The Ohio Players

The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival has just announced its third and final list of additions to its lineup for this year’s two-day street festival on September 8-9 on three stages in Downtown Dayton, which includes Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Cowboy Mouth, Clifftones, Crusher, Green Light Morning (Cincinnati), and The Right Now PLUS Dayton bands Buffalo Killers, Good English, Lauren Eylise, Customer Service and the Gem City Horns, Prima Luce, Jordan Hull AND Dayton, Ohio’s own Ohio Players!  Added to John Legend, Train, Guided By Voices and many others, this inaugural music fest is not one to miss! (full line-up is below)

“With the final additions to our inaugural lineup I can honestly say – our list of performers rocks!  From legends like the Ohio Players to the local college band just coming up – festival goers will be exposed to the best music out there.” said Matt Luongo, President of Downtown Revival LLC.  ”The lineup is so diverse, there’s funk, soul, R&B, reggae, rock, pop, jam bands – truly something for everybody.  You cannot beat the price and we cannot wait to fill the streets of downtown Dayton with two days of incredible music!”

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

All tickets are two day passes and are available at www.DowntownRevival.com.  Early bird ticket prices (until May 31st) are $55 and include entry into a contest for a VIP package upgrade including access to the VIP hospitality tent, invitations to a Friday night preview party, artist meet and greet, and other exciting upgrades.

Dayton Most Metro is a proud media sponsor for the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival!  Check out our previous articles with additional links and videos here:

Presenting The Downtown Dayton Revival Music Festival

More Bands For Your Buck: Downtown Dayton Revival Music Fest Adds to Lineup

Confirmed acts include: John Legend Train Cowboy Mouth Guided By Voices Guster The Ohio Players Robert Randolph & the Family Band Rusted Root Heartless Bastards Motel Beds Red Wanting Blue Buffalo Killers Clifftones Crusher Brent James and the Contraband Good English Lauren Eylise Andy Grammer Customer Service and the Gem City Horns Griffin House Jordan Hull Mat Kearney Kristy Lee Tony Lucca Prima Luce Green Light Morning Needmore Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk The Right Now Bronze Radio Return Bad Sines Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers Burnt Sugar Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe The Werks Wheels

Cowboy Mouth Buffalo Killers Good English Green Light Morning

Expansive and original wood floors shimmer with the light of 17 windows that frame the cityscape views of Downtown Dayton. Erected in 1904, the building was restored as residential space in 2003, with an eye for both luxury and preservation. Unit 401 showcases many original components, including adapted reuse of staircase railings, original windows and immense French doors – integrated into the open space to build rooms and logical separations while maintaining a floorplan that honors the building origins.

With over 2300 sq. feet, the main living area of the unit emanates comfort and warmth with a fall color pallet. The entrance welcomes you with an infusion of light from the skylight and windows. The skylight was added where the original freight elevator had been. Outfitted with special padding to absorb sound, plush carpets virtually engulf your feet in the study and master bedroom. The master bath calls you to relax in the whirlpool tub built for two. Outfitted with custom drawers and fittings, the walk-in closet is just one example of several clever storage options.

The kitchen is built to please a gourmet chef. A tiled, piano sized island separates the open, L-shaped kitchen from the dining area. With granite counter tops, a bar, and high-end stainless steel appliances that include a GE Monogram grill/stove/convection oven combination & exhaust hood, side by side refrigerator and wine chiller, the kitchen is truly the heartbeat of this incredible space. The possibilities for creating delicious meals and hosting amazing parties are truly inspiring. The dining room buffet with granite topper welcomes your guests to enjoy the food and hospitality.

Unit 401 could proudly grace the cover of any home and garden magazine. This unique and inviting 2 Bedroom/2 Bath unit is available for lease with utilities and cleaning service included for $2300/mo. Several custom features, including the HD movie projector and 11 foot screen, washer/dryer, area rugs and dining room buffet are included. The unit comes with 1 parking space (a 2nd is available) in the heated garage and use of a storage unit in the basement. A furry friend is welcome, but smoking in this unit is against the condominium bi-laws. The unit can be rented partially or fully furnished.

The Cooper Lofts is an extremely secure building with 24 units, mostly owner occupied, in the heart of the downtown Cooper Park residential district. Surrounded by plentiful green space, community gardens and metro parks, the neighborhood represents a vibrant community committed to the Downtown Dayton resurgence. It is walking distance to everything and seconds to bike trails and the riverfront.

