The bustling City of Port Clinton and the Catawba and Marblehead Peninsulas in eastern Ottawa County have been attracting new residents in droves. On the western side of Ottawa County, the Village of Oak Harbor has a completely different ambiance, offering country living, a county fair and the annual Apple Festival, all big events for the residents.

“Our Oak Harbor location is a satellite office of Howard Hanna, which also has offices on Catawba Island and in Fremont, and our clientele is a bit different,” said Realtor Cherie Salazar. “Oak Harbor is a relatively small village, a place where everyone knows everybody.”

“There is no doubt we are growing, with lots of manufacturing popping up to our west, between Oak Harbor and Toledo, but home prices are still reasonable here for small families. We have excellent schools in the Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District, both academically and with outstanding sports teams.”

A lot of Oak Harbor’s glamour has been generated by youthful Mayor Quinton Babcock, who has aggressively been developing the village’s downtown shoreline along the Portage River and fixing the village’s infrastructure.

“Many don’t realize that Oak Harbor is more than just a way station on a trip along country roads,” said Salazar. “We’re only about 20 or 25 minutes from Port Clinton, Catawba Island and Marblehead, and all they have to offer.

“The Lake Erie shoreline is just a few miles north, where they hold the prestigious month-long National Rifle and Pistol Matches that bring thousands to the area, and the great Lake Erie fishing and boating, and the popular Lake Erie Islands and Put-in-Bay, a musical hot spot.”

Salazar said that some great areas, such as the Green Cove Condominiums, are a hot commodity these days — and reasonably priced.

“They’re right on Lake Erie, surrounded by marinas, and one of the most inexpensive places for buying a summer home,” said Salazar. “We handle a lot of properties in that area, and they’re popular with spring and summer anglers and birders coming to the area in May. We have a great mix of families and retired folks.”

To contact Salazar, visit the Howard Hanna office at 156 W. Water St., Oak Harbor, call 419-707-1088 or email cheriesalazar@howardhanna.com.