Originally posted at My Fishers Blog on 2/21/11 I was a sponsor at the Fishers Chamber on Wednesday where Scott Faultless, Town Council President gave the State of the Town address. With all of the talk about whether Fishers is a Town versus City versus Hybrid, it was a sold out house (no pun intended on the house!)  Scott opened with the 2010 census stating Fishers came in at 76,794 compared with 7500 in 1990!  That is some serious growth! Here are some of the other highlights: While the State faces a $1 Billion shortfall; the town of Fishers finished 2010 with a general fund balance of over $10.7 Million Housing permits were up 9% to 477 in 2010 while both Carmel and Noblesville were down. Where many areas of the country are seeing double digit unemployment; Fishers is only at 5.9% Fi... 02/25/2011

Hey Everyone, I just wanted to make a quick post giving an update on the new traffic signal that is being constructed at a Fishers/Indianapolis intersection at Fall Creek Rd and Geist Road. As of 2/23/2011 the stoplight was activated to start blinking.  I've written a blog post with more information at the following link.  Fishers - Indianapolis Traffic Signal Construction Update - Geist Road and Fall Creek Rd. Intersection. Thanks for stopping by! 02/24/2011

  It’s, like, totally not even possible to go wrong with a night of ‘80s music, which is why the Fishers Totally Awesome ‘80s Party Mother Son Dance is guaranteed to be a fun-filled night for everyone. Sure it might take a little convincing, but even the most reluctant of sons won’t be able to resist the tunes of Bon Jovi, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Queen, Duran Duran, The Village People… need I go on? The Fishers mother son dance (boys 5-12) is scheduled for March 8 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Billericay Park building. Cost is $8 per person for Fishers residents and $12 each for non-residents. Pre-registration is required and must be made my March 1. Fishers Mother Son Dance registration and information.   Searching for a totally awesome Fishers home? I can help! Contact your Fishers real es... 02/23/2011

  Fishers Indiana new construction homes on the town’s west side are hard to come by, which is one reason for the popularity of the Anderson Hall subdivision. The fact that the stylish homes are constructed by The Estridge Company, a Fishers builder with a good reputation for quality homes and neighborhoods, is another! Construction began on this Fishers neighborhood in the mid 2000s. Anderson Hall comprises two sections: The Orchard at Anderson Hall and The Manor at Anderson Hall. Orchard homes are priced between $270,000 to $400,000, while homes in The Manor range from $350,000 to $500,000. Both sections share some of the most beautifully landscaped common areas I’ve seen. A community center, pool, playground and walking trails are also included in the neighborhood plans. High school ... 02/21/2011

It is true that business can come from many different buckets; but probably they fall into two categories.  Those we don’t know (usually a website lead) and those we do know (referrals).  Trying to balance those two initiatives keeps REALTORS hopping for sure.  And because I run a team, website leads are important and I work hard to keep them coming in. But last Thursday night, we held one of our six client appreciation events.  It was a wine tasting party and is always well attended.   With so much going on right now between Family Reunion, daughters flying all over the country, business picking up…I was not really in the mood to take time out.  I felt like I needed to keep pushing. But what a great way to Pay it Forward to the clients who bought or sold with us and those who refer bus... 02/19/2011

Orginally posted at My Fishers Blog First Time Home Buyers have lots of great questions and we answer many of them in our First Time Home Buyers class in Fishers.   We have a lender, a home inspector and myself all speak for about 15 minutes and then answer questions from the group.  It is very low key, snacks are served and we try very hard to honor the one hour commitment.  We answer questions like: How much house can I afford How much money do I need to have down What are closing costs What are common items found in an inspection report What's a pre approval letter What does my credit score need to be Is there room to negotiate on the price of the home How long does it take to find a home and close on the home How much house can I get for the money What is the process to buy a house ... 02/16/2011

If, like me, you had no idea that maple syrup and Fishers Indiana had anything in common, you might want to add a family Maple Syrup Hike through Ritchey Woods to your list of things to do in Fishers Indiana! Consider it a taste of spring, a taste of the great outdoors, and a taste of maple syrup all in one! Participants in the Maple Syrup Hikes, sponsored by the Fishers Parks & Recreation Department, will have the opportunity to learn firsthand about the process of making maple sugar and - even better – to sample maple sap, maple sugar, and maple syrup! Maple Syrup Hikes are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19 from 3-4:30 PM and Sunday, March 6, from 1-2:30 PM. Pre-registration is required and reservations for the Feb. 19 hike must be made by 4 PM, Feb. 15. Call 317-595-3150 or register on... 02/14/2011

