Central Ohio Area Home Sales Up 7% In January

clipped from columbus.bizjournals.com A late-year spike in Central Ohio home sales continued into 2010, with the Columbus Board of Realtors reporting a nearly 7 percent gain in activity last month. The board in its monthly report on sales of single-family homes and condominiums said 1,025 units were sold in January, up 6.9 percent from 959 in January 2009. The average sale price of a home grew 6 percent to $145,993 from $137,446. Home sales in contract, an indication of future activity, fell 9 percent last month to 926 from 1,016 last year. At the same time, the backlog of homes on the market held nearly flat at 13,530 units, down 20 homes from a year ago. The board said January marks the fifth consecutive month of sales gains in Central Ohio, fueled by the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit that received an extension late last year. Board President Sue Lusk-Gleich said in a release that activity is outperforming expectations and gains are expected in the coming months.

“While there are still some reasons to be cautious, it seems there are just as many reasons to be optimistic,” she said.

Central Ohio home sales fell 4 percent in 2009 to 20,235 units. The board’s statistics include market information from most of the traditional seven-county Columbus region plus parts of nine nearby counties.

Voodoo Denim Lounge Opening Soon in Short North in the old Norka Futon space

From an interview with Walker Evans

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com Norka Futon only closed their doors on January 31st, but the retail space at 780 North High Street won’t be sitting empty for long. The Voodoo Denim Lounge will be opening up in that space in mid-March and bringing a variety of clothing brands to Short North shoppers. We recently caught up with Partner Jimmy Schaub to see what we can expect to find in the new store.

Walker Evans: First tell us a bit about the location, and why you picked it?

Jimmy Schaub: We picked it because we want to be a destination store, and the Short North has created the only urban lifestyle shopping experience in Columbus. Everyone involved with Voodoo has been involved in Short North area for a while now, and wouldn’t want to do this in any other area. We believe in the growth of Columbus and are excited to have a small hand in that! The vibe and layout of the store are unique to anything that’s available in Columbus at this time and we are excited to share that with everyone. We are taking over the old Norka spot which is a huge open space with lots of room to do some fun stuff with our layout.

WE: What caused you to want to go into retail?

JS: We all have a passion for the fashion industry, and it’s fun to be able to introduce some new lines to Columbus. We also have Kevin Van Order (previously of Dr Mojoe) as a part of our team and I think that anyone who has ever spoken with him can just feel his excitement for the denim industry. It really is contagious and I believe we’ve got a great team on our hands.

WE: What sort of lines or styles are you going to be carrying?

JS: We will specialize in premium denim but will also carry other types of apparel and accessories. We are excited to bring Vintage 1 to Columbus. Other lines we will be carrying are J Brand, AG, William Rast, Prvcy, Seven for all Mankind, Siwy, Splendid, Ella Moss, Scotch & Soda, Plain Jane, Diesel, Hudson, JJ Winters Handbags, Tart, Alternative Apparel, Badcock and several others.

WE: What type of customers are you catering toward?

JS: Not to sound too cliche, but we really are focusing on having something for everyone. Our product will be for all ages, different lifestyles, and different price levels. We want anyone to be able to walk into our store and be able to find something for all types of occasions.

WE: When is the opening date scheduled and are there any grand opening events in the works?

JS: Our target opening date will be either March 11th or March 18th, depending on construction. We will be having a grand opening event, and we will have that information on that soon!

More information can be found online at VoodooDenimLounge.com.

Columbus Police Propose Changes in the Short North Area: Action Needed

Please read and consider taking action. More historical information and news articles are available at the link below.

clipped from italianvillage.org Columbus Division of Police Proposal Dissolves 1st Precinct In January, CPD unveiled plans to redraw some police precincts including the 1st precinct -- Short North area. The current northern boundary is 5th Avenue, but plans are to change it to 3rd Avenue. This splits the Short North neighborhoods (Harrison West, Italian & Victorian Villages) and puts certain areas on different police radio channels as 3rd Avenue will also be the police district boundary. The proposal also includes the transfer of 27 1st Precinct officers to the Polaris area and to split the precinct in two -- giving the northern portion to the University Precinct and the southern portion to the Downtown Precinct without manpower increases. Click here for a map of the current and proposed precincts with calls for service chart. (courtesy of the Columbus Dispatch)

What's at risk?

