21C Museum Hotel Wins Best Hotel

Make Your Reservations Now....

21C Museum Hotel located at 700 West Main Street in downtown Louisville, Kentucky was voted #1 Boutique Hotel by Bloomberg Businessweek. After last years win of Conde Nast Traveler's "Best Hotel in the U.S." Louisville felt proud! As compared to the many fancy hotel's in New York, LA, or Chicago; Louisvillian's are beaming for this local hotel and it's uniqueness that keeps grabbing national attention.

Check out the Boutique Hotel Bracketology for yourself!
or
Check out what Business First of Louisville said about 21C's win in 2009.

Tax Credit Deadline Extended

CAN YOU STILL GET YOUR $8,000?

Washington, D.C.
July 01, 2010

The National Association of Realtors® today commended Congress for timely passage of two bills to extend the home buyer tax credit closing deadline and reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program. Both bills, strongly supported by NAR, had cleared the House earlier and were passed by the Senate last night. They now head to the president for his signature.

The tax credit closing deadline and the NFIP reauthorization were extended to September 30. NAR worked closely with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to enact these important pieces of legislation. Extending the tax credit closing and flood insurance deadlines will help provide additional stability to real estate markets across the nation, NAR said.

“What a great way to begin celebrating our nation’s most patriotic holiday by opening the door to the American dream of homeownership to thousands of home buyers who would have been shut out of the homes of their dreams through no fault of their own,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox Real Estate in Tucson, Ariz.

“We know that up to 180,000 home buyers eligible for the tax credit are rejoicing this morning. And we all thank both houses of Congress for their work to ensure passage of both bills,” Golder said. She singled out Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) and Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) for their efforts to extend the tax credit closing deadline.

The passage of H.R. 5623, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act, applies the homebuyer tax credit closing deadline extension only to homebuyers who have ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, but could not close before June 30. The legislation is designed to create a seamless extension of the new closing deadline for eligible transactions to September 30. There will be no gap between June 30 and the date the president signs the bill into law.

Article Provided By: Realtor.org

Melissa Simms
RE/MAX Associates
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Must Read Rules if You're Buying a Home.....

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF REAL ESTATE
When Applying For a Mortgage


Compliments Of:
Bev Leonhardt, Senior Loan Officer
American Mortgage Service Company


Thinking of buying that new refrigerator for the home you are purchasing?
Considering opening that 0% interest credit card at Best Buy?
THINK AGAIN.....otherwise you may not get that home you've written a contract on.

1. Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job.

2. Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)!!

3. Thou shalt not use credit cards excessively or let current accounts fall behind.

4. Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.

5. Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.

6. Thou shalt not buy furniture.

7. Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit.

8. Thou shalt not make large deposits without checking with your loan officer.

9. Thou shalt not change bank accounts.

10. Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone.


Melissa Simms
RE/MAX Associates
Louisville, Kentucky
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Pending Home Sales Rise for 3rd Straight Month

PENDING HOME SALES ON AN UPSWING

May 4, 2010----Pending home sales increased again in March, affirming that a surge of home sales is unfolding for the spring home buying season, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in March, rose 5.3 percent to 102.9 from 97.7 in February, and is 21.1 percent above March 2009 when it was 85.0; this follows an 8.3 percent increase in February. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which usually occur with a lag time of one or two months.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said favorable affordability conditions have been working with the tax credit. “Clearly the home buyer tax credit has helped stabilize the market. In the months immediately following the expiration of the tax credit, we expect measurably lower sales,” he said. “Later in the second half of the year, and into 2011, home sales will likely become self-sustaining if the economy can add jobs at a respectable pace, and from a return of buyer demand as they see home values stabilizing.”

The PHSI in the Northeast declined 3.3 percent to 75.1 in March but remains 27.2 percent higher than March 2009. In the Midwest the index increased 1.2 percent to 98.9 and is 18.5 percent above a year ago. Pending home sales in the South jumped 12.7 percent to an index of 121.2, which is 28.3 percent higher than March 2009. In the West the index rose 1.9 percent to 99.9 and is 8.8 percent above a year ago.