I hope you'll let me brag a bit...I've had a lot of listings that have lanquished over the winter months here in Indy...but Spring is coming.   I just listed one two weeks ago and have received the offer and are through inspection so out comes the rider that hasn't seen the light of day for awhile.   Search homes for sale in Fishers by Neighborhood Other Northside Blogs (Carmel, Noblesville, and Geist)        Cindy "in Indy" Marchant - Fishers Real Estate AgentKeller Williams Realty Indy Metro NEFishers IN Real Estate Website317-290-7775 cindymarchant@comcast.net 02/13/2011

Originally posted at My Fishers Blog on 2/7/11 While the news isn't particular good for January...I will give you some good news towards the end of the post!  For January of 2011, there were 48 homes in Fishers for sale that closed.   January can be a slow month and I think with the economy still not stablized and the weather (more snow and cold) it is not all that unexpected for us to see lower than usual numbers.  In January of 2010 we saw 69 homes sell in Fishers so a 30% decline this year. The Days on Market were 103 in January 2011 compared with 77 a year ago; so taking a significant amount of time to sell the homes.  It speaks to having the best Fishers Realtor working for you.  In the last two weeks we have sold four of our Hamilton County listings, two in Fishers in less than tw... 02/11/2011

If you’re planning a Fishers Indiana relocation, CONGRATULATIONS! We hope you’re excited to be moving to one of Money magazine’s 2010 Top 100 Best Places to Live in America. You’ve probably already started a moving checklist. Set up utilities. Check. Register kids for school. Check. Open a local bank account. Check. Find a Fishers pet boarding kennel. Double check! As a pet owner, you might require some additional space on that checklist - particularly if you’ll need a place for Fido to stay while you’re searching Fishers homes for sale or waiting to move into your new Fishers home. We’ve compiled a list of really good questions to ask and things to remember about your pet’s stay at a Fishers pet boarding kennel. Knowing that your furry family members are in good hands will make it easi... 02/09/2011

It has become and remains a challenging market and sometimes our buyers need more than a lender.  Sometimes it is not only a question of removing bad credit; but a question of building new and better credit.  This is a good read for everyone (IMHO) We have KW meetings every Tuesday (doesn’t every franchise!) and this week we had someone from Precision Credit Group speak to us about FICO scoring.   I learned a few things that might help a buyer that just needs a bit more to be approved. Tip #1: Let’s assume you have a credit card with a $3,000 limit.  To optimize your credit score, you want that revolving debt to be no more than 30% or a $900 balance.  Let’s further assume you pay off your debt every month.  Now let’s assume that credit card reports to the credit bureau’s (i.e. Equifax) ... 02/08/2011

I’ve been reading a lot of posts this week on putting a team together and how to get them to stay with you.  How do you create loyalty? Keeping them as a team is definitely the trickier part.  For me, it is even harder because I tend to be a control freak.  But the combination of driven productive agents and a team lead that wants her agents to succeed and provides the tools and encouragement to them works. If you are thinking about how to get your team to function better or to put together a team; here are some considerations: Don’t be greedy on commissions.  I know so many agents that are 50/50 and it is only a matter of time that the team agent will desire to go out on their own to make more money.  Try a sliding scale where they are encouraged to sell more to receive more of the com... 02/06/2011

Glad you came back to read Part 2, if you missed Part 1 of Keeping your Team, be sure to check it out! You are the strategic force behind your team.  We brainstorm frequently about our “stay in touch” program.  You’ve seen posts on this before from me, so I won’t spend time on this one now.  But, I do all the buying/postcard design/newsletters etc for the team.  I lay out the calendar and how the 33 Touch program will work.  I ensure that it is executed. Be there for them to guide them, to let them vent, to share their success and weather the failures that touch all of us from time to time.  I can tell you everything about my team members lives, families, fears, health, dreams, etc.  The only rule they have is that they cannot call me between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. at night; that is my time... 02/06/2011

I realize I have been pretty one dimensional this week; all I’ve talked about, posted about and thought about was the ice in Indy.  Heck, I haven’t been out of my house since Monday at noon! But you know who has been out of their house and has come to my house every day this week, through rain, sleet and snow…yes, the postman.  When NO one ventured out on Wednesday here…he came and stopped by my house! He has delivered my mail every single day and for entertainment, I’ve watched him get stuck and unstick himself across the street at my neighbors.    Yesterday, I wrote a thank you card and stuck $20.00 in it.  It was the least I could do I thought to brighten someone’s day.  I am sure he has woken up every day this week, before the sun even thought about showing up, and dreaded going to ... 02/04/2011

