Norby Fischer - Real Estate Agent

10/12/2026

DO HOME PRICES DROP IN THE FALL? SOME NUMBERS SOFTEN SEASONALLY, BUT MUCH OF THE CHANGE COMES FROM WHICH HOMES ARE SELLING

History does show a seasonal rhythm in U.S. housing. In most years, the national median sale price peaks around early summer and eases through fall and winter, while the number of sales and new listings drops. What that pattern means is often misread.

Why the median dips. The median is simply the middle sale in a given month. In spring and summer, the mix of homes selling tends to include more higher-priced properties, which pulls the middle up. In the fourth quarter, the mix shifts. A lower median in November doesn't mean any particular home lost value. It means a different set of homes sold. That's why a single month's median change isn't a measure of appreciation or depreciation.

What does tend to change in Q4:

- Fewer new listings, which means less competition for the sellers who do list.
- Fewer buyers overall, though a higher share of them are on a deadline.
- Longer days on market, as showings slow around the holidays.

What it means for sellers. You may face less competition and more motivated buyers, but price for current activity, not for last spring's pace. A well-priced home still sells in Q4. An overpriced one sits longer than it would have in April.

What it means for buyers. Slower activity can create room to negotiate, especially on homes that have been listed since summer. Don't expect a seasonal discount on a well-priced home in a segment with few listings, though. Those still draw attention.

The local read. Central Ohio behaves differently by price point and area, and a metro-wide seasonal pattern can hide a lot. The comparison worth making is specific: how homes in your neighborhood and price range performed this fall compared with the same months in prior years.

The bottom line. Seasonality affects how fast homes sell and how many are available more than it affects what a well-priced home is worth. Plan around the pace, and let recent comparable sales, not the calendar, guide your price.

Want to see how your neighborhood has performed in past fourth quarters? Message me and I'll pull the history for your area and price range.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/11/2026

CAN YOU BUY A HOME WITH STUDENT LOANS? YES. LENDERS CARE MOST ABOUT YOUR MONTHLY PAYMENT, NOT THE BALANCE

This myth keeps a lot of qualified buyers renting longer than they need to. Student loans don't disqualify you from buying a home. They count toward your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), the same way a car payment does.

How lenders count them. In most cases, the lender uses the monthly payment shown on your credit report or payment documentation. A $300 payment counts as $300 of monthly debt, whether the balance is $20,000 or $80,000.

The catch: $0 and deferred payments. If you're on an income-driven plan with a very low or $0 payment, or your loans are deferred or in forbearance, each loan program has its own rule for what payment to count. Some use your documented payment, while others calculate a payment from a percentage of the balance. That difference can change your approval amount considerably, so ask your lender to run your file under more than one loan type.

Defaulted federal loans are a real obstacle. Government-backed mortgages such as FHA, VA, and USDA loans generally require that you not be delinquent or in default on federal debt. If you're behind, getting current or rehabilitating the loan comes first.

What helps:

- Keep every payment on time. Payment history carries the most weight in your credit score.
- Know your exact payment amount and repayment plan, and keep your servicer statements handy.
- If you're working on DTI, look at paying off smaller debts with only a few payments left.
- Don't refinance your student loans or switch repayment plans mid-application without asking your lender first.

Ohio help for recent graduates. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency's Grants for Grads program offers eligible recent graduates a discounted interest rate plus down payment assistance, with first-time buyer, income, purchase price, and credit requirements. Program details change, so check myohiohome.org or ask an OHFA-approved lender for current terms.

Plenty of people buy homes while paying off student loans. What matters is how the monthly payment fits alongside your full budget, and a good lender can show you exactly where you stand.

Wondering where you stand with student loans in the mix? I'll connect you with a lender who can run your numbers under each loan type. Message me.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

OHFA offers down payment assistance, career-related interest rate discounts and other loan products to make buying a home or condo easier.

10/10/2026

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU HAVE YOUR CHIMNEY AND DRYER VENT CHECKED? ONCE A YEAR, BEFORE HEATING SEASON STARTS

Fireplaces and dryers both move heat and exhaust out of your house. When that path gets blocked or damaged, the result can be a fire or carbon monoxide indoors. Both checks are inexpensive compared to the risk.

