New Albany and Central Ohio Real Estate & Community » Central Ohio

Central Ohio: Out of this World

The Raines Group — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +0000

The Sombrero Galaxy as seen through a 32" telescope similar to the Perkins Observatory's main telescope.

If you live in Central Ohio and you haven’t gotten enough of the sun lately you may be a crazy person. But, if you happen to be that crazy, the Perkins Observatory (20min north of Columbus) will be the perfect place for you this weekend.

They are having the last event of the “Celebration of the Sun!” series Saturday July 23rd at 4pm.

Weather permitting you will be able to view the sun directly through Perkins high powered telescopes and learn a little bit about what you are looking at too.

The first Celebration of the Sun! sessions held July 9 and 16th were well attended so come early.

Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for children if the tickets are pre-ordered by phone. Tickets at the door cost $2 more.

If you HAVE gotten enough of the sun lately nighttime programs resume July 29, including astronomy lectures and tours of the observatory. If weather conditions permit, participants will have the opportunity to look through the telescopes at celestial objects like the Sombrero Galaxy pictured above.

Perkins is one of 32 observatories in Ohio and is the only one in Central Ohio that allows members of the general public to look through its large telescope, according to the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association’s website.

Perkins once was home to a 69-inch Perkins telescope, which was the third-largest in the world in 1931. It since has moved to Arizona and a 32-inch telescope has taken its place.

The observatory serves more than 40,000 guests each year, including many local school groups and organizations.

Perkins is operated by Ohio Wesleyan University and is used by the physics and astronomy department for research purposes.

Perkins schedule for the rest of 2011

Starting at 9pm:

July29

August 5, 12, 19, 26

Starting at 8pm:

September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

October 7, 14, 21, 28

November 4, 11, 18

December 2, 9, 16

For more information visit Perkins Observatory.

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.

Central Ohio Festivals Running Through July

The Raines Group — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:59:56 +0000

Comfest (Goodale Park, Victorian Viliage)

ComFest
June 24-26; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Satruday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday
Goodale Park, Victorian Village
Annual all-volunteer celebration featuring food and craft vendors and many local bands performing of numerous stages.
comfest.com

Powell Festival
June 24-25; 5-11 p.m. Friday, 12-11 p.m. Saturday
Village Green Park, Powell
Two days of live music, food and family fun capped by fireworks display.
cityofpowell.us

North Market Food & Ohio Wine Festival
July 8-10; 7-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 12-6 p.m. Sunday
North Market, Arena District
Ohio wineries and local cuisine vendors and live music.
northmarket.com

Westerville Music & Arts Festival
July 9-10; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Heritage Park, Westerville
Local artists and musicians in downtown Westerville.
westervillechamber.com

Bike Columbus Festival
July 15; begins at 6 p.m.
City Hall, Downtown
Two bikes tours, 12 and 25 miles, through Columbus ending at an after party on Gay St.
bikecolumbusfestival.com

Franklin County Fair
July 16-23; 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday-Saturday
4H displays, contests, live entertainment, games, fair concessions, rodeo, moto cross and tractor pulls.
fcfair.org

Shadwobox Live Sketch Comedy Festival
July 19-20; show times TBD
Shadowbox Live, Easton
Comedy troupes from around the country go head-to-head in a two-day competition.
shadowboxlive.org

Jazz & Rib Festival
July 22-24; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sunday
McFerson Commons and North Bank Park, Arena District
Award-winning barbecue competition and live music by national and local acts throughout three days.
hotribscooljazz.org

Serbian Festival
12-10 p.m. Saturday, July 23
St. Stevan of Dechani Serbian Church, East Side
Annual summer picnic featuring live Serbian music, dancing, full bar, and a buffet of authentic cuisine.
ststevanofdechani.org

Ohio State Fair
July 27-Aug. 7; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, July 27-Saturday Aug. 6, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6
Ohio State Fairgrounds
Rides, concessions, livestock displays and competitions and nightly concerts featuring Ke$ha, Journey, Brad Paisley and more.
ohiostatefair.com

Grand Opening of Columbus Commons This Week!

The Raines Group — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:56:39 +0000

Installation of the carousel at Columbus Commons

The site where the Columbus City Center shopping mall once stood has gotten a lot greener.

If you have been through downtown Columbus this year you undoubtedly have seen the construction of the new greenspace near the Ohio Statehouse.

The Columbus Commons, a new 9 acre public park in the heart of downtown had its grand opening today.

A testament to the incredible amount of work being done on the beautification of downtown; Columbus Commons will feature a concert stage, carousel, and gardens.There is also a cafe and a reading room provided by the Columbus Metropolitan Library with books for browsing and free wifi.

So you can read a book on the carousel while drinking a cappuccino and surfing the information super highway, whoa.

All weekend during the end of May there will be Grand Opening events including Blues and Brews on the 27th, Family Funday on the 28h, and Garden Party on the 29th. In mid June CAPA Actor’s Theater will be performing A Midsummer Nights Dream on the concert stage. Summer is almost in full bloom and Columbus is getting started right.

