I was out at the site last week and took these pictures of some of the homes. Contractors were everywhere, so I apologize that I missed a few. The houses are priced between $450k-$650k in the neighborhood, Meadows at Lewis Center.

The show runs from June 16th-July 1st, click here for more details on the show.Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

With signs of a housing turnaround getting stronger, housing experts say buyers are finding several recent changes when they go to put in an offer on a home.

A recent article in U.S. News & World Report highlights some of these changing “rules” for your home buyer clients:

1. Lowball offers won’t likely stick: Sure, deals are still around, but lowball offers that aren’t in line with comparable sales data are increasingly proving to be a waste of time. Buyers may be better off asking for seller concessions, such as closing cost assistance or making home repairs, rather than making offers way below the asking price.
2. Get pre-approved: Getting a loan isn’t easy nowadays as lenders have tightened their credit standards in recent years. Serious buyers should check their credit and get pre-appoved for a loan to determine how much of a home they can afford even before they start their home search. (I suggest 3-6 month ahead of a home search in case of credit surprises)
3. Get realistic about the market: Real estate agents can show buyers comparable nearby sales to help educate them about local market conditions. Transactions from the last six months are the most important. Another important piece of information for buyers is knowing how long properties are staying on the market.
4. Expect some competition. Housing inventories are dropping in many areas and spurring an increase in demand. Home buyers may face increased competition for the home they want, particularly among short sales and foreclosed properties, in which they may be up against investors who are making all-cash offers. That’s why experts say it’s important bank-financed buyers know their financial situation in advance to better compete.
5. Conduct property research: Real estate agents will help guide clients on what all they need to do when they find a property they like, but one important step nowadays: Buyers should hire a title company to check for any liens or tax arearages, the article notes. Housing experts also recommend hiring a home inspector, verifying the accuracy of the property line (by asking seller for the survey or having your own conducted), and make sure all necessary disclosures about the property, have been made.

I have to say I completely agree with these new ‘rules.’ Believe it or not, the market is pretty crazy in Central Ohio right now. I’ve been involved in the past month with multiple offers, and lost opportunity because we didn’t see the house fast enough.

I think the biggest misconception right now is that houses aren’t priced right, so I should offer 20% below list price and the seller will be desperate enough to take my offer. This may be the case 1% of the time, and even more so in another market that isn’t doing as well, but in Central Ohio you’re lucky to get 5% off list price, on a typical nice property.Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

The parade will feature twelve different homes within the community, and will run from June 16th to July 1st, 2012.

The hours are:

Tickets are $12, kids under 11 are free, and it is $2 for parking per car.

Kroger’s stores are offering a $2 discount, check out Kroger for more information.

Sign up to receive my blog via email, on the right side of my site, to be kept up to date with Parade happenings and to receive notice for a chance to win tickets to the Central Ohio Parade of Homes from Shanna’s Blog on All Things Real Estate. Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

Comment below for a chance to win these tickets. Winners will need to make arraignments with me for delivery or pickup.

Extra Entries: (You must leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

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Giveaway Rules: Giveaway ends Friday, May 4th at 11:59 am EST. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. All entries must have a valid email in blog profile or leave email address in comments. The winner will be selected by random.org and will have 4 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

The Dublin Farmer’s Market starts the 2012 season this week on Wednesday at its new location.  Previously in Olde Dublin, the market will now be located in the parking lot of Oakland Nursery just down the street at 4261 W. Dublin Granville Road.

I have to say it is a great move on the part of the market, parking was just a major issue in Olde Dublin, I never wanted to go and try to deal with the parking or lack thereof.

The Dublin Farmers’ Market will run from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday from May to September 2012.Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

Here are a couple good pictures from the past few weeks:

Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

First quarter home sales in central Ohio were up 7.1 percent versus first quarter 2011 sales (4,045 vs. 3,776). March home sales jumped 36 percent to 1,653 compared to the previous month (1,215) and were up 6.1 percent more than last year (1,558) according to the Columbus Board of REALTORS®.

“This upward trend in home sales began last summer,” said Jim Coridan, President of the Columbus Board of REALTORS®. “Average sale prices are increasing, but at a much more cautious pace.”

Average sales price fell 30.6 percent from its decade high of $192,642 in June 2005 to $133,604 in February 2009. The average sales price of a central Ohio home in March 2012 was $153,557 – 6.5 percent higher than one year ago.

The 3,466 homes listed for sale in March marks a 56.7 percent increase over the previous month, but is still 10.4 percent lower than March of 2011. The median list price of new listings last month was $149,900 – 3.5 percent higher than one year ago.

Housing inventory, which peaked at 19,291 in July 2010, continues its downward trend as the local market seeks to rebalance. Total inventory is now just over 11,500 reminiscent of inventory levels in 2003 and 2004.

Months supply has remained near 6.5 for the first three months of 2012 – a healthy level for central Ohio.

“Sales, contracts and home prices are all up this year,” adds Coridan. “This coupled with the temperate inventory levels makes for a much stronger central Ohio housing market than we had a few years ago.”

According to the most recent Ohio Housing Market Confidence Survey, 86 percent of central Ohio REALTORS® see the current housing market as moderate to strong and 89 percent expect it to be moderate to strong in the next six months. However, local professionals are split as to whether home prices will stay the same or increase over the next year.

View the current Central Ohio Local Market Update.
View the current Housing market report by area.

 Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

I started by career at HER in the Dublin office and moved to RE/MAX Affiliates in 2004 where I’ve been ever since. 

In the past ten years I’ve seen a seller’s market, the crash of the real estate market, more financing changes than I can even count and then a buyer’s market. I think I’ve been involved in one of the most active and tremulous ten years the real estate market has seen over the past century.

I’ve been blessed to meet so many great people both in the industry and through my job, and made so many friends. Thank you to each and everyone of you for your support of my real estate career, no matter how little. I appreciate each and every one of you, without you I’d have no real estate to buy and sell.  Here is to the next ten years and beyond!

Shanna Lafontaine in 2012

Shanna Lafontaine in 2002

Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

As of right now there are 11,273 active listings in the Columbus Board of Realtors.  9200 of those are single family homes, with the rest being condos. The average list price is $203,545, homes range from a $19.5 million estate to $5,000 home in 43206 area code.

There are currently 4,013 listing contingent or under contract, meaning they have a buyer in some stage of trying to buy the home.

Since the first of April there have been 259 homes sold in CBR with an average sale price of $172,169 which is 96% of list price.  Three houses this month have sold at over $900,000, including homes in Upper Arlington, Westerville and New Albany.

259 homes closed from 4-1-12 to 4-10-12

 

Busy April so far, and since most closings happen towards the end of the month I expect it to be a busy end of April.

Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.

I can do the opposite and only send you distressed homes. If a foreclosed home in Central Ohio is something you are interested in, send me an message or give me a call today and I will send you the latest properties as they come on the market.Shanna Lafontaine is a Realtor with RE/MAX Affiliates who works the Dublin, Hilliard, Powell, Worthington, Westerville, Delaware and surrounding Columbus areas helping both Buyers and Sellers.