Your chimney and fireplace

The national standard chimney professionals work from, NFPA 211, calls for chimneys, fireplaces, and vents to be inspected once a year. A certified chimney sweep (look for CSIA certification) checks for creosote buildup, cracks in the flue liner, damaged crowns and caps, and animal nests.

Wood-burning fireplace? Creosote builds up as you burn, and it's flammable. Your sweep will tell you whether cleaning is needed.

Gas fireplace? It still needs an annual look at the burner, venting, glass, and pilot assembly.

Buying a home with a fireplace? NFPA 211 calls for a more thorough Level 2 inspection, which includes a camera scan inside the flue, when a property is sold. A general home inspection typically doesn't include that, so if you plan to use the fireplace, consider ordering one during your inspection period.

Your dryer vent

The U.S. Fire Administration identifies failure to clean as the leading cause of home dryer fires. Lint collects well beyond the lint screen, inside the duct and at the exterior vent.

- Clean the lint screen after every load.
- Have the full vent run cleaned at least once a year, more often with heavy use or a long duct run.
- Replace plastic or foil accordion ducting with rigid or semi-rigid metal.
- Check the outside flap. It should open when the dryer runs and close when it stops, with nothing blocking it.

Warning signs: clothes taking longer than usual to dry, a dryer or laundry room that feels unusually hot, or a burning smell. Any of those means stop using the dryer and get the vent checked.

Carbon monoxide. A fuel-burning fireplace or a gas dryer is one more reason to have working CO alarms. More on that October 24.

Put both checks on the calendar for the same week each fall, and they'll never slip through the cracks.

Need a certified chimney sweep or a dryer vent cleaner? Reach out. I'm happy to share referrals.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/09/2026

WHAT'S IT LIKE LIVING IN GERMAN VILLAGE? BRICK STREETS, 1800S BRICK HOMES, AND HISTORIC REVIEW FOR ANYTHING EXTERIOR

German Village sits just south of downtown Columbus, and it looks the way it does because residents fought to save it. Settled by German immigrants in the 1800s, the neighborhood declined through the first half of the 20th century, then was rescued by a local preservation movement starting around 1960. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 and is widely cited as the largest privately funded historic district on the Register.

The housing. Most buildings date to the last quarter of the 19th century: small brick cottages, "Dutch doubles," Italianate homes, and some larger residences, set close together on small lots along brick sidewalks, narrow streets, and alleys. Interiors range from carefully preserved originals to full modern renovations behind historic facades.

Historic review comes with ownership. German Village is a city historic district, and visible exterior changes, from windows and doors to fences and additions, go through the German Village Commission's review before work begins. Ohio's residential property disclosure form even asks sellers whether a home sits in a designated historic district. If you have exterior projects in mind, read the district's guidelines before you write an offer.

Schiller Park. The neighborhood's 23-acre park, with gardens, a pond, open lawns, and an amphitheater that hosts summer theater, is the center of community life.

Walkability. Restaurants, coffee shops, and The Book Loft are a short walk from most homes, and downtown is close enough to walk or bike. The Brewery District sits just to the west, Schumacher Place to the east, and Merion Village to the south, and each is worth touring if you like the German Village feel but want different price points or housing styles.

Parking and space. Many homes rely on street parking, and yards are small, often courtyards more than lawns. If you're used to an attached garage and a big backyard, spend an evening and a weekend morning in the neighborhood to see how daily life works.

School district. German Village is part of Columbus City Schools. Research schools through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and by visiting in person. I don't rate schools, and fair housing law doesn't allow steering.

Trade-offs. Square footage can be modest for the price, older brick homes need ongoing care, and historic review adds time and planning to exterior projects. If 19th-century character close to downtown is at the top of your list, German Village belongs on your tour.

