Welcome to September!! We hope you had a great summer and were able to create some fun summer memories. It is hard to believe kids are back in school and football is back in action. If you are local, were you able to make it to Colts Camp at Grand Park in Westfield? If not, you are missing out. It is absolutely FREE and there are so many fun games and events in Colts City as well as watching practice and getting autographs from your favorite players.
Some big news for our team is that Thea is back with us and we couldn’t be more excited!!! She enjoyed her maternity leave with Parks and has hit the ground running to help our buyers finish the year strong. She would love to hear from you, so give her a call/text at 440-862-1118. Parks and Thea are both doing great and Thea’s husband Michael is able to take several weeks of paternity leave to spend with Parks now.
Our oldest Ana is now at IU Bloomington as a Direct Admit to Kelley School of Business. We dropped her off for her Freshman year on August 13th and got her all moved into her dorm (Spruce, for those familiar with campus). That was not easy. While we have worked hard to teach her the skills she needs to know in order to be successful, you never stop wondering if it is enough. We are excited to see what the future holds for her!!
Tali, our youngest misses her big sister, however they talk/snap every day and that makes us happy. Tali has started her 8th grade year at Westfield Middle School and is cheering at the football games. Competition season for school cheer starts soon and she has been practicing for that quite as bit as she is on the sideline cheer team as well as the competition cheer team. She also cheers for ICE gym where she is defending her team’s world championship last year. She has also been asked to be on a 2nd ICE cheer team to help them. To say she is busy, would be an understatement!!!
Brigid and I celebrated our birthdays at the beginning of August and our 20th Wedding Anniversary on August 16th. We decided to check off a box that has been on our bucket list for many years and take an Alaskan cruise at the end of August. We are so excited and can’t wait to see the amazing scenery!!
Kylie’s kids are both back in school and her oldest is learning to drive. That is always nerve-wracking!! He is also helping his dad with some construction projects and learning the trades, which is awesome!!
Thank you to everyone who attended our Seller Workshop and Buyer Workshop last month!! If you know of someone thinking about buying or selling, encourage them to jump on our Zoom call. We will go over everything they need to know and answer all of their questions so they feel more comfortable about the process and what to expect. The next Seller Workshop is on September 12th at 5:30pm and the next Buyer Workshop is on September 27th at 5:30pm. Register for either by e-mailing Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com.
Thank you to everyone who attended our August Happy Hour at Matt The Miller’s!! We had a great time and enjoyed seeing everyone. Please join us for our September Happy Hour from 5-6:30pm on Thursday, September 21st at Matt The Miller’s. E-mail kylie@Welcome2Indy.com to register.
Our real estate market has been very strange lately. We still have select houses that are selling in hours WAY above asking price with multiple offers while other houses sit for weeks with limited activity. Location, condition, and price point dictate which bucket these houses fall into.
Mortgage interest rates have continued to climb, but are expected to fall to around 6% or under by end of this year or beginning of next. What does this mean for you or someone you care about looking to get into the real estate market? While no one can predict with certainty what the future holds, most economists are pretty confident that as soon as rates get below 6%, a slew of sellers will put their houses on the market and even more buyers will enter the market making for a crazy spring 2024 market. If you or someone you know is considering getting into the real estate market, give us a call about timing. There are pros and cons for waiting.
Check out the market stats courtesy of MIBOR and their 16 county members comparing July 2023 to June 2023:
Median Sales Price-$300,000-no change
Closed Sales-2,731 units-DOWN 9.9%
New Listings-3,153 units-DOWN 13.3%
Pending Sales-2,857 units-DOWN 1.1%
Median Days on Market-9 days-UP 28.6%
Average Days on Market-32 days-UP 0.4%
Price per s.f.-$155-no change
% of List Price Received-99.2%-DOWN 0.3%
Active Inventory-3,652 units-DOWN 7.6%
Months Supply of Inventory-1.3 months-no change
As you can see, lack of inventory continues to plague the real estate market and we need inventory badly. New construction is helping and is double the historical percentage of the overall market at 30%! Call me today at 317-573-1880 to discuss how these stats impact your real estate plans and what strategy makes the most sense to make your dreams a reality!!
We hope you enjoy the September newsletter. Some fun articles include: the benefits of B12, watermelon pizza, the water-salt-potassium connection, and lighter hair naturally for summer.
Click here for the September newsletter
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Kylie, Thea, and Mark
P.S. Please don’t keep us a secret!
Showing posts with label Real Estate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Estate. Show all posts
Sunday, August 20, 2023
Sunday, July 23, 2023
August 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to August! We hope your summer is going great and you are enjoying the warm weather and maybe some time away creating fun summer memories.
This month’s letter is very bittersweet for many reasons. Let me explain. First, THANK YOU to Helena for helping us while Thea was on maternity leave!! We have enjoyed having her as part of the team and helping with our buyers. We will miss her as she puts her license into referral status. WELCOME BACK to Thea!!! We have missed her while she and Michael have enjoyed some time with their new baby Parks born in May. Thea’s first official day back is July 24th and we are so excited for her return to the team. Parks is doing great!!
Our oldest daughter Ana heads off for her freshman year at IU Bloomington on August 13th. We are so excited for her and this next chapter in her life (and so is she!), but we are also very sad and nostalgic to not have her at home with us for the first time in 18 years. August 13th is going to be a rough day emotionally for Brigid and me. We are so proud of her and all of her hard work that has led her to this point and receiving a Direct Admission into the Kelley School of Business. We are excited she is only a 90-minute drive from us and we already purchased season tickets for IU Football and a parking pass for tailgating (which we are told is better than the football). These next 4 years will fly by!!! Fly high, Ana!!! We are so PROUD of you!!
Tali has had a great summer playing with friends and relaxing. She has gone to a couple cheer camps and starts her 8th grade school cheer season the first day of school with their first football game. Her club team ICE has been practicing all summer for their next season, which starts in November and will run through May. She is excited for this new year!
Brigid has had a couple of work trips to Philly for Merck, but mostly has been able to stay home and work from here. She really enjoys ‘summer hours’, which is from Memorial Day to Labor Day where she can work until noon on Fridays and take the rest of the day off.
Congratulations to Brigid’s parents on their 50th wedding anniversary! We celebrated it in Florida at the beginning of July and the entire family and friends went down there to enjoy a recommitment ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. It was a lot of fun! While we were there, we enjoyed 4 days of Disney where we visited all 4 of the parks. It was exhausting, but lots of fun!! I was finally able to experience Rise of The Resistance and it was absolutely fantastic!! Also, the new Tron and Guardians of The Galaxy coasters were so much fun!!!
Kylie is looking forward to presenting a class to our office on the benefits of Reiki. She is a practitioner and we have some clients she has been able to help by using it. If you ever want to learn more or schedule a FREE consult, she would be happy to talk-317-573-1818.
The real estate market has been nutty as usual these past 12-months. Inflation has come down dramatically and now sits around 3%. Mortgage rates have seen a bumpy ride over the past 12-months as well, causing lots of people to sit on the sidelines until rates come down and appreciation slows. This is very understandable. Rates ARE coming down and are expected to be below 6% by the end of 2023. Appreciation has also slowed and is hovering around 3.5-5% annually depending on location and price point. Most experts are predicting that as soon as interest rates drop below 6%, we will see a flood of sellers put their houses on the market and a flood of buyers looking for this increased inventory. This is predicted to result in faster price appreciation and more bidding wars again.
So, if you or someone you know is thinking of making a move in the next 12-months, here is my advice. Put your house on the market now. You will get a great price and one that is likely the highest you will ever have gotten. Prices will continue to rise, but that will also impact the other side of the sword, so to speak. Get into the market to buy ASAP. If getting a mortgage, get temporary financing such as a 2/1 buy down or ARM and then refinance next year when rates are lower into a more permanent financing product. Many lenders are offering streamlined re-fi programs cutting closing costs in half and closing times under 30-days. The reason it is important to buy sooner rather than later is as soon as the flood of buyers gets back into the market, as predicted by almost every expert out there, prices will go up fast and bidding wars will be commonplace again.
Thank you to everyone who attended our July Happy Hour sponsored by EcoBak. We had a great time and enjoyed meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. Our next Happy Hour will be Thursday, August 17th from 5-6:30pm at Matt The Miller’s in Carmel. Please RSVP to Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com.
If you or someone you care about is thinking of selling in the next year or so, please register for our Seller Workshop on Tuesday, August 8th from 7-8:30pm via Zoom. We answer all of your questions, review what the market is doing and is predicted to do and how that will affect your decision. We also cover the Top 10 Dumb Mistakes Smart People Make When Listing Their House for Sale…and how to avoid them. These will put thousands of dollars back into your pocket! Register with Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com.
Thea will be hosting our next Buyer Workshop on Wednesday, August 23rd from 5:30-6:30pm via Zoom. This is a great opportunity to learn all of the changes in the home buying process and how you can best prepare to be an educated and prepared buyer to make your experience as smooth as possible. Thea will be teaching this workshop and answering any and all questions. RSVP to thea@Welcome2Indy.com
As always, here are the latest market stats from MIBOR covering the 16 counties it serves in Central Indiana comparing June 2023 to May 2023
Median Sales Price-$300,000-no change
Closed Sales-2,988 units-UP 1.2%
New Listings-3,599 units-UP 7.4%
Pending Sales-3,059 units-UP 7.1%
Median Days on Market-8 days-UP 14.3%
Price per s.f.-$155-UP 1.3%
% of List Price Received-99.5%-no change
Active Inventory-3,491 units-UP 1.0%
Months Supply of Inventory-1.2 months-no change
Bottom line, we are seeing more activity and we believe the Fall and Winter markets will be busier than usual setting up a robust spring 2023 season. If you or someone you know is thinking about buying, selling, building, or investing in real estate, give us a call-317-339-7698. We would be honored to talk and discuss your options so you can make an informed decision. We want to be your economist of choice for the real estate market.
We hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter full of fun and interesting articles including: how to get better sleep, improve core strength, how to get along with Gen Z, and many others!!! Let us know what you think!! Click here to read it!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and give us a call-317-339-7698! We would love to hear from you!!!
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Kylie, Thea, Helena, and Mark
P.S. Please don’t keep us a secret!
This month’s letter is very bittersweet for many reasons. Let me explain. First, THANK YOU to Helena for helping us while Thea was on maternity leave!! We have enjoyed having her as part of the team and helping with our buyers. We will miss her as she puts her license into referral status. WELCOME BACK to Thea!!! We have missed her while she and Michael have enjoyed some time with their new baby Parks born in May. Thea’s first official day back is July 24th and we are so excited for her return to the team. Parks is doing great!!
