Tag Archives: central ohio real estate market

Why are there farm silos in Powell?

Posted on 06/06/2010 | Leave a comment

Are you planning to relocate to Powell? Or are you a new resident of Powell? You may have wondered why there are farm silos in the midst of one of the strip malls on the west side of Powell.

Big Bear silos in Powell OH 43065

A long, long time ago there were local grocery stores called Big Bear. The company had a beautiful farm and home that was on the land and the silos were part of the farm which raised some of the meat sold in the stores. The home eventually was used for meetings, weddings and other occasions.

Unfortunately, the company fell on hard times and was purchased by a larger company, that apparently made bad decisions allowing competitors to come into the market. The grocery stores later went out of business.

I don’t know all the interim details but the farm buildings were torn down except for the silos. To the north of the silos there is now a housing development called Big Bear Farms. Of course, with all the growth that Powell has experienced in recent years, there are many strip centers, eateries, and other businesses in this area now. No doubt, these businesses bring in substantially more tax dollars, but I rather miss the green-roofed, white sided buildings with beef cattle in the fields.

Read about the Big Bear history.
See photos of the stores.

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.

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Posted in Central Ohio, Delaware County, Powell Ohio

Tagged Big bear Farms, central ohio real estate market

What is a patio home?

Posted on 05/12/2010 | Leave a comment

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.

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Condos, patio homes, Delaware County, Golf course communities, Golf Village, Kinsale, Homes, Muirfield, Powell Ohio, Wedgewood

Tagged central ohio real estate market

The importance of local building codes & home inspections

Posted on 04/29/2010 | Leave a comment

Here’s another helpful tip for home buyers. When you get into contract on your next home, one of the first things you’ll need to do is contact a home inspector to set up a time for a home inspection. Your Realtor® may give you a few names on their suggested list or you may get the info from a friend or co-worker.

Have you thought about how you will know to select a “good” inspector? Or are you going to shop based only on price and availability? Will you be asking for credentials? Did you know that a home inspector in Ohio doesn’t have a license or any monitoring as to their credibility?

While I know money can be tight when buying a home, please don’t shop based on price! You’ll get what you pay for, and it could prove to be “penny-wise, pound-foolish”. You want to select someone that absolutely knows what they’re doing because it can cost you dearly later if the inspector does a poor job.

When interviewing the inspectors, there is an area of questioning that you might not consider, but should. Ask them which county they do most of their inspections. If that county doesn’t match the county of the home you’re buying, ask them how familiar they are with the building codes of the county the home is in. If the inspector isn’t all that familiar with your county, they may answer in a round-about way. Put a red-flag by this person’s name.

In central Ohio, each county has its own building codes. Some counties have much tougher codes than others. You want your inspector to do the inspection based on the COUNTY’S codes, not on the more general STATE codes. It’s also helpful if the inspector is knowledgeable enough to know what codes were in the past.

Codes change over the years, and it’s important for the inspector to know if the home “met the code of the day” when the home was built. For instance, consider that the home may have met the electrical or plumbing codes when it was built, but improvements in materials since have resulted in code changes. The inspector should know which codes are considered “grandfathered”. As a buyer, you shouldn’t expect a seller to bring everything up to current codes IF the work was done correctly at the time and passed inspection by the county.

In line with this topic – and your inspector can guide you here – watch for DIY work. Some homeowners may think they are more of a handyman than they really are, and will do the work themselves without obtaining a building permit. The Residential Property Disclosure Form, that the seller must complete, has a question that addresses this building permit issue.

TRUE STORY: I showed a FSBO to a buyer. The owner had finished his basement and was very proud of the work he had done. After he was done telling us all about it, I asked if he had obtained building permits for the work. He answered, “No. Those permits are just a way for the County to make money.” WHOOPS! – wrong answer. Plant a big red flag on this home.

Here are some other articles I’ve written about the home inspection process:

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Posted in Buyers, Central Ohio, Home buying process, Home inspections, Homes

Tagged central ohio real estate market, local building codes, selecting a home inspector

Are You Ready For A Condo Yet?

Posted on 02/27/2010 | Leave a comment

By now, you may have heard that here in central Ohio we just broke the 100-year old record for snow fall with just under 30″ for the month of February. Those of us with single-family homes have been shoveling … and shoveling … and shoveling some more.

