This is the time of year when most of us reminisce of holidays past and those special memories that perhaps we have replicated in our current celebrations. For me, it’s mom’s special recipes, the ornaments given to me by old friends, the first Santa Claus in my collection and where he will be placed, and of course the radio playing Christmas carols 24/7! But the strongest recollection for me among all the festivities is the idea and feeling of “home”. How many holiday songs hammer home (pun intended) the idea of home? Oh, There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays, I’ll Be Home for Christmas and so many more!
Did you know that the Canton, Massillon and Akron areas were ranked in the top 20 “Most Affordable Housing Markets” in the nation by Realtor.com in their October report? Akron came in 9th and the Canton-Massillon area came in 12th. The average home in Ohio averages $252,000 or less, far below the national average of $400,000 or more! We live in a very unique part of the country, where traffic is still manageable, property taxes are still within reason, housing prices are still affordable, and the school systems are outstanding.
Perhaps while shopping for the “perfect” Christmas present for your family, you might want to research what it would take to start the home purchase process! It’s really not as hard as you think. Even if you believe you won’t qualify for a loan, you really don’t know for sure unless you apply! Regulations and requirements sometimes change weekly or monthly and there are a lot of programs out there to help! Interest rates are steadily falling and inventory is still tight, but slowly increasing. You need to be ready when the right home comes along! And despite changes in real estate procedures and laws in 2024, buyer representation is still essential and sellers are very willing to help with those and other costs.
I love my home, the idea of home, holidays at home. But I learned many decades ago that it’s not the structure and it doesn’t matter if you rent or own! It’s who lives there. When my parents had to sell our “family” home due to illness, I was devastated. It was one of my first real estate transactions early in my career. Mom and Dad moved in with my husband and I for a few years. I realized that the house I thought I’d miss so terribly was just that, a house. I realized that “home” was not a structure at all, but “where the heart is”. Home became where my parents resided and the family gathered.
May you all have the blessing of being home for the holidays and feeling always “at home”. And call your favorite REALTOR® if you want to add “buy a home” to your shopping list!
Published in Louisville Neighbors 12-24
Comments