Open House -- 7390 Railway Court, Indianapolis, IN 46256
Tuesday, May 1st from 5:30pm-7:30pm

Move in ready and immediate occupancy. Spacious GR w/ wood-burning fireplace. Updated kitchen with Corian counter tops, updated cabinets, tile backsplash and tile flooring. Both baths updated. Master bedroom boasts walk in closet and custom tiled master bath w/ walk in shower. Fully fenced backyard, deck and shed. New vinyl siding and gutters to be installed in the next few weeks. Don't miss this one!

Talk to mortgage brokers.
Many first-time home buyers don’t take the time to get prequalified. They also often don’t take the time to shop around to find the best mortgage for their particular situation. It’s important to ask plenty of questions and make sure you understand the home loan process completely.

Be ready to move.
This is especially true in markets with a low inventory of homes for sale. It’s very common for home buyers to miss out on the first home they wish to purchase because they don’t act quickly enough. By the time they’ve made their decision, they may find that someone else has already purchased the house.

Find a trusted partner.
It’s absolutely vital that you find a real estate professional who understands your goals and who is ready and able to guide you through the home buying process.
Make a good offer.Remember that your offer is very unlikely to be the only one on the table. Do what you can to ensure it’s appealing to a seller.

Factor maintenance and repair costs into your buying budget.
Even brand-new homes will require some work. Don’t leave yourself short and let your home deteriorate.

Think ahead.
It’s easy to get wrapped up in your present needs, but you should also think about reselling the home before you buy. The average first-time buyer expects to stay in a home for around 10 years, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Develop your home/neighborhood wish list.
Prioritize these items from most important to least.

Select where you want to live.
Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account nearby schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

Reprinted from REALTOR Magazine

4617 Fox Moor Place, Greenwood, IN 46143

Beautiful move-in condition full brick ranch in a fabulous Center Grove schools custom neighborhood. Custom features include moldings/crown/fluted doorways, solid wood doors, 10 ft+ ceilings, Anderson casement windows, two-car garage with extension for storage or workshop. Kitchen boasts Casi cabinets, granite island, walk-in pantry, and stainless appliances. Breathtaking Great Room with barrel roll ceiling and masonry gas fireplace. Master suite offers tray ceiling and two closets, walk-in shower, jetted tub and double vanity. Serene screened porch. Irrigation system. Home warranty.
 
Interior

• Ceramic tile flooring in entry, kitchen, breakfast nook and half bath
• Custom wood trim around all windows and doors
• Doorways with fluted openings
• Anderson casement windows
• 10’ ceilings
• Solid wood interior doors
• Gas line ran to dryer

 
Exterior

• Full brick ranch
• Screened-in porch with coffered ceiling and brick wall ledge
• Invisible fence for pets
• Irrigation system

 
Garage

• Two-car garage with 5’ extension for storage
• Culligan water softener
• Aprilaire humidifier on furnace
• Pull-down attic stairs
• Service door to backyard
• Keyless entry

 
Den

• Surround system wiring
• Recessed lighting on dimmer switch

 
Dining room

• Freshly painted
• Tray ceiling with dental and crown molding
• Decorative columns
• Floor-to-ceiling windows

 
Entry

• Custom wood door with leaded glass
• Crown molding
• 11’ ceilings

 
Great Room

• Fluted opening with transom window
• Masonry gas log fireplace with custom surround and moldings
• Barrel roll ceiling

 
Kitchen

• Walk-in pantry
• Island with granite bar top extension for additional seating
• Corsi cabinets including cutlery drawer and roll-out pot and pan drawer
• Stainless steel appliances including built-in oven, built-in fridge, microwave and electric smooth-top range
• Granite ledge window seat in breakfast nook

 
Master Bedroom

• French door with transom windows into the bedroom and into the master bath
• 10’ ceilings with tray and double crown
• Recessed lighting on dimmer switch plus overhead fan light
• Custom Levolor blinds
• Walk-in closet and secondary closet

 
Master Bath

• Tile flooring
• Two separate vanities with additional makeup vanity
• Separate water closet
• Marble-look surround jetted garden tub
• Marble-look walk-in shower with bench seating

 
Bedroom 2

• 10’ ceilings
• Overhead fan lights
• Custom Bali blinds

 
Bedroom 3

• 10’ ceilings
• Recessed lighting plus overhead fan light
• Custom Levolor blinds
• Built-in bookshelves

 
Hall Bath

• Tile flooring
• Extended vanity with cabinet built-ins
• Custom Bali blinds
• Marble-look one-piece tub/shower combo with detachable shower head

 
 

Central Indiana home sales jump 17.6 percent in March
After last month’s pended sales declined, housing sales and prices are now rising
INDIANAPOLIS – Monthly real estate stats from F.C. Tucker Company indicate that the housing market is on the rise once again. March 2018 pended sales increased 17.6 percent compared to March 2017 while the average year-to-date sales price for the 15-county Central Indiana region increased 7.6 percent to $199,995.

Despite the increasingly lower number of available homes for purchase, every county saw an increase in pended sales as homes left the market faster. Pended sales went from 3,605 Central Indiana homes purchased in March 2017 to 4,240 in March 2018. Specifically:

• Putnam County showed the most growth in homes sold with an unprecedented 100 percent increase in March 2018 compared to March 2017.
• Eight of the 15 counties tracked experienced at least 30 percent more sales than this time last year.

 
On average, homes sold much faster and for more money in March, signaling that it’s still a seller’s market.

