Gary Robins, Your Realtor of Choice

Gary Robins, Your Realtor of Choice I'm a real estate professional who can help you sell your current home or find your dream home. Contact me today and let me know how I can be of service.

04/28/2023

Jerry Springer died yesterday.
I got to know him because his daughter, Katie, married Adam Yenkin, a Bexley, Ohio native. My wife, Connie, and I attended the wedding, as well as other family functions.
Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success. He was a genuinely great guy and very approachable. Great success did not go to his head. He was one of the most unassuming individuals I ever met.
The last time I saw him, I was walking with a cane. He asked me “what’s with the cane”? I answered that "I was having hip surgery".
Without missing a beat he looked at me and said: You were always a hip guy".
Connie and I extend our heartfelt condolences to Katie, and his wife, Micki. May Jerry’s memory be for a blessing.

01/12/2023

In a recent email from Ohio Realtors, it was stated that some sellers in Ohio have experienced (often under the control of a licensed real estate agent) unknown individuals walking through homes, room-to-room and noticing personal items that have been stolen or damaged.
This scenario does not take place with my sellers! It has been my standard operating procedure that I do not place a lock box to the entry of the home, and I am present for any and all showings. All showings are scheduled with me and not a centralized showing service. This is just another instance that separates me from other real estate agents. Please use an agent that’s looking out for your best interest.

08/15/2022

In Honor of National Lemon Meringue Pie Day, I am delving into the history behind this classic dessert. Lemon meringue pie is a Philadelphia creation from the Victorian era. Its invention is credited to Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, a 19th-century pastry shop proprietress who ran America’s first cooking school. (The recipe ultimately evolved from her famous lemon pudding.) In the mid-19th century, Eliza Leslie helped familiarize Americans with meringue-topped puddings, and by the 1860s, lemon meringue pie recipes were showing up in cookbooks nationwide.

06/24/2022

Selling your home is a big deal and it can be hard to know when it’s time to make the move and put your home on the market.
So, if you’re thinking about selling your home, the question is—how do you know the right time to make a move?
A recent article from realtor.com outlined key signs that it may be time to sell your home, including:
· You’re in a seller’s market. In a seller’s market, there’s more demand for homes than there is supply. This translates to homes selling quickly and profitably—so, if you find yourself in these market conditions, it’s a great time to consider putting your home on the market.
· Local homes are selling for a premium. If you notice homes in your neighborhood are consistently fetching top dollar when they sell, it could be an indicator that your home will do the same, making it a great time to consider making a move and listing your property.
· You’ve outgrown your current home. Sometimes, no matter how much you love a home, you’ve simply outgrown it. For example, your 2-bedroom condo might have been the perfect spot for you and your partner to start married life—but now that you’ve added three kids and two dogs to your family, you need more space. If you’ve outgrown your current home for whatever reason, it definitely makes sense to consider selling your present property, and searching for something that’s a better fit for your needs.

06/22/2022

Are we in a housing buble? “I don’t think so – bubbles are generally driven by speculation and in the case of the last housing bubble, very lax underwriting,” John Chang VP at Marcus & Millichap says. He adds that pace of construction was a key factor leading up to the last bubble. Between 2003 and 2010, 2.8 million more housing units were built than the number of households that were formed.
“There was a housing surplus, and eventually the easy underwriting and speculation forced prices to reset,” Chang says. But since 2011, the US has produced fewer units, creating a shortage.
“We’ve effectively run out of available housing units, so it’s very difficult to form new households now. That’s creating pent up demand,” he says. In addition, apartment vacancy now stands at a record low 2.4%.
“There aren’t enough housing units to allow people to move out on their own, and that’s driving the market…The situation is very different than it was before the last housing bubble,” Chang says. “Rather than an oversupply of housing, with very loose underwriting, we have a housing shortage with generally sound underwriting.”

