Houses for sale

Are like a valentine candy box full of special chocolates. Buyer’s that are looking to purchase a home is like choosing a chocolate from that special valentine box of candy; you never know what a home really looks like until you physically take a tour inside.

Those chocolates look so good

A listed home may present itself beautifully on the internet, upon reviewing those gorgeous photos you just are not able to pick up on a strong pet smell. Now don’t get me wrong I love our furry friends; if they are not maintained they can be a source of undesirable odors. Photos also don’t give you a good sense of the location of a home. Is a home located next to a busy road, a train track, is the backyard large enough. Upon reviewing a home online you can obtain a very good idea of the features that a home offers. Sometimes you are surprised after making a chocolate selection that caramel just might be a maple cream.

So many flavors to choose from

A good percentage of home buyers begin their home search online so, sellers, great photos of your home are a must to attract a prospective buyer. Great photos make a home appear more valuable. Buyers you must do your homework; make a list of all the features you are looking for in a home, including the neighborhoods that are most desirable to you. Sellers make sure your home is staged just right so buyers can picture themselves living in your home. Everyone has their favorite flavor in the valentine candy box.  Every home has its own flavor along with every buyer looking to select that perfect flavor that they will enjoy.

Your favorite chocolates could be gone soon

Traditionally after the super bowl game is over buyers become serious about their home searches.  Now is a great time to purchase a home; interest rates have been hovering around the 5% range for a 30 year fixed mortgage loan. There is still a good selection to choose from so if you are serious about purchasing a home just like all the chocolates in the valentine candy box they don’t last forever. Great news for first time buyers in Central Ohio; the Ohio Housing Finance Agency is now offering a down payment assistance grant loan product. All homebuyers using this grant must complete a homebuyer education program. Serious buyers you need to make your home selections soon before all your favorite chocolates are completely gone from the Valentine candy box.

Happy New Year… 2009 will be here soon…

I am sitting at my desk typing on my computer. All client greeting cards have been processed the old fashion way via a first class stamp. Call me an old fogey; for me it’s fun to open a holiday card from a family member or a friend it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling that I just can’t get from an e-mail. I love it when glitter spills out of a card and if a handwritten note is included that is very special because it’s becoming a lost art.

Text and e-mail messages are all the rage these days

The Real Living HER Worthington office recently participated in a Salvation Army bell-ringing event. I was struck by the message at the top of the kettle. For those who don’t carry cash you are now able to make a charitable contribution via a text message.

Almost everything and anything can be given or purchased online

You can text a contribution to the Salvation Army. The Mid Ohio food bank has a dedicated button that allows you to make contributions online.  Almost everything and anything can be given or purchased online even live Christmas trees; yes a live Christmas tree can be shipped right to your front door. I am thinking that the next generation will do absolutely everything online. Years from now I guess everyone will have to tour a museum to see what a newspaper looks like because many newspaper companies are filing for bankruptcy due to so much information that can be found online.

It’s amazing what you can find online

While compiling my Christmas cards I was listening to Christmas carols on YouTube, thought that you would enjoy listening to the carol below. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Using green building concepts

On a warm beautiful November day a good friend of mine gave me a tour of her new custom built home. The farmhouse design offers a very open floor plan with a grand kitchen being the center of attention. As we toured the home she pointed out the following green concepts that were used when building her home. The walls were constructed using 2 x 6 lumber which she said adds to increase the insulation value. The insulation is made from recycled newspapers. The windows are low-e-glass which helps stop heat loss. The front and back porches offer shade which saves on cooling costs. I commented on the beautiful quartz countertops that were used in the kitchen and most of the bathrooms. The quartz came from a bone yard where discarded quartz slabs can be purchased at a very economical price which helps the environment by keeping construction waste out of landfills.

No fireplace in this home

Did you know that a masonry fireplace is very inefficient and drafty, a good source of sending your heating dollars straight up the flue. A fireplace robs your home of heat. When using a fireplace all the warm air is drawn up the chimney causing a heating system to work longer and harder to keep the entire home warm. This home is heated by a Geothermal furnace; this furnace uses minimal energy to operate and is very cost effective and uses no fossil fuels which is non-polluting.

Recycled ceramic tile floors and wood scraped oak floors

The owner made use of recycled ceramic tile floors throughout the home. Most recycled ceramic tiles are manufactured with materials such as broken window panes and clear bottle glass. The wood floors were laid using short pieces of Bellawood oak scraped planks that were leftover from other construction projects.

