House and Home Chat Real Estate Real Talk With Dena and Chris

Does the fear of failure keep you from exploring your creative paths in life? Do you engage in negative self-talk before you even try something new? Join us today for a dynamic discussion as we CHAT with Katia Zhestkova, owner of the Kenai Art Studio in Downtown Mason, OH, & discover how creating art opens the mind to an emotional well-being, fosters creativity in all areas of life, & simply brings JOY! Katia specializes in teaching art to children as young as 4 years old but encourages us all, young and not so young, to never stop learning and creating. Her teaching techniques, passion for life’s beauty & love of ART teaches us all that art is not just about producing a product, but more about the journey through the self towards personal growth. In Real Estate Real Talk, Dena & Chris explore the rich history of Mason, OH where they both reside.  

Have you struggled with finding JUST the right pieces to style your coffee table? Does it become a cluttered mess of remotes, magazines, unmatched odds & ends? Listen-up as we CHAT with Nancy Grow, Influencer and Designer with Hydrangea House Décor, and learn how to curate the perfect coffee table vignette 3 DIFFERENT ways! Nancy walks us through creating 3 unique styles beginning with the simplest and finishing with the pie’ce de re’sistance! Pick the style that fits your mood. In Real Talk, Dena & Chris discuss using vignettes to emotionally connect with buyers to get TOP DOLLAR when selling your home. 

Do your walls and home speak to you with inspiration and joy? Whether you plan to stay in your home for a long time, or a short time, creating artful spaces will bring joy to those that live there or help sell the space for those planning to move.   Join us as we CHAT with Sylvia Rombis, creative consultant at ADC Fine Art, about how to curate that special space in your home and what considerations to take.  “The space will tell you what it needs” is one of Syvia’s key tips, listen-up today for MORE!  In Real Talk, Dena & Chris discuss the historic West End of Cincinnati, and all it has to offer our great city.  

Are your properties and assets set up to transfer to your heirs with ease and as intended? Estates, trusts, wills, probate...these are some of the buzzwords involved in leveraging Real Estate as your Legacy. Join us as we CHAT with Chad Levin, partner at Heyman Law, LLC, as he shares best practices on getting your affairs in order so you can best control what happens to your property upon death. Chad shares the message that this is the greatest gift you can give your family in saving them time, asset protection, and minimizing stress & offers a wealth of helpful insight and advice. Chad specializes in Estate Planning, Elder Law & Business Law and can be reached at csl@heymanlaw.com    

With the RISE in real estate pricing, have you thought about all the equity you’ve built in your primary home? Do you even know how much your home is worth in this current market? If you're asking yourself these questions you'll want to Listen-Up as we CHAT with Kathy Lamb, mortgage consultant with Thrive Mortgage, as we dive into the current state of mortgage rates, loan options, investment tools & learn how to create a winning portfolio. In REAL TALK, Dena & Chris share a realtor's perspective on what to look for in investment properties.  

Do you long for small-town USA but with the modern conveniences of today’s needs and demands? A Town Square, pocket parks, and a pedestrian-centric focus are all things you’ll find at Union Village in Turtle Creek Township. Join us as we CHAT it up with Dave Watkins, sales counselor, as he shares this unique concept of New Urbanism and all that this exciting community has to offer you and your family, & explore the variety of different housing, builders, and market homes. In REAL TALK, Dena & Chris explore some fun facts about the township of Turtle Creek and the variety of homes in this area North of Cincinnati and South of Dayton, OH.   

Is your home’s insurance keeping up with your life, your home, building costs, & the real estate market? Is insuring an investment property different than your personal home? Listen Up as Dena & Chris chat with Nick Bogan of Senour Flaherty Insurance as he offers insight into insuring your properties whether they be your personal residence or investments. Then in Real Estate-Real Talk, Dena & Chris share the current trends in the Cincinnati real estate market & strategies to achieve your buying and selling goals. 

Imagine the amount of radiation from 200 chest x-rays or the damage to your lungs from smoking 8 cigarettes a day.  Did you know that both of these are equal to having a radon level of 4.0 in your home?    Join us as we chat with Tracey Capuano a local radon expert about radon, how to test, and how to reduce this cancer-causing agent in your home.  Then, in Real Estate- Real Talk, Dena and Chris share their top winter safety checks for your home.   

