Where do you think is the best place to live in our area?

The tri-state area is an awesome place to live. From our convenient downtown neighborhoods to our beautiful countrysides, there are numerous options for each resident to choose when settling in our area. As the holiday season is upon us, fond memories of the area come to mind. Do you think the southside of Huntington, Salt Rock, the Martha area of Barboursville, Applewood in Proctorville, or your neighborhood is the greatest place to live? Respond to this blog and explain what area you reside in (subdivision name, town, etc.) and why you think it is the greatest place to live. Email pictures to me at todd@toddnelson.com for posting on the blog. Have a very Merry Christmas!

How are the interest rates?

Fixed interest rates continue to remain steady in recent dayds. A local mortgage broker quoted around 6.25% on a 30 year mortgage. Fixed interest rates actually dropped recently below 6% on a 30 year fixed interest rate mortgage before edging back up to around 6.25%. Check with your local lender about their interest rates and various programs for more details.

What exactly is a "patio" home?

A patio home is a term that is used somewhat generically by the real estate industry. This type of home tends to imply a suburban setting and a unit of several houses attached to each, typically with shared walls between units. Maintenance and landscaping may or may not be provided in an association fee. It can be a condo if the owner does not own the land.

Although the housing bubble hasn't hit our area, won't the upcoming seizing up of the credit market still hurt housing prices?

The above question was posed to me from a reader of my blog. The credit market crunch that is hitting across the nation will have some effect on our area. Buyers with questionable credit scores may find it more difficult to get a loan. Also, certain loan programs may take longer and borrowers may be scrutinized more. This could lead to less qualified buyers, but I do not think it will have a major effect on our local market. Interest rates are fluctuating daily, but still remain low. It is becoming harder and harder to predict the real estate market. With the falling dollar, turmoil in the middle east, and problems in the mortgage industry, things may get worse before getting better. The good thing about our local market is that it seems to not significantly increase or decrease yearly. It seems to remain steady. As long as our area does not experience major layoffs or a major exodus of the population in the next 12 months, we should continue to see a stable market.

Got a real estate related question?

For the last few months I have been writing about various topics concerning the real estate industry and our area. For the next several weeks, I would like to answer readers questions concerning remodeling ideas, the home buying process, what is going on in the Tri-State area dealing with home sales, etc. Please respond to my blog or email me directly with a question at todd@toddnelson.com. Stay tuned for some of the readers questions and my responding answers. Have a great week!