Platform
Meet Ryan
Location! Location! Location! Ryan works demanding hours caring for Cincinnati area's most critically ill children at a local hospital. He was looking for a historic home, convenient to work, in an area where he socializes with friends, and centrally located in Cincinnati. He's known Ron and Anna Bisher for years, so choosing to work with them was an easy decision. What he was pleasantly surprised by was that it wasn't just Ron and Anna, but a team of dedicated real estate professionals partnering together to help him find HIS FIRST HOME.
The Must-Haves
Location! Working demanding hours, finding a centrally located home was high on the priority list. He sat down with Ron and Anna to map out neighborhoods that might fit his interests and they set the stage for the process of what would happen when an opportunity presented itself.
Workout space! Ryan found that and more. He wanted to have a separate room that he could use as a gym and found it in a finished basement that just happened to have 9 foot ceilings. In a historic neighborhood, this is definitely a special find. He also found that both the 1st and 2nd floors had high ceilings as well, making all the living spaces feel more spacious.
I was afraid I would never find what I was looking for before it was gone
Homes sell quickly in this market, and finding the perfect home and putting in the "right offer,' were a critical part of the buying process. His father was up late one night and saw this home listed around 12:30am when the original buyer fell through. Ryan texted the team hoping to see the house at 8am. Sam was up bright and early and got him the first appointment (there were 5 more showings scheduled after him). Ryan was the first one in the door, quickly submitted an offer, and included a personal note with his offer explaining what it was about the house that attracted him to it for the sellers to consider.
Extensive knowledge of historic homes
As a first time new home buyer, Ryan was impressed with how knowledgeable they were with how houses are made, redone, and remodeled. One day when Sam was walking through homes with him, she pointed out areas where renovations that were done were not to the highest quality or perhaps done too quickly. She also was able to point out where renovations were done very well and how plumbing should be run in a historic home. Considering he purchased a home that was 130 years old, this kind of consultation and expertise was crucial for making an investment.
Bonus Discovery
Although, not a "must have" to find the perfect house, Ryan really is a fan of butcher block countertops. He had mentioned to Anna that no matter what he buys, he'll get a butcher block island for the kitchen. Lo and behold, this home has butcher block countertops. It was almost too perfect.
Community
After the weather warmed up into spring, Ryan has met some of his neighbors. One of his neighbors across the street has lived in his house 40 years and their kids live in the house next to theirs. There's a sense of family and community on his street. This gentleman also knew the first owner of his house and their family. When he had a plumbing issue one time, his neighborhood was able to help him understating critical plumbing information about the main line that runs through the yard. He's been helping the family that lived in that house for years and when invited in, was able to share some of the history that took place there.
Ryan's advice to others
Ask as many questions as you can. They DO have the answers but they can probably tell you more than you think you need to know.