Community/Police Relations
Longer Response Times to Call for Service
Safe Neighborhoods
Liaison Officer
Your Safety…?

What you can do...

(1) Write, email or call City Hall and tell them you want the Short North neighborhoods in the same police precinct and district.

Columbus Police Chief Walter Distelzweig: 614-645-4600

City Council Public Safety Chair Andrew Ginther: 614-645-2931 / ajginther@columbus.gov

Public Safety Director Mitchell Brown: 614-645-8210 / mjbrown@columbus.gov

(2) Download a template letter here and simply copy and paste into your email.

(3) Sign the online petition and we'll forward it to Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman & Public Safety Director Mitchell J. Brown.

(4) Stay informed and act. We'll keep you posted, but need your continued support.

Yesterday Bernard’s Tavern Opened in the Short North in the old East Village space

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com This Wednesday, February 17th, Bernard’s Tavern will be opening in the old East Village Spot located at 630 N. High Street in the Short North. The new venue will offer a variety of craft, import, and draft beers in addition to their full bar. They will also feature a “tavern” menu that includes mini-sandwiches, salads, burgers and vegetarian options. More information can be found at BernardsTavern.com.

According to Zillow: Owners are misguided on home values

I have been saying this for a year. Sellers do not know how bad the market is and buyers do not know how good the market is. This proves my point about sellers.

clipped from columbus.bizjournals.com The reality of slumping real-estate values appears to be setting in for homeowners nationwide – maybe a bit too much. A new report from Seattle-based real-estate database Zillow.com found that half of all homeowners surveyed nationwide believe their own homes lost value last year, while 30 percent say they believe the value held steady. In reality, 65 percent of all homes lost value last year and only 7 percent maintained their value.

While Zillow’s data show a gap between perception and reality, an index the company compiles that compares a number of perceptions to reality showed homeowners were slightly more pessimistic on the whole than necessary, marking the first time the company has seen more negative sentiment than in reality.

In the Midwest, homeowners appear to be slightly more optimistic – and thus less realistic – than the nationwide average. Of those surveyed in the region, 46 percent believed their homes lost value and 31 percent told Zillow they believed value held steady. In reality, 64 percent of all homes in the Midwest declined in value, while only 7 percent held steady.

“Homeowners are finally succumbing to the notion that, in most areas, declining home values over the past year are no longer the exception, they are the rule,” Zillow Chief Economist Stan Humphries said in a release.

Looking ahead, Zillow said homeowners appear optimistic about the course of home values over the next six month based on recent news of some housing market stabilization. Humphries said hopes might be too high.

“Home values in many markets are still under substantial downward pressure from high levels of foreclosures and we don’t believe we’ll see a definitive bottom nationally until the second quarter of this year,” he said.

Pollster Harris Interactive conducted the survey for Zillow, gathering online data from 2,215 adults from Jan. 8-12.

Nancy's in Clintonville is reopening this Friday!

Niece, community rally to reopen Clintonville comfort-food eatery Friday

clipped from www.dispatch.com Monica Lachman, left, became an investor in Nancy's after Sheila Davis Hahn put her college studies on hold to help reopen the restaurant. Tuesday, February 16, 2010 2:54 AM By Denise Trowbridge FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Fans of Nancy's Home Cooking, mark Friday on your calendar. That's when the Clintonville institution will begin dishing up chicken and noodles and other specialties again. Credit Sheila Davis Hahn and her decision to trade her textbooks for cookbooks for spearheading efforts to reopen the neighborhood mainstay.

She was sitting in class at Ohio State University when loyalty to her aunt's business overtook her scholastic ambitions.

"Do I keep going to school, or do I give this up and go full steam (and help reopen Nancy's)?"

