There were a few Central Ohio school levies on the ballot on November 3, 2009.  School levies typically result in higher real estate property taxes, so you should be aware if you are looking to buy a home in any of these school districts.

Southwestern City Schools levy (Southwestern Schools serve Grove City and Southwestern Columbus)

Yes Votes = 19,591  (51%)
No Votes = 19,178 (49%)

Reynoldsburg Schools levy

Yes Votes = 5,420 (48%)
No Votes = 5,827 (52%)

Westerville Schools levy

Yes Votes = 9,876 (52%)
No Votes = 8,973 (48%

Worthington Schools levy

Yes Votes = 11,435 (59%)
No Votes =  7,936 (41%)

If you’d like to get an estimate on real estate property taxes you can go to the Franklin County Auditor’s website and use the tax estimator tool:  http://franklincountyoh.metacama.com/globalTaxEstimator.jsp.

If you’re interested in buying a home anywhere in Central Ohio, please contact Petra at 614-895-0496.  I am an Accredited Buyer Agent Representative who’s been a Realtor® in Columbus since 2001, with over $50 Million in real estate sales throughout Central Ohio and currently with RE/MAX Connection Realtors®, in Gahanna Ohio.

I’ll work hard to help you find your ideal home and negotiate the lowest possible price, while representing your best interests throughout the process.  Best of all, my services as your personal buyer’s agent are FREE to you!  I appreciate the opportunity to help you buy your ideal home or condo in Central Ohio.

2009 COLUMBUS AND CENTRAL OHIO SUBURB BEGGAR’S NIGHT AND TRICK OR TREAT DATES:

If you live in or around the Columbus Ohio area, I’m providing the dates for 2009 Beggars Night or Trick or Treat in Columbus and all the surrounding suburbs. Halloween is a fun time of year for many kids in Central Ohio.  I know my son always looks forward to Trick or Treating to stock up on his favorite candy (since we don’t buy any candy in our home).

Since Halloween, October 31, 2009, falls on a Saturday this year, you’ll find Columbus and many central Ohio communities have scheduled beggars night/trick or treating, for October 29 instead.

Franklin County Trick or Treat Dates

• Bexley: 5:30-7:30 pm - Oct. 29
• Columbus: 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Canal Winchester: 5:30-7:30 pm - Oct. 29
• Dublin: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29
• Gahanna: 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Grandview Heights:  6-8pm - Oct. 31
• Grove City: 6-8pm Oct. 29
• Groveport: 5:30-7 pm - Oct. 29
• Hilliard: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29
• Jefferson Township (Gahanna): 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Village of Lockbourne: 6-7:30 pm - Oct. 29
• Madison Township: 5:30-7 pm - Oct. 29
• New Albany: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29
• Reynoldsburg: 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Upper Arlington: 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Westerville: 6-8pm - Oct. 31
• Whitehall: 6-8pm - Oct. 29
• Worthington: 6-8pm - Oct. 29

Delaware County Trick or Treat Dates

• Galena: 6-7:15 p.m. - Oct. 31
• Genoa Township (Westerville) 6-8 pm - Oct. 31
• Lewis Center: 6-8pm - Oct. 31
• Orange Township: 6-8pm - Oct. 31
• Powell: 6-8pm - Oct. 31

Fairfield County Trick or Treat Dates

• Lithopolis: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29
• Pickerington: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29

Licking County Trick or Treat Dates

• Granville: 5:30-7 pm - Oct. 29
• Pataskala: 6-8 pm - Oct. 29

I hope you have found this information helpful for planning your Halloween activities in the Columbus area.  If you see any mistakes or want to add to this list, please contact Petra with information.   Happy Halloween!

I had to go to my dog’s vet, Lifetime Pet Wellness Center, at 454 Lazelle Road, Columbus, Ohio 43240 yesterday to pick up some supplements to help with a digestion problem he’s been having.  I noticed a brochure entitled Lifetime Pet Wellness Center Pet Salon.  I was curious what they considered a “pet salon” so I began reading some of the services they offer.

There are the typical grooming, bath,  dematting, nail trimming, ear cleaning, teeth brushing, etc.  What really caught my eye though were the spa services.  Here’s what the **Spa Package** includes:

Blueberry Facial - tearless shampoo that brightens your pets face and leaves a fresh scent.  Uses aromatherapy that is calming as well.

Upgraded Shampoo of your choice
Whitening - Brightens whites and all other colors as well
Oatmeal - Best for sensitive flaky skin
Herbal: All natural shampoo for any coat

Conditioner - great for dry skin and coat.  Also great as a detangler

Revitalizing Spray - finishing spray that seals and protects your pets coat.

