Don't miss this great event that heralds the start of spring and the planting season for so many of us.  The Toledo Botanical Garden holds this gardening festival Mother's Day weekend.  Bring your mother on Mother's Day and treat her to a box picnic lunch. 

The TBG sells many plants grown specially for the sale in their greenhouses and always includes new varieties of garden favorites.  This year TBG is offering a black stemmed hydrangea named Hydrangea Macrophylla "Nigra" and a compact larkspur from New Zealand named Delphinium Elatum "Morning Lights" that won't need staked.

You'll also find Oak Opening Natives, herbs sold by the Maumee Valley Herb Society, vegetables, roses, an extensive collection of shade perennials, and hanging baskets.

Here are the days and hours of the sale...

Friday May 8, 10 am to 5 pm

Saturday May 9, 10 am to 5 pm

Sunday May 10, 10 am to 5 pm

Toledo Botanical Garden is located 5403 Elmer Drive which runs between Reynolds Rd and Holland-Sylvania Rd. just south of Central Avenue.  For more information, call them at 419-536-5566 or link to their website here.

 

 

If you're like me, you're looking to great and different things to do in this economy that don't cost a fortune.  Have you visited the Appold Planetarium at Lourdes College in Sylvania, Ohio?  This is a great place to find affordable family entertainment and education.  Currently the Appold Planetarium has an animated 3D simulation of the birth and death of stars.  The Black Holes presentation happens this Saturday, April 25^th at 7:30 PM.  Adult tickets are $4 and kids only $3.  Your kids will love the idea of spaghettification that would happen to anything falling into or rather being drawn into a black hole.  Appold Planetarium is located at 6832 Convent Blvd.

 

Link to the trailer for this show here…

http://www.lourdes.edu/AppoldPlanetarium/tabid/170/Default.aspx

 

The Toledo, Ohio real estate market conditions may be starting to improve.  We have seen a fairly flat market for the past half year.  But, our numbers for March 2009 look promising.  The number of homes actively for sale in March 2009 is less than a year ago in March 2008.  And, many more homes were sold in March of 2009 than a year ago.  These statistics are from the Toledo, Ohio Multiple Listing Service that includes all of Toledo, Ohio and the suburbs of Sylvania, Springfield, Maumee, Monclova, Perrysburg, Rossford and Oregon.

 

Some local press reports have the average values down 30% from a year ago which doesn’t really accurately reflect the whole market because so many more low value foreclosed homes have sold in the past year.  Mid-range and luxury homes are selling more slowly, but have values only off 12-24% from highs in 2005 depending on neighborhoods.

I get asked all the time by my buying clients in the Toledo, Ohio area to show them foreclosed homes.  I know what they are thinking...that they can get a great deal saving thousands on a home in Sylvania, Maumee, Springfield or Perrysburg.  But can they?  I have to answer with a qualified perhaps.  Homes always sell at market value.  A suburban Toledo or West or South Toledo home that is being sold as a foreclosed home has had a few years of spotty maintenance, perhaps intentional damage by the poor person who lost the place, had all its utilities turned off which may have resulted in burst plumbing and likely been vandalized for appliances, furnaces and whatever of value can be stolen at night.  Foreclosed homes sell for low prices because they are in bad shape.  Now if you have the time and expertise or know inexpensive people who can do the work to make the repairs, you may be able to improve the house and have less invested in it than if you'd just bought a home in decent condition.  But, if you are hiring Lowes or Home Depot to come and do the work, you'll have spent more in the long run and have more invested than you could turn around and sell it for.  Local Toledo area flippers have learned that lesson the hard way.  Still foreclosed homes are being purchased, fixed up and rented by many people as nice investments.  But, we Realtors are always looking for a diamond in the rough just like everyone else.

I've attended two meetings in the past week dealing with the new FEMA -Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Plain maps for Lucas County, Ohio.  If you are buying a home in a designated Special Flood Hazard Area, you will be required to purchase flood insurance if getting a Federally backed loan (which most loans are).  That hasn't changed, but here is some important information about the new flood maps and flood insurance:

• The maps are preliminary now, but will become finalized next year after a series of neighborhood meetings.
• Anyone can buy flood insurance.  Apparently a good 25% of all Lucas County homes that flood each year are outside of the 100 year flood plain. 
• Regular home owners insurance does not cover damage due to flooding.
• Homes that will be moved into the 100 year flood plain areas with the new maps can purchase flood insurance now and be grandfathered in at the lower rate.

Click here to see the digital preliminary maps.

1305 Stanwix Drive, Toledo, Ohio 43614

Offered at $99,900

Check out how nice this 3 bedroom front porch Bungalow is located near the Glendale-South Detroit Street intersection!  This South Toledo home for sale features hardwood flooring, a finished basement with built-in cabinets and shelving, newer windows, central air conditioning, fenced backyard and a 2+ car garage.  This home has a separate laundry room in the basement and basement bonus room suitable for a small office, exercise room or just extra storage. Loads of storage throughout the home. The sellers are avid gardeners and have a number of flowering shrubs, perennial beds, vegetable gardens and a pond in the back yard.  This South Toledo home is just 1/2 mile from UT's College of Medicine and close to the Maumee River.  Elementary age school children would attend Harvard Elementary in the Toledo Public School System.  Home warranty and all kitchen and laundry appliances included.

Click here for more pictures and details on 1305 Stanwix.

Call Kay McArdle e-PRO at 419-654-0059 to arrange a private showing.