Labor Day weekend is here and there are several events in Central Ohio that are worth taking a look at. Among the many retailers holding sales at Polaris Fashion Place and Easton Town Center, there are several festivals as well. If you are lucky enough to be in the Columbus, Ohio area this weekend, you may want to check out the following activities:

• The Greek Festival – September 3-6This festival highlights traditional music and dancing, as well as tours of the beautiful mosaic-filled Greek Orthodox Cathedral. For further information, click here to visit their website or call 614-224-9020.
• 28th Annual Labor Day Weekend Powwow – Septemeber 4-6:  Enjoy watching dancers in Native American attire and enjoy activities including arts and crafts, raffles, food vendors, and on-site camping. For pricing and additional information, click here to visit their website or call 614-443-6120.
• Ohio Cup Vintage Baseball Festival – September 4-5: Known as the largest gathering of vintage baseball clubs in the country, featuring 25 teams squaring off as well as plenty of fun and food for the whole family. For further information, click here to visit their website or call 614-297-2300.
• Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival – September 6: Browse through the works of 200 juried artists at this end-of-summer tradition in the northwest suburb of Upper Arlington. This free event includes children’s activities, art lessons, as well as live entertainment! Click here for more information or call 614-583-5310.

Central Ohio is a spectacular place to live or visit. If you are interested in purchasing a home in the Central Ohio area, please contact us today.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Columbus, Ohio has been noted as a top city for college graduates.  Bloomberg’s Businessweek Magazine recently published a list of the top cities for college graduates to live and find work, and Columbus was number nine on the list.  Last year, Columbus was in the number 10 position.  What helps Columbus Ohio’s ranking is its diverse employment.  Large employers in Columbus, Ohio include companies like Goodyear and Nationwide, as well as Limited Brands and the federal government.

Columbus, Ohio is the state’s capital as well as the anchor for Central Ohio.  Neighboring towns like New Albany and Gahanna provide excellent communities to live in for those who prefer not to live right in the city but nearby.  Columbus offers great entertainment, culture and nightlife for recent college graduates as well.

To learn more about Columbus, Ohio and the Central Ohio real estate opportunities that exist, please call us today.  The brokers at The Raines Group have the knowledge and experience you need to get to know Central Ohio.

Click here to see the list from Businessweek.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Columbus Ohio has gained a great deal from it economic diversity.  Columbus Ohio’s economy is spread across the government, insurance, manufacturing and educational sectors.  A recent article in USA Today noted that the Ohio capital’s economy being spread amongst an array of businesses is an aspect that helped it weather the economic storm brought on by the recession.  In fact it is the economy of Columbus that is expected to help its real estate market continue its uptick.

The expiration of the home buyer tax credit has had some worry about what may happen to real estate markets around the nation.  In the case of Columbus however, the economy combined with historically low mortgage rates and reasonable homes prices might help keep Central Ohio real estate much more stable than other areas.

Click here to read the USA Today article about Columbus Ohio.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Contact us to sell your home!

The July issue of Columbus Monthly has hit the stands. Inside, you’ll discover a wealth of information, including a report of the recent real estate sales in Central Ohio.

In the past three months, The Raines Group listed and sold three out of the top four real estate sales in the greater Columbus area, including all of Franklin County and part of Delaware and Fairfield counties. Additionally, on this list you’ll find that The Raines Group sold four out of five, or 80%, of the top retail sales in the New Albany Country Club. Statistics for the article, found on page 48 of the July issue, were supplied by CompuName of Westerville.

These statistics are further evidence that the professional team at The Raines Group knows how to get your home sold.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

The statistics are out and The Raines Group is the number one real estate team in Columbus, Ohio so far this year in sales volume. As of April 30, 2010, The Raines Group has closed over $19.5 million in total sales in Columbus. In Franklin County, The Raines Group has closed nearly 30% over the second place team. Within the Plain Local School District and in New Albany, specifically, the statistics are even more impressive. The Raines Group nearly doubled the second place team’s sales volume. The Raines Group also ranks number one in Gahanna, Ohio.