Our home is more than the 4 Walls we live in, it’s the people and local businesses within our community.  Join Dena & Chris as they CHAT it up & Toast to the NEW YEAR, sharing highlights of a successful 1st year of podcast topics and teachings. In Real-Talk, Chris and Dena discuss the top 5 Organizational Mistakes people make. Whether you are planning to Stay or Planning to Move in 2022, there’s something in this year in review for YOU!

Does your house need a facelift but you don’t know where to start? Are you thinking it’s time to SELL but you want the best value and impact for your dollars spent?  Join us as we CHAT with Amy Ostigney, of Designing with Amy, who can design and project manage all your updates & and do it in under 6 days! Amy offers best tips from paint color selection and placement, to flooring and lighting trends and beyond! In Real Talk, Dena & Chris discuss the top updates for selling, and how they can customize a plan of action to get it done. Whether you are Designing to Stay or Designing to Sell, this is the show for you!   

Do you worry about the havoc your holiday celebrations wreak on your floors?  Do you know what you should keep on hand to treat those nasty party stains?  Listen up today as we chat with John Apke of Apke Total Restoration.  John will share the best ways to keep your carpet, floors and home clean through the holiday season and beyond.  Plus, he will share winter tips to keep you from needing his services as a result of broken pipes this winter.  Then, in Real Estate – Real Talk, Dena and Chris share tips for what you can do now in the winter to prepare your home for market. 

Does Gratitude have a place in business? Is it possible to be profitable and yet lead your business practices with gratitude at its core? Today’s guest, Rachel DesRochers, founder of “The Gratitude Collective” takes us on her journey of entrepreneurship which includes launching her 1st business, “Grateful Grahams,” and leads us into her latest venture, “The Power to Pursue”, a women’s empowerment summit. Listen up to our conversation with Rachel as she discusses “the most important tool we have in our toolbox” and how to SHOW up, Make the world a better place, & LEAD with Gratitude. In REAL TALK, Dena & Chris share some of the rich history of the area of N. Avondale, Cincinnati, the community Rachel lives in with her husband and children.  

Being a parent is hard but being the parent of special needs child adds another overwhelming layer.  We all have hopes and dreams that our kids will grow up kind, well-adjusted, productive & happy people. We provide them with basic needs but we want them to have friends, be social & have fun! If you’ve ever struggled with this, then don’t miss our show today as we CHAT with Kristin Fox, founder of The Hangout Group!  Kristin started this program because she saw a need for kids challenged with special needs to have social opportunities with their peers outside of a school environment to develop healthy and appropriate social skills, gain confidence & have fun!  In Real Talk today, listen up as we discuss disclosure topics including the Ohio Residential Property Disclosure. 

What’s your fondest memory of your hometown city? Today, we come to you from Fountain Square where our Queen City of Cincinnati, still reigns as the Queen of the West!  Listen-up as we CHAT about the Tyler Davidson Fountain, which just turned 150 years old, and share some of the rich history of the fountain and our city of Cincinnati. Lots of activities, entertainment, restaurants, shopping & more bring so many people to the square, the surrounding riverfront and OTR (Over the Rhine) areas every day. In Real-Talk we take a look at some of the housing options in the area and what to expect. Don’t miss this fun & fact full episode!

Your purchase contract is accepted, inspections are complete, now what? Have you wondered, “what are we waiting for & what’s happening?” Listen- up as we CHAT w/Rick Wilson, Account Exec @ Residential Title, about what is happening so you can close on your home. Rick teaches us about the title company’s role, how a title search is done, costs, whether or not Title Insurance is necessary, & SO Much MORE! In Real Talk, Dena & Chris update you on real estate shifts in the local Cincinnati market.

Are there neighborhoods of your town that you’ve never ventured to because you live in a 3-mile bubble?  Well, if you live in the greater Cincinnati area, you’ll want to break-out and check out this historical gem, Northside! Located just 4 miles N of the Ohio River, is an eclectic mix of thriving businesses from unique shops, coffeehouses, bars, restaurants, breweries, greenspaces & more. It’s also one of the more WALKABLE neighborhoods in Cincinnati, offering a booming housing market with a variety of housing styles, pricing, and affordability. Listen-up as we CHAT with a local homeowner, Mandie Perdikakis, who offers personal insight into the history, diversity, and reasons why she chose to call Northside HOME!