New Albany and Central Ohio Real Estate & Community » Property for Sale in Ohio

New Albany Area Ohio Real Estate: Great Blacklick Home For Sale

The Raines Group — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:09:09 +0000

The community of Blacklick is a great place to raise a family and is within a short commute from downtown Columbus.

This home, located at 2466 Keltonhurst Drive, Blacklick is the perfect property for this purpose.

This delightful home features 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and approximately 2,461 sq ft of living space, as well as a lower level. It offers a great location that borders green space.

Inside the foyer, which is convenient to the den and further down the hall, the oversized great room showcasing a cathedral ceiling, gas log fireplace, and 2 floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking views. The open floor plan of this ranch style home allows easy access to the gorgeous sunroom and kitchen.

In the bedroom area you will find that the owner’s suite is in its own section of the home, and features a large bedroom and a captivating spa-like bath. In this bathroom you’ll find his and hers vanities, glass door shower and a whole lot more! You need to see it to believe it!

The lower level has been plumbed for a full bathroom, and offers space for a recreation room and family room. Outside the patio features luscious views of the woodland beyond and is an ideal place for a barbeque in the summer!

This home will be snapped up soon – for more information, including more pictures, please see our listing page on our website or call our 24 hour recorded information hotline on 1-800-498-1480 and enter code 1090.

Looking to buy a home or sell a home? We can help!

If you are looking to purchase 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 Real Estate – National Housing Picture Shows Home Affordability at Record Levels!

The Raines Group — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:49:24 +0000

Despite the National Association of Realtor’s saying that the level of pending home sales has fallen 7.7% the level of home affordability is at record levels!

NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index showed that in January the index fell 7.7% to 80.6%. Its lowest level since the index was created in 2001. However the news is not necessarily negative as the data is skewed due to the waiting for the passage of the 2009 stimulus bill.

Buyers who were on the fence before, now have concrete data showing them what programs the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have put in place for buyers. Such as the new $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit.

However, there is also excellent news in terms of housing affordability. NAR President Charles McMillan has this to say; “Housing affordability is at a record high – the buying power of a typical family has risen significantly,” he said. “With the drop in interest rates, a median-income family can afford a home costing $20,000 more than a year ago for the same monthly mortgage payment. With the strong housing stimulus, we are hopeful inventory will get trimmed and which will help prices stabilize in many areas by the end of this year.”

This is another reason showing that now is definitely the time to buy!

Central Ohio Real Estate & Communities: Pataskala Ohio Listed By Business Week as one of the Most Affordable Suburbs in the Nation

The Raines Group — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:19:08 +0000

One of the fastest growing communities in Central Ohio, Pataskala, has been announced today by Yahoo! Finance (provided by BusinessWeek) as one of the most affordable suburbs of a major urban area (Columbus) offering good schools, the lowest rate of crime and the highest quality of life for the dollar!

Despite an ailing economy and a good selection of homes on the market, it is hard to find one in great neighborhoods with everything a buyer could want.

The community of Pataskala ranks 9th on the list of Best Affordable Suburbs 2009 which takes communities state by state and assesses them with the following criteria:

“Suburbs…limited to towns within 25 miles of the most populated city, with populations of 5,000 to 60,000 people, median family incomes of $51,000 to $120,000, and lower-than average crime rates…[They]..weighted a variety of factors including livability (short commutes, low pollution, green space), education (well-educated residents, high test scores), crime (low personal and property crime), economy (high job growth, low unemployment rate, high family income), and affordability (median household income, cost of expenditures). Affordability was most heavily weighted in [their] calculations. [They] penalized places with bad weather, a lack of racial diversity, high divorce rates, and few children.”

