Expert Real Estate Louisville, Kentucky

(SOLD!!)  Best value in the neighborhood! (SOLD!!)

Beautiful all-brick and Bedford stone ranch home available at 6327 Hunters Grove Louisville, KY 40216 in the peaceful neighborhood of Hunters Grove.

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This three bedroom, one bath home features a large covered front porch and mature trees on the best lot in the neighborhood. Inside you will find a cozy brick fireplace, rich paneling in the dining area, and fresh neutral paint and carpet throughout. The home has triple-pane replacement windows that dramatically reduce exterior noise and improve insulation.

As a bonus, there is a 150 square foot Sun room off of the rear of the home, very unique for the area. It features lots of large windows and a vaulted wood ceiling that adds to it’s sense of comfort and relaxation. In addition, the bathroom boasts a newer tub insert and light, tasteful colors. The unfinished basement offers the new owners unlimited possibilities for an additional sleeping area, family room, rec room, or any other option you select.

There are washer and dryer hookups in one of the bedrooms as well as in the basement. The washer, dryer, and refrigerator remain with the home. Do not miss out on this well-built home in a great location! Down payment assistance may be available for this home. Ask for details.

Contact Joe Hayden today for additional pictures and information, or to set up a private showing. You will be amazed at what this home has to offer!

Withdrawn from the market.  No longer listed for sale by Joe Hayden, Realtor.

Wonderful all-brick ranch home just waiting for new owners conveniently located at 5413 Hess Road in the Pleasure Ridge Park area of Louisville, KY

Contact Me for pricing and additional photos

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Merely walking up to the home and taking in the beautifully landscaped sidewalk gives you a sense of pride of ownership. Once inside, you will see the attention to detail and craftsmanship that make this home a true gem. The kitchen features lots of counter space, ceramic tile flooring, and classic pocket doors. In the dining room, gleaming hardwood flooring and luxurious crown molding accents any special occasion. Notice the lighting hidden in the crown molding.

The family / living room has durable hardwood flooring and a large brick fireplace that makes a perfect focal piece for the room. The master bedroom benefits from tasteful crown molding and hardwood flooring. All three bedrooms feature closets much larger than typically found in this vintage home. In fact, you will find plenty of storage space located throughout the home. The basement is currently use d as a fourth bedroom / kid’s area / pool room, but could be utilized as the new owner sees fit. The basement has an access door to the rear of the house. There is a brand-new all-tile full bath in the basement, as well.

Outside, the home features a two-car garage, plus an additional one-car garage with plenty of boat or RV parking. The lot is nearly a half acre, and is fully fenced in the rear. The home features fresh paint and carpeting throughout. The refrigerator and stove are negotiable…

Contact me for pricing, additional photos, if you have any other questions, or would like to schedule a private showing.

Make plans to view this wonderful home today!!

The MLS in Louisville, KY is a powerful tool used by both real estate industry professionals and the general public as a centralized location for information about homes available for sale.  The abbreviation MLS stands for “multiple listing service” and the modern version is maintained as an electronic database with extensive search capabilities.

For example, the MLS system used in Louisville, KY contains over 100 different data input points that can be searched by a member of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors, or by the general public through free MLS search sites.  Typically, a person will search for a home based on price, location, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and whether or not there is a basement or garage.  In addition, by using a real estate agent who has access to the MLS system you can define all available search terms and narrow your search results to find exactly what home you desire.

The Louisville, KY MLS receives its data from real estate agents who list homes for sale in the local area and who want to ensure that each home receives maximum market exposure.  Since there is no other resource that provides such exposure, the MLS is usually the primary marketing tool used by Realtors to showcase their listings.  As such, it is therefore the primary tool a prospective home buyer should use when searching for a new home.

In my opinion, the best way to use the MLS system is to first determine your buying power by locating a suitable mortgage broker and getting pre-approved, then defining your wants and needs in a home (three bedrooms would be a “need” and a pool is a “want”), and finally begin searching for a home using the Louisville MLS system.

