Youngstown News

Forbes Ranks Youngstown #5 in Best Cities for Raising a Family

Submitted by Patty Massare on Tue, 2014-04-22 16:52

Forbes evaluated America’s 100 largest metro areas, factoring in median household income, cost of living, housing affordability, average commuting delays, crime rates, school quality, and the percentage of residents who own their home.

And go figure . . . Youngstown came in at #5!  Yeah Youngstown!

Considering just last year Youngstown ranked #20 on Forbes’ “Most Miserable Cities” list . . . I'd say we made a major move in the right direction!  Here are the top 5.

  1. Raleigh, N.C.
  2. Grand Rapids, Mich.
  3. Ogden, Utah
  4. Omaha, Neb.
  5. Youngstown, Ohio

Read the report and get the complete list at Forbes.com 

Youngstown Metro in Top 10 Cities for Baby Boomers

Submitted by Patty Massare on Wed, 2013-05-29 14:24

Did you hear the Youngstown Metro area (including Mahoning, Trumbull & Mercer Counties) was ranked #4 in the top 10 cities for baby boomers according to a study by LifeGoesStrong.com?

In the real estate business we have seen many people return home to the Youngstown area after retiring from their jobs that took them to other areas of the country.  Retirees want to be close to family, old friends, and familiar places.  The low cost of living and affordable housing are important to retirees as well as the availability of health care, shopping, golf courses . . . and of course the midwestern values.

The Youngstown metro area truly is a great place to live for lots of reasons . . . read the full article at LifeGoesStrong.com.

GM Employees Get Bonuses . . . Great News For The Mahoning Valley!

Submitted by Patty Massare on Fri, 2011-03-25 13:39

General Motors employees are receiving $4,000 bonuses, sharing in GM's profit! 

That's good news for the Mahoning Valley and the Youngstown/Warren area.  It is estimated that these bonuses will inject $16 million into our local economy.

Now would be a great time to take that money and use it to purchase a new home.  FHA requires only a 3-1/2% downpayment, and some of it can be a gift . . . and in this economy most sellers will agree to pay closing costs and pre-paids.   There is a also a First-Time-Home-Buyer Program that provides 2% of the downpayment money as a gift from the State of Ohio!

Getting pre-qualified for a loan is free, and it provides you and your Realtor with a clear direction of your options. 

If you are thinking of purchasing your first home, don't hesitate to contact me for some advice.  It's easier than you might think, and with all the 'special' programs, and all the available homes, great prices and great interest rates, the timing couldn't be better.