Tag Archives: real estate

Breaking Away…

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Yes everyone…it’s that time again…IU’s Little 500 is this weekend!  An event that sparked a hollywood movie and a legacy for Dave Blase…the most famous IU Little 500 rider who almost didn’t race!  Click here to read the Indy Star article about his story.

From the Indiana University Student Foundation page:

The Little 500 is the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, riders compete in four-person teams around a quarter-mile cinder track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The men’s race is 200 laps — 50 miles — and the women’s race is 100.

More than 25,000 fans flock to the campus in Bloomington, Indiana, each April to be a part of IU’s storied tradition. And who can blame them? The excitement, the competition, the pageantry — Little 500 is an experience like no other.

The race began in 1951 as a way to raise scholarship money for students working their way through college. Since that first race, IUSF has given away over $1 million to deserving undergrads.

Now about that Hollywood movie…do you remember it?  Dennis Christopher played Dave and Dennis Quaid, Jackie Earl Haley and Daniel Stern rounded out the 4 man team.  The synopsis is quite simple, Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his 3 friends, the comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends and parents annoyance. Meanwhile, the 4 friends try to break away from their townie, Indiana reputation while fighting with nearby college snobs.

I just love movies set in Indiana and about Indiana events…how about you?

breaking away

Vicki Reed

 

2015 Home Show!

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Thank you Fischer Homes for the VIP night last night and a sneak peek at the centerpiece home for this years Indianapolis Home Show!  Great food, wine and networking!

At the Indiana State Fair Grounds Exposition Hall, this years show starts today at 11:00 a.m. and runs through Sunday, February 1 and boasts appearances by Ty Pennington from Exteme Makeover Home Edition (“Move that Bus” sound familiar?) on January 31 and Matt Muenster from DIY Network’s Bath Crashers and Bathtastic will be on site January 23 – 25 as well as others, click here for the full list and bios!

The Centerpiece home is beautiful – but a couple of things struck me as wrong…the master closet is very small and the upstairs laundry is huge!  Would love to have the back yard – outdoor kitchen, pool…just beautiful! Click here for a time lapse video of the building of the home.

Planning to go?  Would love to hear your thoughts on the event overall and the Centerpiece Home!

Home show

Vicki Reed

 

How about a new home for Christmas?

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There are benefits to buying a home at the end of the year, plus what a great Christmas gift to yourself!

Summer may be our busy season, but winter offers great opportunities for buying a house, especially for renters looking to become homeowners, growing families trading up to larger houses and baby boomers seeking homes to fit their evolving lifestyles.  The housing choices during December are less than in the spring, but market-wise, but if that fits your timeline, you could luck out.  The benefits to buying a house at the end of the year are fairly extensive:
1. Tax savings – If you close by December 31, you can deduct mortgage interest, property taxes, points on your loan and interest costs. These deductions can be significant, especially in the early years of your loan when you’re paying off a lot of interest.
2. Motivated sellers – Many sellers want to enjoy tax savings on the next home they purchase. They may accept lower bids in order to meet Uncle Sam’s deadlines. However, if you’re in a strong seller’s market, you’ll want to be conservative and heed advice from a real estate professional, like me!
3. Builder incentives – there are a number of Indianapolis builders who have “inventory” or “spec” homes that are available now and empty!  As the builders move to close out their year, they may offer upgrades or little extras to sell houses before the calendar turns.
4. Available movers – Many moving companies are booked six weeks or more in advance during the busy summer months, in the winter, it’s normally easier to find a moving company or rental equipment on shorter notice.
5. Paying toward something you own – If you’re renting, your monthly check goes toward something that will last you a month: You’ll never see any return on that money. When you buy a house, your monthly mortgage payment goes toward an investment—and ultimately a roof that’s yours.
6. Consistent payments – Landlords will likely increase your rent every year, once you buy a home, you can rely on consistent payments if you have a fixed-rate loan, the only fluctuation you might see is if your homeowners insurance or property taxes go up or down!
7. Freedom to renovate – Update your kitchen, paint your home’s exterior neon orange, change your fixtures or replace your flooring; whatever inspires you, no one can tell you, “No!”
8. Gaining equity – In the beginning, most of your payment goes toward interest. But gradually more will go toward paying off your principal, meaning you build up equity—or savings—in your home. Another factor in equity is appreciation: As home values rise, so does your rate of equity!
So who do you know that I can help Turn their dreams into an address…?
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What do you know about Eggnog…