Our oldest daughter Ana heads off for her freshman year at IU Bloomington on August 13th. We are so excited for her and this next chapter in her life (and so is she!), but we are also very sad and nostalgic to not have her at home with us for the first time in 18 years. August 13th is going to be a rough day emotionally for Brigid and me. We are so proud of her and all of her hard work that has led her to this point and receiving a Direct Admission into the Kelley School of Business. We are excited she is only a 90-minute drive from us and we already purchased season tickets for IU Football and a parking pass for tailgating (which we are told is better than the football). These next 4 years will fly by!!! Fly high, Ana!!! We are so PROUD of you!!
Tali has had a great summer playing with friends and relaxing. She has gone to a couple cheer camps and starts her 8th grade school cheer season the first day of school with their first football game. Her club team ICE has been practicing all summer for their next season, which starts in November and will run through May. She is excited for this new year!
Brigid has had a couple of work trips to Philly for Merck, but mostly has been able to stay home and work from here. She really enjoys ‘summer hours’, which is from Memorial Day to Labor Day where she can work until noon on Fridays and take the rest of the day off.
Congratulations to Brigid’s parents on their 50th wedding anniversary! We celebrated it in Florida at the beginning of July and the entire family and friends went down there to enjoy a recommitment ceremony followed by dinner and dancing. It was a lot of fun! While we were there, we enjoyed 4 days of Disney where we visited all 4 of the parks. It was exhausting, but lots of fun!! I was finally able to experience Rise of The Resistance and it was absolutely fantastic!! Also, the new Tron and Guardians of The Galaxy coasters were so much fun!!!
Kylie is looking forward to presenting a class to our office on the benefits of Reiki. She is a practitioner and we have some clients she has been able to help by using it. If you ever want to learn more or schedule a FREE consult, she would be happy to talk-317-573-1818.
The real estate market has been nutty as usual these past 12-months. Inflation has come down dramatically and now sits around 3%. Mortgage rates have seen a bumpy ride over the past 12-months as well, causing lots of people to sit on the sidelines until rates come down and appreciation slows. This is very understandable. Rates ARE coming down and are expected to be below 6% by the end of 2023. Appreciation has also slowed and is hovering around 3.5-5% annually depending on location and price point. Most experts are predicting that as soon as interest rates drop below 6%, we will see a flood of sellers put their houses on the market and a flood of buyers looking for this increased inventory. This is predicted to result in faster price appreciation and more bidding wars again.
So, if you or someone you know is thinking of making a move in the next 12-months, here is my advice. Put your house on the market now. You will get a great price and one that is likely the highest you will ever have gotten. Prices will continue to rise, but that will also impact the other side of the sword, so to speak. Get into the market to buy ASAP. If getting a mortgage, get temporary financing such as a 2/1 buy down or ARM and then refinance next year when rates are lower into a more permanent financing product. Many lenders are offering streamlined re-fi programs cutting closing costs in half and closing times under 30-days. The reason it is important to buy sooner rather than later is as soon as the flood of buyers gets back into the market, as predicted by almost every expert out there, prices will go up fast and bidding wars will be commonplace again.
Thank you to everyone who attended our July Happy Hour sponsored by EcoBak. We had a great time and enjoyed meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. Our next Happy Hour will be Thursday, August 17th from 5-6:30pm at Matt The Miller’s in Carmel. Please RSVP to Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com.
If you or someone you care about is thinking of selling in the next year or so, please register for our Seller Workshop on Tuesday, August 8th from 7-8:30pm via Zoom. We answer all of your questions, review what the market is doing and is predicted to do and how that will affect your decision. We also cover the Top 10 Dumb Mistakes Smart People Make When Listing Their House for Sale…and how to avoid them. These will put thousands of dollars back into your pocket! Register with Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com.
Thea will be hosting our next Buyer Workshop on Wednesday, August 23rd from 5:30-6:30pm via Zoom. This is a great opportunity to learn all of the changes in the home buying process and how you can best prepare to be an educated and prepared buyer to make your experience as smooth as possible. Thea will be teaching this workshop and answering any and all questions. RSVP to thea@Welcome2Indy.com
As always, here are the latest market stats from MIBOR covering the 16 counties it serves in Central Indiana comparing June 2023 to May 2023
Median Sales Price-$300,000-no change
Closed Sales-2,988 units-UP 1.2%
New Listings-3,599 units-UP 7.4%
Pending Sales-3,059 units-UP 7.1%
Median Days on Market-8 days-UP 14.3%
Price per s.f.-$155-UP 1.3%
% of List Price Received-99.5%-no change
Active Inventory-3,491 units-UP 1.0%
Months Supply of Inventory-1.2 months-no change
Bottom line, we are seeing more activity and we believe the Fall and Winter markets will be busier than usual setting up a robust spring 2023 season. If you or someone you know is thinking about buying, selling, building, or investing in real estate, give us a call-317-339-7698. We would be honored to talk and discuss your options so you can make an informed decision. We want to be your economist of choice for the real estate market.
We hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter full of fun and interesting articles including: how to get better sleep, improve core strength, how to get along with Gen Z, and many others!!! Let us know what you think!! Click here to read it!
Enjoy the rest of the summer and give us a call-317-339-7698! We would love to hear from you!!!
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Kylie, Thea, Helena, and Mark
P.S. Please don’t keep us a secret!
Sunday, May 28, 2023
June 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to the unofficial start of summer!! School is out and grad and pool parties abound. Speaking of those, we are hosting a grad party for our daughter Ana next week. She graduated from Guerin Catholic and will be attending IU Kelley School of Business in the Fall. While she is excited to start a new chapter, we sure will miss having her here with us. We have absolutely loved watching her grow up from a little girl to a beautiful, confident, smart young woman with so many opportunities ahead of her. We are looking forward to heading down to B-Town for football tailgating, basketball games, and just to take her to dinner. If you have kids who have already gone down this road, you know both how excited we are as well as heartbroken.
The other HUGE news we have to share is that Thea and Michael welcomed Parks Jordan into this world on May 11th. They are all home and getting used to the new life they have together. We have seen photos of Parks and he is such a handsome baby with lots of hair. Thea and Michael are really enjoying being parents. Thea plans to return to the team mid-July. We have an agent from our office who was gracious enough to fill in for Thea while she is on maternity leave. Helena Hoen has been so helpful in working with Thea’s clients to ensure we don’t miss a step.
Tali finished her competition cheer season with a #10 and #2 in the world finishes at All-Star Worlds in Orlando last month. We are so proud of both teams as they worked so hard this year. They already have their new teams and have started practicing for 2024 Worlds!! It never stops!
Kylie is excited for the summer as her kids are out of school and the pool is open. Kylie loves her sun and soaking up all of that Vitamin D. She has been so amazing at helping Helena get acclimated to the team while Thea is out. She does a great job of keeping us all in line!
The spring real estate market has been unusually slower than in past years, especially recently. This is due to several factors, but chief among them is higher mortgage interest rates and record-high home prices. Along with those, low inventory is making it hard for buyers to find homes and sellers to feel comfortable putting theirs on the market. We do expect to see mortgage interest rates start tracking down and get to around a 5.5% rate by Fall. Every economist I have read and heard has said don’t expect to see mortgage interest rates dip below 5% again in our lifetimes.
With the low supply, we aren’t going to see home values decline here in Indy. Did you know that 2/3 of all people who purchased homes in the past 3-years have buyer’s remorse due to buying too quickly, paying too much and making too many concessions? Frankly, if you wanted to buy a home over the past 3-years, you had to be okay with all of those. Once we see mortgage rates tick below 6%, we expect to see more inventory become available. We will also see more buyers enter the market.
Here are some stats from MIBOR for the Greater Indianapolis area and its 16-county service area comparing April 2023 to March 2023:
Median Sales Price-$290,000 UP 5.5%
Closed Sales-2,447 units DOWN 8.3%
New Listings-2,919 units DOWN 1.9%
Pending Sales-2,997 units UP 4.6%
Days on Market-51 days UP 6.3%
Price per s.f.-$153 UP 2.0%
% of Ask Received-98.9% UP 0.8%
Active Inventory-2,778 units DOWN 15.7%
Absorption Rate-1.1 months DOWN 8.3%
We are seeing some of the spring seasonality come into play here, although not as strong as usual. We do expect to see a busy summer and fall if mortgage interest rates continue to fall.
There is a LOT of misinformation out there. If you or someone you care about are thinking of buying, selling, building or investing in real estate, please give us a call-317-573-1880. We would be happy to share relevant, factual, and accurate information about the housing market that is specific to you/them.
We hope you will join us for our June Happy Hour from 5-6:30pm on Thursday, June 15th at Matt The Miller’s in Carmel. We will likely be out on the patio if the weather cooperates. Please RSVP to kylie@Welcome2Indy.com
Also, my Seller Workshop is from 7-8:30pm on Tuesday, June 13th via Zoom. Please e-mail steve@Welcome2Indy.com for a link. This is GREAT for anyone thinking about selling in the next year or so. No pressure or selling, just good info as you prepare to get your house on the market.
We hope you enjoy reading this month's newsletter!!! Click here.
Happy Summer!!!
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Kylie, Thea, Mark and Helena
P.S. Please don’t keep us a secret!
The other HUGE news we have to share is that Thea and Michael welcomed Parks Jordan into this world on May 11th. They are all home and getting used to the new life they have together. We have seen photos of Parks and he is such a handsome baby with lots of hair. Thea and Michael are really enjoying being parents. Thea plans to return to the team mid-July. We have an agent from our office who was gracious enough to fill in for Thea while she is on maternity leave. Helena Hoen has been so helpful in working with Thea’s clients to ensure we don’t miss a step.
Tali finished her competition cheer season with a #10 and #2 in the world finishes at All-Star Worlds in Orlando last month. We are so proud of both teams as they worked so hard this year. They already have their new teams and have started practicing for 2024 Worlds!! It never stops!
Kylie is excited for the summer as her kids are out of school and the pool is open. Kylie loves her sun and soaking up all of that Vitamin D. She has been so amazing at helping Helena get acclimated to the team while Thea is out. She does a great job of keeping us all in line!
The spring real estate market has been unusually slower than in past years, especially recently. This is due to several factors, but chief among them is higher mortgage interest rates and record-high home prices. Along with those, low inventory is making it hard for buyers to find homes and sellers to feel comfortable putting theirs on the market. We do expect to see mortgage interest rates start tracking down and get to around a 5.5% rate by Fall. Every economist I have read and heard has said don’t expect to see mortgage interest rates dip below 5% again in our lifetimes.
