Buyers are often wary of pursuing distressed properties. And, let's face it, so are many agents! The time and uncertainty involved with these transactions can seem daunting. However, in our Indianapolis housing market, where no neighborhood is immune to short sales and foreclosures, distressed properties are almost impossible to ignore.  As scary as they might seem, distressed properties can offer buyers the deal of a lifetime. And according to research conducted by Keller Williams Realty, many of the myths and misconceptions associated with distressed properties are just that: myths and misconceptions. Here are the findings of the KW research, based on the responses of more than 2,500 KW associates who have worked with distressed properties: Buyer Concern: It will take forever to find ... 06/16/2010

Home is Where Your Heart Is.   We've all heard that expression but its still so true today.  It is the place where you spend the most time.  Its where your personal memories become attached to family and friends.  Its no wonder that finding just the right Home is so important to Home Buyers.  The Phrase "Home Sweet Home" is what describes what Home Buyers are Looking For in the feeling of Home ownership.    A sanctuary where no one enters without you personally allowing entry.  What is Home? A roof to keep out the rain. Four walls to keep out the wind. Floors to keep out the cold. Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father. Warmth of living hearts, light from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, comradeship. Home is first school ... 06/15/2010

Broad Ripple is located just north of downtown Indianapolis in Marion County.  It offers many fun things including bars, top restaraunts ranging from fast food to high-end steakhouses.   As growing up on the Northside, the most popular thing to do was the nightlife in Broad Ripple.  Once it gets dark, the Broad Ripple strip lights up with 100's of people crowding the streets and all the bars.  There are many bar options including sports bars, casual bars, dance clubs, and low key small bars off the strip.   There are many outdoor activities to do during the day as well including boating on the white river, walking/running on the Monon Trail which runs from downtown Indianapolis right through the heart of Broad Ripple up to the suburbs.  The great thing about Broad Ripple too is that it ... 06/12/2010

The Meridian Kessler Home and Garden Tour is right around the corner! The focus for the 37th Annual Meridian-Kessler Home Tour is "Green by Design" There will be two times for tours each day:   Home & Garden Day TourSaturday & Sunday, June 19-20, 2010 Noon - 5:00pmView List of Homes Twilight Tour & Silent AuctionFriday, June 18, 20106:30pm - 11:00pm4550 N. Central, property of Northwood Christian Church (corner of 46th & Central) I am looking forward to attending this year. If you are interested in homes in the Meridian-Kessler area, give us a call today to schedule a showing.   Heather Fitzgerald-317-885-8858 06/11/2010

Trash Collection in Indianapolis is changing... If you are a homeowner in Indianapolis, you may or may not be aware of recent changes for many Indianapolis residents, 120,000 to be exact.  The Indianapolis Department of Public Works was given the task of "improving customer service" (my guess is it's an initiative to save money overall) by Mayor Ballard.   Many of you will be receiving (if you haven't already) a 96 gallon trash bin that allows the trucks to pick up the bin without the trash collector picking up bags and cans themselves.  The good thing about this initiative is that residents won't have to pay for these new bins.  The one downside (for elderly or individuals with certain disabilities) to these new MONSTER bins is their size.  My mom had one of these at her last residence... 06/09/2010

Wonder what there is to love about Indianapolis Indiana? Plenty! Here are the Haddad Team's top picks, in no particular order!  1.  Manageable TrafficThe average commute time for Indianapolis is only 21 minutes, according to US Census statistics.  Although that’s only 3 minutes less than the nation’s average commute time of 24 minutes, it all adds up! 2.  Reasonably Priced HousingIndianapolis is consistently named to the Forbes.com list of Most Affordable U.S. Real Estate Markets, and 2009 was no exception, when the Circle City landed the No. 12 spot for affordability on the Forbes.com list of America's Best Bang-For-The-Buck Cities. 3. Indianapolis Greenways and ParksMore than 188 parks and seven major bike/pedestrian trails are located in Marion County alone. The Monon Trail starts do... 06/07/2010

Curb appeal is important!  Its what first attracts Buyers to your home.  Buyers have to want to walk through the front door to be interested in whats on the inside.  So Presentation is everything.  Try to Make it Welcoming and warm.  Take some pictures of the Front of your home and then compare it to other like properties in your neighborhood. They say a picture can say a thousand words and its so true.  Clean the walk way, front porch, windows, Get rid of any clutter that might be around.  Paint trim around your windows and doors perhaps to pronounce and accent your home.  Plant bushes and flowers, trim hedges and remove everything that doesn't belong.  Don't forget Mulch in your flower beds it will add important appeal. Everything extra you do on the exterior will help to make those a... 06/06/2010

