The National Association of Realtors says that last year around 80% of people turned to the internet when looking for a new home - this is great news as it allows Realtors to showcase property in more ways than ever before so the buyer can find out more and more about a property before viewing it!

US News Online suggests "Six Secrets of Internet Home Buying" however this is very broad and perhaps buyers could consider the following 6 steps:

1. Get preapproved for a mortgage! - This is one of the most important steps, yet many buyers start looking for property with a Realtor and online without planning for the financial side.

2. Find the right tools for your home search - Contact The Raines Group for real estate advice, arm yourself with a good mapping tool - Google Maps for instance as well as utilizing The Raines Group’s detailed neighborhood infomation pages.

3. Use the tools together in harmony - HOWEVER! Remember that the best way for up to date local information is to speak with your Real Estate professional - they will always be on hand to answer questions.

4.  Use the MLS Search effectively, get involved in the search process with your agent!

5. Manage the flow of information - Why go hunting for information on an area, utilize features such as RSS feed subscriptions (which are free) and this blog has one! (This way you get regular updates to you!)

6. Find a blog (but you have already found us, so one less thing to do!) blogs are a great way of learning about the area that you are searching for a home in as well as a great resource after you have purchased for local news and events.

If you are considering purchasing a home in New Albany or any of the other local Central Ohio Village Communities? Then please contact the Raines Group for professional and timely real estate advice.

A fall in interest rates over the first quarter in this year lead to a boost in activity in the local market in February as statistics are finally released by the Columbus Board of Realtors. The number of homes under contract increased over the previous three months as well as over the same period in 2007. Additionally despite a slight fall in actual sales the level of inventory has fallen over the previous month and year which is excellent news and is a sign of the market levelling off.

Whilst the drop in interest rates is mainly credited for the increase in activity as buyers were waiting for a drop. Now, despite the credit crunch there are some great mortgage deals to be had which has spurred many buyers on who have decided that now is probably the best time for many years to purchase a home.

If you are considering buying a home in the area then please contact the Raines Group for Real Estate assistance in the Columbus Metro area as well as Central Ohio Villages including New Albany, Gahanna and Johnstown.

With a lot of different news flying around at a national level about the Real Estate market for the country getting the facts right is of paramount importance. What needs to be kept in mind is that all Real Estate is local! Think of the generalization of the national housing picture as comparing a condo in Miami to a townhome in Detroit - both are completely different properties in different markets.

The Columbus Area Realtor Association, under the motto: The Grass is Greener Here, has therefore decided to combat the rumours in the media and has launched a new website http://www.columbushousingfacts.com/ which shows that in the Central Ohio Housing Market it is a great time to buy, interest rates are low and the market is stable and healthy. All great reasons to invest in Central Ohio property.

If you are considering purchasing a home in the Columbus Metro Area then please contact Sandy Raines at the The Raines Group today for professional Real Estate advice which will help you secure that dream home!

The New Albany Ohio Chamber of Commerce has published its 2008 Community Guide about the village. This booklet (which is available online in electronic format) is truely a guide to what is going on in 2008 in the area as well as a general information source on the town.

The categories are as diverse as follows; Culture, History, Health & Wellbeing, Businesses etc! However, one of the most interested sections is Real Estate. The guide notes that in the area there are a range of Real Estate options available to the buyer, from apartments to stately homes sprawling across large lots. It is interesting to note that it comments about how well planned the communities in New Albany are to compliment to local geography and natural environment in an aesthetic manner. Including the addition of central gathering places for residents and walking trails linking the different areas.

Of course one of the largest developments in the community is the New Albany Country Club, this of course does not escape a mention, noting that there are homes from the $400,000’s upwards past $1 million.

All in all it summarizes that New Albany has the convenience of being accessible to the metro area of Columbus yet being far enough out to feel like a rural retreat.

If you are considering purchasing a home in the New Albany area then please get in touch with the Raines Group for professional real estate advice.

Everbody dreams of a perfect small town to live in. In Johnstown, this, is it!  With a central town square, a main street with the hardware store, grocery store, library and bowling alley you cannot get better than this! Johnstown is located in Licking County 15 minutes North East of New Albany at the cross roads of state route 37 and US Route 62.

