Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Breaking News: GE to Sell Appliance Division

As first reported on The Wall Street Journal, sources are saying that General Electric (GE) has hired Goldman Sachs Group to sell its Appliances business. The business, which is headquartered here in Louisville, KY, is part of GE's Consumer and Industrial division which accounted for roughly 10% of GE's revenues in 2007. Sales and revenue have fallen as a result of the downturn in the real estate market.

CEO Jeff Immelt, has pushed a growth platform since assuming the company's reins in 2001. Many analysts have called for the sale of the division for some time. Mr Immelt apparently now believes that this division no longer fits his growth model.

GE began making appliances in 1907. Appliance Park was built in 1951. At the peak over 25,000 employees worked at the park making refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washers, and dryers. Today, around 3000 employees work in the 1000 acre facility.

Potential buyers have been listed as LG, Haier, and Royal Philips Electronics.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Real Estate Definitions

Regardless of whether you are buying or selling your home in Louisville or Bullitt County Kentucky, it helps to know the lingo.

ARM - Adjustable Rate Mortgage - A loan with a rate that adjusts based on a given index. Despite the new, ARMs are not all bad. However, it is important to understand exactly how and when the rate will adjust.

APR - Annual Percentage Rate - A rate that reflects the actual cost of the loan including any discount points and fees.

Bedroom – According to Kentucky Residential Building Codes a room must have direct access to the exterior of the property to be considered a bedroom in Kentucky.

CMA - Comparative Market Analysis or Competitive Market Analysis - A market report showing the value of your property as determined by the sale of similar properties in your neighborhood.

Conventional Loan - aka Fixed-Rate Mortgage - A loan with a rate that does not change over the life of the loan

Discount Points - aka pre-paid interest - An upfront fee paid to get a lower interest rate. One point equals 1%.

DOM - Days on Market - In Louisville, the average DOM is 82 days. In Bullitt County, the average DOM is 93 days.

Earnest Money (aka Escrow Money, Good Faith Deposit) - Money given by the buyer to the seller as a sign of their commitment to purchase the property. In the Louisville-Bullitt County area 1-2% is common, however, this is a negotiable point. This money is credited to the buyer at the closing.

Equity - The difference between the value of the property and the amount owed on property.

GLAR - Greater Louisville Association of REALTORS

Loan-to-Value (LTV) - The ratio of the amount of the loan being requested to the appraised value of the house. In general, 100% loans have been eliminated. Most lenders are now requiring at least 3% from the buyer.

Market Value - The price that your Louisville - Bullitt County home could bring based on current market conditions.

MLS - Multiple Listing Service - An association that collects and distributes information about properties for sale in an area. The MLS is open to local real estate agents and brokers. The data can be viewed (but not created or modified) by the public. The MLS for the Louisville Metro Area is managed by GLAR.

REALTOR - A real estate agent who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) - To become a REALTOR, an agent must complete ethics training and take an oath to abide by a Code of Ethics. Not all real estate agents are REALTORS.

SQFT - Square-Footage - A measurement of the size of a home based on the exterior dimensions. In Kentucky, only above-ground square footage (AGSF) is counted unless the basement is a finished walkout.

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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.

Bullitt County Kentucky (KY) Real Estate Market Index



First the bad news;
1) Home sales in Bullitt County are down almost 30% this month.
2) Average Sales Price is also down from last year.
3) Of the 74 pending sales in April, only 58 closed in May.

Now, the good news;

1) Year-over-Year average sales price is still up 3.1% for Bullitt County.
2) There are over 115 pending sales that could close in May.
3) Interest Rates remain low and there are many affordable homes in Bullitt County.


In conclusion, now is still a great time to buy homes in Bullitt County. Homes are priced fairly and are available in almost every neighborhood. Now, is also a good time to sell a home in Bullitt County. However, if you really want to sell your home, you must prepare both your home properly. When you are ready to buy or sell a home in Bullitt County, please contact me so that I can help you make the process as simple as possible.

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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Bullitt County Real Estate Market Index


March was an interesting month for Bullitt County Real Estate. Once again, sales were off vs. last year (-39%). The good news is that there were also significantly fewer new listings than this time last year and inventory levels actually improved vs February. The better news is that average sales price of Bullitt County homes continued to climb. In fact, for the first quarter, the average sales price is up a whopping 6.3%.

Looking ahead, there are currently 74 pending listings in Bullitt County and April is setup to be a good month. I strongly encourage home sellers to make sure that your home is ready for the market BEFORE it is listed. Even with the reduced inventory levels, you are still competing with hundreds of other sellers. If you are considering buying a Bullitt County home, now is a great time to buy. Mortgage rates are still at or below 6% and choices are abundant.
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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Bullitt County Clean-up Days

Would you like to get that old couch out of the garage? How about removing the rusted-out dryer from the back patio while you are at it? Is it time for a new mattress?

