Get your walking shoes on

Time to tour 11 exquisite ultra dream homes. These homes are huge, exude quality features. Every home in the parade is architecturally unique including the following styles, Georgian, Country French, Revival, Costal Colonial, Craftsman’s, some traditional floor plans, even a home designed like a turn of the century downtown Dublin Ohio home.

Construction and decorating trends

All the homes are decorated to the nines, I have attended many parades it’s been a number of years since the parade included price tags of $639,000 to $949,000. So many quality finishes, furniture quality built-ins, gourmet kitchens with high end appliances, trivection wall ovens which are a combination convection, microwave and a conventional oven all in one. Induction cook tops which are cool to the touch only provide heat when a pan touches the heating element, fabulous great rooms which open up into the kitchen, luxurious master suites with coffee bars and deluxe baths with electronically controlled showers and heated rock floors, finished basements with pub style bars, outdoor living spaces with beautiful fireplaces and huge built-in grills. At two of the homes geothermal heating systems have been installed, some builders have used insulation made from caster beans, many have tank less hot water tanks.

Sneak Preview

On July 4th my husband and I had a few extra moments so we stopped at the parade site. Wow! We were so lucky the parade doesn’t officially open until July 10, the designer and builder of the Dani home was at the house finishing up last minute details, they cordially allowed us to tour the home. What an impressive home; it’s designed with a comfortable contemporary flair. The kitchen has a huge center island which could seat 8 easily. We were impressed with the built in cappuccino machine, the huge double door refrigerator with wine cooler and of course there was an induction cook top. This dream kitchen opened into a wonderfully large great room. The outdoor living space was to die for with a fireplace, fountains and stone walkways.

Preview party

Enjoy a special night out on Friday July 10, 2009. The preview party is an elegant party that gives an opportunity to those who want to view the parade homes before they are open to the general public. Cameron Mitchell, a famous Central Ohio restaurateur will be providing delicious food such as sweet shrimp quesadillas, pesto veggie pizza, meatball sliders, Ohio corn fritters and more. Drinks will be served which will include Fresh squeezed lemonade, iced tea, assorted wine and beer. The proceeds from the preview party ticket sales will benefit Nationwide Children’s Hospital and local charities.

The BIA Foundation House

Compass Homes is the builder of the 2009 BIA Foundation House. This home offers 3,874 square feet of living space, a traditional home with attention to details; you will find sun tunnels, arched hutch niches, wainscoting, a large morning room, really cool family organization center with work area, lockers, cubbies and a dog feeding station, along with many other amenities you must come to the parade to see. Each year the builder’s proceeds from the Foundation house sale is donated to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and other BIA Foundation charities.

Want to go to the parade

The parade is located in Tartan Ridge, which is in the city of Dublin served by Dublin schools with close proximity to the Glacier Ridge Metro Park. The park has miles of hiking, biking, and bridle trails, as well as picnic shelters and playground equipment. Where: Dublin Ohio – Tartan Ridge – off Hyland-Croy or Jerome Rd. When: July 11 thru July 26 – Monday thru Saturday – 12 noon to 9 p.m. Sunday 12 noon to 6 p.m.

Ticket Purchase

At the Parade site $12 per person. Children under 12 free. Order on line or stop by the BIA corporate office.

Free General Admission Tickets

As a thank you for reading Central Ohio Real Estate News. Please send me an e-mail request for your free ticket. Quantity limited to the first 25 e-mail responses.

Purchase one of the parade homes

To date 5 homes have sold, the other 6 are looking for new owners. The builders add extra features at a reduced cost to showcase their work. These homes are priced well below their true value. Contact me if you would like a personal tour of any of the homes, some of the builders are offering special financing.

First day of summer June 21

The summer real estate market, what’s in store for buyers and sellers? Would like to recap the results of the spring market activity: the Real Living HER website has noticed an increase in website visitor activity throughout the spring season. RealLivingHER.com has attracted more than 190,000 visitors per month. Buyers click thru to see the listings that have the most photos and it’s a real great way to showcase a listing.

