Often the best way to get to know a new city is to get to know its coffee shops. For coffee lovers in Louisville, there are lots of great locations to choose from. Here are a few top spots to check out on your search for the ultimate in Louisville coffee shops. Heine Brothers' Coffee: A Crowd Favorite When it comes to crowd sourced picks, Heine Brothers' Coffee is the Louisville winner for best coffee. This establishment has been voted "Best Coffee Shop" in town three times according to the Louisville A-list, and is the current title-holder for 2013. According to the owner, Heine Brothers' is Louisville's only 100% Fair-Trade & organic coffee roaster. They have eight locations in town to choose from, so if you're looking for great coffee from a locally-owned Louisville favorite anywhere... 11/20/2013

Are you looking for a comprehensive website on which to search for Louisville Area Open Houses?  You have come to the right place.  On our website, http://metrolouisvillemls.net, you can search by zip code, neighborhood, price range, etc. to find Open Houses that are coming up.  Of course, attending an open house is a good way to begin your home search, but evenutally, you will want to get a bit more serious, hire a great real estate agent, and get preapproved.  At any point, if you have any questions regarding the home buying process, please contact us.  We would love to answer your real estate questions, and find out if our team is a good fit to meet your home buying goals. In the preliminary home buying stage, open houses are a great way to scout neighborhoods such as St Matthews, t... 11/15/2013

This is Post #3 in my comprehensive Louisville Relocation Guide.  Parts 1 & 2 are linked at the bottom of this post.  This post will focus on Louisville's major employers as well as some successful smaller companies.  Chances are good that if you are considering relocation to Louisville that you have employment lined up prior to your relocation, however, it's always good to get to know your city, so this installment will focus on the main economic drivers in Louisville, Kentucky. Employment numbers were taken from Business First's 2012 Book of Lists unless otherwise noted. Private Sector - 1.  United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) - UPS is the largest local employer with 20,117 employees.  UPS specializes inlogistics and air, ocean, & freight services.  They ship A LOT of packages worldwid... 11/11/2013

      As you maneuver around your kitchen this holiday season, you may reach a decision: it's time to remodel! You've enough of the traffic pattern, or the dingy old cabinets, or the old decor. The only question you have is how far you go? What do you want vs. what makes sense to do? If you sell, what will you get back in resale value?  Kitchen remodeling can be a costly project, especially if you're talking about knocking down walls, rerouting water and utility lines, and adding custom upgrades. Remodeling Magazine, which puts out an annual survey about remodeling payback, notes two interesting things. First, remodeling costs have dropped 10 to 15% over the last five years, even as materials rose 17%. If you are remodeling with an eye to making your kitchen a place that will serve you... 11/08/2013

Outside of knowing one's financial buying power, I can think of few criteria that Louisville home buyers should consider ahead of picking a location in which to live.  Louisville's neighborhoods are diverse in terms of what they offer, the age of the housing stock, and convenience to dining, shopping, and entertainment.  Some home buyers want to be close to everything - whatever everything means in their context - and some want to be far away, but never too far away, if you know what I mean. The biggest challenge for our buyer's agents is focusing our buyers on what is important to them about a given location, and in the cases where literally nothing is important to them about location, our job becomes even tougher.  Having a clear picture of where you want to live is perhaps the bigge... 11/07/2013

Beautiful update brick home in excellent condition. New kitchen with custom cabinets, rare granite, backsplash, breakfast bar AND eat in nook. Gorgeous hardwood floors throughout downstairs living room, dining room, kitchen, & family room. Bookcases & shelving throughout. Creek Stone fireplace in family room. 4 bedrooms, plus 3 full & 1/2 bath.Amazing master with ensuite & sitting room/ dressing room. Finished basement with family room, play room, full bath, & storage. Nearly 1/3 acre yard features patio, covered deck, trees, partial fencing. Don't miss this one!   11/06/2013

The Clifton Center is hosting a concert by Grammy Award winning artist, Marc Cohn, on Thursday, November 7th. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $36-$40 and can be purchased online or at Carmichael's Bookstore on Frankfort Avenue. If you are a "Friend of the Clifton Center", there will be a pre-concert reception held in the Center's newly-renovated Reception Hall beginning at 7:00 p.m. Guests will be treated to a tasting of Kenny's Farmhouse Cheeses and a cash bar.   Marc Cohn is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and has been obsessed with pop music for as long as he can remember! As a fan of The Beatles, Ray Charles and Motown, Cohn combines the precision of a tune-smith with the passion of a great soul man. He's a natural storyteller, balancing the exuberant with th... 10/25/2013

