FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
LAKEWOOD OPEN HOUSE

Event to feature homes for sale
within walking distance of Downtown Lakewood

February 2, 2010 - On Saturday, March 13, LakewoodAlive will join with the real estate community to showcase homes for sale within a 10-minute walk of Lakewood’s revitalized downtown district. Residences for sale within a half-mile of downtown will be open for viewing from 1pm-5pm. Participating properties can be found at www.lakewoodopen.com beginning in mid-February.

In the past four years, more than $50 million has been invested in downtown Lakewood, a Main Street™ community. The district is home to a nationally recognized library, four banks, a 24-hour post office, unique shops, four pharmacies, two grocery stores, six full service restaurants, over a dozen “quick-food options” and a plethora of other services. Also located in the district is Lakewood Hospital-a Cleveland Clinic Hospital and the corporate headquarters of First Federal of Lakewood.

Lakewood was recently named by Business Week magazine as “Ohio’s Best Place to Raise Your Kids.” This recognition was based largely on Lakewood’s affordability and numerous community assets, including the “Excellent” rated school district, the expansive city park system and easy access to regional attractions. Additionally, in 2008, This Old House magazine named Lakewood as one of the “Best Places in the Midwest to Buy an Old House.”

Lakewood claims 185 miles of sidewalks as the foundation of its highly walkable lifestyle option. “Walking is good for health and good for the environment, and we find that more and more people are attracted to Lakewood’s affordable and sustainable quality of life,” said Paula Reed, Realtor®, active LakewoodAlive volunteer and co-founder of Live Well Lakewood.

“Lakewood Open House aims to attract first-time home buyers who want to take advantage of the $8000 federal tax credit available to buyers who sign contracts by April 30. Eligible first-time home buyers may also qualify for a forgivable mortgage down payment loan from the City of Lakewood,” according to Mary Anne Crampton, executive director of LakewoodAlive, the city’s nonprofit economic development organization.

Lakewood Open House is presented with the help of the Realtor community, First Federal of Lakewood, Cleveland Home Title, Lakewood Hospital and the City of Lakewood. Information/reps from these organizations as well as Lakewood Schools and Lakewood Catholic Academy will be available to meet with prospective buyers at the downtown Lakewood Panera located at 14701 Detroit Ave. during LakewoodOpen.

LakewoodAlive is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization in the first-ring suburb of Lakewood, Ohio. Downtown Lakewood is the National Main Street™ program of LakewoodAlive dedicated to the revitalization of Lakewood’s historic downtown district.

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