Read More

Written By: Walter Molony, Washington
Date: May 4, 2010
Article & Video Courtesy of: National Association of Realtors

Melissa's Favorite Derby Pie

Derby Pie

You might be overstuffed of Derby pie if you live in Louisville, but for those that may have watched the Kentucky Derby on TV and still think there is no problem celebrating with a wonderful dessert, then try this recipe. You will love it!

Ingredients:
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 tablespoon bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 9" deep dish pie crust (frozen or refrigerated)

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Lay pie crust in bottom of pie dish.
3. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until butter melts & sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
4. In a large bowl, mix eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.
5. Slowly mix sugar mixture into egg mixture & stir constantly.
6. Stir in chocolate chips & pecans. Pour entire mixture into pie crust.
7. Cook for 50 minutes or until pie is set and a golden brown.
8. Let it cool on a wire rack.


*Hint: Put a non-stick cookie sheet under the pie to keep droppings from burning in your oven.



Serve it warm with ice cream , serve it at room temperature....

Just Enjoy!!!

341 Piatt Place #104--Listed & Sold in 2 Days!

Listed & Sold in 2 Days!!

341 Piatt Place- Unit #104
$118,000
Dorsey Hills Community


First Floor Unit w/ New Carpet & New Paint!
Approx 1074 sq ft. 2 Bedroom. 2 Full Bath Unit.




Interested in a free comparative market analysis on your home or condo?
Don't worry, there's no cost or obligation to list.

Call Me!
Melissa Simms
502-315-1561
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Is Your Home Built Prior to 1978?

PLANNING ON REMODELING YOUR OLDER HOME?

THIS NEW LAW WILL AFFECT YOU......

New EPA Lead Certification Rule

As of April 22, 2010 the EPA will require individuals conducting lead-based paint activities (abatement, inspection, and risk assessment) in target housing and child-occupied facilities to be trained and certified. This new rule will affect anyone that owns a home built prior to 1978. All remodeling and repairs done in homes where lead based paint is present must now be done by certified contractors.

Learn more by visiting: http://www.epa.gov/lead


Are you concerned about lead paint and how it might affect your family?

Lead from chipping or peeling paint can mix with dust and soil in and around the home making it available for young children to ingest during normal hand-to-mouth play. In addition to chipping and pealing lead paint being a hazard, a freshly remodeled home can also be a danger. In the remodeling process lead dust and lead chips can mix with dust and soil from scraping and sanding old painted surfaces.

Lead paint in home building was not regulated until 1978, so most houses built before 1978 contain some lead-based paint. The older the house the greater the risk is for having lead contamination. Lead-based paint is not dangerous if it is properly cared for.

Wouldn't You Like to Live Here?

For Sale!----SOLD

10711 McMeekin Lane Unit 206
*Lowest Price in Dorsey Hills*
$115,000

• NEW CARPET, NEW PAINT!
  
• 2 Bedrooms & 2 Full Bath Condo w/approx 1100 sq ft
  
• Conveniently Located near Shelbyville Rd & Hurstbourne Ln
• 2nd Floor Unit features Open Floor Plan w/Vaulted Ceilings & Gas Fireplace
• Relax on the Private Balcony that backs up to trees & grassy area
• Kitchen features NEW dishwasher, breakfast bar, & white cabinetry that opens up to Large Great Room & Dining Area
• Master Suite w/Private Bath & Huge Walk-in Closet
• Maintenance Fee Includes: Trash, Sewer, Water, General Maintenance, Snow Removal, Landscaping, Clubhouse, Pool, Exercise Room, Tennis Court, Sauna
• Secure Building w/Intercom System
  

If you are a First Time Buyer or Empty Nester, this home is perfect! Don't worry about exterior maintenance....relax at the pool....enjoy weekends without yard work...exercise in the gym....or rent the clubhouse for parties!

Contact Me Today for a Showing!

Melissa Simms
MelissaSimms@remax.net
502-386-8739

Sold! 421 Downes Lane

SOLD!

421 Downes Lane
MacBrae Village
3 Bedrooms/2 Full Baths

Click Here for a Full Tour

This home is sold, but I'd love to help you find another.

Contact me....
MelissaSimms@remax.net
RE/MAX Associates

New Listing off Smyrna Rd-$146,900

Just Listed!

