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Average home sale and median sale prices increased during May in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Northern Kentucky; and Southeastern Indiana. Sales units decreased from May 2017 due to a lack of homes on the market for sale. Many homes are selling quickly due to the limited inventory. Here is our report for the month:

Cincinnati
May 2018 recorded the third-most home sales for the month since 2005.

May 2018 vs May 2017

• -4.32% Decrease in homes sold (2,594 homes vs 2,711 homes)
• 9.77% Increase in average sale price ($291,293 vs $199,770)
• 12.44% Increase in median sale price ($179,900 vs $160,000)
• 5.04% Increase in gross sales volume ($568,846,781 vs $541,576,482)

January – May 2018 vs January – May 2017

• -1.62% Decrease in homes sold (9,745 homes vs 9,905 homes)
• 6.81% Increase in average sale price ($207,321 vs $168,500)
• 8.71% Increase in median sale price ($168,500 vs $155,000)
• 5.08% Increase in gross sales volume ($2,020,338,680 vs $1,922,607,886)

Statistics courtesy of Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors May 2018 Home Sales Report

Dayton
Average sale price, median sale price and sales volume increased in May in the Dayton region.

May 2018 vs May 2017

• -1.91% Decrease in homes sold (1,595 homes vs 1,626 homes)
• 8.62% Increase in average sale price ($171,061 vs $157,488)
• 8.25% Increase in median sale price ($145,000 vs $133,950)
• 6.55% Increase in sales volume ($272,842,039 vs $256,075,029)

January – May 2018 vs January – May 2017

• 1.06% Increase in homes sold (6,087 homes vs 6,023 homes)
• 5.20% Increase in average sale price ($158,571 vs $150,735)
• 4.65% Increase in median sale price ($135,000 vs $129,000)
• 6.32% Increase in sales volume ($965,223,185 vs $907,874,053)

Statistics courtesy of Dayton Area Board of Realtors May 2018 Home Sales Report

Northern Kentucky
Throughout May, sales units, average sale price, median sale price and sales volume increased in Northern Kentucky.

May 2018 vs May 2017

• -17.06% Decrease in homes sold (632 homes vs 762 homes)
• 8.15% Increase in average sale price ($197,809 vs $182,902)
• 8.41% Increase in median sale price ($170,200 vs $157,000)
• -10.30% Decrease in sales volume ($125,015,377 vs $139,371,517)

January – May 2018 vs January – May 2017

• -6.04% Decrease in homes sold (2,660 homes vs 2,831 homes)
• 8.58% Increase in average sale price ($188,305 vs $173,268)
• 9.27% Increase in median sale price ($165,000 vs $151,000)
• 2.11% Increase in sales volume ($500,893,138 vs $490,522,534

Statistics courtesy of Northern Kentucky Association of Realtors May 2018 Home Sales Report

Southeastern Indiana
Indiana had an increase in average sale and median sale prices in May.

May 2018 vs May 2017

• -23.5% Decrease in homes sold (101 homes vs 132 homes)
• 8.5% Increase in average sale price ($175,134 vs $161,340)
• 12.8% Increase in median sale price ($149,900 vs $135,000)
• -16.9% Decrease in sales volume ($17,688,500 vs $21,296,838)

January – May 2018 vs January – May 2017

• -0.2% Decrease in homes sold (455 homes vs 456 homes)
• 5.7% Increase in average sale price ($228,833 vs $191,988)
• 11.0% Increase in median sale price ($149,900 vs $135,000)
• 5.4% Increase in sales volume ($72,306,310 vs $68,570,499)

Statistics courtesy of Rick McMillin – Southeastern Indiana Board of Realtors MLS Homes Sold Report dated June 20 2018.

Look at homes for sale.

Summertime definitely means attending a county or state fair. Steeped with tradition, fairs are full of the sights and sounds of farm livestock, fast rides and carnival-style food and games. And we cannot forget entertainment like the demolition derby, monster truck shows and tractor pulls. Gardeners and cooks show off their best items at fairs, too, seeking a coveted blue ribbon from judges.

Be sure to have fun at one of these local county throughout Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Northern Kentucky; and Southeastern Indiana. State fairs will be a longer drive, but they usually offer nationally recognized bands for entertainment!