With the low supply, we aren’t going to see home values decline here in Indy. Did you know that 2/3 of all people who purchased homes in the past 3-years have buyer’s remorse due to buying too quickly, paying too much and making too many concessions? Frankly, if you wanted to buy a home over the past 3-years, you had to be okay with all of those. Once we see mortgage rates tick below 6%, we expect to see more inventory become available. We will also see more buyers enter the market.
Here are some stats from MIBOR for the Greater Indianapolis area and its 16-county service area comparing April 2023 to March 2023:
Median Sales Price-$290,000 UP 5.5%
Closed Sales-2,447 units DOWN 8.3%
New Listings-2,919 units DOWN 1.9%
Pending Sales-2,997 units UP 4.6%
Days on Market-51 days UP 6.3%
Price per s.f.-$153 UP 2.0%
% of Ask Received-98.9% UP 0.8%
Active Inventory-2,778 units DOWN 15.7%
Absorption Rate-1.1 months DOWN 8.3%
We are seeing some of the spring seasonality come into play here, although not as strong as usual. We do expect to see a busy summer and fall if mortgage interest rates continue to fall.
There is a LOT of misinformation out there. If you or someone you care about are thinking of buying, selling, building or investing in real estate, please give us a call-317-573-1880. We would be happy to share relevant, factual, and accurate information about the housing market that is specific to you/them.
We hope you will join us for our June Happy Hour from 5-6:30pm on Thursday, June 15th at Matt The Miller’s in Carmel. We will likely be out on the patio if the weather cooperates. Please RSVP to kylie@Welcome2Indy.com
Also, my Seller Workshop is from 7-8:30pm on Tuesday, June 13th via Zoom. Please e-mail steve@Welcome2Indy.com for a link. This is GREAT for anyone thinking about selling in the next year or so. No pressure or selling, just good info as you prepare to get your house on the market.
We hope you enjoy reading this month's newsletter!!! Click here.
Happy Summer!!!
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Kylie, Thea, Mark and Helena
P.S. Please don’t keep us a secret!
Thursday, August 06, 2020
August 2020 Steve & Jack's Home News
Happy end of summer!! For many of us, it means back-to-school for our kiddos, but that looks a little different this year than past years. Also, for many parents with school-aged children, we have been with our kiddos since mid-March. Yikes! If you are fortunate enough to be able to send your kiddos back to school, congratulations! If not, we commiserate with you.
This year has been tough on all of us, but especially parents with school-aged children who are forced to play full-time, all-day, all-week caregiver, teacher, nurse, entertainer, and food service worker. If you also work, good luck! We hope you navigate the back-to-school storm (whatever that looks like for you) as smoothly as possible and stay happy and healthy.
Steve and his family just returned from their first vacation since last October. They went to the Poconos and stayed in a condo and had an adjoining unit for Brigid’s brother and his family, his wife’s sister and husband and her mom. They also each brought their dogs. It turned out to be a great week, very relaxing with amazing weather, swimming, a white water rafting trip, 26-mile bike ride, kayaking, hiking, tennis, soccer games, and for the adults late-night Euchre games (Steve and his partner waxed everyone else!) :-) It was so nice (and needed) to get away and get a change of scenery. We hope that you have been able to take a trip this summer to just get a break as well. Those are so needed right now.
Jack and Mary Anne continue to do well and stay healthy. They are doing a reasonably good job at social distancing, but they did just return from Branson and saw some shows. Some were good at social distancing and some not so much, but they had a good time and enjoyed getting away.
Steve’s sister Michelle had a delayed graduation party for her oldest Caleb and it was nice to see some people we haven’t seen in many years. We wish Caleb good luck next Fall at IUPUI.
On our team, Patti had a HUGE accomplishment in passing her real estate exam and is applying for her license. This is especially big since she had to drive to Cincinnati to take the exam and finished her class in March. That gap made it really difficult, but she made it and we are so happy for her. Every member of our team will be licensed by next week.
Kylie was able to take some time off and spend with her family going to the zoo, pool, Wolf Park and relaxing at home. She needed a bit of a break since we have been working so much lately.
Speaking of working a lot, Thea has been rocking it lately helping 6 clients just in the past few weeks secure a home. This market has been brutal for buyers and buyer agents and she is has been doing such a great job working so hard for our clients winning multiple offer situations repeatedly.
Thank you to the over 400 of you who came for our FREE Shred Day a few weeks ago. We filled an entire truck as well as electronic recycling truck. We are planning another one for September, so stay tuned for the date.
Happy Hours are attempting to be re-started this month. We have August 20th on the books. Please come if you feel comfortable. Matt The Miller’s from 5-7pm. We would LOVE to see you again!!!!!
The market is the hottest on record. We are down below 1-month of inventory right now, which is insane and down over 30% from last month alone! Mortgage rates have hit all-time lows as well with rates for many of our clients in the low to mid-2%! Home prices are going up faster than ever and inventory keeps shrinking. If you or someone you care about is remotely thinking of buying, selling, or building, please call us. We would be happy to share all of the facts and data that are relevant to your specific situation so you can make an informed decision. If you are not as worried about selling your house as you are with finding a new one, we have a program designed specifically for you to address that very concern. Our 3-day, Free Look Marketing Program has netted sellers more money in a faster time with fewer hassles than any other marketing program out there. Give Steve a call at 317-573-1880 to learn about both of these programs and how we are addressing our clients’ concerns during this challenging market.
Here are some MIBOR stats showing the changes from May 2020 to June 2020. They are remarkable:
Median Sales Price-$219,000-UP 1.9%
Closed Sales-3,518 units-UP 28.2%
New Listings-3,848 units-UP 2.2%
Pending Sales-4,269 units-UP 10.5%
Days on Market-35-DOWN 7.9%
Price per s.f.-$125-UP 3.3%
% of Ask Received-98.4%-UP 0.5%
Active Inventory-3,210 units-DOWN 10.2%
Absorption Rate-0.9 months-DOWN 30.8%
Look at the how the pending sales is more than new listings. This is an indicator of what to expect next month-even lower inventory levels. Sellers are getting over 98% of asking price! That is crazy! Active inventory is down over 10% and the absorption rate (how long it will take all of the current listings to sell with the current buyer demand) is down over 30% to less than one month. Are you kidding me?? These numbers are nuts and we have never seen anything like it before. The election MAY cause a real estate contraction. We don’t know for sure, but every economist I have heard lately has been warning of that, so if you are thinking of selling, NOW is the time!
Thank you for reading and for your continued trust and loyalty. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
Enjoy this month’s newsletter!
Read the August newsletter here
Download the most powerful real estate app here
Watch a quick video discussing the real estate market in 1-minute here
Read what our clients have to say about us here
Watch an intro video of our team here
Your friends in real estate, Steve, Kylie, Thea, Patti
This year has been tough on all of us, but especially parents with school-aged children who are forced to play full-time, all-day, all-week caregiver, teacher, nurse, entertainer, and food service worker. If you also work, good luck! We hope you navigate the back-to-school storm (whatever that looks like for you) as smoothly as possible and stay happy and healthy.
Steve and his family just returned from their first vacation since last October. They went to the Poconos and stayed in a condo and had an adjoining unit for Brigid’s brother and his family, his wife’s sister and husband and her mom. They also each brought their dogs. It turned out to be a great week, very relaxing with amazing weather, swimming, a white water rafting trip, 26-mile bike ride, kayaking, hiking, tennis, soccer games, and for the adults late-night Euchre games (Steve and his partner waxed everyone else!) :-) It was so nice (and needed) to get away and get a change of scenery. We hope that you have been able to take a trip this summer to just get a break as well. Those are so needed right now.
Jack and Mary Anne continue to do well and stay healthy. They are doing a reasonably good job at social distancing, but they did just return from Branson and saw some shows. Some were good at social distancing and some not so much, but they had a good time and enjoyed getting away.
Steve’s sister Michelle had a delayed graduation party for her oldest Caleb and it was nice to see some people we haven’t seen in many years. We wish Caleb good luck next Fall at IUPUI.
On our team, Patti had a HUGE accomplishment in passing her real estate exam and is applying for her license. This is especially big since she had to drive to Cincinnati to take the exam and finished her class in March. That gap made it really difficult, but she made it and we are so happy for her. Every member of our team will be licensed by next week.
Kylie was able to take some time off and spend with her family going to the zoo, pool, Wolf Park and relaxing at home. She needed a bit of a break since we have been working so much lately.
Speaking of working a lot, Thea has been rocking it lately helping 6 clients just in the past few weeks secure a home. This market has been brutal for buyers and buyer agents and she is has been doing such a great job working so hard for our clients winning multiple offer situations repeatedly.
Thank you to the over 400 of you who came for our FREE Shred Day a few weeks ago. We filled an entire truck as well as electronic recycling truck. We are planning another one for September, so stay tuned for the date.
Happy Hours are attempting to be re-started this month. We have August 20th on the books. Please come if you feel comfortable. Matt The Miller’s from 5-7pm. We would LOVE to see you again!!!!!
The market is the hottest on record. We are down below 1-month of inventory right now, which is insane and down over 30% from last month alone! Mortgage rates have hit all-time lows as well with rates for many of our clients in the low to mid-2%! Home prices are going up faster than ever and inventory keeps shrinking. If you or someone you care about is remotely thinking of buying, selling, or building, please call us. We would be happy to share all of the facts and data that are relevant to your specific situation so you can make an informed decision. If you are not as worried about selling your house as you are with finding a new one, we have a program designed specifically for you to address that very concern. Our 3-day, Free Look Marketing Program has netted sellers more money in a faster time with fewer hassles than any other marketing program out there. Give Steve a call at 317-573-1880 to learn about both of these programs and how we are addressing our clients’ concerns during this challenging market.
Here are some MIBOR stats showing the changes from May 2020 to June 2020. They are remarkable:
Median Sales Price-$219,000-UP 1.9%
Closed Sales-3,518 units-UP 28.2%
New Listings-3,848 units-UP 2.2%
Pending Sales-4,269 units-UP 10.5%
Days on Market-35-DOWN 7.9%
Price per s.f.-$125-UP 3.3%
% of Ask Received-98.4%-UP 0.5%
Active Inventory-3,210 units-DOWN 10.2%
Absorption Rate-0.9 months-DOWN 30.8%
Look at the how the pending sales is more than new listings. This is an indicator of what to expect next month-even lower inventory levels. Sellers are getting over 98% of asking price! That is crazy! Active inventory is down over 10% and the absorption rate (how long it will take all of the current listings to sell with the current buyer demand) is down over 30% to less than one month. Are you kidding me?? These numbers are nuts and we have never seen anything like it before. The election MAY cause a real estate contraction. We don’t know for sure, but every economist I have heard lately has been warning of that, so if you are thinking of selling, NOW is the time!
