Storms whip through Indy area January 30, 2008

At least 2 people have been reportedly killed by the storms last night and many more are reporting damage to their homes. Although the storms passed quickly, they sure packed a punch. In Avon, the neighborhood of Austin Lakes took a big hit, suffering damage to many homes. I drove through there this morning, and it is quite shocking to see the damage. On the way to school this morning, my 2 boys and I were counting the downed trees along 100 North. We were very lucky, the only damage here is a downspout fell off the house, and our BBQ Grill is half way to the neighbor’s house.

According to an IndyStar article, the National Weather Service will be in town today to determine if what we experienced in Avon was, in fact, a tornado. It goes on to say that most of the damage was probably caused by straight line winds, but it is possible that tornadoes did touch down.

We were actually out enjoying some Chinese food right before the storm. As we left the restaurant, there was no rain, but when we got out onto Rockville Rd, the rain started. When we got the the BP station at Dan Jones and 36, everything was fine, but as soon as we stopped, and my husband was about to get out, the winds started. We got home as quick as possible, and encountered several downed trees on the way. I’m glad that it passed quickly!

Just keep in mind that although I’m sure you want your home fixed quickly, now is the time for scam artists to come knocking, ready to “fix” your damage. Be sure you check into any company you hire to do repairs on your home!

Indy-Area Average Sales price by County January 18, 2008

Average sales price by county

Units sold in all of MIBOR

All stats taken from MIBOR.com, the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors website.

Top 10 New Years Resolutions for Homeowners in 2008 January 14, 2008

This is a great article from RISMedia about things every homeowner should focus on this year. One of the best things you should be focusing on right now is to lower your debt, pay off bills, eliminate unnecessary expenses, and grow your equity in your home. Of course, these things are easier said than done for all of us, but I hope more homeowners will be making these promises to themselves this year:

1. I will get my home finances in order
2. I will stop lending the government money interest free
3. I won’t let fears of dropping home values, the mortgage market meltdown, and the growing risk of a recession stop me from purchasing a home in 2008.
4. I will increase my saving and reduce or eliminate high interest loans.
5. I will review my homeowners and other insurance to make sure I’m adequately protected.
6. I will reduce my home’s energy consumption.
7. Whenever appropriate I will take advantage of new options to reduce real estate services costs when I buy or sell a home. (Wait a minute… how about being sure you are getting a FULL SERVICE agency that actually is worth the commission!)
8. I will look for economical ways to increase the value and livability of my home.
9. In the face of growing signs of recession, I will be cautious in 2008.
10. I will engage in the political process to influence issues of economic impact to me and my home.

Read the full article for explanations of these resolutions!

Indianapolis Home Show, January 25-February 3 January 13, 2008

I can’t wait for the Indianapolis Home Show! I love going around to all the vendors and touring the homes built for display. This year, two homes will be built in the Indianapolis Fairgrounds pavilion by Centex Homes. Local celebrities this year include the host of HGTV’s “Designed to Sell”, Shane Tallant, Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs, and ME!! Just kidding about being a celeb, but I will be at the Carpenter Realtors booth on Friday, February 1, from about 12:45 to 3pm. Stop by and visit me, I’ll have a special gift for you if you mention that you are a reader of my blog! I better mention that I have a limited quantity, about 50, so free gifts are first come, first serve!

As a special bonus, during the opening weekend, January 25- 27, you can also attend the Home Decor and Interior Design show at the fairgrounds’ South Pavilion. Free with purchase of Home Show admission.

Tickets:

Adults: $10 ($9 if purchased online)

Children ages 6-12: $5

Children 5 and under are FREE!

*** UPDATE 1/30*** Wow, the weather is going to be quite crazy acording to the guy on the news… how many of you are actually going to come see me on Friday in the snow??

Open House tomorrow, come check it out! January 12, 2008

Sunday, 1/12, I am holding an Open House from noon-2pm at 1078 Liberty Drive. The neighborhood (Linden Square) is located just west of the intersection of 10th and Raceway in Hendricks County.