Columbus Board of Realtors Statistics

The statistics for the amount of homes that are for sale vs. homes that have sold: we are seeing signs of stability in the housing market. Home sales and prices increased, inventory levels are down compared to spring levels in 2008. With less houses coming onto the market listing prices tend to rise, 6,756 homes have sold year to date. There have been many first time buyers in the market taking advantage of the first time home buyer tax credit.

The Spring Real Estate Market

The 2009 Central Ohio real estate market has been quite busy lately. Recently I have listed many nice homes. When a new listing is obtained a checklist of activities must be completed to provide the seller with good exposure to buyers who are in the market to make a home purchase.

Photos, photos and more photos

Excellent photos are very important to the marketing process. As the old saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. Photos make an impression on a buyer, so numerous photos added to a listing will result in buyers wanting to stop by for a personal tour. You need to get the buyer thru your front door, good photos creates the ‘gotta see that house’ syndrome.

The importance of the list price

Accurate pricing is so important in today’s market. If the price is too high difficulty is added to the process. The first few weeks a home is listed there should be a flurry of activity of buyers and agents previewing the home. A more accurate price will attract buyers to want to look at a home. If there are no showings the list price is too high. Many showings but no offer is a sure sign the list price needs to be adjusted downward. There is always a magic number that will catch the buyer’s attention. Statistics show that the sooner a home goes into contract after it’s initially listed the more money the seller will net. The longer a home sits on the market its “old news” buyers start to think that something is wrong with the house; if a seller receives an offer it’s usually very low.

Strict Appraisal Requirements

Recently both FHA and conventional appraisers have new guidelines that must be followed when calculating value. An appraiser must complete a detailed report which is submitted to the buyer’s lender to certify the value of a home. If comparable sales within the past six months do not support the sale price then the home will not appraise. This spells trouble, sellers and buyers have to renegotiate, if terms cannot be agreed upon the house falls out of contract, the sellers then have to put their home back on the market.

$8,000 Tax Credit

Calling all first time home buyers, don’t miss out, take advantage of a deal of a lifetime. It’s a gift; the Federal Government is giving you a big fat gift, all you have to do is purchase a home. Yes there are a few requirements but they are minimal for most. If you take advantage of this tax credit you will look back and whisper to yourself joyfully, boy did I luck out when I purchased my first home. FHA lenders are allowing the $8,000 to be used in addition to the required 3 1/2% down payment; talk to your lender that has pre-approved you for more details. Buyers I will guide you thru the home buying process.

Housing affordability

Buyers have tremendous purchasing power there is a good selection of homes for sale in all areas of Central Ohio. First time home buyers don’t forget about the $8,000 tax credit. Homebuyers who make their purchase between Jan. 1 thru Dec. 1, 2009 are eligible for the credit so don’t delay; December will be here before you know it. Keep in mind it takes time to find the home that is right for you. It can take up to 45 days or longer to process your loan so the clock is ticking; don’t miss out on being able to claim your $8,000 gift.

Peace of mind

Mid-June, Real Living HER rolled out the Peace of Mind Plan. Many buyers would like to purchase a home to take advantage of today’s low interest rates along with the good selection of homes that are priced right. Buyers are hesitant due to the economic realities that we are facing. The Real Living’s Peace of Mind plan is designed to provide comfort to buyers, giving them confidence to make a home purchase. If a home is financed thru Real Living Mortgage, Real Living will provide you with one year of insurance benefits that cover a monthly mortgage payment of up to $1,500 for up to six months if you become involuntarily unemployed during the first year you are in your new home.

2009 Grand Leprechaun   

The Dublin and Powell Ohio St Patrick’s Day events are celebrations of Irish culture. It is believed that there are over 34 million Americans that have Irish ancestry. In Dublin, the capital of Ireland, there is a multi day St Patrick’s Day festival that includes a parade, family carnival, singing and dancing. The past weekend festivals in Dublin and Powell Ohio are reminiscent of the festivities in Dublin Ireland. 