This pretty town is one of many central Ohio "villages" which are within commuting distance (around half an hour) of the Columbus Metro area including the Columbus International Airport. The town features a variety of Real Estate to suit all budgets, from $100,000 to $2 million!

The Village also features along the route of the T.J. Evans Recreational trail which is ideal for biking or walking fanatics who can take advantage of its thirty six miles of mostly paved sidewalk - what a great facility to make use of  as a way to keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you are interested in looking at Real Estate in Johnstown or the surrounding area then please contact The Raines Group.

The New Albany Chamber of Commerce is famous locally for its annual event ,the "Taste of New Albany" where the Chamber partners with New Albany Signature Series and hosts a food tasting and jazz event each August.

Last year the event was in its sixth year and attendees could sample over 20 different cuisines created locally. The event was held at Market Square and those who attended enjoyed the food along with the soothing jazz music courtesy of the Columbus area Jazz Orchestra.

This year there are already over 25 food vendors on board, with possibly more to follow! Making the event more exciting than ever. The event is scheduled for August 17th and the Chamber is already making extensive preparations for it including getting on board local sponsors.

If you are interested in learning more about New Albany or the surrounding area and are interested in relocating then please contact the Raines Group today for professional real estate advice.

Alban Mews, a great development of property which backs onto the golf course of New Albany Country Club. These 11 exquisite homes all benefit from a fabulous location with use of the facilities of New Albany Country Club which, in addition to golf  has tennis, health and fitness center as well as a community pool.

These fantastic brick built properties are currently valued in the $600,000 - $850,000 range and the size of these home are in the 2500 square feet to the 4500 square feet range. They of course are excellently placed in an area with great schools as well as convenient road links to the rest of Franklin County and the metro Columbus area. 

If you could like to look for property for sale in Alban Mews please click here to search the MLS system for property in the community. Of course if you are considering Alban Mews as part of a general search in the New Albany and Columbus area please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice. 

          
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When buying a home, the property itself is of course important, but the neighborhood and its related school district is for many  with children of equal importance.

With school districts and standards changing all the time it is becoming increasingly important for parents to keep abreast of latest developments, boundary changes and reports. Like every parent you want the best education for your child and finding out information ahead of time is the best way to be prepared and informed when it comes to decision time. The general area is famous for claims to possibly the first Kindergarten as well as the first middle school in the country.

Our website, www.therainesgroup.com has a section dedicated to information on local schools. In addition to this great resource there are other local govenment websites that list details for the local school system. These include the general Columbus area and the local New Albany area websites.

Of course your local Real Estate agent also holds a wealth of local knowledge and information which will be of use to you, after all they live and work in the communities that you are considering purchasing a property in. For Real Estate advice in New Albany or the surrounding area please contact Sandy Raines today.

Family oriented neighborhoods are of great importance these days to ensure that everyone enjoys the best quality of life available, the community of Gahanna outside of Columbus is a perfect example of a family focused community. It is a place where like much of Franklin county , its residents enjoy a high standard of living and there are plenty of activities for young and old.

Gahanna is a historic community founded in 1849 which features 35 parks, 2 golf courses and 3 public swimming pools! Its popular residential areas are ideally located with close proximity to major routes into downtown Columbus (the 15th largest city in the US and the Capital of Ohio) as well as a mere 5 minutes from the airport.

Despite its proximity to Columbus the city has its own unique identity and community spirit. It has an active soccer league as well as Karate and Canoeing! It has a vibrant diverse population of 32,000 yet has the quaint rural small town feel which has a real alliance with the creeks which pass through the city. The City if known as the Herb Capital of Ohio due to its annual herb festival in early summer.

Due to its location outside of Columbus its Real Estate is highly sought after. For more information on properties for sale in Gahanna or the surrounding areas, please contact The Raines Group at (614) 418-7417.

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If you are searching for property in the New Albany area then a way of familiarizing yourself with the road network and surrounding communities is by using Google Maps. This technology is really helping change the face of Real Estate.

It is a great way to help plot out neighborhoods and areas of interest as well as seeing where different properties are in relation to each other.

The area benefits from its proximity to Columbus which is within easy communiting distance and of course being set amongst the stunning backdrop of the central Ohio plains.

Looking for real estate in a neighborhood that is right for you is of great importance and of course getting the right advice is key to the process, contact Sandy Raines of the Raines Group to get assistance in buying a home in the area.