6513 Daverman Court

$146,900

For a Virtual Tour....Click Here

• Tastefully Decorated Brick Ranch Home

• 3 bedrooms & 1 1/2 baths

• Approx 1700 finished sq ft (400 in lower level)

• New Carpet & Paint Throughout

• Huge Eat-In Kitchen w/White Cabinetry & Lots of Storage

• Dining Area Overlooks Patio & Private Backyard as well as Common Area

• Formal Living Room

• Master Bedroom with Private Half Bath

• Partially Finished Basement w/Huge Family Room & Recessed Lighting

• Fenced Yard Overlooks Common Area

• Conveniently located near Snyder Freeway

• Home sits on a quiet cul-de-sac

• Seller to Furnish a One Year Home Warranty

• Average LG&E bill for Seller is $70/month
  
  
  

Want to check out this home for yourself?

Call Me!

Melissa Simms @ 502-386-8739

Melissa's Easy & Delicious Lemon Coolers

LEMON COOLER COOKIES

Best quick dessert that everyone will love, if you can even get them out the door!
~Great for a memorial day cookout, bridal shower, or just to give to your favorite friends~

Ingredients:

• 1 package Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 confectioner's sugar
  
  

  Directions:
  

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix cake mix, eggs, oil and lemon juice in a large bowl.
  3. Roll dough into teaspoon size balls & put in fridge for at least 1 hour.
  4. Put 1/4 C. confectioners sugar in a ziploc bag.
  5. Toss the balls in the confectioners sugar & place on parchment covered cookie sheets.
  6. Cook for 8 minutes. (Bottom will be light brown, sides crispy)
  7. Remove from oven and sprinkle rest of confectioners sugar on tops.
  

  
  
  

  Enjoy!
  

2010 Derby Festival Schedule of Events

2010 Derby Festival Schedule of Events

04/17/2010- Thunder Over Louisville (Air Show @ 3p- Fireworks @ 9:30p)

04/19/2010- King Southern Bank Foundation Pro-Am Golf Tournament 12p @Audubon Country Club

04/21/2010- Fifth Third Bank $1 Million Hole In One Ladies Day 10a-8p @ Water Tower

04/22/2010- Taste of Derby Festival 5:30p @ Louisville Slugger
U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great BalloonFest
Kroger's Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront Daily

04/23/2010- U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Rush Hour Race
U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Glow 9p @ KY Expo Center
Dancing with the Stars: Derby Style 6:30p @ The Henry Clay

04/24/2010- Marathon/miniMarathon 7:30a @ Iroquois Manor & 3rd St
Saturday Evening Concert Featuring Uncle Kracker @ 9p

04/26/2010- Stock Yards Bank Great Bed Races

04/27/2010-- Fifth Third Bank $1 Million Hole In One Finals
Run for the Rose @ 11:30a
WineFest @ 5p-9p
Texas Hold'em Tournament 4p @ Belle of Cincinnati
RhythmFest featuring En Vogue with Midnight Star @ 8p

04/28/2010- Great Steamboat Race Presented by Turner Construction @ 6p

04/29/2010- Republic Bank Pegasus Parade 5p @ West on Broadway to 9th Street

04/30/2010-136th Running of the Kentucky Oaks!

05/01/2010- 136th Running of the Kentucky Derby!

New Listing! 10802 Linn Station Road

WELCOME HOME!

10802 Linn Station Road
Louisville, Kentucky
$230,000

Take a Virtual Tour....Click Here

• Conveniently located off of Shelbyville Road and Hurstbourne Lane.
• Spacious 2 story home in GREAT move-in condition.
• Eat-in kitchen with white cabinetry, dishwasher, spacesaver microwave, range (refrigerator is negotiable).
• Formal living room, formal dining room, entry and powder room with hardwood flooring.
• Family room with gas log fireplace, berber carpet. Spacious master bedroom with separate bath.
• Second floor features 3 additional bedrooms and full bath.
• Full unfinished basement, 2 car side entry garage. All new insulated windows, new garage door, all updated mechanicals.
• Gazebo stays, but hot tub is negotiable.
• Beautiful landscaped and lightscaped backyard with 6' wood privacy fence surrounding
• This home is tastefully decorated and ready to move into.
• Quick possession!
• SELLER HAS SIGNED UP FOR ONE YEAR HOME WARRANTY FOR BUYER WITH Home Buyers Resale Corp.
  

