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Amanda Schick

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Centennial Ice Cream Social -- Hamilton County -- Westfield -- July 20th, 6-8pm

07-19-08
Amanda Schick

The Sundae Social

Where: Centennial Bible Church

When: Sunday, July 20th, 6-8pm

Youʼre invited to come meet the neighbors of Centennial!

~Amanda Schick~
New Home Sales Consultant
Lockerbie Townhomes at Centennial
15522 Bowie Dr. , Westfield , IN 46074
OFC: 317.569.5144
Cell: 812.272.6266
schicka@estridge.net

http://www.estridge.com/TownhomesAtCentennial.aspx

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Indianapolis Ranked 6th Best City for Jobs in 2008

06-15-08
Amanda Schick

Source: http://www.forbes.com/careers/2008/01/11/jobs-economy-growth-lead-careers-cx_mk_0110cities_table.html

Careers
Table: Best Cities For Jobs In 2008
Matthew Kirdahy 01.10.08, 12:00 PM ET

Rank Geography Median Income Rank Unemployment Rank Income Growth Rank Cost of Living Rank Job Growth Rank Total Score
1 Salt Lake City, UT 33 2 8 41 8 92
2 Wichita, KS 65 23 5 7 7 107
3 Austin, TX 56 13 1 51 2 123
4 Atlanta, GA 18 43 18 42 13 134
5 Fort Worth, TX 50 39 4 45 9 147
6 Indianapolis, IN 41 37 36 12 23 149
7 Houston, TX 63 36 3 48 4 154
8 Omaha, NE 57 10 41 11 38 157
9 Raleigh, NC 54 22 23 46 19 164
10 Seattle, WA 14 19 34 79 20 166
11 San Antonio, TX 85 32 15 29 5 166
12 Birmingham, AL 93 11 9 40 14 167
13 Albuquerque, NM 80 17 16 30 25 168
14 Nashville, TN 64 14 20 39 32 169
15 Little Rock, AR 67 56 14 20 12 169
16 Denver, CO 27 26 19 47 50 169
17 Wilmington, DE 32 15 28 67 34 176
18 Dallas, TX 43 41 17 61 17 179
19 Oklahoma City, OK 81 42 26 15 16 180
20 Honolulu, HI 16 1 51 93 21 182
21 Bethesda, MD 2 3 42 92 45 184
22 Tulsa, OK 84 35 43 19 10 191
23 Tacoma, WA 28 71 11 57 36 203
24 Baton Rouge, LA 95 12 48 38 11 204
25 Washington, DC 4 5 45 85 65 204
26 Jacksonville, FL 53 21 21 56 55 206
27 Orlando, FL 61 31 27 72 15 206
28 Fort Lauderdale, FL 47 18 31 87 24 207
29 Kansas City, MO 42 75 35 25 31 208
30 Allentown, PA 35 40 55 54 33 217
31 Columbia, SC 82 62 13 34 26 217
32 Portland, OR 39 64 29 58 27 217
33 McAllen, TX 100 95 2 22 1 220
34 West Palm Beach, FL 34 49 22 89 28 222
35 Baltimore, MD 24 29 54 65 57 229
36 Edison, NJ 1 28 39 88 74 230
37 Greenville, SC 98 66 12 32 22 230
38 Minneapolis, MN 20 46 65 49 51 231
39 Gary, IN 59 68 46 21 41 235
40 Bridgeport, CT 7 24 57 95 52 235
41 Camden, NJ 10 48 67 64 46 235
42 Riverside, CA 37 90 10 83 18 238
43 Sarasota, FL 62 44 7 86 39 238
44 Richmond, VA 45 4 53 44 93 239
45 Virginia Beach, VA 60 6 70 37 67 240
46 Lake County, IL 15 80 37 71 40 243
47 Poughkeepsie, NY 22 33 59 60 70 244
48 Tampa, FL 79 45 24 63 35 246
49 El Paso, TX 99 88 30 26 3 246
50 Charlotte, NC 73 67 40 36 30 246
