social networking, etc.

Homeowners must be concerned about unmaintained furnaces, water heaters and appliances that can produce the deadly gas. Other sources could include leaking chimneys, unvented kerosene or gas space heaters and even exhaust from cars operating in an attached garage.

The Environmental Protection Agency suggests the following to reduce exposure in the home:

• Keep gas appliances properly adjusted
• Install and use an exhaust fan vented to the outdoors over gas stoves
• Open flues when fireplaces are in use
• Do not idle car inside garage
• Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up central heating systems annually

There can be many symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning that can resemble other types of poisoning. Headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and feelings of weakness or fatigue are a few of the most common symptoms. Lower levels of exposure may be mistaken for the flu.

Roughly half the states have laws regarding carbon monoxide detectors in homes. Regardless of the requirements, what person would want to put their family, guests or themselves at risk for something so deadly? The devices can be purchased for as little as $20 and plugged into the wall like a night light.

You will not find any other property in this price range and area as nice as this one! Immaculate, move-in condition. Worthington schools. Easy access to freeway, shopping & entertainment. Fee Simple--no condo fees. Fenced yard. Private patio, shed and garden area. 1 car attached garage. 1st floor laundry. See it!!

You deserve this lifestyle! Quality built patio home in prestigious Wedgewood. Excellent location on Oxford Circle backing to a tree line and open field owned by the Zoo. Enjoy nature from your screened porch and deck. Very serene! Finished lower level is plumbed for a Kitchen. Possible in-law suite. Turn Key possible.