Beautiful custom cabinetry so many built-ins

An Amish craftsman constructed every piece of cabinetry throughout the home, beautiful custom kitchen and bathroom cabinets, window seats everywhere and a custom hutch in the dining room.

No cathedral ceilings or a two- story entry

With 2-story entries and cathedral ceilings there is too much volume to heat and is not energy efficient.

Energy star appliances

The new appliances in this home are rated to be energy efficient; they cost less to operate and use less energy which helps to conserve natural resources. No incandescent light bulbs in this home, compact florescent light bulbs are everywhere they last up to ten times longer and use 75 percent less energy

Low-flow faucets, showerheads and water saving toilets

Water conservation is very important, low-flow fixtures save water and money. In addition, low-flow faucets and showerheads save energy by reducing the amount of hot water that is used.

Green decorating for the holidays

Decorate a live potted evergreen tree that can be planted in your yard after the holidays. Fresh evergreen branches make beautiful displays along with providing a wonderful fragrance through-out the home, natural decorations of fresh colorful fruits create dramatic holiday displays. LED lights are very energy efficient which will help you save on your holiday electric bill. Even the Columbus Ohio Zoo Wildlight Holiday display is becoming green; half of the 2008 displays have been converted to LED lights.

In future posts I will be providing you with more green building concepts that are being used in Central Ohio.

The photo of the tree was taken at the 2008 Columbus Wildlights “Rhythms Around the Watering Hole” a new animated light show set to holiday music. The show is nine minutes, which can be enjoyed every half hour. To enjoy the show you must attend before it ends on January 3, 2009.

Orange Township is the anchor in the Lewis Center zip code which is 43035

Lewis Center does not have an official identity. From the area history that I have read Lewis Center was named after the William L. Lewis family that donated land for a railroad station. I am thinking that the railroad station might have been located at the current railroad crossing on Lewis Center Road but there is no evidence of that today. There is no Lewis Center town center or village green like the neighboring communities of Worthington, Westerville and Powell. Residents that live in the Lewis Center zip code consider the geographic area they live in as Lewis Center

Boundaries

The majority of Orange Township lies within the Lewis Center zip code; a small portion of the township sits in the Powell and Delaware zip codes. The south boundary is Lazelle Rd. the west boundary juts a few miles from the east side of the Olentangy River which abuts Liberty township, the north boundary extends to Shanahan Rd and the east boundary extends a few miles east of Africa Rd which abuts Genoa Township. Orange Township has a population of about 15,000 residents, encompasses almost 22 square miles, is 20 miles north of downtown Columbus and is south of the City of Delaware, and sits in Southern Delaware County. Orange Township has experienced a tremendous amount of growth from 1990 thru 2006.

Growth

Orange Township’s population increased from 3,789 to 12,464 between 1990 and 2000. Many building permits were approved during that time period which included both residential and commercial developments. The orange township trustees along with the zoning board members were extremely busy revising and approving the plans for all this development. I personally built a home in Orange Township in 1989; at that time Orange Township was a very rural area the nearest grocery store was 10 miles away. By 1999 three major grocery stores opened in the township. Around this time a major defeat hit the township a large portion of the township was annexed into Columbus so that a retail expansion was able to come to fruition which is now known today as the Polaris Fashion Place. This area has become a huge retail shopping Mecca; many restaurants were also built a truly wonderful shopping and dining experience. These establishments are in the Columbus City limits with a Lewis Center mailing address.

Parks

As an orange township resident pre-township development expansion many of my neighbors were instrumental in laying the ground work for the Orange Township parks that exist today. The residents voiced their opinions and the trustees listened which resulted in 3 wonderful parks for residents to enjoy which include North Orange, Ro Park and the Orange Township Hall Park. The North Orange park includes an awesome pool, soccer and ball fields, walking trails, a picnic shelter pavilion with a huge stone fireplace. At the Ro Park you will find the tallest play equipment in the state, along with a huge umbrella canopy to shade everyone on those hot summer days. I have been watching the progress of the soon to be completed Leisure Trail that will connect the Villages of Oak Creek subdivision with the Township Hall Park which includes a stocked pond with fishing being allowed on a catch and release basis, gazebo and picnic tables.

