A parcel of land called "the single-most important piece of real estate" in Louisville by one local historian is finally getting the recognition many feel is long overdue. The former site of Fort-on-Shore, the first mainland building and settlement in Louisville, has long been overlooked as other nearby Revolutionary War sites received recognition over the years. At long last, that slight is being corrected, thanks to the efforts of local historians. A state historical marker was dedicated on the site in the Shippingport warehouse district west of downtown between the Ohio River and Main Street. The historians wanted to correct the mistaken assumption that nearby Fort Nelson was Louisville's first settlement on the mainland. The new historical marker rightly indicates that Fort-on-Shore was built in 1779, a full three years before Fort Nelson was built. Local historian and Metro Councilman Tom Owen hoped that the new designation would spur interest in redeveloping the Shippingport area. He said, "There have been so many dreams about reclamation there." If you've been dreaming about reclaiming a piece of Louisville real estate for yourself, let the experts at Louisville Properties help you achieve your dream. We've been helping people in the area buy and sell residential and commercial real estate in the Louisville area for years. We value our relationships with local residents and businesspeople, and we have our own history, a history of outstanding customer service and always going the extra mile for our clients. If we can help you find the perfect piece of Louisville real estate or the perfect buyer for your real estate, please give us a call at 502.744.9504 today, and let our expertise help you make it happen!...

A small building on McHenry Street that once housed the offices for the Louisville Textile Mill reopened recently with a very different purpose. The building in Louisville's Germantown neighborhood is the new home of Germantown Daycare, which will be able to care for up to 115 children between the ages of six months and 12 years old. The building's owner, Richard Morris, took extra care to retain the building's unique character during recent renovations. He said, "We left a lot of the art deco decor here and many of the outdoor features. When we came in and looked around, it was several smaller rooms that led into a bigger room. It just seemed to lend itself to what we needed." The new daycare opened on September 20, but renovating the 37,000-square-foot building presented some very serious obstacles for the new owners. Walls up to a foot thick required removal to create play areas for the kids, and obtaining zoning approval for the renovations and the building's new purpose presented challenges as well. Residents of the Germantown and nearby Schnitzelburg neighborhoods rallied for the new owners, leading a petition drive and contacting city officials to allow the new owners to proceed with plans. Area residents said that a nearby daycare is essential for the young families moving into the area and are very pleased that this resource is now available for their community. In a time when residents and the Louisville real estate market are struggling with so many difficulties, this story is a fine example of the good things that can happen when people work together toward a common goal. If your goal is to find the perfect piece of Louisville real estate for your next home or business, call us at Louisville Properties today at 502.744.9504!...

As we get closer to Christmas and New Year's Day, we thought we'd pass along some holiday safety tips to keep your family and Louisville home safe and happy this holiday season. Let's start with the Christmas tree. If you're buying a live tree this year, make sure that you do the following:

• Buy a fresh tree with needles that bend and are not easy to pull out.
• Keep the base of the tree immersed in water at all times to keep it as fresh as possible and give your Louisville home that great piney smell.

Check all your strands of lights for frayed ends, exposed wires or cuts. For all trees, make sure to remember these things:

• Use only indoor light strands on your tree.
• Don't overload outlets by plugging in multiple power strips or extension cords.

Also, bear in mind that thieves can be as busy during the holiday season as you are! Follow these tips to make your Louisville home less attractive to thieves:

• Vary your daily routine as much as possible and practical.
• Leave a TV or radio on, and use timers on lamps (remember to adjust these every few days).

Never post that you're going to be out of town on your Facebook page or any other social media outlets. ·    Ask trusted neighbors, friends or family members to housesit or stop by frequently while you're away. All of us at Louisville Properties want to wish you and yours a very safe and happy holiday season. If you're thinking about buying or selling a Louisville home, please give us a call at 502.744.9504 or fill out one of our contact forms for a fast reply! Happy Holidays everyone!

