Understanding Columbus Housing: Key Differences

Housing varies significantly across the country in terms of styles, materials, and costs. If you’re relocating to Central Ohio, there are several unique characteristics of Columbus housing that you should understand before making a purchase.

Navigating Columbus Real Estate Search

School District Complexities

• Columbus area can be confusing due to overlapping districts and addresses
• A Columbus address might be in Dublin schools
• City of Dublin properties might be in Hilliard schools
• Powell area spans three different school districts (Worthington, Dublin, and Olentangy)
• Recommendation: Search by school district rather than city, area, or ZIP code
• Use the “draw feature” on real estate websites for more accurate area-specific searches

Key Structural Features

Basements

• Essential feature in Central Ohio single-family homes
• Affects property value significantly
• Important characteristics to consider:
  • Ceiling height (10-foot cores preferred for finishing)
  • Older homes (70s-80s) often have 8-foot ceilings
  • Watch out for crawl spaces vs. full basements
  • Crawl spaces are partially excavated areas with gravel floors
  • Full basements offer more value and utility

Exterior Materials

• Common exterior finishes include:
  • Composite/fiber cement board (Hardy Plank)
  • Vinyl siding
  • Wood siding (less common now)
  • LP siding (typically in less expensive homes)
  • Stucco (real cement product, not pre-made boards)
  • Stone veneer (most common, rather than real stone)
  • Brick
• Mixed exteriors are common (stone/stucco or brick/stucco combinations)

Interior Features

• Ceiling Finishes:
  • Textured/stippled ceilings are standard
  • Flat finish ceilings are rare except in pre-1970s or luxury homes
  • Textured finish is more economical and hides imperfections
• Flooring Options:
  • Hardwood (most popular but expensive)
  • Tile
  • Carpet
  • Vinyl
  • Pre-1972 homes often have hardwood floors under carpet
  • Post-1972 homes typically built with plywood subfloors

Understanding these unique characteristics of Columbus housing can help you make a better investment decision and avoid common pitfalls when purchasing a home in the area.