Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio
Link Ahead with the City of Dublin, Ohio
Dublin's Real Estate Edge: A Conversation with Columbus REALTORS CEO
'In a word, our real estate market is wonky' says Brent Swander, CEO of Columbus Realtors and proud Dublin resident. From eye-popping statistics to practical advice for buyers and sellers, this episode delivers valuable insights for anyone interested in our community's real estate landscape.
Swander reveals surprising data about Dublin's position in the regional market, including our average home price of $642,000, our remarkable 34.8% condo market share (third highest in the region), and what makes our community so desirable. "I came to Dublin kicking and screaming," Swander confesses, "but now to get me out of Dublin, I will go kicking and screaming." His personal transformation mirrors what many residents discover – once you experience Dublin's exceptional quality of life, it's hard to imagine living anywhere else.
The conversation with Lindsay and Bruce also takes a fascinating turn as Swander shares stories from his previous career in politics, working in the President George W. Bush White House and on presidential campaigns – including a memorable encounter involving frosted tips, braces and a presidential quip.
Whether you're considering buying or selling property, curious about Dublin's economic health, or simply want to understand the forces shaping our community, this episode delivers valuable insights wrapped in engaging conversation. Listen now and discover why Dublin's real estate market defies conventional wisdom while consistently delivering exceptional value.
Hello and welcome to Link Ahead the City of Dublin podcast. Well, a few topics are as personal as housing. Whether you're buying, selling or simply paying your property taxes, the real estate market touches just about everyone, right, bruce?
Speaker 2:You're right, lindsay, and spring is a hot time for our real estate market, so we thought what better time to bring in an expert to discuss the Dublin market. Plus, he is a Dublin resident. You've probably seen him and his family at Bridge Park here in historic Dublin and putting in the miles on our pay. Pass Brent Swander, ceo of Columbus Realtors. Welcome to Link Ahead. Thank you for having me. Absolutely All right. You're an Ohio guy. You grew up in Van Wert County, but you also had a really cool job in politics We'll talk about a little bit later. All right, when you came back to Ohio, why did you choose Dublin?
Speaker 1:A very simple answer is my now wife, smart lady.
Speaker 3:She's born and raised in Dublin. Okay, awesome.
Speaker 1:So a little bit more about your background. You joined Columbus Realtors as VP of Government Affairs in 2013. You became CEO in 2021. Your wife, lauren Dublin resident and native is also a realtor, so we know what you guys talk about around the table right.
Speaker 3:Shockingly, yes, but we try to stay away because of my job and her job. We have to have a clear divide. I cannot get involved in their company and I cannot relay what's going on in, especially like personnel matters, according to the association. So we have a clear divide.
Speaker 1:Does that ever get ugly? She's like come on, just tell me. No not really.
Speaker 3:She's pretty good about it, but yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. So let's dive into the overall central Ohio market and of course we'll talk about Dublin. But overall, Brent, the Columbus market has been just hot, hot, hot for a good decade now. Median sales are up, home values are up. What has fueled this?
Speaker 3:Yes. So if you look at Central Ohio in general, Central Ohio is responsible for about 90% of the growth in Ohio.
Speaker 2:Really, really.
Speaker 3:Wow. So if you look at the eight what we'll call other big markets Youngstown, Mansfield, Lima they're all declining, yeah, Even Cleveland.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh.
Speaker 3:So only Columbus and Central Ohio is growing, along with Dayton and Cincinnati. But even compared to the bigger markets, like our real competitive markets that you all know Charlotte, nashville, raleigh we lag way behind them Right.
Speaker 2:What would it take for cities like that, like Youngstown or something, to have a renaissance or something?
Speaker 3:That's a great question, you know. It really comes down to economic activity.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:When employers and C-level executives are looking to house employees, they're going to look for that housing and housing stability. Although we're increasing in price and median price and sales price, et cetera, et cetera, we're still relatively affordable.
Speaker 2:Gotcha.