Township Hall

In 2000 the Orange Township trustees started to realize that a larger township hall was needed to serve the residents, so an estate was purchased from the Holderman family which encompassed 25 acres. I loved that the township didn’t build a modern building they purchased an existing estate, remodeled it and has preserved the beautiful land that surrounds the hall. It’s quite fitting that the township hall sits somewhat in the middle of the Lewis Center geographic zip code boundary. If you want to call Orange Township your home there is a good selection of single family homes and condominiums in all price ranges for first time home buyers and mid range buyer’s, along with exclusive multi million dollar estates. Something for everyone a beautiful place to call home.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post to see the following information

• A list of Polaris Area communities
• Slide show and Map
• Sold statistic chart

View Larger Map

Subdivision	Sold	Avg S.F.	Avg Sold Price
Abbey Knoll
Sold 07	9	2,593	$282,378
Sold 08	10	2,525	$272,806
Sold 09	0	0	0
Alum Crossing
Sold 07	2	3,051	$349,715
Sold 08	1	3,752	$380,000
Sold 09	0	0	0
Avonlea
Sold 07	1	3,350	$451,800
Sold 08	0	0	0
Sold 09	0	0	0
Bale Kenyon Bluffs
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	1	2,367	$263,850
Sold 09	0	0	0
Bryn Mawr
Sold 07	3	2,770	$318,000
Sold 08	5	2,772	$297,220
Sold 09	3	3,135	$295,350
Cross Creek
Sold 07	3	2,963	$305,666
Sold 08	8	2,901	$301,857
Sold 09	0	0	0
Glen Oak
Sold 07	7	2,209	$223,185
Sold 08	8	2,208	$220,868
Sold 09	4	2,264	$228,104
Estates of Glen Oak
Sold 07	3	3,022	$312,783
Sold 08	14	2,858	$271,644
Sold 09	1	2,665	$279,030
Lake Shore
Sold 07	4	3,139	$463,649
Sold 08	8	3,350	$439,403
Sold 09	2	3,913	$451,370
Little Bear Village Condos
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	1	3,540	$439,000
Sold 09	0	0	0
Marina at Alum Creek
Sold 07	6	2,641	$270,466
Sold 08	0	0	0
Sold 09	0	0	0
Mariners Watch
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	3	2,406	$294,945
Sold 09	0	0	0
McCammon Estates
Sold 07	5	3,320	$403,090
Sold 08	8	2,918	$336,562
Sold 09	1	2,500	$285,901
McCammon Chase
Sold 07	3	3,377	$578,234
Sold 08	6	3,025	$487,133
Sold 09	1	3,782	$336,000
Nicoya
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	0	0	0
Sold 09	0	0	0
Oak Creek
Sold 07	20	2,191	$235,885
Sold 08	21	2,050	$228,652
Sold 09	1	2,171	$219,000
Oak Creek East
Sold 07	3	1,869	$229,666
Sold 08	5	1,954	$219,480
Sold 09	0	0	0
Villages of Oak Creek
Sold 07	32	2,175	$241,495
Sold 08	27	2,219	$241,853
Sold 09	2	1,924	$221,000
Olde State Farms
Sold 07	4	2,920	$412,700
Sold 08	6	2,931	$373,000
Sold 09	0	0	0
Oldefield
Sold 07	1	2,591	$295,000
Sold 08	5	2,598	$319,909
Sold 09	0	0	0
Olentangy Crossings
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	2	3,092	$498,333
Sold 09	0	0	0
Olentangy Glade
Sold 07	11	1,792	$190,331
Sold 08	6	1,520	$184,750
Sold 09	0	0	0
Olentangy Meadows
Sold 07	10	1,884	$240,940
Sold 08	10	1,751	$198,951
Sold 09	4	1,849	$192,814
Village at Olentangy Meadows
Sold 07	3	1,629	$167,870
Sold 08	5	1,490	$153,210
Sold 09	1	1,630	$162,000
Parkshore
Sold 07	8	3,111	$405,625
Sold 08	6	3,162	$387,567
Sold 09	0	0	0
Piatt Meadows
Sold 07	9	2,133	$232,766
Sold 08	5	2,082	$211,380
Sold 09	0	0	0
Rivers Edge
Sold 07	3	2,481	$243,200
Sold 08	4	2,546	$252,616
Sold 09	0	0	0
Shadow Creek
Sold 07	4	2,287	$208,100
Sold 08	2	2,368	$186,250
Sold 09	0	0	0
Summerfield Village
Sold 07	5	2,197	$236,800
Sold 08	2	2,665	$237,500
Sold 09	0	0	0
The Shores
Sold 07	29	2,974	$355,887
Sold 08	8	2,908	$353,852
Sold 09	0	0	0
Village at Alum Creek
Sold 07	16	2,646	$275,337
Sold 08	16	2,659	$271,541
Sold 09	1	2,392	$226,500
Walker Woods/Walker Woods Estates
Sold 07	17	2,872	$332,874
Sold 08	7	2,590	$303,586
Sold 09	0	0	0
Waverly Place
Sold 07	5	2,991	$377,600
Sold 08	2	2,911	$349,500
Sold 09	1	2,708	$401,500
Willow Springs
Sold 07	3	2,656	$283,233
Sold 08	3	2,675	$271,750
Sold 09	0	0	0
Willow Springs North
Sold 07	3	2,919	$342,583
Sold 08	2	3,242	$309,950
Sold 09	0	0	0
Wilshire
Sold 07	23	2,786	$307,455
Sold 08	17	2,751	$301,414
Sold 09	2	2,605	$280,500
Woods at Bale Kenyon
Sold 07	1	2,460	$350,000
Sold 08	3	2,827	$342,333
Sold 09	0	0	0
Woods of Olentangy
Sold 07	12	1,584	$181,775
Sold 08	8	1,414	$180,488
Sold 09	1	1,452	$184,900
Wynstone
Sold 07	18	1,454	$178,038
Sold 08	9	1,360	$173,550
Sold 09	1	1,748	$193,500
Wynstone Village
Sold 07
Sold 08	3	1,867	$191,667
Sold 09	0	0	0

