Upper Arlington

Superintendant Weaver of the Upper Arlington school disctirct spoke last Wednesday at the Northwest Area Realtors meeting. His topic was the importance of the upcoming school levy. For someone new to the area and the school district, this guy really knows his stuff! Of course, speaking to Realtors about the importance of education is preaching to the choir. We all know how interwoven schools and home values are. Or do we? Upper Arlington would not be the community it is without the excellent standard of education we hold. Nobody likes to see taxes go up, but the educational excellence of our community insures the quality of life we cherish so dearly. Whether you beleive strongly in education or you simply want to insure that home values in Upper Arlington remain strong, the school levy is imperative.

Wax On

I talk to people every single day who have fallen victim to bad real estate advice from agents just looking to make a quick buck. Did you know that 1/3 of the 1.3 million real estate agents in the U.S. performed 0-1 transactions last year? And two-thirds performed less than 5 transactions. In reality, less than 10% of real estate agents do more than 90% of the total volume of transactions. So, here's a question. Would you trust a surgeon who only did one operation a year? Then why would people trust any agent with a license and heart beat to handle the most important financial transaction of their lives?

It's time to raise the bar on our profession. We need to raise the standards, raise the ethics, raise the barriers to entry, raise the educational standards... Should I keep going? Then people will seek out competent real estate counselors for guidance on truly important matters. My soap box for the day!

Columbus Condo Quest

It's a great time to buy a condo in Columbus! If you haven't gotten out to the annual Columbus Condo Quest, there's still time. It runs from September 29 to October 7. There are over 40 different locations showing condos of all price ranges in various parts of greater Columbus.

And let me add two spectacular choices to the list!
- 5172 Vinings Bend. This is a gorgeous virtually new condo in The Vinings at Tuttle Crossing. Three bedrooms and two full baths, with a Florida Room and beautiful maple Kitchen. Priced at $209,900.
- 4598 Sandringham is a beautiful lofted condo in Upper Arlington. Features 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, plus a loft and finished rec. room. The kitchen was recently updated with all granite and ceramic tile. Priced below market at $199,900.

For more information on Condo Quest, go to www.columbuscondoquest.com. And for more information about Chip Bruss & Associates, visit www.chipbruss.com. Have fun!