06/13/2022

While home prices are responding to higher mortgage rates, there is “little evidence of a housing bubble that is about to burst,” according to a new report from Moody’s Analytics. The lowest tier of the housing market appreciated by 17.2% in the past year alone, placing an extreme burden on first-time buyers.
“Climbing mortgage rates, coupled with already unaffordable housing, especially for first time buyers, will finally crack housing demand,” Moody’s analysts note in a new whitepaper. They say the “extreme price gains” observed last year have led to housing prices that are 21% overvalued by the end of 2021. By way of contrast, homes were 24% overvalued at the peak of the housing bubble. Lower demand and increasing supply will lead to moderating house prices,” the analysts say. “ The analysts also say demographics are stronger now than 15 years ago, as there are more people in “prime homebuying age” than in the mid-2000s.
“While demand will moderate–assuming there is not a recession–it will not completely collapse,” the report says. “There is currently a severe housing shortage… (and) additional supply will not flood the market as it did before the Great Recession. Supply chain disruptions, labor supply, and high commodity prices have all slowed new home construction. These forces will lead to a more moderate decline in house prices in the next few years…There will be modest price declines in 2023, and then prices will mostly move sideways for the next few years.”

06/10/2022

No doubt about it, since 2022 got underway, mortgage rates have been on a stairway higher and that makes it harder for buyers to qualify for a mortgage on one hand and even when they do qualify, it puts additional strain on their household budget on the other. So how can buyers and owners keep their rate and payment as low as possible despite rising interest rates? Maybe they should consider the following:
1) Paying discount points (fees you pay a lender to reduce the interest rate on a mortgage)
2) Choosing an ARM (Adjustable rate mortgage) over a fixed rate loan. An ARM is a mortgage that does not have a fixed interest rate. The rate changes during the life of the loan.
3) Consider an interest only mortgage. An interest-only mortgage is when you only pay interest the first several years of the loan — making your monthly payments lower when you first start making mortgage payments).
Please call me at 614.332.2501 to further discuss.

My latest listing at 1320 Seymour Avenue in Columbus, OH. Lovely 3-bedroom, 2-full bath home with finished basement & l...
05/24/2022

My latest listing at 1320 Seymour Avenue in Columbus, OH. Lovely 3-bedroom, 2-full bath home with finished basement & large fenced-in yard with double decks. Home has original hardwood floors, even those that are carpeted. Priced to sell @ $289,900. Please call me @ 614.332.2501 to set up an appointment to view the property.

05/20/2022

Home Price Expectations
As a potential seller, equity gains have been tremendous over the last few years but also note that appreciation will affect the price of any home purchase that you are looking to make. Don't make the mistake of trying to time the market and sell at high prices while expecting to purchase when prices fall….that is not a likely scenario.
The other impact on your cost to purchase will be on the mortgage interest that you pay. Waiting may have increased costs as interest rates continue to rise. We have already seen a huge uptick in mortgage interest rates and those rates are not expected to drop any time soon.
Buyers should not wait on prices to drop as experts forecast higher prices throughout the year. If you are ready to buy, it may be financially beneficial to do so before prices and interest rates go any higher. Please call me to answer any further question that you have. 614.332.2501.

05/17/2022

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, during which we celebrate the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders whose rich heritage has shaped the history of the United States while having their lives dramatically influenced by moments in its history.
All Americans should pay special attention to and condemn the violence and hatred that has been directed at the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

05/16/2022

According to an article in yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch, skyrocketing mortgage rates & home prices have pushed the cost to buy a typical Franklin County home up about $500 a month from a year ago. Buyers might want to consider an FHA or a VA loan. A growing number of buyers are looking at adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), which carry lower interest rates but for a limited term (anywhere from one to 15 years before they adjust).

05/12/2022

Today is No Place for Hate Day – Join the Movement!
Over 1.4 million students supported by 100,000+ educators learned how to take action against bias and bullying in the last school year across more than 1,800+ schools.

Address

2404 E. Main Street
Bexley, OH
43209

Telephone

+16143322501

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Gary Robins, Your Realtor of Choice posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category