Curious how German Village compares with Schumacher Place or Merion Village for your budget? Message me and I'll put a comparison together.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/08/2026

SHOULD YOU PAY POINTS OR TAKE LENDER CREDITS? IT DEPENDS ON HOW LONG YOU'LL KEEP THE LOAN, AND THE BREAK-EVEN MATH TELLS YOU

Every mortgage rate has a price. You can pay more upfront for a lower rate (discount points), accept a slightly higher rate in exchange for money toward closing costs (lender credits), or negotiate help from the seller (seller credits). The right choice mostly comes down to one question: how long will you keep this loan?

Discount points. One point costs 1% of the loan amount and lowers your interest rate. How much each point lowers the rate varies by lender and by day, so ask for the exact trade in writing.

Lender credits. The same trade in reverse. You accept a slightly higher rate, and the lender gives you a credit toward closing costs. You bring less cash to closing and pay more every month.

The break-even math. Divide the upfront cost by the monthly savings. Here's an illustration using hypothetical numbers, not a rate quote: on a $300,000 loan, one point costs $3,000. If it lowers the rate from 7.00% to 6.75%, principal and interest drops from about $1,996 to about $1,946, roughly $50 a month. $3,000 divided by $50 is 60 months, about five years to break even. Keep the loan longer and the point pays you back. Sell or refinance sooner and you've spent money you won't recover.

Seller credits. A seller can agree to pay some of your closing costs, and those dollars can often go toward points or a temporary buydown. Limits on seller contributions depend on your loan type and down payment, so check with your lender before you write the offer.

How to decide:

- Expect to stay in the home and keep the loan for many years? Points can make sense.
- Might move or refinance within a few years? Paying no points, or taking lender credits, usually wins.
- Short on cash to close? Lender credits or seller credits reduce what you bring.

Compare like with like. Points appear in Section A of your Loan Estimate, and lender credits show up in Section J. If you compare lenders, ask each for quotes with the same point structure so you're comparing the same thing.

One caution. Don't count on a future refinance to make the math work. Nobody can promise where rates will go.

Want an introduction to a lender who'll show you the side-by-side math? Message me.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/07/2026

HOW DO YOU SELL A HOUSE IN OCTOBER? LEAN INTO THE SEASON WITH FALL COLOR, WARM LIGHT, AND SHOWINGS PLANNED AROUND SHORTER DAYS

October listings compete with fewer homes than spring listings do, and the buyers still touring are motivated. The job is presenting your home well in a season of falling leaves and earlier sunsets.

Photograph while the color is on the trees. Fall color photographs beautifully for a few weeks. Once the leaves drop, trees look bare in listing photos for months. If you're listing this fall or winter, schedule exterior photos now, even if you aren't ready to go live.

Stay ahead of the leaves. Rake or blow the front yard before photos and before weekend showings. A clean lawn and clear walkways tell buyers the house has been cared for.

Light it like it's evening, because soon it will be. Daylight saving time ends November 1 this year, and after that most weekday showings happen after dark. Turn on every light, including exterior fixtures and lamps, and replace dim or mismatched bulbs.

Set the thermostat for comfort. Buyers coming in on a chilly evening notice a cold house right away. Keep the heat at a normal setting, even when you're away for showings.

Keep seasonal decor light. A pair of mums on the steps or a simple wreath works. Keep holiday decorations minimal and out of the listing photos, since they date the photos and pull attention from the house.

Feature the fireplace, safely. A clean, simply styled hearth photographs well. Have the fireplace inspected before you use it this season, and never leave a fire burning during showings you won't be there for.

Plan for weather. Put a sturdy mat at the entry, keep walkways clear, and leave a spot for shoes so buyers aren't hunting for one.

Price for the season you're in. October buyers compare your home with what's for sale in October, not with last April's listings. The first two weeks on the market still bring your biggest wave of attention, so the list price has to be right from day one.

Selling in the fall doesn't mean settling for less. It means presenting the house for the conditions buyers will see when they walk in.