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…other than it is really good with a little Southern Comfort in it?  Eggnog is a classic holiday drink, but there are some things you might not know about it…

The origin of the name eggnog is still somewhat of a mystery, it’s thought that the word could be derived from noggin, the Old English word for strong beer. Others credit the name to Colonial America when colonists called thick drinks grog, and eggnog was called egg-and-grog.

Eggnog is believed to be a descendent of a hot cocktail from the fourteenth century known as posset. The drink didn’t contain eggs but was made with sweetened and spiced milk and ale or wine. We would guess that over the years, egg was added.

Did you know that Christmas Eve is also known as National Eggnog Day?  What better excuse to make up a batch and enjoy!  As an aside, before it was known as eggnog, this traditional holiday drink was called egg milk punch.  Our first President, George Washington, served a drink very similar to eggnog at his holiday parties…with significantly more booze…rye whiskey, rum, and sherry.

This was one of my favorite tidbits…following a drunken Christmas party, a melee known as the Eggnog Riot took place at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and lasted from Christmas Eve through Christmas morning in 1826. Two days before, cadets snuck in whiskey to make eggnog for the party, which is how the riot got its name.
How about this…according to a medicinal book from the 1800s, eggnog used to be recommended as a treatment for various illnesses, including malaria.

Cultures around the world have their own versions of eggnog, like tamagozake from Japan and auld man’s milk from Scotland.  Will you be sharing some of this rich treat on National Eggnog Day?

eggnog

Vicki Reed

 

 

Do you have an addiction to your smartphone?

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I know I do!  As a REALTOR®, I’m constantly checking emails and texts and thanks to my bluetooth, I can even do it while I’m on the phone!  This article is courtesy of the MSN Lifestyle page, but I found it to be so true!

You constantly look at it. When you aren’t around it, you feel anxious, and when you have it, it’s all you can think about. Yes, we’re talking about your smartphone. Our obsession with mobile gadgets has become epic – 1 in every 5 people in the world own a smartphone these days. And now there are a handful of new syndromes that come with that addiction.

1. Text claw and mobile phone elbow

“Text Claw” is a non-medical term used to describe all of the finger cramping and sore muscles that come from continuous scrolling, texting, and gaming on smartphones. An even more common side effect: Using your phone too much can cause inflammation in your tendons and enhance existing conditions, like tendinitis and carpal tunnel. Similarly, “Mobile phone elbow” describes tingling or numbness in ring and pinky fingers after bending your elbow for long periods of time. 

If your non-stop smartphoning has you feeling sore and weak, do some stretches. Put down the phone, then try bending your wrists backward, putting your hands together like a prayer and pushing down. Then, doing some wrist flexes. If you experience pain for longer than a week, try applying heat. Or better still, see a doctor.

2. iPosture and text neck

Slouching over your phone for hours at a time is ruining your neck and hurting your back muscles. “iPosture” or “text neck” are just two of a few phrases doctors throw around to describe the excessive stress on neck muscles. According to a study of young adults in the U.K., 84 percent of those tracked experienced back pain during the last year, mainly due to being hunched over smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Fixing your posture can relieve lower back pain, and limiting your phone use can alleviate neck strain. While it seems awkward, try to hold your phone directly out and in front of your face, not on your lap where you might need to look down for minutes at a time.

3. Computer vision syndrome

Staring at the tiny font in your texts and scrolling through dozens of tweets can lead to eyestrain, blurred vision, dizziness, and dry eyes. And blurred vision plus sore neck muscles can also cause headaches.

If you’re experiencing eye discomfort, make your phone’s font size bigger. Mark Rosenfield, O.D., Ph.D., told Men’s Health that phone users should try to hold their phones at least 16 inches away from their faces. Every few minutes look up from your screen at something far away for short breaks, and don’t forget to blink.

