Tag: Columbus Ohio

Columbus Real Estate Market Expected to Outperform Over the Next Three to Five Years

Columbus Real Estate Market Expected to Outperform Over the Next Three to Five Years

Did you hear the recent GOOD news about Columbus, OH, from the National Association of Realtors? The Columbus Team is thrilled to share with you that our wonderful hometown and state Capital of Ohio has made the list of 10 Markets that are expected to outperform over the next three-five years. What does this mean for you? Chief Economist Lawrence Yun indicates, “some markets are clearly positioned for exceptional longer-term performance due to their relative housing affordability combined with solid local economic expansion.” Yun suggests that Columbus, along with the other nine real estate markets listed, offer many benefits to the consumer, including affordability and consistent job growth as we look ahead, making it a favorable environment to become a homeowner. When it’s time to plan your path to homeownership, upsizing, downsizing, or even deciding if you should rent or buy, The Columbus Team is here for you. We’d love to meet-up and share some FREE real estate advice with you. Consulting, planning, and advising are all part of our comprehensive approach to helping you meet your real estate goals! How can we help you?

Metro Parks Nature Adventure Camps

nature-adventure-camps-columbus-metro-parks by realhomesense.com

Many parents are starting to think about summer programs: One of the area favorites for so many children and parents are the Nature Adventure Camps at Columbus Metro Parks. These are one-week camps that offer a variety of nature experiences to keep kids busy and happy outdoors in the summer months. The programs are offered by grade, so choose the grade your child will have just completed, not the one they will enter in the fall. Most programs run 8:30am-4:30pm Monday through Thursday with a short day Friday, ending at 12:30. Programs for the smallest children may be half-days all week, check the Metro Parks website for full details about which parks offer which camps and to register. If you’re interested, register soon, as camps fill up fast!

2017 Metro Parks Nature Adventure Camps

Peek-a-Boo and Nature Too

Preschool – Ages 3-5, kids must be toilet trained but are not Kindergarten ready
Camp will include games, crafts, stories, short walks, creeking, and more. Activities will be a mix of indoors and outdoors.
June 19-23 at 8:30am-11:30am or 1:00pm-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 10-14 at 8:30-11:30am or 1:00-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $75.00

Nature and Me

Grade K, for those who have completed Kindergarten
Explore the different classes of animal such as mammals, birds, and fish with games, crafts, stories, short walks, creeking, and more. Activities will be a mix of indoor and outdoor.
June 12-16 at 8:30-11:30am Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 1:00-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $75.00

Creature Features

Grades 1-3, for those who have completed grades 1, 2, or 3
Kids compare their own skills to those of animals at running, jumping, flying (not really), balancing, and even staring! A smell scavenger hunt, tag, high jump, creeking, fishing, hiking, and a cookout are all included at most camps.
June 12-16 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 19-23 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $130.00

Metro Parks Explorers

Grades 4- 6, for those who completed grades 4, 5, or 6
Day trips to different parks to climb a rock wall, fishing and archery, GPS fun, and a day at Battelle Darby Creek exploring the water and animals who live there, and a day at Slate Run Living Historical Farm. Transportation, swimming, hiking, and a cookout at most parks are included.
June 12-16 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 19-23 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
June 26-30 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 10-14 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $145.00

Blast from the Past

Grades 4- 6, for those who completed grades 4, 5, or 6
An introduction to old-fashioned games and crafts. Make your own butter, use Indian symbol rocks to tell a story, win a potato sack relay race and more. Creeking, hiking, fishing, and a cookout are included.
July 31-August 4 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $130.00

Teen Adventurers

Grades 7- 9, for those who have completed grades 7, 8, or 9
Teens combine volunteer work with outdoor fun. Volunteer work includes activities such as painting picnic shelters, tables, and benches; litter clean-up of waterways by canoe; and other activities as needed. The fun stuff includes backpacking through Clear Creek, kayaking Scioto Grove, and climbing the rock wall at Scioto Audobon. Fishing, creeking, and making a walking stick are also included.
July 17-21 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
July 24-28 at 8:30am-4:00pm Mon-Fri
Fee $115.00.

