Sometime between closing on your new Louisville house and throwing a housewarming party, you’ll have move in, a time consuming and arduous task. There are things that are true when you move:

• You always have more possessions then you think you have.
• The amount you own increases with every move, especially if you have bought furniture or have had a child.
• The farther you are from school days, the less likely it is that you can get a crew of friends together to do the heavy lifting.

Reducing Stress On Your Louisville Move

While moving is always a hassle, whether you are relocating to Louisville or moving from within the city, you can reduce your stress (and your friends’ backs) by cleaning out what you don’t need so you have less to move and then calling movers at least for the heavy loads. Here are some tips to make moving smoother:

• When you change homes, you may find that some furniture won’t fit in the new place or you plan to replace it right away. A yard sale may find a new home for that old couch or bedroom set. Organizations such as the Salvation Army or a local women’s shelter may be so glad to have your gently-used discards that they will pick them up. You can have new appliances and furniture delivered to the new home. One tip: Don’t put the new purchases on credit, as additional credit usage may affect your loan.

• As you go through your closets, you may find that some clothes you don’t wear that are also good yard sale or donation items. You may have more closets space at your new home, but you don’t want to overload them. Reduce your clothes to fit the space and maximize it by installing closet organizers as we suggested to our recent blog.

• When making a local move, you may hire movers for the bigger furniture, even if you take clothes and small items to the new location yourself. For moves of any distance, you can also order packing services. This will add to your cost, but will give you protection for damage. If you use professionals, they may not be liable for what you have packed yourself. Your mover offers limited liability on your shipment, but you can purchase more if you want more protection.

• Just make sure to research a few movers in your area for rates and what they include. You can find referrals for good movers through the American Movers and Storage Association’s Mover Referral Service. The movers listed on this site are certified ProMovers who adhere to the group’s ethics. In any case, check out your prospective movers via online reviews.

• You may find that movers are more available (and maybe even cheaper) once the busy summer session has passed, but the beginning and end of the month are always more booked. Move in the middle of the month if you can to assure the movers will be ready when you are.

• Some common household items, such as bleach, paints, gas or oil, open containers of alcohol and other liquids, and more, are not accepted by most moving companies. Make sure to dispose of these items properly if the company won’t include them in the shipment. Exert proper care if you transport them yourself.

• If you use professional packers, make sure to be on hand during the packing process to make sure all items are numbered and recorded. Retain a copy of the inventory in case of any discrepancies. For any items you move, make note of any pre-existing damage. If you notice broken or damaged items during unpacking, you can file a claim with the moving company.

The Payoff for Using Movers

Once everything is in your new home, you will have plenty to do getting unpacked and organized. By hiring movers when relocating to Louisville, you will save energy for what is important – enjoying your new home.

Ready to move? Work with a Realtor® who knows about the Louisville market – and about moving! Contact Mollie Younger from Younger Group Real Estate. We know Louisville.

When you are buying a home, especially as a first time buyer in Louisville, you may not have a full understanding of the costs. You are focused on the price of the home you can afford and how the payment will fit in your budget, but the other costs seem more abstract – until you are forced to pay them.

For the most stress-free buying experience, you should anticipate each cost and try to keep it in line with your budget. Banks must issue GFE’s (Good Faith Estimates) when you obtain pre-approval for a loan, so you will have a good idea of how much you will have to pay. Just remember that each cost in a house is like a single block in a tower; move one, and the tower will tumble unless you make adjustments.

Cost of the home. Before you start seriously looking at homes, you should obtain pre-approval  from your bank to ascertain how much you can borrow for the home. Unless you have additional funds you can use to pay the difference, you should use the pre-approval amount as a guide to the homes you look at. Seller might accept less than the asking price, but if you are approved for $200,000, you are unlikely to be able to get a $400,000 home!

Earnest money: When you see a home you want to make an offer on, you usually show your good faith with a deposit of earnest money. This money is held in escrow by a third party until the sale goes through. Depending on how the contract is worded, you may be able to get the money back if you change your mind or the deal falls through. The money is applied to the cost of the house.

Mortgage rates: Rates are historically low – and average 3.5% or less for those with good credit. Obtaining the best mortgage rate will lower your monthly payment, but the rate is not your only concern. Some loans require you to pay points and other fees, so you need to consider all the terms of the loan.