Envision yourself basking in the luxurious life this unit offers, while enjoying all of downtown’s wonderful amenities.  If you can see yourself living in this warehouse loft condo, contact Cooperlofts401@gmail.com today!

Real Estate - 111 Harries Street #401

DMM has just started featuring area homes for sale/rent and so far the response has been incredible!  If you are interested in advertising in our real estate section or you’d like to feature your listing, please contact us today and we’ll be happy to work with you!

Dion Lack in the famous Doritos commercial.

You all saw it. The hilarious Dion Lack Doritos Commercial (see below) that aired during the 2010 Super Bowl. The one where the cute kid pimp slaps a grown man for dating his Mom and eating his Doritos. Here’s where things get interesting. The adult male in the commercial is from Dayton. And his name is Dion Lack.

Dion has been in the entertainment business as an actor/comedian for eleven years. And as you can guess, his career got a nice boost from the Doritos ad. Lack took some time out of his busy schedule to talk about what he’s been working on, and life as a Dayton transplant living in La La (Los Angeles)

Greg Simms Jr.: The Doritos commercial. That made a lot of noise when it aired. How did that come about?

Dion Lack: “Yeah, the commercial was surprisingly a HUGE success. It came about from a buddy of mine that I worked with as an extra on the set of Fast Furious 4. He approached me a couple months prior with the idea and we collaborated and made it come to life. A lot of people thought I came up with the commercial because I have my own production company. (LackToast Entertainment) but I was just the actor in it.”

G.S.: What was the response to the commercial (from your perspective)? How did the commercial affect your career?

D.L.: “My honest opinion, I didn’t think it was that funny but I kept getting rave reviews from my surroundings that made me fall in love with it. I praise God for the commercials buzz because it had definitely got me a lot of acting and writing jobs that boasted my drive to be more successful.”

G.S.: You are from the Dayton area. when did you move to California? And why?

D.L.: “Yes I’m a proud Dayton native! I was born and raised in Dayton View and moved to Los Angeles in 2001. I came out here to act and was forced to get into the stand-up comedy world. Which I do not regret. Comedy has been my best move yet as far as networking and growing.”

G.S.: Obviously, you are a comedian. When did you know you wanted to pursue this career? And why?

D.L.: “Like I said on the previous answer, I’ve done comedy in high school but never thought I would pursue it as a career. When my family and folks got word I was in L.A., people started hooking me up with the right people that were already established for encouragement and motivation. I slid in just fine and performed and traveled with some of the greats. ”

G.S.: How often do you perform stand-up comedy?

D.L.: “That’s kind of a hard question seeing that I do open mics all the time to try out new jokes. Just like exercising, comedy is a muscle you need to workout. But I average about four scheduled comedy performances a week.”

G.S.: Have you been to the Dayton area lately?

D.L.: “No I haven’t been in back home since April of 2011. Which was a Redemption Comedy show at the RTA Center. It was a lot of fun with my Good Comedian Comrades Mark Gregory, Nate Washington, Will Speed, and produced by Terrance Dorsey. ”

G.S.: If you had to talk to any Dayton area up and coming entertainers, what you tell them?

D.L.: “Dayton is a small market and you can easily be unmotivated because there’s not a lot of encouraging people inspiring your dream. Please stay encouraged!!! Surprise yourself and allow you to be your only competition. Don’t follow and compare someone else’s success with the speed of yours because it will always frustrate you. Everything you do in life should make your life better. ”

G.S.: Do you have anything that you are working on currently?

D.L.: “I am always working on something. I have a Comedy CD that I’m working on which is full of pranks, sketches and most importantly comedy! It will be complete in the Fall of 2012.
I’m working on a fantasy trilogy that was inspired by my oldest daughter a few years ago. Its an analogy novel that I’ve done intense research on and been working on the 3 simultaneously for almost a year now. The working title is Boats which should be complete early Winter.
Like I said on my previous answer, I’ve developed a production company (www.LackToastEnt.com) with my Best Friend Twilla Tanyi. We provide full service to help anyone bring out that vision they have on paper. We’ve done skits, short films, Reality shows, sketches, commercials etc. Check out our new YouTube page (www.Youtube.com/TheLackToastEnt.com)Also, you can follow us on Twitter : @LackToastEnt, and
“Like” us on Facebook : LackToast Entertainment”

G.S.: What is your ultimate goal?