Thinking about listing this fall? I'll walk your home and give you a room-by-room plan for the season. Call or text 614-230-1117.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/06/2026

WHY ARE FALL BUYERS SERIOUS BUYERS? MOST HAVE A DEADLINE, AND SELLERS CAN TELL WHO'S READY TO CLOSE

Spring draws everyone, including people who are "just looking." By October, the buyers still touring homes usually have a reason: a lease ending, a new job, a relocation, or a closing date they need to hit. Sellers know it, and listing agents watch closely for signs that a buyer can close. Here's how to show you're one of them.

Get fully pre-approved, not just pre-qualified. A pre-approval where the lender has reviewed your income, assets, and credit carries more weight than a quick estimate. Some lenders will send your file through underwriting before you've found a house, so ask whether yours does.

Know your monthly number. Decide the payment you're comfortable with, taxes and insurance included, before you tour. It makes decisions faster and keeps you from stretching in the moment.

Have your cash organized. Keep your earnest money ready to deposit on the contract's timeline, and have your down payment and closing funds documented. If someone is gifting part of your down payment, line up the paperwork your lender requires now.

Be reachable and ready to tour. Good listings still move in the fall. Being able to see a home within a day or two, and decide soon after, matters.

Keep your finances frozen. No new car, no new credit cards, and no job changes without talking to your lender first. Changes before closing can put the loan at risk.

Write a clean offer. Complete paperwork, realistic terms, and a closing date that works for the seller all tell the other side you'll close. Sellers weigh certainty alongside price, and a well-organized buyer can win on terms as well as price.

The upside of being ready in October: you're likely competing with fewer buyers than you would in spring, and sellers still on the market usually have a timeline of their own.

Want your buying plan in place before the right house shows up? Message me and let's map it out.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/05/2026

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COLUMBUS HOUSING MARKET RIGHT NOW? HERE'S THE OCTOBER 2026 SNAPSHOT

If you're wondering whether it's a good time to buy or sell in Central Ohio, here's what September's numbers, the most recent complete month, say.

The headline stats:

- Median sale price: $337,000 (August: $347,250; July: $350,000)
- Median days on market: 14 (August: 11)
- Months of inventory: 2.62 (August: 2.63; July: 2.61)
- Homes sold at 96.4% of original list price on average (August: 97%; July: 97.5%)

What that adds up to: supply is steady, and the pace is easing a bit. Months of inventory has held near 2.6 since July, still below the four to six months often cited as a balanced market. Meanwhile, the typical home spent a few more days on the market than in August, and the sale-to-original-list ratio slipped for the second month in a row.

If you're selling: your list price has to be right from day one. That 96.4% is measured against original list price, so every price cut along the way pulls it down. Half of September's sales spent 14 days or fewer on the market, so if showings are slow in your first two weeks, treat that as a pricing signal and adjust early.

If you're buying: supply is still tight, so well-priced homes in popular areas can still move fast. You do have a little more time and a bit more room to negotiate than in August, especially on homes that have been listed for a few weeks or have already had a price cut. Get fully pre-approved so you can act quickly when the right house shows up.

A note on the numbers: these are the figures as reported when I pulled them, with July and August updated to their current numbers. MLS statistics revise slightly over the following weeks as late closings are entered, so I'd rather show you a direction than make too much of any single decimal point.

A note on the season: the median sale price slipped to $337,000 from $347,250 in August. Fall numbers shift partly because the mix of homes selling changes, so a single month's median says little about whether any home gained or lost value.

The bottom line: that median is simply the middle sale. It blends urban condos, suburban new builds, and rural acreage into one number, and it tells you almost nothing about what your street will do.

If you want to know what these numbers mean for your home or your search, not the whole metro, I'll pull the data for your specific area and price range.

Want a free, no-obligation home valuation based on this month's actual sales? Call or text me at 614-230-1117.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

10/04/2026

WHAT IS A CONTINGENCY IN A HOME PURCHASE? A CONDITION THAT LETS YOU EXIT THE DEAL, AND THREE OF THEM PROTECT MOST BUYERS

A contingency is a condition written into the purchase contract. If it isn't satisfied by its deadline, the protected party can usually terminate, and a buyer who terminates properly generally gets the earnest money back. Miss the deadline, and the protection usually goes away. Here's how the main ones work in the standard Central Ohio contract, the Columbus REALTORS®/Columbus Bar Association purchase contract.