Thank you for reading and for your continued trust and loyalty. We couldn’t do what we do without you.
Enjoy this month’s newsletter!
Read the August newsletter here
Download the most powerful real estate app here
Watch a quick video discussing the real estate market in 1-minute here
Read what our clients have to say about us here
Watch an intro video of our team here
Your friends in real estate, Steve, Kylie, Thea, Patti
Monday, April 13, 2020
Things to do while in quarantine
One of the best things that we can do right now to protect both ourselves and our friends and neighbors is to stay home. Unfortunately, there are only so many times that you can watch Tiger King or listen to your kids sing along with Elsa on Disney+. You need something new to do, and it needs to be something that the whole family can enjoy while you’re all staying safe at home.
There are some unique opportunities available right now that may never be available again once this is all over. They provide experiences that the whole family can enjoy that aren’t just the same old TV shows. Though this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few activities that you might consider that would give your family some new things to do.
A Virtual Reunion
With record numbers of people working and doing schoolwork at home, more people are using video conferencing services like Zoom, GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams than ever before. These services aren’t just for work, however. You can use them to get in touch with family from around the country, and even schedule a “virtual reunion” to catch up and check in with each other. This can be a recurring event, letting you stay connected with loved ones throughout the pandemic. You may even grow closer as a family despite the distance.
Museum and Zoo Tours
Even though museums and zoos are currently closed to the public, a number of high-profile museums and zoos have started offering virtual online tours for free. You can go online and view great works of art, watch animals relaxing during their downtime, and even see unique things like puppies getting to run wild in an aquarium. On top of these custom experiences, many zoos and similar facilities have webcams focused on specific exhibits that you can check out throughout the year.
Learn Something New
To help families pass the time, many online learning platforms are offering extended free trials so that people can pick up new skills or learn interesting things while in self-isolation. On top of that, some teachers and experts are streaming free courses on Zoom and other platforms as well. There is a wide range of content available for both kids and adults, meaning that there’s something for everyone to learn and enjoy.
Start (or Join) a Book Club
Reading is a great way to pass the time, and you can share that with the family by starting a family book club. The premise is simple: Everyone picks out a book, and once a week you get together and discuss what you’re reading. Even younger children can participate; let them pick out a book that they want you to read, and at the meet-up you can let them show off the book and tell everyone about it.
If you want a bit more social interaction with your book club, you can also look into online book clubs that are a bit closer to traditional book club offerings. These can have members from across the nation or around the world. Some of them operate on dedicated websites, and others use social media groups. Either way, there should be options available for most readers.
Listen to a Story
Even if you don’t feel like doing all of that reading, there are a good number of authors and celebrities doing podcasts and videos in which they read a variety of books or stories. Quite a few of these are aimed at children, but some of them are more tailored to adults as well. Levar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame) has even recently launched a video version of his podcast Levar Burton Reads with a wide range of content.
A Night in at the Movies
Under ordinary circumstances, you’d be able to take the family out to see some of the many movies that would be in theaters right now. But that’s not possible now that all the theaters are closed. So instead, movie theaters are adapting. Special digital rentals are now available for recent box-office hits that ordinarily wouldn’t be available for rental yet, so that a wider audience can enjoy them. And some movies that were scheduled for early summer release, such as Trolls World Tour, are also making their debut via digital rental. So pop some popcorn and enjoy these new and recent blockbusters all from the privacy and safety of your own home.
There are some unique opportunities available right now that may never be available again once this is all over. They provide experiences that the whole family can enjoy that aren’t just the same old TV shows. Though this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few activities that you might consider that would give your family some new things to do.
A Virtual Reunion
With record numbers of people working and doing schoolwork at home, more people are using video conferencing services like Zoom, GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams than ever before. These services aren’t just for work, however. You can use them to get in touch with family from around the country, and even schedule a “virtual reunion” to catch up and check in with each other. This can be a recurring event, letting you stay connected with loved ones throughout the pandemic. You may even grow closer as a family despite the distance.
Museum and Zoo Tours
Even though museums and zoos are currently closed to the public, a number of high-profile museums and zoos have started offering virtual online tours for free. You can go online and view great works of art, watch animals relaxing during their downtime, and even see unique things like puppies getting to run wild in an aquarium. On top of these custom experiences, many zoos and similar facilities have webcams focused on specific exhibits that you can check out throughout the year.
Learn Something New
To help families pass the time, many online learning platforms are offering extended free trials so that people can pick up new skills or learn interesting things while in self-isolation. On top of that, some teachers and experts are streaming free courses on Zoom and other platforms as well. There is a wide range of content available for both kids and adults, meaning that there’s something for everyone to learn and enjoy.
Start (or Join) a Book Club
Reading is a great way to pass the time, and you can share that with the family by starting a family book club. The premise is simple: Everyone picks out a book, and once a week you get together and discuss what you’re reading. Even younger children can participate; let them pick out a book that they want you to read, and at the meet-up you can let them show off the book and tell everyone about it.
If you want a bit more social interaction with your book club, you can also look into online book clubs that are a bit closer to traditional book club offerings. These can have members from across the nation or around the world. Some of them operate on dedicated websites, and others use social media groups. Either way, there should be options available for most readers.
Listen to a Story
Even if you don’t feel like doing all of that reading, there are a good number of authors and celebrities doing podcasts and videos in which they read a variety of books or stories. Quite a few of these are aimed at children, but some of them are more tailored to adults as well. Levar Burton (of Reading Rainbow fame) has even recently launched a video version of his podcast Levar Burton Reads with a wide range of content.
A Night in at the Movies
Under ordinary circumstances, you’d be able to take the family out to see some of the many movies that would be in theaters right now. But that’s not possible now that all the theaters are closed. So instead, movie theaters are adapting. Special digital rentals are now available for recent box-office hits that ordinarily wouldn’t be available for rental yet, so that a wider audience can enjoy them. And some movies that were scheduled for early summer release, such as Trolls World Tour, are also making their debut via digital rental. So pop some popcorn and enjoy these new and recent blockbusters all from the privacy and safety of your own home.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
Friday, March 20, 2020
How to support local businesses
Without mincing words, times are scary. People are afraid, and beyond that there is a significant amount of uncertainty about what is to come. In times like these, it’s important to pull together as a community and support each other in any way possible. This includes the small businesses in your community, since they are an essential part of what keeps your community going; without your support during the darker times, some of them may not survive to see the sun come out again.
How are you supposed to do that in a limited-contact or social isolation scenario, though? Fortunately, there are still several options available that will help you to help those local businesses that keep your community running.
Buy Gift Certificates
One great way to support local businesses is to buy gift cards and gift certificates even if you don’t need them right now. This allows you to make a simple purchase that minimizes potential contact while giving the business that issued the certificate some much-needed income. Once things improve, you can then return to the business and take your time using the gift cards you purchased. As an added bonus, they’re also easy to give to others if you know someone who’s in need.
Buy Branded Merchandise
Another good option is to buy branded merchandise such as t-shirts or coffee mugs that advertise the business. On top of the usual benefits of making a purchase, these items help to advertise the business as well. As an added bonus, buying branded merchandise helps you to show the business owner that you’re there to support the business specifically.
Order Online or On the Phone
Can’t get out? Check and see which businesses in your area offer online ordering and make use of that feature. If you can’t order online, give them a call and inquire about placing an order. You can even make arrangements for delivery or pickup while you’re on the phone.
Tip for Deliveries and Carry-Outs
A lot of people are relying on delivery and carry-out orders these days, especially from local restaurants. Unfortunately, a lot of people tip very little if at all for these services. Remember that a lot of employees are facing reduced hours in this stressful time, and every dollar helps. Be sure to tip even if you normally wouldn’t, and be generous when you do.
Spread the Word
There are many types of support. Financial support is definitely important for local businesses trying to stay open, but not everyone can help out financially. If you can’t afford to shop right now, try to get the word out on social media and other platforms. Share posts, talk about the businesses that you’d like to support and even post pictures of yourself wearing some branded merch. Every little bit helps, and someone might see your post and decide that they need to support local shops as well.
Donate Your Refunds
A major problem that small venues face is the refunding of canceled events. They’ve already spent money on advertising and racked up other costs, and now they’re losing their portion of ticket sales. If you have tickets for an event that was canceled and unlikely to be rescheduled, call the box office and inquire about donating your refund instead. While not all venues will do this, donating your ticket price lets those that do recoup some of what they spent and may even help them to stay open in the face of additional cancellations.
Be Considerate
Local businesses are a part of your community, and as such they want to see the community thrive. Situations like this are very stressful for business owners and employees alike, and the last thing that they want to see is people fighting over merchandise or those in need having to do without because someone else hoarded all the toilet paper. When shopping at local businesses, be courteous to other shoppers, maintain a safe distance so no one is crowded, and avoid the temptation to grab everything when you just need one or two items.
Shop Local
If you need to find local businesses and professionals to support, check out HomeKeepr. Not only can you open an account for free, but it will help you to find locals who need your support as well.
How are you supposed to do that in a limited-contact or social isolation scenario, though? Fortunately, there are still several options available that will help you to help those local businesses that keep your community running.
Buy Gift Certificates
One great way to support local businesses is to buy gift cards and gift certificates even if you don’t need them right now. This allows you to make a simple purchase that minimizes potential contact while giving the business that issued the certificate some much-needed income. Once things improve, you can then return to the business and take your time using the gift cards you purchased. As an added bonus, they’re also easy to give to others if you know someone who’s in need.
Buy Branded Merchandise
Another good option is to buy branded merchandise such as t-shirts or coffee mugs that advertise the business. On top of the usual benefits of making a purchase, these items help to advertise the business as well. As an added bonus, buying branded merchandise helps you to show the business owner that you’re there to support the business specifically.
Order Online or On the Phone
Can’t get out? Check and see which businesses in your area offer online ordering and make use of that feature. If you can’t order online, give them a call and inquire about placing an order. You can even make arrangements for delivery or pickup while you’re on the phone.
Tip for Deliveries and Carry-Outs
A lot of people are relying on delivery and carry-out orders these days, especially from local restaurants. Unfortunately, a lot of people tip very little if at all for these services. Remember that a lot of employees are facing reduced hours in this stressful time, and every dollar helps. Be sure to tip even if you normally wouldn’t, and be generous when you do.
