Category Archives: Golf course communities

Real Living HER has a new web site

Real Living HER switched over to their NEW extensive website today. They have always beat out the competition with a high-traffic, very user-friendly site used by millions. This new design is even better, providing even more information on each listing. Remember, all broker’s listings are included – not just Real Living’s – through agreements called Broker Reciprocity.

REAL LIVING HOME PAGE

You can set up your own personal search based on the criteria you want in a home, then save it. When new listings (or a price reduction) come on the market that match your criteria, you’ll be notified via email immediately.

When viewing a home that is for sale, you will be able to view an extensive amount of info for the neighborhood or city where the home is located. Look for the tabs located below the photo box. You’ll also be able to see many photos of the home if the listing agent has added them. To see an example of a listing click on the following link.

POWELL OH HOME FOR SALE

Each Real Living agent has been provided a section on the main website. Click the link below to visit my section. When on my site, you can set up your home search, designate me as your agent, or email me. If you click on the Local Information tab, you can enter an address, such as your own, then view the same type of demographics as is available with each of the homes for sale. That’s a rather fun exercise for your own home. See what the stats are for schools, crime, environment, income/education, and walking score. If you’re thinking of moving to another city, you can check the stats for that city as well.

ELAINE REESE SECTION OF REAL LIVING WEB SITE

A lot of work went into this new web design, however, since it’s brand new, there may be some start-up glitches for a few days. The development gurus have also told us that they’ll be adding even more features or pages of information in the coming months. Of the things that I’ve checked, it seems to be working OK so far. So, go ahead, give it a test drive.

Why did southern Delaware County grow so fast?

newspaperA local newspaper reporter called me this morning to discuss the housing growth that has occurred in southern Delaware County this decade. I’m usually nervous about talking with the media for fear of being mis-quoted. I hope he doesn’t do that.

After our conversation was over, I thought more about why the growth has occurred into southern Delaware County. I think there are several events that occurred that set the stage for it.

  • I-270 made it easy to go from one suburb to another. Businesses (jobs) built up around the various interchanges. Suburbs located inside 270 were land-locked with limited room to expand further housing.
  • Suburbs, like Dublin or Powell close to the freeway, had room to expand their borders. They also had easy access to the freeway with major roads such as Rt 315, Sawmill Rd and Rt 33 already in place.
  • Lewis Center’s growth was impacted when Banc One (now Chase) built the huge employment center and the nearby Polaris Mall was added, both outside of I-270. Old State Rd provided access to that employment so many housing subdivisions were built off of that road.
  • Golf Courses have played an important part to the housing growth as well. Dublin already had Jack Nicklaus’ huge Muirfield Village but then Arnie’s Tartan Fields was built north of Muirfield. Powell began with Wedgewood, then added Scioto Reserve and Kinsale (Golf Village). Shamrock and Safari are nearby, but they are not lined with homes the way the other courses are.
  • The southwest part of the county contains both the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers. I’m not a geologist but it seems there is more variance to the terrain between the rivers, providing more opportunity for the wooded, ravine lots that many home buyers like.
  • The southeast part of the county has the big water reservoirs with Alum Creek and Hoover. Both offer boating opportunities, albeit they have different motor restrictions.
  • Dublin and Powell already had groceries and retail, but those types of commercial buildings have expanded to keep pace with the housing. Dublin added Perimeter Mall and Powell added the shopping at Powell Rd and Sawmill Pkwy.
  • Some of the northern most housing developments in the Lewis Center area were several miles from groceries, gas stations, and fast-food eateries, but with the recent addition of some new stores along Rt 23 at Lewis Center Rd, that is changing.
  • Columbus State Community college recently opened along Rt 23 and Ohio Health is at a certain stage of providing convenient health care for the area.
  • More growth along Rt 23 between Powell Rd and Cheshire Rd was on the drawing board but it has been put on hold due to the economic downturn.
  • Southern Delaware County is primarily served with four school districts: Dublin, Olentangy, Westerville and Big Walnut. Olentangy covers the largest geographical part of the southern part of the county.

Like thousands of others, I’ve found the county to be a great place to live and work. If you would like to join us, give me a call and we’ll go house shopping.

Copyright © 2010. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Wedgewood Golf & Country Club in Powell – a tour

Wedgewood Golf & Country Club is the focal point for the Wedgewood subdivision in Powell. The area was part of the BIA Parade of Homes in the early 90′s, with two main streets circling the main part of the golf course. Wellington Bl aligns along the west side then circles around to the south where it then becomes Fairway Dr which runs parallel along the east side of the course.

