Delicious Real Estate

State Supreme Court Rules on Bizarre New Build Case

April 2nd, 2012 Categories: Real Estate

An unusual case…..from the Ohio Association of Realtor’s blog….

photo (4)The case of the magnetized house


By Peg Ritenour

The Ohio Supreme Court has sided with buyers who sued their builder for damages they claim resulted from some sort of magnetic field that exists in their brand new house. The lawsuit was thrown out by two courts  based on some fine print in the contract  until the Supreme Court reversed the earlier decisions in a 7-0 ruling.

Here’s what happened…

Shortly after buyers purchased a house from Centex Homes in 2004 they began having problems with their computers, TV’s and phones. The problem was believed to be caused by the builder’s use of steel trusses instead of wooden ones. Somehow these steel trusses had become magnetized and emitted a magnetic field that resulted in all the electronics in the house going haywire.

The buyers sued the builder for costs they incurred in replacing all their electronics under the theory that the builder failed to construct their home in a workman like manner. The buyers found out that another couple was also suing Centex over the exact  same problem and their cases were consolidated. The  builder successfully had the cases thrown out by the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas based on a clause in the contract that said the buyers waived all express and implied warranties. This was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

But on review the Ohio Supreme Court disagreed. In a unanimous decision the Court held that a home builder’s duty to construct a house in a workmanlike manner using ordinary care is a duty imposed by law—not a warranty —and that this duty can’t be waived. In reaching this decision Judge Pfeiffer stated “The duty does not require builders to be perfect, but it does establish a standard of care below which builders may not fall without being subject to liability”.

So what happens now? The case goes back to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas for a trial on whether the builder met this duty. We’ll keep you posted on what happens next!

Columbus is Considering Razing 900 Vacant Homes (!)

February 23rd, 2012 Categories: Real Estate

I thought this historic church on Long Street was worth saving. The City didn't.You might think it’s relatively inexpensive to tear down a building, but the city spends on average about $5,500 per building torn down using the numbers from today’s Dispatch article.  Not bad, but it adds up and if they had $3MM from the federal neighborhood stabilization money and have only gotten around to 139 homes through January, how long is it going to take to knock down these 900 vacant and unsafe homes throughout Columbus?

I’m sure some of these are worth saving. The pie-in-the-sky mantra puts a ‘community garden’ on every vacant lot in Columbus but the truth is that nothing happens with the vacant lots and they interrupt the block.  Would I rather see a vacant lot or a crumbling home on my block? Probably the lot if the home is not salvageable.

The City tore down a home at the end of my alley recently. It was dangerous and an eyesore. They pretended to throw down some grass seed and hay when they left but it’s not pretty. I prefer it to the house that was there though and this case was different because the lot is on a commercial avenue. Now, if they’d only tear down the house next to it…..and that cinder block building with no roof on the same block…maybe an intrepid developer could better see a way to build something that would help the neighborhood.

From Today’s Dispatch
City to raze 900 vacant houses

Columbus plans to spend $11.5 million over the next three to four years to demolish 900 houses that city inspectors have deemed dangerous and uninhabitable.

The city has never spent so much to tear down vacant and abandoned houses, but the problem has become such a threat to the viability of neighborhoods that the city has to act, Mayor Michael B. Coleman told The Dispatch yesterday.

“These 900 homes have got to go, got to be demolished, in order to protect the safety of our neighborhoods,” Coleman said.

The demolition plan is part of a comprehensive effort the city is creating to deal with vacant houses, including rehabilitating some, preserving land and aggressively pursuing emergency demolition orders. Coleman and other city officials will detail plans today at an abandoned South Side house.

Columbus has more than 6,200 abandoned houses, most of them concentrated in the Linden, Franklinton and Hilltop areas and on the Near East Side and the South Side.

Last fall, Coleman told city development officials Read the rest of this entry »

Short North Homes for Sale and Sold – the Short North Real Estate Update

February 19th, 2012 Categories: Real Estate, Short North, buyers, sellers

There are 108 properties for sale in the Greater Short North.

This short north home has 3 bed, 1.5 baths, and 2670 sf.

