So many times they are Plumbers, Electricians, Drywallers, Heating Contractors, or just the basic Handyman, who has been around construction all their life.(usually 10 - 15 years.)  We do not see them very much these days.  They have mostly gone by the wayside because of the economy, or they went bankrupt and have never been seen again.  I showed such a property today.  It is bank owned, with its normal problems.  The owner abandoned the property, the utilities turned off and no heat.  The site itself is to die for.  There is a custom steel barn(obviously not built by the owner) on 3 beautiful acres.  Now lets take a look at the house.  It was built with no recognition of what the results may look like.  Let me list the flaws:  Living room and Family room, very Small.  Kitchen has no ca... 01/23/2011

It is true that I know the Geist Real Estate area and that I talk about houses a lot, so thought I would switch gears a bit and talk about a great restaurant near the Marina...Eddy's Neighborhood Bar and Grill.  It has been nominated as one of the Best Neighborhood Bars in town.  The menu has so much variety.  It includes Spinach Artichoke Dip, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, and Jalapeno' Chicken Strips among other items.  Sandwiches include a Homestyle Sloppy Joe, Reuben or Brisket among others.  Lots of salads and entree's too! I was there for lunch last week and the food was excellent and so was the service (they kept my water glass full which to me is a good indicator)!  It is an upscale restauant with a casual atmosphere. Prices are very reasonable and there are so many choices! They also... 01/20/2011

As a former high school assistant football coach for 17 years, New Year's Day has always been associated with football.  As an avid Oklahoma fan during the Switzer era I can fondly remember many a New Year's night glued to the TV watching my beloved Sooners in the Orange Bowl!  I even saw OU win the national championship at the Orange Bowl down in Miami in 1986!Perhaps feeling my mortality and reflecting on my Hoosier school days I made a New Year's Day pilgrimage to THE WOODEN CATHEDRAL down in Indianapolis at Butler University. I attended a college basketball game at Butler University in Hinkle Fieldhouse, and it brought back all those memories of the halcyon years of the Indiana High School basketball tournament in the Hoosier state.Hinkle Fieldhouse is a NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK. ... 01/17/2011

Time Magazine begins by saying," He is a peculiar but harmless figure on the big-city streets, the lone man walking down a sidewalk, railing loudly at some injustice inflicted by a distant , impersonal tormentor." His name was Tony Kiritsis.  In short, he was an angered part time auto salesman who was upside down in his mortgage. (Hey that sounds familiar.)  In 1977 he walked into Meridian Mortgage Co and seized President Richard Hall .  He wired the muzzle of a sawed off shotgun to Mr. Halls neck and took him into the street to begin 63 hours of fury and public terror.  This happened in Indianapolis, Indiana.  My hometown.  He took Hall to his apartment several miles away, and barricaded himself and Hall and began his demands.  First he wanted immediate cancellation of a $130,000 mortg... 01/14/2011

I understand you are eager to get your Indianapolis home sold and you want or need to get top dollar; however, when you list your home you must be objective.  You may have blood, sweat, and tears poured into your property, but you must look at it from the perspective of the buyer.  There are multiple factors that go into pricing your home.  Please keep these in mind when letting your listing consultant know what price in which you'd like to list your property.  Here I must emphasize that if your property is listed too high...the interest and number of showings will be slim to none. #1 Comparable Solds - Your listing consultant should provide information to you regarding the comparable properties that have sold within the last 6 months to a year.  The information here should include prop... 01/11/2011

LONG AGO (1973ish) I had my real estate license. FAR AWAY(a different time ).  I was raising 3 girls, and my husband Andy was a "hot shot" agent for the Tucker company.  He would come home every night with a purchase agreement in his suit pocket.  Life was good!  I remember one day telling him that I was going out to buy a new bicycle.  I came home with 5 new bicycles.  Like I said Far away.  Well back to the reason for the blog.  One day a close by neighbor came to our front door.  She said, "I give up".  I had no idea what she was talking about.  She said she and her husband had made offers on 5 houses.  Each time they lost to another agent.  That agent was my husband.  Andy Soforic.  So the neighbor became another notch on his belt.  He sold them a house and sold their house.  We all... 01/07/2011

A recent post reminded me of the above bumper sticker that was published by the National or Local association.  I had such a bumper sticker on my car.  That was back in the "Bad Eighties"  I represented both the buyer and seller in this particular transaction.  Back then it was not uncommon to go "downtown" to close loans.  So I went in my own car and Buyer and Seller went together in their car.  We all parked in the same parking garage. So there I am walking to the elevator, and all of a sudden someone comes up behind me and grabbs me around the middle.  Everyone starts laughing...............then he said "I hugged my Realtor today."  That was quickly followed by 3 more hugs.  These are stories I carry with me forever.  I really love my clients.  I think it is mutual. 01/06/2011