Soon after you enter the subdivision (on Wellington Bl) there are three streets (Oxford, Tavistock & Gleneagle) which contain patio homes, sometimes called cluster homes due to their smaller lots. This style of home is popular for people who want a large luxury home but with less lawn care thanks to smaller lawns.

Yesterday I mounted my camera on my dash as I drove around the area. It may appear that I was speeding, but trust me, I was going less than the posted 25 mph limit. I think it’s the camera angle … at least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. :-)

So far this year, 14 homes have sold in Wedgewood at an average price of $550K. The highest price so far this year is $910K. In the Fairway Dr area there are many free-standing and attached condos or fee-simple homes. YTD, three have sold at an average price of $236K.

Wedgewood is located in the Olentangy school district and in Liberty Township which is outside the city limits of Powell. Visit these other sites for more information:

Copyright © 2010. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Time for the Dam Jam this Friday, the 16th

Dam Jam party in Shawnee Hills OH

It’s nearly time for the fun party near the Bogey Inn, called the Dam Jam, in Shawnee Hills. Shawnee is a “tiny” area at the northeast corner of Muirfield Village and just west of the Columbus Zoo, across the bridge over O’Shaunessy Dam. The section of Glick Rd near the dam and the Bogey Inn will be closed to vehicle traffic. As the sign says, the party will occur July 16, 5:00-12:00 pm. Go and have lots of fun. See Google Map.

Dublin is getting prepped for The Memorial

Memorial Tournament flags, Dublin Ohio 43017Next week is the PGA Memorial Tournament, but as usual, this week Muirfield Village is getting all “prettied up” ready to put on a good show to all the media, dignitaries and thousands of guests that will be in Dublin for the event.

The special flags have been installed on the light poles and parking signs are up. All the landscaping is well-manicured. It’s very common to see many landscape crews working on resident’s lawns. Some of them rent their homes out for the week, then stay in local hotels. I knew a family who did that, as it was a money-maker for them.

Muirfield Village, Dublin Ohio 43017The Tournament begins May 31 with practice rounds through June 2. On June 1, there is a Military Appreciation Day. Those with appropriate military ID can enter for free. The Skins Game is on June 2, plus it’s Junior Golf Day, so kids under 18 can get in free with a ticketed adult. The actual tournament runs June 3 -6. At this time, Tiger is reported to be playing. (no comment)

I was offered tickets for one of the practice rounds, but decided to pass on them. I don’t trust Chief Leatherlips and what he may do to the weather.

I used to play quite a bit of golf years ago. I played in a weekly league and often played another 18 on the weekend. I really enjoyed the game, but naturally had the usual frustrations that can go with it. Thanks to my previous career, I had the opportunity to play at many nice resorts in Florida, Arizona and Colorado. I couldn’t drive as far as the guys did, but I hit it straight and was pretty good at chipping and putting, so I held my own.

I previously wrote an article about one particular golf outing where I hit my husband with a driver. No it wasn’t a story like Tiger, as it was an accident. It really was.

Read more about Muirfield and view a slide show.

Copyright © 2010. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

What is a patio home?

Wedgewood patio home in Powell Ohio 43065

Wedgewood patio home, over 2700 sft, finished lower level w/kitchenette

Here in central Ohio, we have what we call “patio homes”. Some might also refer to them as “cluster homes”. Buyers sometimes ask what exactly is a patio home and how does it differ from a free-standing condo.

Generally speaking, a patio home is owned just like a regular home. You own the home and the lot and are responsible for all the upkeep. That’s how they differ from a condo, where the owner only owns from “paint in” and pays a fee each month to the condo association.

Patio homes generally can be larger-size homes with many upgrades and extra amenities. Regarding amenities, I showed one once where the basement had been dug deeper to allow for a mini driving range. Patio homes are on smaller sized lots so there is less lawn to maintain. Having a smaller lot places the homes closer together, hence the alternate name of “cluster homes”. Carefully placed landscaping can assure greater privacy to decks or patios.

Since the owners may want to avoid some of the lawn and snow clean-up but don’t want to give up total ownership as with a condo, they sometimes go together as a group to hire landscape companies to handle the lawn & landscape care and snow removal as needed.

Patio homes aren’t as readily available around the Columbus metro area as are condos. In southern Delaware County, they tend (but not exclusively) to be located in golf course communities such as Wedgewood, Golf Village, Muirfield, Highland Lakes and Medallion. Prices may range from $300,000 to $6-700,000. Our MLS system has a check-box for agents to identify patio homes which then allows buyer’s agents to conduct searches for that criteria.

If you are wishing you had a smaller lawn to maintain, but don’t want to give up a more luxurious home, then perhaps a patio home may just fit your wish list. Give me a call and we’ll see what’s available.

Copyright © 2010. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.