The Bullitt County Fiscal Court is sponsoring 2 days in April that will allow Bullitt County residents get rid of all of their large items! Check the schedule below and then pack up all of those worn-out items that are taking up valuable space in your homes.



Saturday April 19th from 8a-4p

1) Lebanon Junction Elementary School

2) Bullitt County Stockyards



Saturday April 26th from 8a-4p

1) Bullitt East High School

2) Nichols Elementary School Parking Lot

3) Brooks Elementary School Parking Lot



Note: Non-recyclable garbage, tires, items containing freon, and hazardous materials will not be accepted.



Whether you are preparing to sell your Bullitt County home or simply spring cleaning, this is a great opportunity to get rid of those large items that are taking up space in you garage, basement, etc.






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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Subdivisions in Bullitt County: >$250,000

The following is a list of subdivisions in Bullitt County that contain homes for sale above $250,000. Click the subdivision to learn more about the neighborhood and the type of properties for sale. Please note that some subdivisions have homes that span multiple price categories.

I will be updating these regularly, so check back often.

If you are a home buyer or home seller who is looking for a real estate agent in Bullitt County, feel free to email or contact me.

I am here to help .


Subdivisions

Angels Crossing
Brooks Forest
Cedar Falls
Cherry Hilll
Country Estates
Country Manor
Creekview Estates
Deer Run Estates
Eagles Bluff / Zoneton
Fiddler Estates
Fox Chase / Fox Chase
Grandview Estates
Hebron Woods
Heritage Hill / Shepherdsville
Horse Run Estates
Kingswood
Lauren Woods
Locust Point
Lotus Pointe
Majestic Oaks
Matthew Bleemel
Northfield
Oak Pointe Estates
Pine Creek Forest
Pioneer Acres
Ridgewood
Rustic Villlage
Shulthise Farms
Stoney Ridge
Sycamore Bend
Twelve Oaks
Valley View
Wildwoods
Wilson Creek

Note: Information is for reference only. Please consult your Realtor for specific information.

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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.

Subdivisions in Bullitt County: $175,000-$250,000

The following is a list of subdivisions in Bullitt County that contain homes for sale between $175,000 and $250,000. Click the subdivision to learn more about the neighborhood and the type of properties for sale. Please note that some subdivisions have homes that span multiple price categories.
I will be updating these regularly, so check back often.

If you are a home buyer or home seller who is looking for a real estate agent in Bullitt County, feel free to email or contact me.

I am here to help .


Subdivisions

Alvine Foster
Arnold Estates
Audubon Terrace
Autumn Glen / Mt Washington
Big Clifty M
Bleemel Estates
Brooks Station
Bryarfield / Mt Washington
Cabin Creek
Canterbury G
Cassius Reyn
Cedar Place
Cedar Ridge
Cherry Hilll
Country Manor
Country Trace
Crumbacker Estates
English Mills
Equinox
Fernwoood Acres
Fiddler Lane
Floyds Fork Estates / Zoneton
Grand Oak Estates / Zoneton
GreenBriar Woods
Hebron Woods
Helmwood / Mt Washington
Heritage Creek
Highland Springs
Knob Acres
Lazy River Estates
Links of Heritage Hill / Shepherdsville
Locust Point
Majestic Run / Zoneton
Mallard Lake
Meadow Brook
Meadow Creek
Meadow Peak
Meadows of Cedar Grove
Mill Stream
Millers Crossing
Millstream Estates
Mockingbird
Nature Cove
Northfield
Oakwood / Shepherdsville
Old Spring House Farms
Overlook Estates
Peddlers
Pine Creek Forest
Pioneer Acres
Prestige Estates
Reserves at Bethel Branch / Mt Washington
Reserves of Mallard Lake / Shepherdsville
Ridgewood
Serene Meadows
Shadowlawn
Simmons Farm
Spring Meadow / Shepherdsville
St Andres Crossing
Stallings Acres
Stoneledge
Sycamore Bend
Tanyard Springs / Shepherdsville
The Pointe / Shepherdsville
The Springs
Timberline
Valley View
Wilson Creek
Woodlake
Woods of Mt Washington / Mt. Washington
Zoneton Estates / Zoneton

Note: Information is for reference only. Please consult your Realtor for specific information.

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Erik Hitzelberger is a licensed real estate agent specializing in helping buyers and sellers accomplish their real estate goals in Louisville and Bullitt County (Shepherdsville, Mt. Washington, Brooks, Fox Chase, Hillview, Hunter’s Hollow, Lebanon Junction, Pioneer Village, and Zoneton). To contact me, call (502) 921-3989 or email me. For more information, visit my website.