Financing. Your purchase depends on getting the loan. The standard form sets deadlines for a lender pre-qualification letter, a loan application, and an optional loan commitment date. If your lender tells you in writing that it can't provide the financing, you have a short window to deliver that notice to the seller and terminate (three calendar days on the standard form).

Appraisal. The contract either is or is not contingent on the home appraising at or above the purchase price; a box gets checked one way or the other. If it is contingent and the appraisal comes in low, the buyer has five calendar days after receiving the appraisal to terminate in writing, and the parties can use that window to renegotiate.

Inspection. You get a Specified Inspection Period, a negotiated number of days, to complete inspections and tests. Then you can request repairs through the Agreement to Remedy Period or terminate. Two details buyers often miss: the standard form allows termination only for material defects (conditions affecting health, safety, habitability, use, or value), not routine maintenance or cosmetic items. And if you don't complete an inspection within the period, that contingency is treated as waived.

Others worth knowing. Attorney approval (a few days for either side's attorney to review, if the parties fill it in), condo or HOA document review, title review if the title commitment shows a problem, and sometimes a contingency on the sale of the buyer's current home.

Which ones matter most? For most financed buyers, financing, appraisal, and inspection carry the weight. Waiving any of them to win a house is a real risk trade, and it deserves a real conversation before you sign.

The deadline rule. Nearly every contingency runs on calendar days and requires written notice. The contract says time is of the essence, which means late is too late. Put every date on your calendar the day your offer is accepted.

Legal questions about contract language belong with a real estate attorney.

Getting ready to write offers? Let's walk through the contract together before it matters. Grab a time at cal.com/norbysellsohio/schedule.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]

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10/03/2026

WHAT BELONGS ON YOUR OCTOBER HOME MAINTENANCE LIST? THESE 10 TASKS, DONE BEFORE THE FIRST HARD FREEZE

October is the last comfortable month to work outside before winter. Here's the list I'd work through now. (Chimneys, dryer vents, outdoor faucets, and smoke alarms each get their own post later this month, so they aren't repeated here.)

1. Clean the gutters, then plan to do it again. Do a pass now and another after the last leaves drop. Clogged gutters overflow at the foundation and set up ice dams later in the winter.

2. Point every downspout away from the house. Extensions cost a few dollars. Water pooling at the foundation costs a lot more.

3. Look at the roof from the ground. Binoculars work well. Look for missing or lifted shingles and for gaps in the flashing around chimneys and vents, and get repairs scheduled before snow.

4. Test the sump pump. Pour a bucket of water into the pit and confirm the pump turns on and drains it. If you have a battery backup, check the battery too.

5. Trim branches touching the roof. Snow and ice add weight, and limbs against the house give squirrels and mice an easy route in. For anything near a power line, call your utility or a licensed tree service.

6. Seal the gaps pests use. As temperatures drop, mice look for a warm way inside. Walk the foundation and seal openings around pipes, wires, and vents. They fit through surprisingly small gaps.

7. Start up the whole-house humidifier. If your furnace has one, replace the water panel and, if your model has a summer/winter damper, switch it to winter.

8. Reverse your ceiling fans. Set them to spin clockwise on low to push warm air down from the ceiling.

9. Put summer equipment away properly. Run the mower's tank dry or add fuel stabilizer, clean and cover the grill, and store propane tanks outdoors, never in the garage or house.

10. Test for radon. The EPA recommends testing every home, and heating season, with windows closed, is a practical time to do it. Kits are inexpensive, and the Ohio Department of Health licenses radon testers if you'd rather hire it out.

An afternoon or two covers most of this list. The payoff shows up in February, when nothing is leaking, frozen, or scratching inside the walls.

Need a roofer, gutter cleaner, or radon tester you can trust? Reach out. I keep a vetted list and share it freely.

Norby Fischer | Epique Realty | 614-230-1117 | [email protected]