GRANDcamp and Me

Grades 1-5, for those who have completed grades 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5
Grandparents and grandchildren register to attend TOGETHER, and participate in Creature Feature hands-on activities. Creeking, archery, and a cookout are included.
July 10-14 at 9:00am-noon Mon-Thurs, 9:00am-1:00pm Friday
Fee $40.00.

Please note: The dates and times were correct and available at time of publishing, but weather, budgets, and facility availability DO affect Metro Park schedules, so please check with the Metro Parks through the link provided for up-to-the-minute information before making your plans. Thank you!

10 Inexpensive Fall Activities in Central Ohio

10 inexpensive fall activities for the whole family - Fall Olentangy

Wondering what inexpensive fall adventures you can embark upon in Central Ohio? Autumn is here, with beautiful colors, abundant harvests, and gorgeous weather that makes most of us long to get outdoors and enjoy everything Central Ohio has to offer. Here’s a list of ten free and inexpensive activities to do in the area: try one, or be ambitious and do them all!

  1. Apple picking: Enjoy the pretty drive to Pick-ur-own farms such as Lynd Fruit Farm, and Hann Farms. Sites like PickYourOwn.org have a complete list of other U-Pick farms all over the area.
  2. Pumpkin Patches: Enjoy pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hay rides, and lots of fall fun
  3. Do your own autumn colors tour: Prepare a batch of hot mulled cider, pour it into insulated cups, grab some cookies or trail mix, and jump in the car for a tour of our town’s beautiful fall foliage. If you drive by a Columbus Metro Park, consider adding number 4 to your trip.
  4. Take a walk in the woods! Central Ohio has 19 Metro Parks, with over 230 miles of trails, from easy strolls, to demanding hikes. It’s a sensory wonderland, with the crisp scent of autumn, the crunchy leaves, the cool weather, and the boost of energy you’ll get from the exercise.
  5. While you’re thinking about the Metro Parks, check into their programs. They’ve got everything from nature talks for little ones, classes about nuts or wildfowl…often on group hikes with a naturalist, to night-time lantern strolls.
  6. Visit a local food festival, and enjoy the harvest from farmers right here in Central Ohio…nothing could be fresher!
  7. Take the produce you find at one of those local food festivals and cook up a storm! Juicy apples can become homemade apple sauce, apple pie, or tarte tatin. Robust pumpkin makes wonderful curried pumpkin soup, or pumpkin ravioli. Don’t forget kale and spinach: These cool weather greens make fabulous kale soup, or spinach salad with hot bacon dressing.
  8. Take advantage of your memberships. You probably already belong to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, The Franklin Park Conservatory, COSI, the Columbus Art Museum, or any number of other Central Ohio attraction. Each of them offers programs, seasonal displays, or a special autumn feel that you’ll miss if you don’t go this season. Don’t forget to savor your old standbys and make your membership fees work for you!
  9. Speaking of memberships, don’t forget your season passes: King’s Island and Cedar Point both have seasonal hours and programs to make Halloween events more fun. (Even further afield, think about the passes you may have bought to attractions such as Williamsburg or Hershey Park. Those summertime purchases may allow you to explore autumn values now).
  10. Crafts are a perfect idea for chilly, rainy, autumn days. Plan ahead during your walks and outdoor fun, by collecting beautiful leaves and nuts, purchasing gourds and vines, and keeping an eye out for craft-worthy items. Then when the weather coops you up indoors, create fall décor, rubbings, Thanksgiving cards, and other autumnal crafts. Sites like family.Disney.com, Good Housekeeping or Country Living can give you great craft ideas and instructions.

The Columbus Lifestyle

Columbus OH Short North

Columbus Ohio is the 14th largest city in the U.S. and the state capital. With a cost of living that is 10% lower than the national average and a steady annual growth rate of 1.8 percent. Columbus is attractive for both singles and families.