Fairs are listed by state and alphabetically by county:

Northern Kentucky

Kentucky State Fair
August 16-16, 2018
Louisville, Kentucky

Alexandria Fair and Horse Show
August 29 – September 3, 2018
Alexandria, Kentucky

Boone County Fair and Horse Show
August 6-11, 2018
Burlington, Kentucky

Carroll County Fair
June 1-9, 2018
Carroll County Fairgrounds in Carroll County, Kentucky

Gallatin County Fair
July 18-22, 2018
Warsaw, Kentucky

Grant County Fair and Horse Show
July 27 – August 4, 2018
Grant County Fairgrounds at 115 Baton Rouge Road in Williamstown, Kentucky

Kenton County Fair
July 16-21, 2018
Independence, Kentucky

Pendleton County Youth Fair
July 22-28, 2018
320 Fairgrounds Road at the Pendleton County Youth Fairgrounds in Falmouth, Kentucky

Ohio

Ohio State Fair
July 25- August 5, 2018
Columbus, Ohio

Adams County Fair
July 8-14, 2018
836 Boyd Avenue in West Union, Ohio

Brown County Fair
September 24-29, 2018
Georgetown, Ohio

Butler County Fair
July 22-28, 2018
1715 Fairgrove Avenue in Hamilton, Ohio

Clark County Fair
July 20-27, 2018
Springfield, Ohio

Clermont County Fair
July 22-28, 2018
1000 Locust Street in Owensville, Ohio

Clinton County Fair
July 7-14, 2018
Clinton County Fairgrounds
958 W. Main Street in Wilmington, Ohio

Darke County Fair
August 17-25, 2018
Greenville, Ohio

Green County Fair
July 29 -August 3, 2018
120 Fairground Road at the Green County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Ohio

Hamilton County Fair
August 8-12, 2018
7801 Anthony Wayne Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio

Highland County Fair
September 1-8, 2018
Hillsboro, Ohio

Logan County Fair
July 8-14, 2018
301 East Lake Avenue at the Logan County Fairgrounds in Bellefontaine, Ohio

Miami County Fair
August 10-16, 2018
650 N. County Road in Troy, Ohio

Montgomery County Fair
July 9-15, 2018
1043 South Main Street at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Dayton, Ohio

Preble County Fair
July 28 – August 4, 2018
722 South Franklin Street at the Preble County Fairgrounds in Eaton, Ohio

Shelby County Fair
July 22-28, 2018
655 South Highland Avenue at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Sidney, Ohio

Warren County Fair
July 16-21, 2018
Warren County Fairgrounds at 665 N. Broadway in Lebanon, Ohio
Enjoy the tractor pull, Great Cowboy competition, a rodeo, fun rides and food!

Southeastern Indiana 

Indiana State Fair
August 3-19, 2018
Indiana State Fairgrounds at 1202 E 28th Street in Indianapolis, Indiana

Dearborn County 4-H and Community Fair
June 18-23, 2018
Lawrenceburg Fairgrounds in Lawrenceburg, Indiana

Decatur County Fair
July 11-18, 2018
545 S Co. Road (200 W) in Greensburg, Indiana
Decatur Fairgrounds

Fayette County Fair
July 28 – August 4, 2018
Connersville, Indiana

Franklin County Fair
July 16-21, 2018
Brookville, Indiana

Jefferson County Fair
July 9-14, 2018
3852 Indiana 256 in Madison, Indiana

Ohio County 4-H Fair
June 22-30, 2018
Rising Sun, Indiana

Ripley County 4-H Fair
July 21-28, 2018
Walhill Farm at 857 Six Pine Ranch Road in Batesville, Indiana

Switzerland County Fair
July 7-14, 2018
Switzerland County Fairgrounds in Vevay, Indiana

Union County Fair
July 22-28, 2018
Liberty, Indiana

Home staging is a process to make your appealing to potential home buyers. Here are 10 staging tips on how to make your home look more desirable and larger:

1. Clean Your Home Throughly
Before staging your home, you need to make sure it is immaculate from top to bottom, inside and out. (You may need to hire professionals to help with this activity.)