Spread the Word
There are many types of support. Financial support is definitely important for local businesses trying to stay open, but not everyone can help out financially. If you can’t afford to shop right now, try to get the word out on social media and other platforms. Share posts, talk about the businesses that you’d like to support and even post pictures of yourself wearing some branded merch. Every little bit helps, and someone might see your post and decide that they need to support local shops as well.
Donate Your Refunds
A major problem that small venues face is the refunding of canceled events. They’ve already spent money on advertising and racked up other costs, and now they’re losing their portion of ticket sales. If you have tickets for an event that was canceled and unlikely to be rescheduled, call the box office and inquire about donating your refund instead. While not all venues will do this, donating your ticket price lets those that do recoup some of what they spent and may even help them to stay open in the face of additional cancellations.
Be Considerate
Local businesses are a part of your community, and as such they want to see the community thrive. Situations like this are very stressful for business owners and employees alike, and the last thing that they want to see is people fighting over merchandise or those in need having to do without because someone else hoarded all the toilet paper. When shopping at local businesses, be courteous to other shoppers, maintain a safe distance so no one is crowded, and avoid the temptation to grab everything when you just need one or two items.
Shop Local
If you need to find local businesses and professionals to support, check out HomeKeepr. Not only can you open an account for free, but it will help you to find locals who need your support as well.
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
How Do You Choose A Home Pro?
There are a number of reasons that you might need to hire a professional to do work around your home. Maybe you want to make repairs, add a porch, redo your landscaping or change up the design of your interiors. Of course, when you hire a pro, you want to make sure that you’ve found someone who’s going to do a great job without breaking your budget. How do you strike that balance?
Fortunately, there are a few things that you can consider when trying to pick the perfect home pro for your project. This will not only help you find a skilled professional who can get the job done right but will also ensure that you don’t overpay for the work that you get done.
What Is Your Timeframe?
When do you need your work done by? If you’re considering a professional and they can’t finish the job in time, you might be better off going with someone who can. While some deadlines are flexible, others don’t have much give and you need to make sure that your pro is available when you need them. After all, even a skilled pro at a great price won’t do you much good if they can’t get around to your job until well after it absolutely must be finished.
Consider the Pro’s Reputation
If a pro you’re considering has a reputation in your area, there’s likely a good reason for it. It might be a good reputation, such as being known for always finishing ahead of time and under budget. Or it could be a bad reputation, such as never getting to work on time and leaving you waiting for meetings. Whether it’s good or bad, be sure to take it into consideration while you weigh your options for a home pro.
Taking Cost Into Account
As great as it would be if it weren’t an issue, cost is a very real factor for any project you undertake involving your house. While at least some of the cost of any home project is tied up in materials and other factors that pros don’t have much control over, you’ll notice stark contrasts between the pricing of some professionals and others even when they’re bidding the same job. This is why it’s good to always shop around a bit and actively look for the best pro for your money; if you go with the first solution you pick then you might end up paying way too much for the work that gets done.
Reviewing Past Work
If possible, ask potential contractors, designers and other home pros for portfolios and other examples of their work. This will give you a better idea of the sort of work you can expect from the pros that you hire. If possible, ask if they have any candid shots taken during the job process; these provide a behind-the-scenes look that isn’t as polished as professional pieces and gives you an idea of what effort the pro is really putting into the job.
Asking for Recommendations
When looking for a pro, be sure to ask family, friends, your Realtor, and other home pros you trust who they would recommend. Because this usually comes in the form of one or two options that they would recommend most, it helps you to create a short list based on your friends’ past experiences. You may notice certain names popping up in multiple recommendations, which is a good thing; if this happens, those pros definitely deserve a spot on your list of people to consider.
The Home Pro Experts
While you’re putting in the work of finding a home pro, don’t forget to check HomeKeepr. You can search for personally recommended pros right from the sidebar on this page.
Fortunately, there are a few things that you can consider when trying to pick the perfect home pro for your project. This will not only help you find a skilled professional who can get the job done right but will also ensure that you don’t overpay for the work that you get done.
What Is Your Timeframe?
When do you need your work done by? If you’re considering a professional and they can’t finish the job in time, you might be better off going with someone who can. While some deadlines are flexible, others don’t have much give and you need to make sure that your pro is available when you need them. After all, even a skilled pro at a great price won’t do you much good if they can’t get around to your job until well after it absolutely must be finished.
Consider the Pro’s Reputation
If a pro you’re considering has a reputation in your area, there’s likely a good reason for it. It might be a good reputation, such as being known for always finishing ahead of time and under budget. Or it could be a bad reputation, such as never getting to work on time and leaving you waiting for meetings. Whether it’s good or bad, be sure to take it into consideration while you weigh your options for a home pro.
Taking Cost Into Account
As great as it would be if it weren’t an issue, cost is a very real factor for any project you undertake involving your house. While at least some of the cost of any home project is tied up in materials and other factors that pros don’t have much control over, you’ll notice stark contrasts between the pricing of some professionals and others even when they’re bidding the same job. This is why it’s good to always shop around a bit and actively look for the best pro for your money; if you go with the first solution you pick then you might end up paying way too much for the work that gets done.
Reviewing Past Work
If possible, ask potential contractors, designers and other home pros for portfolios and other examples of their work. This will give you a better idea of the sort of work you can expect from the pros that you hire. If possible, ask if they have any candid shots taken during the job process; these provide a behind-the-scenes look that isn’t as polished as professional pieces and gives you an idea of what effort the pro is really putting into the job.
Asking for Recommendations
When looking for a pro, be sure to ask family, friends, your Realtor, and other home pros you trust who they would recommend. Because this usually comes in the form of one or two options that they would recommend most, it helps you to create a short list based on your friends’ past experiences. You may notice certain names popping up in multiple recommendations, which is a good thing; if this happens, those pros definitely deserve a spot on your list of people to consider.
The Home Pro Experts
While you’re putting in the work of finding a home pro, don’t forget to check HomeKeepr. You can search for personally recommended pros right from the sidebar on this page.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Thinking of going solar? Read this first...
Home solar may be the energy solution of the future, offering clean, reliable energy without having to depend on power companies and their high energy rates. With new financing options in the works from some companies, getting into solar could soon be easier than ever before. If you like the thought of energy-independence, then picturing your home with its own solar panels might make you giddy. Before you get too excited, though, there are a few things that it’s important you know about solar energy first.
Solar Is Expensive
If you want a full solar array capable of powering your home, there could be a significant expense involved. Depending on the size of your home and the extent of your energy needs, your solar setup could easily cost you $30,000 to $45,000 or more. You may be able to finance the panels and installation, but it’s still a major expense. Tax credits or other incentive programs may help to offset the cost, but the availability of these programs and what’s required to qualify can vary from year to year or by locale.
Recouping Your Investment
The money you save on your electric bill should eventually be more than what you pay to have solar panels installed, but it may take a while for you to save more than you spent. Depending on the size of your solar panels, where your property is located and how much of an effect the panels have on your electric bill, it could take 10 years or longer for you to recoup your initial solar investment.
Solar Mounting Concerns
Not all homes are ideal for solar. If your property has a lot of tall trees surrounding it or you otherwise experience a lot of shade on your house, this can have a negative effect on how well your solar panels function. Also, if you’ve had issues with your roof in the past you may have a hard time installing a roof-mounted solar array given the weight of the equipment. If you opt for an off-the-roof array to take advantage of the best lighting on your property, there will be added expense involved since you’ll have to put in a concrete slab and use different mounting equipment as well.
Do You Have a Battery?
Many people think of solar as being a way to keep power no matter what’s going on with the grid, but that isn’t always the case. Many solar arrays are designed to back-feed power into the grid itself, essentially selling the power that you generate to the electric company and reducing your bill that way. If there’s a blackout or other problems with the grid, though, you’ll still be affected because that power isn’t being stored locally. If you want local power storage, you’ll need batteries… and that can be even more expensive, depending on your home energy usage and whether you want the batteries to supply some or all of your power needs.
Cleaning and Maintenance
One thing that’s left out of a lot of solar conversations is the ongoing cleaning and maintenance requirements that solar panels have. The effectiveness of solar panels can be affected by dust and dirt buildup, so your panels will have to be cleaned as part of your normal spring or fall cleaning routines. Damage to panels and dead cells can also affect them and will require an installer to come out and fix. If you have batteries as part of your unit, these may have to be replaced after several years as well as they can start holding less of a charge over time.
Home Valuation Effects
Having a functional solar installation can have a nice positive effect on your home’s value, especially as energy costs continue to rise. It may reduce the number of interested parties a bit while solar is still relatively uncommon for homes, however. While some buyers will be excited about the idea of buying a home with solar, others may wonder how trustworthy it is or worry about future maintenance costs. While you’ll be able to get more for your property if you decide to sell, it could take you longer to find a buyer.
Have Solar Questions?
A home solar array can still be a great investment so long as you go into it with a good understanding of the realities of solar panels. HomeKeepr can help you find installers and other solar experts who can answer any questions you might have and hook you up with a great deal if you’re ready to move forward. Sign up for your free account now to get in touch and make your solar dreams a reality.
Solar Is Expensive
If you want a full solar array capable of powering your home, there could be a significant expense involved. Depending on the size of your home and the extent of your energy needs, your solar setup could easily cost you $30,000 to $45,000 or more. You may be able to finance the panels and installation, but it’s still a major expense. Tax credits or other incentive programs may help to offset the cost, but the availability of these programs and what’s required to qualify can vary from year to year or by locale.
Recouping Your Investment
The money you save on your electric bill should eventually be more than what you pay to have solar panels installed, but it may take a while for you to save more than you spent. Depending on the size of your solar panels, where your property is located and how much of an effect the panels have on your electric bill, it could take 10 years or longer for you to recoup your initial solar investment.
Solar Mounting Concerns
Not all homes are ideal for solar. If your property has a lot of tall trees surrounding it or you otherwise experience a lot of shade on your house, this can have a negative effect on how well your solar panels function. Also, if you’ve had issues with your roof in the past you may have a hard time installing a roof-mounted solar array given the weight of the equipment. If you opt for an off-the-roof array to take advantage of the best lighting on your property, there will be added expense involved since you’ll have to put in a concrete slab and use different mounting equipment as well.
Do You Have a Battery?