Central Ohio Real Estate, There is a Silver Lining

The Raines Group — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:30:41 +0000

Central Ohio real estate sales volume may have dropped in July, but there is a silver lining for prospective home buyers. The silver lining is that home buyers have a large inventory of Central Ohio homes to choose from, interest rates keep dropping, and sellers who are serious about selling their homes have no choice but to negotiate. In other words, this is an ideal time to be a home buyer.

Real estate sales volume across the country dropped nationwide, and Central Ohio is no exception. This is tough news for people who have to sell Central Ohio real estate, but the good news is that while volume was down, prices were up, if ever so slightly, indicating a leveling of the real estate market.

If you would like to learn more about Central Ohio real estate please contact us today. The brokers at The Raines Group have the experience and knowledge you need to get to know the neighborhoods of Central Ohio and find the ideal property for you.

Click here to read the most recent report on Central Ohio real estate sales from the Columbus Board of Realtors.

Columbus, Ohio: A Top City for College Graduates

The Raines Group — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:55:43 +0000

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.

Central Ohio Real Estate Values Rising

The Raines Group — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:18:06 +0000

Central Ohio real estate values have been rising. As headlines and news articles spread the doom and gloom associated with recessionary real estate, the data does not lie. In Central Ohio, real estate values have been on the rise for five consecutive months. While the home buyer tax credit helped fuel real estate sales in Central Ohio and across the country, its expiration has had some guessing that real estate would head south again.

The increase in home prices , though modest, is encouraging. Home prices appear to have stopped dropping and the steady, yet small, increase that has been seen this year is great news for Central Ohio. At the same time, even with slight increases in price, low mortgage rates, which are hovering at just above 4.5%, are enticing people into real estate by keeping homes affordable despite the lack of a tax credit.

If you would like to learn more about Central Ohio real estate, data, statistics, and opportunities that exist here please call us today. We have the knowledge that you need to get to know the Central Ohio real estate market.

Click here to read a recent article from the Dispatch regarding the increase in Central Ohio real estate values.

Central Ohio Real Estate: Tax Credit Extension Passed

The Raines Group — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 11:54:52 +0000

The Central Ohio real estate market may have some home buyers that are rejoicing the tax credit expansion. The original deadline for the credit was June 30th, but the deadline was just extended, by congressional approval, to September 30th. The tax credit will benefit Central Ohio home buyers who placed a home under contract on or before April 30th. Many people were having a hard time closing by the June 30 date for a variety of reasons.

Home buyers who put a Central Ohio property under contract by the April 30 deadline may have hit snags due to an over-abundance of homes going through the mortgage process, the slow process of closing a short sale or foreclosure property, or buying a new home that wasn’t completed in time. Whatever the reason, there are surely a few home buyers in Central Ohio that are rejoicing the extension.

Central Ohio Real Estate: Funding Your Remodel

The Raines Group — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:20:44 +0000

If you are looking for a way to fund a remodel to your Central Ohio real estate it is important to remember that a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is still one of the least expensive ways to borrow money. A HELOC is an account set up and borrowed against your Central Ohio home. When a loan like this is set up, one can borrow what is needed, not necessarily having to take out the full amount of the loan.

One big benefit of a HELOC is that the monthly payments are typically interest only and reflect only the amount spent, not the full amount available to borrow. Interest is typically anywhere from 0.75 to 1.5 on top of the prime interest rate, which is currently about 3.25%.

It is possible to secure a HELOC if you have equity in your Central Ohio home. Of course, it is not a wise idea to borrow any money today if you don’t have a secure source of income. However, if you have been wanting to make some changes to your Central Ohio home or borrow some money for education or travel, a HELOC is one of the most affordable ways to do so.

Click here to read an article from The Dispatch regarding HELOCs.

Central Ohio Real Estate Sales Soared in May

The Raines Group — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:56:57 +0000

Central Ohio real estate sales continued to soar in May. Home sales were up in the area 15% compared with April and over 35% compared with May of 2009. Central Ohio homes are slightly less expensive than a year ago and the low mortgage rates make it an ideal home buying climate.

The Columbus Board of Realtors has made it clear that they believe that summer will prove to be a busy home buying season. From their opinion the low mortgage rates, low home values and wide variety of available homes combine to create a fantastic time to buy Central Ohio real estate.

This past week mortgage rates once again hit historic lows. If you would like to take advantage of the current real estate market in Central Ohio, contact us today.

Click here to read a recent report from The Columbus Board of Realtors.

Gahanna Full of Music This Weekend

The Raines Group — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:16:49 +0000

This weekend marks the annual Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival in Gahanna Ohio. Friday through Sunday nationally known musicians will be playing at Creekside Plaza. Great for the whole family there will be multiple stages, food, and fun. Special events of the festival include Jog for Jazz, a fun 5k walk/run, Sunday Jazz Brunch, and the Rising Stars Contest. Headliners include Tab Benoit, Jimi Vincent and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra to name a few.

Central Ohio is alive this summer and the music festival is yet one highlight to enjoy and Creekside Plaza is a lovely outdoor venue. Gahanna Ohio will be alive with music this weekend, if you are in town the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival is not to be missed.

Click here to visit the website for the Creekside Blues and Jazz Festival.