Down Payment: Depending on your credit and the type of loan you get, you may have to pay as little as 3.5% with an FHA-backed loan or up to 20% with a private lender. If you don’t have the money saved, you can tap your 401 K or try for gifts and loans from your parents. The rules on how much you can get from loans or gifts vary, so may sure to ask your real estate agent and banker about the current limits.

Miscellaneous fees: Prior to closing, you may have to pay up front for appraisal fees, home inspections, home warranties, homeowner’s insurance, and attorney fees.

Closing Costs: According to a study done by bankrate.com, closing costs in Kentucky are among the lowest. On a $200,000 home, you might expect to pay an origination fee of $1.654 and a title and closing fee of $2.024, for a total of $3,611. These fees are only $500 more than in the cheapest state (Missouri) but more than $1,800 cheaper than New York, the most expensive state. In addition to these costs, you may have to pay a pro-rata amount for property taxes and homeowner association dues. As part of the deal your agent negotiates, your seller may pay up to 6% of the selling prices of the house in closing costs.

As you are preparing to buy, make sure to look at the big picture. You may want to put down the biggest downpayment you can, but you should keep some money on hand for the emergencies that will come up once you move in. Also, if your home needs new appliances or new furniture, having money on hand will enable you to buy what you need without relying on credit. A word of caution: if you put big purchases on credit between the time you gain loan approval and closing , you can affect your ability to get the loan. (Even those “don’t pay for 6 month deals” count!)

Buying a home is a wonderful experience but can be daunting if you are surprised by costs. Plan carefully and make sure to have a good real estate agent by your side. I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started in buying or selling a home in today!

Louisville, a cosmopolitan city influenced by many cultures, is once again celebrating the contributions of all its citizens with a three day WorldFest 2012 festival. “See the World Without Leaving Town” is the catchy slogan of the event now in its 10^th year. One of the region’s largest festivals, it made the Top 10 list of fall festivals and events on the Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s list. It runs at the Belvedere at 5th and Main, from Friday, August 31 through Sunday, September 2 from 11am to 11pm each day.For a schedule of events, see the WorldFest website.

As Mayor Greg Fischer says, “WorldFest is a great event for exploring and celebrating Louisville’s many faces and cultures and we always look to make it more vibrant, diverse and educational. So, it’s exciting to add many new features and attractions for the 10th anniversary.”

Cultural differences show up in food, music, dance, and handicrafts, as well as the customs reflected at holidays and in daily life. WorldFest tries to capture it all with a Parade of Cultures on Saturday and a weekend of exciting performances and delicious ethnic food. Whether you want to take home crafts great for gifts, printed information about other cultures, or new insights about how people live in their  native countries, WorldFest has it all. You can enjoy the music of Ireland, Latin America, Africa, or India on multiple stages as you adventure through something new at WorldFest this year – the Global Village. As you explore, you will meet people dressed in native garb and speaking the language of their country.

Kids are invited to the new World of Discovery where they can see the world with a passport issued at a designated checkpoint.  They can “visit” the continents and come away with a craft representative of one of the countries there.  World of Discovery will include Home Depot workshops, face painting, and inflatables.

Quite appropriate for our day, WorldFest 2012 will reach out to those in need. There will be a job fair to help immigrants find jobs in Louisville. Employers will be on hand, but the event will also offer resume, job searching, and interview help. Also, the festival, which is free, is collecting canned goods for Louisville Dare to Care.

For many, the most exciting event of the weekend will be the Naturalization Ceremony, where hundreds of people will take their citizen’s oath. About 300 people will become U.S. citizens at a ceremony held on Friday  in Kentucky Center’s Bomhard Theater.

WorldFest 2012 promises fun, but is also relevant to Louisville today. Half of the city’s population growth over the last few years has come from immigrant growth. Children in Louisville schools speak hundreds of languages at home. Even as new immigrants become part of our city, they always remember their roots. WorldFest 2012 brings it home what those roots are.

Louisville is a great welcoming city! I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started in buying or selling a home in today!

With the inventory of moderately priced homes dipping in Louisville, buying a foreclosure and fixing it up is a viable option if you have the time, money, and patience.

After several years of foreclosure crisis, most prospective buyers know that bank owned homes are often stripped bare of appliances, fixtures, and plumbing and left to sit for months. Even if you buy a home from a private individual trying to beat the foreclosure clock, the property might not be in great shape because the seller can not afford to make needed repairs. You will be buying the property as it.