D.L.: “My ultimate goal is to live out all my dreams with no regrets. If I say I’m going to do it, it will be done! I want to be an example of “It Can Be Done!” I don’t cut corners and try to inspire the people around me to stay encouraged. And I will leave you with this: don’t allow money to be your motivation. God Over Money!”

From Activated Spaces:

It’s a brand-new season for Activated Spaces Street Team artists. This session’s theme is “Naturally Dayton.” We challenged local artists to  to focus on our beautiful outdoor assets.  Whether it’s a favorite spot is along the rivers, in a park, or a lush rooftop garden, we wanted to see unique perceptions of Dayton’s natural appeal.

And, boy, did they deliver! The great creativity, technical capability and unique visions of our artistic community are filling storefronts downtown starting on Urban Nights (5/11/12). Visit each window and find out how local artists interpreted this prompt to show off Dayton’s best natural features. Vote for your favorite by May 31!

Visit 100 E Third Street for:

• Robin Dakin’s visualization exploring the parks and rivers of “Dayton Hoods”
• Amanda Sue Allen’s challenge to Dayton’s to “Let Our Gem Shine Again”
• “Naturally Urban” – Bethany Ramsey’s view of downtown’s natural beauty.

Stop by Talbott Tower (131 N Ludlow) to see:

• Philipe M. Payne’s triple pane glass visions of “MIAMI RiVERE DAYTON”
• Spire Arts “Natural Dayton” installation to showcase work by artists affiliated with the Montgomery County Board of Developmental Disabilities Services.
• Talia Shade’s view of how industry mixes with nature to form “Consolidation.”

See photography in Main Street Garage (223 N. Main) by:

• Mikee Huber as she encourages us to “Enjoy Dayton’s Green Spaces”
• John Murphy and Laura James with a collection that evokes “Naturally Dayton”

Check out Biltmore Tower (210 N. Main) for:

• The Dayton Creative Syndicate’s showcase of PNC’s Second Street Public Market for natural food and fun in “A Taste of Dayton”

Visit all of these great spots to see local art beautifying our city and vote for your favorite to win the People’s Choice Award! Thanks to our talented artists who explored our region through the theme Naturally Dayton and shared their vision of the parks, gardens, shops, farms, neighborhoods and more.

PLUS: Out of love for the project and sharing her art, interior designer Tracy Kraft’s great work is filling the Ohio EPA office at 401 E. Fifth Street. Tracy has added beauty to this window in the Oregon District and brightened up the day of many walking by. (See featured photo)

Since 1995, the station has been housed in Sontag Fels Hall on the campus of Antioch College.  The new studios are located across the street in the former Kettering Laboratories at 150 East South College Street.  The building belongs to Antioch University and until recently housed their central administrative offices.   “The new studios will expand our capacity to make local programs, and we’re totally focused on that,” says Neenah Ellis, WYSO General Manager.  The new broadcast studios were funded by Antioch University with supplementary funds the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.

WYSO began broadcasting in 1958, with studios on the second floor of the College student union building.  The new facility is its third location.

On Tuesday May first, the switch to the new studios will take place at noon, during “Excursions”  hosted by WYSO Music Director Niki Dakota.  “Listeners will be able to hear the old studio transmitter link shutdown and the new one start up,”  says Ellis.  “We expect to be off the air for less than a minute.”

91.3 WYSO is licensed to Antioch University.  It carries  programming from NPR, Public Radio International, American Public Media and others, in addition to 40 hours of locally- produced programming weekly. It distributes programs on multiple platforms: FM, HD,  via on-line streaming at www.wyso.org and on the Public Radio Player for iPhone users and the NPR News App for Android users.

Some people love Open Houses, it’s a bit of a hobby for them. Some people would love Open Houses if only they didn’t have REALTORS attached to them. Well, can’t do anything about that. We are there to show off the home and answer questions about the home. Last year in this space I wrote a post called 4 Quick and Dirty Tips for Making the Most of an Open House and that advice still holds up today:

1)Don’t try to avoid the Realtor. We do need a record of who is visiting the home, it’s something we are obligated to do for the sellers.  You wouldn’t want random folks walking in and wondering around your home, would you? No one does, and an Open House doesn’t change that. We know there are a plethora of reasons why people visit Open Houses- we are okay with that, but realize you are a guest and will be expected to sign in with at least a name.