I thought this was so funny, so I asked the lady at the counter if people really do all this for their pets.  She very enthusiastically explained yes because it’s just so wonderful for the dogs.  She went on to describe how the blueberry facial makes their face smell so good and brightens their fur and the dogs really seem to like the smell too.  She said it was like aromatherapy for the dogs because she thought it helped to relax them. Inside I’m thinking - do people really do all this for their dogs?

While I’m sure I’d personally love it if my dog could smell like blueberries - I know for sure that my crazy dog is more into smelling stinky.  He actually just got groomed today and got his doggy bath and the groomer then sprays some clean smelling finishing spray on him - so he typically smells good for maybe two days.  Well usually the first thing he does after getting groomed is to come inside the house and roll around all over the floor - like he’s trying to wipe the clean smell off or something.  Well today right after he got groomed, he wanted me to let him out in the back yard.  He was out there for a while and I didn’t think anything of it.  When I let him back in the house, he smelled horrible - he had rolled in God knows what and now he stinks!!  So unfortunately for me, my crazy dog would rather stink than smell good.

So while I realize grooming has many other benefits - I’m a bit frustrated that my dog doesn’t enjoy his clean smelling self.

We really love our vet at the Lifetime Pet Wellness Center because they tend to take as non invasive approach as possible including prescribing natural remedies instead of drugs, whenever possible.  I always appreciate this approach because many drugs have side effects and I’ve found that many natural alternatives are effective with less side effects.  The Lifetime Pet Wellness is conveniently located on 454 Lazelle Road really close to the Polaris Mall, within about 15 minutes of the Worthington, Polaris (Lewis Center), Westerville and North Columbus area .   You can reach them at 614-888-2100.

Being a dog lover (yes I still love my dog in spite of his quirky behavior) I can totally understand how hard it is to find a good vet.  If you’ve recently moved to the Columbus area, have a dog or cat and are looking for a good vet, I highly recommend them.

A friend sent me this special song - kind of a tribute to man’s best friend.  I hope you enjoy it.

One of my favorite events is coming to Columbus next week July 13-17,  Restaurant Week Columbus.  Columbus and Central Ohio has a quite a variety of wonderful restaurants and this is a great opportunity to try a new restaurant or one of your favorites at a discounted price, while benefiting the Mid Ohio Food Bank at the same time!  Many of my favorite restaurants are participating in this special event, offering three course meals from $15-35 per person.

This event is so popular, they recommend reservations because many restaurants may quickly book up. This is a great week to experience places you’ve been meaning to try. Plus, you’ll be supporting the local restaurant industry and the Mid-Ohio Food Bank which will receive a $5,000 donation on behalf of participating restaurants and (614) Magazine.

I’m excited because many of my favorite restaurants are participating in this event.  Here’s list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week Columbus:

Spagio - Italian Restaurant in Grandview
The Rossi - Bar and Kitchen in the Short North Arts District
Trattoria Roma - Italian Restaurant in Grandview
Cimi’s Bistro - at the Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City
The Lost Shepherd - Divine Pub in Powell Ohio
Vittoria Ristorante - Italian Restaurant in Powell Ohio
Level - Modern American Restaurant in the Short North Arts District
Haiku - Japanese Restaurant in Short North Arts District
Sage American Bistro - Upscape Contemporary American Food on the Ohio State University Campus
The Melting Post - Fondue Restaurant at Easton Town Center
Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse - at Easton Town Center
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Worthington Ohio
Rosendales Modern Bistro - Upscale Restaurant in Short North Arts District
Mortons Steakhouse in Downtown Columbus
Moretti’s of Arlington - Family Owned Italian Restaurant in Upper Arlington
Mitchell’s Steakhouse - in Worthington and Downtown Columbus
Mezzo Italian Kitchen and Wine - Italian Restaurant at Creekside in Gahanna
Matt The Millers Tavern - in Muirfield - Dublin Ohio
Lindeys - Upscale Restaurant in German Village
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse in the Short North Arts District, Dublin, Worthington and North Columbus
Columbus Fish Market - Seafood Restaurant in North Columbus and Worthington Ohio
Columbus Brewing Company in German Village
Bel Lago Waterfront Bistro (Beautiful outdoor dining on the Hoover Resevoir in Westerville Ohio)

I hope you take the opportunity to try one of these wonderful restaurants during Restaurant Week Columbus and support our local restaurants and the Mid Ohio Food Bank.  To learn more and view the specially priced menus visit:  http://www.restaurantweekcolumbus.com/

Looking For A Great Deal on Worthington Ohio Real Estate?