The home is a 3br, 2.5 bath 2-story with a great yard and patio, right across the street from a neighborhood playground. The neighborhood features ponds, gazebos, play areas, and walking trails. Bright and neutral throughout, with a large kitchen with sliders out to the patio, the appliances stay. The Dining Room is separated from Living room with a half-wall, perfect for entertaining.

Upstairs you will find a large master bedroom with his and hers closets, a great loft/bonus room area that could be an office, kid’s playroom, or anything you need! 2 more bedrooms share a full hallway bath, and the most convenient of all– the laundry room is upstairs!

The back yard is perfect for enjoying the outdoors, with a large paver patio flanked by flower gardens. A storage shed will hold all of your gardening supplies and lawn equipment, and behind the shed is the perfect spot for a vegetable garden.

This home comes with an HSA Home Warranty for peace of mind, and is located in Avon school system. Please click here to see all the details.

Another Open House here Sunday, 2/10 from noon to 2pm. AND, the price has been lowered! Come take a look!

Most Affordable Suburbs January 12, 2008

We all know that Indianapolis is consistently ranked at the top of the most affordable cities list, but there is more good news for our suburbs as well! BusinessWeek.com, along with Sperling’s BestPlaces has come up with a list of the best suburbs, based on affordability, crime, unemployment rates, schools, commutes, shopping and entertainment choices too! You can read the article by clicking here.

Fishers, Indiana has ranked in at number 15, with a median home price of $183,450, Median household income at $83,596, unemployment rate of 2.8%, 27.4 minute commute time, and a violent crime index of 1. See the full list here.

Fishers also has a great town website.

Search for homes in Fishers by cliking here.

“Subprime” is 2007 word of the year January 10, 2008

I couldn’t make this up if I tried! The American Dialect Society has named “Subprime” as the 2007 Word of the Year, it also won the new category for real estate words. This new category reflects the nation’s recent obsession with the housing market and the deepening mortgage crisis. Runners up for the Word of the Year include, “green”, “surge”, “Facebook”, “Waterboarding”, and “Googleganger”.

High Tech and Comfort are IN! January 10, 2008

More and more people today are looking for high tech features in their homes as well as extra comfort. People want to go more green, and try to help the environment as much as possible.

High Tech Comfort– Think bathtubs with massaging bubbles, fireplaces with a battery backup in case of power failure, mirrors with disappearing TV’s built-in, computers in the refrigerator and dual temperature beverage centers with a cooler area for pop and a warmer section for wine.

Going Green– Homeowners are becoming more and more aware of the steps they can take to help our environment, and many buyers are looking for homes that have these greener features. Surveys indicate that people are willing to pay about $5,000 to “go green” in their homes. I have blogged before about going green, and have heard more and more lately about how important it is to help our environment in any way we can. Updating your home with energy efficient appliances and earth-friendly materials is becoming very important to homeowners and buyers.

 Check out this article for more information!

Taxing Time Town Hall January 9, 2008

Still upset about property taxes? Who isn’t??

Well, head down to the Indiana House of Representatives on January 23rd from 8:00-9:00 PM and tell Indiana’s lawmakers exactly how the tax crisis has effected you, how you feel about it, and what you would like them to do about it. This annual town hall meeting is open to all residents of Indiana, but you need to register by January 22.

 Read the article from WTHR news here.

New Recording Fee in Marion County January 3, 2008

From MIBOR’s E-Newsletter:

New Recording Fee Adopted in Marion County

As expected, the Indianapolis City County Council passed (20 to 5) a new recording fee to fund the Marion County Housing Trust Fund. The housing trust fund was established to make housing affordable to low and moderate income families and individuals. The new fee authorizes the county recorder to charge $2.50 for the first page and $1 for each additional page of each document recorded. The new fee will add up to approximately $25 for recording new mortgages.

While MIBOR supports the establishment of a dedicated funding source for the Housing Trust Fund, we oppose the recording fee because this funding mechanism is not broad-based and instead is narrowly focused on housing. In addition, this is now the second fee on real estate transactions. Last year, the council passed a new filing fee that requires all sales disclosure forms to be filed electronically with a filing fee of $10, $5 of which goes to the Housing Trust Fund.