2) About the reasons you are there? Whatever they are, it’s fine. The best thing to do, as always, just be honest about why you are there: You are a neighbor and always wanted to see the home; or you are looking for decorating tips; or you are looking for a home for yourself or a family member- whatever your reason, it’s okay for you to admit it up front. The Realtor will appreciate the honesty, and then she can be helpful. If you are there for decorating tips, the Realtor can find out where items were purchased, what the color the master bedroom walls are painted, and who does the landscaping.

3) If you are working with another REALTOR, tell the hosting REALTOR upfront. Realtors have cooperating agreements with each other, which means that even if you are working with another Realtor, we will be happy to give you details about the property, because ultimately we are there to sell the home. Just remember that hosting Realtors work for the seller, so be careful about what you say- it could be shared with sellers.

4) If you are not currently working with a Realtor, you can use Open Houses to interview them. When an Open House is busy, you may not get the time to talk in private or indepth, but you will certainly get a good indication of whether or not you want to have that Realtor help you with such an important transaction.

Go have fun today at an Open House! Enjoy yourself and do a little dreaming. A complete list of homes in the Dayton area that are participating in National Open House Day, or any given Sunday, can be found via the Dayton Area Board of REALTORS Open House search link.

Peace on Fifth in the Oregon Arts District is a success story from the pilot phase of Activated Spaces' Pop-Up Project.

Three businesses will be up and running by May 4, the next First Friday art hop downtown, as part of the second phase of the Pop-Up Project, part of an initiative to fill downtown Dayton storefronts called Activated Spaces. The businesses selected for the second phase of the project are:

• American π, 37 S. St. Clair St.: This gift and accessories boutique will carry items made in the United States, including handbags, greeting cards, candles and food items. The store will be open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Arin, 27 S. St. Clair St.: Shop owner and jewelry designer Brooke Medlin will collaborate with Dayton artists and other creatives to showcase beautifully designed goods for self and home, along with Medlin’s line of jewelry that includes rings, earrings, personalized necklaces and more. Visitors will be able to watch the creation process in action in Arin’s on-site studio. Rotating guest artists will set up mini-studios in the store and spend two weeks working on a collection of products to be launched at every month’s First Friday art hop. The store will be open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Call 937-640-0117.

• Vintage Barbershop, 110 W. Fifth St.: This old-school, classic barbershop will offer haircuts, hot steam towel shaves, facials and more. Haircuts will be $12 and shaves and facials will be $16, with special pricing for seniors. “Our goal is open a classy, professional barbershop while doing our part to make downtown a better place and trying to influence other businesses to follow suit,” owner Ron West said. The barbershop will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 937-321-6165.

The entrepreneurs who participated in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Lisa Scott (far right) of Beaute Box extended her lease, as did London Coe (second from right) of Peace on Fifth.

These businesses have three- or six-month leases, although the hope is the business owners will extend those leases ― as happened in the pilot phase of the Pop-Up Project. Indeed, the second phase of the project builds on the success of its pilot, launched in November 2011 for the holiday shopping season. Two of the three business owners in the pilot extended their leases: Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St. In addition, Amore! Designer Consignment Boutique, 16 Brown St., which opened at the same time as the Pop-Up pilots, plans to remain open on a long-term basis, and Basho Screen Printing and Apparel, 521-523 E. Fifth St., opened in a space occupied by a Pop-Up retailer after becoming interested in the location due to the buzz surrounding the project.

Activated Spaces’ Pop-Up Project, which helped fill 2,300 square feet of retail space during its pilot phase, is led by volunteers from the young professional organizations Generation Dayton and updayton. The project is a strategic effort to fill vacant street-level space and spur interest in opening a business downtown that’s part of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan, a strategic blueprint for the future of downtown.

“The Pop-Up Shops have helped enliven downtown while building on growing momentum for the center city,” said Tom Razauskas, who owns the building housing Beaute Box and the Vintage Barbershop. Razauskas and other participating downtown property owners have supported the project by providing reduced rental rates. “It has been refreshing to work with volunteers and business owners who really believe in downtown and are excited about its future.”

A kickoff event for the Pop-Up Shops will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 18. It will start at Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St., and end at Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St., with stops at all the Pop-Up Shops in between.  Raffle tickets will be sold that night $5 each, with all proceeds benefiting Activated Spaces, and prizes will be drawn at each stop. Additional details will be available soon at www.activatedspaces.org.