Love the look of a fireplace but don’t like the mess? Have limited wall space for fireplace? Lack a suitable chimney? Gas and electric fireplaces address many of your concerns. As a Louisville homeowner, you can choose a new unit that produces warmth with the touch of your remote and has no soot to clean up and no polluted air wafting through your house.  Charming Gas Alternatives  Wood-burning fireplaces offer a great aroma in the romance of a crackling fire, but there are other alternatives that produce heat and the look of fire. Gas fireplaces, for example, offer the radiant and conduction heat of an open fire but are vented to the outside through a tube in the wall rather than through a chimney. Using either natural gas or ethanol fuel, they feature incombustible logs that cover the... 10/24/2013

Given the number of old Victorian homes in Louisville, there are many dwellings with functional wood-burning fireplaces. Even in newer homes, the fireplace remains an important architectural detail, although it is a secondary heating source. The National Association of Home Builders claims that fireplaces are among the top three features that new homeowners love. Virtually all area homes are heated by gas, electric, hot water, or maybe even oil, so people light fires for ambience, for extra warmth, and for holidays, but do not rely on it as their primary heating source.  Downsides Of A Raging Fire  Despite the fragrant aroma and mesmerizing flames of a wood-burning fireplace, masonry units are out of favor with homeowners. The downside of the captivating fire is smoke that lingers in th... 10/24/2013

Location, Location, Location...Welcome home to 10514 Edgewater Drive located on a cul-de-sac in Eastern Jefferson County of Louisville, KY. This all brick 4-bedroom home for sale in Plainview Place off Hurstbourne is in close proximity to I-64 and Shelbyville Rd.  It is very convenient to numerous malls and dining venues.  Anything you need is a within a few minutes drive along Hurstbourne Parkway or Shelbyville Road.Pride of ownership is evident throughout this home for sale by The Dobbs Team at RE/MAX Champions. It starts on the exterior with well kept landscaping and lawn. The front and rear yards both have irrigation to keep them lush and green. The large rear yard is fenced and has mature shade trees in the rear. There is plenty of room to run and play on this .37 acre lot. If rela... 10/22/2013

It's important to thank those who have been so instrumental in our success as a Louisville Real Estate Team.  The Thomas Group of Keller Williams Realty Louisville East is so grateful for our clients in 2013 and before who have trusted us with the marketing of their largest asset and with our representation in purchasing their largest asset.  Without your trust and without your decision to choose us as your real estate professionals, we would not have been able to have such a banner year.  We are eternally grateful to you, and all we ask is if you were pleased with our services to refer us to one friend, acquaintance, or business associate in 2014.  Of course, we are geared up for a great fall & winter market.  We still have some inventory remaining, but we can always use more.  In fac... 10/20/2013

The Trio Brasileiro is coming to the Clifton Center on Friday, October 25th and it is part of the Clifton Center's Louisville Heritage Project. This is a four part series that includes concerts and educational programs featuring artists from Brazil, India, Africa and Ireland. Additionally, the Trio will take part in a lecture and demonstration for students at Field Elementary School.     The group was formed in 2011 and has already made a name for itself as an ensemble worthy of international attention. What sets them apart is their remarkable musicianship and a deep devotion to the language of music, which allows them to achieve a one-of-a-kind sound. To find other events in the area, please visit the website of Joe Hayden Real Estate Team. 10/17/2013

Hi, this is Part 2 of our Louisville Relocation Guide. 10 Things to know about Louisville BEFORE you make Louisville your home: Louisville does not conform to Kentucky stereotypes...(Disclaimer)...as much as other Kentucky towns do.  No offense to the fine folks of Kentucky's more rural locales, but Louisville is different than the rest of the state.  It just is, and our rural neighbors seem happy to agree.  There are even Louisville folks that want to shed the Kentucky label all together.  I recall getting in an elevator in Los Angeles as a senior in high school at a leadership convention with high school kids from all across the country.  One of the elevator passengers actually was surprised to see that I was wearing shoes.  This is the sort of stereotype  I'm talking about.  Louisvi... 10/16/2013

