Multifamily Home Plan, Duplex Design, Townhome Plan, Townhouse Design, Paired Villas. Pick a name from the preceding list for what you see in the above photo I took recently at Hiram Park subdivision. No matter which you choose you must agree that they are craftsman-style designs. If you're having a tough time making a choice of what to call them then join the club.

Here's why I had a tough time of it:

Looking for a haunted inn to stay at? Have you seen your share of T.A.P.S. - Ghost Hunters on the Sci-Fi channel and want to get a taste of the real deal? The Buxton Inn, located in Granville, Ohio, is one of the most notorious in the great state of Ohio. Originally built in 1812 by Orin Granger, The Buxton Inn is the oldest continuously operated Inn in Ohio. The building itself originally served as a post office and stagecoach stop between Columbus and Newark.

The Inn's namesake, Major Horton Buxton, operated the Inn from 1865-1905 and his picture hangs in the lobby to this day. Major Buxton's image has been claimed to have been seen in various parts of the Inn. Then there's Ethel Bounell. She was the innkeeper from 1934-1960 and she died in room #9. Guess what?! Yes...she's been seen, too...ahem...after her demise. There are more ghosts in the basement where the help used to dine and sleep. I had a couple of beers in the basement tavern and didn't see a darn soul (Ha!) except the friendly barkeep. OK...I'm not a believer of ghosts and paranormal activity...normally. That's just me. Other folks would argue their case, until they turned blue in the face, claiming that this place is haunted.

It is said that you'll have a better chance of "seeing or hearing" something if you stay in room #7 and/or room #9. Go for it!

What the...!!!
It's a GIANT picnic basket! The world's largest picnic basket...as a matter of fact. Located in Newark, OH, this behemoth of a basket is a dream come true for Dave Longaberger, founder of The Longaberger Company.

It happens to be the Longaberger Home Office in Newark, OH. Yes, it's the world's largest picnic basket and it doubles as a way cool office building.

Getting your home ready to sell can be a time-consuming project unless you've been doing an A+ job of maintenance all along the way. Everyone knows that curb appeal is on the top of the list of homebuyers.

There are also several other areas of your home and property that you should get in top notch shape in anticipation of your showing...if you want to sell your home quickly. My tips will turn home browsers into homebuyers.

I want to focus on tips for the exterior of your home including the landscaping and tackle the interior of your home on another post, or two.

A curved staircase is quite an engineering feat in homebuilding. Some would even say that creating beautiful staircases for homeowners is a form of art. The engineering that is involved in building staircases can be mind-boggling.

Think of how many movies you've seen (e.g. Gone With The Wind, Scarface and too many to name) where the staircase that the movie star walked down, danced down, fell down or even tumbled down was a major part of a scene.

What I'm trying to say is that staircases can be very dramatic.

My latest new home viewing excursion led me to a 3-story home, built by Donny Brook Homes in The Park at Anderson Farm in Marietta, where curved staircases were the very first thing you laid eyes on when you walked through the oversized French entry doors. The curved staircases have been installed but they have yet to put the finishing touches on them (not to mention the walls surrounding them that have been touched up recently).

Come on in and have a look.

Konichiwa!
A copper rain chain connected to the downspout by the front porch really caught my eye on my latest visit to the English cottage-style home near Marietta, GA. I had never seen one before but, apparently, they are of Japanese origin and are known as kusari-doi in Japan. They've been around for hundreds of years and have been utilized for their architectural and functional qualities.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find yet another unique feature on this extraordinary home being built.