Subdivision	Sold	Avg S.F.	Avg. Sold Price
Retreat at Grand Oak
Sold 07	6	1,683	$191,567
Sold 08	0	0	0
Hidden Reserve
Sold 07	0	0	0
Sold 08	2	1,200	$131,070
Hidden Springs
Sold 07	5	1,237	$128,010
Sold 08	5	1,299	$141,103
Parkview Northeast
Sold 07	11	975	$119,174
Sold 08	5	947	$112,380
Village at Olentangy Meadows
Sold 07	1	1,433	$168,360
Sold 08	5	1,490	$153,210
Village of Olentangy
Sold 07	7	2,043	$189,957
Sold 08	3	1,896	$167,533
Village at Polaris Green
Sold 07	3	1,709	$173,792
Sold 08	5	1,197	$152,462
Village at Polaris Park
Sold 07	18	1,437	$146,067
Sold 08	10	1,443	$146,740
Village at Walker Woods
Sold 07	5	1,517	$166,180
Sold 08	2	1,652	$157,450

Subdivisions	Township	Schools	City	Zip
Abbey Knoll	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Alum Crossing	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Alum Estate	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Avonlea	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Bryn Mawr	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Cross Creek	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Deep Run	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Fox Ridge	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Glen Oak	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Estates at Glen	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Green Meadows	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Hickory Ridge	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Hidden Cove	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Hidden Reserve Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Hidden Springs Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Highmeadows Villiage	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Lake Shore	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Marina at Alum Creek	Berlin	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Little Bear Village	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
McCammon Chase	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
McCammon Estates	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Northpoint Meadows	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Nicoya	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
North Falls Condos	Orange	Olentangy Schools	Delaware	43015
North Orange	Orange	Olentangy Schools	Delaware	43015
Oak Creek	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Village at Oak Creek	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Olde State Farms	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Olentangy Crossing	Orange	Olentangy	Delaware	43015
Olentangy Glade	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Olentangy Meadows	City of Columbus & Orange TWP	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Village at Olentangy Meadows	City of Columbus & Orange TWP	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Woods at Olentangy	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Park Place	Orange	Olentangy	Delaware	Ohio
Park Place Village	Orange	Olentangy	Delaware	43015
Parkshore	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Parkview Northeast Condos	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Village at Polaris Park	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Columbus	43240
Prestwick Commons	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Columbus	43240
Prestwick Green	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Columbus	43240
Piatt Meadows	Berlin	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Traditions at Polaris	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Worthington	Westerville	43081
Regency at Highland Lakes Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Westerville	43082
The Retreat Condos	City of Columbus & Orange TWP	Olentangy	Columbus	43240
Riverbend	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Villas at Riverbend Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
River's Edge	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Slate Creek	Orange	Olentangy	Delaware	43015
Shadow Creek	Berlin	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Summerfield Village	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
The Shores	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Village at Alum Creek	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Village At Hidden Ravines Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Powell	43065
Village at Walker Woods Condos	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Estates at Walker Woods	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Walker Woods	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Waverly Place	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Willow Springs & Willow Springs North	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Wilshire	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Woodstone	Orange	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Woods at Polaris Condos	City of Columbus & Orange TWP	Olentangy	Columbus	43240
Wynstone Village	City of Columbus & Orange TWP	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035
Wynstone	City of Columbus / Polaris Area	Olentangy	Lewis Center	43035

Real Living HER Citywide Open House Hop

Hippity Hop to the biggest Real Living Open House promotion of the year. Over 700 homes will be open on October 26, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. So many homes to see, if you are a serious buyer there’s a good chance you will find that perfect home you will fall in love with. Prices are great, home selections are great which can be purchased at very desirable interest rates.