These amazing numbers are evidence of a hard working team that knows real estate – from helping people find and purchase their dream homes, to helping sellers list their homes competitively and get them sold, even in what many feel is still a tough market. To date, The Raines Group has over 100 homes closed or in contract in Central Ohio. The Raines Group is known for their attention to detail and has a reputation for results and exceptional service.

For more information on the Central Ohio real estate market contact us today. Our brokers are well versed regarding Central Ohio communities, and can help find the best property to suit your needs.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Missed out on the tax credit? Contact us today.

The home buyer tax credit has now officially ended. The original end date was in early November, but it was extended to April 30th. All homes in contract must close by June 30, 2010. Many people in Central Ohio are wondering what this will mean for the real estate industry, and those looking to buy or sell a home.

It has been speculated that sellers may need to drop their price to accommodate for the lack of a tax credit, and that buyers may be slower to purchase without a set “deadline”. Statistics will tell what effect the tax credit has had. The Raines Group has placed an estimated 100 homes in contract/sold so far in 2010, and have already nearly doubled their amount of sales volume for the first six months of the year.

If you missed out on the tax credit and are still looking to buy a home in Central Ohio, contact The Raines Group today. Our trained agents can help you negotiate a deal on your dream home!

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Many people believe that buying is better than renting when considering real estate in Columbus, Ohio right now.  A recent article in the New York Times points out this very fact, supported by basic mathematics.  The New York Times shows that a good way to figure out whether you should rent or buy a home is to look at what they have termed the rent ratio.  The rent ratio is computed by taking “the purchase price of a typical house divided by the annual rent of a similar house”.  According to the article one should buy if the number is below 20, and rent if it is above 20.  The rent ratio in Columbus Ohio is 16.9.

While interest rates remain low, along with property values, it is a great time to buy a Central Ohio home.  The first step in purchasing Central Ohio real estate is realizing how much you can afford and getting pre-qualified for a mortgage.  If you are ready to start the process of purchasing Central Ohio real estate, contact us today.  Our brokers at The Raines Group have the experience and knowledge necessary to help find a Central Ohio property that will best suit your needs.

Click here to read the New York Times article regarding renting vs. buying.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

The Franklin Park Conservatory, located near downtown Columbus, OH, features a multitude of activities for people of all ages. The building is surrounded by picturesque botanical gardens compelte with nearby streams and floral displays, perfect for a stroll in the spring.

Inside, you’ll discover 400 species of plants from many different climate zones. There are family-friendly activies, annual as well as special events, a signature collection by glass artist Dale Chihuly, summer camps, and much more.

Visit the website to learn more about this amazing destination by clicking here. It is one of the many unique places to visit in Central Ohio!

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Columbus area Big Hits 104-3FM is scheduled to host a segment of their “Hometown Heroes” tour in New Albany. This event will take place at a New Albany fire station next Thursday, March 25th.

New Albany will be the third stop of a planned 12 stops in 2010. The event began in 2004 with five stops around Columbus and has been growing ever since. For additional information about this event, please click here.

During the live radio broadcast, local officials and heroes have the opportunity to speak to reach out to their community. This is just one of the fun things going on around Columbus and New Albany, Ohio.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.

Columbus Ohio is number six on a list of America’s Best Housing Cities put together by Forbes Magazine.  The criteria for a good housing market includes appreciating prices, affordability, and a low number of foreclosures.  Columbus and its surrounding areas may not have home prices on the rise, but they appear to have stabilized and are no longer heading south.

Aspects of Columbus, Ohio that have placed it on the list are the jobs available in its suburbs and the high percentage of middle class families that can afford to buy a home there.  Over 85% of middle class families can afford to buy a home in Columbus and its surrounding suburbs. 

Interested in relocating to Central Ohio?  Contact the brokers at The Raines Group today for an in-depth look at Central Ohio real estate and all that the area has to offer.

Click here for a look at America’s Best Housing Markets.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property in New Albany, Gahanna, Blacklick, Westerville, or another Central Ohio community, please contact The Raines Group. We offer professional real estate advice and are happy to help you achieve your real estate goals. Please contact us today via our online contact form or by calling The Raines Group at 614-418-7417.