Here is another one of the Top 10 Mistakes Made by Sellers When Choosing a Realtor: Choosing A Realtor Because They Suggest The Highest PricePricing a home right from the start is critical. The price a home enters the market at will often determine if a home sells or not. Choosing a Realtor because they suggest the highest price is a common mistake made by home sellers. Before you choose the Realtor who suggests the highest price, you need to know how they have determined their price recommendation.
There are many different pricing mechanisms for real estate. Ask the Realtor who suggests the highest price how they came up with that price. Ask them if they performed a comparative market analysis, also known as, a CMA. It’s important not only that your home is priced right to attract potential buyers, but also to make sure there are no issues in the future with a bank being able to substantiate the value during their appraisal.
Courtesy of Lori L. Saucier, Crosse ...

Further proof that everyone is keyed into interior design, home renovations, and the hottest trends in both, attendance for the International Builder Show (IBS) in Las Vegas this year was up eight percent over last year to 55,237. IBS features more than 1,200 exhibitors showcasing "everything from the latest in kitchen and bath design to millwork,"said Consumer Reports, who detailed the top trends for 2015 based on what they witnessed at the event.
http://realtytimes.com/consumeradvice/homeownersadvice1/item/32743-20150209-consumer-reports-top-trends-for-the-home
- from Realty Times website ...

January 23rd's Lake County News-Herald brought news Mentor School's parents have heard 3 times before.  Their neighborhood elementary school will be closing. and students will be reassigned to other schools.   From a high of 12 elementary schools, there will be 8 in the district as of the 2015-2016 school year.
From the News-Herald:
Dale R. Rice Elementary School in Mentor will close after the 2014-15 school year. 
The news was announced in a letter to families of the school by Superintendent Matthew Miller Jan. 22. 
“I am making the very difficult decision to close one of our elementary school buildings at the end of this school year,” Miller wrote in the letter. “This is due to continued declining enrollment and current building usage rates in Mentor Public Schools. After careful consideration of the data and options, it became evident that it is in the district’s best interest to close Rice Elementary School at the end of the 2014e ...