The Ruhl Blog

2015 Will Be a Good Year for Home Sales

In our winter report last year, we forecasted flat unit sales for our region in 2014. Unfortunately, we were right. In fact, if we combine our 14 regional markets, the number of units sold was down 1%, average sales prices were up 1%, and sales volume was flat. As always, there was considerable variation from market to market. Total Sales...

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3rd Quarter Sales Dip Wipes out Earlier Gains

As reported by the regional Multiple Listing Services, a decrease in new homes sales of 11% vs. the 3rd quarter last year has erased the modest gains of the first six months and leaves us with a YTD unit decrease of 4% in unit sales.  There have been 4% fewer houses and 3% fewer condos sold through 9/30/15.  At the same time, house inventory...

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Burlington, Iowa

From riverfront to new construction there are many great places to live in Burlington, Iowa. Click the link below for current statistics on Burlington real estate. Burlington, Iowa | Create infographics Click here to search homes for sale in Burlington, or contact one of our knowledgeable realtors to find out more about living in Burlington...

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Caroline Ruhl named 2015 Laureate of the Quad Cities Business Hall of Fame.

Caroline Ruhl, President of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, named 2015 Laureate of the Junior Achievement Quad Cities Business Hall of Fame. The Quad Cities Business Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who positively serve as role models and demonstrate an entrepreneurial vision to the overall growth and development of the Quad Cities. “It is wonderful...

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Don’t Let the Cold Get you – Winterize your Vacant Home

If you have a house that is going to be vacant this winter it is important to winterize the property. Failure to do so can cause dramatic and costly damage. Don’t get caught by surprise; here is a checklist of what needs to be done to protect your vacant home. Turn down the thermostat so the house will stay at 50 – 60 degrees Fahrenheit....

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Early March is a Great Time to Put Your House on the Market

Recent local trends show that putting your house on the market as soon as possible in March gives you an advantage for the spring market.  This is because after a dip in the number of listings in winter, there is a significant uptick in March. Last year, only 400 homes were listed in February but this increased 38% to 550 homes in March.  By...

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FHA Reduces Annual Insurance Premiums

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Julien Castro, announced that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will reduce the annual premiums new borrowers will pay by half (.5) a percent. “What this means, is that going forward their mortgage insurance will be roughly 35%- 40% percent cheaper, depending on down payment, than it...

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House Prices Continue Appreciating

House prices continue steady growth in the eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois region, along with the rest of the country. Nationally, house prices have increased 9.93% in the last five years, as reported by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In our local markets the gains, while not as large, continue to be positive. Home prices...

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Illinois Quad Cities Housing Market is up 27%

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors measures all regional housing activity on a quarterly basis in Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa.  In the first half of the year, the Illinois Quad Cities market was up 27% in sales volume over the first half of 2014.  This compares to a 6% increase in sales volume in the Iowa Quad Cities. The Three Top-Performing Markets...

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Karl Larsen Awarded Iowa City Newcomer of the Year

Karl Larsen, a Realtor in the Ruhl&Ruhl Iowa City office, has been awarded the Newcomer of the Year by the Iowa City Area Association of Realtors. "Karl earned and deserves this award as there is no harder worker," said Travis Hiatt, Managing Broker of the Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Iowa City office. "I'm very proud of...

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Let’s Kick Poverty so Everyone gets Home!

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Dubuque office has a vision; a vision where all families have access to safe and affordable housing in their community.  Though it sounds impossible to some, by teaming up with the community they are taking steps to kick poverty once and for all – with a charity kickball tournament. “You always hear the story of someone...

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New Construction Inventory Picking Up

Three percent fewer newly constructed homes sold in the region in 2014 than sold in 2013, a decline from 1,117 sales to 1,081 sales. As always, there was considerable variation by market: Market                   % Change Cedar Rapids -1% Dubuque Area +35% Illinois Quad Cities 0% Iowa Quad Cities -7% Iowa City Area...

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New National Mortgage Process May Slow Real Estate Transactions

A new TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule went into effect from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requiring new disclosure forms and longer timeframes to approve documentation during the lending process. For example, the closing disclosure (CD) must be provided to a client three days before closing.  This means that closings...

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New Services Provide Options for Land Brokerage

Ruhl Farm&Land, a division of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, now provides a new service for the sale of farms or land – auction. “A lot goes into putting on a successful auction,”said Eric Schlutz, manager of the Ruhl&Ruhl Muscatine Office and President of Realtors Land Institute Iowa Chapter #2. “Any of our land professionals have the...

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North Liberty, Iowa

Did you know that North Liberty is the second fastest growing city in Iowa according to the 2010 census? Check out the infographic below to see statistics on North Liberty real estate. North LIberty, Iowa |Create infographics And to see current homes for sale in North Liberty, IA or to find out more information about living in North Liberty...

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Realtors Roll up their Sleeves to Save Lives

For Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, the importance of donating blood hits home.  Local Blood Center spokesperson, Andy Yohe, just joined the Ruhl family as a Realtor, and he credits blood donors for helping save his life after a harrowing accident in 1996, his sophomore year of high school.  More information about Andy’s story can be found at www.bloodcenter.org/andy....

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Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Celebrates Strong Results!

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors celebrated a strong 2014 and kicked off what is projected to be an even better 2015.  Caroline Ruhl, President of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, reviewed with the nearly 300 agents, staff, and affiliated business partners in attendance a recap of 2014 and a forecast for 2015. “I love watching each of you get smarter and better,...

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Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Awarded Coolest Places to Work

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors received recognition as one of the Coolest Places to Work by the Corridor Business Journal. Founded 153 years ago, Ruhl&Ruhl is one of the oldest real estate brokerages in the country. And while that fact doesn’t necessarily scream “cool,” it is the ability to create a positive culture that has set Ruhl&Ruhl...

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Set the Stage for Success with these Home Staging Tips!

If you are planning to put your house on the market this summer, it goes without saying that you are hoping it will sell as quickly as possible acheter viagra pfizer pas cher. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you are getting ready to sell your home. First impressions are the most lasting. Remember that when a prospect buyer comes to look...

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Strong Spring Market is Heating Up!

Wow – what fun it is to be in a good real estate market again! So many good things are happening in our region. Average price of homes sold is up in most of our markets. The best performers are Burlington up 13% and Cedar Rapids up 12% compared to 1st quarter average sales prices in 2014. See the Regional Real Estate Activity Chart below for details....

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The Truth about Selling your Home this Winter

Timing can be everything when selling your home. Most people tend to wait until the spring to put their home on the market. The sun is shining, school is almost out and the flowers are blooming. We wanted to let you know that the grass is not always greener come spring. Putting your house on the market now may be the best option for you.<img...

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We Walk The Extra Mile So They Can

When Alexander Stopulos was born 4 months early, it sent his parents into a tailspin. “First we wondered if he was going to survive,” said Megan Stopulos, his mother, adding that Alexander weighed only 1 lb. 8 oz. and was just 12 inches long. “Then, you wonder what will be his quality of life? How are we going to take care of him? How are...

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Aaron Healey

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Dubuque Office

600 Star Brewery Drive Suite 300
Dubuque, IA 52001