127









                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                     BETWEEN CARDINAL REALTY SERVICES, INC.
                                       AND
                                  PAUL R. SELID












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                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page


1.   Employment................................................................1

2.   Term and Positions........................................................1

3.   Compensation..............................................................2

4.   Insurance and Other Benefits..............................................8

5.   Payment in the Event of Death or Permanent Disability.....................8

6.   Termination and Further Compensation......................................9

7.   Reimbursement............................................................11

8.   Covenants and Confidential Information...................................11

9.   Withholding Taxes........................................................12

10.  No Conflicting Agreement.................................................13

11.  Severable Provisions.....................................................13

12.  Binding Agreement........................................................13

13.  Arbitration..............................................................13

14.  Notices..................................................................13

15.  Waiver...................................................................13

16.  Miscellaneous............................................................14

17.  Governing Law............................................................14

18.  Captions and Section Headings............................................14

19.  Miscellaneous............................................................14




                                      129



                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT  ("Agreement") is entered into as of the 15th
day of April, 1996, between Cardinal Realty Services,  Inc., an Ohio corporation
("Employer"), and Paul R. Selid ("Employee").

                                   WITNESSETH:

         WHEREAS,  Employer and Employee  desire to enter into this Agreement to
assure Employer of the services of Employee,  and Employee's  employment for the
term set forth  herein,  and to set forth the rights  and duties of the  parties
hereto.

         NOW,  THEREFORE,   in  consideration  of  the  mutual  promises  herein
contained, the parties agree as follows:

         1.       Employment.

                  (a) Employer  hereby  employs  Employee,  and Employee  hereby
         accepts such employment,  upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set
         forth.

                  (b)  During  the term of this  Agreement,  or any  renewal  or
         extension  hereof (for purposes  hereof,  all references  herein to the
         term of this  Agreement  shall be deemed to include  references  to the
         period of renewal or extension hereof,  if any),  Employee shall devote
         his full time to his employment and perform with  reasonable  diligence
         such duties as are  customarily  performed by the Senior Vice President
         and Manager of Advisory Services or similar senior executive officer of
         a  company   having  the  size  and   structure  of  Employer  and  its
         subsidiaries,  together  with such  other  duties as may be  reasonably
         requested  from time to time by the Board of Directors of Employer (the
         "Board"),  which duties shall be consistent with the further  covenants
         set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement.

                  (c) Employee shall not,  without the prior written  consent of
         Employer,  directly or indirectly,  during the term of this  Employment
         Agreement,  other than in the performance of duties naturally  inherent
         in the  businesses  of Employer or any  subsidiary  of Employer  and in
         furtherance  thereof,  render  services of a business,  professional or
         commercial  nature to any other person or firm, for  compensation.  For
         purposes of this Agreement,  all references  herein to subsidiaries and
         affiliates  of  Employer  shall be deemed to include  subsidiaries  and
         affiliates now or hereafter existing.

         2.       Term and Positions.

                  (a) Subject to the provisions  for  termination as hereinafter
         provided,  the term of this Agreement shall begin on April 15, 1996 and
         shall  continue  through  April 14,  1997 (the  "Original  Term").  The
         Original  Term may be extended  for  additional  terms of one year each
         (each,  a "Renewal  Term") upon the mutual  agreement  of Employer  and
         Employee.


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                  (b) Employee  shall,  without any  compensation in addition to
         that which is specifically provided in this Agreement,  serve as Senior
         Vice President and Manager of Advisory Services of Employer and in such
         other offices or positions with any subsidiary or affiliate of Employer
         as shall,  from time to time, be assigned  reasonably by the Board (but
         such office or positions shall be consistent  with the duties,  offices
         or positions  hereinbefore named). It is agreed that in addition to the
         provisions of Section 4(e) of this Agreement and any other  obligations
         due him hereunder,  Employee shall be entitled to the protection of the
         applicable  indemnification provisions of the Articles of Incorporation
         and Code of  Regulations  of Employer and the corporate or  partnership
         organizational documents of any such subsidiary or affiliate.  Employer
         will use all commercially  reasonable efforts to maintain its directors
         and officers  liability  insurance  for the benefit of,  among  others,
         Employee.  For purposes of this Agreement,  the term: (i)  "affiliate,"
         when used with reference to Employer,  means any entity which, directly
         or indirectly  through one or more  intermediaries,  is controlled  by,
         under common control with, or which controls,  Employer; (ii) "control"
         means (A) the power to direct the management and policies of the entity
         in  question,  directly or  indirectly,  whether  through  ownership of
         voting  securities,  by contract or otherwise and (B)  "controlled" and
         "controlling"  have meanings  correlative to the  foregoing;  and (iii)
         "subsidiary"  means,  with  reference  to  Employer,  any  corporation,
         general or limited partnership,  limited liability company, association
         or other  business  entity (A) of which  securities or other  ownership
         interests  representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of
         the  ordinary  voting  power or more than 50% of the  general  partners
         interests  are, at the time any  determination  is being  made,  owned,
         controlled   or  held  by  Employer  or  (B)  that,  at  the  time  any
         determination  is being made, is otherwise  controlled,  by Employer or
         one or more  subsidiaries  of Employer  or by Employer  and one or more
         subsidiaries of Employer.

