A new housing development, Autumn Lake, is taking shape in Bath Township, located on the east side of Lima. Nickles Homes is constructing the development on Slabtown Road, situated just past Bath High School and before the bridge to Interstate 75. A model home for the Bellasera unit and the office for Nickles Homes are both located off Slabtown Road at the beginning of the development. The company recently hosted an open house on Saturday, Sept. 26, for homes in the new community.
Jerry Nickles, owner of Nickles Homes, stated that his company has a 10-year timeline to build 124 homes within Autumn Lake. Currently, 17 of these homes have been constructed, and all but two of them have already been sold. Nickles noted a significant demand for this type of housing, particularly among seniors, stating, “Nobody was doing anything in Bath Township for the seniors at this price range.” He added that the first phase of homes sold out in the first 12 months.
The Autumn Lake development is positioned to help meet a broader regional housing demand. According to a report from the City of Lima and Harsany & Associates, the area's housing stock is aging, with only 12% of houses built since 1980 and 35% constructed prior to 1940. Their analysis indicated a need for 283 new owner homes and 225 new rental housing units by 2030. Autumn Lake's new constructions could contribute to fulfilling some of this projected demand.
While the development initially catered to seniors, Nickles indicated that Autumn Lake is attracting a diverse group of homebuyers, including older Gen-Z and millennial working professionals such as doctors and teachers. Homebuyers in Autumn Lake have two primary options: the Bellasera and the Belvedere models.
Both home types feature two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a covered patio (or a deck if the home is near water), included lawn and snow care, and appliances. The Bellasera model is the larger of the two, priced at $340,000, offering 1,550 square feet of living space, an 11-foot ceiling, a two-car garage, an electric fireplace, and a built-up tile shower in the master bedroom. The Belvedere model is available for $259,800, providing 1,300 square feet with a 10-foot ceiling, a one-and-a-half-car garage, and a standard one-piece shower in the master bedroom, without a fireplace. Additional details are available on NicklesHomes.com.
Nickles shared his philosophy on home presentation, noting that “the home has to have curb appeal” to attract potential buyers. He recalled planning the Autumn Lake development approximately five years before ground was broken. Nickles Homes is currently in the process of finishing the decks on homes situated along a pond that faces Interstate 75. Future plans for Autumn Lake include the planting of large trees to screen the highway from homeowners' views and the addition of a three-acre lake at the furthest end of the development.
Initial construction faced challenges, as Nickles reported difficulty in securing water for the first unit in Autumn Lake due to the absence of water infrastructure on Slabtown Road. However, Nickles, who has been building homes since the 1970s, noted that such issues no longer surprise him.
Nickles Homes' operations are primarily based in Northwest Ohio, though Jerry Nickles' career has included building around 142 developments as far afield as military bases in Colorado. Now, the self-proclaimed boomer stated he is focusing on a more manageable pace, building “12 a year now.” He emphasized his ability to control this scale and maintain direct communication with buyers.