4. Nomophobia

Short for “no-mobile-phone phobia,” this is exactly what it sounds like: the fear of being without your cell. According to a study of 1,000 people in the U.K., 66 percent of the population fears losing or being without their phones at any given time. Some of the symptoms of nomophobia include anxiety or negative physical symptoms if you have lost or cannot use your cell phone, obsessively checking to make sure you have your phone with you, and constantly worrying about losing it somewhere. Interestingly, the study found that women suffer from this more than men.

If this sounds like you, experts suggest employing common anxiety-relieving relaxation techniques like yoga and deep breathing.

5. Phantom pocket vibration syndrome

No, you didn’t just get a text message! A professor at Indiana University found that 89 percent of the undergraduates in her study experienced phantom vibrations when their phones weren’t actually vibrating. The study also found that students who were dependent on text messages and social media updates were more anxious when their phones weren’t really vibrating.

A good way to break the addiction? Try shutting your vibration function off and commit to only checking your phone during designated hours. If you have to keep your phone with you, place it in your bag instead. And try to resist checking your bag every five minutes. Otherwise, you might become the first case of phantom bag vibration syndrome.

So…do you exhibit any of these symptoms?????

smart phone

Vicki Reed

 

Follow-up on the home tour…

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I positioned myself in the kitchen for the tour and I loved it when I heard people walk into my home and said “wow”!  It’s not fancy, but it is full of character, from the wood floors to the leaded glass french doors between my living room and dining room to the bedroom turned into a dressing room, it feels good when someone recognizes the love you put into your home.

Yes, some think it’s strange that I opened my home to strangers for a tour, but it is for a worthy cause as a fundraiser for the continued maintenance and care of The Benton House (click here to read more).

I cannot take any credit for the amazing renovations the gentlemen who owned the property before me did, it’s stunning, I didn’t even have to paint, just moved my things in, arranged them and hung pictures, but I think that my touches is what makes it feel like a home.  The decor is somewhat eclectic, a Lazy Boy camelback sofa, a roll-top desk that was my grandmothers, a wood and iron table in the dining room, antique dresser and gentlemen’s chest combined with a bit of animal print really make the dressing room interesting!  My bedroom is, by far, my favorite room in the house…dark chocolate walls, red curtains and bedding with cream accents and my big, cream comfy chair that all of my nieces (and my mom) hoped wouldn’t fit!

The attic is my office…taupe walls and generations of my family history detailed in black and white photos taking up nearly an entire wall, all watching me as I sit here working and hoping to make them proud.

So now I know what strangers think of my home…what would they say about yours?

Me in the kitchen

Vicki Reed

Time to Sell?

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Thinking about selling your home?  Just a few things to think about…

Renovations: The changes that make your house work for you may not appeal to potential buyers. Not everybody loves that bright blue paint color — no matter how much you personally adore it. Make sure any big changes you make will increase, rather than decrease, your home’s value.

ALWAYS leave during open houses and showings: No hovering!  Current homeowners hovering over potential buyers as they tour the house…it’s a lot of pressure and can prevent them from giving honest feedback that could ultimately help you sell your home.

Waiting to list in the Spring: Most people house hunt in the spring and summer, but that’s also when most people list their homes. List yours when it’s available and you’ll reach those buyers who need a home now and aren’t finding much on the market.

Setting the price too high: What your home is worth to you and what it’s worth on the current market can be vastly different. Take a good look at the comparables provided by your REALTOR® and follow their advice…we are the experts!  Ignore Zillow…the Zestimates they offer are just WRONG!

Not doing enough marketing: Just putting up a “for sale” sign isn’t enough. Talk with your REALTOR® about other options, like online listings with virtual tours to attract buyers who aren’t looking on Craigslist!

Not getting a real estate agent: Unless you’ve had plenty of experience, going the “for sale by owner” route is probably not a smart bet. A REALTOR® can give you insights, marketing advice and, most importantly, can get your property on the multiple-listing service (or MLS or if you are in Indianapolis, BLC), which gets it in front of other agents.

Not staging your house: You need to help buyers envision themselves in your home. This includes removing any clutter and overly personal items (like family photographs) and making sure furniture flows well and demonstrates the purpose of each room.  Don’t go overboard, sometimes you can declutter and depersonalize to the point that the potential buyers can’t envision anything!  Discuss with your REALTOR® and if they don’t have a good eye, bet they know a good stager!

