life in columbus

Real Estate Review: May 2017

May was a busy month and home prices are setting records in central Ohio! We honored our fallen heroes on Memorial Day, showed our support for many new openings and attended events around the city. CCAD had another successful Senior Fashion Show, Columbus Cars and Coffee had their season opener at the Africa event center at the zoo, Columbus Startup Week was a huge hit and the North Market Apron Gala was a blast! There's a lot of construction going on, the roundup is here and CU has a fast forward for East Franklinton and the Scioto Peninsula.

Here are the national real estate statistics for May 2017:

The number of projected home sales rose to 5.7 million and the national median home price had an increase of 3.6% from last month to $236,000, which is up 6.7% from May 2016. The national average for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is actually down to 4.03% which is a great incentive to buy in this seller's market! If you've been thinking of selling your home, now would be a great time. I would be happy to do a free Comparative Market Analysis so you can find out what your home is worth today. For specific questions on how these statistics affect you, please get in touch with me - pfjohnson@kw.com | 614.638.5817 

ColumbusMarket.jpg

The average sales price of home during the month of May in central Ohio was $227,783, which is 8.0 percent higher than one year ago (May 2016). Year to date (January through May 2017), the average sale price of a home in central Ohio is $209,217, which is 6.3 percent higher than the same period in 2016. These home prices are setting records according to the Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service.

There were 4,051 central Ohio homes and condos added to the market in May, which is a 14.3 percent gain over the previous month and 4.8 percent greater than May 2016. Even with the added listings, inventory (4,606) was still 18 percent lower than the number of homes for sale a year ago, leaving central Ohio with a 1.7 months supply at the current sales pace.

These are the highest sales prices we’ve ever seen in central Ohio. Home values continue to soar and now is a better time than ever to put your home on the market if you’ve considered selling.
— 2017 Columbus REALTORS® President Mic Gordon

There were 3,177 central Ohio homes and condos sold during the month of May, which is 28.2 percent greater than the previous month although a slight dip of 0.8 percent from May 2016.

Homes spent an average of 33 days on the market in May, which is 12 days fewer than the previous year and 7 days less than April. This is a new record low for the central Ohio housing market.

It’s incredibly positive that new listings are increasing, however inventory continues to remain near record lows,” Gordon said. “We’ve seen inventory drop year-over-year for 76 straight months now.

According to the latest Housing Market Confidence Index by the Ohio Association of REALTORS®, 81 percent of central Ohio REALTORS® describe the current housing market as strong, and 69 percent expect it to continue this way over the next six months. As for home prices, 98 percent expect prices to rise over the next year.


Article shared and all information sourced via the Columbus Board of Realtors. To view the original and for more info see below: 

Current housing report – May 2017
All housing reports


Columbus REALTORS® is comprised of over 7,600 real estate professionals engaged in residential sales and leasing, commercial sales and leasing, property management, appraisal, consultation, real estate syndication, land development and more.

The Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) serves all of Franklin, Delaware, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties and parts of Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Knox, Logan, Marion, Muskingum, Perry and Ross Counties.

Real Estate Review: February 2017

Inventory is down is Columbus, but the amount of homes in contract went up 11.4% since January! Buyers are still motivated to secure a home in this seller's market and with the national average for a fixed rate mortgage still low they have extra incentive. I'm still securing homes for buyers with two closings scheduled next week in Clintonville and Merion Village. If you are thinking of selling PLEASE don't miss the opportunity to benefit from this market and give these wonderful buyers something to celebrate! Call, email or text me today for more info 614-638-5817 pfjohnson@kw.com For a free Comparative Market Analysis done by me personally click here to find out what your home is worth in this market!

I'm a numbers girl and I love a good spreadsheet (I know, nerd) so I like to keep my clients as informed as possible. Please see the market rundown below complete with KW video and custom infographics from yours truly :) 

Here are the national real estate statistics for February 2017:

arrowdown.jpg

The number of projected home sales dipped to 5.5 million and the national median home price had a slight decrease of .09% in January to $232,000. However, the median home price is up 4% from this same time last year. Down isn't always bad as the national average for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is down 4.3% last month to 4.19% in February!

