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"As a first-time homebuyer, I was nervous about the entire process. Step by step, Joe made it easy and fun. His expertise in the Columbus real estate market is a tremendous asset. He is highly recommended!" - Nicolette Horan

"I wanted to say thank you again, so much, for all your hard work. I know that you really put a lot of time into this transaction and I really, really appreciate it. I'm so happy I got the house and it all worked out and I just wanted to say thanks again, you did a great job and i really appreciate it. I will put that on the survey when they send it to me.

If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to give me a call. I will refer every single person I know to you. I'm going to go get my dog and we're going to sit on the floor of our new house and have a glass of champaign. Thanks a lot Joe" -- Michael Mamp

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What is selling in Downtown Columbus? Clintonville? Bexley? Grandview? Olde Towne East?

August 19th, 2008 categories: Bexley, Downtown, For Home Buyers, For Home Sellers, German Village, Grandview, Market Updates, Olde Towne East, Short North

742 Oak Street - Come See It! I have a listing in Olde Towne East, nearly downtown, at 742 Oak Street. It is a fabulous 1710 sq foot brick home. 2 Bedrooms, an office, a fantastic master bath, half bath, great yard, walk to a million places, priced at $199,900. It is priced right. In fact, it’s a screaming good deal because it is absolutely move-in ready. I consider the main competition for the home all of Olde Towne East and every downtown Condo because the price points and location are so similar. Of course the Oak Street home doesn’t have any condo fees.

Tonight I’m talking to the owner about why we haven’t had too many showings and no offers. I’ll tell him that in the 109 days the home has been on the market, only TEN homes OR condos have sold between $150–250,000 on the entire Near East Side AND Downtown. Nine of those were, in fact, downtown condos and the other was a bank owned foreclosure steal of a deal on Bryden Road. Only 6 others are in contract currently, five of which are Downtown Columbus condos and one of which is a much bigger home on Franklin Avenue in Olde Towne East on the market for 575 days. Talk about Quiet.

Above that price point, it gets a little bit better, but not much. 12 condos downtown have been listed as sold in the MLS (remember, that doesn’t include a few key projects like North Bank) and 3 Near East Homes, all very nice with huge square feet have sold since early May but that’s it.

In the same time period, Greater Clintonville had roughly just over 100 homes sell between $150–250,000. It’s been a brisk summer there for that price point, with an average days on market of 84.

While these inner-ring suburb markets don’t generally conjure ideas of homes under $250,000, take a look at these markets since May 10 in this same price range:

Grandview and MarbleCliff – 21 Homes
Upper Arlington – 65 homes
Bexley – 29 Homes
Worthington – 49 homes

The Short North and German Village are slow too but somewhat more stable markets with most homes priced above $250,000.

German Village/Schumacher Place had 10 homes sell since May 10 in that 150–$250,000 price range but 7 of them were likely already in contract in early May.

Greater Short North/Italian Village/Harrison West saw 32 homes sell since early May, most of which were condos or fixer uppers. As I looked through the lists from all over town, I realized that I had been in and seen many of them first hand. So, if you’re looking in that price range inside I-270, I’m your guy.

In the meantime, Come on Columbus, rediscover the housing stock and location of Columbus’ Near East side. Come visit 742 Oak St.

Of Possible Interest: Just in time for City Hop - April and May ‘08 Downtown Columbus Condo Sales

Franklin Park Conservatory - Even More Beautiful?

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Are Homeowners-Alarmed by Gas Prices- Increasingly Looking to Urban Areas?

August 8th, 2008 categories: Clintonville, Downtown, For Home Buyers, German Village, Grandview, Olde Towne East, Short North

If you're interested in moving to an urban area, CALL OR EMAIL ME!! According to a recent Coldwell Banker survey, yes.

…. the primary reasons for this interest in urban living are related to work commute and energy-efficient modes of transportation:

81 percent cite minimizing a reduced work commute as a reason for the interest in urban living
54 percent agree that access to public transportation is appealing
75 percent agree that the ability to walk to more places is a positive

“Over the past several years we have seen a boom in downtown living all over the country and this is not just reserved to major cities,” said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate.

Also interesting in this same survey was that, “…sales associates also reported they have seen an 84 percent spike in interest for properties with a home office, as compared to five years ago, indicating a trend towards telecommuting.

While the study also found that 64 percent of surveyed sales associates report their clients increasingly look for homes with “green” amenities that could save on heating, cooling and electricity costs, only 42 percent surveyed believe saving on energy costs are a reason for their client’s interest in urban living.”

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What Style of Homes can you Find for Sale in Columbus?

July 1st, 2008 categories: About Me?, Bexley, Clintonville, German Village, Grandview, Real Estate News, Short North

As fascinated as I am in home styles, I’m no architect. When I describe the architecture of my listings or homes I am showing, I find it helps buyers appreciate their value. While they both have “old brick homes,” Victorian Village and German Village have very different housing stock. Although I can tell a cupola from a parapet, or an eyebrow window from a palladian, I’m sometimes stumped or unsure and don’t like to throw something out there for the sake of looking like I know what I’m talking about.