51 Chicago, IL 49 87 6 53 53 248
52 Columbus, OH 58 60 56 17 59 250
53 Tucson, AZ 83 9 33 52 73 250
54 Albany, NY 51 30 83 31 58 253
55 Newark, NJ 6 47 49 90 61 253
56 San Francisco, CA 8 34 66 98 48 254
57 St. Louis, MO 71 79 47 23 37 257
58 New York, NY 36 78 25 77 43 259
59 Miami, FL 89 20 44 78 29 260
60 Memphis, TN 90 58 50 24 44 266
61 Philadelphia, PA 29 51 73 59 60 272
62 New Orleans, LA 97 25 94 50 6 272
63 Cambridge, MA 13 16 77 82 92 280
64 Milwaukee, WI 38 85 72 33 54 282
65 Boston, MA 25 52 63 80 64 284
66 Greensboro, NC 96 69 32 27 62 286
67 Oxnard, CA 9 59 60 94 71 293
68 Akron, OH 76 84 87 8 42 297
69 Peabody, MA 31 61 62 75 69 298
70 San Diego, CA 17 57 75 91 63 303
71 Worcester, MA 23 77 68 62 75 305
72 Louisville, KY 72 82 52 16 84 306
73 Sacramento, CA 30 81 38 76 81 306
74 Pittsburgh, PA 77 53 80 9 88 307
75 Oakland, CA 11 63 61 97 76 308
76 Knoxville, TN 88 8 100 28 85 309
77 Rochester, NY 69 54 93 3 91 310
78 Cincinnati, OH 52 72 97 14 79 314
79 Nassau, NY 5 27 92 96 95 315
80 San Jose, CA 3 65 69 100 78 315
81 New Haven, CT 21 70 74 69 82 316
82 Grand Rapids, MI 70 94 82 18 56 320
83 Syracuse, NY 87 50 99 6 80 322
84 Santa Ana, CA 12 38 78 99 96 323
85 Hartford, CT 19 55 95 74 86 329
86 Phoenix, AZ 55 7 96 73 100 331
87 Los Angeles, CA 48 74 58 84 68 332
88 Springfield, MA 66 83 84 35 66 334
89 Dayton, OH 78 89 81 4 87 339
90 Cleveland, OH 68 91 90 13 83 345
91 Toledo, OH 74 93 79 5 94 345
92 Providence, RI 40 86 88 55 77 346
93 Buffalo, NY 86 73 98 1 90 348
94 Warren, MI 26 96 86 43 98 349
95 Bakersfield, CA 75 98 71 66 47 357
96 Youngstown, OH 92 92 89 2 89 364
97 Stockton, CA 44 97 76 81 72 370
98 Las Vegas, NV 46 76 85 70 97 374
99 Fresno, CA 94 99 64 68 49 374
100 Detroit, MI 91 100 91 10 99 391

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Westfield tax rates lowered!

05-11-08
Amanda Schick

Source: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/LOCAL0103/805090306/1015/LOCAL01

Westfield taxpayers may see lower tax bills this year with a 4 percent decrease in the city's tax rate.

That means a homeowner with a house valued at $241,000 in 2007 would see taxes drop by about $217, from $4,868 in 2007 to $4,651 in 2008.

The rates are based on assessed valuations released late last week.

Bruce Hauk, the city's chief administrative officer and deputy mayor, said the lower rate marks a turnaround for Westfield, which has been known for high taxes.

"We tend to have drawn attention to our tax rate in the past," Hauk said. "(Now) we are effectively trying to reduce the cost by creating better assessed value."

The lower taxes result from a mix of state policy, growth in high-end homes and businesses in the city and fiscal planning by leaders in city government and Westfield Washington Schools.

