Greenwood, IN

OK, I've never been to this event before but I've heard about it and always wanted to go. Another Realtor and I (Hi Linda!) were talking this morning and she mentioned it was this Sunday but didn't know the details.

I did a little searching and here's what I was able to find:

The event will be held this Sunday, February 8th from 4-7pm. Attendees must be 21 or older and the event is taking place at Valle Vista Golf Club and Conference Center, located at 755 E. Main Street in Greenwood.

Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple. There are a number of different places where tickets can be purchased, but the easiest would probably be to log on to the link the Greenwood Chamber has.

From what I hear, it's a great networking event and they plan on selling out.

Click here to read the complete article in the Indy Star.

Got more questions? Simply leave a comment or scroll down to the right and click to chat! Hope to see you there!

This information was originally published at

http://ishopgreenwood.com/2009/02/06/taste-of-the-southside-returns-february-8th/

What more could you want than to get your home sold for top dollar in short order without any hassles? If you take a moment and read through the following suggestions before you put your property on the market, you'll be well on your way to a successful sale.

Our goal is to simplify, depersonalize, and de-clutter your home in order for it to show larger and brighter, giving a more spacious feeling to potential buyers. These steps will provide you with an advantage over the competition.

Many items will need to be removed to storage and packed for moving. This is important and should be considered as merely giving you a head start on the move to your new home.

General Prep Tips:

• Start by airing out the home. Most people are turned off by even the smallest odor. Odors must be eliminated, especially if you have dogs, cats, or young children in diapers or if you are a smoker.
• If it has been over a year since the carpets have been cleaned - or if they really need it - now is the time to do it. Bare floors should be waxed or polished, as well.
• Clean and wipe down all stained woodwork including doors and cabinets with a wood maintenance product such as "Old English" or "Liquid Gold".
• Replace or clean A/C filters. Clean all A/C vents and intake grids.
• Kepp A/C set no warmer than 75 degrees and heat no cooler than 70 degrees.
• Use an air freshener in each room (try to avoid floral scents as they can be too strong).

Lighting:

• Upgrade the wattage in all light fixtures to the highest level safety will allow.
• Dust/Wash all light fixtures and fans.

Windows:

• Dust blinds, windowsills and plant ledges.
• Remove any cobwebs inside and outside.
• Clean interior and exterior of all windows and glass doors.
• Take screens off before washing and leave screens off of the front of the house.
• Keep all blinds/shades pulled up/open and draperies removed to allow maximum light.

Carpet:

• Steam clean if not replacing. If replacing, we can help you make choices that will be most appealing to buyers.

Bathrooms:

• Clean all tubs, toilets and sinks. Then polish the sinks with lemon or vegetable oil. Polish all hardware to a shine.
• Stow unused shampoos, soaps, scrubbing implements, razors, etc. under sink.
• Stow laundry hamper in closet.
• Stow wastebasket under sink.
• Rugs/commode lid covers should be removed.
• Store cleansers under sink.
• Streamline counter - only 1 or 2 decorative items on display.
• Linen cabinets should be organized and number of items reduced.
• Use baskets to hold make-up and toiletries so that after use they can be stored under the counter.
• Bathtubs, showers and sinks should be freshly caulked. the grout and tile should be clean and in good condition. There should be no leaks in the faucets or traps.

Kitchen:

• Keep all flat surfaces (countertops, appliance tops and furniture) cleared off as much as possible. Kitchen counters should have very little on them to show that there is plenty of available workspace. keep appliances stored when not in use.
• Go over the kitchen as if you were a health inspector. Clean the oven, range (put in new drip pans) and check the seal of the dishwasher door.
• Remove all magnets, notes, pictures, etc. from the front and sides of the refrigerator.
• Stow trashcan in pantry or underneath kitchen sink.

Utility Room:

• Organize shelves and put away non-cleanser items.
• Keep area clear of clothes.

Pantry / Closets:

• Thin all closets dramatically and organize remaining items neatly on shelves and be sure to allow space between hanging items. at one very visible spot, leave space, so the rear wall of the closet/pantry will show when the door is opened. Leave a small empty space on each shelf to show potential storage space.