 Everyone is Irish for a Day

Dublin Ohio lives up to its namesake. The Dublin Ohio St Patrick’s day parade is usually held the Saturday prior to March 17 which seldom falls on a Saturday. The parade started at 11:00 a.m. sharp led by Tom Seitz the 2009 Grand Leprechaun. It was a mild day so the streets were lined with many revelers. From many areas it was a challenge to see the parade if you didn’t come early enough to get a front row view. No matter were you stood you could hear the bagpipe brigade that made everyone tap their feet. The crowd enjoyed viewing the playful clowns and listing to the three Dublin high school marching bands, there were colorful floats, Irish step dancers, gymnast, and gals dancing on very tall stilts.

 The Blarney Hop

The Shoppes at River Ridge along with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life hosted the Blarney Hop which followed after the parade. At the hop there was food, inflatable games, children’s crafts, face painting along with many other fun activities. There was a large tent outside the Oakland Nursery Garden store that was large enough to accommodate Irish dance shows along with gardening demonstrations. To make sure everyone could enjoy the entire event a shuttle trolley was provided by the River Ridge merchants. At the Blarney Hop raffle tickets could be purchased that will benefit the American Cancer Society Dublin Relay For Life. Someone is going to win a trip for two to San Francisco, a diamond and emerald pendant and more. If you missed the hop, raffle tickets will be available until June. To purchase your tickets call 1-888-227-6446, extension 3205.

 St Patrick’s Day celebration in Powell

On Sunday March 15, 2009 the Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club sponsored a fabulous St Patrick’s Day celebration that was a public free event. The weather was truly a gift of Irish luck it was the warmest and sunniest day of the year. The flags that lined the road to the event were a beautiful sight. I arrived just in time to enjoy the Shamrock Club bagpipe band; that beautiful music is just too hard to describe. As I walked thru the event I notice the kids were having so much fun. There was face painting, a balloon artist, inflatables, a basketball court, Irish dancers, along with a performance from the Irish band Lone Raven. Now to make sure your year is full of good luck, Irish stew, corn beef and cabbage and green refreshments were available to keep up with Irish tradition. 

 Wishing you a very Happy St Patrick’s Day

I am sending you a four leaf clover.  As per the legend, the four leaf clover carries the following message - the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck. Remember the first day of spring is March 20, 2009   

There were plenty of spectators “wearin’ the green” at the Dublin Ohio St. Patrick’s Day parade that took place on Saturday March 15, 2008. The founders of Dublin Ohio, the Sells brothers, would be proud of all the St. Patrick’s Day 2008 festivities. The Sells brothers in 1802 purchased the land which is now known as the historic Old Dublin Ohio.  When the Sells brothers began to survey the land for the development of a new town they requested an Irish gentleman John Shields who was working with them to name the town. The beauty of the land reminded John Shields of his birthplace, Dublin, Ireland, thus the new town was called Dublin Ohio.

For the past 25 years there have been many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Dublin Ohio.

The 2008 celebration was kicked off with a Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast at Sells Middle School.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade started at 11:00 a.m. at the Metro Center then proceeded down S.R. 161 and through Historic Old Dublin Ohio.

It was a foggy damp morning, thank goodness no rain or snow. A Dublin Washington Township fire truck led the parade and then followed a float with the Grand Leprechaun who was Lois Dixon, a long time Dublin Ohio resident whose late husband served on the Dublin City council for many years.
(Dublin Coffman Band, Dublin Jerome Band and Dublin Scioto Band,) was fabulous, the Aladdin Shrine Clowns were such a hoot, of course there were Irish step dancers and bagpipe music and if you look at the slide show below you will get a good idea of all the fun had by all. After the parade many Dublin area businesses offered fun events throughout the day. Life Time Fitness sponsored a 4-Mile Run, The Yankee Celtic Consort performed before and after the parade, the Sisters Sweet Shoppe offered chocolate cake snacks, and the Cap City Pipes and Drums performed at the Brazenhead.Please stop by my blog, I will have more to report about the internationally acclaimed Dublin Irish Festival which will be held August 1 thru 3, 2008; wonder who will win the reddest hair and greenest eyes contests? Mark you calendars; if you attend the Dublin Irish Festival you will enjoy good food, entertainment and more. Yes Dublin Ohio residents do love their fair city and so do visitors too.