The community itself was settled in the 1800′s and has grown beyond recognition in recent years. (see our post about this interesting community) According to this ranking by BusinessWeek the towns statistics are as follows:

Pataskala, Ohio

Nearest major city: Columbus
Population: 11,919
Median household income: $65,274
Median home price: $142,314
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Violent crime index: 18 (100 being national average)

Description: Pataskala, a suburb 20 miles east of Columbus, is one of a couple municipalities in the state that operates without an income tax. The city has three downtown’s and a number of sites designated for new development. About 37% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 27 minutes.

New Albany Ohio Real Estate: Why Now Is The Best Time To Buy A Home!

The Raines Group — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:42:21 +0000

Now is the time to buy a home!

Everybody keeps saying the same message, rates are low, there is a great selection of inventory available. However, if you analyze why now is the time to buy then you will understand why this message is being thrown about!

The average homeowner is worth 35 times more than the average renter, so if you are renting the time to take advantage of the market conditions and buy. Renters should start immediately – if they haven’t already – saving a portion of their paycheck for a down payment. Also, rather than stretching yourself, best selling author David Bach advises to borrow 10-20% less than the bank is willing to lend.

Asides from that great feeling of owning your own home, owning your own property will also provide great tax benefits, allow you to build equity (through paying off the mortgage over time). Also, as the National Association of Realtors said in December 2008 home affordability has been the best since 1970.

Buying right is the key. (See what may happen in Real Estate in 2009) Having a great agent who understands your needs is of vital importance. Consider how long you are planning on staying in a home, the quality of life you are likely to have in that property and neighborhood – for instance, in the New Albany area residents enjoy a high quality of life. The first time homebuyer tax credit is also something which could be available to you!

Right now, how much home you can afford naturally is dependent on obtaining the right mortgage. With a low fixed rate 30 year loan any buyer would be well positioned to go ahead and purchase a great home.

Still a little lost in the search?

New Albany Ohio Real Estate: Latest Trends in Real Estate – Custom Closets

The Raines Group — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:48:43 +0000

One of the latest trends in customizing your home to make it more useful as well as more appealing to buyers is to have custom closets.

You may think that such a small area of your home would not be so vital, however if you analyze your closet I can guarantee you will be in for a surprise in how much stuff you keep in there! (In a similar fashion to your garage!) When we speak of custom closet design we aren’t just talking about wire racks and shelves, we are talking about matching furniture with the room and including custom fitted built in drawers and clothe racks and shelves.

After the trend initially started in the 80′s it has become more widespread and closet spaces have grown over recent years in new construction homes. A host of closet design companies have sprung up in the last two decades offering their own space saving, aesthetically pleasing designs to declutter and organize your closet space.

Despite being functional necessities in a property, closets are important in helping a home be organized and ensuring that stress levels are kept low – more clutter = higher stress levels!

There is a school of thought that a custom designed closet solution can increase the marketability of your home as well as increase its value by adding a luxurious addition to your homes design.

If you are looking to purchase a property in New Albany Ohio or the surrounding area in Central Ohio such as Gahanna, Plain Township or New Albany itself, then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice in the region. The Raines Group are more than happy to assist you in your real estate needs. Contact them today via their online contact form or by calling Sandy Raines on: 614-418-7417

Central Ohio Real Estate & New Albany Real Estate: Fair Housing Commended by National Association of Realtors

The Raines Group — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:10:09 +0000

It is shocking to think that housing discrimination still occurs, however sadly you hear stories where it still does.

Of course, it is extremely rare and the National Association of Realtors and its members do their utmost to ensure fair housing for all. In fact, NAR themselves have recently praised the Fair Housing Commission and its advocates for its work on heightening awareness of the issue and lobbying the government to make legislative changes to protect consumers from the problem.

Together, the National Association of Realtors and its backing from its regional associations and individual members and the Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity have drawn a road map dubbed “The Future of Fair Housing”. Despite the issue being complex, many local associations have implemented local programs to ensure and promote diversity.

With a such a great range of property in New Albany and the surrounding area, there really is diversity in real estate!