If you are thinking of buying or foreclosure or bank owned home-home, you need to protect yourself by hiring a knowledgeable foreclosure home inspector who will find potential problems you need to know about. Most banks don’t offer much time for inspectors to evaluate the home, but skipping this step can cost you big time. The inspection might cost $400-900 but knowing what problems the home has can save you in the long run.

Foreclosed homes may have the utilities shut off. To see if systems are working and check their conditions, you need to have the power on. If the bank won’t pay to turn it on, you may need to front the costs. If the meter has been removed, your foreclosure inspector might be able to test systems and equipment with a generator if local codes permit it.

Although you might find lists of foreclosures advertised, you should work with an experienced agent you trust. They can advise of comparable sale prices in the neighborhood. If you find out that the you want needs $100,000 worth of repairs, you will lose money if you pay $100,000 in a neighborhood where homes sell for $130,000. Since many agents are neighborhood specialists, they might be able to direct you to properties where the match makes sense and alert you when other suitable properties in the area are available.

Once you find a property and have done your due diligence to make sure you can manage the repairs, you may be able to get a great deal on a foreclosure in a neighborhood you like. This is particularly true if you are in a position to pay cash or put down a large downpayment (20% or more.)

If you need a mortgage, you will need to have a plan for fixing the home in order to get the money. Assuming you don’t have a stash of money on hand to make the repairs, a 203K loan could be your answer. Under the Federal Housing Administration’s 203(k) program, you could borrow enough money to make the repairs and cover the cost off the home. A 203K loan is also a useful way to fund repairs on a home you already own.

There are specific requirements for this type of loan:

• The home will be your principal residence.
• The amount you borrow must be no more than the loan amount you qualify for and be less than the maximum FHA limit for your area.
• You must be prepared to put down at least 3.5%
• Your mortgage will include mortgage insurance.
• Your interest rate will be higher than prevailing rates to cover the lender’s risk.

A 203K loan can assure that your new home will be safe and up to code within six months of you purchase. To comply with the FHA terms, you must have the necessary work to increase the value of the home done by competent professionals who familiar with the reporting requirements of the program.

Check with  your real estate agent for details about how a 403K loan can make buying a foreclosure a feasible option for you. Call me, Mollie Younger, of the Younger Group Real Estate. I can point you to homes in neighborhoods that have properties you’ll love that include some of the features mentioned here.

When you are looking for a new Louisville home, you may want less space, either because of the needs of your family or your commitment to living a smaller-scaled, more sustainable life. If you want to keep the price near the average price for the area ($178,249), you may come to the same conclusion reached in a recent MSN real estate article: homes built in the 1970s have good bones, some desirable design features, and just the right amount of space. You might not seek out a home from this decade, but many had features that work well today that you might keep in mind when house -hunting..

You may see “newer” homes as “better,” but the crops of homes produce 40 years ago might be worth a look. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development say the median U.S. home was built in 1974. What’s to like about home from this era?

Smaller size: The average home size is currently 2,480 square feet in contrast to 1,660 square feet back in 1973. More space means more to clean, more to heat, and more to clutter. More homeowners are realizing this; 2011 survey from the National Association of Home Builders suggested that smaller homes are coming into vogue again.

Fewer stairs: Staircases add character to home, plus allow builders to create more less on less land. As Baby Boomers seek retirement homes, one-floor homes are easier to maneuver.

Some green features: The energy crisis of the early 1970′s jumpstarted the interest in green features in homes. Technology has improved since this time, but you might find some solar and wind energy equipment still in place.

Simpler roofs: The multiple peaks and gables of modern roofs may be attractive, but the lower, simpler roofs of years past are easier to repair.

Green walls: Letting ivy cover your siding was thought to take on toll on brickwork, but recent studies have shown that walls benefit from being covered by plants. Why? The plants absorb the temperatures, pollution, and moisture. The plant-covered wall popular in earlier days are akin to the green roofs fashionable in NuLu buildings.