Speaker 3:But it really comes down to tax policies, land use policies, et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 2:Now, on the other side of the coin, inventory is kind of an issue. So, compared to cities like you mentioned Indianapolis, charlotte, nashville we aren't building as many new homes, and you talk about this not just locally but nationally in your role as CEO. How can we improve the availability of this variety of housing?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so first it comes down to just building right.
Speaker 3:There's been a bunch of studies out there, whether it's a Morpsey study or the regional housing studies that have been done. At some point we really have to start talking about building, and that really does. In all of central Ohio requires building from everything from subsidized housing to luxury homes and everything in between. With interest rates up, you know, in the six percent range, most people aren't moving unless they're being required to move. And I think about where I live here in Mirafield. I look at both of my neighbors and they are original homeowners and they've paid it off, so where are they going to go? Right, and I think that's a perfect microcosm of what's happening in the larger market. So when you look at just building permits, we need to be building Central Ohio. We need to be doing about 19,000 permits. So when people drive around and be like I can't believe all this building, shockingly the statistics prove that we're still not building enough. We need about 19,000 units in central Ohio to keep up with demand and that growth, and we're only around 10,000.
Speaker 1:And what are some things that are holding us back from that? I mean, is it the cost of materials and building, and you talked about interest rates, the financing aspect? What's it going to take to actually tackle this problem?
Speaker 3:It's really going to take not just elected but public officials looking at it differently and having the political will to make some hard decisions and just build. And that goes back to land use and zoning. And you know, morpsey's put out some really good housing affordability study. But I think there's pieces of that that each municipality can use that works well for them. Now that entire toolkit isn't going to work for every municipality or every township when we understand that, but if you could take pieces of that to help address the issue. You know the city of Columbus is actually reforming their zoning code for the first time in 50 plus years. So you know, having the political will to do some of those things and and not realize it's not just and realize it's not just a Columbus problem but it's a central Ohio concern.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you mentioned the Morpsey study which we participated in in Dublin. I think we were the first suburb to do a local housing study as well. And so let's dive into the Dublin market, and some of these numbers are just eye-popping. Going back to March of 24, average sales price was $616,000. March of this year went up to $642,000. Average price per square foot is up year to year. Median sales prices are also up. What drives our market, brent and our quality of life here and some of the best schools in the country have to be two of the major factors.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, I think really what it really comes down to is I will say this as a Dublin resident. I might get myself in trouble in other aspects, but as a Dublin resident, I don't need to go downtown Columbus. Anymore.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Everything.
Speaker 3:I need is within five to 10 minutes drive or, quite frankly, now that my five-year-old can ride a bike, we can ride our bikes Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right.
Speaker 3:We can. We can ride to North High and get a beer and a burger. We can ride to get ice cream downtown right. So we don't need to go anywhere but Dublin. So what Dublin has done in the transformation of Bridge Park is just absolutely incredible. So funny story when my wife and I decided to come back to Dublin, she was in Arlington for a few years and then we came back to Dublin. My office is over near the airport.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:So I came to Dublin kicking and screaming because I thought it was going to be a hellacious drive. It actually turned out. What 10 years. I might have had two or three really bad days, but now to get me out of Dublin, I will go kicking and screaming.
Speaker 1:That's a great story All right.
Speaker 2:It's been a seller's market for a number of years now. Is that still the case? Has that slowed down at all? I mean, it used to be. Buyers really had to pounce when they found something they wanted.
Speaker 3:I would say, if I could describe the market in one word right now it is wonky.
Speaker 3:Oh okay, there are multi-million dollar houses that are selling within 48 hours and there are really great priced homes that are sitting for a couple, maybe a week or two, and then end up in bidding wars. So there's no rhyme or reason. Usually, to your point, Bruce, you could say it's a seller's market. Buyers got to pounce. Buyers have to do these things. It's starting to level out a little bit. Buyers need to be patient and I would say that is the key word is patience, and the market is really wonky and weird, right now, I just don't know how to describe it other than those two words.
Speaker 2:That's the lead for this episode's podcast Wonky and weird.
