Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio

Scraping the last of the ice - Miller Ferry dock @ Catawba

My father (partner) and I spent some time on South Bass Island yesterday and today.  We met a client with an island listing we sold this week and serviced another listing with sign updates and new fliers.  After a drive around the island to see what was new we had a wonderful - and very large for the price - fish dinner at Tippers.  With friendly staff, two large pieces of perch and walleye per plate, and $1 beers how could we go wrong?

After dinner we went to the Chamber of Commerce meeting which also had a review of what is happening in Put-in-Bay.  The community is thriving with arts, the fire department, historical groups and church groups all participating.  The businesses are gearing up to prepare for what is expected to be a very, very busy season with the Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial.

If you haven't yet scheduled lodging for the upcoming historical events you should do so quickly.  I don't think space will last this year.  We stayed at a B & B that changed hands recently.  We represented the seller.  The Getaway Inn with proprietor Dan was wonderful.  He made us a fantastic breakfast and we enjoyed good conversation.

If you are considering a vacation this year, whether a week or a weekend, consider vacationing on our Lake Erie Islands in beautiful Northern Ohio.

Howard Hanna Gives Back to the Community

March 22, 2013 – Howard Hanna Real Estate Services Chairman and CEO, Howard W. “Hoddy” Hanna, III, announced today that the company’s 2012 donations to local children’s hospitals topped $760,000, up from $695,000 last year.

The company’s annual “Choo Choo Chow Chow” fundraising campaign, established 25 years ago, has donated $8.3 million for the care of children at children’s hospitals in market areas where the company does business.

“The ongoing dedication of our sales associates, management team and staff to the Children’s Free Care Fund is tremendous.  Thousands of volunteer hours are spent planning office Chow Chow events, striving to make them better and better every year, resulting in $8.3 million in donations for the care of children at local children’s hospitals in the communities where we do business,” said Hanna.  “Our goal is too see every child treated regardless of their financial resources or insurance status.”

In conjunction with the “Chow Chow” events, Howard Hanna conducts an annual raffle benefitting the Children’s Free Care Fund. This year’s $10,000 cash prize was won by Doug Yaple of Erie, PA. The winning ticket, sold by the Howard Hanna Erie South office at 5620 Peach Street, was drawn on February 26, 2013.

The Howard Hanna Children’s Free Care Fund partners:

Akron Children’s Hospital

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital

C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor

Hamot Medical Center, Erie

Hershey Medical Center

MetroHealth, Cleveland

Pinnacle Health, Harrisburg

Shriner’s Children’s Hospital of Erie

University Hospital Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Cleveland

Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is the #1 real estate company in Pennsylvania and Ohio and the 4^th largest real estate company in the United States. The family-owned real estate company specializes in residential and commercial brokerage service, mortgages, closing and title insurance, land development, appraisal services, insurance services, corporate relocation and property management. With 144 offices across PA, OH, NY, WV & MI, Howard Hanna’s more than 4,700 sales associates, management and staff are guided by a spirit of integrity in all aspects of the real estate process.   

Top Three Things Home Buyers Want -

What are the top three things Buyers are looking for?  

According to the NAR's 2013 Profile of Buyer's Home Feature Preferences report home buyers in today's market MOST want:

Air Conditioning

A Walk-in Closet in the Master Bedroom

Cable/Satellite TV or Internet Readiness

How does your Northern Ohio house stack up?  Call for your free evaluation!

The Housing Market is Improving

"Island Homes Seeing Sunlight"

Crain's Cleveland Business

March 20th, 2013

"Island Homes Seeing Sunlight"
Crain's Cleveland Business
March 20th, 2013


"After Years of Wild Swings, the U.S. Housing Market is Slowly Returning to Normal"
CNN Money
March 05th, 2013


"Housing is Back!"
Cover - Money Magazine
April, 2013


"Upbeat Outlook for the Ohio Housing Market, 
Top Economist Says"
OAR Daily Buzz
January, 2013

Listing Shortages in Many Northern Ohio Neighborhoods

I'm sitting at on of my regular stops - Rios in Avon Lake.  It looks like it's going to be a sunny if cold morning.  As I drove in this morning listening to Bloomberg radio I heard several stories covering the improving housing market and decreases in distressed property in the U.S.  Barron's had a story about the improving second-home market in the U.S., and Howard Hanna and our wonderful office manager have been stressing the shortage of listings and our need to farm our respective areas for new listings.

OK - I get the message.  Please call me at 440-315-6000 to list your real estate for sale!

Why list now?

• Low interest rates will not last forever and they are helping to drive buyers into the market.
• Yes - if you wait prices will go up, but so will the price on the property you will purchase to replace your existing home.
• As interest rates increase the price of the home each individual buyer can purchase correspondingly decreases.
• Did I mention that there is a lack of listings in the market?  Fewer listings mean more buyers per listing.  

I have a particular need for listings in Avon, Avon Lake, and any lakefront property.  No you will not get the prices that existed during the boom, but prices and sales are strong, stable and improving.  If you price your property competitively based on your individual market and it's condition then you have a much, much better chance of getting an offer and having that offer pass all of the checks necessary for you to get a check at the end of the process then you did 2, 3, 4 or 5 years ago.  It may be time for you to get off of the fence!

Contact me today at 440-315-6000

LeeHisey@howardhanna.com

"Selling Cleveland to the Lake Erie Islands"

www.HiseyGroup.com

HUGE SHORTAGE OF HOMES FOR SALE IN MANY NORTHERN OHIO NEIGHBORHOODS!

If you have a home 
you have been considering listing - 

now is the time to call us at 440-315-6000!

Buyers are getting off of the fence and making moves with multiple offers becoming a regular event.  Avon and Avon Lake, Ohio have a listing shortage for buyers to view.  If your home is in good shape and priced fairly based on today's market (and yes prices are going up), or you are willing to price it with required repairs and upgrades calculated when setting the price - it WILL sell!  Short sales in nice neighborhoods are on the decline in our area and interest rates are still very, very low.

The Lake Erie Islands and Ohio's "Vacation Land" are also expected to have business pick-up this year with an increase in visitors bringing it into the spotlight.  If you are considering selling your home in Vermilion, Sandusky, Huron, Catawba, Marblehead, Middle Bass Island, South Bass Island, or Kelleys Island then call us today so we can have it in the system before the rush.

RealEstate@HiseyGroup.com

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http://www.HiseyGroup.com

Call me at:  440-315-6000

Middle Bass Island, Ohio School Board Summer Programs 2013

Summer Activities at the Middle Bass Island School

Save the Date for 2013 -

June 17-20 Nature Camp Session 2 (Ages 6-8)
June 17-21 Environmental Adventure Camp 1 (Ages 9-10)
June 24-26 My First Nature Camp (Ages 4-5)
June 24-28 Environmental Adventure Camp 2 (Ages 11-14
July 8-13 Arts Camp Kindergarten thru 8th Grade

Registration forms will be out later this spring. If you have questions, contact Kelly Halterman at 440-748-1939 - March 1, 2013