Awnings: Although homeowners opt for pricey SunSetter awnings to shade porches and decks, window awnings are less popular than they were in the 70s when whole-house air conditioning was less popular. Awnings are still a great way to keep your energy bills down by keeping your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Great materials: Older homes may have used more natural materials. Cork, now a trendy sustainable flooring material, was used in the 1970′s. Wood was often from old-growth forests, now considered bad environmental practice, which produced durable boards that could be cut more accurately than wood from newer trees. Now, reclaimed wood as well as engineered lumber, attempts to offer similar benefits – but if you can get old wood, why not?  Consciousness of the dangers of lead paint came to the fore in the late 1970′s, so homes from this era or later may be free of these substances under later coats of paint.

Looking for a right-sized home that has desirable features you’ll love? Call me, Mollie Younger, of the Younger Group Real Estate. I can point you to homes in neighborhoods that have properties you’ll love that include some of the features mentioned here.

AUGUST EVENT

Thru 8/12/12      Ballparks: From Classic Cathedrals to Concrete Donuts Exhibition at Louisville Slugger Museum

8/2-8/5/12          2012 National Street Rods Plus

8/4/2012             The Falls of the Ohio Family Fun Fair!

8/4/2012             Street Rod Biergarten

8/6/2012             NightClub Salsa!

8/10/2012           GLORIANA Hot Country Nights FREE Concert

8/11/2012           SEIRD announces quarterly household hazardous waste disposal day

8/11/2012           First Annual Shawnee-Jewell Park Day

8/11/2012           August 11- Annual St. Joseph Orphan’s Picnic

Every Thurs from 8/16     Jazzyblu’s Social Summer Series

8/16-8/26/12     Kentucky State Fair 2012

8/16-18/12         Coffee Cup Theatre stages All in the Timing

8/16-19/12         Louisville LGBT Film Festival at the University of Louisville

8/18/2012           Southern Parkway Moonlight Mile & 8K Run

8/19-20/12         Salute to the Legends Golf Classic

8/25/2012           9th Annual Brew at the Zoo & Wine Too

8/25/2012           Biergarten

8/25/2012           Walk Away from Colon Cancer & 5K Run

8/25/2012           Louisville Ford Ironman

8/31-9/3/12       Kentucky Flea Market

8/31/2012           Crescent Hill Outdoor Cinema

8/31-9/2/12       10th Annual WorldFest

9/1/2012             29th Annual Pioneer 5K

9/1-9/3/12          Kentucky Bluegrass Music & Burgoo Festival

9/3/2012             Mayor’s Hike, Bike & Paddle

9/7-9/8/12          Middletown’s Family Fun Festival and Craft Show

9/7-9/8/12          Fairdale Community Fair

9/8/2012             Schnitzelburg 12th Annual Neighborhood Yard Sale

9/8/2012             Celts on the River 2012

When it is pushing 100 degrees in Louisville, you may want to sit inside in your air conditioning and stay hydrated. When it cools off a bit, there are festivals to attend, fish to catch, and Margaritas to sip but as a homeowner, you realize that summer is an ideal time to catch up on a few maintenance items that are easy to attend to in the summer. If you decide to jump into what is turning into a Louisville seller’s market, your house will have improved curb appeal too. You might call this mini-list “summer home conditioning.”

Do a Huck Finn and attend to your fence. Are there places where the fence is rotted or rusted? Are the posts solid? Are there spaces underneath where dogs or other animals have dug ? Fix all these things, clean the boards, and then paint the fence to prevent further damage. If you have kids, you could introduce them to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, followed by an introduction to fence painting. Then, take them fishing!

O dear, what about  the deer? Even if you love wildlife, you may not want to see visiting families of deer devastate your landscaping – a growing problem as these hungry animals see your plants as a buffet. Harming them is out of the question, but there are other actions you can take. Try fencing or bird netting around your plants. If you have to replace plants, check with your nursery on ones that deer are not supposed to like. Plant just a few to see if the deer stay away before spending a fortune. You can also try commercial deer sprays or make some up yourself. Your online search may reveal that others have had good luck with concoctions made of hot sauce (or cayenne pepper), raw garlic, eggs, yogurt or buttermilk, and dish soap.

Wash past seasons away. After a mild winter and an early spring, you might have done quick cleaning of your deck. Now, mid-summer, you might want to give everything a more thorough cleaning. If you rent a power washer, you can go to town on driveways, sidewalks, and garage floors.  CAREFULLY wash the deck (and maybe even your house) to prevent your next activity being repainting or restaining. Once everything is clean, you can more carefully assess if you do need to do some painting before winter. When the concrete is wet, make sure to check that water is not seeping into your basement through cracks.