This short north brick Italianate on West First has 3 bed, 1.5 baths, and 2670 sf. It sold $282,000 last month after 154 days on the market and a price drop of $47K from the original list price

13 more are in contract.  Only 30 of those 108 properties, however, are single family homes. Take out the top 2 and bottom 2 of those active homes for sale in the Short North and you’ll find a median price for single a single family home at about $152.50/square foot and an average of around $355,400 for an average 2422 square foot house that has been on the market for an average 124 days.

A couple of my favorites are 25 E 1st for price/size/location (Yes, it only has 1 full bath) and 106 E Lincoln 3,154 sf 3 bed, 2.5 bath with character all over the place.

The six listings in contract, as usual, had an average days on market closer to 30 and as little as 6 days for the 3 bed, 1 bath, needs work 200 West Fourth Street – a 1616 sq ft foreclosure on the market at $174,900 that had multiple offers.

In the last six months, 24 homes have sold in the Short North area which, for recap purposes here, includes Victorian Village, Italian Village, Harrison West and the Circles.  Those sold homes in the Short North averaged about $$273,000 or $137/sq ft. after an average 4 months on the market. Important to note–the average and median sales price/list price was 94%.

Of note, 7 of those homes, more than 1/4 of all the homes, were 2 bedroom homes averaging $147/sf. Remember, the smaller the home, the more it costs/sq ft.  The average 3 bedroom home in the Short North sold for about $150/sf or $282,145 for around 2000 sq ft.

Next up, an update on Short North Condos for sale and sold.

Ohio’s Best Hometowns? Here they are…

January 9th, 2012 Categories: Real Estate

Well, these are Ohio Magazine’s Picks for the best towns in Ohio. Hilliard, Represent!

Best of the Best Hometowns

Here are a few of the reasons why Archbold, Lebanon, Nelsonville, Oberlin and Hilliard are Ohio Magazine Best Hometowns.
Linda Feagler, Christina Ipavec, Jessica Roblin, Jennifer Rogers, Jill Sell and Ilona Westfall

NELSONVILLE

<< Music Festival
Each May, some of the biggest names in music head to theNelsonville Music Festival for one of the summer festival season’s most unique weekends. With past performers including Willie Nelson, the Flaming Lips, Loretta Lynn, Neko Case, George Jones, Wanda Jackson and more, Nelsonville’s event (this year May 18–20) is one of Ohio’s most eclectic. The fest takes place on the campus of Hocking College at Robbins Crossing and is hosted by Stuart’s Opera House. 3301 Hocking Pkwy., Nelsonville 45764, 740/753-1924. nelsonvillefest.org

Degree Program for the Outdoorsy

Hocking College’s Wildlife Resources Management programcouldn’t be taught in a better location than southeast Ohio’s Wayne National Forest near Nelsonville. Students gain strong ecology, conservation and botany knowled
ge. Data collection, population sampling and map reading also give graduates an edge in the wildlife-management job hunt. hocking.edu

View of Autumn’s Colors
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway Foliage Train ride takes passengers on a 22-mile journey through the reds, oranges and yellows of autumn, while providing a narrative about Hocking Valley history as the train glides past historic landmarks such as canal locks and former industrial sites. The 1920s train cars travel just over two hours roundtrip to Logan or Haydenville and stop at Robbins Crossing, the living-history village at Hocking College, providing a leisurely weekend activity each October. 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville 45764, 740/753-9531. hvsry.org

Historic Sandwich Shop
Nestled in a corner of the 1830 Dew House hotel, the one-room FullBrooks Café’s small size doesn’t match its big sandwich appeal. Freshly made bread-and-meat creations offer a variety of toppings such as hummus and pesto. With a street view of historic shops lining Nelsonville’s square, the lunch stop offers more than a quick bite. 6 Public Square, Nelsonville 45764, 740/753-3391. athensohio.com

Visitor Center
An ideal spot for hiking, Wayne National Forest has 300 miles of trails to explore. The Wayne National Forest Welcome Center ensures visitors get the most out of the 834,000-acre lands sprawling across 12 counties. Places not to miss in Athens County include the Shawnee Tower Lookout, the only remaining 1930s lookout point in Ohio, and the rock shelter of Tinkers Cave. Day trips can be spent hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing and observing wildlife. 13700 U.S. Rte. 33, Nelsonville 45764, 740/753-0101. fs.usda.gov