2. Just Say No to Clutter
Your belongings should not interfere when buyers are looking at your home. Photos, collectibles and keepsakes need to be kept to a minimum. You do not want bare walls or shelves, but restrict items to sets of three items of varying height.

Children’s toys should be kept to a minimum and organized.

3. Furniture Placement
Arrange furniture in a way that focuses on flow from room to room. Also make sure there is a focal point on the furthest wall from the doorway and place furniture in a triangle around that focal point. (In the bedroom, the bed is the focal point. In a living area, it might be a fireplace.)

4. Too Much Furniture?
If a room is stuffed with furniture, the size of the room will appear smaller. Furniture needs to be scaled back to fit the room.

A trick used to make rooms look larger is to paint them the same color as an adjacent room. This fools the eye to think both rooms are one larger space. Another tip is to paint the walls the same color as the drapes. This creates an illusion of more space.

5. Make Rooms Brighter
Walls should be a neutral color, but you can add brightness with the right accessories to make a room appear larger. Remove or open dark curtains or shades or replace with sheer versions.

High-watt light fixtures will also add more light in the room. (Aim for 100 watts per 50 square feet.) If possible, it is preferred to have three types of lighting in main rooms: ambient (overhead), task (pendant, reading or under cabinet) and accent (table or wall.)

6. Closets
Buyers will peer into your closets. Make sure they look neat and spacious. Twenty to 30 percent open space is recommended.

7. Rooms with a Purpose
If you have an empty room, it is best to stage it for its intended purpose. A spare bedroom could be either a guest bedroom or a home office. You want to avoid showing off a “junk” room. If you do not have a spare bed, consider buying a frame and adding an inexpensive air mattress that will then be covered with bed linens.

8. Designer Touches
Vignettes can add charm to rooms. Just like model homes, think about setting the table and include fresh flowers. Add fancy soaps near the tub along with fresh towels. Master bedrooms should be gender neutral. A blanket folded at the end of a bed is a nice touch. When adding your edited accessories, think in terms of three. This number is pleasing to the eye especially when grouped as a triangle.

If you have a porch or patio, consider staging those areas to make them more appealing to buyers. A small cafe table with a tablecloth and a few dishes can inspire someone to think about having breakfast there.

A fire pit in autumn and early winter can be very inviting.

9. The Outside Counts, Too
The view of the front of the home is the first impression. Make it count! The lawn should be cut and edged. Add pots of flowers in warmer months. Read more about adding curb appeal to your home here.

10. Got Pets? Beware of Odors
If you have a pet, be sure to be very careful about cleaning to remove any lingering odors. Many people remove pet food bowls and toys for showing appointments.

Need help staging your home? Contact Sibcy Cline Home Services. They can recommend professionals such as home stagers, painters and cleaning pros to help get your home looking its best to sell.

We use batteries for so many reasons in our homes: television remotes, smoke detectors, clocks and flashlights, just to name a few. In fact, three billion batteries are purchased yearly in the U.S. Imagine how that affects our landfills! Small AA or AAA batteries do not take a lot of room in a trash bag, but now may be the time to think about disposing of your batteries in an eco-friendly way.

Alkaline batteries consist of common metals and have no health or environmental health risks. They can be thrown in the trash, but since they are made of 100% recyclable materials, a better way to get rid of them is to take them to special recycler. (Your normal recyclying bin does not usually permit batteries.)

Other types of batteries can post a potential danger if left in the trash. They can contain many chemicals (lead, cadmium, zinc and lithium, etc…) By sending them to a landfill, these chemicals will seep into the ground and can be a fire concern.

Here is our list of local places to take batteries in a clear, sealable bag:

Call2Recycle – This website has a great map that helps you find nearby drop-off locations.

Lowe’s 
Some of these stores will accept batteries. Check first because not all stores offer this service.

Batteries Plus Bulbs
There are various regional locations. There is a small fee for disposing of batteries.