July is home styles month here on Columbus Homes Blog and I’ll be reviewing different styles with intermittent posts over the coming weeks. Every house, no matter how plain, has a style. Style comes in part from ornamental details like columns and moldings and in part from structural features, such as the placement of the windows and the pitch of the roof. Yet, identifying that style can be a baffling process. Is it Spanish Colonial or Mediterranean? Italianate or Federal? And, what about the newly constructed home that seems to break all the “rules”?

Most houses do not fit precisely into any one category. Older homes may have gone through many renovations, taking on the features of several different architectural trends. Newer homes often combine ideas from a variety of styles and historic periods. Details help to give homes style, character and romance. In Columbus, you can find many different styles in many different neighborhoods and while there may be more to choose from in Clintonville than Hilliard, even a newer community has homes with character.

More often than not, I find other Realtors, especially suburban Realtors, have no idea what style a home is. Painting a broad stroke here, to tell the style of a home begin by closely observing a few key characteristics. This simple checklist below identifies some main features to look for. Although there are no pat answers, each of these features suggests styles to consider.

1. What shape is the house, overall?

Rectangular and symmetrical: National, Colonial, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, Italianate
Square and box-like: American Foursquare
L-shaped: Folk and National styles
Complicated and asymmetrical: Queen Anne and other Victorian styles, Chateauesque
Rounded corners: Pueblo, Art Moderne
Single story or 1½ story: Cape Cod, Ranch, Craftsman, Cottage styles
2. Does the roof have any of these features?
Unusually steep pitch: Gothic Revival and other Victorian styles, Tudor
Unusually low pitch: Craftsman, Prairie, Ranch, Monterey, and Spanish styles
Flat: Italianate, Beaux Arts, Pueblo, Mediterranean, and Modernistic
Gambrel: Dutch Colonial
Mansard: Second Empire and other French-inspired styles
Hipped: American Foursquare, Colonial styles, Victorian styles
Salt box: Colonial
Flared eaves: French styles, Craftsman, Prairie
Round towers: Queen Anne, Romanesque, Chateauesque, French styles
Cupolas: Italianate, Greek Revival, Second Empire
Rounded parapets: Mission
3. Is the house sided with any of these materials?
Adobe: Pueblo, Monterey, Spanish Colonial Revival
Stucco: Mission, Tudor, Spanish styles
Rough stone: Romanesque
Patterned wood shingles: Victorian styles
Half-timbering: Tudor, Stick, Queen Anne
Cedar shingles: Victorian Shingle, Craftsman, Tudor
4. Does the house have any of these window types?
Multi-paned: Adam, Georgian, Neoclassical
Diamond-paned: Tudor, Prairie
Palladian: Adam, Colonial Revival, Neoclassical
Round or elliptical: Adam, Neoclassical
Oriel: Tudor, Gothic Revival, Chateauesque
Casement: Tudor, Craftsman, Dutch Colonial, Spanish styles, modern styles
Pointed: Gothic Revival
Rounded with “eyebrow” hoods: Italianate
Fanlights: Adam, Neoclassical, Colonial Revival
5. Do you notice any of these details?
Dentil moldings: Georgian, Adam, Colonial styles
Garlands or floral ornaments: Federal, Adam, Beaux Arts
Turned spindles: Queen Anne, Carpenter Gothic, Folk Victorian
Zigzags or chevrons: Art Deco
Shutters: Cape Cod and other Colonial styles
Round, fluted columns: Greek Revival, Adam, Neoclassical, Beaux Arts
Square or trapezoid porch supports: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission, American Foursquare
Little or no ornamentation: National and Folk styles, Cape Cod, Ranch, Modern styles
*This post has beenn Adapted from an article by BY JACKIE CRAVEN that appears on realtor.org from a post circa January 1, 2004.

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German Village Homes 1st Qtr 2008 Sales Numbers

April 18th, 2008 categories: German Village, Market Updates

German Village rooftops with downtown in the near distance-view from one of the nicest homes i've seen recently. on 6th listed at $975,000 Including Schumacher Place, 22 German Village homes sold in the first quarter of 2008.

On the market anywhere from 1 to 552 days, these German Village homes averaged 1,866 square feet and $290,101 ($155/sq ft) while bringing in about 94.1% of the last list price. The average days on market was 113 days which is quite good and, frankly, a little surprising for German Village.

If you take out the 6 six condos that were included, the average sales price increases to $312,745 and while the average days on market doesn’t really change, the median days on market is shrunk to a mere 58 days. In a nutshell, the first quarter saw an interest in German Village area homes, but not for the higher ends. We’re still only talking about 22 properties in the Schumacher Place and German Village areas, but I bet that 2^nd quarter sales are around twice that number.