HILLIARD

<< Restaurant to Taste Ripe Plantains
Long before roasting Chiquita bananas over a campfire became a popular pastime, plantains were steamed, broiled and fried. Nobody does it better than Starliner Diner. The popular squat little banana is your first clue this is not a typical ’50s diner with a jukebox. With a menu that includes Pizza Cubana, Yucatan Marinated Chicken Breast and Mexican Chorizo, the restaurant’s fare leans toward Hispanic and anything south of the border. But there are American folk art murals on the wall and an atmosphere where the 1960s hippie scene meets the local Chamber of Commerce. Locals love it, and we would fill our sombreros with the cilantro lime dressing if we could take it home.5240 Cemetery Rd., Hilliard 43206, 614/529-1198.starlinerdiner.com

Reason to Appreciate Modern Voting Booths
The voting wagon displayed at Historical Village at Weaver Park in Hilliard is typical of the mobile polls that were pulled by horse or tractor from 1880 to 1940. Old wagons were often retired to back yards. Many homeowners thought they just had an old tin shed on their property until they discovered four wheels, sunk long ago into the ground. franklincountyohiohistory.org

Place to See TV Dinosaurs
The years 1928 to 1955 may not all be the Golden Age of Television, but it was certainly a time of important broadcast innovations. Visitors to the Early Television Museum see sets primarily from those years, including mechanical televisions (those without picture tubes), itty bitty screens and the first color offerings. Hundreds of televisions are on display, including do-it-yourself kit TVs that were housed in homemade cabinets. The TVs come from across the globe and, according to museum attendant Larry McIntyre, many still work. 5396 Franklin St., Hilliard 43206, 614/771-0510. earlytelevision.org

Religious Outreach
Only about 30 percent of the activities at the Noor Islamic Cultural Center are strictly or officially “religious.” Completed in 2006, the center also serves as a community gathering place, educational facility, art gallery, sanctuary and a beautiful setting for weddings. Under the guidance of Khaled A. Farag, the director of outreach programs and one of the center’s founders, activities reflect more than 40 different cultures in the region. Wishing for transparency in both the physical and political senses, the center’s huge windows encourage sunlight and observations from the local community. 5001 Wilcox Rd., Hilliard 43016, 614/527-7777.

Community That Loves Its Police Dogs
When the City of Hilliard’s Division of Police recently retired Brix, its beloved police dog, with full honors, the city was without a K-9 unit. The division went to residents and businesses to raise the $11,000 it needed for a trained police dog and equipment. According to Chief of Police J. Douglas Francis, about $34,000 was collected in less than eight weeks. That generosity allowed for the purchase of three Belgian Malinois shepherd dogs named Erko, Eros and Oz, along with maybe a few dog bones.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE OTHER THREE BEST HOMETOWNS AT OHIO MAGAZINE.COM

The Top Ten Highest Home Sales in Franklin County in 2011

January 6th, 2012 Categories: Real Estate

In 2011, the breakdown of Million Dollar Columbus Homes saw 1 sale in Westerville, 1 in Upper Arlington, 2 in Dublin, 3 in Columbus, 4 in Bexley and 22 in New Albany.

In 2011, the breakdown of Million Dollar Columbus Homes saw 1 sale in Westerville, 1 in Upper Arlington, 2 in Dublin, 3 in Columbus, 4 in Bexley and 22 in New Albany.

A whopping 281 homes sold in Franklin county for a sales price above $500,000 in 2011. What will North of half a million dollars get you in and Greater Columbus? On average, about 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in around 4741 square feet.

Thirty-One of those 2011 home sales were at least $1Million or more which puts you at about 5 beds, 5 baths and just over 7500 sf.  Surprisingly, the average days on market for were a mere 190 days — though on average they sold for only 85% of list price.

Surely our friends moving to Columbus from the East or West coast are salivating at that kind of space at prices they’d consider values, but in Central Ohio, $1MM is a lot of money.

All three Columbus homes that sold for for more than $1,000,000 were in German Village, 2 of them were on Deshler across from Schiller Park.

As we remember that cost may have nothing to do with quality or character, here are the cream of the most expensive home sales crop in greater Columbus for 2011:

2012-01-05_2342

« Previous Entries

Delicious Communities
Delicious Real Estate
Relocating to Columbus? Why not work with a Delicious Real Estate Agent to help ease the transition by saving you money and time .
What's My Home Worth?