Central Ohio Real Estate: National Association of Realtors say Curb Appeal Matters Now More Than Ever

The Raines Group — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:21:44 +0000

For the second year running, the National Association of Realtors has said that that exterior remodeling projects return the most money as a percentage of cost, as detailed in the 2008 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report.

Now is the time for you sellers to get finishing those projects! The highest returns were seen on wood decking and all siding works where more than 80% of the cost was recouped.

With a great selection of homes on the market a property really has to stand to buyers and homes with outstanding projects will not sell nearly as fast or even at the price listed!

2008′s Cost Vs. Value report really is of importance to buyers and sellers in this market. With the National Association of Realtors being a trusted source in Real Estate, this years report compares the construction costs with resale values for 30 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels and replacements in 79 markets across the country.

Interestingly, all types of window replacements returned more than 76 percent of costs. A major midrange kitchen remodel returned 76.0 percent of project costs and bathroom remodels returned around 74.4 percent, which is slightly lower than previous years.

Of course the value returned on a project also depends on your homes overall appearance. So sellers, make sure to tidy up, clean and declutter!

Ohio Real Estate: Columbus Association of Realtors October 2008 Home Sales Statistics

The Raines Group — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:17:07 +0000

The figures for October 2008 are in from the Columbus Association of Realtors and they are as follows:

Despite a slight slow down in the number of home sales over the previous month and year there is some great news about local home sales. The level of inventory has fallen to its lowest level in two years! With only a little over 15,000 homes on the market.

With the level of inventory falling as people are taking advantage of the lower interest rates for home loans and snapping up a great amount of properties at great prices this indicates a market which is becoming more balanced. It is therefore expected in 2009 that home prices will begin to rise.

Westerville Ohio Given the Go Ahead on New Park!

The Raines Group — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:54:18 +0000

A new 12,000 Square foot park is been given the go ahead to be Westerville’s new “First Responders Park” an area for the emergency services to honor their fallen colleagues and provide a welcome “healing” environment for quiet reflection as well as a place to commemorate the achievements of the brave.

There will also be a World Trade Center memorial as well as local memorials for local heroes. However, despite construction having already begun there is a small issue on the zoning of the site, which lies part residential and part Industrial meaning that permission needs to be sought from the planning commission.

All of course showing the great community spirit in Westerville.

If you are thinking about purchasing a property in Westerville Ohio or the surrounding Columbus area villages then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate Advice.

Central Ohio Real Estate: Local Market Data Released with the Real Living Reports

The Raines Group — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:26:10 +0000

Every market is different, as is every property and differences is what makes the homebuying process in every market.

A home is also an investment and an important one at that. Here at the Raines Group we recognise that each home is unique and that it presents a unique marketing opportunity for us. This year we have assisted 109 buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals representing over $45.4 million in sales volume (up to July 28th 2008) we understand the local market and your home.

With the central Ohio market being one of the most stable in the country local Real Estate statistics are of particular interest.

There are many local communities who are performing excellentsly with buyers snapping up property left right and center. With a decrease in the number of properties on the market over last year (a 14.2% drop) whilst sales have remained steady shows a strong market in recovery.

Here is the data on the latest homes to sell in the local neighborhoods in and around New Albany, Ohio.

Click here to see the latest for Hampstead Village, New Albany Links, West Hampstead.

Click here to see the latest for Academy Ridge, Albany Park, The Preserve, The Preserve East

Click here to see the latest for Harrison Pond, Jefferson Meadows, Stepping Stone, Kitzmiller Crossing, Lakes at Harrison Pond

Click here to see the latest for New Albany Country Club, The Reserve at New Albany, The Farms

If you are looking at purchasing a property in New Albany or the other central Ohio communities around the Metropolitan Columbus area then please contact The Raines Group for professional Real Estate advice. You can contact The Raines Group via their online contact form. You can visit their website on: www.therainesgroup.com where you can access a complimentary MLS Search facility