http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-fall-2011

I love fall. The colors, the smells, the fair food! But, what I love most is FOOTBALL!!! Going to “the game”, wherever it is, high school, college, or NFL it’s a day well spent. We are so lucky here in central Ohio, that we have some fantastic High School football teams and of course THE BUCKEYES! Every Saturday my family huddles around the TV to watch the game.  To start planning your next Buckeye Party, get the schedule here:

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/osu-m-footbl-sched.html

A party, any party, isn’t complete without some yummy food. I really like this recipe. If serving at home I like to plate it up on a Oval Buckeye Platter, or if going to a tailgate, in a foil pan. Its great served hot or room temp.

Perogies with sausage and onion

I have made homemade perogies in the past, but when I am in a hurry I like to use the frozen variety. This is a brand I really like Mrs. T’s and I use polish sausage, usually Johnsonville.

Using these great products really make this dish fast and easy.

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes pierogies
• 1 pkg of polish sausage; sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 large yellow onion; sliced
• salt and pepper

In a large pot bring 4qt. of water to a boil. Dump in frozen perogies and cook according to package. In a skillet brown sausage, remove from pan and set aside. In same skillet add sliced onion and cook until golden brown.

Drain pierogies, and add to onion, toss to combine. Add sausage back in, add salt and pepper and combine. Pour into serving dish and enjoy.

And for the ultimate Buckeye Fan……

This house not only provides a great place to carve Script Ohio in the almost 3 acres of land, but also boasts a second house for your aging parents/in-laws, out of town guests or just in case your college student needs to move back in. Everyone can have their own space. Check out more info at www.1512homerd.com

]]> http://www.columbusunpeeled.com/ashville/2011-09-12/are-you-ready-for-some-football/feed/ 0 http://www.columbusunpeeled.com/gahanna/2011-09-02/end-of-summer-in-columbus/ http://www.columbusunpeeled.com/gahanna/2011-09-02/end-of-summer-in-columbus/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:29:41 +0000 Valerie Ahmed http://www.columbusunpeeled.com/?p=965 Labor Day is the “official” end of summer here in central Ohio, but it sure doesn’t feel like it (not at 91°)!   I plan to visit the Bryn Du Mansion in Granville and the Sunbury Flea Market.  What about you?  If you need some entertainment ideas take a look:  http://columbusoh.about.com/od/eventsfestivals/a/Labor_Day_Events.htm

Flyers listing sale addresses will be available at Grandview Municipal Building, Parks & Rec
Office, Grandview Library and selected local businesses
beginning May 4th.

Grandview’s Great Garage Sale will in-part benefit the Pierce Field Park Fund.

Location: Grandview Heights (citywide)
Date: Saturday, May 7th
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Upper Arlington, OH
Education quality score: 83.73
Median home value: $191,070
Population: 31,244

A mecca of family-friendly activities, this “green” city (residents proudly recycle) boasts an annual arts festival, Christmas tree lighting, and homegrown Fourth of July parade. With an easy commute to Columbus, OH, residents enjoy affordable homes and some of the best schools in the state. Students here are creative, brainy, and athletic. Upper Arlington schools consistently have scored excellent ratings from the state Department of Education over the past decade. Test scores across all grades land in the top 10 percent compared with other schools in the state.
Not only does Upper Arlington High School have a national award-winning literary magazine, students are fierce competitors in and out of the water: The high school has dominated the state championships in lacrosse, water polo, swimming, and diving.

by: GreatSchools.org

Anyway, if musicals are your cup of tea, check out the ones in the Olentangy district.

Olentany Orange High School    (Orangelight Productions)

The Wizard of Oz

Tickets go on sale: April 17, 2011

Box office:  740-657-5187

PERFORMANCES: April 28-April 30, at 7pm, and April 30 at 2pm 

Olentangy High School BRAVE THEATER

Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida

Tickets go on sale:  March 30, 2011

Box Office:  740-657-4191

PERFORMANCES:  April 15 & 16 at 7:00PM AND April 17 at 2:00PM

 Olentangy Liberty High School

Camp Rock

Tickets go on sale: April 17, 2011

Box office:

PERFORMANCES: April 28-30 7pm, and May 1 at 2pm

COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR VERY GIFTED OLENTANGY DRAMA STUDENTS!

I’m in….What do you think?

You hear it everywhere today, the media is reporting about the current administration’s plan to reform the mortgage market and do away with or limit government supported programs, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  But, do you understand what this means to you?

Mostly, the reforms on the table will largely leave the mortgage market to the private sector, with fewer options available to first-time home buyers and low-income buyers.  Interest rates are projected to increase and new mortgages will require much higher down-payments.  Future down payments requirements are anticipated to be 20% of the purchase price, disqualifying most entry-level buyers. 

With the current low property prices and low mortgage rates, the housing affordability is at an all time high today, but with the reforms proposed, it’s not predicted to last much longer. All signs seem to be predicting higher costs for new home purchases or refinances in the near future, and house values are predicted to rise in 2011, which would reduce housing affordability significantly.

If you already have a mortgage through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, your terms will not change due to the proposed reforms.  If you’re considering buying a home or refinancing your current home, you may want to move those thoughts to the front burner vs. waiting.

If you are thinking of selling, these changes will also impact you, because you’ll have fewer buyers in the market in a position to buy your house. 

For additional information regarding personal situations, please contact your trusted resource, Revealty at 614-621-5400 for a free consultation.

A record 1 in 9 U.S. homes are vacant, a glut created by the housing boom and subsequent collapse.

“The numbers are further documentation of the gravity of the housing problem,” says Nicolas Retsinas, head of Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. “This inventory is delaying any kind of housing recovery.”

The surge in empty houses, condominiums and apartments is creating a wave of problems for communities desperate to shore up property values and tax revenues that pay for services. Vacant homes create upkeep and safety problems that ripple through neighborhoods.

“It has a contagion effect,” Retsinas says. “A house that is vacant is often a house that is less well kept up.”

A construction frenzy began pushing the vacancy rate up in 2005 but empty homes sold quickly at that time.

“This is a different problem,” says Dowell Myers, housing demographer at the University of Southern California. “It’s high now because of lack of demand. Now, vacancies we see are from units that have been empty for a period of time.”

Census numbers show:

• More than 14 million housing units are vacant. That number does not include an estimated 4.8 million seasonal or vacation homes, most of which are occupied part of the year. The combined vacancy rate of almost 15% is higher than during previous recessions: 11% in 1991 and 9.4% in 1984.

• About 3% of owned homes are vacant. In normal times, “maybe 1% should be vacant,” Myers says.

• More than 9% of homes built since 2000 are vacant compared with about 2% for older homes.

• Homes priced at $500,000 or more are just as likely to be empty as homes that cost less than $100,000.

Historically, vacant housing was more of a concern in cities that have poor neighborhoods. Now, it has hit suburbs and new subdivisions.

“You have abandoned vacant housing in Detroit but you also have it in Henderson, Nev., and Mesa, Ariz. (suburbs of Las Vegas and Phoenix),” Retsinas says.

The stimulus bill before Congress contains $2 billion to help communities buy and fix foreclosed, vacant properties.

One place hit hard is Rialto, Calif., an inland town that boomed by offering shelter from astronomical housing prices in coastal Southern California. Property values have dropped 50% since 2007. In a 40-unit development, only four are occupied, says John Dutrey, housing program manager. Vacant homes, he says, bring “squatters, you have maintenance issues, security issues.”

By Haya El Nasser and Paul Overberg, USA TODAY