         3.       Compensation.

                  (a) For all  services  he may  render  to  Employer  (and  any
         subsidiary or affiliate)  during the term of this  Agreement,  Employer
         shall pay to Employee base  compensation  ("Base  Compensation") on the
         following terms:

                           (i) For the Original Term and any Renewal  Term,  One
                  Hundred and Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($125,000) per annum.

                           (ii) Base Compensation payable to Employee under this
                  Section 3(a) shall be payable in equal bi-weekly installments.

                           (iii) Commencing  January 1, 1997, Base  Compensation
                  may be increased each fiscal year upon  appropriate  action by
                  the Board.  If increased,  such increased  dollar amount shall
                  thereafter  constitute  "Base  Compensation"  for all purposes
                  under this Agreement.

                  (b) Employer shall pay to Employee bonus  compensation  during
         the term of this Agreement as follows:


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                                      131


                           (i) For  Employer's  1997 fiscal  year,  and for each
                  fiscal year thereafter during which this Employment  Agreement
                  remains in effect,  Employer will pay to Employee a cash bonus
                  (the  "Cash  Bonus")  determined  on the  basis of  Employer's
                  aggregate  return on equity ("ROE" as defined in Exhibit "A-1"
                  attached hereto and  incorporated  herein) from investments in
                  real estate (including  interests comprised of receivables) as
                  follows:

                                                  Cash Bonus Expressed as
                                                  Percentage of Base
          ROE                                     Compensation
          --------------------------------        --------------------------

          up to 5%                                0
     
          greater than 5% up to 10%               ROE multiplied by 1.0;
                                                  plus, if applicable
                                                  ----
     
          greater than 10% up to 15%              ROE exceeding 10%
                                                  multiplied by
                                                  1.5; plus, if applicable
                                                       ----

          greater than 15% up to 20%              ROE exceeding 15%
                                                  multiplied by
                                                  2.5; plus, if applicable
                                                       ----
     
          greater than 20% to 25%                 ROE exceeding 20%
                                                  multiplied by
                                                  3.0; plus, if applicable
                                                       ----

          greater than 25%                        ROE exceeding 25%
                                                  multiplied by 4.0, but not
                                                  to exceed a total of
                                                  60% of Base Compensation

                        (ii) For purposes of determining the Cash Bonus, if any,
                  payable to Employee,  Employee and  Employer  acknowledge  and
                  agree  that  (subject  to any  increase  pursuant  to  Section
                  3(a)(iii) of this Agreement) Employee's 1996 Base Compensation
                  will be deemed  (solely for  purposes of this  Section 3(b) to
                  equal One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($125,000), and
                  the  maximum  Cash  Bonus  payable to  Employee  on account of
                  Employer's  1996  fiscal  year  equals  Seventy-Five  Thousand
                  Dollars ($75,000).

                       (iii) Employee's Cash Bonus due under subsections (i) and
                  (ii) above shall be paid within  thirty (30) days after ROE is
                  calculated  from the applicable  final audited year end income
                  statements of Employer.

                        (iv) In addition to the Cash Bonus,  for Employer's 1996
                  fiscal year, and for each fiscal year thereafter  during which
                  this Employment  Agreement remains in effect,  Employer shall,
                  and  hereby  does,  grant to  Employee a stock  bonus  ("Stock
                  Bonus";  and,  together  with the  Cash  Bonus,  the  "Bonus")
                  payable in shares of  Employer's  common  stock,  without  par
                  value (the "Common Stock"), in accordance

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                                      132

                  with a Deferred Shares Award  Agreement (the "Deferred  Shares
                  Agreement")  to be entered into between  Employer and Employee
                  in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. The dollar amount of
                  the Stock  Bonus will be  determined  on the same basis as the
                  Cash Bonus (including the partial-year  provision set forth in
                  Section 5(a),  except that the dollar value of the Stock Bonus
                  as a percentage of Base Compensation will be as follows:


                  Percentage Increase              Dollar Value of Stock
                  in Employer's ROE                Bonus Expressed as Percentage
                  --------------------             of Base Compensation
                                                   -----------------------------

                  up to 103%                       0
     
                  greater than 103% up to 105%     Equivalent to Percentage
                                                   Increase in ROE; plus, if
                                                   applicable

                  greater than 105% up to 110%     Additional Percentage
                                                   Increase in ROE (above 5%)
                                                   multiplied by 2; plus, if
                                                   applicable

                  greater than 110%                Additional Percentage
                                                   Increase in ROE (above 10%)
                                                   multiplied by 3,
                                                   but not to exceed 30% of
                                                   Base Compensation