I know that folks outside of Indiana think there is no water in Indianapolis.  And it is true there isn't much!  But, Geist Reservoir is still a very popular place to hang out in the summertime. Baby it's cold outside today, but time to start thinking Spring!  Boating weather will be here soon and finding a home for sale on Geist Reservoir with a dock is something I can help you do! There are currently 56 homes for sale in Geist with a dock.  You might think they are all very expensive; but there are some very affordable choices.  There are 8 homes with massive lake frontage listed; all of these Geist homes are over $1,000,000.  There is also the For Sale by Owner on 12642 Shore Vista that is just under $1,000,000.  But there are several choices under $200,000.  One of my favorite neigh... 01/06/2011

Broad Ripple Village Real Estate Market Report Following is the market report for the area known as Broad Ripple Village as of January 5th 2011. Can you believe we are officially into the year 2011?  Time flies, that's for sure... There was a significant decrease in the number of active listings between November and December.  This was largely because 17 listings expired in the month of December, in addition to, an increase in the number of pending listings.  Sales in 2010 were half the number of sales in the same month 2009; however, the average sales price was significantly higher. In the end, 2009 was not a record-breaking year for the Broad Ripple Real Estate Market, but it held up quite well compared to other parts of the Indianapolis market plagued with foreclosures and declining... 01/05/2011

Home for Sale in Indianapolis, Offered by The Hoagland Group -- 6642 Trail Ridge Way, Indianapolis, IN 46259 Prior offer fell through due to buyer's loss of employment. Home has been inspected and appraised. This property is ready for an accelerated closing! Overview Maps Photos Description $685,000 Single Family Home Main Features 5 Bedrooms5 Bathrooms1 Partial Bathroom Location 6642 Trail Ridge WayIndianapolis, IN 46259USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Tonda & Steve Hoagland Keller Williams(317) 340-4575tonda@perfectplaceforyou.comhttp://www.PerfectPlaceForYou.com Listed by: The Hoagland Group at Keller Williams Our recent listings 7142 Bel Moore Cir, Indianapolis 46259 - offered for sale by The Hoagland GroupHomes ... 01/05/2011

But tonight I did.  Have you been in business long enough to know, sight unseen, there is a 99% chance the showing will turn into a purchase.? I had such an ESP moment.  I received a call from a young man late afternoon yesterday.  He was calling about one of my bank foreclosures.  A big old painted red brick house in a small town about 40 miles east of my home.  Over the phone he told me that he worked for the local county sheriffs office for 23 years.  He used to live in this small town, and he was moving back to his hometown.  The tone of his voice and his attitude told me that he was the buyer.  I admit to realizing that it could have gone the other way, but, I just knew.............. Writing this blog, reminds me of better days, when I always told my buyers, that I would know which... 01/04/2011

  Just days before closing on his new Indianapolis home, a client was being asked by his mortgage lender to provide documentation for money he’d recently transferred from one account to another in preparation for the closing. He was, understandably, a bit frustrated by the extra hassle. Why, he wondered, does anyone care where the money came from? If I have the money can’t I do whatever I want with it? Fair questions. Yes, it’s your money and you can spend it as you please. But when you’re preparing to buy a home you can’t just move money around without eliciting questions and requests for more paperwork from your lender. Thanks to the USA Patriot Act, signed into law by President Bush after 9/11, mortgage lenders are required by law to source the money used to purchase homes. That mean... 01/04/2011

It was my husband’s comment that he kept repeating that caused me to reflect on New Years past.  William said, “I guess they think we are too old to want to go out and celebrate on NewYear’s Eve, so they ask us to babysit while they go out.” Our first New Year’s Eve together, 20 years ago, was full of champagne, confetti and noisemakers.  We had just started dating and I bought the most outrageous dress I could find for the occasion---low cut black velvet on top and a red satin, full skirt complete with taffeta on the bottom.  It was a dress you could never wear anywhere but out to a New Year’s Eve celebration.  I wish I had a picture to share with you, but I don’t.  We danced the night away without a care in the world. That was the last time we ever went out to celebrate New Year’s.  W... 01/03/2011