Many people think of solar as being a way to keep power no matter what’s going on with the grid, but that isn’t always the case. Many solar arrays are designed to back-feed power into the grid itself, essentially selling the power that you generate to the electric company and reducing your bill that way. If there’s a blackout or other problems with the grid, though, you’ll still be affected because that power isn’t being stored locally. If you want local power storage, you’ll need batteries… and that can be even more expensive, depending on your home energy usage and whether you want the batteries to supply some or all of your power needs.
Cleaning and Maintenance
One thing that’s left out of a lot of solar conversations is the ongoing cleaning and maintenance requirements that solar panels have. The effectiveness of solar panels can be affected by dust and dirt buildup, so your panels will have to be cleaned as part of your normal spring or fall cleaning routines. Damage to panels and dead cells can also affect them and will require an installer to come out and fix. If you have batteries as part of your unit, these may have to be replaced after several years as well as they can start holding less of a charge over time.
Home Valuation Effects
Having a functional solar installation can have a nice positive effect on your home’s value, especially as energy costs continue to rise. It may reduce the number of interested parties a bit while solar is still relatively uncommon for homes, however. While some buyers will be excited about the idea of buying a home with solar, others may wonder how trustworthy it is or worry about future maintenance costs. While you’ll be able to get more for your property if you decide to sell, it could take you longer to find a buyer.
Have Solar Questions?
A home solar array can still be a great investment so long as you go into it with a good understanding of the realities of solar panels. HomeKeepr can help you find installers and other solar experts who can answer any questions you might have and hook you up with a great deal if you’re ready to move forward. Sign up for your free account now to get in touch and make your solar dreams a reality.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Home buying red flags
Shopping for a home can be exciting. Unfortunately, sometimes we can get too caught up in the excitement and end up ignoring signs that the house we’re looking at might not be the best option. There are a number of red flags that can pop up when looking at homes, and even more when shopping for a mortgage to pay for the home you choose. To help you avoid having a bad home-buying experience, here are a few of the biggest red flags that you should keep an eye out for.
Signs of Foundation Trouble
When looking at a home, be sure to get a look around the outside so you can catch a peek near the foundation. If the home has a basement, ask to see it as well. While a little settling is normal, if you see large cracks, signs of leaks or other indications that there is foundation damage then buying this home is just asking for trouble.
Insect Issues
Having insects or other pests in your home is more than just unsanitary: These uninvited intruders can actually damage your home and lead to costly repairs. If you see insects, mice or other pests (or indications that they’ve been in the house recently), it could indicate a pest control problem that the seller has been unable to get under control. Depending on how bad the problem is, this could be a deal-breaker.
Inconsistently Fresh Paint
Seeing freshly painted walls in a house is pretty common and usually isn’t anything to worry about. When the paint only covers certain patches of the wall, though, that’s a different story. Be sure to ask about any small sections of paint that you see as they may indicate damage that was hastily covered up with a little bit of paint. It’s possible that there’s a good reason for it, but that little patch of paint may also be hiding an unpleasant surprise in the wall.
Smells and Stains
Most sellers go out of their way to make a house appear at its very best before letting potential buyers come in. This is why you should definitely take note of any odd smells or stains that you encounter in the house. Smells could indicate leaks, mildew, mold or other problems hiding somewhere in the house. Stains can also indicate leaks and other problems, especially if they appear on the ceiling or near the tops of the walls. Large stains on the ceiling can even signify a leaky roof!
Outlet Issues
When looking through a house, be sure to spare electrical outlets a glance. If they have visible cracks, discolorations or black smudges on them then you may have electrical problems in your future! While you’re thinking about the electricity, you should also ask to see the breaker box to make sure that it’s well organized and that all of the breakers appear to be in working order.
Standing Water
If it’s been raining, you may see a little bit of water standing in the yard when you go to visit a house. This isn’t necessarily an issue, but stop to think about how long it’s been since it rained and just how much rain you’ve gotten. If there seems to be a lot of water for the amount of rain or if it’s been a while since the last rainfall, that standing water could indicate drainage issues or even problems with a water line or septic tank.
Loan Issues
Even if there’s nothing wrong with the house you want to buy, you may encounter red flags during the loan process. Higher than usual interest rates, requirements for additional insurance or flood insurance, added costs and other quirks could mean that you need to find a new lender… or they could mean that there are issues with the property that you missed. Shop around for a better loan if you think you can find a better deal, though keep an eye out for issues that keep popping up at multiple lenders.
The Best Way to Avoid Red Flags
If you’re seeing red flags everywhere you look and aren’t sure where to turn, we can help. HomeKeepr can match you with the perfect home-buying specialist to guide you through finding a great home AND a great loan. Sign up for free to make your match today!
Signs of Foundation Trouble
When looking at a home, be sure to get a look around the outside so you can catch a peek near the foundation. If the home has a basement, ask to see it as well. While a little settling is normal, if you see large cracks, signs of leaks or other indications that there is foundation damage then buying this home is just asking for trouble.
Insect Issues
Having insects or other pests in your home is more than just unsanitary: These uninvited intruders can actually damage your home and lead to costly repairs. If you see insects, mice or other pests (or indications that they’ve been in the house recently), it could indicate a pest control problem that the seller has been unable to get under control. Depending on how bad the problem is, this could be a deal-breaker.
Inconsistently Fresh Paint
Seeing freshly painted walls in a house is pretty common and usually isn’t anything to worry about. When the paint only covers certain patches of the wall, though, that’s a different story. Be sure to ask about any small sections of paint that you see as they may indicate damage that was hastily covered up with a little bit of paint. It’s possible that there’s a good reason for it, but that little patch of paint may also be hiding an unpleasant surprise in the wall.
Smells and Stains
Most sellers go out of their way to make a house appear at its very best before letting potential buyers come in. This is why you should definitely take note of any odd smells or stains that you encounter in the house. Smells could indicate leaks, mildew, mold or other problems hiding somewhere in the house. Stains can also indicate leaks and other problems, especially if they appear on the ceiling or near the tops of the walls. Large stains on the ceiling can even signify a leaky roof!
Outlet Issues
When looking through a house, be sure to spare electrical outlets a glance. If they have visible cracks, discolorations or black smudges on them then you may have electrical problems in your future! While you’re thinking about the electricity, you should also ask to see the breaker box to make sure that it’s well organized and that all of the breakers appear to be in working order.
Standing Water
If it’s been raining, you may see a little bit of water standing in the yard when you go to visit a house. This isn’t necessarily an issue, but stop to think about how long it’s been since it rained and just how much rain you’ve gotten. If there seems to be a lot of water for the amount of rain or if it’s been a while since the last rainfall, that standing water could indicate drainage issues or even problems with a water line or septic tank.
Loan Issues
Even if there’s nothing wrong with the house you want to buy, you may encounter red flags during the loan process. Higher than usual interest rates, requirements for additional insurance or flood insurance, added costs and other quirks could mean that you need to find a new lender… or they could mean that there are issues with the property that you missed. Shop around for a better loan if you think you can find a better deal, though keep an eye out for issues that keep popping up at multiple lenders.
The Best Way to Avoid Red Flags
If you’re seeing red flags everywhere you look and aren’t sure where to turn, we can help. HomeKeepr can match you with the perfect home-buying specialist to guide you through finding a great home AND a great loan. Sign up for free to make your match today!
Saturday, November 03, 2018
November Steve & Jack's Home News
Happy Thanksgiving!! We hope this finds you looking forward to this holiday reserved for family and friends and have plans to spend time with both. We also find ourselves reflecting back on the year and feel extremely grateful.
First, we are grateful for our families that allow us to spend so much time doing what we love and helping our clients. Without them and their support, we could never do what we do.
Second, we are thankful for our clients and referral partners. Without you, we couldn't do what we love. Thank you for inviting us to help you and those about whom you care. We are grateful for you and your trust and will always work hard to maintain it.
If you had Fall Break, we hope you were able to do something fun and relaxing. Westfield has an entire week, which we love. We used it to take a Caribbean cruise on Norwegian. We absolutely loved it! It was our first time on Norwegian and we would definitely go back. Our best memory was the bartenders taking a liking to Tali and letting her decorate all of the mudslides guests ordered and then they showed her how to make them! It was a hoot and something we will never forget. So much fun!
For Thanksgiving, we will be staying home and Brigid's family will be coming to us, so we will have both families there to celebrate together and are looking forward to hosting this year.
We hope to see you at some upcoming events:
1) November Happy Hour-Wednesday, November 14th from 5-6:30PM. We moved it up a week due to Thanksgiving. We had a great group in October and hope you will join us for the last one of the year as there is no Happy Hour in December.
2) 6th Annual VIP Client Appreciation Event-Saturday, December 1st from 8:30-11AM at Hamilton Towne Center. You should have received a couple of invitations in the mail. Please do RSVP by November 26th to Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com. We will be showing the brand new Disney movie Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks The Internet.
Real estate has slowed down quite a bit for the holidays now, but there is still quite a bit of activity out there, especially in the lower price ranges (<$250,000). Here are the September 2018 vs. 2017 stats from MIBOR: New listings-UP 3.1% to 3,697 units Pending sales-UP 8.5% to 3,043 units Closed sales-DOWN 2.5% to 3,144 units Median sales price-UP 9.0% to $179,900 Average sales price-UP 6.5% to $211,920 Percent of original list price received at sale-UP 0.5% to 95.9% Total active listings available at month end-DOWN 13.6% Months supply of inventory-DOWN 15.6% to 2.7 months Enjoy this month's newsletter and Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Click here to read the November newsletter
Click here to access coupons and discounts at places you shop every day
Click here to read some client testimonials
Click here to watch a short video about what is happening in the market this month
Click here to download the most powerful real estate app available
Your friends in real estate,
Steve, Jack, Kylie, & Julia
P.S. Please don't keep us a secret.
First, we are grateful for our families that allow us to spend so much time doing what we love and helping our clients. Without them and their support, we could never do what we do.
Second, we are thankful for our clients and referral partners. Without you, we couldn't do what we love. Thank you for inviting us to help you and those about whom you care. We are grateful for you and your trust and will always work hard to maintain it.
If you had Fall Break, we hope you were able to do something fun and relaxing. Westfield has an entire week, which we love. We used it to take a Caribbean cruise on Norwegian. We absolutely loved it! It was our first time on Norwegian and we would definitely go back. Our best memory was the bartenders taking a liking to Tali and letting her decorate all of the mudslides guests ordered and then they showed her how to make them! It was a hoot and something we will never forget. So much fun!
For Thanksgiving, we will be staying home and Brigid's family will be coming to us, so we will have both families there to celebrate together and are looking forward to hosting this year.