Interested in a private showing?

Call Me!

Melissa Simms
Realtor @ RE/MAX Associates
Cell: 502-386-8739
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Top 10 Mistakes of First Time Buyers---Are You Guilty?

What are the 10 Mistakes of First-Time Home Buyers?

1. Not knowing how much house you can afford.
Maybe you've seen the shows on HGTV with a huge eat-in kitchen, nice granite countertops, chef quality appliances, and all the bells & whistles. When you get out looking you may end up at the top of your price range, but still disappointed in what's being offered on the market. Realize that you need to know what price range you can afford and then look at what homes in that price offer. Make sure you get pre-approved prior to looking. Don't even know someone to talk to in regards to financing? Ask your Realtor. That will probably be one of their first questions anyways, "Are you pre-approved?"

2. Assuming foreclosures are great deals.
Just because the previous owner owed more on the home than what it's listed for before the bank took it over doesn't mean it's worth that much now. Have your agent check the comparable homes in the neighborhood. Check the police reports for crimes in the area, this will give you a good idea if the neighborhood is also on a downward slope.

3. Letting your true feelings show.
So, you found the home you love and you are willing to pay the asking price or more. If you are working with an agent on the buying side, then it's ok to tell them you really want this home. That way they can let the selling agent aware of interest and if other offers come in you will be made aware as well. You don't want to tell the selling agent how you feel about the home, or else you will end up paying your top dollar.

4. Failing to find a good buyer's agent.
Your agent has a fiduciary responsibility to you as their client. Rely on them for their knowledge of mortgage loan officers to help you get pre-approved. Your agent should also know loan officers in the business that specialize in they type of financing that you need.

5. Underestimating the costs of owning a home.
Make sure you set aside at least 1% of the purchase price of the home for incidental repairs that may occur over your period of ownership. Since you are a first time buyer, and will have to spend money on new items for the home, your agent should ask for a one year home warranty when writing the offer so that you know if anything major occurs in the first year, you will be covered and only have to pay a small deductible. If you want to extend the warranty, you will have to extend that with the company directly.

6. Failing to budget for property taxes.
Every homeowner has to pay them, it's just the amounts that are different. Make sure you know prior to writing an offer if the home has a Home Owners Association. If so, then you will have to pay a yearly fee to the HOA in addition to the property taxes. Instead of paying one large sum of money out for the taxes once a year, ask your mortgage lender about having the taxes included in your monthly payment.

7. Assuming your first offer will get accepted.
Just because it's a buyers market, doesn't mean you can get the home for dirt cheap. You are still buying an investment. Seller's have their home priced at what they expect to start the negotiations. If they are reasonably priced then don't give them such a low ball offer that it offends them. Maybe the home needs some major repairs; get some quotes for these and send them in with the offer. That may help the seller come down in price a bit. Just like you may not want to pay full price for the home, the sellers don't want to sell the home for an unreasonably low price.
If the sellers are priced right and it's getting a lot of activity, then consider making them a very good offer. This will make the neogiating process go a little bit faster and help you to get the home before someone else does.

8. Skipping the inspection.
Never, never, never buy a home without knowing what work it will need. Even if the home is sold as-is, have a licensed inspector check the home for major/minor issues so you know what you are facing if the deal does go through. If the home is a "regular" sale, then make the contract contingent on inspections. That way if you find a few issues that need fixing, you can send a request for repairs to the sellers asking them to fix the items on the list that are of most importance to you.

9. Doing too much too fast.
Don't overextend yourself when looking or buying a home. After you get an accepted offer, don't run out and buy lots of large appliances or open more lines of credit. This may not only overextend your current bank account, but it may also cause you to no longer get financing. When you are pre-approved, that is based on your accounts and income as of that day. The less you go splurge, the better. I have recently heard of a pre-qualified buyer that got an accepted contract on a home, went out and bought a new refridgerator, and then found out, because of that purchase he was no longer qualified to buy. Ouch!

10. Failing to include a contingency clause in the contract.
Make sure your agent puts an inspection contingency in the contract. Also, make sure that your agent protects you with a financing contingency, so that way if the interest rate shoots up overnight, you do not have to buy the home unless you are ok with the new rate.