Patch it up. When everything is clean and dry, properly fill driveway cracks and around the foundation. Assess if your driveway needs sealcoating.  Patch sidewalks and foundation cracks.  Tuck point those brick steps (or hire a masonry pro.) This little details show your pride of ownership to neighbors an potential buyers.

Keep outside in and outside out. Summer is a good time to conduct a do-it-yourself energy audit or call in a pro to see where air is escaping. (You can download a home-energy audit form for starters.) Even without a major insulating job, you can prevent air loss from around switch plates and phone jacks by swapping them out for insulated covers. Caulk or weather stripping does wonders to lessen air loss around mail slots, windows, air conditioners, and vents inside, as well as for gaps outdoors.

As you enjoy your summer, take time for a little “home conditioning” to keep it looking fresh. If you want to take advantage of our lively real estate market and buy or sell your home, give me a call. I’m Mollie Younger. We Know Louisville.

With July 4^th approaching, you may be planning an all-American feast of hotdogs, hamburgers, fried chicken, and apple pie, washed down with some local beers. Just in case you’re wondering, what are the real “all-American” foods of Louisville?

Louisville is a town for foodies, where you can experience delicious well-prepared food in home kitchens and in the many fine restaurants all around town. Our cuisine has Southern roots, so fried chicken, fried catfish and hush puppies, and country fried steak are popular main dishes, with sides of green beans, greens. Pinto beans, fried green tomatoes, cheese grits, or fried okra. We love barbeque, especially with our favorite local sauce, with a vinegar based tang.

Over the years, we have become known for a few Louisville classics that might not be on your menu July 4^th but will surely hit your table throughout the year:

Hot Brown – Created at the Brown hotel in 1926, the Hot Brown is an open-faced chicken and bacon sandwich, covered in Mornay cheese sauce. You still order it at the Brown, but the original and variations are available everywhere. It’s also easy to make at home.

Derby Pie© – Similar to pecan pie, Derby Pie as pioneered by the Kern family contains chocolate chips. Orginally made the Melrose in Prospect, KY, the name is trademarked and secret, but there are many variations of dessert which include caramel, butterscotch, and other kinds of nuts. If you eat anything not made by Kern’s Kitchen, you can’t call it Derby Pie© or risk a lawsuit

Benedictine spread – Restaurateur and cater Jennie Benedict created this cucumber and cream cheese spread early in the last century. Flavored with a hint of onion and tined green with food coloring, the spread is a staple at cocktail parties and is used as a filling for hollowed out baked potatoes or when enhanced with sour cream, as a dipping sauce for raw vegetable

Mint Julep – The official drink of the Kentucky Derby since 1938, the combination of Kentucky bourbon, mint leaves, and crushed ice is popular year round, as long as you can get the mint.

Henry Bain Sauce – Invented in 1881 by caterer Henry Bain of the exclusive Pendennis Club, Henry Bain sauce is great accompaniment for roast beef tenderloin. It is a flavorful combination of steak sauce, chili sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and chutney that is rubbed on nearly -done mean, which is roasted for another 20 minutes.

Burgoo  - A thick stew traditionally made with game meat, burgoo is still served at Keeneland Racetrack, around Derby time, and at political rallies. Modern recipes often include several meats, vegetable, and a shot of Bourbon.

Sausages – Given the large population of German-American citizens in Louisville, it is into surprising that sausage is popular in the city. With the Swift plant still operating and many local sausage makers at work, there is always fresh sausage in our city!

Bourbon balls – When Kentucky Governor Ruby Laffon said chocolate tasted better with bourbon, Ruth Hanly Booe whipped up bourbon balls at the Rebecca Ruth Candy Company. Made with dark chocolate, Kentucky bourbon, and sugar, the original has a creamy center. There are many popular variations of the treat, but the original is commemorated with a historical marker in front of the store at 112 East Second Street.

Modjeska’s – Named for Polish actress Helen Modjeska, this caramel and marshmallow delicacy was created by local candy maker Anton Busath. Currently made by Louisville locals such as Muth’s Candy and Bauer’s, the candy is often made at home.

Try some local Louisville all-American food this holiday! Happy Fourth of July, Louisville! I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started today!