We hope to see you at some upcoming events:
1) November Happy Hour-Wednesday, November 14th from 5-6:30PM. We moved it up a week due to Thanksgiving. We had a great group in October and hope you will join us for the last one of the year as there is no Happy Hour in December.
2) 6th Annual VIP Client Appreciation Event-Saturday, December 1st from 8:30-11AM at Hamilton Towne Center. You should have received a couple of invitations in the mail. Please do RSVP by November 26th to Kylie@Welcome2Indy.com. We will be showing the brand new Disney movie Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks The Internet.
Real estate has slowed down quite a bit for the holidays now, but there is still quite a bit of activity out there, especially in the lower price ranges (<$250,000). Here are the September 2018 vs. 2017 stats from MIBOR: New listings-UP 3.1% to 3,697 units Pending sales-UP 8.5% to 3,043 units Closed sales-DOWN 2.5% to 3,144 units Median sales price-UP 9.0% to $179,900 Average sales price-UP 6.5% to $211,920 Percent of original list price received at sale-UP 0.5% to 95.9% Total active listings available at month end-DOWN 13.6% Months supply of inventory-DOWN 15.6% to 2.7 months Enjoy this month's newsletter and Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Click here to read the November newsletter
Click here to access coupons and discounts at places you shop every day
Click here to read some client testimonials
Click here to watch a short video about what is happening in the market this month
Click here to download the most powerful real estate app available
Your friends in real estate,
Steve, Jack, Kylie, & Julia
P.S. Please don't keep us a secret.
Thursday, April 05, 2018
What stays and what goes in a home sale??
You’ve finally found the home of your dreams. It’s perfect, the price is right, the neighborhood is wonderful (and walkable!) and it has some really awesome appliances. But when you go to your final walk-through, you’re shocked to discover that those awesome appliances have been removed, with absolutely no clue left as to their current whereabouts. Well, that certainly can’t stand! Where are the appliances?
You stop in your tracks. Dead in your tracks. And you utter the words no Realtor ever wants to hear, “I’m not closing.” Your Realtor calmly pulls up the listing information on their phone to check the status of the appliances. Then they have a heart to heart with you about appurtenance.
Appurtenance and Private Property
There are few concepts within the real estate world that bring more tears, screaming and actual legal fights than appurtenance. This is basically a sort of wavy line between where real property (like a house or a piece of land) starts and private property (like a bird feeder or a stove) ends. Because so many homes are shown while occupied, there are usually a lot of things inside that don’t go with the house when it’s sold.
You’d never assume that piano stayed or that the couch was a gimme with the home, those are fairly clear-cut pieces of private property you know not to plan on owning. But there are also things that are a lot hazier. For example, that freestanding range or the neat light over the kitchen bar. These things are less straightforward. After all, every kitchen needs a range, right? And that light fixture, it’s just a light fixture, so whatever — you’ll just replace it with something cheaper when it’s time to move.
That’s not actually how it works, though. Appurtenance means, essentially, that an item belongs to the house. It’s not yours or the new owner’s, but instead it sort of travels with the property. In a very basic example, you could say that a pool and the pool house are appurtenant. They clearly go with the property indefinitely, until they’re destroyed. No question there.
The Appurtenance Litmus Test
A pool is one thing, but that stove, that light fixture, even a satellite dish, these are quite different questions. How do you know when they stay or go? First, you should always check the listing carefully — often your answers are spelled out right there. But if they aren’t, there’s a litmus test you can use to help better understand what “belongs.”
Ask yourself, “Is this item meant to be permanently attached to the house, and if so, will it damage the property if it’s removed?” It’s a two-part question that is always in the same two parts. First, it has to have been attached with the intent of being permanent. Secondly, it has to cause cosmetic or structural damage if it’s taken out.
This means that the freestanding stove, which is only plugged in and pushed between two cabinets, is in no way appurtenant. The light fixture, however, was installed in a permanent fashion, so it is appurtenant. The piano is still completely off-limits.
It’s not that this concept by itself is so difficult to understand on the surface, it’s more that some people have different ideas of what “permanent” and “damage” mean. Let’s look at another example. Say there’s a really cool television mounted above the fireplace in the house you’re interested in buying. You assume it’s appurtenant because it’s attached, right? It’s mounted in the brick, so taking it down would damage the fireplace.
Yet, the seller takes that television when they move, but they kindly leave you the brackets so you can install your own television in the same spot. You scream bloody murder. Your Realtor points out that there’s no damage and the bracket is still attached to the fireplace. In this case, the television itself wasn’t actually appurtenant, but the bracket was.
A Few Tips for Determining What Stays
Buying a house is stressful, and there’s nothing good about making it more stressful by introducing concepts like appurtenance, but it’s also no fun to be blindsided at your final walk-through, either. Even if you’ve never done a single DIY project in your life, these questions should help you figure out if that thing you really hope is staying will actually hang around after closing:
Is it plugged in? Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, if something’s plugged into the wall, it’s not appurtenant. Garbage disposals break this rule because they are often plugged in, but they’re also permanently attached in other ways, so you can generally assume they’re going to be waiting for you like a puppy dog after a long day at work.
Was the surface material broken to install it? Let’s say the thing you’re now worried about is a satellite dish and it’s installed on the chimney. You can see from the ground that it’s just strapped up there with sturdy plastic straps. Because the method of attachment is considered non-permanent (aka. It doesn’t damage the surface material), that satellite can be removed by the seller. If they leave it, you should seriously think about having one of your HomeKeepr pros attach it more solidly, though.
Is the item required to make the property function? This is a little weirder of a question, unless you’re already thinking about your house as one giant thing made up of lots of little systems. All those little systems have to be in balance to make it work, from the gutters to the soffit vents. Let’s say that your sellers ran off with all the downspouts from the gutter system (this would also be a weird thing to take, but this is a very fictitious example). Although they’re not permanently affixed to the house, they are a part of the gutter system, which is required to keep water from running under your house and into the basement. Those downspouts could be argued to be appurtenant since they’re part of a necessary system.
You can think about this concept in terms of items that belong to your house, if that makes it easier, but you have to keep in mind the intent and damage aspects, too. If you’re going to try to fight a seller for an appurtenant item, however, make sure it’s worth the cost. These battles can literally take years and cost much more than it would to simply replace the item. Sometimes it’s worth the effort, sometimes it’s not. Your agent can give you advice on what to do if your walk-through turns into an alarming episode of cataloging missing pieces.
You stop in your tracks. Dead in your tracks. And you utter the words no Realtor ever wants to hear, “I’m not closing.” Your Realtor calmly pulls up the listing information on their phone to check the status of the appliances. Then they have a heart to heart with you about appurtenance.
Appurtenance and Private Property
There are few concepts within the real estate world that bring more tears, screaming and actual legal fights than appurtenance. This is basically a sort of wavy line between where real property (like a house or a piece of land) starts and private property (like a bird feeder or a stove) ends. Because so many homes are shown while occupied, there are usually a lot of things inside that don’t go with the house when it’s sold.
You’d never assume that piano stayed or that the couch was a gimme with the home, those are fairly clear-cut pieces of private property you know not to plan on owning. But there are also things that are a lot hazier. For example, that freestanding range or the neat light over the kitchen bar. These things are less straightforward. After all, every kitchen needs a range, right? And that light fixture, it’s just a light fixture, so whatever — you’ll just replace it with something cheaper when it’s time to move.
That’s not actually how it works, though. Appurtenance means, essentially, that an item belongs to the house. It’s not yours or the new owner’s, but instead it sort of travels with the property. In a very basic example, you could say that a pool and the pool house are appurtenant. They clearly go with the property indefinitely, until they’re destroyed. No question there.
The Appurtenance Litmus Test
A pool is one thing, but that stove, that light fixture, even a satellite dish, these are quite different questions. How do you know when they stay or go? First, you should always check the listing carefully — often your answers are spelled out right there. But if they aren’t, there’s a litmus test you can use to help better understand what “belongs.”
Ask yourself, “Is this item meant to be permanently attached to the house, and if so, will it damage the property if it’s removed?” It’s a two-part question that is always in the same two parts. First, it has to have been attached with the intent of being permanent. Secondly, it has to cause cosmetic or structural damage if it’s taken out.
This means that the freestanding stove, which is only plugged in and pushed between two cabinets, is in no way appurtenant. The light fixture, however, was installed in a permanent fashion, so it is appurtenant. The piano is still completely off-limits.
It’s not that this concept by itself is so difficult to understand on the surface, it’s more that some people have different ideas of what “permanent” and “damage” mean. Let’s look at another example. Say there’s a really cool television mounted above the fireplace in the house you’re interested in buying. You assume it’s appurtenant because it’s attached, right? It’s mounted in the brick, so taking it down would damage the fireplace.
Yet, the seller takes that television when they move, but they kindly leave you the brackets so you can install your own television in the same spot. You scream bloody murder. Your Realtor points out that there’s no damage and the bracket is still attached to the fireplace. In this case, the television itself wasn’t actually appurtenant, but the bracket was.
A Few Tips for Determining What Stays
Buying a house is stressful, and there’s nothing good about making it more stressful by introducing concepts like appurtenance, but it’s also no fun to be blindsided at your final walk-through, either. Even if you’ve never done a single DIY project in your life, these questions should help you figure out if that thing you really hope is staying will actually hang around after closing:
Is it plugged in? Obviously, there are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, if something’s plugged into the wall, it’s not appurtenant. Garbage disposals break this rule because they are often plugged in, but they’re also permanently attached in other ways, so you can generally assume they’re going to be waiting for you like a puppy dog after a long day at work.
Was the surface material broken to install it? Let’s say the thing you’re now worried about is a satellite dish and it’s installed on the chimney. You can see from the ground that it’s just strapped up there with sturdy plastic straps. Because the method of attachment is considered non-permanent (aka. It doesn’t damage the surface material), that satellite can be removed by the seller. If they leave it, you should seriously think about having one of your HomeKeepr pros attach it more solidly, though.
Is the item required to make the property function? This is a little weirder of a question, unless you’re already thinking about your house as one giant thing made up of lots of little systems. All those little systems have to be in balance to make it work, from the gutters to the soffit vents. Let’s say that your sellers ran off with all the downspouts from the gutter system (this would also be a weird thing to take, but this is a very fictitious example). Although they’re not permanently affixed to the house, they are a part of the gutter system, which is required to keep water from running under your house and into the basement. Those downspouts could be argued to be appurtenant since they’re part of a necessary system.
