new homes happenings

Buckeyes host Navy on 09/05/2009

2009-09-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

"On September 5, 2009 the Ohio State University Buckeyes open their season by hosting the US Navy Football team at the horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio. Fans in the stadium have been urged to stand for the Navy team as they take the field just as tradition holds that they stand as the Buckeyes take the field. Going around the web in Buckeye country is a video request that not only encourages fans to stand and honor the service academy teams but show appreciation from all stadiums hosting a Service Academy team!

As a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer living in the heart of Buckeye country and not able to attend this great occasion, this certainly warms my heart. If I were able, I would be in uniform in that stadium and cheer on my Navy team. In my house it is a declared holiday on the first saturday in December for the Navy - Army game! Friends and family know not to bother me until the conclusion of the end of game ceremonies. Then and only then, can the party hosting begin. But, that's just me. This year means even more because my son has joined the cursed Army and will cheer on the dreaded black shirted mudslingers. Next year, I will place a bet with him and the looser will need to sing the alma mater of the winning team! I'm pretty sure I don't need to learn the words to that Army song (if they even have one!) but just in case I better look it up. I wouldn't want to be unprepared. A good Sailor is NEVER unprepared.

Please join the Buckeye nation and spread this link around far and wide and don't forget to leave your comments...good or bad.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=145958192278&ref=mf"

What if you were tired of your landlord and didn't know what to do?

2009-09-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

What if YOU were tired of your landlord and didn't know what to do? Your lease renewal is coming up within a few months and you have already been advised that the rent is going up. Automatically it goes up if you don't sign a lease and go month-to-month but now you know that even if you do sign another lease your rent is going up. Look around your community. How has the maintenance been? Notice the potholes in the parking lot? How about the lights out in the parking lot. How far is that parking lot from your front door and how many hikes does it take to carry in groceries? Look at the laundry matt. Are all the machines working? How many times have you had to remove someone Else's laundry so you could wash or dry your own? How many of the amenities does your complex have that you actually use? If you do use them, are they in good repair and actually able to be used during the hours you need them? Look around your apartment. Have they painted? How's the carpet? Winter winds are coming. Have the leaks under the doors and around the windows been repaired? Does your furnace work? Has the air cleaner been replaced? How old is that gas line supplying the furnace? How efficient is that old furnace? Will it make it through the cold dark winter months or will you be stuck in a cold apartment in the middle of a sub-zero night waiting on the maintenance crew who have other problems to fix before they can make it to you.

So. What if you were tired of your landlord and didn't know what to do? Who would you talk to? Another apartment leasing agent and get the same song and dance promises? Stay where you are going month-to-month and take your chances? Move back in with parents...OMG NO NO NO!!! Move in with friends and take a chance that their apartment complex is better. Take a chance with your friendship by living with them and coordinating who does what, when, and which part of the living room you can leave your shoes in? Or talk with someone who can lead you down the path to home ownership? What if you were tired of your landlord. Home ownership? There are many questions going through your head right now, as well there should be. Can I afford it? Can I find a home I can afford? Will I qualify for financing? I have no idea of how my credit is? I'm single and no single person buys a home. I'm getting married and I should wait till we are ready to start a family. I want to buy a new car/boat/airplane. How much do I need to put down because I don't have that much money saved up. Most likely many more questions come up when first thinking about buying a home for the first time. So. What if you were tired of your landlord and didn't know what to do?