Okay, now are you ready?  Call, text or email me and let’s get started!

sold

Vicki Reed

 

Booze at the State Fair…

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For the first time in 67 years, alcohol is being served at the Indiana State Fair…in an exhibit hall behind the fried food and lemonade stands and across from the Coliseum, the new Indiana Beer and Wine Exhibition at the Indiana State Fair isn’t the spectacle of stumbling drunks opponents expected.

There are strict drink limits, those who wish to partake purchase wristbands with three detachable drink vouchers to spend as they please.  The choices are simple, a drink consists of a 12-ounce glass of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or four smaller samples of beer or wine for those who want to try a variety.

The exhibit is a showcase of Indiana’s local breweries and wineries.  The offerings change from day to day, as Indiana breweries and wineries take alternating turns in the spotlight and the exhibit is geared toward a casual audience…sweeter wines and crowd-pleasing brews geared toward those who have never tried a craft beer.

Most are giving the exhibit rave reviews, the only negative I’ve heard is that there isn’t enough seating!

The state’s reluctance to serve alcohol may have been a blessing in disguise, the key to lifting the ban was that the product’s would all be from local, Indiana based wineries and breweries…no international brands allowed.

This is supposed to be an exhibit, apparently the “exhibit” leaves something to be desired on education, some servers offer in-depth explanations of their offerings; others don’t. There is a trough of hops in the entry and a teaser to a Prohibition exhibit at the Indiana State Museum but little else on display.

What do you think?  The Indiana State Fair is supposed to be about Indiana and with the increasing numbers of wineries and breweries, I think it’s a brilliant way to showcase these tax paying employers and hopefully increase their business which can only improve the economy over time.  Would love to hear from you!

Vicki Reedbeer and wine

So you think you know what I do?

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Great article about my chosen career and what it’s really like!

Debunking The Top 10 Myths About Realtors, And Why Being an Agent Isn’t All Roses All The Time

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We’ve all heard these questions or statements at one time or another, so I decided to answer them in an easy-to-digest list you can forward to all your associates and misinformed friends.

Whether buying, selling, leasing, or looking, many clients or prospective clients have offered at least one of these statements to us, and we’ve all done our best to suppress a vigorous eye-roll.

So read on for a thorough debunking of the Top 10 Myths About Realtors:

1) You’ll get a better deal if you buy directly from the listing agent.

Not true. In the majority of contracts, the seller has agreed to pay a set commission beforehand. If the buyer has their own agent, the commission is split between the listing agent and buyer’s agent. It makes little difference to the seller either way. In fact, it will likely help you, as a buyer, to have your own representative during negotiations.

2) Agents are paid the entire commission.

Definitely not. For most agents, they are splitting the commission with their broker. It can be as low as 50/50.

3) Agents get paid to drive clients around or show property.

Not so. We only make money when a transaction is closed and funded.

7210_Winedale_Open_Floor_Plan

4) If you’re not being offered as much as you want for your home, your agent just isn’t working hard enough.

Not really. An overpriced home just doesn’t sell. Also, unless it is a cash sale, your home will have to appraise. The appraisal will be based off comparable sales of similar homes in your area that have recently sold. Your agent has no control over this. Just because your neighbor is asking $50,000 more for his home still doesn’t mean that is what it’s worth, or what he’ll actually get for it when it eventually sells. A home that doesn’t appraise will not be financable. Also, an outdated home is not worth as much as an updated one.

5) All Realtors are rich.

While real estate can be a big money maker, it’s also true that 20 percent of the agents do 80 percent of the business. It may seem like an agent makes a lot of money at once on a transaction, but real estate is a very expensive business to be in. Namely, yearly and monthly dues and fees to national and state associations, local MLS, local showing service, and your broker. Plus, the agents pay for gas, signs, advertising, key boxes, websites, professional photography, health insurance, etc. Pretty much anything real estate related comes out of the agent’s pocket. Most are lucky to walk away with 1 percent of a transaction.

LA-Hottest-Realtor

Not all Realtors have huge billboards and fancy cars!

