Salesperson (OH: 0000448346)
26 years experience
Hardin County, Ohio represents a uniquely intimate real estate market where personal relationships and local expertise drive transactions. With exactly 29 actively licensed agents serving the entire county, this market operates on a scale that prioritizes deep community knowledge over volume-driven competition. What makes this particularly noteworthy is that all 29 agents maintain email contact information, indicating a tech-savvy professional community despite the rural setting.
The compact nature of Hardin County's real estate landscape creates opportunities for highly personalized service that larger metropolitan areas simply cannot match. Each agent typically develops expertise across multiple property types and price points, from agricultural land surrounding Kenton to residential properties in Ada, home to Ohio Northern University. This versatility becomes a significant advantage for buyers and sellers who benefit from agents who understand both rural acreage and university-adjacent housing markets.
Kenton serves as the county seat and primary commercial hub, driving much of the residential real estate activity with established neighborhoods and proximity to employment centers. The city's historic downtown area has seen renewed interest as buyers seek affordable alternatives to larger Ohio cities. Ada presents a distinctly different market dynamic, heavily influenced by Ohio Northern University's presence, creating consistent demand for rental properties and smaller residential units that appeal to faculty, staff, and investors targeting student housing.
Rural markets throughout Hardin County offer agricultural properties, recreational land, and residential acreage that attracts buyers from Columbus and other metropolitan areas seeking more space and lower costs. Small communities like Alger, Forest, and Mount Victory each maintain their own micro-markets, often characterized by generational property ownership and word-of-mouth transactions that require agents with deep local connections to navigate successfully.
Despite its small size, Hardin County's real estate market exhibits surprising complexity due to its diverse economic base spanning agriculture, education, and light manufacturing. The presence of Ohio Northern University creates year-round activity in Ada, while agricultural cycles influence rural property transactions throughout the county. This creates seasonal fluctuations and specialized knowledge requirements that challenge agents to understand both academic calendars and farming operations.
The county's position between major Ohio metropolitan areas like Columbus, Toledo, and Lima creates interesting migration patterns, with some buyers seeking rural retreats while maintaining urban employment through remote work arrangements. This trend has intensified since 2020, bringing new pricing pressures and buyer expectations to a traditionally stable market where properties often sold within established local networks.
Real estate service providers, from mortgage lenders to home inspectors, find Hardin County's concentrated agent network particularly valuable for building comprehensive business relationships. With only 29 active agents, companies can realistically develop personal connections with every potential referral source in the county, creating opportunities for market penetration that would be impossible in larger markets. The universal email accessibility ensures efficient communication and marketing reach.
Property technology companies and real estate marketing services can use this focused agent database to test new products or services in a manageable market before scaling to larger regions. The geographic concentration allows for in-person relationship building and detailed feedback collection, while the diverse property types represented across the county provide comprehensive market testing opportunities within a single, cohesive professional community.
As of 2/17/2026, Tara Howell has 5 properties for sale in Kenton and surrounding areas.
$239,900
Listed 2026-01-27
$149,900
Listed 2026-01-30
$179,900
Listed 2025-11-07
$229,900
Listed 2025-11-06
$179,900
Listed 2026-01-22
Tara Howell currently has no rental properties available in Kenton and surrounding areas. Check back later.