When showing houses, you never know what quirky things you might find.  I enjoy taking pictures of such quirky things and posting them to a blog, twitter or my facebook page, much like I’m doing now. Sometimes it’s the little things. Like the bear toilet paper holder that might sway you to buy the house.  Just ask your Realtor to add it into the contract.  See, it’s all in the details.

What quirky things have YOU seen lately?  :)

In January 2011, nearly 46 percent of all Toledo area transactions were CASH, that’s according to John English at Birch Tree Title and NORIS MLS. That’s the highest percentage of cash sales in the past 5 years. It’s a reflection of our hard-hit market and banks not loaning money like they used to a few years ago.

February 8, 2011 The Wall Street Journal reported “Buyers in markets around the U.S. are snapping up homes in all-cash deals, betting that prices are at or near bottom and breathing life into some of the nation’s most battered housing markets. Nationally, 28% of sales were all-cash transactions last year, according to the National Association of Realtors. The rate was 14% in October 2008, when NAR began tracking it.” The article continues… “The harder a market has been hit, the higher the percentage of cash deals. Some cash purchases reflect a tight lending environment, where even people with good credit and ample down payments are sometimes turned away from conventional borrowing. The rates are great but the underwriting is brutal.”

As an agent who works with many buyers, most of whom are creditworthy, I’ve seen this.

My grandpa was a wise man. I was always amazed and very proud at all he accomplished as a very successful businessman, but he didn’t have any special advantages growing up. His family was very poor. I remember my mother telling me the story about how he was the only kid in his high school graduating class who did not own a suit and didn’t have money for one.  I wonder if that made him even more determined to be a success.

My dad recently stumbled upon one of Grandpa’s old business cards. On the back was a list of “isms.”  I always wondered from where Grandpa snagged them, but it illustrates he was a thinker. Grandpa was ‘all business’ and not one to show emotional compassion. “Isms” represent a philosophical, political doctrine or a belief system.  I’d have to say *his* belief was CAPITALISM. I’ve listed all the “isms.”

SOCIALISM–If you have two cows, you give your neighbor one.

COMMUNISM–If you have two cows, you give them to the government and the government gives you some milk.

FASCISM-If you have two cows, you keep the cows and give the milk to the government and the government then sells you some of the milk.

NEW DEALISM-If you have two cows, you shoot one and milk the other and pour the milk down the drain.

NAZISM-If you have two cows, the government shoots you and keeps the cows.

CAPITALISM-If you have two cows, you sell one and buy a bull.

My dad wrote them down on a piece of notebook paper. (I love that he puts pencil to paper!)

Not to sound cliche’, Toledo has a rockin’,  world-class art museum.  I’ve taken some great classes, meet some new people and expanded my horizons. I always sign up for classes I know nothing about.  Now I can add printmaking and glass cutting to my resume.  I’ve got cuts on my hands to prove it.  Here’s my latest work!

I think they’re onto something.  Buyers don’t always know what they want, but an “open floor plan” seems to be hitting the mark for many of them.  It’s certainly become a home trend in the last couple years.  Along with a GREAT room.  Those are popular.  Along with rooms connecting from the kitchen for entertaining and quick “grab a snack while passing by the kitchen” kind of popular.  I JUST happened to know of a house that fits this description!  And in a great neighborhood! And in Sylvania Schools in case that fits your needs. (disclaimer: I have been hired to sell this home.)

My personal favorite things of 6914 Perivale Park are …

1.  The FIREPLACE room.  Just off the kitchen.  Super cozy, but not cozy, as in “small.”  No sir.  Cozy as in, “warm” and “inviting.” Cozy as in, “I can curl up by the fireplace while watching snow fall outside.”  THAT kind of cozy.  Like in a storybook.

2. The FINISHED BASEMENT.  Reminds me of a place I’d like to hang out as a teenager and maybe play Nintendo.  Or a cool place to go in the summer where it’s dark to take a nice nap.

3.  Super CURB APPEAL!  Some homes have more than others.  This one definitely has it.   And it’s well-maintained.  Plus, mature trees in a great established neighborhood.

Click 6914 Perivale Park Flyer $188,000 for my fancy schmancy flyer!