6) Realtors are just trying to make a sale, and will lie or stretch the truth to do so.

Again, definitely not. Not only are there legal liabilities, a realtor’s business is based off referrals. They’d rather have you refer three friends than tell three friends about your bad experience.

7) An agent can only show his or her own listings, or those of their sponsoring broker.

Not true. A buyer’s agent can show any listing on the market. The agent makes no more money from their client buying a listing from their personal broker or someone else. That said, the agent will make “both sides” of the commission if they sell their own listing to one of their buyers. In Texas, this causes an agent to go into “Intermediary Status,” meaning they are no longer advising either client, as opposed to double agency where the agent is actually advising both sides.

8) Real Estate is an “easy” job since its just “driving around and looking at pretty houses.”

Real Estate is VERY hard. It is constant marketing, prospecting, and handling complex transactions. It can be a lot of time and effort with no guaranteed return. Agents are trying to make a living like everyone else. It can be extremely stressful. It’s very rewarding to find someone the right property, but until the transaction closes, it’s pretty high stress for the agent as well as the client.

It’s rarely part time. Agents are constantly answering calls, emails and texts. Nights, weekends and holidays included. And it’s not easy either. Agents work with people on the biggest financial transactions of their lives. It’s emotional and complicated.

Not just anyone can be an agent. An agent has to be a special person that is knowledgable, helpful, and very think skinned. We deal with emotional people, rude people and time wasters every day. We have to stay up to date with mandatory continued education classes and be great negotiators.

9) You do not need to talk to a lender until you have found a home to buy.

It is better to have financing worked out before you even start to look. If you do find a home you’d like to purchase, you’ll need a preapproval letter to place an offer. If your potential new home is in a popular area, it may get several offers on the first day. If you’re not preapproved, you could miss out. Plus, you want to know the amount you’ll qualify for, and not be looking at homes outside of your budget or possibly be able to afford more home than you originally thought.

Mortgage House Keys

10) Driving a fancy car or having a bunch of “million dollar listings” is a directly related to how good an agent is.

Not necessarily. Some agents have huge, very visible businesses. Some do not. There are plenty of great agents that provide wonderful, personalized service that do not have a billboard or magazine cover. Find an agent that you get along with, who understands your needs.

Kathryn Roan 1Kathryn Roan is an Ebby Halliday Realtor focusing on farms, ranches, and equestrian properties. Kathryn lives in Poetry with her 7 horses. Contact Kathryn at Kathryn@TexasEquestrianProperties.com

Want to talk about my business and what I do…call text or email me!

Vicki Reed

 

Lucky Guy!

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Have you seen the latest Hoosier Lottery news?  Indiana Resident has won $1 million…TWICE in 3 months!  From the Indy Star…

Indy man wins $1M lottery prize for second time

Steph Solis, steph.solis@indystar.com10:51 a.m. EDT July 30, 2014
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The chances of winning a $1-million lottery ticket are slim. Winning the same lottery twice is unheard of.

Yet an Indianapolis man defied the odds twice, winning his second $1-million prize in three months.

Robert Hamilton claimed his $1 million from the Hoosier Lottery Commission July 22, according to a news release. He purchased the ticket in the $120 Million Cash Spectacular Scratch-off from a Speedway on South East Street.

After taxes, Hamilton collected $792,846.04, according to the website.

Hamilton won another $1-million prize in the same game three months earlier, on April 28. He told the commission he stopped by a Casey’s in Jasonville on his way to a conference and purchased the winning ticket there.

“It’s the icing on the cake,” Hamilton said, as he claimed his second prize.

The odds of winning the $1-million prize on that game are one in 2.1 million, according to the news release. Five of the $120 Million Cash Spectacular Scratch-off prizes remain unclaimed.

With his first prize, Hamilton bought a house with his wife Donna Hamilton, paid some bills, scheduled a vacation, bought a truck for his father and purchased equipment for his commercial trash hauling company.

This time around, Hamilton said he plans to buy a motorcycle.

Donna Hamilton said she and her husband wouldn’t let the winnings go to their heads.

“We’re just everyday, normal people,” she said.

Lucky guy!

Vicki Reed