Lemonade Day

Read this article for info on Lemonade Day 2012!



If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.net
Dawn Whalen, Realtor
RE/MAX Select
Serving Your Family Needs First

8533 Springway Dr

Sellers: Real estate agents can't read your mind

Sellers: Real estate agents can't read your mind:

The chores of listing and selling a home should not be taken lightly, nor handed off -- especially in this market.

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.netDawn Whalen, RealtorRE/MAX SelectServing Your Family Needs First

Homes Sales Increase in October

Homes Sales Increase in October: The Indiana Association of Realtors is reporting a 16 percent increase in the number of closed home sales last month, compared to October 2010. The IAR also says the average price of homes sold throughout the state dropped slightly. Chief Executive Officer Karl Berron says local housing markets are making steady progress, although "it may not be as quickly as we'd like."

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.netDawn Whalen, RealtorRE/MAX SelectServing Your Family Needs First

Easy Meals

While this isn't real estate related, just thought I would share it with you all!

Because of the hours I work, it's hard to know when exactly I'll be home. I discovered E-Mealz and have found it to be a time saver. You can choose a meal plan that is right for your family, and for $1.25 a week, the menu is planned as is the grocery list. Just print it off and add anything else you would want to add as far as breakfast or lunch meals. Just click on the icon below and you will be taken to the website.




If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568, or by email at dawnwhalen@remax.net
Dawn Whalen, Realtor
RE/MAX Select
Serving Your Family Needs First

Recycling, it’s more than just newspapers & aluminum cans…

 

As you start cleaning up around the house and preparing for Winter, you may run across items that you know can be recycled.  But what about those items that you are unsure of?

Maybe you know that Refrigerators, washers/dryers, ovens etc can be recycled but you just aren’t sure where or you don’t have a vehicle to move those items. 

There are many items that can be recycled, that I hadn’t even thought of before talking with Mark Long of Metal Recovery/Appliance Recycling. 

Here are a few items that can be recycled:

• windows
• sump pumps
• small appliances
• silverware
• pots/pans/bowls
• doors and doorknobs
• tubs/showers
• yard decorations
• mailboxes
• and much more!

They also do Shed/Garage/Storage Unit cleanouts and offer on going recycling with container drop off and pick up!

Best of all- its FREE.

Their motto is “Helping clean up the neighborhood, one load at a time!”

So if you are in need of recycling contact Mark at 317-408-0464 or via email at metalrecovery_appliancerecycling@yahoo.com

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People Really Do That?

Out with first time homebuyers the other day, trying to find that perfect home.  In our quest we have seen many homes, that have issues, some that are pretty close to move in ready.

There was one that the owner had obviously fixed the leak in the skylight to the best of their ability.

Spray Foam always does the trick, in case you didn’t know.

There was one with a sign on the door stating friendly dogs inside, they will bark, but the most they will do is love you to death.  And that was true, they did bark a little bit, but after they got used to strangers roaming about their kingdom, they decided to come up and see if we would love on them.  Bad mistake, once you started petting them, they didn’t want you to stop.  They tried to follow us out of the house

But the best we saw was this sign on the door of our last home.

It states “This property is Private!!!  If you enter without permission you will be prosecuted.  Sincerely The Owner.  The backyard is also part of the private property.”

Buyer was hesitant to enter, although we had scheduled a showing and received permission to be there.  The home wasn’t bad, but wasn’t great.  The buyer was on edge the entire time we were there, and decided that while this home didn’t need as much as some of the others they weren’t really sure they want to deal with this seller.  It appeared as though they really didn’t want to sell the home.  From the outside it was beautiful, no sign in the yard though (we found that in the garage), but the once inside it really wasn’t show ready.

Oh well, you win some you lose some, and that day just wasn’t our day.  But there are many homes on the market currently, so I am sure we will find the right home for them!

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Wants Vs. Needs

When looking at a home, and trying to justify the price you want to offer, please keep in mind that there is a difference between wants and needs.  Just because as a buyer you want all hardwood floors and granite counter tops, doesn’t mean that is what the house truly needs.

vs.