There were 2,528 central Ohio homes and condos added to the market in February, which is a 16.5 percent increase over January, although a 3.6 percent dip from February 2016. This leaves inventory at 4,286, which is a whopping 21.1 percent decrease from the same month last year according to the Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service.
 

If you thought inventory couldn’t possibly get any lower, it definitely did,” Gordon said. “However, spring is just around the corner and there are bound to be more homes hitting the market as the temperatures begin to rise.”
— Mic Gordon, 2017 President of Columbus REALTORS®

There were 1,678 central Ohio homes and condos sold during the month of February, a 5.3 percent increase from January and a .5 percent rise over the same month a year ago.

Central Ohio saw 2,754 homes go into contract during the month of February, up 11.4 percent from the previous month although down 9 percent from February 2016.
 

infographicfeb.jpg

A pending sale or a sale “in contract” is when the buyer and seller agree on terms of the sale of a home and have a signed purchase and sale agreement, but have yet to close and be recorded as such.  

The average sales price of a home in February was $190,659, up 3.4 percent from last year. The median sales price was $161,900 a 5.1 percent increase over February 2016.

The upside down or under water remnants of the Great Housing Recession are fewer and fewer with each passing month as values continue to climb and mortgage balances continue to be paid down over time,” Gordon said. “If you were in that position with your home and want to know if this market has changed your circumstance, call your REALTOR® and find out!
— Mic Gordon, 2017 President of Columbus REALTORS®

During the month of February, central Ohio homes and condos spent an average of 52 days on the market, this is eight days fewer than a year ago and just two days longer than January.

Seventy-five percent of central Ohio REALTORS® said they’re noticing a slight to substantial increase in the number of millennials expressing interest in purchasing a home, according to the latest Housing Market Confidence Index by the Ohio Association of REALTORS

When asked specifically about the low number of entry level homes available for sale, 33 percent said it’s a slight hindrance and over half (54 percent) said the low inventory is substantially hindering the millennials’ ability to purchase a home.

“Millennials are a large segment of the population and, if they don’t have an adequate selection of affordable housing to choose from, that’s definitely a problem we need to focus on solving,” Gordon said.


Article shared and all information sourced via the Columbus Board of Realtors. To view the original and for more info see below: 

Current housing report – February 2017
All housing reports

Columbus REALTORS® is comprised of over 7,600 real estate professionals engaged in residential sales and leasing, commercial sales and leasing, property management, appraisal, consultation, real estate syndication, land development and more.

The Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) serves all of Franklin, Delaware, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties and parts of Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Knox, Logan, Marion, Muskingum, Perry and Ross Counties.

Real Estate Review: December 2016

Here are the national real estate statistics for December 2016:

Home sales ended the year up at 5.6 million! The average home price is down slightly - 1.3% from the previous month at $232,000, but up 6% from this same time last year. 

The national average interest rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage is up to 3.94% which is still considered historically low. 

The Columbus Market

Central Ohio housing market saw record highs and lows in 2016!

"Central Ohio ended 2016 with the highest number of home sales and the highest home prices on record. 2016 also saw the lowest months supply and days on market, due to the lowest inventory levels on record for the Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service. 

The 31,532 home sales recorded in 2016 rose 6.8 percent above 2015 and marked a 58.9 percent increase from our lowest point (2011) since the last housing boom in the mid 2000’s. Of those sales, 26, 832 were single family homes and 4,700 were condominiums." Information via Columbus Board of REALTORS®

"Throughout 2016, the number of homes on the market stayed an average of 21.8 percent lower than in 2015. 

Central Ohio experienced the lowest inventory on record in the month of December 2016 with only 4,653 homes and condos available for sale. This is a 13.8 percent decline from November and 26.1 percent drop from the previous year.

The months supply of inventory at the end of 2016 hit a record low at 1.7 meaning that, if no more homes were added to the market, it would take less than two months to sell all of the homes and condos currently for sale in central Ohio. (A balanced market is usually around 6.5 months supply.)