• 7850 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45255 – 513-474-0895
• 9810 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45251 – 513-246-4139
• 12131 Royal Point Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45249 – 513-683-6300
• 123 W. Kemper Rd., Springdale, Ohio 45246 – 513-453-4080
• 7657 Mall Rd., Florence, KY 41042 – 859-371-2288
• 7431 Tylersville Rd., West Chester, Ohio 45069 – 513-456-7778
• 4887 Princeton Road, Hamilton, Ohio 45011 – 513-737-2444
• 206 Springboro Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45449 – 937-668-8285
• 4496 State Route 725, Bellbrook, Ohio 45305 – 937-668-8257
• 3510 York Commons Blvd., Dayton, Ohio 45414 – 937-668-9021
• 4496 SR 725, Bellbrook, Ohio – 937-433-9222

Apex Technology Solutions
7930 Kentucky Drive, Florence, Kentucky
859-485-4444
Small fee for disposing of batteries

Oil Express

• Eastgate (Cincinnati): 4468 Gleneste-Withamsville Road; 513-943-1755
• Mason (Cincinnati): 5240 Kings Mill Road (Route 741); 513-704-0041
• Springdale (Cincinnati): 165 W. Kemper Road 513-671-8810
• West Chester (Cincinnati): 7479 Tylers Corner Drive 513-777-8669
• West Chester (Cincinnati): 8578 Princeton Glendale Road 5130-874-409
• Cincinnati: 11843 Kemper Springs Drive 513-825-2660

Cohen
538 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45226; 513-321-3218
5038 Beech Street, Norwood, Ohio 45212; 513-731-7222
3120 S. Verity Parkway, Middletown, Ohio 45044; 513-425-6911
Small fee for single-use batteries
Cincinnati Region
There are other local businesses that will accept your batteries, including Pep Boys, AutoZone, Advanced Auto and Walmart. Go here for more information for map locations.

See more information about batteries (including lithium) with the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District.

Interested in places that will recycle your electronics? Cincinnati region – Look here.

Dayton Region
Montgomery County residents can drop off many items including batteries to the  Montgomery County Solid Waste and Recycling Facility at 1001 Encreate Lane, Moraine, Ohio. You must have proof of residency.

Green County residents will accept household batters (alkaline) from residents. Learn more here.

Green County Environmental Services
2145 Green Way Boulevard
Xenia, Ohio 45385
937-562-5925

Other local places in Dayton that accept batteries:

• Advanced Auto Parts – 34 North Allison Ave., Xenia, Ohio – 937-376-4313
• Battery Warehouse – 44100 Industrial Lane, Beavercreek, Ohio – 937-426-2525
• Walmart and Sears Automotive Centers

You want to sell your home and are hoping for a quick sale. Follow these eight tips to help get your home sold – fast:

1. Price It Correctly
Pricing your home competitively from the beginning could help it to sell more quickly and possibly for more money. Home buyers are probably less likely to want to get into a bidding war for a newly listed home. Remember, the first 30 days on the market is the best activity for your home. Talk to your real estate agent about a pricing strategy.

2. Photos and Staging of Your Home
Most buyers conduct their initial home search online, so having great photos is very important.

Make sure your home is prepared for its photo shoot. Have your home cleaned, decluttered and staged to sell to draw the interest of buyers.

3. Curb Appeal
The first thing buyers see when driving past your home is its front exterior. Make sure your curb appeal is so strong they want to come into your home to see more!

4. Paint
Fresh paint makes your home look – well, fresh! Select colors carefully and choose ones that will appeal to most buyers. Think about how colors will look in relation to others. (For example: Tan next to pure white will look beige. But, if you place tan next to dark green is will look off white.)

5. Remove Personal Items
Photos, collections and personal knickknacks can distract buyers. Your goal is to have buyers think of having their own belongings in your home. You do not want them gazing at yours.

Decluttering your rooms will make them look larger. Another benefit of decluttering is that you will have less items to deal with when it comes time to box up and move.

6. Showings? Yes, Please
A buyer needs to personally tour your home in order to make an offer. Be flexible about showings. Have your home “show ready” at all times and be ready to vacate for a showing appointment with little notice.

7. Your Pet
A majority of homeowners have a pet. Please realize the love you have for your dog or cat will not be shared by others. Therefore, it’s important to remove your pet, food bowls, toys and other items from sight for all showings.

8. Lighting Tips
Natural light gives a very positive impression. You may need to add some light to make your home look airy.

Ready to sell your home? Talk to a Sibcy Cline agent!