I’ve seen several great homes, that are move in ready that buyers have passed on because they felt like the home needed too much work.  Just because it is your taste, doesn’t necessarily mean it is something that is needed.

VS.

Be realistic when looking at a home, are there holes in the walls, and are the floor coverings extremely worn or missing?  These things probably do need to be taken into consideration prior to writing an offer.  If it’s a matter of a light colored carpet that is in very good shape or new and you would prefer darker carpet or a different type of flooring that doesn’t mean it needs to be changed.

It is very rare that you will find an existing home that is exactly what you want.  Not everyone has the same taste, so chances are you will want to paint, change flooring, fixtures or cabinets to make it your home.  Keep that in mind when looking for your home, and when making an offer.

 

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Looking For A Deal?

In this market buyers are looking for a deal.  Realistically, in any market buyers are looking for a deal!  There is nothing wrong with that, because we all want a great deal.  But there are some things to be cautious of when taking this approach to home buying.  It may cost you the home of your dreams, because you want to see how cheap you can get it.

Admittedly there are some homes that are certainly overpriced for the condition they are in, but most sellers have reluctantly accepted the fact that they may just break even, or have to bring money to the table in order to get the home sold. 

It’s not wise to lowball an offer on a house that you have said you would pay asking price for, because you know it is a great deal.  Especially if you are asking for the seller to pay a percentage of closing costs/prepaids for you.  In most cases the seller has one pocket that the money is coming from, so if for instance they list their home at $100,000.00, and you offer $92,000.00, and ask for 3% ($2760.00) in sellers concessions you are essentially offering $89240.00 for the property.  If they receive another offer, that offers more money or asks for no sellers concessions they will most likely reject your offer and go with the one that will net them the most.  Sellers also must pay the professional fee to a Realtor, as well as their closing costs.

Your Realtor can assist you with a Market Analysis and help you determine what a fair price is. 

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The Bark Was Certainly Bigger Than The Bite!

On Monday I was showing houses to a couple, who need to sell his and hers and buy theirs!  Pretty uneventful morning until we arrived at the 3rd house.  We had been warned that there are dogs and they would be either in their crates or the back yard.

As I unlock and open the door I hear a “ferocious” bark, but don’t see a dog.  I led the way and the buyers followed behind.  As we entered the dining room, I was greeted by a little Daschund that barked continually.  As I walked towards her, she kept barking, but walked backwards away from me. 

As we toured the house, she had quit barking, until we approached the Master Bedroom.  Then I saw what all the fuss was about.

Her babies were in a crate in the Master Bedroom.  They were as cute as could be, and slept through Mom’s constant barking, from under the Bed. 

While the house wasn’t exactly what the buyers were looking for, the puppies certainly gave them a reason to smile!

 

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5 signs real estate recovery is near

5 signs real estate recovery is near

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy, build or sell, please feel free to contact me at 317-807-1568 or dawn_whalen@sbcglobal.net, or visit my website at www.dawnwhalen.com

Always an Adventure…

I love my job!  Every day is different, and there is always an adventure awaiting me!  Yesterday was no different.

I set showings for a client and got approval from the listing agents or their offices to show the properties.  Apparently one of the agents failed to let the occupant of the home know to expect us.  And I was not notified that there would be a dog in the house.

We arrived, knocked at the door, before entering.  Upon opening the door, a beautiful white Huskie bolted, out the door and down the street.  The lady who lives in the home was sitting there breast feeding. I went after her dog, if I ran the dog ran, if I walked the dog walked.  It was a game for Dakota (the huskie), for me it was a workout.  With the help of some neighbors about 1/4 of the mile down the road, we were able to capture Dakota and take him home. 

So a little bit of advice for anyone who is looking to put their home on the market- Please ask your agent to advise any showing agents that there is a pet in the home.  Especially if you have a pet who likes to run!!

Showings and Scents!

Many people like the smell of candles, air fresheners, diffusers, warmers etc. BUT there are many people who don’t!

When preparing your home for a showing, you might be tempted to light a few candles, or spray air fresheners, but you may be putting your home at a disadvantage.  If the scent is too overpowering it can turn off buyers, or make them think that someone is trying to cover something up.

