House hunting had never been so much fun for Alan and Missy Parker than when they were shopping for a larger place to raise their growing family. They made it a point to schedule appointments to see any Cleveland homes for sale that even slightly resembled their preferences that consisted of four bedrooms, two and a half baths, family room with wood burning fireplace, and a large private backyard. They were able to narrow their search after a few months to just two Cleveland homes that seemed to fit their needs. Ironically, they both had the required features they wanted but they were very different styles. The first one was a two story colonial that was brick and had a very traditional look and feel inside and that was situated in a small community neighborhood of similar homes. The other was a contemporary style that had a modern slant to it and it was located on a very heavily wooded lot and the scenery from every angle was very breathtaking. They ended up choosing the contemporary house and were able to make an offer that was accepted without question by the owners .

Alan and Missy were delighted that the house they currently owned sold quickly and they were able to schedule the closing for that house the week before closing on the new one. As they moved in and arranged their furniture and organized their possessions, they continued to be very happy with their choice.

As the year wore on they discovered several problems can occur when you live in a modern cedar house in the woods. The first time they woke up to a loud rapping sound they had trouble locating the source of it. They were able to determine that a woodpecker was on the back wall of their house drilling a hole in the cedar siding. They had to pay to have this hole filled by a professional due to the fact that the bird had chosen a second story location that would have been hard to repair.

The second problem with animals occurred when they thought they heard noises from the attic. It soon became apparent that there were many noises that sounded like something skittering back and forth very quickly and they could only hear the noises during the night or very early in the morning. After contacting a pest control company, they found out that they had flying squirrels and had to pay to have traps installed and checked daily until all of the squirrels had been transported away.

Sadly for the Parkers, the third instance did some major damage to their furnace condenser when mice were able to make a nest in it and then chewed several wires. This act caused the furnace to break down and they faced a costly service call to restore heat during the cold month of January.

In the face of these expensive frustrations, Alan and Missy continued to love their wooded retreat and thought they had made the right choice for them when they selected their house.

Putting a house on the market is considered one of the most stressful things a family can do. Whether you are selling it because it is time to upgrade to something larger and nice, or whether you are starting your life over again and you need a new place to live, it can create havoc in your life. Not only are you trying to get rid of the old house, you are shopping for a new place to live. Add to that maintaing the current space for visitors, financial issues, and the usual daily grind, and you have the ingredients for a life filled with stress. Instead of letting this hectic time get the best of you, relax and try to get organized. Whether you are selling your Cleveland homes or you are shopping for Cleveland homes for sale, it does not have to be a frustrating, stressful time. Get your ducks in order and do your best to enjoy the experience.

Begin by getting your current residence in order. If you have lived there for any amount of time, you have no doubt built up a collection of things that may have worn out their welcome. In just a few weekends, you can go through closets, pantries, cabinets, and hidden nooks. Purge everything from them you no longer need. If you are not sure, consider what you will want in your new house. If something does not make you feel good, it is better to let it go. If you think your style will be different or you will want a replacement item, pitch the current one. However, if the budget is tight, it may be better to wait to toss essentials. At least that way, you will not need to purchase items you tossed. It is no big deal if you choose to replace it following the move.

Once the purge is over, decide what needs fixing. If there are little projects like burnt out light bulbs or uncovered outlet covers, spend one weekend getting these things taken care of. Then determine how to freshen up the space. You do not have to completely redesign your home. However, investing a few thousand dollars into giving your house a new look could bring big returns. Update the paint job in the rooms and the exterior. Clean the carpets, plant some annuals, and keep everything in spotless condition during the sales process.

Finally, before putting that for sale sign on the lawn, remove as many personalized materials as you can. While family pictures may appeal to some people, others will view the space as your house. You need potential buyers to imagine the space as their house. Make sure the environment is warm and inviting, but not specifically designed with your family in mind. Once you have made a few changes and spruced things up, you will be ready to sell your house.

Aaron and Beth had been house hunting for months since he had landed a job in the northeast Ohio area and they had been forced to move to the new location. Renting a very small apartment to save money had been inconvenient to say the least and every month when they paid the landlord they were reminded that they were not building any equity in their own place as they had hoped to do as soon as possible. Every Sunday, they went over the classified ads for Cleveland homes and toured many "Open House" that seemed as though it might be promising. Although it narrowed their search and made them aware of the market in that area, it had not helped them make that final choice among Cleveland homes for sale that was just right for them. Finally, after weeks of searching they found the perfect house for them and the sellers eagerly accepted their offer. Part of their strategy for financing the house was to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit that is now being offered to first time buyers. They discovered they were eligible for this assistance because of certain criteria that they met and it consists of these four conditions:

• You must be purchasing a house for the first time and cannot have previously owned one. This is a great incentive to save as much money as possible for a down payment knowing that this tax credit is available to you to further save you money when you file your taxes.

• You have to buy the real estate between the set dates as outlined in the tax credit rules and that is January 1st 2009 and November 30, 2009. There is even talk now about that date being extended in a further effort to stimulate real estate purchases. So although many people have already taken advantage of this financially attractive offer, there should be an additional opportunity being given to keep the real estate market active.

• You cannot earn more than $75,000 as a single person or earn more than $150,000 or higher as a couple. Doing so would make you ineligible for this $8,000 tax credit. This guarantees that the tax credit only goes to the folks who can really use it the most.

• You are obligated to remain in the house you buy for at least three years. This, of course, is something that must be thought out completely because many people are hesitant about making a commitment of this kind. What if they are not especially fond of the house or the neighborhood after moving into the house? They still must remain in the house for the three years or risk having to pay back the tax credit.

In conclusion, this can be a great time to jump into property ownership because of this fine monetary incentive. While it is true that many people are still having trouble selling their houses, this offer has assisted quite a few people in reaching their dream of owning their own house and appears to be pulling the real estate market out of the slump it has been in for the past few years.