List of 10 Mistakes From: Smart Money
By: Lisa Scherzer /Published: April 2, 2010

Explanations & Examples:
Melissa Simms @ RE/MAX Associates
Louisville, KY
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Greenspan Reports:

HOUSING WILL COME BACK

March 24, 2010-----Former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan told officials in Mexico on Wednesday that he believes U.S. home prices have hit bottom. However, home owners are still unnerved by the decline in value, and until prices stabilize, the economy will remain weak.

"We will not be out of this crisis until home prices truly stabilize in the United States. They appear to have stabilized, but they are very fragile," Greenspan said in a televised interview.

"Eventually housing will come back; it can't get any lower," he added.

Source: Reuters News (03/25/2010)


More Real Estate Daily News: Realtor.org

Louisville Real Estate Inventory Report

CURRENT SALES & INVENTORY HISTORY

Date Range: March 2009- February 2010

Property Type: Residential Real Estate
(Single Family Homes & Condos/Patio Homes)

Areas Included:Central Downtown District/Old Louisville/Downtown/Shively/West Louisville, Butchertown/Highlands/Germantown, Clifton/Crescent Hill/St. Matthews, Pleasure Ridge/Valley Station, Auburndale/Fairdale/Iroquois Park, Buechel/Highview/Okolona/FernCreek, Hikes Point/Jeffersontown, Douglass Hills/Hurstbourne/Middletown/Anchorage/St. Matthews, Glenview/Lyndon/Prospect, Nelson Co, Bullitt Co, Oldham Co

• Note: The "Current Inventory" column(s) reflect the number of active (on market) listings on the 16th day of each month. The "Months Inventory" column(s) value(s) equal "Current Inventory" divided by "Monthly Sales". This reflects how many months it would take to sell sell out of inventory at the current month's rate of sale.

Total Months Inventory= Total Current Inventory / (Total Monthly Sales/12 Months)

From the statistics to the left, you can see that the average list price for a home in March 2009 was $158, 289 and the average sale price was $150, 464. There were approximately 5,717 homes on the market at that time.
(Click on the chart above to view larger)

For the most recent full month's statistics on February 2010, the average list price for a home was $171,093 with the average sale price being $162,742. Our inventory for the month of Feb 2010, is higher with approximately 6,867 listings. The months of inventory is 12.93 months.

What does "Months of Inventory" mean?

That if no other homes came on the market, it would take 12.93 months to sell all of the 6,867 homes currently listed.

From the data, we see that the amount of inventory has increased by almost 1,000 homes since March 2009. This increase could be due to many factors; including the $8,000 and $6,500 tax credits, a better economic forecast, increasing confidence in consumers, people getting relocated,and even some, are the weather related with the arrival of spring.

Maybe I've sparked your thoughts on what the statistics are in YOUR neighborhood, not just the entire market. Email me. I'd be happy to give you the statistics that affect your purchasing or selling decision!


Melissa Simms
RE/MAX Associates
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Top 10 Real Estate Markets in the U.S.

WHO MADE THE CUT?


HINT: Louisville Made the List!

Families in the market for a house are shopping at the right time: Nationally, homes are near the most affordable they've been in 18 years. In the fourth quarter of 2009 housing was 62.4 percent more affordable than the same time a year earlier, according to the Housing Opportunity Index, published quarterly by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo.

Also looking strong is Louisville, Ky., a city whose low foreclosure rate — only 1.15 percent of homes are in foreclosure, half the national average — illuminates it as one of the cities least affected by this aspect of the dramatic housing market collapse of the past three years. Louisville had less......Read More!

Slideshow of America's Best Housing Markets





Article By: Francesca Levy/ Courtesy Of: Forbes.com

Melissa Simms
RE/MAX Associates
Louisville, Kentucky
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Melissa's Easy & Delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cook For Your Super Bowl Party
or on a Cold Winter's Night!

This has become one of my staple recipes. Try it, I think you will like it!
Don't let it look intimidating. Check your pantry first.

• Don't have a can of salsa, but have a jar left over in the fridge? Use it!
• Don't have canned chicken broth? Use 4 cups powdered chicken bouillon.
• Don't have black beans, but have some white or red kidney beans? Dump it in. Still tastes great.
• Don't have lime, but have a lemon? Add a bit of lemon juice. Careful, not too much!

