Why Columbus?
- Categories
- About Me?
- Bexley
- Clintonville
- Columbus News
- Condos & Lofts
- Downtown
- For Home Buyers
- For Home Sellers
- German Village
- Grandview
- Market Updates
- Mortgage/Finance
- Olde Towne East
- Real Estate News
- Short North
- Archives
"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
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
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?
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 1 Comment »
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
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.”
Authored by Joe | Discussion: No Comments »
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.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: No Comments »
Grandview, Grandview, where for art thou Grandview?
November 13th, 2007 categories: Grandview, Real Estate News
I love Grandview and I love helping clients buy and sell homes in Grandview and Marble Cliff and those zig zaggy parts of Columbus that most people assume are Grandview. The truth is though, that this entire year I’ve not had one single buyer actively looking in Grandview and I have not one listing there at the moment. So, you see, it kind of falls off my radar screen from time to time and I don’t have lots and lots of stocked up photos of Grandview homes because I’m not around as much as I’d like to be.
So, Because I’ve all but ignored poor Grandview and it’s homes for sale, here is the October update for Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff followed tomorrow by a quick year-long analysis of the Grandview market right here on the front page.
Of the Five homes that sold last month in Grandview, Three of them were Condominiums. The two single family homes were the 1400 sq ft grey shingle two story on First avenue with the owner that had been there for 50 years. It sold after 404 days for $195,000. Yeah, it needed updating.
Just down the street, at 1339 west First Avenue, a 1284 square foot 3 bedroom bath and a half sold for $202,500 after about three months. Not a lot to write home about last month in the way of Sold Grandview Homes.
Two Cotswold Condominiums sold last month, both for $219,900, both 2 bed, 2 bath 1475 sq ft. I like Prescott Place for a location and think the floor plans shook out pretty well in these condos. I’d like them to be a little closer to the action but also enjoy the Marble Cliff setting.
Then there was one sale in Prescott Place. I don’t know who is buying these “luxury” condos at $251 square foot or why, but buyers seem to be snatching them up. We’re talking about a 2 bedroom condo for $686,372 and it’s attached to its neighboring condos townhome style. You could buy three Rich Street Walk condos for that, still have your 2 car garage and walk to a hockey game. I know, I know, Ron Pizzuti, quality finishes and such.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
Corner of Haines and Grandview
October 16th, 2007 categories: Grandview
It’s great to see Grandview Avenue becoming a little more cosmopolitan.
Council approves rezoning for proposed project
Grandview Heights City Council voted 4-2 Monday night to approve a rezoning of the corner of Grandview and Haines avenues to Planned Unit Development.
The rezoning was sought by Metropolitan Holdings, which has proposed a four-story mixed use commercial/residential building for the site. The building would contain 7,255 square feet of commercial space and 24 residential units.
The ordinance also approves the preliminary development plan for the project.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: No Comments »
Grandview market update
May 14th, 2007 categories: Grandview
Market update for Grandview Heights and Marble Cliff
As of today, there are
- 46 Active Listings in Grandview ranging from a 1 bed condo in Summit Chase for $119,500 to a 5 Bed, 2.2 bath home at 1423 Cambridge Blvd listed at $749,000. They average $195.20/sq ft
- 12 Homes in Contingent Status — averaging 1,644 sq ft and $172.15/sq ft
- 5 Homes in firm contract — averaging 1,490 sq ft and $154.67/sq ft
April saw 10 homes sell
- 3 of them had been on the market less than 10 days-on NorthWest, Hope and W 2nd.
- 3 of them had been on the market for 100-200 days and 1 @ 215 days at 785 Gladden
- They averaged 1433 Sq Ft, $163.66/sq feet and 85 days on the market. They sold for 96.7% of list price.
The most expensive home sold in April was 1367 Wyandotte - a 5 bedroom, 3 and 1/2 bath completely rehabbed home built in 1910. It has 2860 sq ft, is on a triple lot, has a 2 car garage and some nice charm.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: No Comments »