After an exhausting search, my wife and I purchased our first home in Westgate; a neighborhood on the city’s west side. In the three years since, we have put in a new kitchen, removed the carpet in favor of the original hardwood, remodeled a bathroom, built a privacy fence, and changed almost every light fixture and shade of paint in the house. Along the way I have been privileged enough to make several friends who are in the neighborhood doing similar overhauls.
What originally drew us to Westgate was the architecture; stone tudors with arched doorways and amazing windows. We couldn’t take the thought of a white box with aluminum siding so we knew we needed to set our sights on an older neighborhood.
What finally sealed the deal for our move was the price. After looking at hundreds of houses, often times not even setting foot inside after a disappointing drive by, we seemed to find an almost secret enclave of amazing, affordable homes that were in good shape. Ultimately, we bought the first house we looked at in the area, but we must have walked through at least a dozen others.
After seeing a Facebook post by friend and fellow Westgate resident Caleb Ely (of Ely Brothers Photography), showing off an amazingly priced house in the neighborhood, and seeing the response it garnered, I did a few myself. Friends from all over the country were amazed at not just the value, but the houses themselves.
Not wanting to annoy my friends on the off chance they weren’t in the market for a house in my neighborhood, I decided to start a Facebook page dedicated to showing good values in the area and discussing them.
I think taking a traditionally one way (Realtor list based on a set of perimeters) conversation and opening up to a group of people is an interesting concept. The reality is, when one purchases a house, they are purchasing a lot more than what falls within the boundaries of their city lot, they are buying into a community. Why not open up the experience of searching for a home to include the people in the community that surrounds it?
And now, the homes:
Be My Neighbor is a series showcasing what your money can buy in different neighborhoods in Columbus. This is not professional advice and there is no financial incentive for us if these homes are purchased. We just want to showcase our great neighborhoods and the homes that are in them. All information was accurate to the best of our knowledge at time of publishing. If you are house hunting, good luck to you!