She decided to put her master's degree in social work on hold and dedicate all her energy to reopening her aunt Cindy King's beloved neighborhood eatery at 3133 N. High St. "The more I went to see Cindy and saw how heartbroken she was, the more I wanted to do it," Hahn said. "She gave this place 40 years of heart and soul."

Her work with Nancy's continues a family tradition.

"My grandparents worked for Cindy. I would come in with them and make coleslaw. I've been in this restaurant since I was 5, but I never thought I would continue it. It was Cindy's life, not mine, but things happen for a reason."

Whatever the reason, Nancy's is back with its traditional menu. You can still order the garbage omelet with bacon, ham, sausage, green peppers, onion, tomatoes, and cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, and the sausage gravy and biscuits will now be available every day, not just on weekends. There will be a lunch special every day.

What's changed a bit are the prices. Nancy's meals usually cost about $5, including the drink. Now, most of the meals will cost about $1 more.

"We had to raise prices, but after everything we've been through, I don't think customers will have a problem with that," Hahn said.

The road to opening day has been as fraught with hardships as the circumstances that led King to close Nancy's Home Cooking in the first place.

The doors shut -- supposedly forever -- on June 1 after 38 years. In throwing in the spatula, King cited professional and personal crises, including rising food prices, construction along High Street, mounting medical bills and health problems.

It seems that no one would let the diner go quietly.

Hahn and a handful of other relatives formed a partnership to revive the diner, but everyone but Hahn dropped out along the way. Nancy's needed expensive upgrades, including a new fire-suppression system, exhaust and a hood in the kitchen.

The restaurant was supposed to reopen in November, but the contractor hired to bring the space up to code quit. "He handed back my check and said 'Sorry,' " Hahn said. "We had to go back to square one."

Eventually, things started to look up.

The landlords offered free rent for three months to give backers time to decide what to do with the restaurant. Hahn's longtime friend Monica Lachman, a co-owner of Ledo's Lounge, became an investor.

Then, Hahn's husband, Rick, was laid off in September, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. "It hasn't been such a bad thing after all," Hahn said. "He's put a lot of manpower into Nancy's."

Nancy's fans Conor Malloy and Kimberly Burky started a "Save Nancy's Home Cooking" Facebook page that has 4,107 fans. Former customers from as far away as England have donated about $13,000 to help reopen the restaurant. A "Kegs & Eggs" fundraiser held last spring raised an additional $2,000.

Lowe's donated new flooring, and people have stopped by during the renovation and volunteered to help paint and clean.

"It's crazy. I didn't realize how much my aunt's business meant to people," Hahn said. "That's what Cindy meant to these people. They're not doing it for me."

The smiling face of Cindy King will be part of the new Nancy's, but she won't be on the clock. "She's going to come in, pour some coffee, run her mouth off and have lunch with her friends," Hahn said. "If she's happy, I'm happy."

Nancy's Home Cooking is open 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day.

Central Ohio Home Values Could See 'Double-Dip' Decline

clipped from columbus.bizjournals.com Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 2:39pm EST Report: Area home values could see ‘double-dip’ decline Business First of Columbus Columbus area homes retained their value better than the nationwide average last year, but a report from a Seattle market research firm indicates the city could heading for a rough patch in 2010. Real estate database Zillow.com said the median value of all homes in the U.S. fell 5 percent to $186,200 in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared with the same period in 2008. The median home value in the Columbus area, meanwhile, nudged up 0.4 percent to $139,700 in the last three months of the year.

While home values were up from 2008 in Columbus, the area saw its fourth consecutive month-to-month decline in value following seven months of gains. It’s a sign, Zillow said, that the area could experience another sustained drop this year. Columbus is one of 24 metropolitan areas Zillow says could be approaching a so-called double-dip decline.

However, Zillow Economist Stan Humphries said in a release there’s good news for markets expected to face declines.

“For those markets that will see a double dip in home values before reaching a definitive bottom, this second dip will not be a return to the magnitude of depreciation seen earlier, but rather will look more like a modest aftershock of the earlier downturn,” Humphries said.

Interactive information on home values nationwide is available by clicking here.

This is Columbus Data:

Zillow Home Value Index

More Columbus Metro Home Values