During 2016, central Ohio homes and condos spent an average of 43 days on the market – 12 days fewer than 2015 and another record low." Info via Columbus Board of REALTORS®

For a quick review of the market statistics check out my infographic below with data from the Columbus Board of REALTORS®:

With the highest sales and prices, yet the lowest inventory, 2016 was indeed a year of record highs and record lows for the Columbus region,” said Gordon. Many houses are selling almost as quickly as they come on the market, which further affirms how attractive and desirable homes are in central Ohio.
— Mic Gordon, 2017 President of Columbus REALTORS®

"There were 1,468 central Ohio homes and condos added to the market in December, which is a 2.5 percent decrease in inventory from one year ago and 33.3 percent lower than the previous month (November).

The average sales price of a home in December was $196,225, up 7.2 percent from last year. The median sales price was $163,000, a 5.2 percent increase over December 2015.

There were 2,252 central Ohio homes and condos sold in December, which is a 1.1 percent increase over the previous month and remains unchanged from December 2015.

According to the latest Housing Market Confidence Index by the Ohio Association of REALTORS®, 94 percent of central Ohio REALTORS® would describe the current housing market as moderate to strong and 92 percent expect home prices to rise over the next year.

When asked how the residential real estate market will perform in 2017, 45 percent said it will improve at a fast to moderate rate, 43 percent said it will continue at its current rate and 12 percent said it will slow at a fast to moderate rate." Info via Columbus REALTORS®

Soaring home prices are another reflection of how hot the central Ohio housing market is, which continues to be beneficial for anyone who might be looking to list their home for sale, With inventory at a record low, there couldn’t be a better time than the present to put your home on the market.
— Mic Gordon, 2017 President of Columbus REALTORS®.

Article shared and all information sourced via the Columbus Board of Realtors. To view the original and for more info see below: 

Current housing report – December 2016
Annual 2016 housing report
All housing reports


Columbus REALTORS® is comprised of over 7,700 real estate professionals engaged in residential sales and leasing, commercial sales and leasing, property management, appraisal, consultation, real estate syndication, land development and more.

The Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service (MLS) serves all of Franklin, Delaware, Fayette, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Pickaway and Union Counties and parts of Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Knox, Logan, Marion, Muskingum, Perry and Ross Counties.
 

Columbest Year In Review - Happy Holidays!

shortnorthpole.jpg

The Columbus market is finishing the 2016 year strong and "is proving to be one of the best years ever for the Central Ohio real estate market" said 2016 Columbus REALTORS® President John Royer. 

We continue to have record numbers of home sales each month and the demand for homes continues to be exceedingly strong.
— Columbus REALTORS®

There were 2,227 central Ohio homes and condos sold during the month of November, a 15.8% increase over the previous year, according to the Columbus REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service. Year to date (January through November), home sales are up to 29,196 which is 7.1% above the same period in 2015. 

As the cold weather and holiday frenzy sets in, inventory naturally decreases. 2016 was dominated by a seller's market due to low inventory and low interest rates for buyers. Even though interest rates are starting to come up they are still historically low making it a great time to purchase! For all of my sellers out there, 2017 will be a great time to list with all the buyers the new year will bring and the buyers that were unable to find their dream home last year and are still hunting. 

Real estate offers flexibility, financial freedom and the ability to work as hard as you want to achieve your goals! There are no limits to your success and many different ways you can work and run your business. If anyone has questions about the industry as a client or potential job please reach out so we can talk and I'll help in any way that I can. Keller Williams is a fantastic brokerage and I've been very happy with the support, training, technology and events that are available to me. In addition to residential I am pursuing my KW Commercial designation to be mentored and learn more to better serve all of my clients. I have also joined the Keller Williams Young Professionals and helped them officially launch their Columbus Chapter! 

2016 has been a great year full of learning, open houses, happy hours and helping buyers find their dream homes! Here are some fun highlights below. From my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

To keep up with the exciting things happening in 2017 follow @columbesthomes

163rd Ohio State Fair Guide

The Ohio State Fair | July 27th - Aug 7th 

Ohio's culture is deeply rooted in tradition and the annual Ohio State Fair is no exception. If you're planning on heading to the 163rd Ohio State Fair which opened yesterday, I have a few tips for you from discounts and apps to can't miss exhibitions, Pokemon Go and more!

Highlights

For those of you who have been coming to the fair for years, be sure to check out the new attractions Sea Lion Splash and Arctic Olympics High Dive Show throughout the duration of the fair!