                         (v) The number of shares  constituting  the Stock Bonus
                  payable to Employee  will be  determined  by dividing  (A) the
                  dollar value of the Stock Bonus  determined in accordance with
                  the table above by (B) the closing price of Employer's  Common
                  Stock on the Nasdaq National  Market System,  or if Employer's
                  Common  Stock is not  listed or  admitted  to  trading in such
                  system, the principal  securities exchange on which Employer's
                  Common  Stock is listed or  admitted  to  trading  on the last
                  trading  date in the  period  for  which  the  Stock  Bonus is
                  calculated  (i.e.  December  31,  March 31 or the last closing
                  price for the  Common  Stock  immediately  preceding  the date
                  Employee ceases  employment  with  Employer).  Any Stock Bonus
                  which  Employee is entitled to receive from Employer  shall be
                  issued on the same date as the Cash Bonus for the same period.
                  No fractional share shall be payable to Employee in connection
                  with the Stock Bonus,  but Employee will be entitled to a cash
                  payment equal to the dollar value of any  fractional  share to
                  which he would otherwise be entitled under the Stock Bonus, to
                  be paid together with the payment of the Employee's Cash Bonus
                  hereunder.

                  (c) As  additional  inducement  to Employee to enter into this
         Agreement,  Employer  shall  issue  to  The  Provident  Bank,  a  state
         chartered bank, in its capacity as Trustee under that certain Executive
         Deferred  Compensation Rabbi Trust Agreement dated as of April 18, 1996
         (the  "Trust   Agreement"),   or  any  successor   trustee   thereunder
         ("Trustee"), for

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                                      133


         the benefit of  Employee,  at no  additional  consideration  or cost to
         Employee,  up to two thousand five hundred (2,500) shares of the Common
         Stock for each share of Common Stock of Employer  purchased by Employee
         from the date of this  Agreement  through and including  April 15, 1997
         (the "Matching Stock"). Any Matching Stock which Trustee is entitled to
         receive from  Employer  shall be issued to Trustee  within  thirty (30)
         days of Employee's  purchase of any shares of Common Stock and shall be
         subject to all restrictions and limitations imposed by applicable state
         and  federal  securities  laws  and  regulations.  Notwithstanding  the
         provisions  of Section  3(b)(iv) of this  Agreement,  in the event that
         Employee shall be entitled to the payment of a Cash Bonus on account of
         Employer's  1996 fiscal year,  then, in such event,  on or before April
         30, 1997  Employee may furnish  Employer  with his written  election to
         receive  shares of Common  Stock  having a fair market value (such fair
         market  value to be  determined  in the same manner as shares of Common
         Stock  issuable  to the  Trustee  for the  benefit of the  Employee  on
         account of Employee's  Stock Bonus for Employer's  1996 fiscal year) in
         an amount  specified  by Employee in such  written  election in lieu of
         such Cash Bonus.  Employee may make such an election only on account of
         Employer's  1996 fiscal  year.  Any shares of Common Stock so issued to
         the Trustee  for the  benefit of  Employee  on account of such  written
         election  will,  in turn,  qualify under this Section 3(c) as shares of
         Common Stock purchased by Employee and,  accordingly,  the Trustee will
         be entitled  to receive one share of Matching  Stock on account of each
         share of Common  Stock issued to Trustee for the benefit of Employee in
         lieu of Employee's Cash Bonus in accordance with the provisions of this
         Section 3(c).

                  (d)  Further,  Employer  shall,  and  hereby  does,  grant  to
         Employee rights to receive additional shares of Common Stock subject to
         the terms and conditions of those certain  Restricted  Shares Agreement
         (the "Restricted Shares Agreement") to be entered into between Employer
         and  Employee,  in the form  attached  hereto as Exhibit B (such Common
         Stock to be referred to herein as "Restricted Stock") as follows:


                         (i) nine thousand  (9,000) shares of Restricted  Stock,
                  which  shall be issued to Trustee on April 15,  1996 and shall
                  vest as follows (and as more  particularly set forth under the
                  applicable Restricted Shares Agreement):

                                    A.  one-third  when the number of issued and
                           outstanding   shares  of   Employer's   Common  Stock
                           multiplied by the closing price of Employer's  Common
                           Stock on the Nasdaq  National  Market  System,  or if
                           Employer's  Common Stock is not listed or admitted to
                           trading  in such  system,  the  principal  securities
                           exchange or market on which  Employer's  Common Stock
                           is  listed  or   admitted   to   trading,   plus  the
                           liquidation  value  of  all  issued  and  outstanding
                           preferred     stock     of     Employer      ("Market
                           Capitalization"),   exceeds  Ninety  Million  Dollars
                           ($90,000,000)  for a continuous period over three (3)
                           consecutive months;


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                                    B. one-third when the Market  Capitalization
                           exceeds   One   Hundred   Twenty   Million    Dollars
                           ($120,000,000)  for a  continuous  period  three  (3)
                           consecutive months; and

                                    C. one-third when the Market  Capitalization
                           exceeds   One   Hundred   Fifty    Million    Dollars
                           ($150,000,000)  for a  continuous  three  consecutive
                           month period.