SHORT SALE DEAL ON THIS 4 BEDROOM WORTHINGTON OHIO HOME FOR SALE ~ PRICE JUST REDUCED $20K TO $149,900. Great Value - Don’t miss out on this wonderful 4 bedroom home in Worthington Schools!  This home is currently the only 4 bedroom under $150,000 in Worthington Schools.  Now that we’ve reduced the price along with the exceptionally low interest rates - this home the best deal in Worthington Ohio!

Convenient location ~ close to the Polaris Mall, restaurants, Worthington Crosswoods or Rave movie theatres and more!

Since this Worthington home is a bank short sale, it is subject to bank approval and could take up 4-6 weeks for the bank to respond to any offers.  A short sale is a pre-foreclosure and allows you the buyer to get a great deal on home without the risk associated with buying a bank owned property.  Call Petra Hinterschied, Columbus Ohio Realtor® at 614-895-0496 for details.  Since this is a short sale, this home is being SOLD AS IS, however, buyer still has the right to have a home inspection.

This Worthington Ohio home features a spacious and open layout and is in move in condition ~ ready for your family to enjoy!  The spacious and open layout in this Worthington Home and the huge 18 X 20 family room make this home perfect for entertaining or large meetings.

The kitchen and dining area are open to the living room.  The kitchen has been updated with oak wood cabinetry, neutral laminate counter tops, wood laminate floors, ceramic tile back splash and is fully equipped with a dishwasher, self cleaning gas range and a frost free refrigerator.   Window above the sink adds natural light.

The master bedroom could easily accommodate a king size bed and also features a roomy walk in closet.

While this Worthington home could use some general cosmetics, there are many notable upgrades including: ceramic tile & wood laminate floors, granite counter in bath, wood spindled stairs, roomy closets with organizers and a newer roof.

This Worthington home also has a large backyard with some mature trees, complete with a pond and shed for storage.  What more could you ask for?

I’ll include a few pictures but to see more details and a virtual tour VISIT:   7623 Yosemite Drive, Worthington Ohio 43085.

To learn more about the Worthington area visit: Worthington Ohio Real Estate and Community Guide.

Check out this new Worthington Ohio real estate listing:  Single family home at 7623 Yosemite Drive in Worthington Ohio 43085. What a value for a 4 bedroom home in Worthington Schools!  Great location close to Worthington Galena and Park Road - less than 5 minutes to the Polaris Mall, Grace Brethren Church and I270 & 23.

Worthington Schools are currently rated continuous improvement by the Ohio Department of Education. However, they have some of the highest test scores among Central Ohio Schools.  They met 29 out of 30 state indicators and achieved 102.4 out of 120 performance index points.  There aren’t many school districts in the Columbus Ohio area that have over 100 points, so their scores are better than average.  If you’d like to learn more about living in Worthington visit:  Worthington Ohio Real Estate, Relocation, Schools and Community Guide.

This is not your typical bi-level home.  It offers a spacious and open layout with updated kitchen and baths and overall the home is in move in condition. Highlights include:

• Huge 18 X 20 foot family room - perfect for entertaining or large meetings
• Kitchen equipped with a dishawsher, self cleaning gas range, oak wood cabinetry, wood laminate floors, ceramic tile backsplash and a window above the sink adds natural light.
• 2 car attached garage - with easy access to the main level
• Living room is open to the kitchen and dining area.
• Upgrades include ceramic tile & wood laminate floors, wood spindled stairs
• Roomy closets with organizers
• Plenty of storage space too
• Bathroom 1 is updated with granite counter, brushed nickel faucet, wood laminate floors, tub/shower combo with cultured marble surround
• Master bedroom has a large walk-in closet
• Newer roof
• Kids and pets alike will enjoy roaming in the large, private backyard complete with a pond. Lot is about 180 feet deep!

I’ll share a few of the photos of this updated Worthington home below, but if you’d like to see all the details and a virtual tour in a much prettier format, visit: http://www.columbuscastles.com/petras-featured-homes/featured?id=2830097

This is a buyer’s market right?  The media keeps publicizing how bad the real estate market is all over the US.  So how is it possible that I have come across 4 multiple offer situations in the last month here in Columbus Ohio?  Let me share a little more about each scenario to give you a better idea of what the real estate market is really doing here in the Columbus Ohio area. 

Client number 1:  I’m working with a couple who just recently sold their home in Indiana and are now ready to buy their next home in the Columbus Ohio area.  They love older vintage style homes with lots of character, charm and hardwood floors in walking type communities.  The husband is a resident at Mount Carmel and Saint Ann’s Hospitals.  The wife will be going to OSU to complete the Internal Medicine program.  So they wanted areas convenient to Downtown, OSU and Westerville.   They decided to look for older homes in the Bexley, Clintonville, German Village and Worthington areas. 