Speaker 1:Wonky and weird. Wonky and weird. Well, you mentioned your neighbors in Muirfield and people looking to downsize, but now they're going to have to take out loans and have a smaller house. What kind of demand are you seeing? What's the most in demand housing?
Speaker 3:I would say honestly everything. When you look at the condo market here in Dublin specifically, dublin has a 34.8% condo market share which is the third highest in the region, following downtown and Granville, which, when I saw that stat I was shocked that Dublin has the third highest condo market. So you know, I think, the days of everybody wanting a huge yard et cetera et cetera, for the most part, are over. I grew up in Van Wert Bruce as you said, I love. I love my land.
Speaker 3:I love my, I love it all, but that's not for everyone and the average marriage age is going up. So people, they don't want to buy a house, they want to be able to be nimble and flexible, whether they're traveling or whatever their personal life situation is.
Speaker 1:It's different than when you and I were growing up Right Right. Well, spring is the time when a lot of us maybe tackle on some home projects, whether it's to increase the value of our homes, or maybe someone is sprucing it up to sell their home. So let's get some advice from you, brent. For sellers, what's your best advice?
Speaker 3:I would say this, whether it's my job, or listen to your realtor and price your home correctly. We've seen these different pricing strategies. If we price it below, we know we're going to get a ton of activity. We might get in a bidding war. We might get a higher price. If we price it high, we might get what we're asking for. Price it correctly and whatever correctly means to you is probably something different and take your listing realtor's advice. If they walk through and say, hey, you might want to paint your walls or whatever that might be, they're going to be your advisor, your counselor, to help you get the most bang for your buck.
Speaker 1:Right and hire a good photographer.
Speaker 2:Hire a good photographer yes, they can get into the far nooks and crannies to make that shot look really wide.
Speaker 1:So which home rentals are worth it Kitchens, baths, bedrooms.
Speaker 3:Kitchens typically are probably the most. But don't. My advice, especially if you're looking to sell don't renovate to what you think they want. Renovate to what you want, because oftentimes what happens is buyers will come through and be like oh, what's going on here? Right? So you know? Kitchens, bath, those are all the main ones. But even a simple paint job can make it look totally different. Exterior, curb appeal, those are things that really matter.
Speaker 1:All right. Now back to buyers. What's your best advice for them? Be patient.
Speaker 3:Seriously, I would say be patient. It still is a little bit of a seller's market, but inventory is growing. I was just looking at our numbers. This is the entire MLS multiple listing service but inventory is up 33% year over year. Inventory of new homes year inventory of new homes. So in March of 24 and our entire MLS this is specifically March we had 2,754, and in March of 25, we're almost 4,000. So, inventory is is starting to creep up.
Speaker 2:And I think that's a good thing. I know our neighbors down the street just, but we live in Clintonville and so they anytime there's a house on for sale. The whole neighborhood goes and then flocks and Googles the real estate and everything to make sure our housing is going up. But again same thing. This house hadn't had anything done since the 60s. Yep.
Speaker 1:Where do you start? I don't know, do you do?
Speaker 2:anything to it at that point.
Speaker 3:That's a great question and I'm going to rely on our practitioners to answer that one, so you know if you hire the right person they're going to be like yeah, you know if we price it here, you know, as a consumer, I know what I would be looking for Right. So you know when, when Lauren and I were looking to move back here, we got a great deal where we are and we didn't have to put that much money into it. So price it correctly, based on the condition of the home Gotcha All right.
Speaker 2:So while we have you here, let's talk about our commercial real estate business too. We've always been a strong market for retail. For example, how's this for some eye-popping numbers here? The average days on the market to lease in Dublin is 16 days, compared to 215 days in the city of Columbus.
Speaker 3:So, interestingly enough, I was talking to some commercial practitioners this morning and retail is hot. Really it's hot.
Speaker 1:Good to hear.
Speaker 3:Even more so than office, and obviously we'll talk about office here coming up, I think. But retail is underreported. The success that retail is having in Central Ohio, that's awesome. At least that's what I'm being told.