The people who live in condos don’t have to shovel snow unless they decide to perhaps do their sidewalks. The Condo Association has agreements with landscapers to plow the streets and sometimes the drives which allows the residents to enter via their garage, rather than needing to use the sidewalk to the front door.

In southern Delaware County, there are beau coup condo complexes with a wide variety of styles, sizes, prices, floor plans, and extra amenities such as fitness equipment and pools near the clubhouse. Most are located around the Powell and Lewis Center areas. Condos are also popular around Dublin and Hilliard, which is in Franklin County. Prices can range from the $90,000′s up to over $400,000 for large, luxury condos. You’ll find some of those around Powell and Dublin.

Maple Creek condo complex, Westerville OH 43082 Choosing to live in a condo is usually a lifestyle decision. The people may choose this carefree lifestyle if they are busy with activities and don’t want to devote weekends to maintaining a single-family home and mowing grass. People who travel frequently for their employment may prefer the comfort of knowing their home is a little more cared for while they are away on business. Retirees may like the freedom to spend summers here, then spend winters in warmer climes.

If you’re in the market for a lifestyle change and a condo, I have a listing that is located in the southeast Delaware County area, so it is convenient to shopping and restaurants while still being near an upscale residential area. It also has a very competitive price. Read More.

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Posted in Ballantrae, Central Ohio, Condos, patio homes, Delaware County, Dublin Ohio, Franklin County, Golf course communities, Golf Village, Kinsale, Hilliard Ohio, Homes, Homes for sale, Lewis Center Ohio, Muirfield, Powell Ohio, Scioto Reserve, Wedgewood

Tagged central ohio real estate market, luxury condos

I’m a Listing Agent … I’m prepared!

Posted on 02/14/2010 | Leave a comment

There are two kinds of Realtors® … agents who work mainly with home buyers … and agents who primarily work with sellers. Generally, over time, an agent will gravitate to a preference to work with one or the other type of client based on their skills or personality. However, there may be an additional difference … their cars.

Buyers’ Agents usually have nice, clean cars – or they should. The successful ones drive the luxury versions for a smooth ride for the clients when they view 10-15 homes at one time.

Listing Agents may drive vehicles that can easily hold yard and open house signs AND those signs can be thrown in quickly when it’s raining or really, really cold. They also may carry a bunch of odds ‘n’ ends supplies required to handle most any emergency that arises on the listing.

Listing agent's car The WEENR-mobile is perfect as a “listing” vehicle. The 4WD gets me through most any kind of road. The back is easy to throw in yard or open house signs. In a pinch, I can fold the back seat down when I need to haul larger items.

At this time of year, the one thing it isn’t, is a CLEAN car. But, like a boy scout, I’m prepared for just about anything!

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Posted in Central Ohio, Elaine's Listings, Homes, Real Living HER, Realtor® selection, Realtors®, Sellers, Transportation

Tagged central ohio real estate market, central Ohio weather

5 Cures for Cabin Fever

Posted on 02/13/2010 | Leave a comment

By now, you’ve probably got a good case of cabin fever. At first, it was pretty and many enjoyed some welcomed days off. But now, it’s worn out its welcome, plus, the kiddies may be driving you crazy.

When I was growing up, my parents planted very large gardens. During the winter, they would pour over several seed catalogs, deciding what new, improved varieties they wanted to plant in the Spring. It took their minds off the cold winter by looking forward to warmer weather.

Well, if you’re not into planting a garden, here are some things you can do during this down time.

Start planning an update to your landscaping. Whether adding new plants or redoing overgrown ones, it’s a good time to talk to the landscape design companies. Although the workers are plowing parking lots, the sales staff may not be busy, so it’s a good time to schedule an appointment with them to draw up a design.
Plan to add a deck, patio or fence. Just like the landscapers, this is a down period for the contractors. With last year’s economy, they may be eager for business, plus, should have ample time to work on your design.
Have your lawn mower serviced. Also, take advantage of early-bird sales on lawn fertilizers. You may also need to watch for snow mold with all this snow cover.
Schedule a roofer to inspect your roof, gutters and downspouts for damage due the weight of this snow. Once the weather breaks, they may get busy so you might want to get into their early schedule now.
Planning to have a garage/tag sale? It’s a great time to start gathering and pricing your items now. This also gives the family time to argue about which old T-shirts stay or go.