7142 Bel Moore Cir, Indianapolis 46259 - offered for sale by The Hoagland Group Overview Maps Photos Description Neighborhood $167,500 Single Family Home Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 Bathrooms1 Partial BathroomInterior: 1958 sqftLot: 0.24 acre(s) Location 7142 Bel Morre CircleIndianapolis, IN 46259USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Tonda & Steve Hoagland Keller Williams(317) 340-4575tonda@perfectplaceforyou.comhttp://www.PerfectPlaceForYou.com Listed by: The Hoagland Group at Keller Williams Indy Metro South Our recent listings 7142 Bel Moore Cir, Indianapolis 46259 - offered for sale by The Hoagland GroupHomes for sale in Trafalgar -- offered by the Hoagland Group -- 112 Carnation Ct, 46181Homes for Sale in Indianapolis ... 01/03/2011

A local small town acquired a water tower from another town.  The water tower said "look up to Jesus".  But do not fear, the new owner of the water tower, have plans to remove it.  I couldn't find a water tower in Iclipart this morning.  So I think this will suffice.  I am so irked.  Why do I see so many other symbols of religion?  That is ok with me.  BUT why can't they leave mine alone.  Maybe they were afraid if someone looked up they would have had an accident.  But what happens if they look "down"  ooooooo.  That is a part of our religion too.  We need to ban all the devils at Halloween.  I couldn't decide which would get the most traffic on my blog.  Look up to Jesus or Look down to Satan.  01/02/2011

If you live in Windsong, Feather Cove 3 or the Admirals, you have a new bakery to walk to!  The Bakery at Geist opened on November 8th.  Ron Woods, the Chef, says he picked that area because bikes and walkers as well as automobiles have easy access to great baked goods.  Did you know that Chef Ron has a degree in Chemistry!  There is no question the ingredients are measured perfectly to create the best tasting baked goods! You can find lots of freshed baked breads including Focaccia, Baguettes, and Raisin Bread among others.  A trip to their display case shows cookies and pastries and yummy pies and cakes.  The Bakery at Geist menu is mouth watering and the smells are fabulous! The Bakery at Geist can also create your wedding or birthday cake and also has European styled pastries in the... 01/01/2011

What do gently used wreaths, nursing homes and a quest for wreath door hangers have in common…well today, they have ME in common. The hardest part of this excursion was finding the door hangers…you’d think they would be everywhere (Dollar Store, CVS, Walgreens) but no…not at this time of the year.  So after about six trips I finally had the five I needed. There is a nursing home I drive by almost daily; often in the summer time residents are outside getting some fresh air.  We joke in my family about our daughters putting us in a fine home one day (one has a great job with a great salary, one plans to live locally forever and the other is a very caring soul…so the combination bodes well for us in old age!). My friend who has a “Wreath a Month” business (she will ship anywhere in the cou... 12/23/2010

  When the weather outside is FRIGHTFUL, remember that the Indianapolis Children’s Museum is an absolutely DELIGHTFUL place for indoor family fun! Kids, grown-ups and, yes, even teens, are sure to find something that captures their interest in the nation’s largest children’s museum, whether it’s digging for fossils in the Dinosphere, a walk through the world of Barbie, or a ride on an old-fashioned carousel. The Power of Children: Making a Difference is a new display that chronicles the trials and triumphs of young heroes Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges and Ryan White. It’s one history lesson no one will mind studying! The Children’s Museum is also home to one of my favorite pieces of Indianapolis art – a towering structure created from hundreds of tentacles of blown glass. Be sure to look dow... 12/22/2010

Last evening, my husband and I passed the Mexican restaurant  on our way to the post office.  Passing by prompted us to try another new restaurant.  This time Italian.  Again it was an old abandoned Pizza Hut building.  We like supporting our local owners, more so than the chain restaurants.  When we arrived at 5pm, the parking lot was empty, and we immediately thought it would be another struggling "boss".  We were greatly surprised when we entered.  Tables were prepared, tablecloths, plates, napkins, glasses and the works.  The surrounding walls were colorful and trendy in typical Italian decor.  We were greeted by a pleasant young man and escorted to our table.  Keep in mind, we were the only ones there.  So far, although empty of patrons, the experience was pleasant.  We chatted wit... 12/22/2010

This just in! Indianapolis nabbed the No. 5 spot on the Forbes magazine first-ever list of Best Shopping Cities. While I'm often suspect of the rankings doled out by Forbes, this one doesn't surprise me. Without blinking an eye I can name three indoor malls, two outdoor malls, three large retail spaces and four Target stores within a 15 minute drive of my Indianapolis home. Plus a partridge in a pear tree somewhere out there. It’s the advantage of living in a place where city and suburbs blend seamlessly together, I guess. It's shopping sensory overload for visitors who come to Indianapolis from other less retail-enhanced locations, such as Alaska where I know from firsthand experience that there aren't more than three malls -- IN THE ENTIRE STATE! How do they manage? The 25 Best Shoppi... 12/17/2010