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, March 08
"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, Feb 08
Government Rebate Check? Stimulate your Economy - Buy a House
May 9th, 2008 categories: For Home Buyers, Real Estate News
Sounds Silly right? You can’t buy a home for a couple thousand dollars. Or can you? Let’s assume you’re a two parent, three child family. You’ll get something like $2100 in your rebate check ($600 for each adult and $300 for each kid). Maybe you’ve talked to OHFA about purchasing a home and they’ll help with the down payment or let’s say you want to put 3% down on this house. Of course, if you’re buying a property to rent out or to fix up and sell, you’ll need more down. If your $2100 rebate equals your 3% down-payment, then you’re hoping to buy a home for around $70,000.
Like downtown Columbus neighborhoods? OK, there are 197 homes on the market today within a 2 mile radius of Broad and High under $75,000. Yes, many of them will take a strong stomach and some real elbow grease. Let’s get rid of at least some that you think have no business being purchased because they are in need of too much work or are completely unrentable even after you fix them up for whatever reason—anything under $40,000.
Well, here’s 87 homes within a 2 mile radius of the Statehouse you could put your tax rebate money into and turn it into much more over the long run. It’s free money right? With the enormous growth of Children’s Hospital, the Parson’s Avenue momentum building at the Mayor’s office, The Lincoln Theater restoration, good housing stock, great thoroughfares like West Broad Street, and the completed flood-wall and proposed arts communities and new build developments proposed for Franklinton, maybe it’s not a bad idea.
Or, you could buy 560 gallons of gas at today’s rate of $3.75 per gallon. Even if you think this post is just silly, Have you thought of using smallish amounts of money to begin building long term wealth through real estate? I have, call me and we’ll talk about it.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
New Listing - 742 Oak Street - Historic-Move in Ready-1710 SqFt
May 5th, 2008 categories: Downtown, For Home Buyers, Olde Towne East
Offered at $207,000 or $121/sqft
Exceptional 1,710 square foot historic brick home for sale at the edge of Downtown Columbus and Olde Towne East. This beautiful 2 story is ideally situated minutes from German Village and the Short North with easy access to Interstate 71, 315, 670 and 270.
A former tour home, 742 Oak Street delivers a stunning renovation true to the character of the house with exposed bricks, beautiful wood work, new flooring, original mantles and plaster Moldings, and an upgraded kitchen perfect for entertaining with lots of light and all new stainless steel appliances and range hood.
The list of updates over the last four years is extensive as this home has been lovingly cared for. Picture yourself in the private and very green backyard - an oasis in the midst of urban Columbus. The large and airy upstairs bath, bathed in sunlight from two large skylights, has an oversized soaking tub and separate shower space. The washer and dryer are conveniently housed in a separate 2nd floor utility space. All rooms are high speed cable ready. This house is move-in ready.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
Why a Racing Facility at Cooper Stadium would Kill Downtown Neighborhood Home Values
May 2nd, 2008 categories: Columbus News, Downtown
On last night’s news and on page one of today’s Dispatch, there is news about turning the Cooper Stadium site on the near South-West side into a half-mile track facility for cars and possibly a seperate track for drag racing. We’ve all heard of similar plans since the Clippers announced they were moving to a new ball park in the Arena District but I certainly didn’t realize the Franklin County Commissioners were behind this scenario and gearing up for a vote.
I don’t know why all the press is sooo positive on this. I readily admit that I am not a racing fan. I don’t get it. I don’t begrudge anyone their sport of choice but do you realize how LOUD this is going to be? We’re trying to sell the world on what a great neighborhood Downtown Columbus is. Do we need to hear race cars roaring all through the weekend in German village, on Miranova balconies, in my back yard in Olde Towne East? That is the kind of noise that carries unbelievably far. Every Summer I hear the Tractor Pulls at the State Fair. This will be much worse.
Oh, they’ll plant a few trees and put up a sound deadening wall. Well, OK then. I’ve shown homes behind such walls from the Columbus’ highways and I’m thinking more like a super hero-type invisible sound bubble encompassing all of Mid Town Columbus’ neighborhoods. No one asked those in the North Campus or Linden or Milo Grogan areas if it was OK to turn Crew Stadium into an outdoor concert venue and I’m betting no one is asking West Side residents what they think. Remember the brew-ha-ha from the community around Polaris Amphitheater? That was a controllable decibel level fight. I don’t think you can control race car decibels so easily.
I do want to see something positive happen in that spot for the sake of the West side of town. I’m all for jobs, commercial revitalization and money coming into the county. Not a race venue though. Luckily, too many people with too much money care about downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods to allow that kind of noise pollution to muck up a perfectly good metropolitan city. Right? Right?
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
Patrolling Columbus Streets is a Balancing Act
April 29th, 2008 categories: Columbus News, Downtown
The other day, when I was in Downtown Columbus, I spotted a police officer on a Segway. Who knew? Maybe only parking meter patrols use them because that’s a bunch of blank tickets in his back pocket. I’ve seen our mounted police in and around downtown Columbus and other city neighborhoods but never on a Segway.
There is one gentleman I see going to work downtown coming from the Short North and headed South from time to time who rides a Segway and I’ve seen them here and there when driving through historic Columbus Neighborhoods showing houses, but I’ve always wondered why they haven’t caught on. Any thoughts?