You can think about this concept in terms of items that belong to your house, if that makes it easier, but you have to keep in mind the intent and damage aspects, too. If you’re going to try to fight a seller for an appurtenant item, however, make sure it’s worth the cost. These battles can literally take years and cost much more than it would to simply replace the item. Sometimes it’s worth the effort, sometimes it’s not. Your agent can give you advice on what to do if your walk-through turns into an alarming episode of cataloging missing pieces.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Steve & Jack's March Home News
We are one month closer to spring!!! Apparently, the real estate market has gotten wind of this and has started 2018 with a BANG! We hope you are staying well, which this year, it seems is more of a challenge than ever!
Thank you to all of our friends, clients, and referral partners for attending our monthly Happy Hour last night at Matt The Miller's. We had a great time and always enjoy seeing you. Please join us for our next Happy Hour on March 21st from 5-6:30PM. We are looking for some sponsors this year as well, so if you are looking to get some additional exposure for your business at a very low cost, please let us know. We are filling spots now.
Our biggest and most exciting news is that we have an addition to our family! We are proud to announce that Julia Hayes has joined our team as a buyer/seller specialist. Julia has helped us several times when we have been out of town and has worked in our office for some time. She worked previously for a builder, so she is acutely aware of the building process and will be a great asset to our clients. Julia grew up in Carmel and swam for their record-setting State Championship Girls Swim Team and then also was a scholarship swimmer for IUPUI. Julia brings so much talent to our team and we are excited to have her helping us deliver an even higher level of service to our clients. Julia lives in Fishers and has two children. Please welcome Julia as you connect with her. Her e-mail is Julia@Welcome2Indy.com.
Kylie is simply amazing and keeps our team running so smoothly. She is the most organized person I know and our clients love how she keeps things on track. She is doing well and so are both of her boys, who keep her busy while not at work.
Jack and Mary Anne are doing great and we are so proud to announce that Mary Anne's knee replacement surgery was a complete success! She is recovering well and has exceeded all of her PT goals. She is walking around pain-free, but still has more work to do on healing before she is back to 100%. She would appreciate any continued thoughts and prayers.
Steve & Brigid are keeping busy, as usual. Brigid is very busy with work, not only doing pharmaceutical sales, but also is her region data analyst for her regional manager, which takes her out of town more often and adds quite a bit to her workload. She enjoys it and the opportunities it is providing. Ana and Tali are both doing great in school. Ana is enjoying singing in the Indianapolis Children's Choir and preparing for their next concert in March. She is also preparing for her 3-week European Tour this summer and has to learn 17-songs on which she is diligently working! Tali has continued to excel in gymnastics with several first-place finishes and is looking forward to going to her first out-of-town meet next weekend. We are all looking forward to a short vacation to Disney leaving today. A little sun and fun will go a long way!
The market is white hot right now with inventory at an all-time low. If you or someone you care about are thinking about moving, please call us. There is a lot of information we can share to educate you about your options, so you make the best decision possible. Check out the January stats from MIBOR comparing January 2018 to January 2017:
New Listings-2,483 units-DOWN 3.8%
Pending Sales-2,216 units-UP 3.1%
Closed Sales-1,901 units-UP 5.3%
Median Sales Price-$158,000-UP 10%
Average Sales Price-$192,732-UP 5.6%
Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale-94.7%-UP 1.3%
Total Active Listings Available at Month End-7,070 units-DOWN 18.4%!!!
Months Supply of Inventory/Absorption Rate-2.3 months-DOWN 20.7%!!!
Look at those last two lines above. Those are HUGE declines in inventory. We need more! Now is the time to sell before interest rates continue to go up. They have increased 50-basis points since January to 4.687%, the fastest increase since January 2006.
Thank you to all of our clients for your reviews on Angie's List!!! We have once again been honored for the 3rd consecutive year as a Super Service Award winner. We have also been honored for the 5th consecutive year as a 5-Star Real Estate Agent. Those are both the Top 5% of agents in the city. Thank you for your reviews and your trust and confidence in us. We will continue to work hard to earn it! Be on the lookout for a new referral-reward program for some cool new prizes!! So, send in those referrals. :-)
Do you like to golf? We are Corporate Partners with Heritage Place, which is a not-for-profit organization that services seniors through education and activities. We have been on the planning committee for the golf outing for 3-years now and sponsor a hole as well. We need more golfers! It is at Broadmoor Country Club on Thursday, June 28th and the fun begins at 9:30AM. It is a scramble, so more fun than serious. This is a private course, so if you have wanted to play, now is the time. Please contact me if you would like more information.
Please enjoy this month's newsletter and check out our next Builder Video Series video. Good info!
Click here to read our March Newsletter
Click here to watch our Builder Series Video
Click here to download the most powerful real estate app available
Click here to access coupons and discounts at places you shop every day
Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Jack, Kylie, & Julia
Thank you to all of our friends, clients, and referral partners for attending our monthly Happy Hour last night at Matt The Miller's. We had a great time and always enjoy seeing you. Please join us for our next Happy Hour on March 21st from 5-6:30PM. We are looking for some sponsors this year as well, so if you are looking to get some additional exposure for your business at a very low cost, please let us know. We are filling spots now.
Our biggest and most exciting news is that we have an addition to our family! We are proud to announce that Julia Hayes has joined our team as a buyer/seller specialist. Julia has helped us several times when we have been out of town and has worked in our office for some time. She worked previously for a builder, so she is acutely aware of the building process and will be a great asset to our clients. Julia grew up in Carmel and swam for their record-setting State Championship Girls Swim Team and then also was a scholarship swimmer for IUPUI. Julia brings so much talent to our team and we are excited to have her helping us deliver an even higher level of service to our clients. Julia lives in Fishers and has two children. Please welcome Julia as you connect with her. Her e-mail is Julia@Welcome2Indy.com.
Kylie is simply amazing and keeps our team running so smoothly. She is the most organized person I know and our clients love how she keeps things on track. She is doing well and so are both of her boys, who keep her busy while not at work.
Jack and Mary Anne are doing great and we are so proud to announce that Mary Anne's knee replacement surgery was a complete success! She is recovering well and has exceeded all of her PT goals. She is walking around pain-free, but still has more work to do on healing before she is back to 100%. She would appreciate any continued thoughts and prayers.
Steve & Brigid are keeping busy, as usual. Brigid is very busy with work, not only doing pharmaceutical sales, but also is her region data analyst for her regional manager, which takes her out of town more often and adds quite a bit to her workload. She enjoys it and the opportunities it is providing. Ana and Tali are both doing great in school. Ana is enjoying singing in the Indianapolis Children's Choir and preparing for their next concert in March. She is also preparing for her 3-week European Tour this summer and has to learn 17-songs on which she is diligently working! Tali has continued to excel in gymnastics with several first-place finishes and is looking forward to going to her first out-of-town meet next weekend. We are all looking forward to a short vacation to Disney leaving today. A little sun and fun will go a long way!
The market is white hot right now with inventory at an all-time low. If you or someone you care about are thinking about moving, please call us. There is a lot of information we can share to educate you about your options, so you make the best decision possible. Check out the January stats from MIBOR comparing January 2018 to January 2017:
New Listings-2,483 units-DOWN 3.8%
Pending Sales-2,216 units-UP 3.1%
Closed Sales-1,901 units-UP 5.3%
Median Sales Price-$158,000-UP 10%
Average Sales Price-$192,732-UP 5.6%
Percent of Original List Price Received at Sale-94.7%-UP 1.3%
Total Active Listings Available at Month End-7,070 units-DOWN 18.4%!!!
Months Supply of Inventory/Absorption Rate-2.3 months-DOWN 20.7%!!!
Look at those last two lines above. Those are HUGE declines in inventory. We need more! Now is the time to sell before interest rates continue to go up. They have increased 50-basis points since January to 4.687%, the fastest increase since January 2006.
Thank you to all of our clients for your reviews on Angie's List!!! We have once again been honored for the 3rd consecutive year as a Super Service Award winner. We have also been honored for the 5th consecutive year as a 5-Star Real Estate Agent. Those are both the Top 5% of agents in the city. Thank you for your reviews and your trust and confidence in us. We will continue to work hard to earn it! Be on the lookout for a new referral-reward program for some cool new prizes!! So, send in those referrals. :-)
Do you like to golf? We are Corporate Partners with Heritage Place, which is a not-for-profit organization that services seniors through education and activities. We have been on the planning committee for the golf outing for 3-years now and sponsor a hole as well. We need more golfers! It is at Broadmoor Country Club on Thursday, June 28th and the fun begins at 9:30AM. It is a scramble, so more fun than serious. This is a private course, so if you have wanted to play, now is the time. Please contact me if you would like more information.
Please enjoy this month's newsletter and check out our next Builder Video Series video. Good info!
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Your Friends in Real Estate,
Steve, Jack, Kylie, & Julia
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Westfield Name One of The Best Cities in Indiana to Raise A Family
Westfield Named One of the Best Cities in Indiana to Raise a Family
Westfield, IN- The Consumer Advocacy site, NerdWallet, released their annual study, “Best Cities for Young Families in Indiana”. NerdWallet ranked Westfield number 2 out of the 109 cities in Indiana that the company researched.
“Building a community and connecting families is my goal for Westfield,” explains Mayor Andy Cook. “Being recognized for something city employees and community members work so hard to achieve is rewarding on so many levels. Westfield’s trail system, school district and our sense of community is why families are locating to Westfield.”
The study revealed Westfield has the highest percentage of families with children in the state. It also pointed out the city’s close proximity to Indianapolis.
NerdWallet analyzes cities with more than 5,000 residents in Indiana. The advocacy site takes into account U.S. Census data and considers four key factors before making a decision. NerdWallet considers home affordability, prosperity and growth, quality of education and family friendliness.
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Westfield, IN- The Consumer Advocacy site, NerdWallet, released their annual study, “Best Cities for Young Families in Indiana”. NerdWallet ranked Westfield number 2 out of the 109 cities in Indiana that the company researched.
“Building a community and connecting families is my goal for Westfield,” explains Mayor Andy Cook. “Being recognized for something city employees and community members work so hard to achieve is rewarding on so many levels. Westfield’s trail system, school district and our sense of community is why families are locating to Westfield.”
The study revealed Westfield has the highest percentage of families with children in the state. It also pointed out the city’s close proximity to Indianapolis.
NerdWallet analyzes cities with more than 5,000 residents in Indiana. The advocacy site takes into account U.S. Census data and considers four key factors before making a decision. NerdWallet considers home affordability, prosperity and growth, quality of education and family friendliness.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2013
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Sunday, March 24, 2013
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