I suggest keeping the search parameters very general at first and to keep the price range 2-3% wider than you initially think (negotiations come into play).  Take a look at the resulting homes that show up by clicking on the pictures for interior views and the address to get a Google Map, and then start refining your search based upon what you learn.  Once you have a general idea of what the market has to offer, then you can contact your real estate agent and use their expertise to further refine the search results.  Some may even get more benefit out of the system by involving their Realtor from the beginning.

Once you get the hang of using the MLS in Louisville you will find that it dramatically reduces your time spent searching for a new home, plus you will naturally become educated about the local market as a consequence and be in a much better position to plan for negotiations.  It is a very powerful tool and taking the time to become familiar will also improve communications with your Realtor, plus… It’s just a lot of fun to look for a new home!

You are welcome to contact me with all of your real estate questions, and you can search the Louisville, KY MLS for free on my website.

With the proliferation of mortgage defaults and foreclosures in Louisville, KY real estate short sales have become very popular. Both owner-occupants and investors have found that short sales can be a solution to challenging real estate problems. While it is true they are useful tools when applied to the appropriate situation, we are going to look at all sides of a short sale transaction so you will be a fully-informed buyer. Sellers will also benefit from this information because it will help them determine what steps to take if they wish to try a short sale for their property.

What is a Short Sale?

In simple terms, a short sale happens when a lender accepts less than the principal amount of money that they are owed by the seller and allows the property to be sold. For example, if you are trying to sell a home that has a fair market value of $200,000 and you owe $210,000 on the property, once all the costs associated with selling are paid you will be well short of the principal amount owed to the lender. If you follow the lenders short sale procedures exactly, they may allow the sale to take place and incur a loss on the property. Keep in mind this is a simplified version of the process, as we will reveal.

Why Should You Try To Do a Short Sale?

From a seller’s perspective, a short sale may be the only way to sell the property and stop further financial hardship. Without the money to pay off the principal owed to the lender, technically the seller cannot sell the home. A short sale provides a workaround to this dilemma by allowing the seller a way to sell the property without paying off the principal loan amount owed.

From a buyer’s perspective, a short sale is a tool that can be used to purchase a home that otherwise most likely would be going into foreclosure and be unavailable for sale for an extended period of time. In a few cases, a short sale can also be a way to get a great deal on a home purchase. It is wrong to view all homes that are potential candidates for a short sale as a good investment, but with proper due diligence one can assure themselves they are receiving a fair deal for the home they intend to purchase.

How Do You Do a Short Sale?

For both buyers and sellers the most sound advice I can offer is to secure the services of a competent, experienced real estate agent to guide you through the short sale process. As a seller you must know that a lender will not allow a short sale to take place unless the home is listed for sale with an agent. This is done to protect the lender’s interests in the home by ensuring the home is fully exposed to the open market and the highest and best offer for the property is obtained. The seller’s agent must know how to manage a short sale, how to deal with the lender’s loss mitigation department, and how to advise the seller to protect the interests of all represented parties.

A buyer’s agent must also know how to manage a short sale, how to deal with the lender’s loss mitigation department, and how to best protect their client’s interests. Besides knowing how to find properties that are offered for sale as a short sale, the buyer’s agent must also ensure any property their client is interested in purchasing must be inspected in great detail, a thorough market analysis provided to verify the purchase price is correct for the current market, and all of the necessary paperwork is completed exactly as the lender specifies.

The general steps to a short sale involve first determining if the home is a viable candidate for a short sale. This is done by the seller with guidance from the seller’s agent by contacting the lender and getting all of the required documents for effecting a short sale. This documentation must be completed accurately and all of the supporting documentation provided so the lender can make a determination if they will allow a short sale to occur.

If the lender decides that the home is a candidate for a short sale they will have at least one, if not more, price opinions done on the home by third party appraisers or real estate brokers to give them an idea of what the home should bring on the open market. This number will be a key feature of the short sale. It is going to be used by the lender to determine whether or not they will accept an offer on the property for a particular price. Some lenders will make this number known to the seller and some will keep it private, so I recommend seller’s agents to submit their own opinion on pricing to the lender as they will typically have access to the house that the lender’s representatives will not. Send a full explanation with your price opinion, as well. If the lender gets the price wrong, the home will never sell as competent, well-represented buyers will know the current fair market value as well as anyone.