Speaker 2:That's what people are saying, all right. Also, the average lease rates in Dublin is $24 per square feet. Westville is $16. Worthington is $20 and Columbus is $17. So how do you see that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think there's some demand right. I mean it goes back to supply and demand. And there's demand here for retail in Dublin, and that's a good thing, and there's demand for office.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you mentioned office. That market is strong as well. We have a higher price per square foot rates than our neighbors, so what's the outlook for office space?
Speaker 3:Office is coming back and I think that that is not only being led by the state of Ohio and Chase. There were some big companies that came out and said we're going back to office. So I think that stigma around remote work or coming back to the office I should say that the other way, actually the stigma around coming back to the office is over.
Speaker 3:And it is we've been back in our office since February of 21. So you're starting to see office really pick up. What I found interesting in some conversations I had with our practitioners this morning around office is the class A office is specifically what companies are looking for, rather than the new build. Because the new build, as we talked about earlier, Lindsay that the construction, the labor, the material is driving price up. So if you can get nice class A office space, that's what's in demand.
Speaker 1:And if you're looking for that, Jeremiah Gracia would be happy to help you out.
Speaker 3:Absolutely Our economic development director.
Speaker 1:Get in touch with him.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's make a pivot from real estate to real traveling you've done in your roles back in the day. While working in politics, you served in the Bush 43 White House, worked on three presidential campaigns, inaugural committees and assisted with the McCain family with Senator John McCain's funeral services. First, your days in the White House. How many countries did you visit? That's a great question.
Speaker 1:I'd have to count them Get out your passport.
Speaker 2:Yeah, multiple passports.
Speaker 3:The only continent that I have not been to is Antarctica.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's amazing.
Speaker 3:So I'm going to guess countries 40 to 50. Awesome, um, I was blessed back in my younger days and some people don't believe this. I was telling the story a couple of weeks ago, one of my first photos when I was traveling um in the Bush White House. And I have to, I'll make a distinguishment here. You know, in my job now I'm very apolitical. I was laughing because a couple of my friends call me a. Well, we won't go there. You know I'm a very moderate, but anyway, I bleed realtor issues now. So one of my very first travels that I did in the Bush White House I had frosted tips and braces.
Speaker 1:Yeah, braces, yeah, braces, I was 18 years old. We do need this picture, absolutely.
Speaker 3:And I do not look the same at all.
Speaker 1:Well, so then you know, assisting with a presidential campaign, you likely made stops in all 50 states, most of them.
Speaker 3:I have been to all but Wyoming and Idaho.
Speaker 2:Really Any reason why you haven't been to those two.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask did you go to all 50 states or just keep coming back to Ohio, Ohio, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Then there's a Michigan. That's exactly right.
Speaker 3:It was a lot of Ohio, a lot of Florida, a lot of Pennsylvania, Michigan, but a lot of Ohio when you work with the Secret Service, from the White House staff side to the Secret Service side, and they all work with local PD as well. I got to know a lot of local police officers and know I was not the back of any cars and a lot of local state troopers, but you got to know a lot of the local law enforcement, which is pretty cool too. So All right.
Speaker 2:So why? Why did you get out of it? What's the transition?
Speaker 3:Why'd you get out of it? What's?
Speaker 2:the transition.
Speaker 3:It's a great question.
Speaker 1:How much time do we have? How?
Speaker 3:honest, can I be? Politics at that level, and really at any level, is not emotionally, physically, mentally healthy at all. And at some point you have to determine do I want to keep doing this and you do believe in it, right, yeah. Or do I want to keep doing this and you do believe in it, right? Or do I want to have a life? And at some point I was like I need to settle down and figure out where I really want to go in life. It doesn't help that we lost in 2012, the side that I was on, and so at that point you had to figure out, like, where am I going to go in?
Speaker 3:life and it was kind of a defining moment.