Realize you are tired of your landlord is the first step. Every program worth its salt has a step program and buying a home is no different. Step one is to know you are absolutely tired of paying rent increases for living in the same place. Placing rent payments into someone Else's pocket while your apartment crumbles around you and you no longer have enough room for all your "stuff". Tired of taking a hike to take the trash out. Tired of taking a hike to bring groceries in. Tired of taking a hike to get to your car. Tired of taking a hike to get the mail. Tired of telling the pizza delivery guy how to find your place. Tired of dealing with the holes in the parking lot. Tired of calling the landlord two or three times because the toilet keeps running, or worse yet...won't work at all. Tired of dealing with drafty windows and drafty doors and high energy bills trying to keep your place cooled or warmed. You've made the first step. You have identified a problem and know you need help with solving it. So, if you are tired of your landlord and don't know what to do here's the second step. Call and talk to a friend in the business. Not the rental business, but the home ownership business. Someone who will speak honestly and tell you whether or not he can help you with your problem. Someone who understands and will take the time to find out the best course of action for you to take. Someone who understands the nature of financing and can explain the process in language you can understand. Someone who isn't afraid to answer a phone call and is always glad you came by the office.
Know anyone like that? Well, you do now. I'm glad to take your call and set up a time we can speak candidly on your problem of being tired of your landlord and not knowing what to do. If I cannot help you but think someone else can, I will refer you to that person. No obligation and no expense. Just facts for you to make an informed decision. That's the way I do business and that's what you should expect. Honesty, sincerity and integrity. Anything less and I wouldn't work with Maronda Homes.

What you were tired of your landlord and didn't know what to do. Now you know. Call me; 614 875-4790 or email at; kappm@maronda.com. Visit us 24 hours a day at http://www.maronda.com/

New Lineup for Autumn Grove, Grove City, Ohio

2009-09-01T15:20:00.001-07:00

Many of you have been waiting patiently for the new lineup for Autumn Grove, Grove City,Ohio and it is finally here and official! Gone is the large Prescott! Gone is the McKinley other than the inventory. Gone is the Cambridge. Here to stay is the Turnberry, Worthington, Winterhaven, Elcott, Bridgeport and Fairport. Introducing a new model for Autumn Grove lineup...the Jordan ranch home with FINISHED BASEMENT!

With the new lineup for Autumn Grove, Grove City, Ohio the starting prices for the homesites are now in the $170's instead of the $200's! WOW, what a change. The overall look and feel of the community will stay intact with the loads of Green spaces and larger lot sizes and only 47 homesites in the first phase. We are still located on the quiet side of Grove City and our neighbors still wave at us everyday. And yes, some of the neighbors are still horses and like carrots! Eventually a path will connect each of the large green common areas to the pond to allow all neighbors of Autumn Grove to walk around safely within our own community. Just down the road is the YMCA recreation facility on Orders Road and just around the corner on SR62 is Grove City Town Center. Grove City Town Center is home to not only the Farmers Market, but Arts in the Alley, music and of course the annual Tree Lighting Festival just after Thanksgiving!

A fresh new look and new lineup for Autumn Grove, Grove City, Ohio. A new build home in a great community, close enough to everything but still a relaxing location. And now with a GREAT NEW PRICE!! Visit the website at www.Maronda.com and for more information call me at; 614 875-4790 or email me at kappm@maronda.com.

Nanny's Eats and Sweets set to Reopen!

2009-09-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Nanny's Eats and Sweets is set to reopen under new ownership. Nanny's has been a local favorite for several years serving traditional breakfast and lunch fare to Pataskala citizens. This is still a staple of the new owners who want to serve not only the regulars but add to their customer base by eventually extending business hours to include dinner. Also available are reasonably priced box lunches and with call ahead service they can prepare a business catering event that will set a new standard and that all will enjoy.

Readily identifiable menu items in the small cozy setting of Nanny's Eats and Sweets brings one to remember those wonderful breakfasts and lunches in Grandmothers kitchen. This is the feeling the new owners wish to keep and extend to the old regulars and the new customers trying Nanny's Eats and Sweets for the first time. Their business philosophy is to offer 5 Star Service at a 1 or 2 Star price and they will never sacrifice quality to do it. The old standbys will still be on the menu but added will be what may soon become regional favorites with a visit from Bobby Flay for a "Throw Down". The potato salad is addicting! The sausage gravy prepared from scratch! The Reuben is second to none and will pry the gold from a leprechauns fist! Fresh daily will be different homemade soups including a potato soup rivaling any major chain restaurants! In the plans are daily specials and Saturday college football buffet events where you can enjoy viewing a college football game and a great reasonably priced buffet, and they are talking about wireless internet service for the business lunch crowd.