• Of the 15 counties F.C. Tucker tracks, only Jennings County showed a decrease in average year-to-date home prices at 6.8 percent. 
• Hamilton County continues its streak with the highest average home prices at $312,334. Shelby County experienced the highest price increase from March 2017 to March 2018 at 21.4 percent.
• Homes sold 65 days on average, 12 days and 15.6 percent faster than January to March last year. Marion County’s homes were the fastest-selling in the market at 57 days.

 
Listings dropped significantly this month, reaching 28 percent fewer homes for sale. In March 2018, inventory stood at 4,346 homes, a decrease of 1,693 compared to 6,039 homes in March 2017.

• Bartholomew County’s inventory dropped the most at 39.5 percent, representing 107 fewer listings compared to March 2017.
• While no county experienced an increase in inventory, Boone County lost the fewest listings with a 9.8 percent decrease.

 
“It’s peak selling season, and buyers are facing more competition as listings continue to drop lower than we’ve seen in years,” said Jim Litten, CEO of F.C. Tucker Company. “Without much new construction to add to inventory, homes that are available sell for more money than usual and much faster.”
 
Of the pended home sales in the region last month, none were priced $2,000,000 or higher; 18 were priced $1,000,000 to $1,999,999; 180 were priced $500,000 to $999,999; 614 were priced $300,000 to $499,999; 880 were priced $200,000 to $299,999; 1,833 were priced $100,000 to $199,999; and 715 were priced at $99,999 or less.
 
Editor’s Notes:

• All statistics were compiled by F.C. Tucker Company from a report drawn from BLC® statistics on March 16, 2018. Because of delayed processing through other agencies or boards, these numbers are subject to change.
• “Active Listings – Inventory” is a snapshot frozen in time at the end of the stated month. Per MIBOR, effective April 1, 2018, “Active with Contingency” no longer is a status in the BLC® listing service in order to present a true picture in advertising and marketing. Those listings that were in the "Active with Contingency" status have been moved from the "Active" status to the "Pending" status.
• “Pending” means the sales contract has been signed, but the transaction has not closed. According to the NAR, pending sales typically are finalized within a month or two of signing.
• For this report, F.C. Tucker tracks the following counties: Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Decatur, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Jennings, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Morgan, Putnam and Shelby.​

Know that there’s no “right” time to buy.
If you find the perfect home now, don’t risk losing it because you’re trying to guess where the housing market and interest rates are going. Those factors usually don’t change fast enough to make a difference in an individual home’s price.

Don’t ask for too many opinions.
It’s natural to want reassurance for such a big decision, but too many ideas from too many people will make it much harder to make a decision. Focus on the wants and needs of the people who will actually be living in the home.

Accept that no house is ever perfect.
If it’s in the right location, the yard may be a bit smaller than you had hoped. The kitchen may be perfect, but the roof needs repair. Make a list of your top priorities and focus in on things that are most important to you. Let the minor ones go. Also, accept that a little buyer’s remorse is inevitable and will most likely pass.

Don’t try to be a killer negotiator.
Negotiation is definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying to “win” by getting an extra-low price or refusing to budge may cost you the home you love.
Remember your home doesn’t exist in a vacuum.Don’t get so caught up in the physical aspects of the house itself that you forget about important issues such as noise level, access to amenities, and other aspects that also have a big impact on your quality of life.

Plan ahead.
Don’t wait until you’ve found a home to get approved for a mortgage, investigate insurance, or consider a moving schedule. Being prepared will make your bid more attractive to sellers.

Choose a home first because you love it; then think about appreciation.
A home is still considered a great investment, but its most important role is as a comfortable, safe place to live.

Reprinted from REALTOR Magazine
​

The term “agency” is used in real estate to help determine what legal responsibilities your real estate professional owes to you and other parties in the transaction.
The buyer's representative (also known as a buyer’s agent) is hired by prospective buyers and works in the buyer's best interest throughout the transaction. The buyer can pay the agent directly through a negotiated fee, or the buyer's rep may be paid by the seller or through a commission split with the seller’s agent.
The seller's representative (also known as a listing agent or seller's agent) is hired by and represents the seller. All fiduciary duties are owed to the seller, meaning this person’s job is to get the best price and terms for the seller. The agency relationship usually is created by a signed listing contract.
A subagent owes the same fiduciary duties to the agent's customer as the agent does. Subagency usually arises when a cooperating sales associate from another brokerage, who is not the buyer’s agent, shows property to a buyer. The subagent works with the buyer to show the property but owes fiduciary duties to the listing broker and the seller. Although a subagent cannot assist the buyer in any way that would be detrimental to the seller, a buyer customer can expect to be treated honestly by the subagent.
A disclosed dual agent represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction. In such relationships, dual agents owe limited fiduciary duties to both buyer and seller clients. Because of the potential for conflicts of interest in a dual-agency relationship, all parties must give their informed consent. Disclosed dual agency is legal in most states, but often requires written consent from all parties.
Designated agents (also called appointed agents) are chosen by a managing broker to act as an exclusive agent of the seller or buyer. This allows the brokerage to avoid problems arising from dual-agency relationships for licensees at the brokerage. The designated agents give their clients full representation, with all of the attendant fiduciary duties.
A transaction broker (sometimes referred to as a facilitator) is permitted in states where nonagency relationships are allowed. These relationships vary considerably from state to state. Generally, the duties owed to the consumer in a nonagency relationship are less than the complete, traditional fiduciary duties of an agency relationship.

Reprinted from REALTOR Magazine