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Thank you so much. Are the older subdivisions much closer to Everything?
Lexington Park is about as central as you can get. Being off Mason Montgomery Rd you just drive south to the major shopping venues as Deerfield Towne Center, etc. Go north and there are all of the schools with the exception of the Early Childhood Center and the two 2nd, 3rd grade elementaries. And let me clarify, I certainly do not consider Lexington Park an old subdivision, just older. Village Lakes on the south of Tylersville Rd but east of Mason Montgomery also has a variety of homes, as well as my afore-mentioned Fairways at Pine Run on the north side of Tylersville. I like this area because of its proximity to the schools and also the parks located behind the schools. There are biking/walking paths throughout this area which make access to the Municipal Center (adjacent to Mason High School), outdoor City pool, all the ball diamonds and socker fields very convenient.
Let me emphasize the majority of the explosive building in Mason has occurred over the past 10 to 15 years. So there are a lot of older subdivisions which are not really old but the trees have had some time to grow.
The new homes in the yet to be built out subdivisions, like Carmelle and Cherry Brook will likely be on the fringes of the city. Carmelle is somewhat unique as it is located on a quite hilly parcel of ground not that far from downtown. Took awhile to be developed, likely to the terrain. It was the site of Homearama 2009, the Cincinnati Homebuilders Association premier new home show. It runs off OH 741 just south of US 42. Actually is quite conveniently located to I-71 as just to the south OH 741 and Kings Mills Rd are the same, with a Kroger and number of other stores and restaurants along Kings Mills running out to I-71. Homearama 2010 was cancelled due to poor sales of the homes in recent years, but will be back this year as a scaled down version in West Chester.
Cincy Homearama was held for so many years either in Mason proper, or nearby such as Long Cove in Deerfield Township I began to wonder what about everybody else. I mention this just to point out what the local Homebuilders Association has felt about the market in Mason - the place to be. When you are offering $1.5MIL homes or higher, you pick your markets.
But here is my question, if I can afford a $1.5MIL home, the mortgage and taxes which go along with it, why am I concerned about public schools? Seems to me private schools would be no problem.
Lexington Park is about as central as you can get. Being off Mason Montgomery Rd you just drive south to the major shopping venues as Deerfield Towne Center, etc. Go north and there are all of the schools with the exception of the Early Childhood Center and the two 2nd, 3rd grade elementaries. And let me clarify, I certainly do not consider Lexington Park an old subdivision, just older. Village Lakes on the south of Tylersville Rd but east of Mason Montgomery also has a variety of homes, as well as my afore-mentioned Fairways at Pine Run on the north side of Tylersville. I like this area because of its proximity to the schools and also the parks located behind the schools. There are biking/walking paths throughout this area which make access to the Municipal Center (adjacent to Mason High School), outdoor City pool, all the ball diamonds and socker fields very convenient.
Let me emphasize the majority of the explosive building in Mason has occurred over the past 10 to 15 years. So there are a lot of older subdivisions which are not really old but the trees have had some time to grow.
The new homes in the yet to be built out subdivisions, like Carmelle and Cherry Brook will likely be on the fringes of the city. Carmelle is somewhat unique as it is located on a quite hilly parcel of ground not that far from downtown. Took awhile to be developed, likely to the terrain. It was the site of Homearama 2009, the Cincinnati Homebuilders Association premier new home show. It runs off OH 741 just south of US 42. Actually is quite conveniently located to I-71 as just to the south OH 741 and Kings Mills Rd are the same, with a Kroger and number of other stores and restaurants along Kings Mills running out to I-71. Homearama 2010 was cancelled due to poor sales of the homes in recent years, but will be back this year as a scaled down version in West Chester.
Cincy Homearama was held for so many years either in Mason proper, or nearby such as Long Cove in Deerfield Township I began to wonder what about everybody else. I mention this just to point out what the local Homebuilders Association has felt about the market in Mason - the place to be. When you are offering $1.5MIL homes or higher, you pick your markets.
But here is my question, if I can afford a $1.5MIL home, the mortgage and taxes which go along with it, why am I concerned about public schools? Seems to me private schools would be no problem.
OH, I think Carmelle is not priced in that range at all.
I will check but I am pretty sure that the houses in Carmelle are in the $500-$800k range.
OH, I think Carmelle is not priced in that range at all.
I will check but I am pretty sure that the houses in Carmelle are in the $500-$800k range.
Lucke shows $450k and up for Carmelle.
I apologize, Carmelle has been under $1MIL, they only went to $950K likely because they knew the previous Homearama shows in Long Cove had houses sitting on the market for a long time. If Lucke is showing prices around $450K for Carmelle, to me it means they are worth probably $350K.
And one other piece of advice, be sure your home purchase includes some type of long-term warranty against a leaking basement. With all of the modern media rooms, etc. in the basement it is a disaster if you find out it leaks water. Subdivisions like Carmelle are built on hilly outcrops where the water is just running downhill.
I apologize, Carmelle has been under $1MIL, they only went to $950K likely because they knew the previous Homearama shows in Long Cove had houses sitting on the market for a long time. If Lucke is showing prices around $450K for Carmelle, to me it means they are worth probably $350K.