Speaker 2:Put the frosted tips away.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask what President Bush thought about the tips. Did he give you a hard time? Yeah, he did. There was one point.
Speaker 3:He actually came back to Columbus on his book signing and I took my wife and her grandmother and he looked at me. We were at Costco over at East. I walk around and he goes, brent, I didn't even know you could read.
Speaker 2:I don't know what's better the story or the impersonation. That is spot on Amazing.
Speaker 1:All right, brent. Well, we wrap up every episode with rapid fire questions and we're just going to jump right in. So a little birdie told us that when apple season comes, you head back to Van Wert, gather up some fresh apples and then make homemade applesauce. Can you share your recipe?
Speaker 3:It's very simple and actually the joys of having two kids is my mom actually brings me apples now.
Speaker 1:Oh, nice yeah.
Speaker 3:I do apple butter and applesauce with the kids. The applesauce is really easy. All it is is a little sugar I mean minimal sugar a little cinnamon and I just let it cook, and then I use a potato masher so it's extra chunky All right, we're told walleye fish fries are pretty awesome too.
Speaker 2:How do we get on the invite list? How?
Speaker 3:did you get this nugget of information?
Speaker 2:Our producer, Scott, knows all. Just when you think your stuff is safe, he finds it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, wow, I'd love to have you all over.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's go.
Speaker 3:He's like wait, what was the question? I mean if we could have a couple drinks and some good time and break some bread, I'm all in.
Speaker 1:Guinness and the fish fries go well together. Alright, it's finally warming up and patio weather is here. Who has the best patio in Dublin?
Speaker 3:Am I allowed to call out individual businesses?
Speaker 1:Do it at your own risk.
Speaker 3:North High has a great patio in the summer. Yep, absolutely, tucci's is pretty good. The Avenue when the screens are open on the side, oh, man the Pearl has a great patio. I was going to say the Pearl.
Speaker 1:Vaso, I think, named the rooftop.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and even Kitchen Social way underrated. And when those doors are open too, the windows are open.
Speaker 1:There's really no such thing as a bad patio now that I sit here and think about it.
Speaker 2:Not when we've been cooped up all winter long. All right, so your other non non patio faves in town for lunch and dinner.
Speaker 3:There's one you'll probably find us at frequently is the Avenue. We love the Avenue. We're pretty, pretty loyal. I don't know, Um, but I will say we have some incredible food and bridge park. You remember the park 10 minutes ago when I said I don't need to go downtown?
Speaker 1:It's all here I have everything right here. So you, your wife Lauren and your two kids love getting out on our paved paths. Do you have a favorite route or do you just put on your sneakers and go?
Speaker 3:We just kind of go. I mean, we live in Mirafield so the paths are abundant. We can go wherever we want. Thank goodness when we first moved in we would have gotten lost, but you know, we figured it out over 10 years. But now we we have a pretty regular path, whether it's just over near the HOA park or riding our bikes to TCC or whatever it is so branch out 155 plus miles.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, you told us, you and your family love Dublin and we talked about houses.
Speaker 2:so if money were no object, where would you 155 plus miles to explore? All right, you told us you and your family love Dublin and we talked about houses. So if money were no object, where would you build or buy your dream house? In Dublin.
Speaker 3:Probably the championship course. I mean, we're close enough to walk now, but if I could just build a bigger house, what I would want Similarly, if you could have a second dream home anywhere, where would it be? Is this my opinion or Lauren's opinion?
Speaker 1:I think we need both.
Speaker 3:I'm going to the beach and she's probably going to the mountains. Can we have three? Can we have two additional?
Speaker 1:Sure why?
Speaker 3:not. Yeah, I don't think we want to split that up. We'll go to the mountains when she wants to go and the beach when whatever beach. I'm agnostic to beach, I mean the further south and the warmer the better.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, I'm with you. Great stuff, Brent, and thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 2:And to our listeners. Thank you as well for taking the time to connect with your city. Tune in next time as we continue to explore the many personalities and experiences that make Dublin a thriving place to live, work and grow.