Bedrooms and Living Areas:

• Make sure that there is not too much furniture in a room. Select pieces that look best and put others in the garage or storage.
• Depersonalize your home by storing personal photos so that potential buyers may visualize their personal items in the home. this is probably one of the most important things to a potential buyer!

House Exterior:

• Thoroughly sweep down all exterior sides of the house and eaves to clean cobwebs and wasp nests.

Yard:

• Keep lawn mowed, weeded and well-edged.
• Trim trees and shrubs.
• Clean out flowerbeds and invest in a few flats of colorful flowers.

Front Entry Porch:

• Be sure front door area is clean and free of dirt, dust and cobwebs.
• Repaint door and trim if not pristine.
• Add new thick "Welcome" mat and keep it clean.
• Make sure doorbell is working properly.

Garage:

• Drastically clean and re-organize.
• Sweep and clean - remove all cobwebs and any oil or grease from floor.

Preparing Your Home For Sale Brochure

This information was originally published at: http://ishopgreenwood.com/2009/02/04/money-making-tips-preparing-your-home-to-sell/

Please join Girls, Inc of Franklin/Johnson County at Girls Rock the Band. This event will be held at the Barnes & Noble at the Greenwood Park Mall. All portion of the event are free and will be staffed until 8 PM.

You can also help out Girls, Inc by mentioning Girls, Inc when you check out. A portion of all other those sales will be donated back to Girls, Inc.

Can't make it on the 31st? No problems! For a week afterward, mention Girls, Inc and your donation will be made!!

Girls, Inc will have Dance, Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, karaoke and face painting at this event!

Here are some additional conditions that should be reviewed around ANY home when the weather gets very cold, as was the case recently.

Ensure all gaps and openings in the basement or crawlspace walls are filled. The smallest amount of wind on very cold days (anything below 15F) will penetrate these gaps. If pipes are nearby these gaps, it takes very little to freeze them. In this case, close the crawlspace vents to prevent cross ventilation. Be sure to open them after the weather moderates.

Gaps in siding walls create the same problem. Extremely cold temperatures and high winds do some unbelievable things related to freezing. I have seen pipes on interior walls actually freeze if there was an opening of the smallest type to the outside that would allow cold air to reach the pipes, especially if it was on the windward side of the home. Seal even the smallest gaps to prevent this. I grew up in lots of -20F winters. As I look back, since it has been a while since we have seen these temperatures, it still amazes me how some pipes could freeze where they were located.

Best Regards,
Jim Schwarz

This information was originally published at http://ishopgreenwood.com/2009/01/20/jims-frozen-pipe-follow-up/

If you've been around for a little while, you know we've been on our soapbox the last couple of weeks about the importance of winterizing vacant properties. We had always been told that pipes can freeze any time the thermostat is set below 55 degrees.

Well...all of that changed this week. No one is exactly sure what happened, but a seller of ours just called us and said while they were out of town, they had left their thermostat on 66 degrees and came home to frozen pipes!

Fortunately for them, the pipes didn't burst and they were able to have a plumber come out and thaw the pipes before any damage was done. But who knows what could have happened if they hadn't caught it in time. I guess to be safe...considering all of these lovely below freezing days we've been having...perhaps the heat needs to be set above 66 degrees.

What was really surprising was that this happened to a well built older home. Although I'm certainly not an expert on the subject, my guess would be that some of the newer homes with a poorer quality of insulation might be more at risk.

Something else to consider...wait a minute...I'm about to talk out both sides of my mouth (perhaps I should have gone into politics)...but if you have your home listed for sale and you are offering a Home Warranty on the property, you will want to call the Home Warranty company first before calling a plumber. The Home Warranty companies often have a preferred group of vendors they use.

Now here's where I talk out the other side of my mouth...I'm not sure whether Home Warranty companies are going to offer any coverage for frozen pipes. To double check, this might be a good place to start.

Need more tips on winterizing and protecting your vacant home? Click Here! For Maintenance Tips in general, Check These Out.

This information was originally published at: http://ishopgreenwood.com/2009/01/18/frozen-pipes-at-66-degrees/