A special coupon just for you

Visit a Citywide House Hop property this coming Sunday on October 26, a Real Living HER agent will validate your coupon which could fetch you a real cool deal of $2,500 savings on the processing of your loan thru Real Living mortgage. If you are a first time home buyer you might want to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit that is available for homes purchased between August 9, 2008 through July 1, 2009. Now that’s a real deal.

Promotion rules and regulations can be found at the Real Living HER website

The terms of the tax credit are explained along with the deadline for cashing in on the $2,500 Real Living lending incentives, along with a complete list of homes that will be open.

Now don’t miss out on all the fun

Please stop by to see me at my open house located at 567 Glenside Lane Powell Ohio across from Highbanks Metro Park. Treat yourself; this home is wonderfully maintained, priced to sell; write an offer, take advantage of the Citywide House Hop incentives which will enable you to enjoy celebrating the holidays in your new home that you found at the hop.

How does a real estate agent do business without electricity?

What an experience. It all started as I was driving to the office on Sunday morning on September 14, 2008. Thought to myself that the weather was weird the wind was picking up and the clouds were moving so fast. My open house was scheduled from 2-4 p.m.; it was extremely busy and many prospective buyers came thru heard the wind howling but had no time to look outside. Upon the open house completion thought it was strange that the front yard was totally covered with leaves and that numerous fallen tree branches covered the backyard. As I went back into the house all the lights were out, don’t remember turning off the lights. That was the beginning of the wrath of the storm’s damage.

Retrieving open house signs

It was a struggle to hold onto the open house signs in 75 mile per hour winds which almost blew me away. Driving home was a challenge all the traffic lights were out. Most Central Ohio drivers must have forgotten that when a traffic light is out you need to treat it as a 4 way stop, thought that I might be hit from behind many times, safely made it to my home which was without electricity. The first night is always fun without power; my husband and I joined our neighbors for a candlelight dinner of mac-n-cheese an easy meal to cook on a gas stove.

Day one of the power outages

Not sure what damage the storm has caused. Received a voice mail message from my office manager informing all the Worthington office agents that there was no electricity, internet, or phone service and that the office was closed. As luck would have it my cell phone is now out of juice, laptop needs to be recharged and I need gas in my car. Decided to venture out to see what was open, found a gas station that was doing a brisk business, by the end of the day that station was out of gas. Charged my cell phone in the car as I was driving, with a full tank of gas was comfortable with visiting my clients to make sure they were all ok. My first stop was to visit clients who live in Powell; they survived the storm and there was no storm damage to their homes, then it was on to Dublin everyone was a-ok. As I was on my way to Worthington was saddened to see how much damage the storm caused , so many old trees were blown down, streets were closed because downed trees were hanging on power lines. My clients and their homes fared well only one house had a branch fall against the house and there was no damage.

How do I deliver an offer to you?

Received a call from an agent who wanted to know how he was going to get an offer to me.  No e-mail, no internet access, no fax, no computer power. It was back to the basics the old fashion way of doing business the original tools of the trade, a pencil and paper. The offer was hand written and hand delivered just like in the old days when I first got into the real estate business; 15 years ago the fax machine was just becoming popular. Met the agent at Panera Bread which was one of the few businesses that had electricity it was a perfect meeting place because I could now catch up on my internet correspondence along with recharging my laptop. Glad that I found a gas station earlier in the day that was open it would have been shoe leather express or bicycle power to pick up the offer. Where there is a will there is a way to get a real estate deal done. Thank heavens for cell phone car chargers, pencils, paper and Panera Bread that had internet access, oh the wonderful world of technology. The electricity is now back on and its back to work in the usual way, receiving faxes by e-mail, recharging my laptop and cell phone using good old fashion electricity.

A message for all moms

Mother’s Day: It was your special day, a day designated to let you know that you are very much loved and appreciated. There is nothing more precious then a mother’s love. A day full of special thank yous for all that you do.