Basho Apparel was attracted to open a downtown location in part due to the buzz surrounding the Pop-Up Project. (Photo courtesy of Carly Short)

“The Pop-Up Project provides a low-risk, low-cost, flexible way to showcase local businesses while adding vibrancy to downtown,” said Shanon Potts, past chair of Generation Dayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “The long-term goal of the project is to convert temporary leases into traditional leases, while establishing downtown as a regional destination for shopping for one-of-a-kind items and retail services.”

“This project also supports local, creative entrepreneurs as they take a risk and test out their business concepts while bringing renewed life to downtown storefronts,” said Scott Murphy, immediate past chair of updayton and Activated Spaces volunteer. “Visitors who support these pop-up shops will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown ― the next step in downtown revitalization.”

Visit www.activatedspaces.org or e-mail getinvolved@updayton.com for more information about Activated Spaces.

Luke Dennis (photo by Andy Snow)

(from WYSO)

Public Radio station WYSO in Yellow Springs has hired Luke Dennis as its Director of Development. Dennis is the former executive director of the Muse Machine in Dayton.

Most recently Dennis was the curator for the Harvard University Theatre Collection. He will return to the area and assume his role at WYSO on May 14.

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome Luke to the WYSO staff. His skills will help us solidify our recent successes into greater financial sustainability,” says Neenah Ellis, WYSO General Manager.”

“What an honor to be chosen to join the amazing WYSO team. The next few years are going to be an exciting time of growth and innovation at the station – I am ready to jump in and start raising dollars to support the new directions WYSO is heading.”

WYSO is poised to move into new studio facilities at 150 E. South College in Yellow Springs on May first and recently announced a major collaboration with Academy Award nominated filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar that will be housed in the new facility.

A graduate of Wittenberg University and a native of Wilmington, Ohio, Dennis was a member of the first WYSO “Community Voices” class in 2011 and the story he created for his final project was singled out by “This American Life” producer Ira Glass from the stage of the Victoria Theater during a presentation last June.  He was a participant in the Dayton Chamber of Commerce’s “Leadership Dayton” program in 2010-201, and a lecturer and director of school programs for the Dayton Opera Association.

Glorious soaring ceilings and rich Eastlake woodwork grace the first floor parlor and dining room, both of which feature an abundance of natural light from the tall windows. In the parlor, the fireplace mantel is white marble- stunning against the red walls, and the ambiance is adjustable with a trey ceiling and recessed lighting in addition to a beautiful chandelier. Wood floors? Of course.

The dining room is large, welcoming, comfortable. Family and friends will love lingering around the table. South facing windows bath this room in sunlight.

What about the kitchen? Open and clean, featuring lots of cabinets, a pantry for storage, and a small computer room that is a sunny wall of windows. A comfortable place to enjoy coffee and the paper. All appliances stay.

Upstairs are two bright and airy bedrooms, both with large windows and natural woodwork, and attic storage.

What is perhaps the pièce de résistance of this beautiful home is the luxurious bathroom. If you long for a bath that is a place of relaxation and indulgence, look no further. This bath was recently gutted and completely redone to extraordinary results. Double sinks with vanities, a huge glass-enclosed shower with modern, clean subway tiles, and what every historic home needs- a clawfoot tub for soaking away the cares of the day. The laundry is tucked away in the bath as well, washer and dryer stay. That stunning tile floor is more than beautiful to look at- it’s heated. Yes, those cold Dayton winters are a pleasure to face with toasty toes, and the exposed brick wall is its own textural work of art. So much to love!

The brick exterior of 237 Morton is equally as charming as the interior. Cozy corners and delightful surprises await you. The wrought iron fence immediately creates a welcoming atmosphere, and the landscape borders are the perfect place to indulge your green thumb. The covered front porch makes a nice place to watch the neighborhood activities, but this home also has another cozy porch in the backyard for more private relaxation. Tucked away from the street, is the patio- professionally installed slate pavers create a place to party and play. There’s enough lawn to have a brilliant green carpet, but it’s small enough that you could get away with using either an eco-friendly electric or a reel push mower.

