4 Fun Things To Do This Fall

Looking for something to do this fall? There is a lot to explore here in the Miami Valley and around the state. You can find some great ideas on Ohio’s travel and tourism website. They have a list of 100 Things To Do in Ohio This Fall. I pulled some things from their list and added a few more local ideas to help inspire you to get out, have fun, and enjoy the beauty of the coming season.

Pumpkin Farms, Corn Mazes & Hayrides

September and October offer up all kinds of outdoor fun for everyone. If you have young ones to entertain, Dayton Parent Magazine put out a list of their favorite local pumpkin patches. The list also includes many places with hayrides and corn mazes. Three of my favorites happen to be Tom’s Corn Maze in Germantown, Windmill Family Farm in Springboro, and Brumbaugh Fruit Farm in Arcanum. For those that live south of town or those that don’t mind a little drive, here is a good list of pumpkin patches in the Greater Cincinnati area. You can find a more comprehensive list for all of southwestern Ohio here.

Hiking

There are so many great places to hike around the Miami Valley. Some of my favorite local spots include Twin Creek MetroPark , Cox Arboretum, Englewood MetroPark, Sugarcreek MetroPark, and Bill Yeck Park. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has developed the DETOUR app which allows you to explore the thousands of miles of hiking trails in our state from your computer or smartphone.

Festivals

I used to send out a festival calendar annually, but since COVID has made things so unpredictable I haven’t put one together for the past couple of years. After a year’s hiatus many of our local favorite festivals are back. Here are a few favorites to enjoy over the next few weeks: Kettering Holiday at Home, Dayton Greek Festival (drive-in), Renaissance Festival, Beavercreek Popcorn Festival, Oktoberfest at the Dayton Art Institute, Waynesville Sauerkraut Festival. This is just a small sampling, for a more complete list, check out DaytonLocal.com for more events. Please follow local health guidelines including social distancing and check the festival website for more information as things may change.

Road Trips

Hocking Hills

This state park is about a 2 hour drive from Dayton and offers something for everyone. Hiking, ziplining, camping, cabin rental, caves to explore and even The Hocking Hills Music Festival October 8-9.

Yellow Springs & John Bryan State Park

John Bryan State Park offers hiking, camping, disc golf, paddle boats, and rock climbing. After some time in nature, head into Yellow Springs which features shopping and some excellent dining options in a charming small town setting.

Walking Tours

Looking for a new adventure? Check out Cincinnati’s ArtWorks Mural tour. They offer either group tours or self-guided tours. German Village is another great place to explore on foot. Check their website after September 1st for walking tours presented by local residents.

Scenic Drives

Looking to explore a little farther from the Miami Valley to see the fall color? Check out this website from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for updates on featured locations and fall color reports. If you’d like a longer trip, check out this scenic drive that highlights 17 stops around the state for you to discover.

It’s easy to see why so many people pick autumn as their favorite season. There is so much to see and do. I hope you have a chance to explore something new this fall!

Summer 2021 Is Almost Over, Is It Too Late to Buy or Sell a Home?

If you read my blog or have been following the news, I am sure you have heard about the wild “seller’s market” of 2021. Homes have been selling quickly, many with multiple offers over the listing price. It’s been a challenging market for buyers who have been competing for properties all year long. Now that kids are heading back to school next week, many people are wondering if the market will cool off.

Historically in the Dayton area, the late spring and early summer tend to be the most active time of year for buyers and sellers. Looking back over the past 5 years, May, June, July, and August are the months with the most closings and account for 40% of the sales for the year. Of those 4 months, June consistently ranks the highest in the number of closings. Since it typically takes about 30 days from the time an offer is written until it the sale is final, that tells us that most real estate contracts are getting written in April through July in our area.

It makes sense that spring and summer sales are so high. Most properties tend to look their best during the warmer months and the weather is nice which makes it easier for buyers to go house hunting. In addition, many families want to move and get settled before the new school year starts.

If you are in the market to buy a home, the spring and summer are a great time to search because you will have the widest variety of homes available. Housing inventories tend to reach their peak in April-July. The downside to searching during this time of year is that there are a lot of other buyers competing for the same homes. If you find a house you want to purchase during these busier months, it’s important to act quickly. Make sure you work with your agent to write a really good offer. Your agent should be able to help with strategies that can help you get the house you want, even in a multiple offer situation.

If you are selling, these warmer months bring more potential buyers than any other time of year. Of course, they also bring more competition from other sellers. Homes tend turn more quickly in the summer, often going under contract in just a single day. For that reason, it is easy to fall into the trap of pricing your home too high to see if you can get any offers. It’s important to remember that buyers are savvy and will not pay more for a home than it is worth. They have first hand knowledge of how your home compares to others on the market. Ironically, you are better off slightly underpricing your home in a busy market with low inventory levels. You will get a lot of showings and it will increase your chances of getting multiple offers from buyers above your asking price. If your home is on the market and you are not getting many showings, it could be that your home is slightly overpriced. A slight reduction in price may bring more foot traffic and an offer.

Even though the market tends to slow as the temperatures cool there is still a lot of real estate business happening in the months of October, November & December. That is especially true for the past couple of years. Last year, those three months made up almost 27% of the year’s business. In 2018, December contributed just 6.5% of the year’s total sales, but in 2020 that number jumped to 8.6%. The lower housing inventory levels forced buyers to continue their searches well beyond the summer months and I think that will be true again this year. While we may not see the frantic buying we saw in May, June, and July, sales should continue to be strong through the remainder of 2021.

If you are a buyer, the downside to waiting until the fall to begin your new home search is that there are fewer houses to choose from. The key to finding the right home will be patience. But, if you are flexible about your criteria, this may be the best time of year to search for your new home since there are fewer buyers.

Sellers who decide to list their home in the late fall or early winter face less competition and there are still plenty of buyers looking for homes. There are two things that you must do to get the most money possible when you sell this time of year. The first is to stage your home to sell. With fewer buyers looking for houses, you need to wow everyone that comes into your home. Even more critically, you must be priced correctly.  While testing a high price is never a great idea, it can be especially detrimental in the winter when there are fewer buyers house hunting. Believe me, buyers in the fall & winter are VERY aware of every home you are in competition with.  It is crucial to work with your Realtor to make sure that your price your home correctly.

The two slowest months of the year for closings are January and February. This makes sense as the lowest inventory levels of the year are always in the month of December. Between the holidays and the bad weather January brings, most sellers and buyers tend to wait until February to resume their moving plans. A positive note for house hunters is that with so few buyers in the market, sale prices historically dip to their lowest levels in the month of January. Sellers should not despair if they need to list their home in the winter months. Although your property may not get multiple offers on the day it is listed, a well priced home in good condition will sell any time of year.

The best time of year to buy and sell will vary depending on your goals.  For buyers, spring and summer will offer the biggest variety of homes to choose from. If you are particular or just want to see the most options possible before making a decision, starting your home search in the early spring is the best option. If you are more flexible and getting the best price possible is the most important criteria to you, starting your search in the fall may yield better results.  There will be less inventory, but if you are patient you may be able to get a better deal.

A seller may have the best chance of getting the highest price possible in the spring as buyers start their home searches and inventory levels are just starting to increase, but it is not an exact science. There are so many factors that go into house pricing that it is hard to pinpoint the best time of year to sell. The good news for sellers is that the time of year you put your home on the market should not have a huge impact as long as:

1. Your home is ready to sell & staged properly

2. Your home is priced correctly

Even though summer is drawing to a close, there is still a lot time left in 2021 to make a move. If you are still considering buying or selling this year, please contact me. I would love to help!