Under the 2008 total tax rate, Westfield decreased by about a penny, from $2.52 to $2.51 per $100 of assessed value -- a decrease of less than 1 percent.

But the rate a homeowner actually pays decreased from $2.01 to $1.93 per $100 of assessed value.

That's due to an increase in the homestead credit provided by the state as part of this year's property tax reform package.

Westfield leaders say responsible planning also played a role.

"(The decrease) would have been eroded if the overall rate would have gone beyond $2.52," Hauk said.

The city increased its tax rate this year from 33 cents per $100 of assessed value to 37 cents, but the increase came in tandem with a 4 cent decrease in the school tax rate.

Hauk said the city and schools worked together to ensure the rates would balance.

The city's increase helped cover the additional cost of providing services to residents living in 10 square miles in the southwest portion of Washington Township, who were annexed into the city in March 2006.

It also will help the city make some much-needed increases to public safety personnel.

To avoid any additional tax increase, the city borrowed money this year -- up to $5.5 million -- to make up for a cash-flow deficit caused by delayed property tax revenues and a shortfall from a four-year tax abatement offered to residents in the annexed area. Because the city borrowed over the short term, interest payments will be minimal, Hauk said.

On the schools' end, an increase in assessed value through influx of higher-priced homes and businesses has helped reduce debt payments, decreasing the school tax rate over the last five years.

Superintendent Mark Keen said this year's decrease is bigger than those of the past few years.

He said the rate should continue to decrease as construction of new buildings catches up with student growth and assessed value continues to roll in.

City leaders are banking on 6.8 percent growth in assessed value annually to help reduce tax rates more in coming years -- a factor that will be more feasible as tax breaks to residents in the city's annexed area decrease, providing built-in growth.

"We have known assessed value that comes onto the tax rolls for the next four years," Hauk said.

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Indianapolis Parade of Homes

04-24-08
Amanda Schick

April 26 & 27 and May 3 & 4

Admission is FREE!
Noon - 6:00pm
Pick up your guide from one of these locations April 18th!

Source: http://www.paradeofhomesindy.com/Default.asp

The Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis (BAGI) announces the Spring Parade of Homes! The event, which is sponsored by Indianapolis Power & Light Co. will be held April 26 & 27 and May 3 & 4 from Noon - 6:00 pm. 111 new homes and 10 new home communities, located throughout the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area, will be showcased during the event.

Whether you are searching for your first home, a home for your growing family or your retirement home, you will find many options. With low interest rates and high inventory, now is a great time to buy! The Parade of Homes will feature many different styles of homes in a variety of price ranges, so you are sure to find what is right for you and your family!

Find confidence in knowing that all of these homes have been built by a member of BAGI and all Association builders agree to adhere to the Quality Assurance Builder Standards. The Standards provide new home buyers a written set of standards addressing prevalent issues that arise during the construction process. The Quality Assurance Builder Standards are available only through Association members.

Over two weekends, you will have the opportunity to tour as many homes as you like...as many times as you like. So take your Spring Parade of Homes guide with you and enjoy your tour!

The Lockerbie Townhomes are a featured home on the tour at: 15522 Bowie Dr., Westfield, IN 46074

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Homeward Bound Walk

03-14-08
Amanda Schick

If anyone is interested in signing up for the homeward bound walk in Indianapolis on the 27th of April. It will take place at 2pm. I am seeking fellow walkers and pledges.

For more information, or to sign up: http://www.homewardboundindiana.org/

Homeward Bound, a project of the Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues (ICHHI), is a series of annual walks that take place in communities throughout the state during the month of April.

Since its inception in 2003, Homeward Bound has raised nearly $2,000,000 for over 90 affordable housing and homeless service providers around the state, making it Indiana's largest grassroots fundraiser with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness. In 2007 alone, Homeward Bound raised nearly $540,000.

I am personally involved with Trusted Partners, and will be walking on their behalf. Feel free to join me!

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