If you're heading down with little ones they can ride a camel ($5) or a pony ($4) in Kiddieland. You can have lots of free fun playing a giant game of tic tac toe with the family, stopping by the Monster Mural to see if you have a future Picasso on your hands and/or petting all of the adorable animals at the petting zoo.

The fair proudly hosts different educational attractions like the AG Is Cool Interactive Stations, OSU Phun with Physics, OVMA Veterinary Center, Backyard Conservation & Gardening and the Ohio State Beekeeping Association

Looking to show off this year? We have the Old Familiar Beard Bash Competition, the Ohio Best Tattoo Competition presented by High Street Tattoo and the Sunburst Beauty Pageant! If you're on the fence between spectator and star, there is also the Zumba Hip Hop Fitness Extravaganza and Dance Arts by Habeeba where you can observe different dance genres and try to learn a step or two. 

Help protect the great state of OHIO from a zombie apocalypse in the exciting new paintball course, Zombie Acres, presented by CD 102.5. Every vote counts for the People's Choice Award at the Pork Rib-Off, yes voting does mean that you will get a free sample of the best pulled pork, ribs and barbecue sauces in the state. Don't forget to participate in the Guinness World Record Breaking Ice Cream Eating Contest with Velvet Ice Cream on August 3rd at 11:30am!


Traditions

In the 1900s the tradition of butter sculpting contests began, however originally they had no restrictions on what they could sculpt. In 1903 the first butter sculpture of a cow and calf was featured and later added as a permanent fixture at the fair when the Dairy Products Building was constructed in the 1920s. In the later years, new cow and calf sculptures were created to reflect the positive ideals and cultural trends in Ohio. Some previous sculptures include Jack Nicklaus, Dave Thomas of Wendy's, Furby, Darth Vader, Neil Armstrong, Columbus' Bicentennial Birthday cake and more!

Last year's surprise sculpture was a tribute to the Ohio State University Buckeyes national championship in the college football playoffs! Keeping in theme, this year's sculpture commemorates the Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 NBA Championship victory.


FOOD

Have no fear, technology is here! The Ohio State Fair has created a mobile food finding app to help you sort through the nearly 200 different food vendors until you find the one (or two, or three, or more) that hit the spot. You can download the android version here and the Apple version here. The app also includes a schedule, a very handy park & pin feature, map, competition results and more! If you're not an app user, don't worry just keep walking, follow your nose and you will find plenty of food options from chocolate covered bacon and deep fried candy bars to traditional and delicious fair food or an assortment of ethnic cuisine. 


Entertainment

The entertainment this year is going to be amazing! The separately ticketed concert series events feature Charlie Puth w/ DNCE, Maddie & Tae, Kenny Rogers, Rachel Platten w/ A Great Big World, Dollie Parton and more. Jeff Dunham will also be at the fair on August 4th and 7th. The All Ohio State Fair Band & Youth Choir Concert is a non-ticketed event that will be on Sunday 31st at 1:00pm. For a full list of concerts visit here, for stage entertainers visit here, for Roving Entertainment please visit here and for a full list of FREE LIVE MUSIC visit here

This year fair officials made an effort to not only honor the past, but embrace the future and technology. In addition to an app, they have also jumped on the POKEMON GO bandwagon with 17 Pokestops and Pokegyms throughout the fairgrounds. You can view a full map here!


Tickets

You can purchase tickets at the fair, or for a discounted rate at your local Kroger, Ohio O'Reilly Auto Parts store and participating Ticketmaster & AAA locations. Keep in mind if you plan on attending a concert, those tickets are sold separately, but they do include fair admission. If you're looking to save some extra money, download and print this coupon book or attend the fair on one these special promotion days

Don't forget to download the Ohio State Fair APP which includes a schedule, a very handy park & pin feature, a map, competition results and more! Android version is available here and the Apple version here

This is NOT a full list of all the wonderful things going on at the 163rd Annual Ohio State Fair, but I hope it helps to get everyone started. I personally have always loved the crazy mouse ride, monkey show and general people watching. Please stay hydrated, safe and have lots of fun!

Tag #ColumbestHomes in your pictures of your favorite fair events so I can see what everyone enjoyed!