When July 4 comes mid-week, you’ll probably be tempted to take a couple days off before or after to enjoy the holiday with the many activities that will light up the Louisville riverfront over the next week. You could celebrate the Fourth with a backyard barbeque, but many of the events have great food available. As many events will benefit a charity if you participate, you can do good while enjoying yourself.

If you look at the events in Louisville throughout the year, you will see a few patterns. Many pull people toward our beautiful waterfront, benefit both the local economy and special charities, and are in line with Louisville’s stated goals to be healthy an environmentally friendly. Two events over the next week illustrate this perfectly.

Riverfest Music Festival: Ten local bands will entertain Louisville right along the river starting at 5pm Friday, June 29 and continuing through Saturday, June 30. You can camp nearby or boat in for the day, as you enjoy a mix of rock, soul, and R&B from groups such as the Devonshires, the Louisville Crashers, Soul, Inc., and more. Though you can bring your own cooler, you don’t want to miss the delicious pulled pork, chicken, burgers, and dogs from Butcher’s Best.

As befitting a festival held along the river, the event will support Edge Outreach. A local organization committed to bringing clean drinking water to disaster environments and developing communities in 23 countries, Edge send volunteers to diagnose water issues, install purification systems, and train local people. The work of this group helped Louisville be named as the model for compassionate cities and the International Water Capital of the World. Your donation of $10 ($20 at the door) will gain you entrance to Riverfest.

Waterfront Independence Day Festival. Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank for 10 of its 13 years, the Waterfront Independence Day Festival offers two days of free country, jazz, rock, and funk concerts, kids activities, food, and of course, fireworks. The fireworks on Wednesday night promise to be spectacular, plus offer a safer option than home fireworks shows.

As you enjoy snacking from the wide array of concession fare, you can benefit those who go to bed hungry in Louisville by donating non-perishables at Dare to Care collection points at each festival entrance. The collection effort is coordinated by Yum! Brands, as part of the company’s commitment to end world hunger.

With thousands of people coming to the waterfront, there is a potential for a lot of waste to be left behind. To minimize environment impact and promote a healthy alternative to pop, you can buy a refillable plastic bottle and refill it as many times as you want with Louisville pure tap® and then drop the bottle in a recycling bin. The proceeds from the sale of the bottles go to Edge Outreach. Vendors will donate used grease to be recycled for biodiesel and recycle cardboard packing materials.

You can help prevent pollution by biking to the festival, carpooling, or splurging by staying downtown at the Galt House, which is offering a special holiday package. Valet bike parking is free.

Come relax by the river in Louisville, enjoy events planned around this July 4^th, and help your neighbors.  Househunting? I can help you buy or sell property in Butchertown or other great Louisville locations. I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started today!

JULY EVENTS

6/28-30/12         2012 Riverfest Music Festival

6/30-7/1/12        Crescent Hill 4th of July

7/1-31/12             Christmas in July

7/1-31/12             Urban Bourbon Exhibit

5/26-9/2/12        Blue Star Museums

7/3-4/12              Waterfront Independence Festival

7/4/2012             Independence Day at Locust Grove

7/6/2012             July 4th Forest Fun at Jefferson Memorial Forest

7/6-7/7/12          Molo Village Festival

7/7-7/8/12          Old Louisville Hidden Treasures Garden Tour

7/7/2012             DeaFestival Kentucky 2012

7/14-8/25/12     Celebrate Bastille Day at the Bristol Bar and Grille

7/8/2012            Schnitzelburg Potluck

7/13-7/15/12      Forecastle Festival

7/13-7/15/12      The Louisville Blues-n-Barbecue Festival

7/13-7/15/12      KFC Mayor’s Cup

7/14/2012           Biergarten

7/15/2012           Buckhead Border Challenge Triathlon & Duathlon

7/16-20/12         Backbone Bonanza

Wherever you call home can be your “best place to live,” but there is plenty of external evidence that shows that Louisville is being generally recognized as the most affordable place to call home. What do you want in your hometown? Affordable housing? Low cost of living? Safety? Arts and culture? Plenty to do? Amazing restaurants? Great medical services? Louisville has it all.