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Real estate analysts from the Federal Housing Finance Agency are claiming that lower demand and the expiration of the homebuyer tax credit are continuing to put downward pressure on home prices across the country. Home prices fell 3.2 percent in the third quarter of 2010, down significantly from the same quarter in 2009. The agency said that Atlanta suffered the greatest decline in prices among the 25 largest metropolitan areas of the country with a 10 percent drop in home prices. San Diego posted the biggest gain with a 4.6 percent jump. Overall, home prices fell in 40 states compared to the third quarter of 2009. Idaho, Georgia, Arizona, Oregon and South Carolina led the declines in residential real estate. One analyst had an especially gloomy forecast for the nation's home prices for 2011. Celia Chen, a Housing Analyst with trend watcher Moody's Analytics, did an interview before the release of the Federal Housing Finance Agency's report. She said, "Our overall expectations for home prices is that they'll drop by another eight percent by the third quarter of next year." We'll have to wait and see whether or not Ms. Chen's dire forecast is accurate, but it is certainly an accurate snapshot of the current mood of home sellers whose homes have been languishing on the market for months. If you're trying to sell your Louisville home and are looking for an experienced, proactive Louisville real estate agent to help make that happen, please give us a call today at 502.744.9504. Louisville Properties has been helping people sell Louisville homes in all kinds of market conditions for years, and we use our...

Despite mounting evidence that many of the nation's mortgage lenders failed to follow due process when foreclosing on millions of homes, the Obama administration's top housing official has told lenders they may resume foreclosing on homes. The announcement follows a temporary moratorium that gave troubled homeowners a small respite from foreclosure proceedings. Taking their cue from the feds, two of the biggest players in mortgage lending.  Bank of America Corp. and Ally Financial Inc.'s GMAC Mortgage unit, resumed foreclosing on delinquent home loans two weeks after the temporary halt. Others are expected to resume foreclosures in the near future. At the center of the issue is the concept of property ownership and the conditions that allow a mortgage lender to seize a piece of property from an owner. The laws are very clear about how and when a lender can foreclose, and it appears that lenders, attorneys and others involved in the foreclosure process failed to execute due diligence. The sheer volume of homeowners walking away from or otherwise defaulting on their mortgages buried people in these positions, and we know now that some of them signed more than 1,000 foreclosure authorizations in a day. This is dangerous as it clouds the facts regarding who has the true ownership of some foreclosed properties. The ramifications of these shortcuts have yet to be seen, but the moral of this story is the importance of buying good title insurance when buying a Louisville home. Your insurer has an obligation to research and disclose who holds the deed to a home, whether or not there are any liens against it and other critically important information. For more information about the importance of title insurance and the area's best selection of residential and commercial real estate, call Louisville Properties today at 502.744.9504.

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Like car repairs, toothaches and many other things in life, the more you ignore a small problem with your Louisville home, the bigger and more expensive it will eventually become. In order to keep your Louisville house in great condition and protect your investment, there is some routine maintenance you can do each spring and summer to stay on top of things. To that end, here are some easy and inexpensive maintenance tips:

• Clean your gutters and downspouts and make any needed repairs. Everyone knows that leaves and twigs clog gutters and spouts and result in serious water damage. So check and clean them out in spring and late fall.

• Thoroughly inspect your roof and replace or secure any loose or missing shingles. Pay special attention to any aluminum flashing, and make sure that it is flush against any chimneys, gables or other features of your home.

• Speaking of chimneys, closely examine the one on your Louisville house and look for missing mortar, cracks, loose bricks and other signs of damage. If you find any damage, call a reputable contractor and get it taken care of as soon as possible or you're asking for big trouble and bigger repair bills.

• If there are places around your home where water is pooling and not draining away, this is a potentially serious problem and you should address it ASAP. There are many different ways to create drainage systems, so conduct some research and determine which one will be best for your Louisville home.

• Slowly walk around your home and look for any gaps or damage to its siding. Water can get in through gaps and then freeze, creating serious damage. Fix or replace any loose or missing siding as soon as possible to protect your home.

These are all very basic home maintenance remedies, but they can make a big difference over time. If your current...