Let’s look at the Victorian Cottage- 239 Morton Ave. This charming shotgun bungalow style home is another reason why this is such a unique property. This is a fully contained cottage with living room, one bedroom, eat-in kitchen, and a full bath. It has its own tiny yard tucked within the backyard of the main home. The Cottage is well-maintained by a long-term renter, currently on a month-by-month lease at $425.00 per month. If you need an in-law suite, combined generations, an artist’s studio, a guest cottage, or continue as rental income to pay part of the mortgage, the two homes together create flexibility that is hard to find anywhere in Dayton. There is also a two car garage on the property, so you don’t have to utilize street parking if you’d prefer not to.

Exteriors of all three buildings- home, cottage, and garage- have had a fresh coat of paint, making this home a showcase in the neighborhood. In fact, this home has been on several of South Park’s famous neighborhood tours. Listed at $154,900, truly, this home is not to be missed!

Ready for a tour? Call Theresa Lussier, Exit Realty Central, 937-343-1411.

This can be done through a relatively unknown loan called an FHA 203k loan. It’s basically mortgage and renovation

financing rolled into a single loan and a single closing. I spoke with Mortgage Banker, Jerry Stewart, of Evolve Bank & Trust in Dayton, 937.528.6881, to find out how home buyers in Dayton can benefit from using the FHA 203k renovation loan. Here’s what Jerry said:

There are several things that make these renovation loans so great and often they are the only option for home buyers.

By renovating an existing property you are really choosing location over property specifications and we all know the three rules of real estate, location, location, location. So you can now buy that distressed or obsolete home in that desired location.

Sometimes buyers want to live in a specific community, but the price of a move-in condition home make that area off limits to them. The buyer may not have the cash on hand, or skills to do renovations on a distressed home themselves.
The FHA 203k loan can help with that. This is going to be important factor for older cities like Dayton and the first-tier or inner ring suburbs, which have a tremendous stock of aging homes and distressed neighborhoods. What better way to get those homes updated and the neighborhood values stabilized than by renovating existing housing stock, like the homes you will see at Eco-Rehabarama. The photos used in this article are before-and-afters from the same home, pulled from the Dayton Area Board of Realtors. While the 203k loan wasn’t used to finance these updates, this is an example of the type of work the loan could cover. Jerry explains another way home values are improved through this loan:

The other factor is value. When bank foreclosures or REOs are placed for sale, if they do not meet the minimum home standards that conventional and government loans require, they can only be bought with cash. This severely limits the amount of potential buyers. Lowering the number of buyers in turn lowers the eventual sales price. This gives you a great advantage to come in and buy these homes at a substantial discount and finance the needed updates.

Think about the ramifications for older neighborhoods: this can increase the number of owner occupants and decrease the number of investors, absentee owners, and negligent landlords that can devastate communities. But a buyer’s financial stability is also increased when the renovations are financed through a renovation loan. Jerry explains it like this:

With upgrading the major mechanicals you provide a certain level of certainty for years to come. The majority of home buyers in our area are doing so for the first time. Finding a home is the first part of home ownership but staying in the home is the most difficult part. Why not renovate the major mechanicals at purchase, and make the process that much more enjoyable, not to mention the tax credits.

A number of the short sales and foreclosures we see are being sold in mid-remodel, in other words, the buyers simply ran out of money or their financial situation changed and they are unable to finish needed upgrades or cosmetic improvements to the home. Sadly, it’s back on the market and it’s distressed, and the neighborhood is suffering as well. The FHA 203k loan can help get these homes mechanically sound at the time of purchase so the families do not have to come up with the money for those repairs later.

Ultimately though, for anyone who is looking for a renovation loan, this is a labor of love, with all the benefits of creating the home you’ve always wanted. Jerry talked about the emotional benefits of making a house, a home:

By doing it this way you make it yours. You pick the kitchen, the carpet, the square footage, not the previous owner. In 15 years of originating these loans the majority of projects I’ve done didn’t require renovations but the owners wanted to make it their own at the time of purchase.

So your home doesn’t have to show a need for renovations- it does not have to be distressed, you can simply finance your wish list using this loan as well.

Meanwhile, over the past few years the big box home improvement stores have made it easier for buyers to get the 203k renovations done with a minimum amount of hassle. As an example, you can see Lowe’s REBuildUSA program here for some general information about the process.

This loan is not going to be for everyone. It takes patience, organizational skills, and tenacity, but if you are looking for a way to finance your home and the renovations you’ve dreamed of, talk to your own lender, or Jerry at Evolve, to see if you qualify for the FHA 203k loan.