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
Serves: 6
Ready In: 1 Hour

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed OR 1 rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup herb & garlic marinade or Italian dressing
1 cup onion, diced
1 can (7 oz) salsa
1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (14 oz) corn, drained
2 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
1/4 cup rice
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. jarred jalapeno, minced
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 packet taco seasoning
2 tsp. McCormick's Southwest Chipotle seasoning
Monterrey Jack Cheese
Sour Cream
Tortilla Chips


1. Cut chicken with kitchen shears into cubes and saute in dressing/marinade. Or cut small pieces off rotisserie chicken.
2. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a large pot for 3 minutes.
3. Add cooked chicken, chicken broth, rice, salsa, corn, black beans, jalapenos, lime juice, chili powder, parsley, onion powder, taco seasoning & Southwest seasoning.
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Check and stir. When rice is cooked, soup is ready.
6. Top with cheese, sour cream & tortilla chips. Yum Yum!






Melissa Simms
RE/MAX Associates
Louisville, Kentucky
MelissaSimms@remax.net

Are McMansion's Loosing There Appeal?

LIVING SMALLER

Thursday, January 18, 2010

Are McMansion's loosing there appeal to the masses?

Is the small cottage with the white picket fence making a comeback?

It looks like home buyers are able to live in a smaller space and fix it up with all the bells and whistles. Many homeowners are paying attention to what buyers want and what the design shows are telling viewers; light, tranquil colors look best in smaller spaces. Homeowners are learning to work within their space to give it a modern appeal with a comfortable feel.

The average home sizes are declining. This may have to do with the current tax credit being offered, many first time home buyers are jumping into the marketplace. Someone purchasing their first home is most likely going to be buying one that is a modest price and size. Whether first time buyer, divorcee's, aging baby boomers, or just downsizing on size & mortgage payment; many are finding creative and beautiful ways of taking their smaller space to a whole new level.




LIVING BIG IN A SMALL HOME
"Although the average square footage of a new house is still double what it was in 1960, in the last year, it decreased slightly to 2,215 square feet from a high of 2,277 square feet in 2008, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. While the decrease doesn’t approach mid-20th century levels, it is the first drop in house size since the recession of the early 1980s." Read More.....

Article Source: Realtor Magazine
Issue: February 2010
By: Maggie Sieger

How is Louisville Divided Up?

DIVISION OF LOUISVILLE METRO AREA
&
SURROUNDING COUNTIES

Monday, January 11, 2010---Whether you've tried looking for homes online or even picked up the very thin Courier Journal Real Estate Section to see what's for sale, you may have been confused on the breakdown of the Louisville Metro area and surrounding counties.

MAP KEY- Major Areas & Neighborhoods

Area 1:
Algonquin
Old Louisville
Parkland
Portland
Shivley

Area 2:
Audubon
Butchertown
Bonnycastle
Camp Taylor
Cherokee Triangle
Germantown
Highlands
Phoenix Hill

Area 3:
Brownsboro-Zorn
Clifton
Crescent Hill
Indian Hills
St. Matthews

Area 4:
Chickasaw
Shawnee

Area 5:
Auburndale
Beechmont
Cloverleaf
Iroquois Park

Area 6:
Bashford Manor
Buechel
Fern Creek
Newburg
Okolona

Area 7:
Bon Air
Hikes Point
Klondike
St. Regis Park
Jeffersontown

Area 8:
Douglas Hills
Hurstbourne
Middletown
Plainview
Lake Forest
Lyndon
Oxmoor Woods
Polo Fields

Area 9:
Anchorage
Prospect
Hunting Creek
Indian Springs
Springhurst

Additional Area Codes-
Area 11: Bullit County (Mt. Washington, Shepherdsville, Hillview, Brooks)
Area 12: Other Kentucky Counties
Area 13: Indiana
Area 14: Other States
Area 16: Hardin County
Area 20: Oldham County North of I-71
Area 21: Oldham County South of I-71
Area 30: Shelby County (Simpsonville & Shelbyville)
Area 17: Spencer County ( Fisherville & Taylorsville)
Nelson County (Cox's Creek & Bardstown)