Susanne’s Blog
Helping you find the perfect home
New Home Prices Skyrocket – Where to find Deals
A few weeks ago, I read an article in Business First stating that Columbus "is not even coming close" to meeting housing needs. They are quoting a report commissioned by the Building Industry Association (BIA) which shows how new construction lacks far behind its peak...
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Three Types of Builder Incentives You Don’t Want to Miss this December
New construction is booming in Central Ohio. Home builders had an excellent year, but sales traditionally slow down over the winter. To keep the momentum going, builders offer their best discounts in December. 1. Discounts on Upgrades The most popular buyer incentives...
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How Buying in December Could Save You $69,640
Most people are not thinking about buying a house in December. They are busy preparing for the Holidays, attending Christmas parties, and buying presents for their loved ones. Let me share with you 3 reasons why purchasing a home before the end of the year could save...
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How I Sold a House another Agent Could Not Sell
Last November I received a call from a desperate homeowner. They had fired their listing agent, after their home was on the market for more than a month with no activity. Their new-built home was getting ready by the end of the year. They had to sell! These homeowners...
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Housing Stats Comparison: Aspen vs. Dublin
We just returned to Columbus from a "business trip" to Aspen, Colorado. We were very lucky our flight was able to land at Port Columbus around midnight after circling for half an hour. And the road conditions driving home were much worse than this morning. When real...
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Why You Can’t Trust Online Home Valuations
If you are a homeowner who's thinking about selling, you probably want to know how much your home is worth. Most likely you've been searching the Internet and came across the Zestimate, Zillow's online home value. For many suburban homes it's a decent ESTIMATE of what...
read moreLearn about Columbus Neighborhoods
New Neighborhood Spotlight: Belmont Place
This new Delaware County neighborhood is just minutes away from the Polaris Fashion Mall, popular grocery stores like Meijer, Kroger and Giant Eagle. There are also many gorgeous Metro Parks within the area, two of which are; High Banks Metro Park, Alum Creek State...
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New Neighborhood Spotlight: Ballantrae Woods
Ballantrae Woods is a 49.6-acre residential development that is a new phase that will add on to the already huge Ballantrae Neighborhood. The entrance to the community embraces you with The Giant Dancing Rabbits sculpture at Ballantrae Park. Though the homes...
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New Neighborhood Spotlight: Orchid Hill in Jerome Village
Orchid Hill is one of the newest neighborhoods in Jerome Village. The fact that the top-rated Dublin School District is within walking distance, draws a lot of attention. The city has actually approved of two new Dublin Schools to be developed within the Jerome...
read moreMaking sense of the Numbers
Market Update: What to Expect in 2019 After a Dismal December
I had a strong December with 3 new listings and 4 closings before the end of the year. That's why I was really surprised when I read the December housing report from the Columbus Realtors Association. With the exception of the average sales price, which increased in...
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November Market Update: Pending Contracts Drop but Prices Continue to Rise
The November 2018 Housing Report came out just in time for the Holidays. Let me give you a short summary before you welcome Santa Claus and celebrate Christmas. New Listings Rise while Pending Contracts Plummet Listing activity has picked up in November. There were...
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October Market Update: More Price Reductions as Closings Decline
I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday, got all your Black Friday Shopping done, and celebrated yet another Buckeye victory over the team up north. We spent a couple of days in Chicago and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with our sons. Visiting the Christkindl...
read moreFind out what’s cool now
Homeowners are 48 Times “Richer” than Renters
Do you remember the New Albany Condo I advertised in last week's email? I had 20 buyers visit my open house, we received 3 offers above list price, and 2 agents called me with eager buyers after a contract was signed. There's a lot of demand for affordable homes and...
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Should You Attend the Million Dollar Parade of Homes?
This year's Parade of Homes will be going on for another week at Jerome Village. It's the Million Dollar Parade, because 6 of the 7 homes on display cost more than $1 million. Only Manor Homes' entry was a little less expensive at $979,000. Here is last years parade....
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Should You Retire in the Caribbean?
I just got back from a short trip to the Dominican Republic. This was not an all-inclusive vacation to a fancy resort. Instead, Kurt and I traveled with friends who are in the process of buying a condominium on the island. What a great opportunity to combine a little...
read moreEvents in and around Dublin
Reflections on a Great Year
As I reflect on this past year, I feel very blessed to have you as a reader of this weekly newsletter. I am grateful for your support and feedback as I am trying to share my insights and stories on the housing market. I hope this is helpful for you and even saved you...
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Builder Incentives are Back
Fall is here with a vengeance with temperatures dropping from the 90's to the 30's in a couple of days. What happened to our beautiful Ohio autumns? Temperatures are not the only things falling. Builders are substantially dropping prices of market ready homes and...
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A Tiny House to Help Tiny Tots
In the past few years Tiny Houses have become more popular with home buyers. This is partially due to the popularity of TV shows like Tiny House Builders, Tiny House Hunters, and Tiny House, Big Living (all on HGTV). Another reason for this trend is the lack of...
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