We closed on this Indianapolis Short Sale yesterday and our clients have never been more relieved!   New Price on Indianapolis Short Sale   10632 INSPIRATION DR, Indianapolis,  Listed for $139,000           Tasteful & Elegant 3 Bedroom home. This warm and inviting home has a lot of room with a game loft, a spacious kitchen and huge lot on pond.  It is in Move in condition.   About the Author: The above info regarding Indianapolis Short Sales was provided by: Heather Fitzgerald, who has over 15 years of experience in real estate, title insurance, and lending that can be put to work for you. Heather can be reached by phone at 317-885-8858. Thinking of selling your home or buying your next home? We can help you with this. I service the following areas: Greenwood IN Real Estate, Indianapoli... 06/03/2010

Open House 738 S Biltmore Indianapolis Indiana 46241 Sunday June 6 11-1. Wayne Township House for Sale. Cozy Adorable bungalow 2 Beroom 1 bath 2 Car Separate Garage with Storage and Working space.  Nice Living Room with Large Picture window.  Kitchen has lots of cabinet space and Cute Breakfast nook.  This a must see and Close to Downtown Indy, IUPUI, Ivy Tech.  Low Utilities, Low Taxes and Low Payment.  Indianapolis Open House BLC # 21028750 For More Information Check out my Web Site:  SThomasRealEstate.com Indy Home For Sale! Located in Wayne Township Schools   06/03/2010

Broad Ripple Village Real Estate Market Report Following is the market report for the area known as Broad Ripple Village as of June 1st 2010. Interesting trend for the Month of May...The number of closed transactions (sales) skyrocketed!  Can you guess why?  My money is on the expiration of the tax credit and the requirement to close by July 1st. Outside of the large number of sales for the month, the numbers were mixed in regards to listings vs. price.  The listings were down with prices either being up or down depending on which state of a transaction (active, sold, pending) you're looking at. REMINDER: The extension of the Tax Credit for New Home Buyers (or those that haven't owned in 3 years) requires you close on your home before July 1st.  You should already have a fully executed... 06/02/2010

Broad Ripple Village Real Estate Market Report Following is the market report for the area known as Broad Ripple Village as of May 10th 2010. April was an interesting month...While it didn't pack quite the same punch as March, it did display an obvious indicator about the tax credit.  Pending listings saw a 55% increase over March which would indicate quite a few people jumped in on a home purchase before the expiration of the tax credit.  REMINDER: The extension of the Tax Credit for New Home Buyers (or those that haven't owned in 3 years) requires you close on your home before July 1st.  You should already have a fully executed Purchase agreement at this point in time.  If you don't, you will not be eligible to claim the credit.  If you're interested in purchasing or selling your Broa... 06/02/2010

Broad Ripple The town of Broad Ripple was established on the banks of the White River in 1836, about six miles north of Downtown Indianapolis. One year later construction of the Indiana Central Canal began and the town of Wellington was platted on its south side. In 1884 Wellington became part of Broad Ripple and in 1922 the town of Broad Ripple was annexed into Indianapolis. Today, Broad Ripple one of six areas designated as cultural districts in Indianapolis, offering many of Indianapolis' premier upscale restaurants, art galleries, and the popular Monon Trail. It also has a reputation for being socially, economically and ethnically diverse. The diverse and unique venues for eating and entertainment offer a wide variety, including Chinese, Indian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Middle Easter... 06/01/2010

Downtown Indianapolis                                                                             DowntownIndianapolis has an amazing amount to offer.  There are restaurants, events, shopping, theatre, and much much more.  Downtown Indianapolis Real Estate offers an electic mix of history, luxury, condos, apartments and residential homes.  Here are just some of the fun things to do in Downtown Indianapolis:   Community Tuesday at the Indianapolis Zoo, June 1st, visit www.indianapoliszoo.com. Chef's Table-June 3rd at the Nourish Cafe- www.imamuseum.org Target Free Family Night at the Children's Museum, June 3rd, 2010 from 4-8- www.childrensmuseum.org The Italian Street Festival, June 11 & 12, from 5-11- www.holyrosaryindy.org Home Winemaking Class, June 12th-8:30-noon, 636-4516-  www.eas... 05/30/2010