If you really want to use candles, warmers or air fresheners, then I suggest you use a light scent that many people like, such as vanilla.  If you have candles, warmers in several rooms, it would be good to use the same scent throughout.

Honestly the safest bet would be to not burn candles at all, but maybe use a flameless candle/warmer such as Scentsy-  you can find attractive warmers, as well as refreshing scents and not run the risk of a candle being knocked over accidentally and the house catching fire!  Or you can visit my Scentsy Consultant’s Facebook page.

Some people are very sensitive to smells, whether good or bad.  So if you are doing something to make a home smell better, less is certainly more.  If you are doing something to make the home smell worse STOP IT!!

 

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Limited Agency- What is It?

Limited agency occurs when the Real Estate Agent represents both the seller and the buyer in a transaction.  In this situation, both parties are made aware that the same agent is handling both sides of the transaction, and there is a limited agency agreement that they would both sign off on.

The agent is not to disclose the following information to either party with out informed consent, in writing of both the buyer and seller:

1.) That a buyer will pay more than the offered purchase price

2.) That the seller will accept less than the listed price

3.) What motivates a party to buy, sell or lease the Property

4.) Any material or confidential information, except adverse material facts or risks actually known by the Agent concerning the physical condition of the property and the facts required by statute, rule, or regulation to be disclosed and that could not be discovered by a reasonable and timely inspection of the property by the parties.

5.) Other terms that would create a contractual advantage for one party over another party.

While some people thing it’s a negative to work with one agent, others find it to be a positive.

From my perspective, as a Realtor, I feel it is a bit easier for me, because I know where I am, I don’t have to place phone calls or send emails for status updates to another agent, because I know what they are.

As a Realtor, I have represented numerous buyers and sellers, and whether I am only working one side of the transaction or both, my goal is to make sure that my client gets the desired result for each transaction.  If representing a seller, I would never tell a prospective buyer or buyers agent that my seller would be willing to go lower- as that would put my seller at a disadvantage.  Also when representing buyers I would certainly not tell the sellers agent that my buyer would pay more than what they offered for the property, because that would put my buyer at a disadvantage.

Negotiating a real estate transaction does become emotional at times, and I think that whether there is one agent handling both sides, or two agents, in the end if everyone walks away from the closing table feeling like they were treated fairly, then everyone has done their jobs, and done them correctly!

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Land Contracts- An Alternative to Traditional Financing.

In today’s real estate market it helps to be creative as both a seller and buyer in order to get to your goal.

That might mean possibly selling or buying on a land contract.  Typically in a land contract there is a down payment required, just as in traditional financing.   Interest rates would be a few points above what the market rate is typically, and more often than not it would be a short term contact, with a 30 year amortization period, and a balloon payment due at the end of the short term contract.  Property taxes and insurance would be included with the payment as well.

For a buyer who is in a financial position to afford the monthly payments associated with home ownership, but do not have the down payment necessary or their credit score may prevent them from obtaining a traditional mortgage for the purchase.  For a seller, this could be a quicker and less expensive way to sell a property.

I would caution that if this is an option that you think about going with, that you retain an attorney who specializes in real estate law to draw up the contract. 

Some homes that are listed with Realtors are also available to be sold on land contracts.  Just ask your agent.

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8171 Timberwood Dr, Plainfield IN

Technorati Tags: 4 bedroom,Plainfield Indiana,Plainfield schools,Plainfield real estate

630 Ashford Dr, Indianapolis, IN

Technorati Tags: Wayne Township schools,wayne township real estate,4 bedroom,2.5 bath,homes for sale in wayne township

1810 Bluewater Ct, Indianapolis IN

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961 E Berwyn St, Indianapolis IN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Spring is Upon Us!

Spring has arrived, and we are finally getting some warmer temps to go along with the calendar.  Now is the time when most people start thinking about working in their yards.  Whether you are selling or staying put, it never hurts to add curb appeal to your home!

Here is a short video, by Lowe’s that gives you some ideas of things you can do. 

Technorati Tags: dawn Whalen Realtor,curb appeal,indianapolis real estate

Information Regarding Mortgage Meltdown

Craigslist Scam

I recently listed a home for lease.  My next blog, will feature the home, so stay tuned so that you can get the info!!