Should I Purchase a Home Warranty For My Louisville, KY Home? - The answer is simple...YES!! I ALWAYS recommend home warranties for not only my buyers, but also to my sellers as well. Here in Louisville, KY a home warranty is something that is usually negotiated within the sales contract when the buyer makes an offer. There are many different kinds of home warranties but typically they are good for 1 year from closing and cost approx. $400+ depending on the options you select. Benefits for Seller: -Great marketing tool for the property & gives buyers piece of mind at closing -Typically you pay nothing until closing but you're still covered under the home warranty -The buyer is likely going to negotiate this item in the sales contract anyways so you might as well cover yourself during th... 10/14/2013

DEAR Prospective Louisville Resident, If you are reading this, then you are considering making your home in Louisville, Kentucky, and I want you to know that there are few better kept secrets than Louisville.  People move here, and they don't want to leave.  They grow up here, move away, and ultimately move back.  Why?  Because Louisville is a very liveable city.  It's the biggest small town you can imagine.  It is culturally and artistically evolving.  It has great restaurants and incredible parks.  Louisville has an easy commute! I have lived here for more than 20 years.  I don't make it a habit of bragging or talking about myself, but as a Louisville apologist who knows this city inside and out, I would be short-changing potential Louisville home buyers if I didn't write a bit about... 10/14/2013

If modern life wasn’t scary enough, many people use Halloween as an opportunity to increase their scare factor. From now until Halloween, you can find haunted houses, haunted corn mazes, ghost tours, zombie themed events, parties, and more throughout Louisville, right alongside trick-or-treat events and alternatives. Here are a couple off-beat activities that adults might enjoy. Haunting Entertainment In New Albany Many of these venues are created to be frightening, but there are some Halloween events in Louisville that are based on historical reports of haunting right here. In New Albany, for example, you can sign up for walking tours to hear and reminisce about hauntings, murders, and paranormal events over the years. Led by Gregg Seidl, the Nefarious New Albany Walking Tour will vis... 10/13/2013

The 6th Annual Fall Festival is taking place at Foxhollow Farm this Saturday and is expected to be a fun-filled celebration of autumn! The event benefits Maryhurst and will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.     Guests can look forward to a full day of entertainment and culinary delights! There will be live music, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and corn maze, hay castles, old-fashioned carnival games, a cakewalk and hay rides. Additionally, there will be plenty of delicious, farm-fresh foods from Wiltshire Pantry, Grind Food Truck, Burning Brush Grille, Rooibee Red Tea, Cellar Door Chocolates and Gelato Gilberto. Visitors will also have the option to purchase activities such as face painting, mural painting, silk dying and more. To find other events in the area, please visit the web... 10/11/2013

With the dubious news that the United States Government has shut itself down, Louisville home sellers and buyers might be wondering exactly how the shutdown affects the housing market.  Never fear, I asked local loan professional, Chris Day with Cole Tayler Mortgage, what the government shutdown might mean for those Louisville Home Sellers and Home Buyers who are either in the process of buying a home or thinking about selling their Louisville home, and this is what he said: As you are probably aware, due to the Federal Government budget expiration, certain government programs have shut down as of October 1, 2013. There are several agencies that have been impacted by this shut down.  The following is a list of impacted areas and how it may affect your transactions, closings, and the ho... 10/04/2013

This Saturday starts Week in the Highlands 2013 and it is kicking off with the Highlands Cup 5K Run/Walk! Participants will enjoy a beautiful Highlands path down Douglass Boulevard to Big Rock Park and back to the finish line. Afterwards, head over to Douglass Boulevard's Christian Church gym for a perfect fall breakfast of hot and delicious Pancakes benefiting Highlands Community Ministries. On Sunday, there is a live jazz and blues concert at Big Rock and Beargrass Creek in Cherokee Park from 5:30-8:00 p.m.       The following Thursday, gather at Bellarmine University's Frazier Hall and help Highlands Communities Ministry feed the hungry with a light meal and silent auction. The following evening, enjoy live music and food on the eve of the Belknap fall festival. The Belknap Fall Fest... 10/01/2013

As the number of available homes for prospective buyers in Louisville decreases, some are putting off their house search, some are finding homes they previously considered out of their price range, and some are looking towards new construction. Compared to a year ago, more buyers have decided to take the plunge for new construction. On a national level, housing starts in July 2013 were up 21% from July 2012. In Louisville, 1,431 residential building permits were issued between January and June, as compared to 1,241 in the same period last year. The question is, what size houses are people looking to buy?  Big Is Better Only For Some  The jury is out on this question. A recent study by the American Institute of Architects claims that for new high-end homes, home sizes are increasing by ... 09/30/2013