                        (ii)  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the vesting of all
                  Restricted  Stock and Stock  Options (as defined  hereinbelow)
                  granted under this Agreement shall be accelerated in the event
                  of any of the following:

                                    (A)  Employer  shall  merge or be  merged or
                           consolidated  with,  another  corporation  and  as  a
                           result  of such  merger  or  consolidation  less than
                           seventy  percent  (70%)  of  the  outstanding  voting
                           securities of the surviving or resulting  corporation
                           shall  be  owned  in  the  aggregate  by  the  former
                           shareholders  of  Employer  as the  same  shall  have
                           existed   immediately   prior  to  such   merger   or
                           consolidation;

                                    (B)  Employer  shall sell or transfer to one
                           or  more  persons,  corporations  or  entities,  in a
                           single   transaction   or   a   series   of   related
                           transactions,  more than  one-half  of the  assets of
                           Employer unless by an affirmative  vote of two-thirds
                           of the  members  of the  Board,  the  transaction  or
                           transactions  are exempted from the operation of this
                           provision  based  on a good  faith  finding  that the
                           transaction  or  transactions   are  not  within  the
                           intended  scope of this  definition  for  purposes of
                           this Agreement;

                                    (C) a person,  within the meaning of Section
                           3(a)(9)  or  Section   13(d)(3)  of  the   Securities
                           Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended and as in effect on
                           the date hereof the "Exchange Act"), shall become the
                           beneficial  owner (as  defined  in Rule  13d-3 of the
                           Exchange Act) of thirty  percent (30%) or more of the
                           outstanding voting securities of Employer; or

                                    (D)  any   shareholder   of  Employer  shall
                           nominate a person to the Board,  which  nominee shall
                           be elected to the Board  without  receiving the prior
                           endorsement of the Board or its Nominating Committee.

                  (e)  Employer  shall  grant to  Employee  options to  purchase
         twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) shares of Employer's Common Stock
         ("Stock  Options") in accordance  with,  and subject to, the Employer's
         Incentive  Equity Plan, as amended,  and a  Non-Qualified  Stock Option
         Agreement in the form  attached  hereto as Exhibit C (the "Option Award
         Agreement"  and,  together with the Deferred  Shares  Agreement and the
         Restricted  Shares  Agreements,  the  "Award  Agreements").  The  Stock
         Options  shall have an exercise  price  equal to the  closing  price of
         Employer's Common Stock on the Nasdaq National Market

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                                      135

         System on April 14,  1996,  one-fifth of which shall vest on the first,
         second,  third,  fourth  and  fifth  anniversaries  of the date of such
         grant,  which  grant  shall  be  made  pursuant  to  the  Option  Award
         Agreement.

                  (f) Employee  shall be entitled to  participate in any pension
         or profit- sharing plan covering highly compensated  salaried employees
         which the  Employer  may have in effect or  hereafter  adopt during the
         term of this Employment Agreement.

                  (g) Employer  represents  and warrants to Employee that unless
         Employee  makes an election  pursuant to Section  83(b) of the Internal
         Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),  Employee shall not have
         any taxable income solely by reason of the grants described in Sections
         3(c),  (d) and  (e)  hereof.  Employee  understands  that he will  have
         taxable  income upon the vesting of Restricted  Stock,  the exercise of
         the Stock  Options,  the  disposition of the rights granted in Sections
         3(c), (d) and (e) hereof, or other similar event.

                  (h) If Employee makes an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of
         the Code in  connection  with  Restricted  Stock  acquired  by Employee
         pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof, Employer shall make a loan to Employee
         in an amount equal to forty-eight percent (48%) (subject to appropriate
         adjustment if the combined effective  federal,  state, and local income
         tax rate on compensation income changes in 1996) or any subsequent year
         in  which  income  may  be  recognized)  of  the  compensation   income
         recognized  by Employee for federal  income tax purposes in  connection
         with such  election.  The loan  shall (i) bear  interest  at a rate per
         annum  equal  to that  charged  from  time to  time to  Employer  under
         Employer's senior secured credit facility (which credit facility, as of
         the date of this  Agreement  is provided  to Employer by The  Provident
         Bank)  plus two  percent  (2%),  (ii) be  secured  by a  pledge  of the
         Restricted  Stock,  (iii) be due upon the  earliest  of three (3) years
         from the date of the  loan,  the sale of the  Restricted  Stock (to the
         extent of the proceeds of such sale with any  remaining  balance  being
         thereafter  due  as  originally  scheduled),  or  one  (1)  year  after
         Employee's  termination  of  employment  with  Employer,  and  (iv)  be
         evidenced by a promissory note and a pledge agreement in customary form
         reasonably acceptable to Employer and Employee.