Of Interest: Neighs in the Neighborhood
Is this Columbus Neighborhood Safe? - finally, a convenient answer for home buyers
Driving in Columbus - the 106th Safest City to Drive In
Ride a Bike to Your Favorite Columbus Summer Festival
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
Daily Mortgage Updates & Tips
April 25th, 2008 categories: Mortgage/Finance
Today’s Rate: 6.000% 30 years or 15 years at 5.625%*
When it comes to buying a Columbus homes, I find many people are very uncertain about the mortgage end of the process. Not just first time buyers either, but move-up buyers and experienced sellers. For good reason too, getting a mortgage isn’t too terribly difficult of a process, but when qualifications change at least weekly, along with interest rates and available programs, it’s hard to feel secure walking into a lender.
My expertise is in real estate — helping people buy and sell homes in Columbus’ best neighborhoods From the Short North to Worthington to Grandview to Bexley to German Village. I know a lot about obtaining a mortgage but I’m not the expert in that catagory so I rely on my network of lenders who have proven themselves to my clients over the years.
Because rates do change daily, I thought it’d fun to have either a post or a box on the sidebar with the day’s rate and the reason for any changes on the rate that day along with a tip or tidbit related to mortgages.
Here is today’s tip from Steve Wagner of Arlington Bank: Today’s Mortgage Tip: One big difference in going from renting to owning is that you will miss a mo
*Based on close in 30 days, $100K thru $417K loan, 720+ credit scores, escrow, 95% LTV or better
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 1 Comment »
The Greening of Columbus
April 22nd, 2008 categories: Columbus News
Happy Earth day, or in the case of our fair city, Happy Earth Week. It seems like forever ago that no one really talked about earth friendly choices and going green outside of a possible discussion about recycling or Columbus’ trash burning power plant that never got going.
These days, you can’t get away from it. Green is everywhere. If not for the mortgage crisis being in the news every day for the last 12 months, 2007 would have been the year of Green. Green is the new Gold.
In Columbus, just over the last 12 months or so you have the area’s first energy efficient and environmentally friendly Green neighborhood, GreenView Estates which won a National Award, the Mayor’s Get Green Columbus Campaign, the Columbus Green Building Forum, the Central Ohio Green Pact, the City’s attempt to comply with the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, an actual Green Team, the Downtown Lazarus Building’s award winning Green Renovation, Jeffrey Place’s sustainable developments, and don’t forget to attend Green Columbus’ monthly Green Drinks.
Also, you may want to Check out MORPC’s Green Map and the Columbus Dispatch’s report card on Columbus’ progress toward 20 different environmentally friendly initiatives and OSU’s new geothermal use in the 4–H center being built.
Don’t forget the city-wide Earth Day event this weekend, Earth Day 2008: Now Get Busy. There will be volunteer activities throughout the city followed by a celebration in Goodale Park with music, speakers and demonstrations, food, beer, kid’s activities, and informational booths from local organizations. www.nowgetbusy.org
EDIT—A few days after I posted this, I ran across an old Columbus Monthly Magazine from about one year ago and the front cover headline was ‘The Greening of Columbus’ — Rats. I thought I made that up but I must have remembered it from that magazine cover.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 1 Comment »
How and Where will Columbus and Central Ohio Grow?
April 21st, 2008 categories: Columbus News
When you hear the term Central Ohio, we’re talking about a 12 county region that, in 20 years, is expected to grow to about 2 million people—an increase of about 440,000 in the next dozen years. Make no mistake, Franklin County and Columbus are at the heart of that 12 county Central Ohio Region, but while we’re not talking about 2 million inhabitants commuting to downtown Columbus every day, the Center City is where many of us hope much of the growth develops.
MORPC, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission on East Main Street downtown, recently unveiled its first State of the Region Report that speaks to, among other topics, how rising fuel costs may help residents spurn the suburbs in favor of the city and proximity to Columbus employment. An influx of new residents to this same region is the sole reason the entire state of Ohio did not lose population over the last year.
Growth is coming, Columbus and our surrounding communities are a destination, but Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Ross and Union counties have 385 local governments, each with its own issues and ideas.
And as the executive director of MORPC pointed out in a recent Dispatch article: “We have a huge opportunity to be defining our tomorrow in ways we’ve not had over the past 30 years.” (what?)
the full MORPC report
the Dispatch Article
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 2 Comments »
100s of H.U.D. Homes will Soon Hit the Columbus Real Estate Market
April 21st, 2008 categories: Mortgage/Finance
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is in charge of disposing of Foreclosed Homes in Columbus. Over the last 18 months or so, they have used 3 different middle man companies and are about to embark on the fourth.
Over the last 6 weeks or so, no new HUD homes have come on the market while the transition happens behind the scenes. Any day now, a new company called National Home Management Solutions will take over the servicing on the Columbus area HUD homes. When they open the flood gates, there will be quite a few homes coming the market. You can search for these homes here when they become available and you can call a Realtor, such as myself, to go and look at any of these homes.
You’ll often see people try to make a buck by charging you for lists of HUD homes in your area but all you have to do is go that web site and look for yourself. They will also be in the MLS and therefore on Realtor.com et al. What most buyers tend to find is that your typical HUD home is need of too much repair and not in the neighborhood they want to live in. A HUD home is simply a home that had an FHA mortgage that was foreclosed on.
While I predict an enormous increase in FHA loans this year and into the future, they haven’t been all that popular for “normal” neighborhoods and “normal” homes over the last few years because conventional loans were so easy to obtain.
If you’re quick on the draw though, you’ll be able to find an occasional HUD home in Columbus that fits all your needs and get it for a nice price. What I like most about the HUD home program is that it gives preference to owner occupants over investors. Smart first time buyers will find buying a HUD home a great way to walk into some home equity and, with a little elbow grease, sell a few years later and come out looking good.
Authored by Joe | Discussion: 1 Comment »