The shaded area is where the data comes from for German Village and schumacher place The most expensive German Village area home to sell in the first quarter of 2008 was a 3500 sf Jackson Street (I know, Jackson St homes are usually small) three story brick with 4 beds and 3.5 baths that is updated quite nicely and has a cute yard and garage. It sold in February for $620,000.

Currently, there are 158 active listings in German Village and Schumacher Place at an average of $352,136 and 1,623 sf. That is an average of $216/sf for the active listings and more in tune with what we’ve come to expect for German Village Real Estate over the last few years.

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Columbus Real Estate Update - German Village for sale/sold December update

January 3rd, 2008 categories: German Village

This home at 234 Lear in German Village sold for $240,000 last month -- 9K less than the previous owner bought it for SIX years ago. The Village (Don’t you hate it when people call German Village that?) saw only four homes sell within German Village boundaries in December. They averaged:

154 days on market
$258,000
$151.41/sq ft
1704 sf
94% of list price

At the high end last month was a 2 bed, 2 bath brick home at 866 City Park with a one car garage going out at $315,000. It is an attractive, 1643 sq ft, mostly remodeled and well situated building that was on the market for 81 days.

2 three bedroom condos sold in German Village last month, averaging about $130/sq ft.

The Brewery District had 2 sales in December, 965 S Wall St is a 2 bed single family 1.5 bath 2 story home that went for a mere $125,000, on the market for 15 days. A fishy cash deal on a 2 bed 1440 sq ft brick home on Front street went $144,200 —– $100,000 less than the asking price.

Merion Village had two sales last month as well, namely 58 Hanford - a nicely updated 3 bed, 1.5 bath 1200 sq ft single family with a 2 car garage for $196,500 on a fenced corner lot.

By now, you know to look under German Village for Merion Village, Schumacher Place and the Brewery District — all important neighborhoods adding value to the urban Columbus Core but, for the purposes of this blog, all lumped in under German Village.

Interested in finding your slice of the near South side? Call Me, my phone number is up above in the header.

German Village - Schumacher Place –Not so Quiet?

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German Village Homes For Sale / Sold - November Update

December 10th, 2007 categories: German Village

932mohawk And away we go . . . .

6 Homes sold in German Village,
4 homes sold in Schumacher Place and
5 more in Merion Village.

German Village Homes averaged

1337 sq ft,
$202/sq ft and
$270,066 or 90.7% of list price (not normal)
203 days on market

Schumacher Homes sold in November averaged

1375 sq ft
$121.24/sq ft
$166,700 or 102% of list price (thanks to a bidding war for 469 E Beck St)
131 days on the market

Merion Village Homes sold in November averaged

1239 sq ft
$92.48/sq ft
$114,580 or 96.8% of list
113 days on market

The most expensive home in German Village last month was 932 Mohawk which went for $475,000, listed at $500,000, on the market for 174 days. It was a perfectly fine 3 bedroom home and, at 1792 sq ft, went out at $265/sq ft.

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Columbus Real Estate - September Update - German Village

October 11th, 2007 categories: German Village

This 2 bed, Treetops Condo in German Village sold for $379,000 An even Dozen homes sold in the German Village area in September.

463 Stanley takes home the least expensive German Village area sale in the month of September. Yes, this would be Schumacher Place, one house from S. Washington between Kossuth and Whittier for those keeping track at home.

It is an 1128 sq ft 2 bed (used to be 3 bedrooms), 1 bath single family home with an open downstairs and deck that was purchased 3 years ago for $166,200 and sold last month for $137,100. It was corporate owned.

How about a 3,829 sq foot 3 bed, 2.5 bath brick beauty on Beck? From the copper counters to the 3 working fireplaces, the killer master suite to the 2 car garage, this was a very nice home and it tops the German Village area sales at $925,000.

The average price per sq ft in German Village proper for September was

$189.74 and
they averaged 1912 square feet,
$362,785 and
226 days on the market.

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Columbus Real Estate - August Update - German Village

September 7th, 2007 categories: German Village

189 deshler copy Still a bunch out there on the market. In August, 15 lucky sellers were able to move on with their lives. In the German Village area, which for these purposes also includes Schumacher Place and parts of the Brewery District, 12 Homes and 3 condos sold In August.

The least expensive home was on Bruck, a 2 bedroom, 1 bath home between Columbus and Kossuth. At 986 square feet, this home sold for $146,500. It was a very nice Schumacher Charmer that had first come on the market in April of 2006 at $179,000.

The most expensive home sold in German Village in August was on Deshler, overlooking Schiller Park, you know the one -studio, stainless steel in-ground pool, attached garage, 5200 sq feet– for $1,500,000. This home was on the market only 9 days. Talk about the right place at the right time and they only came down 95K from the original list price.

Aside from two Dakotas pent-homes, the only other Million Dollar plus transactions in Columbus proper have been in German Village. Two on Deshler, One on Macon Alley, and one on Jaeger which was also on the park.