New Home Listing - 14892 Thor Run Place, Fortville, IN This home located at 14892 Thor Run Place, Fortville, IN is currently listed for sale.  This is a great home with unbelievable views of multiple acres with rolling hills, a creek and many mature trees! This beautiful custom built ranch with a full walk-out basement sits on the end of a private cul-de-sac.  The neighborhood is small and has its own pool for lots of summer fun without the personal maintenance!  Even thought the address is Fortville, this home is in Hamilton County and is part of Fishers.  The award winning school system is Hamilton Southeastern.  Contact me today to schedule a private tour of this amazing home that could be yours soon. 14892 Thor Run Place FORTVILLE, IN Beautiful Custom Built Ranch with a Full Finishe... 02/04/2011

Originally posted at My Fishers Blog on Jan 24th, 2011 To make your offers as strong as possible when buying a home for sale in Fishers, having a pre approval letter helps.  Along with the offer, the seller likes to see a 1% earnest money check and the pre approval letter from your lender.  It gives the seller some assurances that you (the buyer) have talked with a bank or mortgage company and they upon their initial review of your financial situation....approve you for the purchase. How do you get a pre approval letter?  This is a great question!  You can contact the institution you bank with or you can call a mortgage broker who looks for the best loan package for your situation.  In either case they will need the following documents: Personal information, names, addresses, dates of b... 02/02/2011

I just got an email from one of my first time buyers for 2010 asking what form they needed to fill out to get their $8,000.  They bought their first home in the Fishers Real Estate area!  That seems like so LONG ago when we were all writing about the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.  As we all begin to prepare our documents for 2010 taxes, it’s a great time to “touch” our first time buyers from 2010 and remind them about the $8,000!  Form 5405 is the one they will need to fill out. This is also the form that those who received the $7,500 interest free loan will use to begin to pay back the monies. Tax time…argh…time for me to start pulling my documents together too! Search homes for sale in Fishers by Neighborhood Other Northside Blogs (Carmel, Noblesville, and Geist)        Cindy "in I... 01/27/2011

Real Estate Acivity in Brooks Landing and Brooks Manor in Fishers, IN If you live in Brooks Landing or Brooks Manor, you might be interested in which homes sold in the last 12 months and for how much.  What about those homes with real estate signs in the yard?  How much are they asking for their homes?  Well, I have some answers for you. Here is the real estate market data for Brooks Landing and Brooks Manor: There are currently 3 homes Active for Sale The list price for these 3 homes are $600,000, $490,000 and $459,900 There is currently one home pending This home is listed for $390,900 and is bank owned 4 homes sold in the last 12 months These homes sold for $400,000, $390,000, $384,000 and $350,000 One of these homes was a foreclosure The average price per sq ft on the sold homes wa... 01/27/2011

Hi Cindy, we missed your First Time Buyers Class but our biggest question was on how to read the MLS sheets we are getting...can you give us some highlights...like what is L, F and W and why are the taxes so high on some of the homes we are seeing? To help anyone reading that is a first time home buyer, let me try to explain an MLS sheet in detail.  With every MLS sheet you will see the various rooms and their sizes and next to that you will see a L, F and W.  The L stands for Level, for example M for Main, U for Upper, B for Basement.  The F stands for Flooring, for example T for Tile, C for Carpet, V for Vinyl, L for Laminate, etc.  And the W is for Window Treatments and is always a Yes or a No for whether they are included. The second bullet is highlighting the exemptions area.  Many... 01/25/2011

Fishers, IN Real Estate Activity - Should I list my home to sell? We are well on our way into 2011.  Are you wondering how homes are selling in our local real estate market in Fishers, IN?  Sometimes it is hard to compare what is going on locally when you are watching or reading the National news.  You might be asking yourself if it is a good time or not to put your home to sell on the market or wait until sometime in the future.   That is a great question!  The answer depends on your specific situation more than it does the current market conditions.  Why are you wanting to sell?  Are you going to buy immediately?  What is the current market value of your home?  What do you currently owe on your home?  What will your net proceeds be on the sale of your home?  I can help you answer thes... 01/25/2011