Today’s real moms

As a real estate agent I have been lucky to meet many cool moms. Today’s moms juggle busy schedules; some work outside the home others are stay home moms. When considering a home purchase the first question all moms ask is the neighborhood safe.

Neighborhood safety

When considering a home in a particular community take a drive thru the neighborhood at various times of the day. Look for neighborhood watch signs. Is the community well lit with street lights? Talk to neighbors, they will be a wealth of information. Police departments along with the county sheriff department will be able to provide you with good area statistics.

School information

Moms are very concerned about the schools their children will attend. School internet research can be done at the Ohio Department of Education website that provides proficiency test results and state school report cards. A school visit would be beneficial. Most schools have designated personnel that will give you a tour of the school and answer all your questions.

Desirable floor plan for moms

Large open kitchens with a pantry, great room needs to have good proximity to the kitchen, the living room is losing popularity, a first floor office is a plus great for a home based occupation, a bonus room, or finished basement is ideal for a child’s playroom or home schooling, a window from the kitchen to watch the children at play, a fenced backyard large enough for a swing set, 4 large bedrooms with good closet space, moms spend a lot of time washing children’s clothes so a 1st or 2nd floor laundry is a real plus.

Mother’s Day tornado warning in Central Ohio

Being a light real estate business day due to the Mother’s Day holiday I spent most of the day at my personal residence which is located in Galena Ohio Southern Delaware County. The day was miserable, cold and rainy and to my surprise I heard warning sirens; a call from my husband’s cell informed me that I should go to the basement of our home. Then my home phone rang it was the Delaware county emergency department calling to inform all residents of the tornado warning. Now that was a surprise, our tax dollars at work. Luckily a tornado didn’t touch down, no real damage just heavy rain and strong winds.

In conclusion moms make a pathway to a home

A path within the heart that takes us home to happy memories, meaningful moments, joys, hugs and kisses. Moms make their homes a safe and secure place for their children to live. As children grow older the paths from their childhood home full of love and affection come to full circle. All experiences become stepping stones to who that child will be as an adult. Yes the day will come sooner than you think when you will be visiting your children in their very own homes.

Check out Karen’s website for tips on how to sell or buy a home in Central Ohio.

CondoQuest is a special spring and fall promotion sponsored by the BIA

58 Central Ohio Condominium communities
Showcased by the Building Industry Association
Visitors tour newly constructed condo communities

Condos are for everyone the CondoQuest slogan

First time buyers, empty nesters, busy professionals
No need for ladders, lawn mowers or snow shovels
Lock your front door and leave for a couple of months no need to worry about outside maintenance

Many floor plans to choose from

Ranches and town homes
First-floor owner’s suites
Twin singles and detached patio homes
Prices start at $99,000
Some selling for more than $1,000,000

Great amenities

Great room open-living layouts less formal living spaces
Many communities offer walking trails, bike paths, fitness centers, swimming pools and tennis courts

Spring and fall CondoQuest

Sponsored by the BIA for the past 6 years
Missed the spring promotion, there will be a good selection again in the fall

Karen’s Condo-Quest

Cute town home and 1st floor owner’s suite
The Pros and Cons of Condos

Welcome to the Central Ohio Real Estate News blog created by Karen Gorski to inform you, the reader, on a personal level about the day to day activities in the real estate world.Hope you will get to know me and like my style enough to subscribe to this blog. On this blog site I will be providing an up-to-date account of community events and what has been happening in the real estate world in Columbus Ohio and the surrounding areas including Clintonville, Dublin, Delaware, Galena, Hilliard, Lewis Center, Powell, Sunbury, Upper Arlington, Worthington and Westerville.

Not all blog entries, called posts, will be serious; some will be informative others will be whimsical. Hope you enjoy my posts enough to stop by often. Your comments are always welcome and encouraged.

About me Karen Gorski:
I am a full time Realtor®, an agent with Real Living HER since 1994.

I have participated in many real estate transactions representing both Sellers and Buyers.

I will be sharing interesting posts about some of those transactions right here on this blog. When purchasing a house, to make it into a home of your very own you will be interested in knowing about the community where the house is located. I will be providing you with up-to-date community information in this blog including sales statistics, maps, parks, events and more.

Again welcome to my Real Estate blog; I sincerely appreciate your visit.
I am looking forward to a fun journey traveling all around town to enable me to provide interesting tips and tidbits to all those who stop by to read this blog.