Ready for great service and great food? Go to Nanny's Eats and Sweets at 66 Oak Meadow Drive, Pataskala Square Shopping Center, Pataskala, Ohio. The shopping center is easily found West of RT310 just off Broad Street behind the Chase Bank. Call ahead for a quick box lunch pickup to 740-964-1100.

Tax Incentive for First Time Buyers

2009-08-08T11:04:00.000-07:00

While speaking with my wife over the last two days (She is a Realtor with CBKT-Newark, Ohio) I came to the glaring realization that many people are still riding the fence for Real Estate purchases because they actually feel they will be able to find a home and get financing in a short amount of time! WOW!!! After I picked my jaw up off the ground, I started doing some research and performing some quick calculations and have come to the conclusion that though there is still time, there isn't much time.

Here's why. Let's assume a buyer is pre-qualified and starts looking today. Most buyers don't really know;
1. what type of home they want
2. what community they want to be in
3. what all is involved in buying a house
While some people know that they don't know, there are more people that don't know what they don't know so don't know what to ask or how to get the right answers. So, some will blunder along aimlessly until late October and find themselves in a pickle. The ones that know that they don't know, will find a reputable person to help them in their search. Neither group really will understand the time line involved in getting the first time homebuyer credit. Even with pre-qualification completed there is a time lag between starting a search, making and accepting an offer and arranging financing. As I have seen in this industry, certain types of financing takes up to 45 days to obtain. That's IF all the documents are presented properly the FIRST time.

45 days! Just the finance part of this transaction. The client interview and the search is an average of another 14 days. So now we are up to 59 days. The deadline for closing and claiming the credit is 11/30/2009, so if we back up 59 days from that we come up with 10/02/2009 as D-Day! From the date of this post (08/08/09) leaves just 55 days! Spine tingling, huh? So now you need to make a choice...sit on the sofa and watch baseball season turn into football season and miss the deadline or make a simple phone call. 6-1-4-8-7-5-4-7-9-0. I'm here and ready to help.

Let's talk

$8000 First Time Homebuyer Incentive clock is ticking

2009-07-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Have you claimed your share of the Tax Credit? Do you know if you even qualify? Don't worry, many people don't know if they qualify or even the time limits for qualifying for the credit.

You need to know that you must have possession of a new home BEFORE 12/01/2009. This means that if you haven't started shopping for a new home your time is limited. Not everyone qualifies for the credit and you must fit through some pretty tight restraints to get it. Basically, you cannot have owned a home in your name for the last 3 years. If you are married, neither of you could have owned a home for the last 3 years! No matter if one spouse did and the other didn't you still won't qualify for the credit. Thank Uncle Sam...don't blame me. If two single persons are buying a home, one person previously owned and the second did not then the second buyer would qualify for the credit. Uncle Sam says you folks need to work out the arrangements of the credit after it is claimed. You must close on the home prior to 12/01/2009 and after 01/01/2009 and the tax credit is 10% of the closing price of the home up to a maximum of $8000. There are some other guidelines for the credit qualification but this will get you started.

So what should you do if you and your spouse (if married) appear to qualify? Figure out which community you want to live in. What style of new home you desire and would fit your needs/wants/dreams. Gather together your income statements, debts and your dreams and give me a call. Maronda Homes has many inventory homes available in different areas of Central Ohio. I can run a pre-qualification for you at no cost and have the information back within just a few days. Then it's finding the perfect home, in the perfect community, at the right price with a mortgage you can live with. The clock is ticking and who knows what Congress will do with the First Time Homebuyer incentive.