The region includes:

  • The top-ranked zoo, public library, and science museum in the nation.
  • Top-ranked most livable city, most affordable place to retire, and best place to raise kids.
  • Commute-time below the national average.
  • Home to some of the best healthcare providers in the nation, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the OhioHealth system, and OSU Medical Center.
  • Diverse sports opportunities, including multiple golf courses, bicycling, water sports, and many team sports.
  • The region is home to 20 theatre companies, 102 art galleries, and 18 museums. There is more park space per capita than any other U.S. City.
  • Sports fans can enjoy NHL Hockey, Major League Soccer, a PGA Tour Event, a beloved minor-league baseball team, and, of course, Ohio State athletics.

The Columbus region is a welcoming place with a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles represented. Neighborhoods and communities range from traditional to eclectic. No matter how you want to live, the region is sure to have a place that feels just like home. Your Columbus Team Realtor can help you select the community that is right for you.

Traveling to visit family and friends is easy and convenient. The Port Columbus International Airport has invested more than $210 million in the past five years for easy arrival, departure, and personal comfort. The region is crossed by eight major interstate highways. Our Columbus region is located within a one-day drive or one-hour flight of over half the population of the U.S. and Canada.

To learn more about the advantages of living in the Columbus, Ohio, area contact The Columbus Team by calling 614-888-6100.

Visits with Santa around Columbus! 2019

Where to visit with Santa - Santa and girlIs your little one eager to visit Santa and whisper holiday wishes into his ear? Are you hoping to get a great Christmas photo with the jolly old elf himself? Here’s a list of places around town where Santa is making himself available for boys and girls of all ages to have a quick chat and a photo!

Columbus Symphony Pops Series: Holiday Pops

Friday, December 6, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 7, 3 p.m.
Saturday, December 7, 8 p.m.
Sunday, December 8, 3 p.m.

* Kids can take their picture with Santa after the 3 p.m. concerts

39 E. State St.
Columbus, OH 43215
614-469-0939

Columbus Zoo, Wildlights

November 16, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Sunday – Thursdays (5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
Fridays and Saturdays (5:00 p.m. – 10 p.m.)

* Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day

* Santa’s Holiday Home in North America section at Battelle Ice Bear Outpost. Professional photographs available for an additional fee. The Claus’ not available after December 23.

Franklin Park Conservatory

Candlelight dinner, family crafting fun, decorating cookies, and visits with Santa!  There are several holiday events throughout the month of December.  Check their event page for more.  Breakfast with Santa is sold out.

1777 E. Broad St
Columbus, OH 43203

Eastland Mall

Breakfast with Santa – Sat, December 21, 10:00am – 11:30am
Santa Photos – Sun, December 22, 12:00pm – 02:30pm

Easton Town Center

Daily – November 22 – December 24, 2019
Monday – Saturday (10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
Breaks: 1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. / 4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sundays (11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.)
Break: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
December 24 (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)

* “Reserve your spot in line on site, at home, or on your phone! Both reservations and walk-up appointments will be available, however, reservations are strongly encouraged.”

Hilliard Ohio Historical Society

Sunday, December 8 (3 p.m. – 6 p.m.)

* Weaver Park

Polaris Fashion Place 

Santa’s Schedule
Thursday, December 5 (10:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Friday, December 6 (10:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Saturday, December 7 (10:15 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Sunday, December 8 (11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.)
Monday, December 9 (10:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Tuesday, December 10 (10:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Wednesday, December 11 (10:00 a.m. – 9 p.m.)

Please check out their website to see all the fantastic Holiday events they have planned in addition to the events listed below.

Santa’s Stories with Mrs. Claus – Wednesday, December 11th at 4:30 – 6:00 pm  FREE at Santaville in Center Court.

Cookies & Claus – Friday, December 20th at 4:30 – 6:00 pm  FREE at Santaville in Center Court. Decorate your own Cheryl’s cookie with frosting and holiday sprinkles, complimentary of Polaris Fashion Place.