Realtor Tip for Staging Your Home to Sell

Remove Personal Photos

People can be very photogenic, but many clients are distracted by portraits of the sellers, and miss out on key selling points of the home. As an amateur photographer, I love displaying my work, but if I'm selling my house, art will be displayed without people in it. No matter how nice the display, personal photos are just that: too personal.

Photo and information taken from HGTV website

Christmas at Lilly House - A great way to start the holiday season!

11/18/2013 through 01/05/2014Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46208 | view on map
Event phone: 317-923-1331
Event web site: http://www.imamuseum.org/exhibition/christmas-lilly-house-2013

Christmas at Lilly House for 2013 is the culmination of the year’s observance of the 100th anniversary of Oldfields. Holiday decor for the house will take inspiration from ideas and trends current during the second decade of the 20th century, when the estate was constructed. Although commercialism and mass-produced decorations were certainly part of the scene at this time, most American homes were not as lavishly decorated as they would become later in the century, and older traditions of using natural materials and blooming plants still held strong. Greenery cut and shipped from southern woodlands, such as palms and magnolia, augmented local materials and greenhouse-grown flowers to provide a wide variety of decorative choices. Christmas at Lilly House 2013 will evoke these early 20th-century traditions, providing a glimpse at how holidays looked when Oldfields was new.

Housing Market Pushes Key Mortgage Rates Down

Fixed-rate mortgages continued to trend downward for the second consecutive week and are not at their lowest levels since June.
The average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage dropped 0.03 percentage point from the previous, according to the latest survey by mortgage buyer Freddie Mac.  Previously at 4.13 percent, the 30-year average is now trending at 4.1 percent. At this time last year the average was 3.39 percent.  It's now at its lowest level since it averaged 3.93 percent in June.
Concerns about a softening housing market and the economy's recovery, particularly the Federal Reserve's decision to continue its bond-buying stimulus program, have been cited as the main reasons behind the decline in loan rates.  As part of the massive stimulus program, the Fed is currently buying $85 million in bonds each month, in an effort to keep long-term interest rates affordable.
Looking ahead, rates are expected to remain relatively the same in the short-term.  In the latest Mortgage Rate Trend Index by Bankrate.com, 70 percent of analysts polled believe rates will remain unchanged over the next week.  Another 20 percent believe rates will continue their downward trend.
**Information take from Realtor.com

Property with Opportunity

Allen Road, Greenwood, IN - 13.42 Acres FOR SALE:
This property is at a great location!  Many uses will apply to this property!  Want to build and have an outbuilding?  Do you have a small business and need some extra space?  Does your church want to expand and need more room to grow?  THIS IS THE SPOT!!  Utilities are close by in the Precedent Park across the street.  This property is listed for $249,000.00  Call me for more information! (317)966-1790

America's Most Fun and Affordable Cities

Good Times, Low Prices

It can be difficult to enjoy the wealth of dining and nightlife options in big cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco after housing and other expenses are paid. Fortunately, many areas outside of major metropolises offer both affordable homes and a variety of restaurants and bars, according to a new report from Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate. The company, with real estate data company Onboard Informatics, evaluated 6,106 Zip Codes where the median home price is within 20 percent of the state’s median home price. It then selected the 25 areas with the greatest number of bars and restaurants. The list of fun, affordable places includes tourism destinations, such as Honolulu and Myrtle Beach, S.C., which tend to have a greater number of restaurants and bars, as well as college towns, such as Wilmington, N.C., and Tempe, Ariz. Photographer: Superstock/Getty Images

Click here to find out which are America’s most fun, affordable cities.

Buy in a Seller's Market

How to Buy in a Seller's Market
Prices are rising and perhaps there are fewer homes for sale where you want to live.  What can you do to put the odds in your favor?
Full story from Realty Times:  http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20131111-How-to-Buy-In-A-Sellers-Market.htm

Acreage for Sale in Greenwood, IN

LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
Do you have a small business and need some extra space? Do you want to build a home and have some space for some outbuildings?  Does your church want to expand and need some room to grow?  This is the property for you!
The property  is located on Allen Road in Greenwood, IN.  It is by the Precedent Park and utilities are located close by.  It includes 13.42 acres and is priced at $249,000.  Call me today for more information at (317) 966-1790.