My favorite thing about working with Char was her aggressive nature!! She really has her clients' best interest at heart and I feel like she will do whatever it takes to get them the house of their dreams at a price they can afford.
- Megan & Drew, Clintonville
Five Home Buying Tips
Are you thinking about buying a house? Buying a house is an exciting decision and one that is very rewarding. It is a huge investment and one that needs to be considered very carefully. Here are five tips to help make sure that you are making the right decision.
- Aim for a house you can afford. A good rule of thumb is that you can buy a house that runs two and one half your salary. Don't forget about considering what debts you owe when calculating whether you can afford or not that dream house.
- Buy a house with a good school district (even if you don't have kids). Whether you have kids or not, this is an important consideration when you go to resell. Strong school districts are a top priority among home buyers and you'll find your home value increase if you are in a really good district.
- Get professional help. You wouldn't think of fixing the transmission in your car, so why tackle all of the complexities involved in the home buying process alone. You want to hire someone who is very familiar with the process and can guide you so you simply focus on finding your dream home.
- Hire your own home inspector. You don't want to have any hidden surprises waiting for you once you take ownership. A good home inspector can point out problems and potential problems that might not be apparent to you.
- Get preapproved. A preapproval letter shows the seller and seller's agent that the buyer is capable of buying the house. For most sellers the issue isn't whether they can get an offer, but whether they can close the deal. Here is a good article with 7 tips to get a preapproved mortgage.
Generators... a good idea
I love when past clients and friends contact me with questions about which home improvements are a good idea. Just recently, one of my past clients asked my thoughts on installing a hole house backup generator. They aren't planning on selling soon so they would get lots of use out of it and it will be a great amenity to the home for future resale. They live in a mature area of Dublin, Ohio where there are lots of woods and causes for power outages.
I think in today's day and age of computers and keeping our cell phones charged, along with the aging baby boomers, this is going to become more important to people. We've had our fair share of storms and we've all experienced power outages from time to time. It's not as fun as I thought it was when I was a kid. And watching the disaster of Hurricane Sandy was heart wrenching.
Day to day, we use lots of electricity and rely on it to feel normal. Standby generators would make a great amenity for a home. I wouldn't advise installing one just to try and sell a house but if it is something you will get some use of and then you do sell in the future, it will make your home standout!
Standby generators average around $4200 depending on your total power requirements. You can purchase them through a local business or any home improvement store. They can help you determine your needs. I am fortunate to live in an area with underground utilities and we don't tend to lose power as much as other areas of Columbus, Ohio. I could probably benefit
more with a portable generator for those rare instances that the power fails.
more with a portable generator for those rare instances that the power fails.
Weekend Activities in Columbus
Columbus may not be hosting the Olympics, but we have a beautiful weekend with many fun things to enjoy with your friends and family. Here are just a few of them.
- The Isley Brothers perform at the Ohio State Fair at 7pm Saturday, July 28th, but they won't be the only ones performing. Ohio Idol will be on the main stage at 7pm. There are also fun rides for the kids and the kid in you, lots of animals and fun fair food. The fair runs through Sunday, August 5th.
- The Columbus Symphony 2012 Picnic with the Pops has had a very successful first season at the Columbus Commons. Featured artists have included Three Dog Night and Peabo Bryson. It concludes Saturday, July 28th at 8pm with the Ohio State Marching Band.
- If your kids like comics, the Columbus Museum of Art had a really fun event on Sunday, July 29th from 11am-4pm. The event "Batteries Not Included, Superhero Blockbuster" lets your kids dress up as their favorite superhero character and then create their own blockbuster movie trailer complete with a script, green screens, special effects and then share the movie with the entire family.
- Don't forget shopping at some of the really good Farmer's markets. A couple of good Saturday markets include Clintonville Farmers' Market from 9am-noon and North Market Farmers Market starts at 8am.