The suburbs around Columbus seem to have “personalities’. People gravitate toward one suburb or another based on the personality they perceive the suburb to have. Those perceptions may be correct or they may not. 
Some suburbs are similar, yet different.
People who like older homes with nooks & crannies may opt for Worthington, Upper Arlington, Clintonville or Bexley. Those who like newer homes may elect to live in Dublin, Powell or Lewis Center. A suburb like New Albany is for those that enjoy the East Coast Williamsburg look. Some people take comfort in buying a “normal” house that, while it may have some unique features, it’s not so different from others. The home conforms.
Then there’s the eclectic set of people. The “march to a different drummer” kind of folks. Cookie-cutter homes aren’t for these people. They view themselves as unique and want a home to reflect that uniqueness. The typical subdivision isn’t their style either because many subdivisions don’t allow uniqueness.
Currently I have a listing that is one of these “different drummer” homes. Today I was checking inventory availability in the Hoover Reservoir area where this home is located. As I looked at the homes and their interior photos, it occurred to me that although the area east of Hoover Reservoir isn’t really like a subdivision, there was some commonality to the homes. The commonality to them is their “uncommonness”.
I began to wonder if people gravitate to this area because of the ability to live within a pastoral setting in a truly custom home that is unlike any other. Most of the homes are built to take full advantage of the outdoor view, be it trees, ravines or the reservoir’s water view. I suspect these are people who are comfortable in their own skin and confident enough to venture outside-the-box with their home’s architecture. Simply because of the terrain, they may also have an appreciation for nature or simply enjoy their privacy.
It’s interesting how birds of a feather flock together, isn’t it. Oh-h … and did I mention how many unique birds – those with actual feathers – flock to this east side of Hoover Reservoir as well?
If you’re the type of person with your own drum and want a home to reflect that, give me a call. I’ve got one that will knock your socks off!
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want a home that makes me go WOW when I walk in the front door”. 
There is no such Disclosure required of home buyers. It’s not a level playing field, as Jim says. Should home buyers be required to provide home sellers with a Disclosure about the buyer’s warts BEFORE they decide to enter into a Purchase Contract with that buyer? 
It may also become more customary for sellers to ask to have the earnest money paid to them if the deal falls apart, in order to cover the expenses they incur to store their furniture, make their own deposits on a new home or temporary housing, etc., plus, the lost opportunity they suffered by having their home off the market. In Jim’s post, I commented that having a seller keep the earnest money can be viewed as a “restocking fee” that some retailers charge when customer’s return merchandise. Adding this Term into the Contract places some risk on the buyer and might minimize the casualness that some buyers have when they enter into a Contract.
So let’s assume your price range is around $200,000. Right now, prices are depressed and interest rates are very low. Sellers are nervous and may be willing to negotiate to make sure they capture one of the few buyers that are shopping now.
Elaine Reese
614-825-8860Real Living HER
