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Discover Columbus

Worthington, Ohio

Discover Columbus is a site about Columbus Ohio. Originally named "Columbus Best Blog," it was never the best blog in Columbus Ohio. It was a blog about the best in Columbus and Central Ohio! Best restaurants, best real estate company, best schools, best neighborhoods..... written by Maureen McCabe a licensed real estate agent with Columbus Ohio's best real estate company, Real Living HER. Discover Columbus is just a site about Central Ohio.

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Real Living Growing

Nov. 11, 2009
Categorized in: Real Estate

Real Living Inc. a Columbus based company grew.  Big growth spurt...

GMAC Real Estate and Real Living are merging.  They will be using the Real Living name, brand, technology.

Real Living  Inc. is a Columbus Ohio company.

Real Living's "expansion unit" (Real Living Network Services)  was bought by a company called Brookfield Residential Property Services.  Real Living just became five times larger...  "expansion unit" comes from the title of a Columbus Business First article.

We (Real Living HER agents)  got an email (with the press release) last night and a voice mail.

I work for Real Living HER.  That is the company formerly known as HER Realtors.  HER Realtors has been a leader in Central Ohio real estate for decades.  Real Living HER is the number one real estate company in Central Ohio.

Real Living formed in 2002 is based in Columbus.  The "expansion unit" part of Real Living is Real Living Network Services.

Matt Burns of Columbus Business First wrote about changes in  Brookfield buys Real Living expansion unit

"The name of Central Ohio’s largest residential real estate brokerage will appear in nearly every state after its Columbus parent sold the division that powered its national expansion."

Brookfield owns GMAC real estate, has for about 9 months... GMAC real estate franchises across the US are the offices that will now have the Real Living name, logo, technology etc.

The Columbus Business First article says: "All of GMAC’s more than 600 offices will take the Real Living name."

Who's who....

Harley Rouda Jr. is the president of the new merged company...

Real Living

Real Living HER = Columbus

Real Living Realty Services - Dayton, Cinci, Louisville (I get this franchise confused with Real Living Network Services, the "expansion unit" of Real Living. )

There are Real Living franchises currently in 20 states, there will soon be the red and white signs in 46 states from what I am reading and hearing.

Brookfield Residential Property Services is a division of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

GMAC Real Estate

The Columbus Dispatch article this morning: Real Living joins GMAC realty unit in merger written by Jim Weiker says:

"The deal, consummated this month and announced today, merges Real Living's 2,000 agents in 130 offices with approximately 8,000 GMAC Real Estate agents in 470 U.S. offices. It creates a company with $20 billion in annual real-estate transactions. About 8,000 of GMAC's 13,000 agents in the United States and Canada are expected to become part of Real Living."

What's the effect for buyers and sellers in Central Ohio?  Not much, you've already got the good stuff available.

Most of this article was  published on ActiveRain, Localism, Worthington Old and News and Discover Columbus OH.

I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the topic. All comments are moderated so you will not see your comment immediately. Thanks. Copyright 2009 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

Columbus Super Sunday Open House

Sep. 29, 2009
Categorized in: Columbus Real Estate

Sunday October 4, 2009  - Columbus Board of REALTORS® Super Sunday Affordable Housing Open House - Maureen McCabe

Real Living ecard First Time Home Buyer

This is Super Sunday, the CBR site says:

"For those sitting on the fence, their are more that 4,000 affordably-priced homes on the market through the Columbus Board of REALTORS® Multiple Listing Service. This, coupled with low interest rates, a good inventory of homes and the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit (for home purchases that are closed by Nov. 30), make now a great time to buy! "

Super Sunday Affordable Housing Open Houses are 1:00 to 4:00 - Sunday October 4, 2009


Columbus Board of REALTORS® Super Sunday Affordable Housing Open House - Prizes

Over $850 in gift card prizes:

1st place -  $500 gift Card

2nd place - $250 gift card

3rd place - $100 gift card

Sign in at the open houses for your name to be in a drawing for the gift cards.


Columbus Board of REALTORS® Super Sunday - over 300 Open Houses priced under $125,000


North East Columbus Open Houses

Including 1080 Worthington Woods Blvd Columbus OH 43085 in the Worthington School District

North West Columbus Open Houses

South East Columbus  Open Houses

South West Columbus Open Houses

Suburbs & Surrounding Counties Open Houses

The Open Houses are NOT just Real Living HER open houses, the open houses are from CBR members. You can look at detailed information on the listings on each list. 