Recently, the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) concluded that the cost of living in Louisville is about 11% below the national average. This group, composed of Chambers of Commerce, economic development professionals in universities, has kept track of prices on goods and services in 300 metro areas since 1968. For the first three months of 2012, the group concluded that Louisville offers great housing prices, lower food costs for many commodities, and even lower cost for healthcare, transportation, and other services.

For example, housing in Louisville is 22% cheaper here than other cities studied. Based on the price of a 2400 square foot home, apartment rates and mortgage rates, home that costs $251,247 nationally goes for $231,573 right here, while mortgage payments are 16% less. Recent stats on Louisville real estate, indicate that the average and median prices of a home here are even lower at $167,461 and $140,000, respectively. What’s good news for you if you have a growing family is that Louisville also made the list of “Safest Cities for Families with Young Children” in 2010. Based on low pedestrian accident rates, a high number of hospitals per capita, quick fire response rates, and active programs to create safe environments for children coming to and from school, Louisville was number three on the list.

Meanwhile, healthcare is 10.5% lower though the quality of medical care in our area is great. Twenty local doctors and six hospitals were selected by peers for the U.S. News Top Doctors and U.S. News Top Hospitals. Norton Healthcare, Baptist Hospital East, Jewish Hospital, Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services, University of Louisville Hospital, and Kosair Children’s Hospital were recognized for specific specialties, such as cardiology, cancer, geriatrics, and more.

Located in a new cultural area where local food is plentiful, citizens pay 22% less for eggs and other foods. Lower-costs also result in lower prices in area chicken restaurants such as KFC or Church’s. With farmers markets available throughout the city and with local restaurants committed to by local, you can eat healthy for reasonable costs right here.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median income in Louisville is $45,000 per household. You might get a tiny bit more for your money in Birmingham, Alabama, Omaha, Nebraska, or Nashville Tennessee, but you’ll do better than in other cities in our region, including St. Louis, Missouri, Cincinnati Ohio, or Indianapolis, Indiana. However, when you look at major cities like Chicago, San Francisco, or New York, you really see the economy of living here. To live as well as you do in Louisville, you would need $57,068 in Chicago, $81,566 in San Francisco, or $110,421 in Manhattan in New York City.

Ready to enjoy the great value in living in Louisville as a homeowner? I can help you buy or sell property in Butchertown or other great Louisville locations. I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started today!

Our warm Louisville winter has lead to great news if you buy your produce at areas Farmers’ Markets. Crops are ripening earlier, so farmers are able to bring their product to the growing network of markets week ahead of schedule. Farmer David Snyder of Sunshine Farms in LaGrange opened two weeks before the Derby, around the time when the markets usually opens.  He was able to offer 15 or 16 early crops to offer, in contrast to the usual five or six crops a ready at opening. Other farmers were ready to go earlier too.

The food is not only available earlier, it may be tastier. According to U of K College of Agriculture extension horticulturalist John Strang, the sunny weather and cool night have led to “better tasting berries. “It doesn’t burn the sugars up, so they taste sweeter,” Strang said.

But, as Strang and others noted in the Courier Journal , they year has been challenging. Despite the early warm spells, later frosts interrupted the growing cycle. However, peaches, strawberries, leafy greens, and asparagus are making it to market earlier.

Farmers’ Markets are a big part of the Louisville food distribution scene, where people can not only buy fruits and vegetable but also baked goods, jellies, and meat. Shopping at markets introduces a personal element into buying food that is lost at many larger supermarkets. Many visitors come to the market as part of their routine and socialize with vendors and other buyers. Consumers like to talk to the farmer about how the animals were raised and treated before arriving at the market and about pesticides used.

Some markets like the Phoenix Hill Market NuLu market are also pick up points for Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) customers. Subscribers who paid at the beginning of the year received a weekly order of produce , eggs, and other things from May through October. Farmers save the best food for their regulars. The selection varies according to what is available and how well it grows.

Since the buy-local movement has moved to restaurants. Louisville diners can enjoy the early crops as well as individual shoppers. Grasshoppers Distribution, which markets and distributes food from local farmers, supplies local eateries who want to serve farm-to-table selection.

Here is a complete list of 2012 farmers’ markets in the Louisville area, complete with days and hours.

Pick up locations for Louisville CSA members.

Whether you want to eat out or cook in, locally grown ingredients are at your fingertips in Louisville. I’m Mollie Younger from the Younger Group where We Know Louisville. Give me a call and get started in buying or selling a home in today!