Gahanna, Ohio · Franklin County · Epcon (resale)
The Villas of Gahanna
One of the most affordable ways into 55+ living near Columbus — a 100-home Epcon attached community from the 1990s, priced where the new Courtyards communities simply cannot reach.
The community
The Villas of Gahanna is an early Epcon community — built starting in 1993 — of 100 attached homes on the east side, near Gahanna. It offers two original floor plans: the single-story Villa (two bedrooms, two baths, roughly 1,064 sq ft) and the two-story Chateau (two bedrooms plus a den that works as a third, baths on each floor, around 1,758 sq ft). Each home has a first-floor laundry, a one-to-two-car garage, and a privacy-fenced patio. The community has a clubhouse, pool, and exercise room.
The reason this community matters is price. With the new Courtyards communities starting in the upper $300ks and climbing past $600k, the Villas of Gahanna is one of the few genuine entry points into 55+ living near Columbus for buyers working with a mid-$200k to low-$300k budget. Gahanna itself is a well-established east-side suburb with quick access to I-270, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, and the New Albany employment corridor.
This is a condominium-style association — read the dues differently. Attached communities like this typically carry a higher monthly fee than a detached Courtyards community, because the association often maintains more of the exterior and shared structures. That is not a negative — it is the trade for lower price and less personal upkeep — but it means the “cheap” entry price comes with a meaningful monthly fee. Look at the all-in number, not the sticker.
The real cost math
Representative all-in monthly estimate for a Villas of Gahanna home around $285,000, Franklin County:
| Monthly component | Estimate (~$285k home) |
|---|---|
| Property tax (≈1.69% effective) | ~$401 |
| Condo/association fee (exterior + amenities) | ~$300–$400 |
| Homeowners (HO-6 condo) insurance | ~$60–$90 |
| All-in, excl. mortgage & utilities | ~$761–$891/mo |
The honest take
The Villas of Gahanna is the right answer for the budget-conscious buyer who wants into a 55+ community near Columbus without spending $400k+. The east-side location is convenient, the homes are single-floor-friendly, and the price genuinely opens the door for buyers the new communities price out.
The honest cautions: these are 30-year-old attached homes, so expect dated finishes and to budget for updates — the low purchase price assumes you may renovate. The association fee is proportionally high relative to the home price, which narrows the gap with pricier communities once you look all-in. And as an older, attached community, the reserve and special-assessment questions matter — ask for the association financials before you buy.
Looking for an affordable entry point?
We will pull the current association fee and the all-in monthly cost so you compare apples to apples with the newer communities.
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