Today, we’re playing with both numbers and the local Board of Realtors’ new statistics. It’s a game that could turn dangerous if you don’t read between the lines or follow the stats in your favorite neighborhood closely. For example, while you could certainly find a deal out there, don’t think you can expect to get your next home for 88% of the list price as suggested below.

Just today I had a couple who’d made an extremely strong offer on a foreclosure find out that they lost out in a highest and best situation that mingled at least five offers. The listing agent hinted the winning offer was at least 175%  of the list price. A similar home across the street had a similar situation transpire just two weeks ago. So, come on in, the markets great.

You may be surprised (I was) to hear that of the 18 counties that make up the Central Ohio MLS, Franklin County had only the Eighth Highest Median Sales Price. Delaware was first at $227,794…more than $110,000 over Franklin County but of course Franklin County had more sales, lots more sales—609 compared to Delaware’s 118.

Franklin-County-January <– Click here for all the pretty graphs.

This update references the entire Berwick Neighborhood from I-70 to Livingston Avenue and James Road to Alum Creek Drive.

This 3bed, 2bath 1902 sf Berwick Ranch on Floribunda sold in 48 days for $179,900

Homes on the market: There are 18 homes currently on the market in BERWICK, they average:

• $149,560
• $82.16/sf and
• 154 days on market.
• The most Expensive listed right now in Berwick is 1429 Haddon 4 bed, 3 bath, 2525 sf which, at $314,900, is almost $100K more than the next expensive home, 2576 Brookwood at $219,900.

Berwick Homes in contract with escape clauses contingent on the sale of another home: None

Berwick Homes in Contract contingent on financing/inspections as of today: 7

• Averaging 2187 sf
• $173,786
• $80.51/sf
• 53 days on market
• None of these Berwick homes have been on the market more than 4 months and 2569 Berwick Blvd went into contract after only 8 days on the market.

Greater Berwick area Homes SOLD thus far in 2010: 27

• Averaging 1915 sf
• $146,493 avg List but a $138,215  Sale price or 94.5%
• $71.53/sf
• only 68 days on market

Welcome to Berwick

All in all, not a bad real estate market in Berwick for 2010. There looks to be just over a six month supply of homes on the market. Berwick remains in good standing with Columbus area home buyers because of the affordability, good size homes, proximity to both downtown Columbus and Bexley and because it feels like a very nice, close knit, well taken care of neighborhood with attractive and unique homes and mature trees. Add to that mix an excellent Columbus alternative elementary school which now goes through 8th grade and you’ve got yourself one hot community.

Known for generous lots and sprawling mid century modern ranches that original owners are still turning over, it’s no surprise that of the 18 homes active on the market, 10 are ranches–5 of the 7 Berwick homes in Contract are ranches and more than half of the homes sold in Berwick were ranches. Berwick also boast a goodly number of cape cods and, outside of counting the often large basements, few homes in Berwick surpass 2500 sf.

Of course there are always a few exceptions — like 1362 Haddon Rd and its 6056 remodeled square feet that sold for $520,000 a few weeks ago.

Would you like me to break it down by North and South of Scottwood, East and West of Roosevelt? email me and I will be glad to help any way I can.

You May also enjoy this The Ranch Home

or What’s an Extra $20,000 get you in Columbus

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, reader email and editorial remarks, let me reiterate my favorite Columbus Real Estate mantra: All Real Estate is local. When I say local, I mean you don’t even care what the Gahanna Real Estate market is doing if you’re looking to buy or sell a home in Upper Arlington. Why be concerned with the Clintonville market if you’re only wanting to buy a home in Berwick or Grandview?

Cleveland and Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo and Youngstown, what do they have in common with Columbus aside from sharing this great state and, let’s face it, people from those cities are moving here but not vice-versa. Here is Doug McCloud, President of the Ohio Association of Realtors, talking about the *mythical* Ohio Real Estate Market.

While home sales in Ohio continued to lag in September–as the sector struggles to fully recover from the impact of the economic downturn and expiration of the home buyer tax credit–overall activity during the first nine months has the market positioned to mirror results from a year ago, according to statistics provided to the Ohio Association of REALTORS by the state’s Multiple Listing Services.