Building together

Laura Briedis • October 13, 2025

With Howard Hanna’s Melanie Bowen as your partner, building a new home can be low-stress and enlightening. Here’s how she can help you get the most out of the experience.

A person leans against a brick pillar outdoors, wearing a navy blazer, light top, and patterned scarf, smiling at the camera.

As one of the top producers in the Howard Hanna Strongsville office, ranking in the top 5% nationwide for home sales, Melanie Bowen knows this market well. (Photography: Adrienne Rose)


Fall is always a busy time in real estate, but this year the market is even more robust. With the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates last month for the first time in 2025, buyers who had been waiting on the sidelines are now jumping in to lock in lower rates. At the same time, homeowners considering a sale are seeing this as a golden opportunity to list their properties, knowing that a larger pool of qualified buyers is actively searching.


“I am working with everyone from young couples looking for a starter home, to empty nesters looking to downsize, to those families looking to build a million-dollar home,” says Melanie Bowen, a broker and mega million-dollar producer at Howard Hanna. “The market right now is favorable for both buyers and sellers.”


Over her three decades in the real estate industry, Melanie has seen all the highs and lows, from record-high 18% mortgage rates in the early 1980s to the new home construction boom in Strongsville in the 1990s. As one of the top producers in the Howard Hanna Strongsville office, ranking in the top 5% nationwide for home sales, she knows this market well. Melanie lives and works in the city she has called home for decades.


Though real estate at times can be a high-pressure, fast-paced industry, Melanie is a calming force. Maybe that’s because she has 30-plus years of experience, or perhaps it’s because she has a degree in psychology from Baldwin Wallace University. 


Though real estate and psychology may seem like unrelated career paths, they have more commonalities than one would think. Melanie expertly blends both skill sets to serve her clients with empathy, insight and professionalism. 


“There is so much more to real estate than just showing homes,” she says. “I can relate to each client and each situation and navigate clients through the many emotions and challenges of buying, selling or building a home.”


Melanie has built her business focusing on a more individualized approach and personal touch when working with clients throughout Northeast Ohio.



“I’m passionate about helping others,” she says. “I approach business like life. It’s all about making connections.”


Melanie Bowen works in the Howard Hanna office at 12333 Pearl Road in Strongsville. For more information, call 440-667-6589 or visit MelanieBowenHomes.com.

A person stands under the Strongsville Town Center archway on a sunny day with green landscaping and a building in view.

Melanie Bowen lives and works in Strongsville and has called it home for decades.


Partner with Realtor Melanie Bowen When Building 


Real estate agents don’t just help you buy and sell existing homes. They can also be invaluable when building a new home. Best of all, their services are typically paid for by the builder, not you. From selecting the best lot to reviewing contracts to negotiating upgrades, a real estate agent’s expertise can simplify a complex process and protect your interests every step of the way.


“I have great relationships with builders around town and have helped many clients build their dream homes,” Howard Hanna’s Melanie Bowen says. “I have been working with homeowners building in the new Del Webb community in Columbia Station, the Parkview Homes cluster development in Strongsville, and with national builders like Pulte and Drees Homes throughout Northeast Ohio.”


If you are thinking of building, it’s essential to contact a real estate agent before you tour any model homes, so they can guide you from start to finish.


“I walk clients through every step of the building process, offering suggestions and modifications they may not have thought of,” she says. “And if they need to sell their current home, I can help coordinate both selling the home and building a home, so the timelines match up.”

A printed building permit document rests on top of rolled architectural blueprints and a large site map.

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