                  (i) With respect to the Restricted Stock, if Employee does not
         make an election  pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code as described in
         Section 3(g) of this Agreement,  and with respect to the Stock Options,
         upon each occasion Employee recognizes compensation income, as a result
         of the  vesting of the  Restricted  Stock or the  exercise of the Stock
         Options,   Employee  may  borrow  from  Employer  an  amount  equal  to
         forty-eight  percent  (48%)  (subject to  adjustment  as  described  in
         Section  3(h)  of  this  Agreement)  of  the  compensation   income  so
         recognized by Employee,  provided  that  Employee is still  employed by
         Employer.  The loan shall have the same terms and conditions  described
         in Section 3(h) of this Agreement.





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                                      136


         4.       Insurance and Other Benefits.

                  (a)   Employee    shall   be   entitled   to   such   medical,
         hospitalization,  health,  accident,  life and disability insurance and
         pension plan benefits and such other similar employment  privileges and
         benefits as are afforded generally from time to time to other executive
         officers of Employer,  or  subsidiaries  of  Employer,  and in no event
         shall Employee be provided benefits at a level less generous than those
         benefits provided to any other officer or employee of Employer,  or any
         subsidiary  of Employer.  Further,  with  respect to medical  coverage,
         Employer shall provide medical coverage for Employee and his dependents
         at  least  equal to the  value of  coverage  afforded  Employee  on the
         effective  date of this  Agreement  if such  coverage is  available  on
         commercially reasonable terms.

                  (b) In  connection  with  the  move  of  Employee's  principal
         residence to the Columbus,  Ohio area, Employer will reimburse Employee
         up to Forty-Five  Thousand  Dollars  ($45,000)  for typical  relocation
         expenses,  including but not limited to,  reasonable  temporary  living
         expenses,  including  Employee's or Employee's  spouse's travel between
         Oakton,  Virginia  and  Columbus,  Ohio,  closing  costs on the sale of
         Employee's  home,  and reasonable  out-of-pocket  costs relating to the
         move of furniture,  household  goods and personal  effects from Oakton,
         Virginia to Columbus, Ohio. Employee shall bear sole responsibility for
         documenting  the   deductibility  of  amounts  paid  pursuant  to  this
         subsection if so required by the Internal  Revenue  Service,  but shall
         not be  required  to provide  such  documentation  to  Employer  unless
         Employer is required to produce same in connection with an audit.

         5.       Payment in the Event of Death or Permanent Disability.

                  (a) In the event of Employee's  death or Permanent  Disability
         (as defined hereinbelow) during the term of this Agreement, Employee or
         his  estate,  as the case may be,  shall be  entitled to receive (i) an
         amount equal to (A) the lesser of (x) any remaining  Base  Compensation
         for the Original Term or any then current  Renewal Term or (y) one year
         of Base  Compensation  reduced  by (B) any  and  all  payments  made to
         Employee  pursuant to any  disability  insurance  policy  maintained by
         Employer  for  Employee's  benefit  pursuant  to  Section  4(a) of this
         Agreement  or  otherwise  (the  "Disability  Policy"),  (ii) a pro rata
         portion of the Bonus,  if any,  applicable  to the fiscal year in which
         such  death  or  Permanent  Disability  occurs,  as  such  bonuses  are
         determined  under Section 3(b) of this Agreement,  and (iii) any shares
         of  Restricted  Stock and Stock  Options that have vested in accordance
         with the provisions of the Award  Agreements.  Such pro rata portion of
         the  Bonus  shall  be  determined  by a  multiplying  a  fraction  (the
         numerator of which shall be the number of days in the applicable fiscal
         year elapsed prior to the date of death or Permanent Disability, as the
         case  may be,  and the  denominator  of which  shall  be three  hundred
         sixty-five  (365))  by the  amount of the Bonus  that  would  have been
         payable,  if any,  pursuant  to such  Section  3(b),  if  Employee  had
         remained employed under this Agreement for the entire applicable fiscal
         year.


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                                      137


                  (b) Upon death or Permanent Disability of Employee, the Bonus,
         if any,  shall be paid when and as  provided  in  Section  3(b) of this
         Agreement. The other compensation to be paid pursuant to this Section 5
         shall be paid,  at the  election of Employee or  Employee's  designated
         beneficiary  (who shall be his wife,  unless he gives Employer  written
         notice of a different designation),  either (i) in two (2) equal annual
         installments  paid within the two (2) year period beginning on the date
         of such death or Permanent  Disability,  as the case may be, or (ii) in
         one (1) lump sum paid  within  ninety  (90) days after the date of such
         death or Permanent Disability, as the case may be.

                  (c) Employee shall be entitled to no further  compensation  or
         other benefits under this  Agreement,  except as to that portion of any
         benefits  accrued and earned by him  hereunder up to and  including the
         date of such death or Permanent Disability.

                  (d) For  purposes  of this  Section  5,  Employee's  Permanent
         Disability  shall be  deemed  to occur on the date  after  the first to
         occur of (i) ninety (90)  consecutive  days, or (ii) one hundred eighty
         (180) days  cumulatively in any twelve (12) month period, of Employee's
         inability  to provide the  services  required  hereunder  of him due to
         sickness or injury ("Permanent Disability").