What's the worst that could happen if you get your information together and we sit down and talk things out? You walk away, not a penny poorer but much richer for the information I give you! The best case scenario is that we find you THE home and you can close on it AND claim your share of the tax incentive! Either way you win. The first gives you information and the ability to know how to get your dream. The second, you get to move into a brand new home. Another possible option is that you decide to build your home with Your color of carpet and flooring and cabinet choices and select the homesite you want your new home on! Yep, you win again!!

See the photographs of Maronda Homes Autumn Grove community of Grove City Ohio on the side of this blog page. These homes are available NOW and located in Autumn Grove. If Grove City, Ohio is not your choice of community, I can show you homes available in Delaware, Galloway, Commercial Point, Ashville, Lithopolis, Groveport, Columbus, Canal Winchester, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg and Pataskala. Not really into a single family home but really would much rather have a Townhome? We have Townhome communities in Columbus, Canal Winchester and Pataskala. The first step is for you to contact me after you assemble your information. Together, we'll sit down and discuss what you want and need in a new home and where you want to live. No obligation and no committment. For our first meeting...leave your money at home! I'm interested in talking with you about what you want and need in a new home before we even start to select a home. Because the wrong home at ANY price is not a bargain!

Call me at 614 875-4790. Email me at martykapp@yahoo.com. I look forward to meeting you and helping you find the right home.

Maronda New Home community of Autumn Grove in Grove City, Ohio

2009-07-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Maronda Homes community of Autumn Grove is located just south of Grove City, Ohio off route SR62 and Rensch Road. Surrounding this community is farm land with many horse farms making this the quiet side of Grove City. We have only 47 homesites planed for the first phase with starting prices in the $190,000's. All homes will be over 2000 square feet and Autumn Grove community is the first Central Ohio Maronda Homes community to feature the new Maronda Homes Presidential Series! Green spaces buffer Rensch Road from the community as well as being planned into the community in general. Bike/walking paths will be installed at a later date for the enjoyment and excercise of the residents. Currently we have one pond with a walking path around it and residents enjoy watching Geese, ducks and Blue Herons make their homes in the nearby brush or enjoy a swim. Autumn Grove is just a few miles away from Grove City so summer and fall Saturdays can be enjoyed at the Grove City Farmers Market from 8AM to noon! This is one of the best Farmers Markets around and Grove City residents have enjoyed this for many years. Also nearby for Maronda's Autumn Grove residents to enjoy is Grove City's newest YMCA facility on Orders Road. With Grove City being a adjacent of Columbus, Ohio, shopping and fine dining and cultural events are only minutes away by convenient freeway access of I-71 and I-270. Come and find tranquility in the country at Maronda Homes community of Autumn Grove. If you haven't seen a Maronda Home lately, you don't know what you're missing!

Maronda Homes community of Autumn Grove, Grove City, Ohio

2009-07-23T13:00:00.001-07:00

Maronda Homes new homes community of Autumn Grove

steps to buying a home - financing

2009-07-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

Buying a home takes courage and knowledge. Courage to face your fears, doubts and questions. Knowledge of the process and how it works with you and for you. I goal is to help you with the knowledge. You are on your own to get the courage. That's what friends and families are for! With the right knowledge you can gain some of the courage needed to untangle the home buying process. However, it's up to you to decide when you are ready and be brave enough to start the process. Knowledge without action doesn't give you a home!

I will be giving you many steps in the home buying process. Some of these steps you can do on your own and others require assistance from a professional. I will not give our referrals in this blog, but I will let you know that should you get stuck and need direction, I am available for consultation either by email or phone. Ready? Let's go...

The steps in the process are;

1. Credit standing
2. Debt to Income ratios/pre-qual
3. Initial Investments/Down Payments Investments Down Payments
4. Select a community/home style/needs-wants-desires
5. Select ONE, make an offer
6. follow up with financing