We had found a home in Clintonville that they just loved and were ready to make an offer on when it went into contract.  There was one other home in Clintonville and 2 homes in Bexley that they also liked and all three went into contract at the same time.  All of these homes had been on the market for less than 2 weeks.  Even though there is plenty more on the market, most of the other homes are not nearly as nice so they decided to just wait until something new came on the market.  Three days ago a new real estate listing came on the market in Bexley and we went to see it right away.  It was the perfect home for them so we made an offer right away before anyone else had a chance!  They are now very happy to be in contract on this cute cape cod home in Bexley!  

Client number 2:  I’m working with another couple who have their current home in contract and has to move by the end of July (I’m selling their current home in the OSU/Upper Arlington/Riverside Hospital area).  The husband works at Chase in the Polaris/Lewis Center area and the wife works in Westerville.  They are also very active in their church which is located just North of the OSU Campus area so they wanted to buy a home somewhere in between these areas.  We have been looking for homes in the Clintonville, Worthington and Westerville areas. They’re expecting their 2nd child, so modern day conveniences like a finished basement, 1st floor den and 2 car attached garage are important to them.  

They quickly realized you can get a much nicer home for the money in some well established neighborhoods in Westerville.  We found their ideal home in Westerville last Saturday.  We went back on Monday to see it a 2nd time and were ready to make an offer on it and found out they already had another offer that they were ready to accept.  So we quickly made our best offer on this home too, but the seller decided to take the other one because it came in first.  This home had been on the market for less than 2 weeks.

Client number 2 again:  Okay - I mentioned that I’m also selling their home which is located in the Cranford Subdivision in Northwest Columbus (Upper Arlington, OSU and Riverside Hospital area).  Here’s a link to that Northwest Columbus Ranch Home.  I always try to provide staging and home preparation advice to my clients who want to sell their home because I know that homes in the best condition sell quicker and for more money.  So this client took the time to properly prepare their home for the market.  This particular area of Columbus is very popular due to it’s convenient location, on the edge of Upper Arlington, plus it’sclose to OSU and Riverside Hospital.  In addition, you can get to Downtown Columbus in about 10 minutes.  However, I’ve still seen some homes sit on the market a while in this area, when they are not properly prepared. 

Since this home was properly prepared for the market, we experienced lots of showings.  After about 2 weeks on the market, we received an offer from someone who is planning to go to graduate school at the Ohio State University (OSU).  We had started negotiating with this client when a 2nd offer came in.  The sellers had to decide which offer they wanted to take and decided to stay with the first buyer because they agreed to take the home as is.  This was appealing to the seller because they are ready to move on to their next home and don’t want to bother with any more repairs on their current home.  

Client number 3:  I’m working with another couple who are first time home buyers.  The husband works in Downtown Columbus and the wife works in the Worthington area.  So they’re looking for homes in Worthington, Dublin, Westerville and Gahanna areas.  They have some pretty specific needs in their first home - a fenced in yard for their dog and some separate living space for her Dad who is planning to move in with them.  So we found a cute ranch home in Gahanna that offered a nice large basement that they planned on finishing for a mother in law type suite for her Dad. Only problem, 2 other people wanted the same home at the same time.  That’s right - this home had 3 offers at the same time.  Unfortunately, our offer was not the chosen one.  My clients offered the most they could afford and that obviously wasn’t enough. 

In October of 2007, Forbes ranked the Columbus Ohio real estate market the 3rd most stable in the US.  I find that homes are still selling well in many areas of Central Ohio.  I think the key in the three homes in Bexley, Clintonville and Westerville mentioned above, is the homes went into contract quickly because they were all in good condition, properly prepared/staged and priced right for the current market.  I always say that homes in the best condition will sell more quickly and for more money.  Visit http://www.columbuscastles.com/sellers, to learn more.

There are some areas of Columbus and some Central Ohio suburbs that are not selling as quick, but that certainly is not the case everywhere.  Some of the areas that are struggeling the most are areas with newer homes that were developed too quickly.  Also in some of those newer developments, builders are still building.  So it’s very challenging to try and sell your home and compete against the builder’s buyer financing incentives.

Overall, you’ll find the Columbus Ohio real estate market to be doing much better than many other parts of the US and even other areas in Ohio.  If you’re interested in buying or selling a home, I’d love to work for you.  Please CONTACT PETRA at 614-895-0496 anytime from 8am-10pm EST for personal assistance with your Columbus Ohio real estate needs.