         6.       Termination and Further Compensation.

                  (a) The employment of Employee under this  Agreement,  and the
         term hereof,  subject to Employee's  rights set forth elsewhere herein,
         may be terminated by Employer:

                           (i) on death or Permanent Disability of Employee, or

                           (ii) for cause at any time by  action  of the  Board.
                  For purposes hereof, the term "cause" shall mean:

                                    A.   an    intentional    act   of    fraud,
                           embezzlement,  theft or any other material  violation
                           of law in connection with Employee's duties or in the
                           course of his employment with Employer;

                                    B.  intentional  wrongful damage to material
                           assets of Employer;

                                    C.   intentional   wrongful   disclosure  of
                           material confidential information of Employer;

                                    D.  intentional  wrongful  engagement in any
                           competitive   activity   which  would   constitute  a
                           material breach of the duty of loyalty; or

                                    E.  breach  of any  material  term  of  this
                           Agreement.


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                                      138


                  No act, or failure,  to act, on the part of Employee  shall be
                  deemed "intentional", or provide the basis for termination for
                  cause,  if it was due  primarily  to an error in  judgment  or
                  negligence without bad faith or reckless disregard,  but shall
                  be deemed  "intentional"  only if done, or omitted to be done,
                  by Employee  not in good faith and without  reasonable  belief
                  that his action or omission  was in or not opposed to the best
                  interest of Employer. Failure to meet performance standards or
                  objectives of Employer shall not constitute cause for purposes
                  hereof. Further, in the event Employer terminates Employee for
                  "cause", Employer shall give Employee written notice as to the
                  specific   circumstances   giving  rise  to  its  decision  to
                  terminate  Employee for cause ("Notice"),  and, Employee shall
                  be  given  the  opportunity  to  respond,   with  counsel,  to
                  Employer's decision and Employer's articulated  circumstances,
                  such  responses  shall be  before  the Board of  Directors  of
                  Employer  and shall take place  within  fourteen  (14) days of
                  Employer's  Notice. Any termination by reason of the foregoing
                  shall  not be in  limitation  of any  other  right  or  remedy
                  Employer may have under this  Agreement or  otherwise.  On any
                  termination  of this  Agreement,  Employee  shall be deemed to
                  have  resigned  from all  offices  and  directorships  held by
                  Employee in Employer and any  subsidiaries  and  affiliates of
                  Employer.

                  (b) In the event of  termination  of this Agreement for any of
         the reasons set forth in Section  6(a)(ii)  hereof,  Employee  shall be
         entitled  to no  further  compensation  or other  benefits  under  this
         Agreement,   except  as  to  (i)  that   portion  of  any  unpaid  Base
         Compensation  reduced by any and all payments  made,  or to be made, to
         Employee  pursuant to the Disability  Policy and other benefits accrued
         and earned by him hereunder up to and  including the effective  date of
         such  termination;  and (ii) any of his shares of Restricted  Stock and
         Stock  Options that have vested in  accordance  with the  provisions of
         Section 3(c) of this Agreement.

                  (c) In the event  that  Employee's  employment  is  terminated
         without  cause  during the  Original  Term of this  Agreement or in the
         event that the Original Term of this  Agreement  shall have expired and
         shall  not have  been  renewed  and  Employee  thereupon  ceases  to be
         employed by  Employer,  Employee  shall be entitled to receive:  (i) an
         amount  equal to his Base  Compensation,  and any  other  benefits  due
         Employee  under  Section  4 of this  Agreement,  for the nine (9) month
         period immediately following such termination;  (ii) the Bonus, if any,
         applicable  to the fiscal year in which such  cessation  of  employment
         occurs,  as  such  Bonus  is  determined  under  Section  3(b)  of this
         Agreement but on a prorated basis calculated in the manner contemplated
         by  Section  5(a) of this  Agreement;  and (iii)  all of his  shares of
         Restricted  Stock awarded pursuant to Section 3(d)(i) of this Agreement
         (but not,  however,  any shares of Restricted Stock awarded pursuant to
         Section 3(d)(i) of this Agreement  which have not  theretofore  vested)
         and Stock Options  immediately fully vested,  and otherwise free of any
         forfeiture  provisions  or other  restrictions  imposed under the Award
         Agreements  except  for any  restrictions  or  limitations  imposed  by
         applicable state and federal  securities laws and  regulations.  In the
         event that Employee's  employment is terminated  without cause during a
         Renewal Term, Employee will be entitled to receive all of the

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                                      139


         compensation  and benefits  provided for in the  immediately  preceding
         sentence.  Upon  any  such  termination  by  Employer,  other  than for
         "cause", Employee's obligations to Employer hereunder shall terminate.

         7. Reimbursement. Employer shall reimburse Employee or provide him with
an  expense   allowance   during  the  term  of  this  Agreement,   for  travel,
entertainment and other expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by Employee
in  performing  services  hereunder or,  generally,  the promotion of Employer's
business.   Employee   shall   furnish  such   documentation   with  respect  to
reimbursement  to be paid  under this  Section 7 as  Employer  shall  reasonably
request.