The home had been on the market only 5 days, and the owner called me stating that people had been showing up at his door, wanting to take a look at the house, as it had been posted on Craigslist for $700.00 per month.

The scam artist had lifted photos from a legitimate real estate website, as well as copied my description word for word.  The problem is this property will lease for $1295.00 per month, not $700.00   I sent an email to the “thief” asking for additional information about the house, as well as for an appointment to see the home.  A week later he responded with this email:

Hello,
Thanks for your email and interest in renting my house...I am the owner of the house which you are making enquiry of...Actually I resided in the house with my family, my wife and my only daughter before and presently we have moved out due to a missionary calling for a period of 5-7 years. Presently my house is still available for rent (rent already includes utilities).
I attended a course in theology at the South London Christian College. Presently i am in the ministry working for God as a missionary in West Africa, due to the mass decision by U.S churches to promote the gospel to reach people in the West Africa region (http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue1630.html).
The house was previously listed with a Realtor but we decided to handle it on our own in order to know who we are renting to. Also, due to the fact that a Realtor agent would want to handle it professionally and the occupant may not be able to reason along with him/her later. This is one reason the price we are offering is far below standard rental price and this is enough for you to know that we are not after the rental fee but the utmost care and maintenance for the property. I know there may be no way we can be sure of the right person to live in the house because we won't be able to meet before hand regarding sending you the keys and the documents to occupy the space and since we don't run credit checks. So if you believe you can take good care of the house and handle it like yours then I will be more than willing to let you rent the house..The monthly rent is $700 including utilities and the security deposit (refundable) is $600 making the total of $1300 to move in as soon as you are ready.
Because of my penchant for pets also, there is no pet restriction but pets must generally be well behaved.
Property Address : (6519 Gray Road, Indianapolis, IN)
SO IF YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED I WILL WANT YOU TO FILL THE RENT APPLICATION FORM BELOW
RENT APPLICATION FORM.
Name ( Surname/First name/ Last name ) : __________?
Phone # : __________?
E-mail : __________?
Best time to call : __________?
How many proposed occupants : __________?
List all in addition to yourself including approx age : __________?
Present Address : __________?
City/State : __________?
Will You Have Pets : __________?
Please Describe Breed, size : __________?
Personality of Pet : __________?
Preferred Move in Date : __________?
Length of Previous Tenancy : __________?
Present Occupation : __________?
Are You A Section 8 Applicant : __________?
Do You Run A Business From Home : __________?
If So What Kind Of Business : __________?
Do You Work Late Night : __________?
Do You Smoke : __________?
Do You Drink : __________?
After filling in the rental form, i will really appreciate it if you could just drive by and take a look at my property
Looking forward to hearing from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt for you, contacting you and to discuss on how to get the document and the keys to you.
The house is available for rent at the moment so you are free to move in as soon as you wish to...The deposit is refundable if at the end of the day you don't like the House but i am giving you the benefit of doubt that you would definitely like it. The keys and Documents have already been packaged and as soon as we reach an agreement, i would be sending them over to your present address for you to move in. The house will be available for rent for a period of 4 years so you have a choice of deciding how long you intend staying there...Feel free to call me for more information and arrangements on how to get the keys and other necessary documents delivered to you...You can reach me on  +234-704-405-4580 OR 011-234-704-405-4580.
If you wish to speak to me please don't hesitate to call me.

This person signed it, using the home owners name.  Which, property tax records are a matter of public record & are easily accessible online, or one can call the assessors' office to find out who the owner of record is on a property.

So my reason for posting this is to advise potential buyers and renters to beware of the Craigslist scams.  Even if a home is for sale by owner it can’t hurt to contact a Realtor to ask them to help you thru the process. You want to be protected in any purchase and it’s always wise to review any lease or purchase agreement with a Realtor or an attorney, or both!

If you or anyone you know is looking to make a move, or has questions in general about real estate, feel free to contact me. 

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

RE/MAX Select

dawn_whalen@sbcglobal.net

www.dawnwhalen.com

317-807-1568

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