Once the lender has received all of the paperwork and they have a good idea of the fair market value of the home they will ask that the home be marketed for sale to the general public. Each lender will have different procedures, but mostly they will want to view all offers on the property themselves and then specify exactly what they will accept, and which parts of any offer to counteroffer. Once the lender is satisfied with the complete offer, you will then proceed forward as normal with the transaction per the contract and begin working towards closing.

Short Sale Tips and Advice

A short sale can either be a pleasant real estate experience, or it can be a real pain in the you know where. My experience has shown me that it all depends on how the lender’s representatives and the seller’s agent interact and work together. If the seller’s agent knows what they are doing and can anticipate the lender’s needs to ensure all of the necessary paperwork is completed in a timely manner exactly as requested, then the process stands a good chance of going well. This is why you need an experienced agent to manage this transaction. Don’t worry about the cost of an agent at this time because part of the short sale process is the lender agrees to pay the agent’s commission.

Seller’s need to make sure they fully understand the contractual obligations they face by doing a short sale. The lender may force you to sign a promissory note for the loss they incurred from the short sale. There may be negative credit score or credit report actions that will affect the seller’s ability to get new housing. It is possible that there are tax consequences, as well. Seller’s need to discuss all of this and more with their real estate agent, plus they should seek guidance from a real estate attorney and tax professional to ensure they are aware of all possible outcomes.

Buyers need to know that a short sale does not necessarily mean they are receiving a good deal on the purchase of a new home. It can be quite the opposite without a complete understanding of the local market conditions, a thorough market analysis, detailed home inspections, and a real estate agent looking out for their best interests. A short sale gives a buyer the opportunity to buy a home that was going into foreclosure, but that is all it can guarantee. Lenders are not going to just give away their money, but on occasion they will allow a property to go for less than fair market value given the particular home’s condition. If you happen to be in a position to find and purchase one of these homes, congratulations, but know that you are in the minority.

As you may have guessed from this post, I have been in a position to work short sales as a representative of both buyers and sellers. I have tried to give you a fair overview of the process, but each situation is unique and must be approached from that perspective. I will be happy to answer all of your questions and to help you in any way I am able with all of you real estate needs. You can search for all Louisville, KY Homes for Sale, or contact me, Joe Hayden, Realtor, at the highlighted links.

Joe Hayden, Realtor, is honored to announce the latest offering of land for sale in Pewee Valley, KY by presenting to you this exclusive listing of The Estates at Locust Lake. Developed by Denis Littrell of the Louisville Building Company, The Estates at Locust Lake provides you the perfect opportunity to custom build your dream home in secluded Pewee Valley, KY.

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The Estates at Locust Lake consists of three luxury lots on Wooldridge Avenue just waiting for your new home. The lots range in size from 1.2 acres to 1.4 acres, and include access to all available local utilities. Once completed, the Estates at Locust Lake will have a beautiful stone entranceway, a private fenced and tree-lined access drive leading to your new home, an abundance of mature trees, plus the peace and comfort that can only come from living in exclusive Pewee Valley, KY.

Finding land in Pewee Valley, KY that has been meticulously prepared for your new custom-built home is a challenge. The Estates at Locust Lake will meet and exceed your needs for a custom home site, affording you the opportunity to build with confidence in a highly desirable location. Pewee Valley is located in Oldham County, KY and features a fascinating history that makes it a unique and special place to call home.

Oldham County is just east of Jefferson County, KY and features rolling countrysides, picturesque farmland, convenient access to major thoroughfares and amenities, plus an award-winning school system. You will find that living in Pewee Valley is a treasured experience that engages you with some of the most beautiful land, interesting architecture, and peaceful surroundings in all of Kentucky.

Please Contact Joe Hayden at any time to set up a personalized showing of The Estates at Locust Lake at your convenience. In addition, if you have not selected a luxury custom home builder, please contact Denis Littrell of the Louisville Building Company to set up an interview.