         8.       Covenants and Confidential Information.

                  (a) Employee acknowledges  Employer's reliance and expectation
         of Employee's  continued  commitment of  performance  of his duties and
         responsibilities  during the term of this  Agreement.  In light of such
         reliance and expectation on the part of Employer,  Employee agrees that
         during the period beginning on the effective date of this Agreement and
         ending  eighteen  (18)  months  after  the  termination  of  Employee's
         employment for cause or Employee's  resignation  from  employment  with
         Employer, he shall not, directly or indirectly, do or suffer any of the
         following:

                           (i)  own,  manage,  control  or  participate  in  the
                  ownership,  management,  or  control  of,  or be  employed  or
                  engaged  by  or  otherwise   affiliated  or  associated  as  a
                  consultant,  independent  contractor  or otherwise  with,  any
                  other   corporation,   partnership,    proprietorship,   firm,
                  association,  or other business entity, or otherwise engage in
                  any  business,  which  directly  of  indirectly  acquires,  or
                  solicits to acquire,  property  management  agreements  or any
                  other service agreement directly relating to any property with
                  respect  to  which  Employer  or any of  its  subsidiaries  or
                  affiliates   has   contracted   to  provide  (or  is  actively
                  negotiating  to  provide)  similar  services  on the date that
                  Employee's employment relationship with Employer is terminated
                  hereunder;  provided,  however, that the ownership of not more
                  than one  percent  (1%) of the  stock  of any  publicly-traded
                  corporation shall not be deemed a violation of this covenant;

                           (ii)  employ,  assist in  employing,  or solicit  for
                  employment  any  employee  or  officer of  Employer  or any of
                  Employer's  affiliates  or  subsidiaries  who was  employed or
                  retained at any time during the one (1) year period  preceding
                  the date on  which  Employee's  employment  with  Employer  is
                  terminated;

                           (iii) induce any person who is an employee or officer
                  of Employer or any of Employer's affiliates or subsidiaries to
                  terminate said  relationship  in such a manner which is not in
                  furtherance of Employer's interest; or

                           (iv)  except  in   performing   services   hereunder,
                  disclose, divulge, discuss, copy or otherwise use or suffer to
                  be used in any manner, in competition with, or

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                                      140


                  contrary to the  interests  of,  Employer or any of Employer's
                  affiliates or subsidiaries  entities, the proprietary customer
                  lists, limited partner lists,  research or data or other trade
                  secrets  of  Employer  or  any  of  Employer's  affiliates  or
                  subsidiaries,  it being acknowledged by Employee that any such
                  proprietary information regarding the business of Employer and
                  Employer's  affiliates or  subsidiaries  entities  compiled or
                  obtained by, or furnished to,  Employee  while  Employee shall
                  have been employed by or associated  with Employer,  and which
                  has not  been  publicly  disclosed  by  Employer  or  which is
                  otherwise not available in the public domain,  is confidential
                  information and Employer's property.

                  (b) Employee  expressly agrees and understands that the remedy
         at law for any breach by him of this Section 8 will be  inadequate  and
         that the damages  flowing from such breach are not readily  susceptible
         to being measured in monetary  terms.  Accordingly,  it is acknowledged
         that  upon  adequate  proof  of  Employee's  violation  of any  legally
         enforceable  provision of this Section 8, Employer shall be entitled to
         immediate   injunctive   relief  and  may  obtain  a  temporary   order
         restraining any threatened or further breach. Nothing in this Section 8
         shall be deemed to limit  Employer's  remedies  at law or in equity for
         any breach by Employee of any of the provisions of this Section 8 which
         may he pursued or availed of by Employer.

                  (c) Employee has carefully considered the nature and extent of
         the  restrictions  upon him and the rights and remedies  conferred upon
         Employer under this Section 8, and hereby  acknowledges and agrees that
         the  same  are  reasonable  in time  and  territory,  are  designed  to
         eliminate  competition which otherwise would be unfair to Employer,  do
         not stifle the inherent  skill and  experience  of Employee,  would not
         operate  as a bar to  Employee's  sole  means  of  support,  are  fully
         required to protect the  legitimate  interests  of Employer  and do not
         confer a benefit upon  Employer  disproportionate  to the  detriment to
         Employee.

         9.  Withholding  Taxes.  All  payments to Employee  shall be subject to
withholding on account of federal, state and local taxes as required by law. Any
amounts  remitted by Employer to the  appropriate  taxing  authorities  as taxes
withheld by Employer from  Employee on income  realized by Employee with respect
to the  vesting of his  shares of  Restricted  Stock  shall  reduce the  amounts
payable by  Employer to Employee by way of  compensation  or  otherwise.  If any
particular  payment required  hereunder is insufficient to provide the amount of
such taxes  required to be withheld,  Employer may withhold  such taxes from any
other  payment due  Employee.  In the event all cash  payments  due Employee are
insufficient to provide the required amount of such withholding taxes, Employee,
within thirty (30) days of written notice from  Employer,  shall pay to Employer
the amount of such withholding taxes in excess of all cash payments due Employee
at the time such  withholding  is  required  to be made by  Employer,  provided,
however,  the foregoing shall not be deemed to limit Employee's right to receive
loans from Employer to fund income tax  obligations as set forth in Section 3 of
this Agreement.