  Creative Staging Company will be one of many vendors to participate in The Habitat For Hummanity of Hendricks County 5K Run/Walk at Hummel Park in Plainfield, IN June 27, 2010. Registration begins at Noon 5K Run/Walk starts at 2:00 PM. Runners and Walkers are NEEDED! Minimum Individual Registration $10, Minimum Families registration $25. Sign up before June 1st receive $2 off! To sign up or for more info please visit http://www.conniejurey.com/ Habitat helps families who would normally not be able to own a home or purchase one. The families work very hard to achieve their goals, from physical labor, classes, and fundraisers. So come out and support a good cause! Thanks, 05/26/2010

Please Join Creative Staging Company At The Indianapolis Chocolate Blues and Business Festival Creative Staging Company will one of many vendors at this years Indianapolis Chocolate Blues and Business Festival. There will be live music, door prizes and might I add CHOCOLATE! Who can turn down chocolate? What is The Chocolate Blues and Business Festival you might ask? This is not your typical business mixer or trade show. This is true business to business networking event and it's HUGE. Chocolate Blues is one of the largest, most exciting and most productive  business to business networking events in the country.  This event features live blues music, free chocolate, open networking, vendors, networking games, door prizes, ice-breakers, brainstorming circles, breakout sessions and a gia... 05/26/2010

"If I can be as blessed this weekend as I have been having your help we will do great." It's comments like this that remind me why I'm in this business... I've been working with a client since August of last year who purchased some investment properties and took out HELOC's....Long story short, he quickly found out being a landlord isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be; especially if you work in an industry where you travel quite a bit and are loaded down with work.  The banks lent waaaaaaay to much money on all of the properties to begin with.  As a result, he ended up having to sell them all short. There's one particular property that has been "interesting" to deal with, to say the least.  Of the three listed so far, we've been able to obtain offers and get approvals for the sa... 05/21/2010

The 3rd Running of the Geist Half Marathon & 5K takes place on Saturday, May 22, 2010. This boutique race has sold every year with this year's race selling out with 6,500 runners and walkers! Proceeds benefit health and wellness programs in local schools. Participants benefit from the scenery with water views  while running over five bridges along the tree lined winding course and the beautiful Geist Reservoir. (Registration is closed) Update: The Half Marathon is SOLD OUT! Update: The 5K Race is SOLD OUT! CONFIRMATION INFORMATION 2010 Pace Car Look for the 2010 Chevy Camaro pace car sponsored by Stanley Chevrolet in McCordsville! Health & Wellness Grant Program The Geist Half Marathon Inc. recently announced their Health & Wellness Grant Program designed to fund healthy initiatives wit... 05/20/2010

I haven't done a speechless Sunday in quite some time but yesterday I caught something that I felt was photo-worthy.  Yesterday I was sitting out on my front porch when a baby birdie came flying up and frantically grabbed onto my window screen fluttering about...It finally settled in the chair next to me where it sat and chirped for a while.  I wasn't able to get my camera in time to capture shots of it in the chair, but it made it's way over to one of my peonies where it hung out for a while.  I believe this was it's first flight... Anyone know what kind of bird this is?   05/16/2010

The rule on investment properties or flipping homes is that if the home is sold for more than 100% of the original purchase price, then it must have two appraisals.  Federal Housing Administration (FHA) states that there must be a second appraisal in order for the property to close.  This is an FHA rule not a lender rule.  The buyer pays for the first appraisal usually through closing costs, but the buyer cannot pay for the second appraisal.  Who is the responsible party for the second appraisal?  The seller is the responsible party.  The seller has to pay for the second appraisal in advance.  As Real Estate Agents we must make sure we inform our clients of this from the very beginning.  My perspective on this is that if the buyer already gets closing costs for appraisals, right?  The s... 05/10/2010

You’ve found your Indianapolis dream home, negotiated a great price and agreed on a closing date that’s right around the corner. The hard part is done, right? Not so fast! If you’re buying a home you need a home inspection. A professional evaluation of the major mechanical and structural systems of your property is a critical step in the home buying process and one that no buyer should forgo. What to expect from a home inspection Whether you’re an experienced homebuyer or a newcomer to the joys of home ownership it’s always helpful to know what you can (or can’t) expect from a home inspection. A home inspection is… a visual examination to determine the property’s present condition, based on age, and a working inspection of a property’s major mechanical and structural systems. A home ins... 05/04/2010