And one other piece of advice, be sure your home purchase includes some type of long-term warranty against a leaking basement. With all of the modern media rooms, etc. in the basement it is a disaster if you find out it leaks water. Subdivisions like Carmelle are built on hilly outcrops where the water is just running downhill.
Certainly, no apology is needed, but what do you mean when you say that if a builder is showing 450 it means the house is worth 350? The builders I know have cut prices to the bone. If there is 6% over actual cost that would be a lot. A builders' list price for a house gets shopped endlessly by every customer dividing the square footage into the price and so the list prices of houses today are extremely competitive. Optional features may carry a higher profit. And, really crappy builders who build to the absolute minimum code requirements may be making 10-12% over cost. But a quality builder like Lucke will be well below that because of the competition on price/square foot.
Another factor to consider is that houses built after 1960 have a limited life span due to the contruction materials used. It may be 50 years, but it is not 150 years like houses built before WW2. And, the mechanicals of a new house will be cost free for a decade. So buying an 80's or 90's house at a marginal price difference below a new house may not be all that good of a decision economically.
Just go and spend a few days watching them being built. If you can then say this is quality construction then I may change my attitude. But to me the emphasis is on the glitz, solid kitchen countertops placed on particle board cabinets with minimal hardwood doors only. Windows which are barely the equivalent of replacements from a thermal standpoint. Sorry, but I am not convinced a quality builder actually exists.
Just go and spend a few days watching them being built. If you can then say this is quality construction then I may change my attitude. But to me the emphasis is on the glitz, solid kitchen countertops placed on particle board cabinets with minimal hardwood doors only. Windows which are barely the equivalent of replacements from a thermal standpoint. Sorry, but I am not convinced a quality builder actually exists.
That's actually been a change over time. Customers are really sophisticated now with the Internet at everyone's disposal. They want to know what brand of windows are are going to be used, fixtures, cabinets, hvac. R rating of insulation, roofing mfg. etc. And, a place like Mason has its own supplements to the Ohio Building Code. Ohio has the strictest rules on stormwater and sewerage.
Its a different world out there than the houses of the 60's to the 80's.
Now Mason requires the specifics of every outside wall. They have to have a tyvek barrier under the siding, a certain number of vents and weep holes, a particular R value insultion, stud wall specs, a plastic barrier on the inside and the thickness of the interior drywall. Cheapo builders show a hardwood floor in their model but in the fine print its laminate. Particulate cabinets with wood doors. Plated handles instead of brass, etc.
Unsophisticated buyers either pay a ton for optional specs or end up with the house you are talking about. But people today paying $400-$700K for a house know that there is not enough time in the day to figure out every way a cheap builder can screw them.
I live in a house built in 1928 by a commercial contractor for his own residdence. There is nothing being built today at any price point that has the construction quality that went into an expensive 1928 house. But its not like it was in 1980.
Thank you all for your excellent information about mason. I am skeptical about carmelle if it filters water downhill. I am very nervous about purchasing a home that will have a leaky basement. Do you know any developments thst are drier flatter areas in Town?
Thank you all for your excellent information about mason. I am skeptical about carmelle if it filters water downhill. I am very nervous about purchasing a home that will have a leaky basement. Do you know any developments thst are drier flatter areas in Town?
That comment is probably pure speculation. If you are in doubt, call the City of Mason building inspections and see if they have ever heard of that. I never have. And it is flat areas that have trouble with leaky basements, not hilly ones. Finally, I just ran a scan across Carmelle on Google Earth and there isn;t 30 feet of elevation diffference in any area with houses on it. So I have no idea what he was even talking about.
Wilson... Your elevation indicator is sure different than mine. From the high point on the south-east entry to the Carmelle subdivision off 741 to the low point at the north-west end is an elevation change from 786 to 703 feet. That is a hill to me. I drove by that parcel for over 30 years prior to its being developed and believe me it is a hill. One of its attractions are the wooded lots, as I do not remember it ever being farmed. I was just cautioning to get a warranty against a leaky basement.
My brother has a home in another subdivision in Mason he purchased new 13 years ago from a supposedly higher end builder who I will not name. Suddenly the basement began to leak. He just spent $23K the past two months with a waterproofing company trying to get it stopped. They trenched around the entire interior perimiter to install a drain and new sump and also around the majority of the exterior to install additional waterproofing and drainage. And his back yard drops quickly at least 25 ft to a large retention pond, so drainage is not a problem.
My older home is on a flat lot. It was built before sump pumps were required code. I have never seen a reason to install one since I do not have a problem with water. I believe the reason is my foundation sits in a blue clay limestone bowel. Anywhere in my yard, if I dig down 2 ft I hit solid blue clay limestone. The foundation was elevated just enough out of the ground so there is a reasonable buildup around the immediate house draining to grade.
Have you ever heardof johnhenry Homes?if so,have you hears good or badabout the quality of their Homes? Wilson, what subdivisiondo you live In? Do u guys know anyone tht lives Incarmelle? We are going to visit mason in april andi would like to bgin my house hunting. I would like a newer home less than 5 years old but not really far away fromthemain shoppingareas. Thanks
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