More about the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit 2009

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit - Income Limits

The image is a Real Living ecard.


I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the topic. All comments are moderated so you will not see your comment immediately. Thanks. Copyright 2009 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

Columbus Women

Feb. 11, 2008
Categorized in: Columbusites
Red daisy''Real You Incorporated' a book written by Columbus business woman Kaira Sturdivant-Rouda features a number of successful central Ohio business women.  The book published by Wiley & Sons, Inc. is subtitled "8 Essentials For Women Entrepreneurs."

Real You Incorporated the website has lots more about the book which is now available in bookstores locally and online. "Real You Incorporated is written by Kaira Sturdivant-Rouda the President of Real Living, a real estate brokerage which is rapidly expanding across the US.

I got an opportunity to read an unedited version of the book, Real You Incorported.  The  Central Ohio region of  Real Living, is known as Real Living HER.  As locals know HER Realtors (as the company was known) has been the Central Ohio market leader for decades.  Part of the story in 'Real You Incorporated' is the three Ohio real estate companies that became Real Living in 2002 and how that brand was created.

Interwoven is Kaira's personal story working in advertising, public relations, the media and a national company before becoming involved with the real estate company her father-in-law founded. 

The author uses the real stories of sixteen successful women entrepreneurs, some in Central Ohio. The book is not just about real estate.  Restaurants, fashion, beauty, exercise, public relations, ice cream...a business coach....

Readers can use the book and it's twenty four life lessons to step by step find a brand with in yourself based on your passions and dreams. 

I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the topic of this book or women business leaders in Columbus. All comments are moderated so you will not see your comment immediately. Thanks. Copyright 2008 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

Discover Columbus Disclaimer ... Disclosure

Jan. 30, 2008
Categorized in: Blogs

I used to use a long disclaimer on this blog... here's one from back in the dark ages...(February 2006 when this was Columbus Best Blog.)   I cobbled the disclaimer together from disclaimers on MLS and various websites:

"The information provided herein is supplied by several sources and is subject to change without notice. Columbus Best Blog does not guarantee or is any way responsible for its accuracy, and provides said information without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.  Entries on Columbus Best Blog represent the opinions and ideas of the author(s). They do not necessarily reflect the views of HER Real Living. Copyright ? 2006  Maureen McCabe & Columbus Best Blog All Rights Reserved. "

I've kinda sorta done a disclaimer on ColumbusBestBlog.com on my Home page... I say my opinions about gyros and Indian food do not represent the opinions of Real Living or HER Real Living on "gyros or Indian food..." or anything . Or maybe I need a disclosure on each and every entry on that blog.

The Real Estate blogging world was in a tizzy yesterday over a real estate blogger being sued for 25 million dollars. 
Opera Tower, LLC & Tibor Hollo Sues Me for $25M from Lucas Lechuga a Miami Florida real estate agent blogger. 

Blogger?  Aspiring blogger?  Does the prospect of being sued concern you?  Here's a poll... even if you aren't a real estate blogger, do you ever think about libel when blogging? Here's a poll on ActiveRain  Sue Who?

Sellsius° Real Estate blog wrote Did Real Estate Blogger Defame Miami Developer? A $25 Million Libel Lesson
   Did you know "Dumb Ass" is not defamatory in California. Check out the link in the Sellsius° post:

California Court of Appeal: “Dumb Ass” is not a defamatory term


Maybe that's why Californians feel so comfortable commenting on Discover Columbus and I am paraphrasing here...
"Hey Dumb Ass if you like Columbus Mexican restaurants you have no taste in Mexican food."   Looking for a free legal opinion here... Is "Dumb Ass" defamatory in Ohio?  On my other blog I've heard from east coast people that Columbus Ohio pizza sucks... but no "Dumb Ass" comments about pizza yet... I wonder whether "Dumb Ass"  is legally defamatory in NY, MA, CT, NH, PA etc.  Why is Mexican food so divisive? I have never been challenged on the Indian Restaurant posts here...

I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the topics of disclaimers, disclosures, defamation and just about anything thats starts with a d, except calling me a "Dumb Ass" I am tiring of that.  Of course this blog is my opinion...  All comments are moderated so you will not see your comment immediately. Thanks.

Copyright 2008 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe