Have you ever really, really, really wanted to meet someone famous? For me it was Jenny Lawson, author of Let's Pretend This Never Happened. When I heard she was going to be in town for a book signing I was over the moon excited! I knew I had to get Jenny something special, especially since it seemed like she was coming to Louisville just to say Happy Birthday to me! 

So I commissioned my friend Lindsey to make her a special gift. 

At first Jenny was all, "Sure, I would love to open this gift! Even if it is wrapped and I have tons of people waiting for me"

"Wow, You did such a great job wrapping this, do you work for the CIA keeping things under wraps?"

...

Mortgage insurance rates are going up April 1st so if you’re trying to find a home in Louisville it is in your best interest to act quickly.  The U.S. Department of Housing and Administration recently announced that most loans that are applied for after April 1st with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will see a 0.10 percentage point increase in their premiums, or $100 per year for each $100,000 in loan amount.  It might seem like a small amount, but there are enough people realizing the significant economic impact it can have on the life of their loan that a rush to beat the deadline is expected in Louisville.  Real estate agents are recommending that you apply with your lender before March 25th to ensure that you get locked in at the lower rate.  Some bankers are even making that a hard deadline to take advantage of those lower rates.

This change precedes an even more impactful change this summer for the Louisville real estate market.  Buying a home in Louisville through the FHA program will come with the new stipulation that mortgage insurance will be paid for the life of the loan—a potential difference of thousands of dollars owed.

So if you want to maximize your investment by saving on your mortgage insurance get your contract to your lender no later than March 25th.  This will avoid the mortgage rate increase and, if enough equity is achieved, avoid the insurance fees altogether after five years.  Keep in mind that lenders usually need at least 48 hours to get a loan in the system and effectively beat the deadlines so the sooner you act the better.

Grey Oaks Home Pending in 26 Days!

This great listing in Grey Oaks off Billtown Road near the Gene Snyder Freeway is perfectly situated for someone who commutes via the highway.  It’s also only a short drive to restaurants and shopping in Fern Creek via Seatonville Road or locations in J-Town via Billtown Road. 

The sellers of this brick home had many upgrades performed at the time of building that include the 9 foot ceilings on the first level and the Brazilian Cherry engineered wood flooring.  They also added ceiling fans and an upgraded lighting package.

Later a beautiful large deck was installed for quiet enjoyment under the morning sun—perfect for enjoying your favorite coffee blend and the latest download on your Kindle.

Now that the market is starting to rebound, many new homes are being built in the neighborhood and most of them are now selling in...

The 2013 St. Patrick's Day Parade is upon us! Saturday, March 9 at 3 pm the fun will start at Broadway and Baxter and flow down Bardstown Road until it reaches Mid City Mall (1250 Bardstown Road- if you get to Rosewood you've gone off the route).

You can expect about 125 participants in the parade- some throwing candy, beads or other neat items for kids. Everyone is encouraged to set up shop on the sidewalk (either side) and have a great time. Remember though, the language can get a bit colorful the closer you are to the bars (Molly Malones, Finnegan's Ale House and O'Shea's Irish Pub). It's all in good fun, no unfriendly rowdy behavior, just make sure to bring some earmuffs for your kiddos if you don't like excited colorful language and you want to hang at the bar scene. Expect around 50,000 people to attend- based on last years numbers.

If you're lucky the Irish Pope will stop by and bless your baby

I can't wait to see what they do with this year's theme -- "Forty Shades of Green" . There won't be any hanky panky though, as this is one of Louisville's Best Kid Friendly events. It's my guess that they are referencing the parade-goers that feel a bit green...