Gage Reed

11/05/2026

Throwback Thursday: The Dayton Soldiers’ Home

Before it was the Dayton VA, it was the Soldiers’ Home. President Lincoln signed the law creating it in March 1865, and the first Civil War veterans moved onto the grounds in West Dayton in 1867.

It became one of the three original national homes for Union veterans and the biggest one by far. By 1884, more than 7,000 veterans lived there, which made it the largest veterans’ home in the world. From the day it opened it was racially integrated, which was rare in the 1800s.

It was also a huge tourist attraction. People came by train for the formal gardens, the grotto, a deer park and a small zoo that had alligators and a bear. In 1910 alone it had more than 669,000 visitors, over six times Dayton’s population at the time.

More than 150 years later, the campus on West Third Street is still caring for veterans. With Veterans Day next Wednesday, thank you to everyone who has served.

11/04/2026

Myth Buster Wednesday: “Don’t list your home during the holidays.”

A lot of sellers wait until spring, and that can work in your favor if you don’t.

With fewer homes on the market, yours has less competition. The buyers out looking in November and December usually have a real reason to move, like a new job, a lease that’s ending, or a plan to be settled by the new year. A clean, lightly decorated house feels warm in photos and showings. And if you’re under contract before spring, you’ve beaten the rush of new listings.

You also don’t have to give up your holidays. Showings can be scheduled around your plans.

Every market is different. If you’re thinking about selling, give me a call and I’ll walk you through what timing looks like for your home.

11/03/2026

Is it worth buying a home in the winter?

It's a question I hear a lot this time of year. I wrote a guide that covers why late fall and winter can work in a buyer's favor, where our local market stands right now, what to look for when you tour a home in the cold, and the trade-offs to keep in mind.

If you're thinking about buying in the next few months, this one's worth a read. Check it out!

Most people start house hunting in the spring. Listings pick up in March, open houses fill up, and buyers end up competi

11/02/2026

Local Spotlight: Bill's Donut Shop

Bill and Faye Elam opened Bill's in downtown Dayton in 1960. Since 1979 it's been on North Main Street in Centerville, open 24 hours a day, with the same recipes it started with. It even made No. 2 on Business Insider's list of the best donut shops in America.

For a lot of local families, a Bill's run is a tradition. What's your go-to order?

11/01/2026

Hello, November. Here's to cozy nights, full tables, and plenty to be thankful for this month.

If a move is on your mind for the new year, now is a great time to start planning. Call or text 937-974-2151.

10/31/2026

Fall back this weekend. Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 a.m., so set your clocks back one hour before bed tonight. Enjoy the extra sleep.

10/31/2026

Happy Halloween from my family to yours. Wishing everyone a safe night out there, whether you're handing out candy or walking the neighborhood with your little ones.

10/30/2026

One of the most common questions in real estate: what exactly am I paying for at closing?

I put together a plain-English guide to closing costs in Ohio. It covers what buyers pay, what sellers pay, why Ohio property taxes work a little differently, and a few simple ways to keep your costs down.

If you're thinking about buying or selling, this one's worth a read. Check it out!

Closing costs are the fees and taxes paid at the end of a home sale, on top of the price itself. In Ohio, most estimates

10/29/2026

Throwback Thursday: Centerville in Stone

Before there was a Centerville, there was the land. In 1796, Benjamin Robbins, Aaron Nutt and Benjamin Archer surveyed it, and the settlers who came after them didn't have to look far for building material. Dayton limestone sat just a few feet below the surface in places, easy enough to quarry right where they stood.

So they built with it. Most of Centerville's stone homes went up between about 1806 and 1840, and the city says it's the largest collection of early stone buildings in Ohio. One of them, the Asahel Wright House, belonged to the great-uncle of Wilbur and Orville Wright.

Next time you're stopped at the light at Main and Franklin, take a look around. A lot of those walls have been standing for more than 200 years.

10/28/2026

Beggars’ Night is this Saturday, October 31, from 6 to 8 PM across Miamisburg, Centerville, Kettering, Moraine, Springboro, Franklin, Middletown and more. Porch lights on, flashlights out, and take it slow on the roads. Save this or tag a neighbor who needs the time. Happy Halloween from Gage Reed, REALTOR® with Johnson Webb Realty.