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                                      141


         10. No Conflicting Agreement.  The parties hereto represent and warrant
to  each  other  that  they  are  not a  party  to any  agreement,  contract  or
understanding,  whether  employment or otherwise,  which would restrict or would
prohibit them from  undertaking  or performing in accordance  with the terms and
conditions  of this  Agreement.  Employer  represents  and  covenants  that  its
entering into this Agreement has been duly authorized and ratified,  and that it
has full authority to consummate the  undertakings  set forth herein  including,
without  limitation,  the grant of the  Restricted  Stock and Stock  Options  to
Employee.

         11.  Severable  Provisions.   The  provisions  of  this  Agreement  are
severable and if any one or more  provisions  may be determined to be illegal or
otherwise  unenforceable,  in whole or in part, the remaining provisions and any
partially  unenforceable provision to the extent enforceable in any jurisdiction
shall, nevertheless, be binding and enforceable.

         12.  Binding  Agreement.  The rights and  obligations of Employer under
this  Agreement  shall  inure to the  benefit  of,  and shall be  binding  upon,
Employer and its successors and assigns,  and the rights and obligations  (other
than  obligations to perform  services) of Employee  under this Agreement  shall
inure to the  benefit  of, and shall be binding  upon,  Employee  and his heirs,
personal  representatives and estate.  Employer agrees and acknowledges that the
services Employee is providing  Employer are personal to Employer,  and Employer
shall not have the right to assign this  Agreement  without  Employee's  written
consent.

         13. Arbitration. Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to
this  Agreement,  or the breach  thereof,  shall be settled  by  arbitration  in
accordance  with  the  Rules  of  the  American  Arbitration   Association  then
pertaining in the City of Columbus,  Ohio,  and judgment upon the award rendered
by the Arbitrator or Arbitrators may be entered in any Court having jurisdiction
thereof.  The Arbitrator or Arbitrators shall be deemed to possess the powers to
issue  mandatory   orders  and  restraining   orders  in  connection  with  such
arbitration;  provided,  however,  that  nothing  in this  Section  13  shall be
construed  so as to deny  Employer  the  right  and  power  to seek  and  obtain
injunctive  relief in a court of equity for any breach or  threatened  breach of
Employee of any of his covenants contained in Section 8(a) of this Agreement.

         14.  Notices.  Any  notice to be given  under this  Agreement  shall be
personally  delivered  in  writing  or shall  have been  deemed  duly given when
received  after  it is  posted  in the  United  States  mail,  postage  prepaid,
registered or certified,  return receipt  requested,  and if mailed to Employer,
shall be  addressed  to its  principal  place of  business,  attention:  General
Counsel,  and if  mailed  to  Employee,  shall be  addressed  to him at his home
address  last known on the  records  of  Employer,  or at such other  address or
addresses as either  Employer or Employee may hereafter  designate in writing to
the other.

         15.  Waiver.  The failure of either  party to enforce any  provision or
provisions  of this  Agreement  shall not in any way be construed as a waiver of
any such  provision  or  provisions  as to any future  violations  thereof,  nor
prevent that party  thereafter  from enforcing each and every other provision of
this  Agreement.  The rights  granted the parties  herein are cumulative and the
waiver

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                                      142


of any single  remedy shall not  constitute  a waiver of such  party's  right to
assert all other legal remedies available to it under the circumstances.

         16.  Miscellaneous.  This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between the parties and may not be modified or terminated orally.
No  modification,  termination  or  attempted  waiver  shall be valid  unless in
writing  and  signed  by the  party  against  whom the same it is  sought  to be
enforced.

         17.  Governing Law. This  Agreement  shall be governed by and construed
according to the laws of the State of Ohio.

         18. Captions and Section  Headings.  Captions and section headings used
herein are for convenience and are not a part of this Agreement and shall not be
used in construing it.

         19.  Miscellaneous.  Where  necessary  or  appropriate  to the  meaning
hereof,  the singular and plural shall be deemed to include each other,  and the
masculine and neuter shall be deemed to include each other.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement
on the day and year first set forth above.

                                           "EMPLOYER"

ATTEST:                                    CARDINAL REALTY SERVICES, INC.

______________________________             By: John B. Bartling, Jr.
                                           ---------------------------------
                                               JOHN B. BARTLING, JR.,
                                               President
______________________________                 and Chief Executive
                                               Officer


                                           "EMPLOYEE"


- ------------------------------
                                           Paul R. Selid
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           PAUL R. SELID
- ------------------------------



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